Ms. Turcotte - Archived - 09/2016

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Posted: February 25, 2011

WINTER FEST AND MATH!!!

February 25, 2011  This year's 100th day was a  very SUCCESSFUL DAY!!!  I was so...impressed with the attitude and enthusiasm of the Grade 5 students as they worked on puzzles, brought in 100 day activities such as, posters of the last 100 names of Montreal Canadiens, the top 100 dogs,  hockey cards, coins, bracelet and necklaces made with 100 pieces and more.  As well they played math games that looked at 100 000 and 1 000 000.  On top of this, we continued our work on daily quizzes, decimals, fractions and revisited regrouping and working on multiplying two digit numbers and dividing a one digit divisor into a 3 digit dividend. Students are asked to practice each of these strands on a regular basis.   A note....We don't seem to be moving very fast on this unit, however, this week it is hoped that we will get through most of this unit and have a test on Friday on reading, writing, comparing and modeling decimals to the thousandths place.  The students learned to model decimals using base ten.  We also did a number of online activities with the aid of the Smartboard.  The Grade 6 wrote a quiz on fractions and worked very hard on the new unit on Angles.  They viewed a number of power point presentations and were able to see a virtual protractor measure five types of angles.  All worked hard at this.  Once again, estimating angles is required before actually measuring.  This comes back to the referents and the understanding of the size of various angles.  *****The Elementary  will be celebrating Winter Carnival, this week while Middle School will be having dress up days, all week. NOTE:  The National Flag Day write up was given to the Miramichi Leader and was posted on February 23rd.  Thanks goes out to Allan Carter for his help in getting this to the press on time.                                                           Have a good week, Mrs. Turcotte. Thomas Alva EdisonGenius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

Posted: February 20, 2011

MATH RULES!!!!!.....12#$%

February 20th, 2011   Math facts, strategies, rules, math language, terminology, concepts, outcomes, charts, graphs, manips, explore, connect!!!!!??? no end to what one can do with numbers..  Math is all of this and much more!! The students are very busy finding out the connections that bind the strands of math together and what is necessary in order to make sense of these strands!! This week the Grade 6 struggled with the term, preservation of equality....making sure both sides of an equation are balanced.  This concept can be further explored on website   www.learnalberta.ca/content.  This will be extended this week with adding variables and using a variety of approaches.  We spent time on value charts and graphs.  In addition, we reintroduced area and perimeter.  It is hoped that this week we will be able to do work on the Shape and Space outcomes.  We will begin with angles, such as identifying, classifying, estimating, drawing and labelling, angles.  Students will need a protractor, for this unit. Grade 5 will continue work on fraction, mixed numbers, equivalent fractions, as well, we will work on decimals.  Students looked at reading decimal numbers into the thousandths.. Students are encouraged to compare decimal numbers, as well as understanding decimals to the tenths, hundredths and thousandths place. Like fractions, decimals have multiple names and students must become proficient at naming and identifying equivalent decimals.  Kids will also represent thousandths, using length measurements.  1 mm=0.001.  Students will be using thousandths grids to model decimals.  All these grids are easily accessed on www.blackline masters. The National Flag Day celebration was very successful and a write- up has been posted on Blackville Talon.  This week, February 23rd, we celebrate 100th Day of school.  Kids are encouraged to dress for the ocassion and to create something of 100.  They are asked to bring in 100 piece puzzles, if possible.  It is hoped that we continue in our quest of learning and continue to see Math in our daily routines.  Have a good week.. Mrs. Turcotte.  

Posted: February 13, 2011

National Flag Day

February 13, 2011   Good afternoon, parents and guardians of Grade 5 and 6 math students.  This has been a  busy week for students as the Grade 6, finished their Unit test on, Ratios, Percents, Fractions.  Students worked on the website. .www.visual fractions.  Test marks will be given out the first of the week.  The Grade 6 were also part of a Math field test where they completed a test under the directions of District office. I thank all the students for being part of this pilot test.  As well, the Grade 6 were very successful in the Science Fair.  All students, displayed interest and understanding in the topic and project work presented.  Good job, everyone!!.  The next unit, in Math,  we will be revisiting, Patterns and Relations, while moving into the Shape and Space outcome.  The Grade 5 students were very busy with fractions.  They worked on the understanding of what fractions are and looked at equivalent fractions, while using number lines, fraction bars and fraction circles.  A good way to bring this into everyday life is the cutting and sharing of a pizza. Tuesday, the students of Blackville School, will be celebrating National Flag Day.  Students will attend a celebration, in the gym, where all grades K-8 will be participating.  All students are encouraged to wear red and white, to represent the colors of our flag.   HAPPY VALENTINE"S ALL!!!

