Weekly Spelling words (which are Spelling Bee words) are posted on the Botha School Website
Spelling
  • Spelling list words are generated partly from commonly misspelled and frequently used words, and from words that have similar patterns.. Students also have personal word lists of words they need on a regular basis. (For example, students that write about hockey should be able to spell: hockey, puck, goal, goalie, game, played, period, overtime, etc)
  • The words of the week go home in the agenda.
  • As the Alberta Program of Studies states that students are to be able to spell words correctly in their own writing that is how they will be assessed rather than a traditional spelling test which does not assess the ability to transfer spelling skills into their daily writing. Other conventions such as capitalization and punctuation will be assessed in the is manner also.

Rules

This year the class talked about the rules they wanted but also wrote a promise, and did a very good job on it! Here it is:

We promise to be KIND by including everyone, helping others, being  polite and RESPECTFUL to everyone and to be a good team member. (Grade THOR Team! :-) We will not interfere with the learning of others. We will be responsible by cooperating, doing what we are supposed to be doing and always DOING OUR BEST and not giving up. We will think positive and build people up. We promise to LISTEN more and think before we talk. We will stand up for others by using our words and getting a teacher if that doesn’t work. In this way we will stay SAFE. We will also stay safe by doing what we are supposed to be doing. If we follow the rules, nobody should ever get hurt. That includes keeping chairs flat, walking in halls and on stairs and staying on the school grounds etc.. We will treat others the way we want to be treated so we will respect everyone and their belongings, and we’ll be polite and kind.

Be flowers, sprinkle kindness, be cupcakes, rainbows and sunshine...be awesome!

Home Reading


  • Grade 3/4 students should be doing about 15 min of homework a day. Any day your child doesn't study his/her spelling words or have homework from unfinished assignments, they should be doing at least 15 min of home reading. (Ideally, grade 4 should be doing 20 min of home reading or study a day)
  • Please record minutes read on the calendar page when you initial your child's agenda.
  • A prize is awarded for every 5 times that your child reads.
  • Prizes are awarded once a month usually on the last school day of the month or the first day of the next month.

Agendas


  • Agendas should go back and forth between school and home everyday
  • Parents please initial when your child shows you his/her agenda. I will do the same.
  • Students should be learning to write reminders and homework pages in their agendas themselves.
  • The above seems to be a struggle for young students. If I write their homemork in their agenda, it's probably already overdue.

Missed School?

Now that your child is a bit older, I am trying to teach them that catching up on missed work is their responsibility. They are to write spelling words in their agenda without me telling them to do it if they missed spelling words day. Also, missed worksheets that are handed out on their desk are also expected to be completed without me having to tell them to do it. The student should be asking me or a classmate about any other items on their desk when they return to school. (ie: which pages of a booklet need to be completed, looseleaf or blank sheet on desk? what notes or assignments were missed, etc) There is almost always a math assignment to catch up on. Students should always ask what math assignment they missed. 

                  

HOMEWORK

 I don't usually assign homework unless it's just a quick question the students could ask you about, or something for them to think about. (example: If the Pacific Ocean is on the west side of Canada, and The Atlantic is on the east side, what ocean is at the north end of Canada?) Or, once or twice a year I will require that they study for 10-15 min. for a test. I do encourage doing 15 min of 'homework' a night for grade 3 and 20 min a night for gr 4; usually that being Home Reading or study spelling words or practice math facts.  If a student does not finish a given assignment in class, then I ask that they complete it for homework. PLEASE help your child to learn it is their responsibility to bring back their homework the next day (even if they didn't get it done, we need those books/booklets or pages back at school!). 

     Most work that comes home is homework; work that should have been finished in class. I will try to send completed work to take home to keep at the end of the month (or the beginning of the next month). We call these "Take Homes."  

No Excuse List

We have a no excuse list for classroom procedures. Instead of me reminding students over and over about the simple procedures that are easily doable by everyone, students can check the list and think for themselves what they need to do. Examples of the no excuse work list: put your name on every assignment that you hand in, sentences begin with a capital and finish with end punctuation, etc. Work will not be accepted if there's an issue with something that is on the no excuse list. 

Advice
We don't really have a lost and found! Please put your child's name on the tags of your child's clothing (hoodies, snow pants, jackets, mitts, lunch kits, water bottles etc.) This way found items can be returned to your child and items are often returned before your child has even realized that they've misplaced them!

Advice to students: Work hard, do your best, pay attention, be curious, never quit, and be kind.

- Effort and Kindness -