Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Mar 13-17, 2023
Looking Back
- We are one week away from Spring Break and you can feel the excitement in the air! And, with the weather taking a turn for the better, everyone is getting a little antsy.
- We are moving forward with Book Projects and have been sharing music from our Musical Artists Projects. It has been fantastic!!!
- We are making great progress in Math. Many students have completed the Practice and Unit tests for Unit 6 and have moved on to Unit 7.
- Students have begun sharing their Air Experiments in Science. Ask them about some of the cool things they have seen and done.
Looking Forward
- Five more days!!!
- We will finish Unit 6 and get everyone on to Unit 7 this week.
- Book Projects continue. We will be finishing our Musical Artists Projects and moving on to Persuasive Writing.
- In Social, we will be looking at Provincial Government before jumping into a project focused on bringing the different approaches to governing that we have looked at this year.
- In Science, we will finish our Air Experiments and move on to Hot Air Balloons and Bernoulli’s Principle.
- Finally, we will wrap up the week with a trip down to Fish Creek! What a great way to head into Spring Break.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Important Updates
Important Dates
- John Ware Presentation – Mar 21, 2023 @ 10:30am
- Fish Creek Friday – Mar 24
- Last Day of School – Mar 24
- Spring Break – Mar 25 – Apr 2
- First Day Back – Apr 3
Picture of the Week
· Bring on the warmer weather!!!
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Mar 6-10, 2023
It was such a pleasure meeting with so many of you over the last couple of days.
Because we have so recently met, I am changing the format for this week’s update. Instead of a long review of what we’ve done and what is coming up, I wanted to highlight a few important items instead.
- Time change happens this weekend as we spring forward an hour. Don’t forget to adjust your clocks before going to bed on Saturday.
- Volleyball Club will continue this week before we wrap things up until the Spring. Interested grade sixes can come out to play games Tuesday and Wednesday morning (Mar 14 & 15) beginning at 8:15 in the gym.
- ELEV8 Lacrosse continues this week. Our class will have two sessions as they continue to explore the game of lacrosse.
- Spring Break is only two weeks away. The last day of school is March 24th and we return April 3rd.
Important Dates for Grade Sixes
Please make note of the dates below. We would ask that you try to avoid booking any appointments or getaways on these dates. Also, for Provincial Achievement Tests, please make sure students are at school on time as tests begin first thing in the morning.
- Spring Celebration – May 4, 2023
- Swimming Lessons – May 8 – 11, 2023
- Outdoor School Parent Meeting (Mandatory) – May 11, 2023 (in the evening)
- Due Date for all forms and payment for Outdoor School – May 24, 2023
- Outdoor School – May 31-June 2, 2023
- Provincial Achievement Tests
- Math Part A – June 22, 2023
- Math Part B – June 23, 2023
- Social – June 26, 2023
- Science – June 27, 2023
- Grade Six Farewell – June 28, 2023 (in the afternoon)
- Last day of Elementary – June 29, 2023
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Feb 27-Mar 3, 2023
Looking Back
- This week has been a busy and exciting time! Students continue to make incredible progress and develop the skills they will need to be successful as they move on to Junior High in September.
- In Language Arts, we wrapped up our first Book Project. These are due on Monday. They also began putting the finishing touches on their Musical Artist Projects.
- In Science, students shared the work they had done on specific aspects of Sky Science. They all had the chance to get up in front of the class and share what they had learned over the last week and a half. They also received the review questions for this unit so they can prepare for the upcoming Unit Test.
- In Social, we finished our look at the Charter of Rights and Freedoms with a discussion about what each section of the Charter protects and how it is used by the Supreme Court of Canada to make decisions. This included a discussion about their thoughts on how the Charter has been used to determine whether or not peoples’ rights and freedoms have been usurped in a couple of different instances.
- Students are making great progress in Math. They have spent the week focusing on drawing angles and triangles and looking at and classifying polygons.
- We spent the entire day on Friday outside in the school field building Snow Quonsets. Students worked in collaboration with their group to build, and hollow out their Quonset. In all cases, students were able to get at least two people in their buildings. They did an amazing job and had a blast!!!
Looking Forward
- We have three weeks left before Spring Break and have a lot to get done in that time.
- In Language Arts, students will finish their Musical Artist projects and then share some of their songs. They will be handing in their first book project on Monday and will then move on to the second project on Tuesday.
- We will wrap up our Sky Science Unit on Wednesday with the Unit Test. We will then jump into the next unit focused on Air & Aerodynamics.
- In Social, we will begin a look at Local Government and how they work to meet the needs of their citizens.
- We will be working with students on the songs for our upcoming Spring Celebration.
- Some students will be auditioning for a special part of the Celebration on Thursday.
- I look forward to meeting with you during Parent Teacher Conferences this week. Please make sure to bring your child with you as they are an important part of these meetings.
Important Updates
The Woodbine Parent Association is excited to launch our new website TODAY. On our site you will find our latest events, fundraisers, volunteer information and FAQs. Check it out!!!! https://woodbineparents.com/
Important Dates
- Volleyball Club – Mar 7 & 8 @ 8:15am for interested grade six students
- ELEV8 Lacrosse Residency – Mar 8, 9, 13, 14, 15
- Parent Teacher Conferences – Mar 9, 10
- No School – Mar 10
- Spring Break – Mar 25-Apr 3
Picture of the Week
· Quonset Building!!!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Feb 13-15, 2023
Looking Back
- It has been a short week with Teacher’s Convention taking place Thursday and Friday.
- Students finished their Space projects and submitted them on Monday. They have worked very hard and are very proud of their efforts.
- Our Book Projects continue with students engaging in Book Clubs and independent novel studies. They are making great progress and getting close to wrapping up the first of three projects in the next couple of weeks. Students also finished writing their mini-reports on Mt. Everest as we begin a look at non-fiction writing.
- We spent time going over the scope of the work for next week as students prepare for me to be away. All instructions were handed out and have also been uploaded to Google Classroom.
- Finally, all Division 2 students met to go over the music for our upcoming Spring Celebration at the beginning of May. We also began work on a few of the songs in class on Wednesday. Students embraced their inner singers and as we covered a few of the pieces we will be sharing with you. We can’t wait to see how they do.
Looking Forward
- Monday is Family Day! No school that day. I hope you all have the chance to enjoy time with your families.
- Students will be working on a variety of new project and assignments beginning on Tuesday.
- Book projects will continue on Tuesday and Thursday.
- Musical Artist projects will begin Wednesday and continue on Friday.
- Students will write the unit test for Unit 5 in Math focused on Decimals, Percent and Ratio on Tuesday.
- They will begin working on a mini-teaching project in Science focused on them teaching the rest of the class some of the concepts from our Sky Science unit.
- Students will also begin a look at the Charter of Rights & Freedoms as they explore how the Supreme Court uses it to make decisions.
- It looks like the weather is taking a turn and getting cold again. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately in the event students are able to go outside at lunch and recess.
Important Updates
I will be away from school the week of February 21-24th. Mrs. Lemon will be in to take my place and keep things going. I am sure the kids will do a great job! Have a wonderful week everyone!
Important Dates
- Volleyball Club – Feb 21, 22 @ 8:15am for interested students (more dates may be added for the Grade Sixes once I get back)
- Family Day – Feb 20 – No School
- Pink Shirt Day - Feb 22
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Feb 6-10, 2023
Looking Back
- In Science, students have been madly working to get their projects done. They are in the process of putting the finishing touches on them before the due date.
- We spent some time reviewing the work we did on the Haudenosaunee before writing the Unit Test on Thursday.
- We are moving along in our unit on Decimals, Percent & Ratio. Students are doing well and are aiming to be done the lessons early next week.
- In Language Arts, students continued their work on Book Projects and we jumped into a short assignment focused on report writing. They are in the midst of writing a report on Mt. Everest before jumping into a research project on a topic of their choosing.
