Grade 5

📚January 9 Learning Update:

Grade 5 Cardboard Empire Quest

This week, our grade 5 students completed the Cardboard Empire Quest — a fast‑paced 4.5‑day simulation where creativity, strategy, and teamwork took center stage. Working in small “civilizations,” students navigated unique territories with different advantages and challenges, exploring how geography and systems shape real communities.

Throughout the week, they built structures, managed budgets, negotiated trades, and tackled surprise events, all while weaving together Social Studies, Math, ELA, and Science. The goal wasn’t to win, but to understand how innovation, diplomacy, and resource management influence a civilization’s success. Their enthusiasm, collaboration, and impressive final creations made this adventure a memorable one. Be sure to check out the pictures below!

❗Reminders:

Please complete and send in the Human Sexuality form, choosing one of the following options:

Full Opt-In: Your student participates in all Human Sexuality lessons.
Partial Opt-In: Your student participates only in selected outcomes you approve.
Non-Participation: Your student will not receive these lessons and will be provided with supervised alternative work.

If you require an additional form or your child has not made it home. Please contact your child’s homeroom teacher!

📆 Important Dates:

City Hall School Dates
- Ms. Little: Jan 26-29 & Feb. 2
- Ms. Carrick: Feb 3-6 & Feb. 9
Teachers Convention: Feb 12-13 (no school)
Family Day: Feb 16 (no school)

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📚 December 19 Learning Update:

Literacy:

In ELA, students reflected on the difference between a house and a home. Together, they brainstormed ideas, created an anchor chart, and then used Canva to design posters that highlighted the contrast between a physical structure and the feeling of belonging. They also wrote paragraphs about one of their personal goals for 2026, explaining the steps they’ll take to reach it and who or what might support them along the way.

Numeracy:

In numeracy, students completed their Holiday Wish List project, which wrapped up our unit on addition and subtraction with decimals. This real‑world budgeting activity gave them the chance to apply their skills in a practical way, and it was wonderful to see their confidence grow as they worked through spending decisions and totals.

Science:

Science lessons this week focused on the three states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. Students created posters that explained how molecules behave in each state, gave examples from everyday life, and added illustrations to make their work visually engaging. These projects showed both their scientific understanding and their creativity.

Social Studies:

Social Studies centered on the roles of archaeologists, anthropologists, and geographers. Students explored a simulated “site,” examining artifacts like clay tablets and jewelry, along with notes from previous experts. They also worked on a hexagonal thinking activity, connecting key vocabulary terms about ancient civilizations. For example, they linked agriculture and currency by recognizing how crops could be traded for money. These activities helped students see how different aspects of civilization are interconnected.

Reminders:

We will still happily accept cardboard after the winter break for our upcoming project!
Please review the form and choose one of the following options on your child’s health form:
- Full Opt-In: Your student participates in all Human Sexuality lessons.
- Partial Opt-In: Your student participates only in selected outcomes you approve.
- Non-Participation: Your student will not receive these lessons and will be provided with supervised alternative work.
- If you require an additional form or your child has not made it home. Please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.

📆 Important Dates:

School resumes Monday, January. 5, 2026

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📚 December 12 Learning Update

Literacy:

This week in Literacy, students worked on strengthening daily writing and reading routines through warm-ups and exit questions. We continued reading The Barren Grounds, focusing on comprehension strategies such as making inferences and supporting ideas with evidence from the text. Students also began organizing ideas for multi-paragraph writing using Venn diagrams and main idea webs. Later in the week, this week in Literacy, students worked on creating a Canva Vision Board. Computers were booked for the afternoon, and the lesson was posted on Google Classroom. Students logged in using their school Google accounts to access and complete the task.

Numeracy:

In Numeracy, students worked with decimal values, including naming, ordering, and operating with tenths and hundredths. We continued building accuracy and confidence through guided practice and applied these skills in a real-world Holiday Shopping activity, where students added and subtracted decimals to make thoughtful purchasing decisions.

Science:

Science lessons focused on the physical properties of matter, including mass, volume, and density. Students explored how density affects floating and sinking through hands-on investigations and a STEM design challenge. They tested, adjusted, and reflected on their designs, using scientific vocabulary to explain their observations. We wrapped up the week with a look at states of matter and had the chance to make ice cream floats!

