Together Learning

Lochearn Elementary

We Excel
April 2012

When parents and schools work together, they make an unbeatable team.

Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness. In 2012, people in dozens of countries on all continents INCLUDING Antarctica will be participating in Purple Day!

Technology at Lochearn School Students of Lochearn School are taught the nine elements of digital citizenship: Digital Etiquette Digital Communication Digital Literacy Digital Access Digital Commerce Digital Law Digital Rights and Responsibilities Digital Health and Wellness Digital Security Students, who act in a responsible and considerate manner, following the nine elements, will be allowed to use the computers; however, access will be denied if a student fails to respect them. Personal Learning and Personal Owned Devices If your child is bringing handheld devices to school please note that the school is not responsible for these items. Please talk to your teacher about their expectations with technology and personal learning and personal owned devices in the classroom. For more information, please see: www.digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html

Whole School Literature/Art Project.

Continuing with our whole school literature project theme of hope, staff and students will read Mia's Story by Michael Foreman. Mia's Story tells a tale about a child living in Chile who overcomes several challenges and finds hope for her community in the most unexpected way. Students will explore answers to big questions such as how can hope be passed onto others, and how can having hope overcome challenges? To compliment the story, students also will participate in a whole school art challenge. From Feb to May each classroom will have their collage framed and displayed in our school library showing images of what hope means to them.

Mrs. von Hollen, along with six grade 5 students and one parent, traveled to Breton to take in the HAAS conference. We learned about what other schools are doing to be active and healthy as well as presented about the many activities that our school is involved with. We participated in fun movement activities, were provided with healthy snacks and lunch, and gave input into how schools can continue improving on being healthy and active. Math Fair is quickly approaching! Have you started your project yet? If you are still looking for a topic you might consider finding a math puzzle and reframing it into a theme that interests you child. You might take a look at the mathematics involved in your child's favorite sport. You could give your child a certain budget (play money) and see how much he or she could purchase at a favorite store (A Million Dollar Shopping Spree). Or you could investigate the probability of the popular "Roll Up the Rim" game currently being played thanks to Tim Hortons. The possibilities are truly endless. Whatever you choose to explore, we hope that you have fun with it. We are looking forward to seeing your projects on April 27. Happy creating and calculating.

Our habit for April is Synergize. - I value other people's strengths and learn from them. - I get along well with others. - I work well in groups. - I seek out other people's ideas to solve problems. - I know that "two heads are better than one" - I am a better person when I let other people into my life and work. How might I support or promote a math environment at home? Play games and puzzles with your child that deal with things such as logic, reasoning, estimation, direction and classification (Concentration/Memory, Chess, Checkers, Othello, Sudoku puzzles, Crib, Clue, Card Games, etc.). Do math problems together! This could include problems such as mixing juice crystals with water, figuring out how long to cook a roast or turkey, determining how to set the table for a certain number of people, etc. Involve your child in daily activities that require the use of mathematics. This may include brushing teeth for a certain amount of time, folding or sorting laundry, feeding pets, checking the television schedule, determining driving routes for errands, etc. Make familiar objects (toys, blocks, buttons, measuring devices, etc.) available so that your child can use them to help solve problems. Provide materials such as pencils, paper, calculators, and scissors to use for study or creative play. Listen carefully to your childs explanation of what he or she is learning. Grade 4 Snorkel Program is underway. Mission Impossible will be set up in the gym on March 22nd- April 20th. Grade 3 Swimming Program starts in April and Continues into May. Jump Rope for Heart is April 23. School Council is held at noon on the first Wednesday of every month in the old computer room. Parents, grandparents, guardians, community members are all welcome. Please join us.