- The Grade Six Humility Assembly went off without a hitch. The kids did an amazing job! Thank you to all the parents who came out to support them. They loved having you there.
- Fish Creek Friday was also a hit. The weather was beautiful and we had a great day playing games, searching for Lost Letters and spending some quiet time in Magic Spots.
- All in all, it has been a fantastic week!
Looking Forward
- This is a very short week (only 3 days) and then we head into Teacher’s Convention and Family Day!
- Space projects are due on Monday. We will then turn our attention to our next project in which students will be working in a group to learn about a specific topic in Sky Science and then teach the class about what they have learned.
- We will finish working on the Everest reports they started this past week. Then they will be introduced to the next project focusing on a researching a musical artist of their choice.
- In Math, we will be finishing the lessons and completing the Practice Test this week.
- In Social, we will be discussing the next topic which will include a look at the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
- I will be working with students throughout the week to prepare them for the time when I am away.
- Finally, I will be meeting with all of the Division 2 students to introduce them to the songs for our upcoming Spring Celebration. I can’t wait to get going on this.
Important Updates
I will be away from school the week of February 21-24th. Mrs. Lemon will be in to take my place and keep things going. I am sure the kids will do a great job!
Important Dates
- Volleyball Club – Feb 14, 15, 21, 22 @ 8:15am for interested students (the last two dates for grade sixes may change as I will be away)
- Teacher’s Convention – Feb 16 & 17 – No School
- Family Day – Feb 20 – No School
Picture of the Week
- Fish Creek Friday Montage
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Jan 30-Feb 3, 2023
Looking Back
- It has been a great week in Room 8! Students are working hard, having fun and learning a ton!
- In Language Arts, students continued to work on Reader’s Workshop. They are well into their books and are focused on the task before them. We looked at Figures of Speech found in song lyrics this week. This included listening to some songs and finding Figures of Speech in them. One in particular stood out. Do any of you know what Hotel California is a metaphor for? Literacy Groups started up again as we continue developing their reading skills.
- In Math, we have dug right into Fractions, Ratio and Percent. Students are making good progress as they explore proper and improper fractions as well as mixed numbers. We have also begun focused work on computation. This will happen weekly throughout the rest of the year.
- In Science, students have been working hard on their Space Projects. Their projects are coming together and we are excited to see what they come up with.
- In Social, students shared what they had learned about the specific Nation assigned to them from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. We also looked in detail at how the Haudenosaunee made decisions. They provide us with an excellent example of democracy in action, especially in a time where much of the world was ruled by monarchs.
- We have spent the week fine tuning the songs for our upcoming assembly. They are sounding great and we can’t wait to share them on February 8th.
- We talked to all the grade sixes about our re-branding program, what we are doing and how they can get involved. We are excited to be moving to become the Woodbine Wolves and to giving students the chance to design a new logo for the school. I know a number of students have already begun working on their designs. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.
Looking Forward
- Space Projects will be wrapping up this week. They are due Feb 13th. The following week, students will be broken into small groups and given a topic which they will need to teach to the rest of the class. Let the fun begin!!!
- We will be wrapping up our look at the Haudenosaunee with a review and then a Unit Test in Social.
- Students will continue looking at Fractions, Ratio and Percent.
- Reader’s Workshop will continue on Tuesday and Thursday. They will also wrap up our look at Figures of Speech.
- We will continue the next round of Literacy Groups this week.
- The Grade Six Humility Assembly will be held on Wednesday beginning at 10:30. Feel free to join us if you have the chance.
- Fish Creek Friday returns this week (weather permitting).
Important Updates
- I will be away from school the week of February 21-24th. Mrs. Lemon will be in to take my place and keep things going. I am sure the kids will do a great job!
Important Dates
- Volleyball Club – Feb 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22 @ 8:15am for interested students
- Grade Six Assembly – Feb 8 @ 10:30am
- Fish Creek Friday – Feb 10
- Teacher’s Convention – Feb 16 & 17 – No School
- Family Day – Feb 20 – No School
Picture of the Week
- Balzac Billy predicts an early Spring in Calgary. Let’s hope so!!!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Jan 23-27, 2023
Looking Back
- It has been a great week in Room 8. We have worked hard, but also taken part in some amazing activities that opened everyone's eyes. Or maybe that should be, closed everyone’s eyes. Explanation coming soon.
- In Language Arts, students began work on Reader’s Workshop. Within that project, students have jumped into Part One. Some are taking part in a new Book Club and some are starting work on an Independent Novel study or a mini-research project on a topic of their choosing. This first part of the project is due March 6th. We have also continued our look at Figures of Speech.
- In Math, we wrapped up our unit on Angles and Polygons with the Practice and Unit tests. We also moved on to the next unit in which students will explore Fractions, Ratio and Percent.
- In Science, students have been working hard on their Space Projects. They are making great progress and have collected most of their information. Many have started putting their projects together and are excited about what they have learned to this point.
- In Social, we have spent much of the week learning more about the specific Nations that make up the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Students are digging more deeply into the role of each of the Nations and how they were organized to meet the needs of their citizens.
- Students had the opportunity to take part in a fabulous program in Phys Ed focusing on sport for people with disabilities. They tried out sport wheelchairs, played sit volleyball, blind soccer and blind races. The program was offered through Mt. Royal University and was just amazing!
- We have also spent much of the week working on the songs for our upcoming assembly. They are sounding great and we can’t wait to share them with the rest of the school on February 8th.
- Students also had the chance to learn about the Science Program being offered at Louis Riel School. Students asked some great questions as they continued exploring different options for next year.
- We talked to all the grade sixes about our re-branding program, what we are doing and how they can get involved. We are excited to be moving to become the Woodbine Wolves and to giving students the chance to design a new logo for the school. I know a number of students have already begun working on their designs. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.
Looking Forward
- In Science, students will continue working on their Space Projects.
- Students will be sharing what they have learned about the specific Nations they have been research with the rest of the class. It is going to be great to hear what they have learned and what the similarities and differences are between the Nations.
- Students will really get moving in Math on the next unit looking at Fractions, Ratio and Percent.
- In Language Arts, we continue to work on the part one of our Reader’s Workshop project. They will also be looking at and listening to some different songs as we continue to look at Figures of Speech.
- We will be starting our next round of Literacy Groups this week. The will find out what group they are in and who they will be working with on Monday.
- Report Cards will be available online through your MyCBE Account starting Monday.
- There is no school on Friday due to our next PD Day.
Important Updates
As you continue to explore the different options for next year, I wanted to make sure you are aware that next week both Woodman and Louis Riel will be holding their Open Houses for students and parents on Thursday, February 2nd. You can find more information by using the links below. If you are looking for something different for your child, I highly recommend you take the time to attend these sessions.
Woodman Open House information
https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/woodman/Pages/default.aspx
Louis Riel Open House information
https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/louisriel/Pages/default.aspx
Important Dates
- Report Cards available Monday, January 30 through your MyCBE Account
- Louis Riel Junior High (Science Program) & Woodman Junior High (Late French Immersion Program) Open Houses – Feb 2, 2023
- PD Day: No School for Students – Feb 3, 2020
- Grade Six Assembly – Feb 8, 2023 @ 10:30am
Picture of the Week
- Becoming the Woodbine Wolves!!!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Jan 16-20, 2023
Looking Back
- What a week! Lots of great work and some fun times as well. What could be better?
- In Language Arts, students finished their Book Clubs with their final discussions. They have all moved on to their Final Responses before handing everything in on Monday. We also continued our look at Figures of Speech.
- In Science, students have made great strides in their Space Projects. They have already learned a great deal about our Solar System and the planets in it.
- In Math, we continue to push through our Unit on Angles and Polygons. Everyone has done a great job of working through the questions and getting their work checked.
- We have been working on two songs for the upcoming Grade Six assembly in early February. They are sounding great and putting a lot more energy and fun into their performance. We can’t wait to see them perform in front of the entire school.