Posted: February 6, 2011

100th Day

    Good afternoon, parents and guardians of Grade 5 and Grade 6 Math students.  Your child has been busy the past few weeks, as they review concepts taught before the break as they got ready for their unit test.  Some Grade 5 students are preparing for a rewrite by attending tutoring.  The rewrite is on Monday.  The Grade 5 are also coming up to the 100th day of school, which is on February 22nd.  Students are asked to bring in 100 piece puzzles, if possible. This might be a good time to talk to your child about 10's, 100's, 1000's, as it ties in with the next unit, where the focus is on fractions, knowing the meaning, parts of a fraction, how to compare fractions, equivalent fractions and how to describe a fraction.as .1.. a part of a whole,, 2. as part of a set...3.  as part of a linear measurement and how to write corresponding decimals.   This is when we can look at recipes and do the comparisons while having quality time together as a family. The Grade 6 have been busy with ratios, fractions and percent.  They will have their test on Wednesday, February 9th.  The students have been interested in the percent outcomes of the program.  We looked at how to find percent, how to make savings when aware of lowered percents and how to find the hst tax.  February 15th is National Flag Day.  We will be having an assembly for K-8 students, only.  It will be a time to reflect on the pride of being Canadian.  Have a good week, Mrs. Turcotte. AnonymousNever be afraid to do something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the titanic.

Posted: January 15, 2011

Back on Track!!

Good afternoon all!! I hope everyone has had a restful break and are ready for this semester all charged and raring to take on 2011 with excitement and energy. The kids have been excited to come back to meet up with their friend.  Before the break both classes had written a test, upon returning they got their resulta and some students were encouraged to doa rewrite.  Those that took taht opportunity found the review, attending turoring and doing extra practie helped to improve their results.  This is very encouraging as some of the units present challenges and sometimes one just needs an extra lifeline to increase understanding.  Good job, guys!! Grade 5 will continue with this unit as they move from multiplication into division and the number of strategies to obtain a result.  Extra practice with both long and short division will help in making a difference in the outcomes. Students will be able to demostrate, with and without concrete materials, an understanding of division (3-digit by 1-digit) and interpret remainders to solve problems.  Checking by multiplying will be a strategy in obtaining a correct result. Grade 6 will work on relating improper fractions to mixed numbers.and go into demostrating an understanding of ratio, concretely, pictorially and symbolically. The Grade 5 will be having a math intervention for a month, therefore, I may be calling to invite your child into this most beneficial form of reinforcing skills.  This intervention will only be for 1 hour sessions.  It will go from January 31st to February 21st. Tutoring for Grade 5 has started again on Wednesday.  All students are invited to attend.  Have a good semester and remember that I am only a phone call away.. Mrs. R. TurcotteStudy while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing. William Arthur Ward

Posted: December 18, 2010

Holiday Fun!!!

December 18, 2010   MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!  HAVE A VERY JOYOUS AND FUN-FILLED HOLIDAY!!   Good evening, everyone.  Can you believe this, only four days left in this school year and your child has covered so...much, thus far, in Math.  Both Grade 5 and Grade 6 classes, wrote tests on Thursday and Friday, on decimals and multiplication and division.  As well, Grade 6 had some time in the computer lab working on www.aaamath.com. I have seen so much growth in the students over the past four months.  Confidence, is helping them achieve and knowing that making a mistake and learning from the mistake is helping them become more successful.  It is in due to their hard work and encouragement from home.  The flex time has been so beneficial to the Grade 6 students where they get help in a smaller group setting.  Students seem to be taking advantage of this time and the results are very encouraging. We will continue with these strands after break as well as more focus on division and the reinforcement of fractions.  Because of these outcomesI have provided activities to ready your child for these upcoming concepts. This exercise during the hoildays will keep your child connected to math while having fun tracking what happens over the days leading up to Christmas!! Christmas Baking Take your favorite recipe, double it, convert it to metric and use only a teaspoon and ¼ cup to measure. Use an oven thermometer to compare the actual temperature to the stove setting. Convert this to Celsius. Or be extra crazy for math and change the ingredient amounts into math questions! By the way, how long does it take a turkey to cook in seconds? Recipe Converter Christmas Recipes for Kids Check out this great site with Gingerbread Man Math Activities! Christmas Budget Get everyone to prepare a shopping budget and stick to it! Teach the kids how to use a spreadsheet. Compare your actual expenditures with your budget at the end. Teaching Kids the Value of Bucks How to Use a Spreadsheet Christmas Lights How many Christmas lights are on your house? How many extra watts of power are they using? How about your street, the neighborhood, your city, the world? How much energy and money can a community save by switching to LED lights? How Christmas Lights Work The following is a quote from one of the old favorites...The Grinch who Stole Christmas... And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”Enjoy the holidays and remember to stay safe.  See you all in the 2011!!!  Mrs. R. Turcotte

Posted: December 10, 2010

SIGNS OF THE SEASON!!

