Advent Calendars

We have been working hard on our Advent Calendars and writing out good deeds that we will be doing during the Advent Season.  We know how important it is to show love, peace, hope and joy during this season to everyone.

Time Magazine - Person of the year 2013

According to Time magazine, Pope Francis is the person of the year. Click the link below and read about everything he has done and why they choice him.  

Person of the year Pope Francis

Christmas Concert

We will be performing on Tuesday December 17th in the morning session of the concert.   We can't wait to show off our talents.

The true meaning of Christmas

Nelson Mandela

Today we learned some interesting facts about who Nelson Mandela was and what amazing things he did.  

Here are some things we learned:

1. He was a peacemaker, author and world figure

2. He was born July 18, 1918 in South Africa

3. He had a hard children and was adopted by a tribal chief

4. His birth name was Rolihlahla Mandela

5. He was jailed for 27 years

6. He won 35 awards, including the Nobel peace prize

7.  He was 95 years old when he died on Dec 5, 2013

8.  He was the president of South Africa from 1994-1999

9. He was Baptized United Methodist

10. He was very inspirational to all people

Math Frog

Check out this great site for math games.  have fun.

math Frog

Advent is upon us

The time before Christmas is Advent, a season of preparation for Christmas. Christians prepare for celebrating the birth of Jesus by remembering the longing of the Jews for a Messiah. In Advent, we’re reminded of how much we ourselves also need a Savior, and we look forward to our Savior’s second coming even as we prepare to celebrate his first coming at Christmas. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming” or “visit.” In the season with this name, we keep in mind both “advents” of Christ, the first in Bethlehem and the second yet to come.

Here are some great videos on the meaning of Advent.

Advent: Waiting for Jesus

What is Advent?

Grade 5 only - Energy

Check out some fun videos on Energy

What is Energy?

School House Rock - Energy

I mustache you a question....

Have you participated in Movember this year?  This Friday students are encouraged to come to school with their best mustache's.  Can't wait to see everyone.

Keeping Christ in Christmas - voting details

The submission period is now closed, and we are excited to announce that 8 elementary students and 8 secondary students have now moved forward as finalists in the contest! All of the finalists have been contacted via email.

Voting Details:  

• The final entries will be available for viewing online beginning at 12:00 AM on November 22, 2013.
• Voting will take place up until 12:00 AM on Friday, November 29, 2013.

Cast your vote!

The best way to cast your vote, and share with your family and friends is through the Board`s Facebook page! All you need to do is sign in, and 'Like' our Facebook page - just follow the prompts! 

To view and vote for your favourite submission by a Halton Catholic Elementary Student, please visit:

http://www.hcdsb.org/News/SocialMedia/Pages/Keeping-Christ-in-Christmas-Student-Contest-.aspx

Welcome Parents - Interview Night

Everyone should have received their interview time in the progress report.  Please be on time, as the night is fully booked and we want to make sure everyone gets their chance to meet.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Art supplies required

We are always looking to be more creative in class and require some supplies that may be lying around at home.  If you have any old magazines, flyers, posters, old puzzles or pieces of a puzzle, and/or cotton balls, we would love them.  Please bring them in by the end of next week.  

Thanks!

Parent Engagement in Numeracy

Dear Parents/Guardians of students in Grades 2-6,

Are you interested in having your child engage in some fun and interactive math at home?

If so, the Halton Catholic District School Board invites you to participate in a pre-recorded learning session called “Parent Engagement in Numeracy”. During this presentation you will have an opportunity to learn about the boards messaging around the teaching of mathematics and about a new online resource that we are offering for all Grade 2-6 students in the board.

The online Math tool that we are referencing was created by Pearson Education is called “SuccessMaker”. Throughout their extensive research, they found that students made significant gains in Math after the allotted 10-16 hours of using program.

Our findings at Halton Catholic have proven to be very similar with the pilot group that initiated the program last year. Parents who listen to the presentation will receive access to the SuccessMaker online resource for 10 weeks. Information about how to access the program and register for this online tool will be provided at the end of the presentation.

Simply enter this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ndkhWsRAzY&feature=youtu.be into your tablet or other electronic device, to view the presentation at a time that is most convenient for you. For additional information, please visit our website at: www.hcdsb.org.

Progress Reports

All progress reports will be going home November 19th.  You will also get a confirmation of the time for the interviews for the night of Nov 21st.  Please make sure to return the 3rd page.