- We had the opportunity to have some former students and one of their teachers join us from Woodman Junior High to talk about the Late French Immersion Program. It is a great challenge for students and would be a great fit for a number of the kids in room 8.
- Fish Creek Friday was a hit. Despite the cooler than normal temperatures, students got involved and had a great time. It is always so much fun watching them engage and enjoy themselves.
Looking Forward
- In Science, students will continue working on their Space Projects. We will watch a couple of videos to give them a bit more insight into the realities and amazing features of our Solar System.
- We will be exploring the world of the Haudenosaunee more deeply this week as we begin to really dig into the decision-making process used by the six Nations.
- Students will be writing the Practice Test for this unit on Monday and will write the Unit Test Wednesday. We will then be moving on to the next unit where we explore Fractions, Ratio & Percent.
- In Language Arts, we will begin a Reader’s Workshop project that will see students explore three different mini-projects within one. We will also begin looking at where different figures of speech are used in writing.
- On Monday, students will have the chance to hear about the Science program at Louis Riel School as they continue exploring some of the junior high options for next year.
Important Updates
We know families are beginning to think about the transition to junior high. The designated junior high school for our students is John Ware, however, there are other schools that offer programs your child might be interested in. There will be opportunities in the next few weeks for your child to hear about the Late French Immersion program at Woodman School, the Science Alternative program at Louis Riel School and later in the Spring, they will travel to John Ware for an on-campus visit and tour.
The schools also hold Open House nights where you as a family can visit the schools and find out more about their programs.
- January 23 - Louis Riel Science Program presentation – in class
- February 2 – Woodman and Louis Riel Open Houses – families can visit schools
- Spring 2023 – John Ware visit and tour – field trip
- May 25 - John Ware Open House
Important Dates
- Louis Riel Junior High presentation: Science Program – Jan 23, 2023
- PD Day: No School for Students – Feb 3, 2020
- Grade Six Assembly – Feb 8, 2023 @ 10:30am
Picture of the Week
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Jan 9-13, 2023
Looking Back
- Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2023 brings you all health and happiness.
- We have had a great week in Room 8.
- We jumped into Unit 4 in Math focusing on Angles & Polygons. They are making great progress and are moving quickly.
- In Language Arts, we continued work on our latest Book Club. Students are working hard to make sure they finish their books by next Thursday so they have time to finish their Final Responses before they hand them in on January 23rd.
- We also began looking at different figures of speech. Students are learning about similies, metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole and more. They will then be looking at how to use these in their writing.
- In Science, students have begun exploring our Solar System as we jumped into our unit on Sky Science. They have begun a new project in which they have to choose between building a space colony somewhere in our solar system or creating a space travel company to take customers to the greatest sites imaginable. We can’t wait to see what they choose.
- We began learning about the Haudenosaunee people as part of our look at another historic civilization that used the basic tenants of democracy. We will be digging deeply into the Haudenosaunee community and focusing on how they used a consensus model along with a focus on the seventh generation to make decisions.
- Finally, we welcomed one of the YYC Service Dogs to the school as a way to wrap up our Evidence & Investigations unit. Students had the chance to learn all about the work the CBSA do to keep Canadians safe. They were then treated to the opportunity to watch Kodiak and his handlersshowed off their talents at finding concealed food products. It was a wonderful display, and the dog was super cute!!! Thank you to Mackenzie Meehan - a Woodbine School parent and CBSA officer - for making this visit and demonstration possible.
Looking Forward
- In Language Arts, we will continue our exploration of figures of speech. We will also look at how they are used in different pieces of writing and songs. Anyone know what the song Hotel California is a metaphor for?
- We will also be wrapping up this round of Book Clubs as we get ready to jump into Reader’s Workshop next week.
- We will start looking more deeply at the decision-making process used by the Haudenosaunee people and how they organized their society to make sure everyone had input.
- We will continue to work on measuring and drawing angles in Math.
- Students will continue their exploration of the solar system as they try to find the best location for their colony or the best places to visit.
- On Thursday, we will welcome staff and students from Woodman Junior High as they come to speak to the grade sixes about the Late French Immersion program. Please see the Important update below for more information.
- Fish Creek Friday returns - weather permitting
Important Updates
We know families are beginning to think about the transition to junior high. The designated junior high school for our students is John Ware, however, there are other schools that offer programs your child might be interested in. There will be opportunities in the next few weeks for your child to hear about the Late French Immersion program at Woodman School, the Science Alternative program at Louis Riel School and later in the Spring, they will travel to John Ware for an on-campus visit and tour.
The schools also hold Open House nights where you as a family can visit the schools and find out more about their programs. Please see links below for more information.
- January 19 – Woodman Late French Immersion Program presentation – in class
- January 23 - Louis Riel Science Program presentation – in class
- February 2 – Woodman and Louis Riel Open Houses – families can visit schools
- Spring 2023 – John Ware visit and tour – field trip
Please use the links below to access the websites for each school. Then click on the link for each school’s Open House.
Woodman Open House information
https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/woodman/Pages/default.aspx
Louise Riel Open House information
https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/louisriel/Pages/default.aspx
John Ware Open House information
Date and time to be announced. We will send you the information when it becomes available.
Important Dates
- Woodman Junior High presentation: Late French Immersion Program – Jan 19, 2023
- Louis Riel Junior High presentation: Science Program – Jan 23, 2023
- Fish Creek Friday - Jan 20 (weather permitting)
Picture of the Week
· CBSA Officers & Kodiak!!!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Dec 19-22, 2022
- This Fall has been filled with learning and excitement including numerous trips to Fish Creek for our Fish Creek Friday adventures. The students in room 8 have settled in and are doing an amazing job!
- We are looking forward to more adventures and learning some incredible things after the break.
- Secret Santa was a big hit!!! Thank you for helping make it such a huge success.
- A huge Thank You to all of the families who sent in something for me. I truly appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness!
- Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noel! Feliz Navidad! Buon Natale! Happy Hanukkah! Joyous Kwanzaa! Happy Solstice! Happy Holidays!
Important Updates
- 2023 begins – six months until school is out. Yikes!!!
- Junior High awaits!!! Even bigger YIKES!!! :)
- Happy New Year Everyone! I hope 2023 brings you all health and happiness.
Important Dates
- Last Day of School – Dec 22nd
- First Day Back to School – Jan 9th
Picture of the Week
Holiday Spirit!!!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Dec 12-16, 2022
Looking Back
- Wow, what a week! There is so much going on and when you add the upcoming break into the mix, you can feel the excitement in the room. Every day it gets harder and harder for them to keep a lid on things.
- In Math, we finished Unit 3 and wrote the Practice Test. They have been asking a lot of questions and made great progress. Keep it up everyone!
- In Science, we worked hard on our Forensic Mysteries this week. Students have spent time collecting the physical evidence they will need to bring their mysteries to life. We can’t wait to see what they come up with when they share them at our upcoming Forensics Fair.
- In Language Arts, students have been focused on their Book Club and Spoken Word poems this week.
- We finished up our Human Sexuality unit with a look at genetics, delivery and blood-borne diseases. We had a great time and their questions were fantastic!
- Secret Santa flooded in this week as we get ready to start opening them on Monday. So exciting!!!
- Our Winter Wonderland of Giving was a huge success. Thank to all the families who donated baking and to all the students who helped out at the event. We couldn’t have done it without you. I am thrilled to tell you between our bake sale, hot chocolate sales and me busking in the Learning Commons, we raised $1132.35 for Emma House. Amazing!!!
Looking Forward
- In Science, we will be holding out Forensics Fair and doing the Unit Test for Evidence and Investigations. We are also hoping to have a visit from one of the Airport Security Dogs this week.
- In Math, we will be writing the Unit Test for Decimals and continuing our work on Jump Math.
- In LA, students will be finishing their Spoken Words poems and will meet one more time to discuss their readings in Book Clubs. Our second Layers of Literacy groups wraps up this week.