Social Studies:

In Social Studies, students explored how archaeologists study the past using artifacts and evidence. They practiced asking meaningful inquiry questions and created timelines to

❗Reminders:

Please review the form and choose one of the following options on your child’s health form:
Full Opt-In: Your student participates in all Human Sexuality lessons.
Partial Opt-In: Your student participates only in selected outcomes you approve.
Non-Participation: Your student will not receive these lessons and will be provided with supervised alternative work.
If you require an additional form or your child has not made it home. Please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.

📆 Important Dates:

Next week (Dec 15-19), we will have spirit week! Students are encouraged to show their holiday spirit each day:

Monday (Dec 15) will be Red and Green Day
Tuesday (Dec 16) will be Holiday Hats and Accessories Day
Wednesday (Dec 17) will be Christmas Character Day
Thursday (Dec 18) is Ugly Sweater Day
Friday (Dec 19) is PJ Day.

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Dear Sherwood Families,

In keeping with our commitment to provide open communication to families, I’m writing to provide an update on events that occurred at our school this morning.

Around 9:00, a number of people reported a strong odor similar to rotten eggs in the building. School administration called the Calgary Fire Department for assistance and the school was evacuated. Students and staff were safety relocated to Banting and Best School during the investigation.

Crews determined the smell was coming from a drain in one the storage rooms. The issue was quickly resolved and the smell is going away. Students and staff were able to return to the building after approximately 43 minutes and classes have resumed.

These steps were taken to ensure the safety of students and staff. I want to thank students and staff for handling this situation in such a prompt and responsible manner. Through regular and effective fire drills, students and staff were well rehearsed and able to follow emergency procedures effectively.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the school at 403-777-7590.

Sincerely,

Brenna Fraser, Principal

Calgary Board of Education www.cbe.ab.ca

T| 403-777-7590

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📚 November 28 Learning Update:

Literacy:

This week in ELA, students practiced building strong paragraphs, starting with the question: “What is something you are good at?” They brainstormed ideas and worked on organizing their thoughts into clear writing.

We also continued reading The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson, which has sparked great class discussions. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s a wonderful story worth exploring!

Numeracy:

In math this week, our grade 5 students reviewed adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers with regrouping. We practiced these skills together during lessons and reinforced them with follow-up questions. The highlight of the week was the Birthday Party Project, where students planned a party for their best friend with a $210 budget. They calculated the total cost of their purchases, subtracted any remaining money, and had a blast organizing guest lists, supplies, and even designing an epic invitation. We’ll continue this unit over the next few weeks, introducing decimals to build on these skills.

Science:

In science this week, students worked hard on their weather posters, study guides, and final review activities as a class. We felt they would benefit from one more weekend to study, so the final test for the weather unit has been moved to Monday, Dec. 2. After the test, we’ll dive into one of our favorite units— Matter!

Social Studies:

This week in Social Studies, we explored how empires and civilizations grow strong—and what can lead to their decline. Students took thoughtful notes and then jumped into a hands‑on activity, sorting different scenarios to see whether they might help a civilization rise or cause it to fall. It was a fun way to connect big ideas to real‑world examples, and the class really enjoyed working together!

📆 Important Dates:

Photo Retake Day: Friday, Dec. 5th
Last day for Christmas Hamper food donations for : Friday, Dec 12th

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📚November 21 Learning Update

Literacy This week in ELA, students explored genres, subgenres, and themes, and completed a school-wide writing assignment on “Why is learning important?” They also chose a “mystery” book from our class library, wrapped it in paper, and gave clues to its contents through genre descriptions, subgenre labels, and illustrations. These creative projects will be on display during conferences on November 27 and 28.

Numeracy We started the week with a marshmallow place value activity to visualize decimals versus larger values in the thousands and millions. Students prepared for their whole number place value quiz with a practice round on Wednesday before writing the final quiz on Friday. Results will be sent home next week. We are now moving into addition and subtraction with numbers up to 1,000,000, including decimals.