Looking forward to seeing all of you and discussing your wonderful children.

Our teacher candidate

Ms. U is our Teacher Candidate from Brock University.  She has started her teaching block with us and we are very excited to learn something fun from her.

Scholastics - Due November 28th

Books are a great idea for Christmas gifts for the entire family.  There is nothing better then sitting together around the fireplace as a family and enjoying a good story. 

elearning site

We are entering an exciting time in our learning.  The students have been given usernames and passwords to access the elearning site.  We will using this site for some activities and assignments.

Have fun checking it out and completing the ART IN MATH activity. 

https://hcdsb.elearningontario.ca/

Math Unit test - Thursday Nov 14th

Our Measurement unit test will be on Thursday Nov 14th.  Students should be able to identify, create and classify angles and figures.  They should be able to construct figures using a protractor, compass and ruler.

Remembrance Day

Here's a great link about Remembrance Day with videos, articles and activities.

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/iremember

The Mayoral debate

We can't seem to get away from the Rob Ford debate and sometimes aren't sure how to handle what we hear in the news.  Here's some advice to help you have a healthy discussion.  Don't forget that Dr. Karyn Gordon will be at our school next week to provide some great advice for parents.

http://www.todaysparent.com/blogs/on-our-minds/rob-ford/

Keeping Christ in Christmas Contest

Students have an opportunity to submit a piece of art based on the theme of "Keeping Christ in Christmas" for the boards Christmas cards.  The contest will run between Nov 5-29.  The winners will also win an iPad Air and their art showcased on the boards website. 

http://www.hcdsb.org/News/SocialMedia/Pages/Keeping-Christ-in-Christmas-Student-Contest-.aspx

Halloween fun - bitstrips

Make sure to complete the Halloween bitstrip assignment that is posted.  Can't wait to see your spooky responses.

Progress Reports and Interviews

Parents please return your interview time availability as soon as possible so that we can set up a schedule that works for you.  You will be notified of your time soon.

Progress reports go home Nov 19th and interview date is Nov 21st.

Halloween

Come dressed for Halloween fun.  Please make sure nothing too scary or gruesome.  Can't wait to see your costumes.




Students will be coming home with some spooky Halloween songs.  Feel free to have them sing to you.  ENJOY!

Make sure to be safe tonight and enjoy your treats in moderation.

  

Pumpkin Mania

We had so much fun decorating and carving our pumpkins.  Wow....the kids are so creative.

Halloween Dance-a-thon

We are raising money to purchase more technology for the school.  For each $25 that is raised, the student will have their name placed in a draw for a prize.  We are loving our smart boards and ipads to use to help us learn.  Any donations are greatly appreciated.  Pledge forms where sent home.  Dance-a-thon is October 31st and students are allowed to come dressed in appropriate costumes.

Thank you for the treats

Thank you to those who brought in your pizza experiments to enjoy.  Normally, I wouldn't want to eat a science experiment....but those where yummy.

Menu madness

We will be creating our own unique Halloween menus and could use some menus as a guide.  If you have any around, please bring them in by Wednesday.  Can't wait to see what the students can create.

Pumpkins needed

We would love some pumpkins in our classroom for a fun and creative Halloween activity.  If anyone can donate some, any shapes, sizes or colour, we would love it.

Happy Halloween.

Math problem

Today the students had to create a charity event where they needed to raise $500.  Ask your child what event they created and how they figured out what steps they needed to take.  It was interesting to see the young, creative entrepreneurs at work.

Google challenge

Google is challenging Canadian kids to come up with a doodle to adorn the search giant's home page. Students in kindergarten through Grade 12 can submit an image for the Doodle 4 Google contest that fits the theme: "If I could invent anything I would invent..."

The deadline is Dec. 31, after which a judging committee will narrow down the submissions to 75 regional finalists.

Here's the link....

http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/google-asks-canadian-kids-to-design-home-page-doodle-1.1493714

Parent Volunteers

We would love to have a parent volunteer to come in next Thursday after lunch during our computer class.  We are working on our brochures and could use extra hands to help with formatting our work.  If you are comfortable with the computer and know Publisher well, please let me know via your child's agenda if you can come in and help.

Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving.  I know that I am grateful for having met all of you and sharing this year with you.  May you all enjoy your Turkey dinners and time with family and friends.

Also, the students have learned some new and funny thanksgiving songs....feel free to have them sing to you over the holidays.