- We will be meting the whole school twice this week to sing carols in the gym as we get closer to the break. It is guaranteed to be loud and fun!
- As long as all Secret Santa gifts are at school, opening will begin on Monday.
Important Updates
- Thursday is the last day of school before the break. We return to school on Monday, January 9th.
Important Dates
- Tomorrow is my youngest son Ryan’s 18th Birthday. Embrace the times you have with your little ones while you can, they grow up quickly!!!
- Secret Santa Gift Opening – Dec 19th, 21st & 22nd
- Last Day of School – Dec 22nd
- First Day Back to School – Jan 9th
Picture of the Week
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Dec 5-9, 2022
Looking Back
- What a great week we’ve had in Room 8. Students are busy with projects and at the same time are getting excited about the upcoming break and Christmas. They have managed to keep a lid on things, but you can feel the excitement in the air.
- In Math, we finished Unit 2 and have jumped full force into Unit 3 which focuses on Decimals. This is a shorter unit and the plan is to get through it before the break. It’s all hands-on deck and students are focused on getting through the concepts. They have been asking a lot of questions and making great progress. Keep it up everyone!
- In Science, we started work on our Forensic Mysteries this week. Students have spent time planning and have started collecting the physical evidence they will need to bring their mysteries to life. We can’t wait to see what they come up with when they share them at our Forensics Fair during the last week of December.
- In Social, we wrapped up our look at Ancient Athens with a review of the Court system. Students have completed a review in preparation for their upcoming Unit Test.
- In Language Arts, students have been focused on their Book Club and Spoken Word poems this week. They have made great progress in both this week.
- They also spent time working on their mini-French projects.
- We have also spent much of the week, reviewing the work they did last year in Human Sexuality. We are having a great time and they are coming up with some great questions.
- We had a great time in Fish Creek looking for signs of animal life, playing Infection and taking some time to sit and just contemplate the world around us during Magic Spots. The weather cooperated and we all enjoyed being outside.
- Our Secret Santa draw took place on Wednesday. Most students now have a list of ideas to help with shopping. Have fun!!!
- It’s been busy!!!
Looking Forward
- In Science, students will continue working on their Forensic Mysteries as they prepare to confound their fellow classmates at the upcoming Forest Fair.
- In Social, they will be writing the Unit Test for Ancient Athens before we move on to look at how democracy was used amongst the Haudenosaunee people.
- In Math, we will continue to move forward with our work on Decimals.
- In LA, students will continue writing their Spoken Words poems. They will also meet twice this week to discuss their readings in Book Clubs. Our second Layers of Literacy groups will continue to build their reading skills.
- In Human Sexuality, we will be moving onto the material we have to cover this year. I would ask all of you spend some time each evening discussing what we covered in class that day and that you initial the sheet they bring home so I know you have chatted.
- Secret Santa gifts should be here by the end of the week so we can make sure we have everything and can open them the following week..
Important Updates
- At our Winter Wonderland of Giving celebration, the grade sixes will be holding a bake sale with all proceeds going to Emma House. We are asking all families to donate individually or packaged baked goods for students to sell.
Important Dates
- Winter Wonderland of Giving – Dec 15th from 6:00 – 7:30pm
- Secret Santa Gift Opening – Dec 19th, 21st & 22nd
- Last Day of School – Dec 22nd
- First Day Back to School – Jan 9th
Picture of the Week
- Fish Creek Friday Memories
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Nov 28-Dec 2, 2022
Looking Back
- December came in like a lion with some of the coldest temperatures on record. Brrr!!!
- This has been a hectic week with lots going on. And, on top of all the work and events, we have been dealing with extreme temperatures that have kept us indoors and required our grade sixes to help cover classes at lunch. Through it all, they have handled themselves very well, despite not being able to burn off some of that pent-up energy. Thank you to all the grade sixes who stepped up and showed such great leadership this week.
- In Math, we finished up the lessons in our Unit on Understanding Numbers and completed the practice test. Students have done a good job of taking advantage of the help being offered as they work on the lessons. Many have moved ahead and are already into Unit 3. We will wrap up the unit on Monday with the Unit Test.
- In Science, we finished our Forensic Centres as students explored the world of Evidence & Investigations. The highlight of the week was going on a field trip to the Police Interpretive Centre. Students solved a crime and took part in a number of programs focused on keeping them safe and aware in the world. They all had a great time and talked about all the great things they did. Thank you again to our fabulous parent volunteers who made it possible for us to go.
- In Social, we spent time talking about the Assembly in Ancient Athens. We ran two Assembly meetings where students discussed three items they had added to the Agenda last week. They looked at the pros and cons and then voted on each of the items. Two were passed and one was not. Ask your child what changes are coming in our class now they have voted.
- In Language Arts, students have been focused on their new Book Clubs. They held their first meeting with their new groups and shared their thoughts and feelings on the reading they have done so far. We continued collecting information as we prepare to begin writing our Spoken Word poems this week.
- We started a new art project as well as a mini-French project.
Looking Forward
- In Science, students will be dropped into the world of Evidence & Investigations as they begin working on a Forensic Mystery Project which they will share at our upcoming Forensics Fair. Students will use what they have learned from the centres and their visit to the Police Interpretive Centre to create a mystery for their peers to solve. Let the fun begin!
- In Social, we will be looking more closely at the Courts in Ancient Athens and will hold our very own trial in class. We will then do a quick review of the concepts we have covered before writing a unit test just before the winter break.
- In Math, those who need to will be writing the Unit Test for Unit 2 before moving on to the next unit which focuses on Decimals. We will be pushing through this short unit and plan to be done at the end of the first week back after the break.
- In LA, students will begin writing their Spoken Words poems. They will also meet twice this week to discuss their readings in Book Clubs. Our second Layers of Literacy groups will continue to build their reading skills.
- Human Sexuality will kick off on Monday with an introductory lesson to lay the framework for the unit. We will then complete a quick review of the concepts from last year, before moving onto the material we have to cover this year. I would ask all of you spend some time each evening discussing what we covered in class that day and that you initial the sheet they bring home so I know you have chatted. For any of you who haven’t yet sent in baby pictures, please do so as soon as possible.
- Secret Santa notices will come home on Monday as well. This is an optional program. For those who wish to take part, I ask that you sign the note so I know they have your permission to take part.
Important Updates
- At our Winter Wonderland of Giving celebration, the grade sixes will be holding a bake sale with all proceeds going to Emma House. We are asking all families to donate individually or packaged baked goods for students to sell.
Important Dates
- Winter Wonderland of Giving – Dec 15th from 6:00 – 7:30pm
- Secret Santa Gift Opening – Dec 19th, 21st & 22nd
- Last Day of School – Dec 22nd
Picture of the Week
- Abstract Circle Art Sample
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – November 21-25, 2022
I am changing the format for this week’s update as I have spent the last couple of days talking to most of you. Instead of a long review of what we’ve done and what is coming up, I wanted to highlight a few important items.
- Police Interpretive Centre Field Trip on Tuesday. Please make sure all permission forms are handed in and that all payments have been made by Monday.
- Fish Creek Friday this week is postponed due to weather. The current forecast is for -29C overnight and a high of -14C by the end of the day. We will look to reschedule the day once we can see a longer range forecast.
- Food Bank Donations – we are collecting donations for the Food Bank this year. Any and all donations are appreciated. There is a bin right outside our classroom door for students to use. They can begin bringing donations in starting Monday through December 16th.
- December arrives this coming Thursday. It is hard to believe the end of the calendar year is only a month away. We will be sharing information about some fun events taking place this month in the coming days. Our Winter Wonderland of Giving is coming soon. I encourage all of you to read the note I published the other day regarding this event.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Winter Wonderland of Giving Update
Our Winter Wonderland of Giving is fast approaching! We are in the midst of planning an evening of fun and frivolity for the whole family.