December 10, 2010        Fun Games for Math Practice This exercise will help kids practice Math in a fun way. Kids related to games very well. From preschool / kindergarten to grade 6 levels of math games. There are games for the following topics: Games to practice Addition, subtraction, Geometry, Comparison, Algebra, Shapes, Time, Fractions, Decimals, Sequence, Division,   Good evening parents and guardians of Grade 5 and 6 Math students...Two weeks left and the elves are busy turning out Math problems!!!  They have been working on the unit of multiplying and division, showing left to right as well as modeling with base ten.  Daily quizzes have been showing more success, as each day, new strategies are looked at.  It is hoped that reinforcement is done as part of the nightly homework.  One recommendation is to make home quizzes following the daily in class quiz. questions.  The above are activities that your child can open and reinforce daily strategies.   Grade 6 had a brief introduction to both mixed numbers and improper fractions while the Grade 5 had fun playing Multiplication Tic Tac Toe.  This is the time to encourage your child to be aware of Math around us and to bring Math to them at Christmas in the form of games, books and going on the recommended web sites.  I extend to all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed and heartfelt new year!!  Mrs. Turcotte

Posted: December 5, 2010

Math Can Be Exciting!!!

December 05, 2010                          The seat of knowledge is in the head, of wisdom,                                      in the heart.                                            William Hazlitt     Good evening parents and Guardians of Grade 5 and Grade 6 Math students.  There are three weeks left until the holidays and students are very engaged in completing activities and reinforcing outcomes and strategies taught thus far.  Between quizzes, hands on  activities, games, computer related sites and working on the Explore and Connect section of the text that is related top the curriculum outcomes, students seem to be having FUN with Math.  We are working on the decimal unit, with Grade 6 and the multiplication and dividing unit with Grade 5.  Both grades are modelling numbers using base ten.  The Grade 5 students were given sheets to help reinforce strategies on multiplication.  It is these strategies that will be covered daily and that should be mastered.  Please insure your child practices outcomes, nightly. website.......www.blackgold math The fThe future depends on what we do in the present. - Mahatma Gandhi uture depends on what we do in the present. - Mahatma Gandhi The future depend

Posted: November 28, 2010

Countdown!!

Novemeber 28, 2010   Parents of Grade 5 and 6 Math students.... We have less than a month left until the Christmas holidays and for the most part students are working tiredlessly to do their best.  Grade 6 had a busy week with project presentations and finishing up the unit on Integers.  Test was completed this week.   Grade 5 had theirs returned on Friday.  Grade 6 will get their test back tomorrow.  All tests are to be corrected and signed.  I was very pleased with the results, especially the Grade 6 test on integers and order of operations.  Students are encouraged to revisit strands taught on a regular basis and to visit web sites to help reinforce strategies.  Grade 6 has started their new unit on multiplying on decimals and were given strategies to help when dropping in the decimal.  Use of base ten helps when modeling.  We have looked at estimation and the strategies of front end, compatibles and compensating.  Grade 5 will be working on multiplying with two digit x 2 digit and will look at strategies such as modeling with base ten, left to right and right to left.  All students are encouraged to study the meanings of factors, product, quotient, multiples... You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved

Posted: November 20, 2010

Busy Week!!

Novemeber 20, 2010   Once again, the students of Grade 5 and 6, Math were busy. Grade 5 continued with Estimation while preparing for a test, covering place value and estimating. Grade 6 worked so...hard on a interdisciplinary unit, where all students worked at achieving outcomes in all disciplines, while doing a Science unit.  Evidence of team collaboration and testing was evident. They will be presenting these projects on Monday.  All students are encouraged to do their best!! Our next unit will be on Multiplying and Dividing whole numbers as we still revisit integers, estimation, and orders of operations.  As you are aware, your son/daughter of Grade 5 and Grade 6 did not have the necessary time to complete the end of unit test so they will finish this during their next Math class. The cold weather is now upon us and therefore all students are encouraged to wear warm clothes as they will be expected to go outside during the mild days. R. Turcotte     Don't be the one you see but be the one you want to be."    

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Added: Sat, Oct 23 2010