Gobble, Gobble.

Parent Engagement in Numeracy

Are you interested in having your child engage in some fun and interactive math at home? The online Math tool that we are referencing and created by Pearson Education is called "SuccessMaker".  If so, simply click on the link below to view the presentation at a time that is most convenient for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ndkhWsRAzY

For additional information, please visit the boards website.

Motivation for Thanksgiving weekend

Here's some motivation to inspire you this weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o

October News, Tests and Projects

We are well into October and couldn't be any busier.  Here are some updates for the upcoming month.

Math :

Unit test October 17th.  Patterning.  Please review pattern rules, input/output machines, graphical patterns and strategies used to solve the missing patters.  Grade 6 - also review divisibility rules.  

Science:  Each grade will be completing a science project based on their unit. 

Gr 5 - "Kitchen Chemistry" - students will have to create a poster showing how to prepare a pizza OR macaroni and cheese.  They will need to list all the changes of matter that occur during the process.  We have discussed the project in class and each student has received a detailed outline explaining what is required of them.   ALL WORK is to be done IN CLASS.  Research and gathering of materials can be done at home, but please don't worry about having the work done at home. DUE FRIDAY OCT 25th

Gr 6 - "Facebook Species" - students will choose an organism to research and create a "facebook" profile for their organism.  It can be displayed either on a bristol-board or an on-line version of their choosing.   We have discussed the project in class and each student has received a detailed outline explaining what is required of them.   ALL WORK is to be done IN CLASS.  Research and gathering of materials can be done at home, but please don't worry about having the work done at home. DUE: FRIDAY OCT 25th

Religion:

Students will have to create a brochure (on-line or paper) about their family heritage.  They can choose either side of the family to research.  They can use interviews, on-line research, pictures, or any artifacts that will help them gather information for their projects. This too is an IN CLASS assignment and students will be given plenty of time to work on it.  Please make sure to have all your research ready by next week.
ROUGH COPY DUE THURSDAY OCTOBER 17th   

$1 million reasons why reading is important

Here's a great example of why reading is important and why enunciating your words is key.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/09/19/pronunciation-fail-costs-guy-1-million-prize-on-wheel-of-fortune/

Gr 6 - science quiz - Biodiversity

The grade 6's will have a science quiz on Thurs Oct 10th.  The quiz will comprise of T/F questions, fill in the blank and short answer.

Things to review....

 5 kingdoms
heterotroph vs autotroph
vertebrae vs invertebrae
animal adaptation
characteristics of Fungi and Mammals
Father of Taxonomy
The language of Science

Gr 5 - matter experiment - ice cube

The grade 5 matter experiment is due Wed Oct 9th.  We have discussed what changes of state occur when ice melts.  The students are to perform the experiment at home and add any additional observation or conclusions that they come up with.  We also saw a video on changes in state and specifically about melting and freezing.  

Have fun.  

Bitstrips

Yeah!  Our bitstrips account is up and running.  Parents/Guardians, the students are excited trying to set up their avatars and start creating fun and interesting activities.  Don't be concerned if your child wants to do their homework. :)

Below is the link for the site.  Students will receive the password to access the class list on Tuesday.

http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/?logout=1

Phew! September is coming to an end.

Phew!  We survived the craziness of September.   The start of the school year always bring about many new changes and challenges.  Thankfully we got through it all together and in one piece. 

 

Hope everyone has a little rest this weekend. 

Halton Water Festival

The grade 5 students had an amazing opportunity to visit Kelso and learn many different facts about water and water conservation.  They visited different stations that explained about conservation, sewage systems, septic systems, PH levels of different items, balancing our earth and the importance of Reducing, Re-using and Recycling.   We were fortunate to have great weather and truly enjoyed the day outside. 

Weekend Updates

• Gr 5 science test has been moved to Monday Sept 23rd.

• Both gr 5 and 6's will have a Math Unit test on Thursday Sept 26th.  Students will receive a review tips on Monday to help with studying.  

• Don't forget Picture day on Monday 23rd

• Gr 5 class trip on Wed 25th.  We should be leaving between 8:45 - 9:00 am. Please come dressed appropriately for outdoor activities.  

Oakville Green Association Presentation

Today the grades 5 and 6's both had presentations from Oakville green association.  The grade 5's talked about ZERO WASTE and the 6's RESTORING NATURE.  Both presentations were very informative and made us think about importance of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. 




