Thursday, December 18, 2014

Thank you so much to all the families that sent in gifts for Ms.Rauser, Mrs. Cooper, Mr. Lam and Mrs. Witmer.  We were very spoiled today!

A BIG THANK YOU to Mrs. Smart for sending in the Christmas Tree Gingerbread Cookies!! Students really enjoyed decorating them. 

Today is our last day of school before our winter break.  School resumes on Tuesday, January 6, 2015.  We wish everyone a great winter break!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all our wonderful families!!!

Exciting news for Ms. Rauser's class:

We would like to announce that Miss Jackson will be doing Ms. Rauser's maternity leave starting the middle of February. Students have had Miss Jackson for Music as she was previously doing Mrs. McBride's maternity leave. We are thrilled to have someone that the children know and love come in for Ms. Rauser! Miss Jackson will be in the classroom with Ms. Rauser for a week the second week back to help transition kids. Yay for Miss Jackson!!!

Wednesday, December 17

The students have been working on completing an art and writing project about the True Meaning of the Holidays.  Ms. Rauser's class completed it today and Mrs. Cooper's class will have time to finish it tomorrow.  

We are also completing a comparison of our writing and where we have shown progress with our writing since September.  The students will use these comparisons to set writing goals for the New Year.

It's hard to believe that tomorrow will be our last before the winter break.  It will be the last day for our student teachers so we wish them all the best in completing their year.

Mrs. Smart has very kindly volunteered to send Christmas tree cookies for the students to decorate tomorrow afternoon! 

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Message from a Penbrooke Meadows Teacher, December 14/14:

So taking the gifts was such an experience to the home I went to - I actually was emotional afterwards driving home.

When they opened the door there were 4 kids and 1 baby.  They had a small little tree that they had put lights on and it was sitting on top of a side coffee table.  The kids’faces were so happy - they lit up.  They started jumping up and down and saying Thank you Thank you Thank you..!  They couldn't believe that we just kept bringing more bags in and more....  We told them that they were to save these for Christmas to open...so they said they are going to put them under the little tree and they started to make a pile.  They commented on the wrapping paper and how special it made them feel that they were wrapped.  Mom gave us a big hug and said Thank you So much.  The kids were so excited and were waving to us when we left. 

There was no feeling like it.  Your families and staff have made SUCH a difference to our school and our families through your generosity.  This was only one family that I delivered and it didn't leave my mind all weekend. To see this family filled with such joy was amazing.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Cranston School and Ms. Rauser.  We love you. xx

A few students in Mrs. Cooper's class are bringing home their journals to finish their True Meaning of the Holidays writing.

Mrs. Cooper's class got new home reading books for today.  Both classes can keep their home reading books over the holidays.

We had caroling this afternoon - ask your child who the star jib jabs were today.


Our school's lost and found items will be donated to the 'Diabetes Association' at the end of the schools day on WEDNESDAY. We will take students by the lost and found over the next two days. If you would like to stop in after school to check it out with your child as well...please feel free! 

REMINDER THAT THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL IS THURSDAY!

Monday December 15th, 2014

Our school's lost and found items will be donated to the 'Diabetes Association' at the end of the schools day on WEDNESDAY. We will take students by the lost and found over the next two days. If you would like to stop in after school to check it out with your child as well...please feel free! 

In gym students played two games with our OMNIKIN BALL (1) chase game where the student tries to tag the ball  (2) tag game where the class tries to tag the student with the ball.
**Ask your child to explain the above further.

Students participated in a school wide Christmas caroling session in the morning. Our teacher JIB JAB videos are always a hit and are played for students each day. Mrs. Cooper and Ms. Rauser were some of the stars in todays videos ;0)

A BIG BIG BIG 'THANK YOU' to Mrs. McMinniman for sewing our envelope books over the weekend. It is so very much appreciated!!! You are a super star!!!

Friday December 12th, 2014

The 'Cantare Children's Choir' had the entire gym singing today. They were quite inspiring. Each student is coming home with a bookmark with information on the Choir. This group practices right in Sundance. So if your child is interested in singing be sure to check out the information on the bookmark!!

If your child (only 3 students from each class received these permission forms) has an environmental club form in their blue folder...these forms are due back MONDAY DEC. 15TH, 2014.

