Riddle of the week: What is next in this sequence: JFMAMJJASON_ ?
Reminders
Shoeboxes
Dear Families,
This year Div. 3, 4 & 7 are supporting the charity, The Shoebox Project for Shelters over the holidays. The charity collects and distributes gifts in the form of Shoeboxes to women who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness in the downtown East Side.
About the Charity:
For women who have been displaced from their homes and estranged from their families, the holidays can be a particularly challenging time. Often, women feel disconnected from society, forgotten and alone. Reducing the feelings of isolation and loneliness faced by women living in shelters is one of the most important outcomes of The Shoebox Project. A shoebox gift is a powerful reminder for a woman that she has not been forgotten and that she remains a valued and respected member of her community.
How to Make a Shoebox:
- You can either make a Shoebox at home, or bring in items and the children will wrap and assemble the Shoeboxes in class. If you make a Shoebox at home don’t wrap the box closed. The charity inspects all items before giving the boxes to the women.
- Each Shoebox must be valued at approximately $50 – see the suggested items!
- Consider lining the Shoeboxes with tissue paper first for a more polished, elegant look
- Don’t overstuff your box; make sure the lid fits on properly and doesn’t pop off
- Avoid including items that are overly delicate to avoid anything getting broken in transit
- Don’t forget to write an inspirational message!
Suggested Items to Include:
- Something warm: socks, mitts, scarf, hat, hand warmers
- Something sweet: nut-free chocolate and candy (not alcohol-filled)
- Cough drops, multivitamins
- Body or hand lotion, soaps, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
- Brush, comb, shampoo, conditioner
- Nail polish, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, lip balm
- Purse-sized Kleenex, small cosmetic bag
- Gift cards (Tim Hortons, Shoppers, McDonalds, etc.)
Please write the amount on the card or include the receipt
- Subway tokens and bus tickets
- Journals, colouring books, pens, coloured pencils
- Supportive message
What to Leave Out:
- Used goods
- Hotel Samples
- Sized clothing (i.e. S, M, L, XL)
- Mouthwash containing alcohol
- Candles
- Foundations, concealers
- Hand-sanitizers
- Perfume ** (Check your local chapterfor exceptions)
- Razors
- Jumbo-sized containers
- Books
- Anything opened or not packaged
The deadline for the shoeboxes is December 15th. Please contact Lia Cuccurullo at lcuccurullo@vsb.bc.ca if you would like more information. I will be dropping off the shoeboxes the following week.
The website is: http://www.shoeboxproject.com/about.html
Dates to Remember
Friday December 15: Field trip to the Gladstone Dance Show, $2 donation
Tuesday December 19: Tyee Winter Concert
Thursday December 21: Field trip to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Field trip forms went home on Friday and should be returned with money as soon as possible. Thank you parent volunteers for agreeing to shuttle Division 3 up to UBC and back! It has significantly reduced the cost of the field trip.
Friday December 22: Secret Santa exchange
Weekly Work
Math
Math Notebooks will not be due on Thursday this week.
The problem solving review will be due on Friday.
Language
Spelling work work will be due on Friday along with our spelling tests.
The final copy of our writer’s workshop persuasive writing assignment will be due on Friday. Students have been working hard through the writing process!
Culture
Students will continue designing their own animals this week based on our learning of the Animal Kingdom.
Criteria and self-assessment checklist: Design your own animal-Animal Kingdom project grade 456
This culture project will be due on Wednesday December 20th by 3:00pm.
French
Students have been learning holiday and Christmas vocabulary and creating a resource tool that they can use to create a small holiday story.
Artist in Residence
Students will continue stitching/folding and will begin planning for the exhibition in January.
Classroom Community
We have circled back as a community to talk about having a growth mindset and what that actually means. We watched two great short videos this week about how we can actually train our brain like any other muscle in our body. We can re-wire our brain and re-train our brain to start a new habit or break a bad habit. Perhaps this can spark some discussion around the dinner table this week!
Neuroplasticity: Video 1
Growing your mind: Video 2