Check out the link for more information....

 http://www.oakvillegreen.com/

Religion assignment - due Sept 26th

We have been studying about the importance of being a good person and talking about special people/life givers in our world.  The students will be doing a writing assignment about either someone special (gr 5) or a life giver (gr 6) of their choice.  All writing will be done in class.  We have been learning about writing a proper paragraph and including lots of detail in our work.  The students have received an outline of the assignment and might require to do some research at home.  Feel free to ask them who they have chosen and why.  The final good copy will be typed and due Sept 26th.

Multiplication

Students are required to know their multiplication tables up to 12.  We have been multiplying by 2-digit and 3-digit numbers by using place value.  Here's an example.  Have your child explain it to you and try some at home.  We also listened to some songs to help us with our multiplication.  Here are some...sing along...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzXcI49jdV0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3pq1ay8l-4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3huvvxUHDmM

   13  (10 + 3) 
x 21   (20 + 1)
1 x 3 = 3
1 x 10 = 10
20 x 3 = 60
20 x 10 = 200
               273

197  (100 + 90 + 7)
x 68 (60 + 8)
8 x 7 = 56
8 x 90 = 720
8 x 100 = 800
60 x 7 = 420
60 x 90 = 5400
60 x 100 = 600
             13396

Grade 6 - Fun-gi experiment - Due Oct 2nd

Mold is something that we often take for granted....bet you never thought you'd hear that.  It is a fascinating organism that has many different uses.  The students have been given a task to perform an experiment that will give them an opportunity to investigate mold.  The experiment will take about 2 weeks to observe and the students are required to record everything they see and measure.  Each student received a booklet to complete and should be handed in on October 2nd.

Due: October 2nd

Grade 5 trip - Sept. 25th

The grade 5's have a wonderful opportunity to attend the Halton Children's Water Festival on Wednesday, September 25th.  They will learn about the importance of ground and surface water and will participate in a variety of interactive activities.  Please return forms to school by September 20th.

The program runs RAIN OR SHINE! It is an all day OUTDOOR event! Have students check the weather report and dress accordingly. They advise to wear running shoes/boots (no flip flops!), dress in layers, bring hats, sunscreen, insect repellent and hand sanitizer.

Make sure to bring a nut-free lunch in a disposable bag that is clearly marked with your child's name.
Any parents with a criminal record check at the office and are available to attend, please let me know. Volunteers will be randomly chosen and notified via the agenda.

Curriculum night - Wed. Sept. 18th

Curriculum night is a great night to find out what we will be learning this year.  I look forward to meeting all of you and am excited for what the year brings us.

1st session 6:30 - 7:00 -  I will be with the Grade 6
2nd session 7:05-7:35 - I will be with the Grade 5

Both of my grade teaching partners will be doing a presentation for each times, however, I will be with the grade 6's first and grade 5's second.  I will try drop by each session for each grade after the initial presentations.  If you have any major questions or concerns and didn't get a chance to talk, feel free to write me a note and we can connect.

Grade 6's - room 209

Grade 5's - room 207

See you then.

Terry Fox - Sept 30th

Our Terry Fox walk will be on Monday September 30th.  Students have received their pledge forms and are ready to raise money to help find a cure for Cancer. Please bring in the forms by the end of next week.  After the walk, there will be a student-teacher floor hockey game.  Students who bring in donations will be placed into a draw for a chance to join the student team.  We have jersey's for all who are participating to wear during the game.  The students voted to the "Leafs", while the teacher will be the "Canadians".  It should be a fun day!

Turtle Island Festival

Grade 6's ... looking for something fun to do this weekend, check out the Turtle Island Festival at Crawford Lake. 

 

Discover more about First Nations culture at the 21st annual Turtle Island Festival at Crawford Lake this Sunday.  From 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., visitors can learn about Iroquoian culture through storytelling with Chief Top Leaf, create crafts, go on discovery hunts, sample Nature’s Tea or stroll through the village and check out the Native Arts and Crafts sale.

 

Admission to the festival is included with the park entry fee, $7.25 for adults, $6.25 for seniors, $5 for children (ages 5 to 15) and free for children ages 4 and under.

 

For more information on the festival, visit www.conservationhalton.ca or call (905) 854-0234.

Crawford Lake is located at the corner of Guelph Line and Conservation Road, 15 km north of the QEW and five km south of Hwy 401.