Place Value Marshmallows

Science Students learned about different types of clouds and the weather they bring, sketching them in visual journals. We also studied the Water Cycle by building mini systems in containers to observe evaporation and condensation. On Monday, we’ll finish our “Wild Weather” posters, then review and complete a practice quiz before the final weather quiz on Thursday, November 27. A study guide will be sent home and posted on Google Classroom.

Water Cycles

Social Studies The class wrapped up debates with a video recording, presenting arguments for and against building civilizations along coastlines and river valleys. They also tackled creative “what would you do?” scenarios, such as responding to a volcanic eruption, with thoughtful and imaginative answers.

📆 Important Dates

School Conferences (Nov. 27 and 28): Book at https://sis.cbe.ab.ca/public/home.html

Photo Retake Day: Friday, December 5

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📚 November 14 Learning Update

Literacy:

During this short week, we launched our Mystery Book Project: Become a Book Detective! Students learned the difference between genre, subgenre, and theme through presentations, collaborative sorting activities, and notebook pockets. Each student selected a book they’ll use for ongoing analysis, and we practiced identifying the genre, subgenre, and theme together during a read-aloud.

Numeracy:

In Math, we revisited place value and number sense. Students practiced writing six-digit numbers in standard, written, and expanded form, and solved comparison problems using odd and even number patterns. We also completed the “Bean Counting” lesson to help solidify understanding of place value patterns using hands-on, learning and estimating.

Science:

Our science focus continued on weather and forecasting. Students learned how many First Nations communities historically used natural signs to understand weather patterns and compared those approaches with modern tools. They explored weather maps, practiced interpreting symbols, and began applying this knowledge to create simple forecasts using real data.

Social Studies:

Building on our study of ancient civilizations, students explored how geography influences where and how people settle. They examined key features such as rivers, fertile land, and natural barriers, then applied this knowledge while preparing for their Geography Debate. Students planned, drafted, typed, and finally recorded their debates, then reflected using the “I liked, I wish, I wonder” strategy

French:

Students have been practicing foundational vocabulary in French, including colours, numbers, and simple conversational phrases. We will be having a short assessment next week to check their understanding of these basics and to see how confidently they can use them in context.

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📚 November 7 Learning Update

Literacy

This week, our focus word was grateful. Students also explored a new theme through reflective journaling prompts, including:

“If I could convince my teacher to take us on a field trip anywhere in the world, I would choose…”

We also engaged in a reading comprehension activity using the Canadian Veterans newspaper, where students participated in a scavenger hunt to deepen their understanding of Canadian history and Remembrance Day.

Numeracy

Our current unit centers on place value. Students practiced identifying and comparing numbers through written exercises and verbal reasoning. A verbal assessment is scheduled for Thursday, November 14 to consolidate learning.

Science

Students constructed anemometers to explore wind measurement and applied their understanding in a hands-on weather tools quiz.

Anemometer

We continued our investigation into the six climate zones, using digital research. Up next - we will examine how agriculture and human activity are influenced by climate patterns.

Social Studies

Using our visual journals, students analyzed the advantages and challenges of building communities near river valleys and coastlines. This led into our debate preparation, where students began crafting arguments on both sides of the issue. Next week, we will record our debates using classroom computers.

📌 Reminders

School resumes Thursday, November 13 following the Fall Break.
Dates for picture retakes are still being finalized—please stay tuned for updates.

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📚 October 31st Learning Update:

Literacy:

Students have jumped back into persuasive writing this week! Using our O.R.E.O. acronym, they are expressing their opinions through thoughtful and well-crafted arguments. To strengthen their understanding of the difference between a reason and a specific example, we watched The Lorax as a class. Through our film study, students gathered their thoughts and feelings on the story and developed debatable opinion statements. They then selected specific details and examples from the movie to support and defend their positions in writing.

Numeracy:

This week in Numeracy, our Grade 5 students reviewed place value from ones to ten millions, and also explored how decimals represent tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. We discussed how greater decimal detail leads to more precise values, an important concept in fields like medicine, finance, and athletics!

