“’Tis Better to Give than to Receive….”

October 1999

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s);

In the coming weeks, the Intermediate students at Alloa P.S. will be undertaking a project inspired by Operation Christmas Child and our recent reading of Eve Bunting’s book, Fly Away Home. The grades 6-8 classes will work in small groups planning a gift box to be distributed on Christmas Day to a child in need. While Operation Christmas Child traditionally caters to children in the third world, the students have decided to distribute a percentage of the finished boxes to the needy within our own community.

Students have been given an outline detailing the assignment as well as a rubric to illustrate how this group project will be evaluated. Curriculum Expectations covered by this assignment fall into 5 strands of 2 subject areas as follows:

Language Arts

writing

  • communicate ideas and information for a variety of purposes (to inform, to persuade, to explain) and to specific audiences (e.g., write the instructions for building an electrical circuit for an audience unfamiliar with the technical terminology);
  • use writing for various purposes and in a range of contexts, including school work (e.g., to develop and clarify ideas, to express thoughts and opinions);
  • organize information to convey a central idea, using well-linked paragraphs;

oral & visual communication

  • use constructive strategies in small-group discussions (e.g., invite other group members to contribute; ask questions to clarify a point; negotiate to find a basis for agreement)

Math

measurement

  • estimate and calculate the volume of rectangular prisms;
  • select the most appropriate standard unit (millimetre, centimetre, decimetre, metre, or kilometre) to measure linear dimensions and the perimeter of irregular polygons;

(over…)

data management & probability

  • systematically collect, organise, and analyse data

geometry & spatial sense

  • demonstrate an understanding of similar and congruent figures;
  • demonstrate congruence of figures by measuring angles and sides and matching corresponding parts;
  • recognize and describe in mathematical language the
  • occurrence and application of geometric properties and principles in the everyday world;
  • discuss geometric concepts with peers and use mathematical language to explain their understanding
  • of the concepts;
  • explain, make conjectures about, and articulate hypotheses about geometric properties and relationships

Please take a few moments to have your child share with you his/her assignment and evaluation package, then sign the portion below and return it to your child’s teacher at your earliest convenience.

We look forward to undertaking this worthwhile project as the holiday season approaches. Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher should you have any comments, questions or concerns.

Yours very sincerely,

The Intermediate Teachers

------(please sign & return the portion below)------

I have shared my “’Tis Better to Give than to Receive” assignment package with my parent(s)/guardian(s).

______

(student signature)(parent/guardian signature)(date)