Math quiz - Friday

Things to study

Grade 5:

• writing large numbers in Standard form, Expanded form and Words
• ordering large numbers from least to greatest OR greatest to least
• understanding the VALUE of a number and it's place value
• adding and/or subtracting 4-digit

Grade 6:

writing large numbers in Standard form, Expanded form and Words

ordering large numbers from least to greatest OR greatest to least

understanding the VALUE of a number and it's place value

problem solving based on a 5-digit number  

**Make sure to use your time wisely and
start reviewing all the math concepts we have been learning.  **

Water bottles needed

If you have any clear plastic water bottles at home...we would love them.  Please don't throw them into the recycling bin, but bring them into school.  We are in need of a class set and will be using them for a fun upcoming art activity.  Every bottle is welcomed. 

Picture Day - September 23rd

Set a reminder on your calendars for our school picture day.  

September update

Math:  Whole Numbers.  We will be looking at whole numbers based on their place-value and comparing and ordering them.  We will also be writing numbers in numeral form, expanded form and picture form.  Feel free to ask your children about LARGE numbers in society and what they represent.  Example: population of Oakville versus Toronto or Distance to a city or town or planet.  UNIT TEST SEPT 26th

Gr 5:  Look and compare numbers up to the Hundred Thousand units, multiplication and division
Gr 6:  Look and compare numbers up to the Hundred Million units, multiplication, division, prime numbers, BEDMAS

Language:  Conventions.  We are writing paragraphs about our super powers while looking at our conventions.  Students will be editing their work and learning how to use proofreading marks in order to improve their writing.

Science:  We will be starting our science units next week and can't wait for all the fun and exciting experiments and field trip that will come our way.

Gr 5: Matter (what's the matter?) - Quiz Sept 23rd
Gr 6: Biodiversity of living things

Religion: our religion program will focus on incorporating all the wonderful lessons that we learn about being good people and become great role models and leaders for others.

Gr 5: Living in the community - our symbol is the ROCK...we are the rock upon which faith is built on
Gr 6: Human rights and responsibility - our symbol is the LANTERN .... the light of God shines through us

Gym/DPA: we have gym on Monday and Wednesday.  Please have a change of clothes and shoes (non-marking) for class.  We also will be having DPA on the other days, so always be ready for a activity challenge.

Library: our library day is on Wednesdays.  I always encourage students to try and read something different then what they are used to reading.  Reading = Succeeding.  Make sure to ask your children what they read today and maybe even start a book together that you can discuss.

**Please be patient with our agenda's.  We are hoping for them to arrive by Friday.  **

Scholastics Book Order

Oh how I love the thrill of getting a new book
and discovering a new story. 

Our September book orders are here and due
Wednesday September 11th.  
Please make cheques payable to Scholastic Canada. 

Also, if anyone has any gently used books that they would like to donate to our classroom library, it would be greatly appreciated. 

Classroom Wish List

Back to school is surely one of the busiest times of the year, and I do not mean to add to that; however, there are few items that we acquire in order for your child and the classroom to have a smooth start with all the needed materials.

Here is a list of items that I kindly ask you to provide your child with for their own personal use and for their use in the classroom.

 

v  Pencils, pens, erasers, sharpener, highlighters, ruler, markers, crayons, and a geometry set. (I have provided your child with the necessities at the first day of school but this will be helpful for the remainder of the year)

v  3 boxes of Kleenex.

v  1 rolls of paper towels.

v  3 bottles of wipes.

v  Any unwanted board games

I thank you in advance for sending the above items, if possible please send them by the following Monday.

Also, if there are any parents or guardians that are willing to volunteer during the day with help (e.g. photocopy) within and/or without the classroom, please let me know days and times that work.  Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. 

Welcome Back.....A new year awaits us.

Dear Parents or Guardians,

Hope you had a relaxing and refreshing summer. It is my pleasure to be teaching your child this year.

As the year progresses, I plan to be in constant communication with all the homes of the students in my class. The communication will be in a variety of formats, through your child’s agenda, a personal note, a phone call, or by you simply logging on our class blog that I will be updating weekly. I want to keep you well informed about what we are doing and learning throughout the year. In the meantime, I would like to outline some initial routines that you need to be aware of immediately.

The following is an outline of expectations in the classroom:

Students are expected to:

1)     Be respectful to others (all staff and students)
2)     Keep hands and feet to one’s self.
3)     Remain in seats.
4)     Diligently work on assigned tasks, complete, and hand in all assignments on time.
5)     Cooperate with others.
6)     Follow instructions.
7)     Keep working area clean and tidy; this includes student’s desk and cubby.
8)     Aim for the best.

