Week Two in Portable Two

Friday, September 13, 2019

We just finished week two in portable two and here is a glimpse of what we’ve been up to:

Bucket Drumming – This past week, each student received a pair of drumsticks that they will borrow for the year. For our first lesson, we practiced how to hold the drumsticks properly and how to follow the conductor. We also played some simple rhythms by striking our sticks together and on the carpet. During our next lesson, we will get our buckets. I can already tell that this group is a talented bunch and I’m excited to compose/perform alongside them this year.Math – By the end of grade 3, students need to know how to multiply numbers up to 7 x 7 and by the end of grade 4, students need to know how to multiply numbers up to 10 x 10. This is why we have been learning about basic multiplication facts for the first two weeks of school. One thing that we learned was how to play a game called, How many squares can you fill in? This game is a fun way to practice our basic multiplication facts. By playing this game, we learn about the connection between multiplication, skip counting, repeated addition, and arrays. This game also gets us to practice multi-digit addition (when we add up the score). I like to teach this game at the beginning of the year because it’s a game that students will play occasionally, throughout the year. It’s so important for students to find ways to practice their multiplication facts all year long in order for them to become familiar with them (not just during a two week unit). If you are interested in playing this game at home with your child, let me know. 
Compost Crew – One thing that our class is doing to help the earth is collecting the compost at our school. Each student was assigned a job this past week and we started collecting compost from each classroom. The compost is eventually used for our school garden. If you haven’t seen the beautiful sunflowers in our school garden, I suggest you drive by the school on Duncombe Road to check them out. They are beautiful.

Language – We have been busy writing and reading in our back to school activity booklets. Some of what the students have been sharing is their favourite books, their favourite songs, what they did in the summer, and what they like do in their spare time.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to email me at julie.pragnell@granderie.ca OR call me at school: 519-443-8942.

-Mrs. Julie Pragnell