Sir John Franklin School - Calgary Board of Education

Grade 5
This year in Rm. 10 the Grade 5s have been all about stories. We have read stories from different
cultures, stories from before Canada was Canada and up through its Confederation, and stories
out of our own imaginations. Right now our classroom is populated by dragons, talking dogs,
strange creatures, would-be princesses and other fantastical characters as the students put the
finishing touches on their Fantasy stories. Some will be turning those stories into picture books
or graphic novels.
But not all the writing we do is so fanciful. The students spent considerable time in science and
humanities becoming “experts” on wetlands. They prepared presentations designed to convince
others of the worth of wetlands, as well as imagining themselves as time-travelling explorers,
witnessing the environmental changes themselves.
Through all of this have emerged many students who have demonstrated vivid imaginations, a
love of writing and reading, and an understanding of the many purposes, genres, and formats
writing and reading assume.
We celebrate each others accomplishments and I am proud of their many efforts.
Mrs. J. Sinclair
Grade 6
Grade 6 Language Arts
Students have been diligently comprising their skills in a number of different areas. In literacy
students have been delegated into groups and partake in "Book Club" every school day. They
have been honing literacy strategies, presentation skills, analysing, and inferencing. We have a
strong ‘reading bunch’ that are learning to solve their problems by managing and helping one
another.
Next on the agenda are the Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT). Our first test is May 18th for
LA Part A. I have sent home a practice test to help your child practice. Please take some time to
review the exam with your child. As well, several of our teachers will be working with students
prior to the exam to provide a "fresh" learning perspective to assist the grade 6 students.
Grade 6 Social Studies
As most may know, most of our year has been based on "Democracy". Our final democratic unit
involves the Iroquois and their contributions toward Canadian society. Our final inquiry question
is based on all of the democratic Social Studies units. Next on our list is a map of Canada, the
Great Lakes, and our capital cities. Grade 6's will also write the Social Studies PAT in June.
Mrs. Martens