As a grade team, we are looking for your help. We plan to hold a Bake Sale to help lift everyone’s spirits. What could be better than cookies or brownies, or any bake goods for that matter, as you enjoy an evening of festivities? We are looking for all our families to make and donate some baked goods for the grade sixes to sell during the evening. All items need to be individually wrapped or packaged together in groups of four or six.
All proceeds from the bake sale will go to Emma House. For those of you who don’t know Emma House, it is a safe and supportive transitional housing program for expectant mothers aged 12+ who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness within Calgary and the surrounding area. They do incredible work in our community and appreciate any and all assistance.
As you can imagine, organizing and running an event like this takes a lot of people. Our Parent Council is working with us and have put together a form for you to sign up and help us with this work. Please use the link below to sign up to help make our Winter Wonderland of Giving a success.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0a45a9aa29a3f58-woodbine
I would like to thank all of you in advance for your donations to our bake sale and this event in general. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Have a wonderful week!
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Nov 14-18, 2022
Looking Back
- This has been a busy, but very productive week for the students in Room 8. We started many new units and have been laying the foundation of knowledge we need to dig deeply into these new topics.
- Despite continued high absence rates around the building, we have seen most of our students returning to class. It is so nice to have everyone back. Hopefully, we have seen the worst come and go. I appreciate everyone doing all they can to stay healthy and doing what is needed to keep the rest of the class healthy.
- In Math, we have made significant progress in our study of Numbers. Most students are taking advantage of the small group or one-on-one opportunities to check their understanding with me. I encourage all students to take advantage of these opportunities.
- In Science, we jumped into a new unit on Evidence and Investigations. Students reviewed their understanding of differences between observations and inferences by taking part in some fun activities that required them to make observations and inferences. They also tested their memory skills through some online activities. Finally, students started a series a centres that focus on some of the skills they will need in order to complete their upcoming projects. Ask them about the centre they did today.
- In Social, we focused on class structure in Ancient Athens. We broke the class into four categories to illustrate how people in Ancient Athens were classified. We also talked about Socrates and how his questioning of the Athenians approach to democracy led to his untimely death.
- This week in Language Arts, students finished reading the City of Ember and held their final discussion. They have since moved on to working on their first Final Response to the entire text. It will be interesting to see what they come up with. We also began exploring the world of Spoken Word Poetry. We have watched a number of poems by various poets and also began brainstorming different topics students might be interested in writing about.
- We took part in our first lockdown practice of the year. Students did a great job of sitting quietly and following the expectations laid out for these types of events. In my 30 years with the Board I have never had to make use of these skills, but it is important that we practice anyway. Thank you to all our students for taking this seriously and doing such a great job!
Looking Forward
- In Science, we will continue to work through the 8 forensic centres as we continue to develop our understanding of how we can use and manipulate evidence to solve mysteries.
- In Social, we will be watching a video highlighting life in Ancient Athens. We will also be delving deeper into the ways in which Ancient Athens used skilled workers to help them meet their needs.
- In Math, we will be finishing up Unit 2 before moving on to the Practice test next week. We will also be spending some time looking at how our stock purchases have fared over the last six weeks. It will be interesting to see who made money and who lost money.
- We will be continuing our exploration of Spoken Word Poetry as we choose topics and begin researching to find out more about them. Planning will begin towards the end of the week. Final Responses are due on Monday and we will then jump into our next Book Club. Students will be broken into small groups and will get to choose which book they read. We have a wonderful library for them to choose from. Our second Layers of Literacy group will begin on Monday. We have re-organized students and are excited to get them going as we continue to build their reading skills.
Important Updates
- Parent/Teacher Conferences take place this coming week. Please make sure to sign up for a time to meet so we can discuss your child’s progress in detail. Please note: Thursday’s conferences will be held in-person, while Friday’s will be virtual. Students are asked to join us at this meeting.
- At our Winter Wonderland of Giving celebration in December, the grade sixes will be holding a bake sale with all proceeds going to Emma House. We are asking all families to donate individually or packaged baked goods for students to sell. More details will come home in the near future.
- Field trip forms were sent home today. Please complete the forms and pay for the trip online using your MyCBE app.
- Human Sexuality forms came home today as well. Only return them signed if you do not want your child to take part. I have requested that you send in a picture of your child when they were a baby. Please get these to me by the end of the week. Thank you!
Important Dates
- Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences Nov 24th & 25th – please note, conferences on the 24th will be in-person, while those on the 25th will be virtual
- No School on Friday due to conferences
- Police Interpretive Centre Field Trip – Nov 29th
Picture of the Week
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Nov 7-11, 2022
Remembrance Day - Friday, November 11th
I encourage everyone to stop at 11:00am to observe two minutes of silence
as we pay tribute to all those who fought for our country and our freedom.
Looking Back
- This has been a long week for the students as they have been trapped inside due to the extreme temperatures outside. They have handled themselves very well and have shown incredible leadership as they helped supervise other classrooms as the week went on.
- With large numbers of students away, we have had to modify our plans somewhat to accommodate those who are not able to be here. We look forward to having everyone back in class as soon as they are healthy enough to be here.
- In Math, students continued their work on Unit 2. We continue to delve into large numbers, multiples and factors.
- Students put the finishing touches on their Tree Games and shared them with the class. We had a ton of fun answering questions and competing against one another. They wrote theUnit Test on Thursday giving us the chance to move on to the next unit next week.
- In Social, students started developing a beginning understanding of Ancient Athens. They have been learning about the class structure and how the emerging democracy functioned.
- This week in Language Arts, students completed another group discussion about The City of Ember and began the final chapters of the book. They also continued their work in our Layers of Literacy program focusing on different aspects of reading.
- We shared our version of Visiting Hours at our Remembrance Day assembly which took place on Thursday. It was a moving piece that garnered a lot of tears and comments from the adults in the audience. Well done everyone!!!
Looking Forward
- We are moving on to our next unit in Science. Evidence & Investigations takes us into the world of forensic science. Students will be learning how forensic scientists use evidence to solve crimes and mysteries. For those students who missed the Trees & Forests Unit Test, we will find a time for them to write during the week.
- In Social, we will begin our deep dive into the beginnings of democracy in Ancient Athens in earnest. We will be taking a close look at class structure, how democracy evolved and what aspects of Ancient Athenian democracy still exist today.
- In Math, we will push forward a little quicker with our study of Number. As always, this will include some work in Jump Math to enhance our students’ understanding of the concepts we are covering.
- We have finished our look at story writing for now and will move on to a study of Spoken Word Poetry from now until the winter break. We will begin by listening to a number of Spoken Word Poems and analyzing the format and approach being used. We will be wrapping up our first Book Club this week. Students will share their roles for the final reading on Tuesday and will then move onto their Final Response which will be due a week on Monday. Our first Layers of Literacy group will wrap up on Monday. We will then be re-organizing students before starting the next round in a couple of weeks.
Important Dates
- Remembrance Day Nov 11th – No School
- Retakes Nov 14th – if you are looking for retakes please note they are this coming Monday
- Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences Nov 24th & 25th – please note, conferences on the Nov 24th will be in-person, while those on the Nov 25th will be virtual
Picture of the Week
Lest We Forget!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Woodbine's Winter Wonderland of Giving
- Please see the attached flyer for Woodbine's Winter Wonderland of Giving
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Oct 31-Nov 4, 2022
Looking Back
- The week kicked off with a bang as Hallowe’en took hold at Woodbine School. Costumes were great and we had a blast!
- In Math, students moved on to Unit 2 which focuses on Understanding Number. We will continue to delve into large numbers, multiples and factors over the next few weeks.
- Students spent the week reviewing what they have learned in our Trees and Forests. They also started creating a game using their knowledge of trees to test their classmates in a lead up to our Unit Test next week.
- In Social, we focused on reviewing what has been discussed and studied as they got ready for the Unit Test which took place on Thursday.