Additional Information

1)   We will be using agendas to plan our days and outline what needs to be done. These agendas will be coming home with your child each night and will provide you with a good idea of what they have done each day. Please discuss the homework in the agendas with your child, highlighting what they have accomplished and what areas may need more time and effort. Moreover, please sign/initial the agendas every night, as I will be verifying them each day. It is the student’s responsibility to write in his/her agenda, a blank day will result in the student receiving an incomplete stamp. Students will receive a stamp daily to indicate whether their homework is complete or not. When a student receives 3 or more incomplete stamps, the student will then receive a school detention. If this matter continues then parents will be contacted to determine an action plan.

Homework: Homework MUST be completed by the NEXT scheduled class unless otherwise stated by the teacher. Again, if homework is not completed three times a week, which will be shown by your child receiving three incomplete homework stamps, an after school detention will be given.

2)  Friday Folder: Every Friday a folder will be coming home containing any marked assessments. Please discuss the assessment pieces with your child and sign the folder sheet indicating that you have seen and discussed it with your child. The Friday Folder must be returned to the school on Monday, if the folder is not returned by Tuesday, I will contact the parents to verify. If there is no assessment pieces returned to your child, the folder will come home on Friday as usual indicating that there was nothing returned.

 

3)     Notes: If your child were away, a note stating that he/she was away with your permission and reason of absence would be greatly appreciated. If your child has homework that was not completed, please record that you are aware of the fact in his/her agenda. The student is responsible to speak to rotary/French teachers, his/her friends or myself to make up for what was missed in that specific day(s).

 

4)     Notebook expectations:

 - The appearance must be neat or it must be redone.

      - Notebooks’ covers must have the students’ name and subject. No other markings are acceptable.
      - All work must be dated.
      - White-out is not permitted.
      - Both sides of the page are to be used unless otherwise instructed.
      - Titles must be underlined with a ruler.
       - All math work MUST be done in pencil.

 

5)   We have gym every Monday and Wednesday. It is essential that all students wear appropriate clothing in order to participate fully in the gym program. Please ensure that your child brings shorts, t-shirts, and running shoes to school on gym days, or, if you wish, they may leave gym bags at school. It is important that all clothing and materials from your home be clearly marked with your child’s name.

 

Welcome to our classroom. I look forward to getting to know you and your child throughout the school year. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you and See you later

As I reflect on this year, I am so very grateful and feel very blessed that I had the opportunity to get to know each and one of you. I want to THANK all the families for raising such wonderful children who have touch my heart.  I wish all of you a safe and happy summer and can't wait to hear about all your adventures in September.  May God bless all of you.

Play Day

This Friday is Play Day.  Please make sure to come dressed for the weather.  Also bring a water bottle to keep hydrated, wear sunscreen and a hat to protect you from the sun.  It should be a FUN day. 

Youtube videos

Here are some great Youtube videos that we watched.  Very moving and inpirational. 

Zach  Sobiech - Clouds:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zxXAtmmLLc


Caine's Arcade:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faIFNkdq96U

Happy Fathers Day

Hope all you dad's enjoy your day!!

Summer Beach Reads

Wondering what you're going to do this summer?  Check out this link on 101 books that you could start to discover.  See how many you have read already.

http://www.feelslikehomeblog.com/2013/04/101-chapter-books-to-read-before-you-grow-up/

Some favourites:

1. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
2. The Adventures of Robin Hood
3. Anne of Green Gables
4. Bridge to Terrabitha
5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
6. Charlotte's Web
7. Frog and Toad are Friends
8. Holes
9. James and the Giant Peach
10. Nancy Drew
11. The Mouse and the Motorcycle
12. Sadako
13. The Secret Garden
14. Tuck Everlasting
15. The whipping boy
16. The Wind and the Willow
17. The Witches
18. The wonderful wizard of Oz
19. The True confessions of Charlotte Doyle
20. Treasure Island

Flight Museum

We had a fabulous time at the Hamilton Warplane Museum and even got a chance to meet a WW2 spitfire pilot who fought in the War in Britain.  We took a picture with him beside the plane that he flew. 

We learned how to shake our rotors, flap our wings and move about like a plane.  It was so much fun.   We also got a chance to sit in a Buffalo and see how it felt like to fly in one.