Next week our school will be singing Christmas carols each day (Mon, Wed morning, Tues, Thurs afternoon). It is sure to be an exciting and spirited time for our Cranston students!

A BIG thank you to Mrs. McMiniman for helping to sew some of our envelope books this weekend. You are amazing and we really appreciate your help!!!

Thursday December 11, 2014

LOOKING FOR A PARENT WHO CAN SEW some envelopes together for us for a future book project this weekend. We have an example that we can send home of what kind of stitch/look we are needing. :0)  If this is something you would be willing to do please email Ms. Rauser (cerauser@cbe.ab.ca). Thanks so much!!! We would need these envelopes by Tuesday. Unfortunately sewing is not Mrs. Cooper's or Ms. Rauser's forte and we would have to resort to asking our parents or grandparents to help with this so thought we would ask our students parents first. ;0) LOL

Tomorrow students get to see the 'Cantare Children's Choir' at 11am. Make sure to ask your child tomorrow about this :0)

Ms. Rauser is looking for a parent volunteer to come in before next Thursday to pull students in our class one at a time to do a small thank you writing card for our lovely students teacher Mrs. Witmer! Her last day will be on December 18th! If interested, please send an email to cerauser@cbe.ab.ca

Tomorrow teachers will be delivering all of our gifts to Penbrooke Meadows and Douglas Harkness for our FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES. Ho Ho Ho Ho!!! Thank you again to all Cranston families for their generosity!

Wednesday December 10th, 2014

Wow...we are so proud of how well the students did in the Christmas concert last night. Thank you to all the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings that came out to show their support last night.

LOOKING FOR A PARENT WHO CAN SEW some envelopes together for us for a future book project this weekend. We have an example that we can send home of what kind of stitch/look we are needing. :0)  If this is something you would be willing to do please email Ms. Rauser (cerauser@cbe.ab.ca). Thanks so much!!! We would need these envelopes by Tuesday. Unfortunately sewing is not Mrs. Cooper's or Ms. Rauser's forte and we would have to resort to asking our parents or grandparents to help with this so thought we would ask our students parents first. ;0) LOL

FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES --> Teachers will be delivering gifts on Friday to both Penbrooke Meadows Elementary and Douglas Harkness Elementary for our sponsored families. Another BIG BIG BIG THANK YOU to our Cranston families for supporting this and helping our students discover the true meaning of the holidays.

Today we read 'Great Joy' by: Kate Dicamillo
*This was a great book to connect to the true meaning of the holidays and our work with 'Families Helping Families'

We are asking that all students at Cranston School bring their library books back before the winter break. Mrs. Aris would like to check our collection and see what we have, what needs repair, and if any books are missing. Thank you for helping your child remember to bring their library book back to school by Monday December 15th, 2014

This friday we have a special assembly at 11am. The Cantare Children's Choir will be performing for us! FUN :0)

December 9, 2014

Christmas Concert is TONIGHT

Our classes will be performing in the gym tonight at 7pm. Families can start coming at 6pm.  Our classrooms will be open for families to come in and make a Christmas ornament. The students were shown how to make their ornament and can get parents to help them.  They are painting snowmen and reindeer on a Christmas ornament.  Once it is dry, the students can hang the ornament onto the Christmas tree in our hall.  

There will also be a bake sale in the learning commons and a talent show in the hub that families can visit after they make their ornament. 

 Parents will need to stay with their children until 6:45.  At 6:45 students will need to return to their class to begin lining up for the performance.  At this time, parents will be asked to head to the gym to get a seat for the 7pm performance.  After the performance, students will return to the classroom.  Please pick your child up from their classroom after the performance.  

See you tonight!!!

Monday December 8th, 2014

All of the following documents and links have now been uploaded to our classroom website
-Grade 3 & 4 writing rubrics
-NEW report card indicators document (showing you what a 1, 2, 3, and 4 mean)
-Inquiry/Research website links for student use for their BIG inquiry question

Room 79 & 80's classroom website LINK


CRANSTON CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Our Christmas Concert for room 79 and 80 is tomorrow night and our students will be performing their songs at 7pm in the gym. Families are welcome to join tree decorating activities around the school beginning at 6pm.  Students are invited to come to their classroom to make a special ornament that can be hung on the tree in our hallway(the ornament will go home next week).  All students need to meet in the classroom by 6:45 so we can get them lined up in their order before we go to the gym for the performance.


