Thank you to all parents, family members, friends and students who attended our Back to School Meet and Greet. It was wonderful to meet everyone...... I hope everyone enjoyed the food trucks.... the food choices looked scrumptious.

Family Life
On Friday we met the students in Mr.Talbot's class. Was there a student who had similar interests as you? With whom did you identify the most? In the second half of the lesson we read about an unwise decision made by one student, Paul. Share with a parent what Paul did and his reaction to his action.

From the story we remember......

• Each of us experiences difficult times on our life journey. Learning from those difficult times makes us a better and stronger person.
• Sometimes we disappoint the people we love the most (parents, family, God), but they will ALWAYS LOVE US.
• When we do make unwise choices, it is important that we not only use our words to say sorry, but we show it in our actions. We can go to confession and do a kind gesture for the person we have offended. 

Hmm.... has anyone noticed this theme in most of the mentor books that we have read this year?

On Thursday we read the book "A Chance to Shine". What was the message in that book?

Every heart needs a chance to shine,

to be wanted by someone somewhere down the line.

We're all meant to write on the pages of time.

Math

Just a recap on our mental math strategies for addition:

Magic Tens

Look at the ones places. Do the digits in the ones add to ten? If they do, add the tens places and then add the extra ten.

Example: 

44 + 26

4 + 6 = 10

40 + 20 + 10 = 70

Adding in Chunks

Decompose numbers to make friendly numbers, then add on.

Example:

46 + 38 (38 = 30 + 4 + 4)

46 + 4 = 50

50 + 30 = 80

80 + 4 = 84

Expanded Form or Place Value

Add place values (tens and ones)

Example:

78 + 19

70 + 8 + 10 + 9

80 + 17 = 97

Compensation (Give and Take)

You take from one number and give it to the other to make friendly numbers. This only works for addition.

Example:

28 + 37 (you can take 2 from the 37 to make 30 or take 3 from the 28 to make 40)

30 + 35 OR 25 + 40

Both answers are 65.

The expectation in the junior division is adding 2-digit numbers mentally to 100.

Of course you combine any of these basic strategies. Some strategies work better depending on the questions. Practice different strategies even though we all have our favourite. 

Try these: Remember to pencil and paper!

Monday you will get your first math test back. We will continue representing numbers throughout the term. We will focus HEAVILY on DECIMALS and FRACTIONS.

We will continue with Data Management and begin Patterning next week. 

Art

Everyone got a good start on their name art. When you get free time during the week, try to finish. It will be due on Thursday. I'm still missing a few dot art assignments and t-shirts.

Cross Country

Many students have been training hard for cross country. Our first meet is on Wednesday. Many achieved personal best last week. BRAVO!

We had our first STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math) challenge on Friday. What a mighty and marvelous job you did working in your groups to construct the longest paper chain. What strategy did your team use? We had two chains that were so close that we needed Mr. Cocurullo to make the final decision.

Reminders:

• Mathletics assignments

What a mighty and marvelous day we had on Friday.

Have a great weekend!