Next week, we’ll focus on expressing and comparing large numbers, and begin preparing for the upcoming Whole Numbers Place Value test taking place later in November. All lessons and practice links are available on our Google Classroom.

Science:

This week in Science, our Grade 5 students explored the differences between weather and climate, and reviewed the tools used to measure weather.

Next Tuesday, students will be writing a Weather Tools test. The study guide is linked below for additional review (answer key included), and students have already gone through it together in class.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1smtKu6rWXJwePoVl0hNzhx556ScG8wC4Oci0088Okq8/edit?usp=sharing

Next week, students will get creative by designing their own weather tool and begin researching climate zones around the world.

Social Studies:

This week, we deepened our understanding of ancient civilizations by comparing how geography shaped their development. Students explored the key geographical features that supported settlement and survival, then reflected on what their own ideal settlement would require, discovering that our basic needs haven’t changed much over thousands of years!

Next week, students will put their learning into action by preparing for a lively debate where they’ll defend which geographical feature they believe is most essential for a successful civilization.

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October 29 Message from the Principal

Dear Sherwood Families,

We are so happy to see familiar faces today, considering the circumstances. Thank you to those families that have reached out with kind words of welcome and support. This means the world.

I know that there are many questions about classes and extra curriculum and what these will look like moving forward. CBE principals are scheduled to meet tomorrow and will receive more information then. We will then pass along the same information to Sherwood families. In the meantime, should you have any questions, please consult the CBE Labour Action Page.

As we move forward together, our focus is to reconnect, reassure and refocus on supporting learning and wellbeing for all.

A quick update for Halloween this Friday-we welcome costumes so long as the following expectations are met:

· No masks covering the face

· No weapons or toy weapons

· No mocking of other cultures

· Costumes should be in good taste

Thank you,

Brenna Fraser, Principal

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October. 3

Learning Update:

Literacy:

We began our persuasive writing unit this week! Learners are working on crafting texts that persuade an audience by using reasons and examples to support their opinions. To introduce this, our “Word of the Week” was persuade. Students explored its meaning, history, and spelling to better understand their writing purpose. For practice, they were challenged to persuade their teachers on whether or not Oreos should be allowed as a class treat. Conveniently, OREO also makes a great acronym to help us remember the parts of a persuasive essay: O – Opinion, R – Reasons, E – Examples, O – Restate Opinion.

5-1 also concluded our reading of Fatty Legs with an emotional and heartfelt ending (5-2 will conclude when we return). In our eagerness to finish, we read everywhere, outside during class picnics, inside at snack time, after lunch, and in every spare moment. It was wonderful to see students so engaged, reflecting on residential schools in contrast to their own education, and expressing gratitude for their opportunities today. They are already buzzing with excitement to dive into our next novel study!

Numeracy:

This week, we concluded our work on the Graphing Data and Analysis project. Students have done an excellent job collecting their data and representing it visually through both bar graphs and dot plots. They then dove into analysis by responding to thoughtful questions like:

What are four insights my graphs reveal about the data?
Who might find this data useful, and why?

Their reflections showed strong critical thinking and a growing understanding of how data can tell a story.

We also completed our math assessments, which provided valuable insight into each student’s current skill level. With that foundation, we’ve now begun exploring place value: breaking numbers down into ten thousands, thousands, hundreds, etc.. This sets the stage for deeper number sense and future work with the numeracy units.

Science:

In science, we’ve been diving into what weather is and how we measure it. Students enjoyed a hands-on lab using thermometers to check the temperatures of hot water, cold water, and the air around us. We also explored fascinating tools like anemometers, wind socks, weather vanes, hygrometers, and barometers, and played a matching game to connect each tool with its purpose.

Next up: we’ll start reviewing for our weather tools quiz and make sure everyone feels confident about what these instruments do and why they matter. It’s been a great start to our weather unit!

Social Studies:

This week, we explored the importance of geographical features when choosing a place to settle. Students were given different landscapes and asked to analyze the potential benefits and challenges of establishing a civilization in each location. We also took our learning outside, examining our own neighborhood and reflecting on why families and communities may have chosen to settle here. These insights will later be applied to our study of ancient civilizations as we investigate the factors that influenced where they chose to build their communities.