Cranston School is participating in the annual Mayors Food Drive.  Students are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to put in the boxes that have been placed around the school.  Thank you

December 4, 2014

YIKES - sorry we missed doing our blog yesterday!  Thank you to those who do check the blog everyday, we try hard to do a daily post.

We are looking forward to meeting all of the parents either tonight or tomorrow morning.  During your 15 minute scheduled time, we will have the opportunity to discuss your child's learning and answer questions that you have.  Your child is encouraged to join us for this interview.  Students do not have school on Friday. 

If you have not brought in your Families Helping Families gifts, they can be brought in tonight and on Friday.  Friday is the last day for gifts to be brought in .  Please remember to wrap and LABEL gifts.  Thank you

During inquiry, we discussed where we can find resources to begin exploring our topics.  We also visited our Learning Commons to make a list of books on their topic.  We explored safe search engines that students can also use.  Students encouraged to visit the public library for further resources.  The public library has many articles on-line as well.  We provided the students with a list of research resources that we posted below and will also post on our website.

Research Resources

SAFE Search Engines for Children:

1.    http://www.kidrex.org - Search Engine for Children

2.    http://www.gogooligans.com - Educational Search Engine for Students

3.    http://www.safesearchkids.com/kids-search-engines/#.VH4ju6XGpG4 - The Google kids search engine

4.    http://www.kidzsearch.com - Kids’ safe search engine

Dictionary, Thesaurus, & Encyclopedia:

1.    http://www.worldbookonline.com.elibrary.calgarypubliclibrary.com/pl/forkids/home?subacct=CD12363 - World book online

2.    http://www.factmonster.com - Fact monster includes a thesaurus, encyclopedia, dictionary, and a database of the Columbia Encyclopedia

Libraries:

1.    http://calgarypubliclibrary.com - Calgary Public Library (e-library)

2.    http://www.loc.gov/families/ - The largest library

Newspaper Articles/Magazines:

1.    http://www.sweetsearch.com - Newspaper articles (eg. ocean pollution)

2.    http://kids.nationalgeographic.com - National Geographic for children

December 2, 2014

The students worked a lot with writing today.  They assessed their story writing, using the rubric that we created together.  This is one tool that will help the students recognize their areas of strength in writing and what goals they have for improving their writing.  We continued with more writing after Ms. Rauser modeled for the students the process of taking jot notes and creating descriptive sentences for our EXPERT writing. We will continue with the writing tomorrow.

In the afternoon, our students were helpful to their buddies to help the grade 1/2 record a reading sample on IRIS.

Some students have brought their math food booklets home to complete. If your child has a green booklet in their folder, they are asked to please finish the week for the weekly family menu.  After completing the menu, student have been asked to total the cost of their food for each day and the week. We are asking for students to please return these completed on Thursday.

A reminder that we have parent teacher conferences Thursday December 4 and Friday December 5.  Please sign up on Conference Manager to book your 15 minute time.  The students do not have school on Friday.

For those students that are in Good Guys or Girl Power, we have the Wednesday meeting at lunch for the Wednesday club.

Mrs. Cooper's class will begin to have book exchange again.  If your child has a library book to exchange, please return it tomorrow.

December 1st, 2014 (Monday)

The students finished off some creative stories they were working on last week. They will be evaluating their own writing and peer reviewing another students writing. This is an important process in developing self awareness of their own abilities and setting goals for themselves for improvement. This is also a time of celebration in seeing areas that they are doing well in!

In gym, students participated in playing dodgeball. Tomorrow the game will be modified a bit so make sure to ask you child about the new rules tomorrow!

Students worked on their webs on the topic that they are an 'EXPERT' in. They will then take these jot notes and turn them into detailed and descriptive sentences.
MS. RAUSER's CLASS: has their webs as homework tonight to finish (4-5 jot notes per topic)

A reminder that all FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES gifts need to be wrapped/labelled and brought in by December 5th, 2014 (FRIDAY). Please keep in mind that Friday is Parent Teacher interviews and is not a school day for Students...but you can still drop off your gifts if needed on this day. :0)
Thank you again for your generosity and support of this amazing program. Its a valuable program that teaches students the true meaning of the holidays and understanding different quality of life within their own city!