- This week in Language Arts, students continue with our Book Club talk focused on the ideas and themes they are seeing in The City of Ember. Their discussions are quite animated and engaging. Students also started using their newfound skills to write a short story based on a prompt.
- Students continued their work in our Layers of Literacy program. They worked in different groups, focusing on different aspects of reading.
- Students spent the week perfecting our rendition of Visiting Hours. We have watched some videos and discussed the meaning and importance of Remembrance Day and they have embraced the sentiment of the song. The song keeps getting better and we can’t wait to share it with students, teachers and parents at next weeks’ ceremony.
Looking Forward
- Students will finish their Trees Games on Monday and will begin sharing them on Tuesday as we get ready for the Unit Test on Thursday. It will be a busy week in Science.
- This week in Social, we begin our look at how democracy was formed in Ancient Athens. It is a so much fun to step back in time and see how many of the ideals we hold and follow today started.
- In Math, we will keep moving forward on our unit on Understanding Number. This will include some work in Jump Math to enhance our students’ understanding of the concepts we are covering.
- Students will finish their stories and spend some time comparing them to the baseline stories they wrote at the beginning of the year. We will be moving onto Spoken Word Poetry next as we look at different styles of writing. We will continue our Book Club as we dig more deeply into The City of Ember. Also, our Layers of Literacy groups will continue exploring different aspects of reading.
- Our Remembrance Day Ceremony will be held on Thursday, November 10th. Details regarding time will come home next week. We hope to see many of you in attendance as we pay tribute to the soldiers who sacrificed for our freedom.
Important Dates
· Remembrance Day Ceremony Nov 10th – Time to be Decided
· Remembrance Day Nov 11th – No School
Picture of the Week
See picture to the right at the bottom.
Hallowe’en Fun!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Oct 24-28, 2022
Looking Back
- Another week has come and gone! Students have been incredibly busy in class, and are making great progress.
- In Math, we finished up Unit 1 and are moving on to Unit 2 which focuses on Understanding Number. We will be delving into large numbers, multiples and factors over the next few weeks.
- Students took part in our Forest Fair, sharing the work they did on a chosen Forest Region from somewhere in the world. They all had the opportunity to learn about the different forests and provide and receive feedback from their peers. They also began working on their review for our upcoming Unit Test.
- In Social, we focused on the Common Good and Services as we start to wrap our look at the Principles of Democracy. They also started a review of what has been discussed and studied as they get ready for the Unit Test next week.
- This week in Language Arts, students continue with our Book Club talk focused on the ideas and themes they are seeing in The City of Ember. Their discussions are quite animated and engaging.
- Students continued their work in our Layers of Literacy program. They worked in different groups, focusing on different aspects of reading.
- Students continue to work on our rendition of Visiting Hours. They have truly embraced the sentiment of the song. It sounds amazing and we can’t wait to share it with students, teachers and parents at our upcoming Remembrance Day Ceremony.
Looking Forward
- Students will be finishing up their review of the Trees and Forests Unit and will then be using that information to create a game for their classmates to play as a way to review all we have learned along the way. It should be a great week in Science.
- We will be finishing our look at the Principles of Democracy with the Unit Test on Thursday. Once we complete this unit, we are moving on to a look at how democracy was formed in Ancient Athens. It is a so much fun to step back in time and see how many of the ideals we hold and follow today started.
- In Math, we will be moving on to the next Unit focusing on Understanding Number. This will include some work in Jump Math to enhance our students’ understanding of the concepts we are covering.
- Students will be given a story prompt to use to write a story incorporating all of the approaches we have been working on over the last six weeks. We will then compare these stories to the ones they wrote at the beginning of the year to see how much growth they have shown. We will continue our Book Club as we dig more deeply into The City of Ember. Also, our Layers of Literacy groups will continue exploring different aspects of reading.
- Monday is Hallowe’en!!! Yay! Students are welcome to come to school dressed up and they can bring snacks for our afternoon celebration. Please make sure there are no weapons and that their costume allows them to do school work for the first part of the day.
- Fish Creek Friday is this coming Friday. Students will be heading down to the Park once again to take part in more fun learning activities. The forecast is for a colder day than we have experienced before. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately. I would also recommend they bring a warm drink to help them warm up if they are a little chilly. It’s going to be a great day!!!
- Thank you for your continued support.
Important Dates
- Hallowe'en Oct 31st - Time to dress up!!!
- International Cookie Monster Day Nov 2nd – bring some cookies to enjoy!!!
- Fish Creek Friday Nov 4th – dress warmly
- Remembrance Day Nov 11th – No School
Picture of the Week
See picture to the right at the bottom.
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy, safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Oct 17-21, 2022
Looking Back
- What a week we have had! Students have been incredibly busy in class, the school hosted a race in which two of our students finished in first on home turf and we made our way down to the park for Fish Creek Friday where leadership and respect were the name of the game. It doesn’t get much better than that!
- Students finished up the Unit 1 in Math. They all wrote the Practice Test and did some review in preparation for the Unit Test next week.
- Students worked hard on their Forests of the World projects. With the due date looming, they really focused their efforts on pulling together their information and putting it together in a clear and concise way. We can’t wait to see what they have come up with.
- In Social this week, we discussed the Canadian Constitution and how it is designed to make sure the most important laws of the land are protected. We also started looking at some of the services that each level of government is responsible for.
- This week in Language Arts, students took part in two Book Club talks. In these, they had the chance to discuss some of the ideas and themes they are seeing in The City of Ember.
- Students continued their work in our Layers of Literacy program. They worked in different groups, focusing on different aspects of reading.
- Students received their marking sheet for the Tree Guide Project they did earlier in the year this week. If you haven’t seen it, please ask them to show it to you. If you could sign it and have them bring it back to school, that would be appreciated. This just lets me know you have seen it.
- We have been working hard on our rendition of Visiting Hours. We can’t wait to share it with students, teachers and parents at our upcoming Remembrance Day Ceremony.
- Fish Creek Friday was a blast! Despite our normal location not being available, students quickly changed gears and marched to a new location over in Shannon Terrace. There they took part in a number of leadership activities in the morning that required them to collaborate and show respect for each other. In the afternoon, they learned all about the Animal/Energy Game and then had a great time playing for the first time. All in all, we had a great day, even though the temperatures were not quite as nice as the day before.
- Two of our students took first place in the first Woodbine hosted run since the start of COVID. We had a number of other students who also ran a great race and other still who volunteered their time to help make the race a huge success. Congratulations and thank you to all who were there!
Looking Forward
- Students will be taking part in our Forests of the World Forest Fair early this week. We will then be getting into the final project of the unit where they will be creating a game for their classmates to play as a way to review all we have learned along the way. It should be a great week in Science.
- We will be finishing our look at services before developing an understanding of the common good. The end of the week will see them starting a review before we write our first unit test the next week.
- In Math, we will be going over the Practice Test and doing some final review before writing the Unit Test. We will then jump into the next nit focusing on Number. This will include some work in Jump Math to enhance our students’ understanding of the concepts we are covering.
- Now that we have finished our breakdown of story, we will be bringing it all back together as students are given a story prompt to use to write a story incorporating all of the approaches we have been working on. We will then compare these stories to the ones they wrote at the beginning of the year to see how much growth they have shown. We will continue our Book Club as we dig more deeply into The City of Ember. Also, our Layers of Literacy groups will continue exploring different aspects of reading.
- I am out of the building on Wednesday as I am attending a workshop on Jump Math on behalf of the school. There is also, no school on Friday as it is a PD Day.
- Thank you for your continued support.
Important information from the Parent Council below:
- Halloween Dance: The Halloween Dance is returning Thursday Oct. 27th from 6 to 8pm. Buy tickets online for $4 each until Tuesday Oct. 25th. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door for $5 (cash only)
- Buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/woodbine-elementary-halloween-dance-tickets-443851691357
- We also still need a number of volunteers to help make this fun event run smoothly. Please consider signing up for a half hour volunteer role if you are attending. We could not have these amazing events without help from parents!
