This weekly update from a teacher at the Canadian International School of Hong Kong provides information to parents about events and learning in Grade 5A. It discusses an upcoming performance, a new unit of inquiry on children's rights, and an upcoming field trip to a landfill. It also shares information about ordering flowers for a Chinese New Year fair and an upcoming parental control session for laptops going home during the holiday break.

1. JANUARY 7, 2011
W E E K LY U P D A T E
GRADE 5A @ CDNIS
“Let’s Make it Happen” and Happy New Year
Dear Parents,
Happy New Year! I hope 2011 is a fortunate and prosperous year for you all. I do hope
you all enjoyed your two weeks with your children at home. We are now one week into 2011
and already are looking forward to the Chinese New Year holiday in a very short time. It is
hard to believe time can pass so quickly!
This week a great deal of time was committed to rehearsals for the “Let’s Make it Happen”
performance that will take place on Wednesday, January 12. Tickets and ticketing
information for those requiring more than the allotted two have been sent home on
Thursday. The previous post to this one on the blog also contains crucial information from
Mr. Shaw.
In our curriculum, we have initiated our investigation into our next unit of inquiry, Sharing
the Planet, with our central idea being: “Actions can support or deny access to children’s
rights and equal opportunities.” Our class blog has some interesting links and videos under
“Programme Overview” - “Sharing the Planet”. A parent information letter will be sent home
shortly. Our Literacy connections involve reading and writing recounts. In Math, we have
continued looking at fractions, specifically improper fractions, mixed numbers and
operations.
Next week we will be taking a field trip to a landfill in Tseung Kwan O. A permission slip
will be sent home early next week. We will also watch “Sparrow Village” as an introduction
to our promotion of the annual Grade 5 China Trip (in collaboration with the Zigen Fund),
which will happen in March of this year. More information will be sent home shortly about
this worthwhile experience.
Did you check out the Grade 5A Eco-Heroes message in the Flash? Congratulations Grade
5A for taking this excellent action!
Message from CISPA CNY Flower Fair organiser
In keeping with this year's environment guideline, the Chinese New Year Fair communication has
been as paperless as possible. We will NOT be distributing the usual token pre-order form for each
student to bring home. Instead, online ordering is available through the new LLAC ticketing office for
credit card payment and a PDF form has been created for cheque payments.
All pre-ordered tokens will be delivered to the classroom teachers before the fair!
ONLINE credit card payment link: Chinese Flower Fair Token Online Order Form
PDF cheque payment http://www.cispa.hk/sites/default/files/CNYF-Token-Form-2011.pdf
Kind Regards,
DJ MacPherson
donaldmacpherson@cdnis.edu.hk & http://sites.cdnis.edu.hk/teachers/donaldmacpherson//

2. From Makky Fung
There will be a Parental Control LTT session for Gr.5-6 parents on January
18th. 8:30am and 6:30pm. This will help parents (especially in Gr.5) to get
ready for the laptops to go home in CNY holiday.
RSVP: priya.bharwani@cispa.hk
Thanks,
Makky Fung
Learning and Teaching Technologies Convenor (Lower School)
Canadian International School of Hong Kong
(852)2240-6399
Room 707A