- Gift Card Donations: The Woodbine School Council is asking for donations of grocery gift cards to help support families in our school community. Any denomination is appreciated and can make a big difference.
- It is requested that, if possible, the gift cards be purchased for Superstore or Loblaws as these stores have other items such as clothing and can be used to meet more basic needs than simply food.
- There will be a drop off box for these gift cards at the Halloween dance, or they can be dropped off at the school office at any point. Please indicate the value on the gift card.
Important Dates
- PD Day Oct 28th - No School
- Hallowe'en Oct 31st - Time to dress up!!!
Picture of the Week
See picture on the right.
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ health and safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Oct 10-14, 2022
Looking Back
- Monday was Thanksgiving. I hope you all had the chance to connect with family and friends around a table.
- Students are making good progress in Math. We are almost finished Unit 1. Students have also been working in our Jump Math books. It has been busy!
- Students continue to make good progress in on their Forests of the World projects. They looked at some examples and have been doubling their efforts to push themselves to do more than they think they can.
- In Social this week, we wrapped up our look at the four Pillars of Democracy with a review of Equity. Students also started writing out the rules for a game. We will use these to understand how the Canadian Constitution works.
- This week in Language Arts, we began looking at Endings that Point to a Theme. We also started our Book Clubs. Students read the first chapter and held their first discussion on Friday.
- Students continued their work in our Layers of Literacy program. They worked in different groups, focusing on different aspects of reading.
Looking Forward
- Students will be working hard to put the finishing touches on their Forests of the World projects before our Forest Fair the following week.
- We will be taking a closer look at how our Constitution works and why it is such an important document for all Canadians.
- In Math, we will be finishing the last couple of lessons in Unit 1. This will be followed by a Practice test, some time to review and then the Unit test. We will also continue Jump Math as a way to enhance our students’ understanding of the concepts we are covering.
- In Language Arts, we will be digging more deeply into Endings that Point to a Theme. We will continue our Book Club as we dig more deeply into The City of Ember. Also, our Layers of Literacy groups will continue exploring different aspects of reading.
- Fish Creek Friday will once again take place on Thursday as I have an appointment on Friday and cannot attend.
Important Dates
- School Track Meet Oct 19th – good luck to all our runners
- Fish Creek Friday Oct 20th (Thursday) – make sure to dress appropriately!!!
Picture of the Week
Sorry, no picture this week. :(
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies and Math textbooks and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ health and safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News – Oct 3-7, 2022
Looking Back
- What a great week it has been! The weather continues to be glorious, giving us the chance to get out and enjoy. Let’s hope it continues for a while!
- Students are making good progress in Math. We have made good progress in Unit 1. We also started work in our Jump Math books. It has been busy!
- In Science, we have made great progress on our Forests of the World projects. Students have explored different regions and are collecting information on their chosen forests.
- In Social this week, we continued our study of the Principles of Democracy. This included a look at the four Pillars of Democracy – Justice, Freedoms, Representation and Equity.
- This week in Language Arts, we focused our writing on Memorable Main Characters and Suspenseful Encounters. We also discussed Book Clubs. We are hoping to start our first book this coming week.
- Students also started work in our Layers of Literacy program. They worked in different groups, focusing on different aspects of reading. We are just getting started, but are excited to see where we can take them.
- Thursday was our second Fish Creek Friday. We had a great time creating incredible nature art projects. Students also had a blast playing Capture the Flag and Infection. It was a great day!
Looking Forward
· Students will continue learning about a forest region of their choosing.
· We will be finishing up the Pillars of Democracy early this week and will be moving on to a look at how our Constitution lays out the laws of the land.
· In Math, we will be finishing our study of Patterns & Relations. This will be followed by a Practice test, some time to review and then the Unit test. We will also continue Jump Math as a way to enhance our students’ understanding of the concepts we are covering.
· In Language Arts, we will finish up our look at Suspenseful Encounters and move on to Dialogue. We will hopefully get our books and start our first Book Club and our Layers of Literacy groups will continue exploring different aspects of reading.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
- Please check Google Classroom regularly with your child. Updates will be added to the stream on a regular basis to keep you informed regarding things happening in the classroom during the day.
Important Dates
- Thanksgiving Oct 10th – No School
- Picture Day Oct 11th – dress up and look nice!!! J
Picture of the Week
See picture on the right side of the screen
Nature Art!!!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ health and safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
· If you need to contact me, please use the information below:
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News - Sept 26-30, 2022
Looking Back
- What a great week it has been! Short weeks always seem to last longer, but with everything going on, everyone has had to step up their game to get everything done.
- Students are making good progress in Math. We continue to work on Patterns & Relations. Students have been working through lessons and are really starting to understand the process. Most are coming up asking questions and getting their work checked. Great job everyone!
- Students had the chance to begin their exploration of Financial Literacy as they purchased their first stocks. They explored different companies and figured out how many shares they could afford. We will check back in on them in a month, and then on and off throughout the year, to see if they have made or lost money.
- In Science, we discussed tree rings while making some observations and inferences about what we saw on some tree cookies. We also watched The Magical Forest which highlighted the incredible interconnectedness of plants and animals found in forests around the world. Finally, we shared and discussed our next project which will have students looking at different forest regions around the world.
- In Social, we finished up our Grade Six Election with commercials, a candidates’ debate and speeches. It all culminated with students voting, electing a new Council and a swearing-in ceremony. Congratulations to our new Council members and to all of those who ran. You made it a great campaign. We know how hard it is to put yourself out there. Great work everyone!
- This week in Language Arts, we focused on Residential Schools and learning about the issues surrounding them. Students also learned how to look critically at media and what messages are being shared. We focused on two specific pieces. A propaganda video put out by the Federal Government in 1955 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_V4d7sXoqU) and The Stranger from Gord Downie’s Secret Path (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za2VzjkwtFc).
- Students took part in a Terry Fox Assembly and then headed off into Fish Creek Park to enjoy the beautiful weather as we took part in our Terry Fox Run/Walk. It was a hot day, but we had a great time and our Grade Six Ambassadors did an amazing job in the assembly and leading some of the groups.
- Thursday was Orange Shirt Day and the class shone brightly as students proudly wore their orange shirts in support of all Residential School survivors. It was a great day, and a fabulous week of learning.
Looking Forward
- Students will be jumping in earnest into their latest project as they begin learning about a forest region of their choosing.
- We will be focusing our attention on the Principles of Democracy this week as we kick Social into high gear. Also, our Grade Six Council will be getting up and running this week as they look to make this year the best it can be for all our grade six students.
- In Math, we will continue our study of Patterns & Relations. We will also be introducing Jump Math into the program as a way to enhance our students’ understanding of the concepts we are covering.
- In Language Arts, we will move our focus to memorable characters and suspenseful encounters. We will also be starting our first Book Club of the year as we begin The City of Ember. Finally, we will be splitting the grade six group up to begin working on a literacy program meant to improve overall reading ability.
- There is no school Friday as we take part in the CBE’s first System-wide PD Day.
- The following Monday is also a holiday as Canadians across the country celebrate Thanksgiving.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
- Please check Google Classroom regularly with your child. Updates will be added to the stream on a regular basis to keep you informed regarding things happening in the classroom during the day.
Important Dates
- Vaccinations for Grade Six (Round 1) Oct 3rd – Please make sure forms are at school
- System-wide PD Day Oct 7th – No School
- Thanksgiving Oct 10th – No School
Picture of the Week
See picture on the right side of the screen
Truth & Reconciliation!!!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ health and safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
· If you need to contact me, please use the information below:
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News - Sept 19-23, 2022
Looking Back
- This week in Math, we started work on Patterns & Relations. Students have been working through lessons and learning all about Input and Output.
- In Science, we finished up our Tree projects.
- In Social, we continued our Student Council election. Posters are going up as campaign teams continue to work at break-neck speed. Good luck to all our candidates!!! We also spent some time talking about Values. Ask them what they know.
- Our focus in writing continued to be on Showing versus Telling using your five senses and emotion. Our writing focused on describing someone’s emotional state using body language, facial expressions and dialogue instead of just saying a person is sad or happy.
- We took part in our first Fish Creek Friday this past Thursday. It was a great day and everyone made it back – even though they were a little tired.
- Parent Teacher Conferences were held Thursday night and Friday during the day. It was wonderful to meet so many of you and to learn more about your children. They are a great bunch!
Looking Forward
- Tree Guides are due on Monday this week. We will then spend a little bit of time looking at some different aspects of trees before jumping into our next project.
- Student Elections continue. Students will be recording and sharing TV & Radio commercials this week. On Monday, we will hold our candidate debate, Tuesday will see speeches being shared and students will vote on Wednesday. By this time next week, we will have a Grade Six Council in place. Can’t wait to see what they do!
- We will begin our study of Financial Literacy as part of our math enrichment to boost their Financial IQ. This week they will be buying stocks. Any input from you will help them make good purchases.
- We will be spending time this week talking and learning about Residential Schools. While this can be. Difficult discussion, it is an important one that will be handled respectfully and carefully.
- Our annual Terry Fox Run/Walk will take place on Wednesday. Once again this year, we will be taking the grade sixes down through Fish Creek Park.
- Thursday is Orange Shirt Day. We encourage all students to wear orange.
- There is no school Friday as we recognize National Truth and Reconciliation Day across Canada.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
- Please check Google Classroom regularly with your child. Updates will be added to the stream on a regular basis to keep you informed regarding things happening in the classroom during the day.
Important Dates
- Terry Fox Run/Walk – Wednesday, Sept 28th
- Orange Shirt Day – Thursday, Sept 29th
- Truth & Reconciliation Day Sept 30th – No School
Picture of the Week
See picture on the right side of the screen
Fish Creek Friday memories!
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy and safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
· If you need to contact me, please use the information below:
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News - Sept 12-16, 2022
Looking Back
- We have been working on operations and, more specifically, Order of Operations in Math. Students have been playing the Elimination Game using order of operations which is tricky. Get them to show you how.
- In Science, we are making good progress on our Tree Profile Projects.
- In Social, we continued our Student Council election. Posters are going up as campaign teams continue to work at break-neck speed. Good luck to all our candidates!!!
- Our focus in writing was on Story Beginnings that Command Attention which included approaches like plunging the reader into the conflict and making the reader wonder. We also focused on using descriptive vocabulary. We also started looking at the idea of Showing versus Telling using your five senses and emotion.
- We put the finishing touches on our first art project.
- In class, students continue to settle in. They are beginning to better understand my expectations. This has been a great week for them and we are starting to see what they can do.
- We did more baseline testing. We hope to wrap things up next week.
- Things continue to get better and better every day. It was a great week!
Looking Forward
- We will be finishing our baseline testing this week.
- We will wrap up our Tree Guides this week, with them being due a week on Monday and will then move forward in our study of Trees & Forests.
- Student Elections continue. Students will be working on TV & Radio commercials this week.
- We will begin our study of Financial Literacy as part of our math enrichment to boost their Financial IQ. This week they will be buying stocks. Any input from you will help them make good purchases.
- We are looking forward to our first Fish Creek Friday (on Thursday) this week. It’s going to be great!!!
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
- Please check Google Classroom regularly with your child. Updates will be added to the stream on a regular basis to keep you informed regarding things happening in the classroom during the day.
Important Dates
- Fish Creek Friday Sept 22nd – we will be gone all day.
- Meet the Teacher – Sept 22nd & 23rd – No School on Friday, Sept 23rd (you can choose an in-person or virtual meeting)
- Truth & Reconciliation Day Sept 30th – No School
Picture of the Week
See picture on the right side of the screen
Some of our completed Campaign Posters
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from COVID-19 and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ health and safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
· If you need to contact me, please use the information below:
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News - Sept 6 – 9, 2022
Looking Back
- This week has been one of establishing routines and getting things going.
- We jumped into a review of operations in Math by playing the Elimination Game. Ask your son or daughter to teach the whole family how to play. Enjoy!
- In Language Arts, we focused on story writing to establish a baseline. We also completed a reading comprehension test to help us begin developing an idea of reading level for everyone in the class.
- In Science, we watched a video focusing on the interconnectedness of all of the Earth’s systems. It is fascinating how what happens in one place, affects environments around the globe. We kicked our first unit – Trees & Forests – with a discussion about what student know about trees.
- In Social, we started our discussion of Government and Democracy. We also jumped into a Student Council election with nomination speeches on Friday. Congratulations to all our candidates, and thanks to all who put their name forward whether they were nominated or not.
- Things continue to get better and better every day. It was a great week!
We are looking forward to a great year!
Looking Forward
- We will be finishing our baseline testing this week.
- Our first project in the Trees & Forests unit kicks off this week.
- Math gets up and running in earnest as well.
- This Is Me Projects will be shared this week.
- Our election kicks into high gear.
- We will begin a focused look at story writing beginning this week.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below.
- Please check Google Classroom regularly with your child. Updates will be added to the stream on a regular basis to keep you informed regarding things happening in the classroom during the day.
Important Dates
- Meet the Teacher – Sept 22nd & 23rd – No School on Friday, Sept 23rd (you can choose an in-person or virtual meeting)
- Truth & Reconciliation Day Sept 30th – No School
- Fish Creek Friday dates TBD
Picture of the Week
What we know about Government & Democracy - not a bad starting point.
See picture on the right side of the screen
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from Covid and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ health and safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
· If you need to contact me, please use the information below:
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Clarke’s Classroom News - Sept 1 – 2, 2022
Looking Back
- Welcome to the 2022/2023 School Year!!!
- It is so wonderful to have students back in the building after the summer. Their energy and enthusiasm fills the school and our classroom!
- This week, we spent time reviewing expectations and discussing how our classroom works.
- Students took part in two Design Challenges. Ask them about what and how they did.
- We began a mini-project called This Is Me. Ask your son or daughter all about it.
- Thank you to everyone for making sure your children are coming to school prepared to learn. They have adjusted well to their new, unique learning environment.
We are looking forward to a great year!
Looking Forward
- We will be starting some baseline testing to get an idea of where everyone is and where we need to go from here.
- Our Trees & Forests unit in Science kicks off this week.
- Math gets up and running in earnest as well.
- This Is Me Projects are due Friday.
- We will be starting a class election campaign this week.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information below.
- Please check Google Classroom regularly with your child. Updates will be added to the stream on a regular basis to keep you informed regarding things happening in the classroom during the day.
- A Class Update will also come out weekly via our class blog which can be found using the following link:
https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/Woodbine/teaching-learning/classes-departments/teacher-pages-blogs/Pages/simon-clarke.aspx
Important Dates
- Labour Day Monday – No School
- Meet the Teacher – Sept 22nd & 23rd – No School on Friday, Sept 23rd
- Truth & Reconciliation Day Sept 30th – No School
- Fish Creek Friday dates TBD
Picture of the Week
- See picture off to the side
Useful Information
- You will find a lot of useful information and resources in Google Classroom. This includes things like instructions for projects, a PDF version of the Social Studies textbook and some helpful materials for different subjects. More resources will be added as the year progresses.
- As a society, we are still in recovery mode from Covid and all the new realities we are faced with. Our goal is to keep all of our students’ healthy and safe and at school. If your child is sick, please keep them home until they are no longer contagious. This goes for all illnesses. If we work together, we can keep all of our students happy and healthy.
Contact Information
- If you need to contact me, please use the information below:
Woodbine School 403.777.8630
Simon Clarke – sjclarke@cbe.ab.ca
Welcome to Grade 6! Please use the link on the right to look at my Welcome Video. Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday.
Mr. Clarke