June in Review

Belonging and Contributing: We continued our study of different artists and some of us spent some time replicating their art.  As artists, we use several mediums to share our thinking.  While many students enjoy drawing, cutting and gluing, others can be seen painting or participating in dramatic arts.  We have seen several dances and puppet shows this month and we continue to hear the tunes from Annie.  We also sing several Michael Mitchell songs and had the privilege of seeing him perform at our school as part of our Canada 150 Celebration.  

Self-Regulation and Well-Being: As we prepare to move on to our next year in school, we have spent a lot of time discussing all of the strategies we use to get along at school.  Students are able to explain rules they think are of value and why we follow them.  They are also able to explain the different strategies they use when they are having difficulty focusing or listening.  We continue to talk about our feeling and we often discuss what we need or what we can provide others to help them when they are feeling a certain way. 

Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours: In language we have been working on retelling the relevant details of the story.  Many of us are able to independently communicate the characters, as well as the major events of the beginning, middle and end of a story.  We understand that books have authors who write the words and illustrators who draw the pictures.
 
Problem Solving and Innovating: This month in math we have been working on addition and subtraction.  We use manipulatives to show our thinking and talk about what we've found.  We have done many word problems, where we find the relevant information and solve using manipulatives to find the answer.  We have also been playing several math games!

May in Review

Belonging and Contributing:  This month we spent some time studying different artists and their techniques. Many students attempted to recreate their own versions of these pieces or new and unique versions of these pieces using similar techniques. 

Self-Regulation and Well-Being: This month brought us fit week where we discussed healthy eating and the importance of living an active life.  We participated in many active games that incorporated math and literacy and spent some our lessons outside too!  We discussed ways to keep ourselves safe and happy. Everything from washing your hands to looking both ways before crossing the road and not going with strangers was discussed. 

Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours: This month we spent a significant amount of time studying stories and their makeup.  We now know that stories have a title, an author and often an illustrator.  We have discussed how stories have a beginning, middle and end and we are able to retell several stories using this model.

In math we learned about probability and fairness.  For example, we learned that a spinner that is not even is unfair.  We also spent a bit more time leaning about money.  We learned that a coins value in not dependent on its size and we learned that we can differentiate between coins based on the pictures located on the coin as well as its colour. 

Problem Solving and Innovating: This month we began studying butterflies.  Students were often spotted sitting in front of the net to see what would happen to the caterpillars.  We also continued building and creating in the classroom.  Out structures have become more complex and our creations more interesting.  The block and art centres continue to be favourites among all students!  

April in Review

Belonging and Contributing:  While celebrating Earth Day, we discussed ways in which we can care for and show respect for our environment.  We practised saving energy, recycling and picking up garbage to dispose of it properly.  We also learned about conserving water and several students made posters and wrote stories to share their ideas.  We began to learn about the different people and places that can be found in our community and we will continue to learn about their importance in the next week. 
Self-Regulation and Well-Being: This month we discussed our personal safety and our well-being.  We learned about germs and the importance of covering our mouths, washing our hands and using tissues.  We also learned about bicycle safety and basic road safety, including the importance of wearing seatbelts. 
Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours: This month we continued with identifying and creating symmetrical designs. We also discussed different patterns we see in our everyday lives, such as the days of the week, months of the year, or the repetition in their daily schedules.  We examined patterns in nature as well. In literacy, we worked on counting syllables, rhyming, and identifying the sounds we hear in words. 
Problem Solving and Innovating: Our students continue to build and create in our classroom and we are proud of their creativity!  This month we learned to sort and classify living and non-living things.  Specifically we looked at how living things usually grow, breath, eat and change.  We are able to identify several living and non-living things. 

March in Review

Belonging and Contributing
We continue to learn how to appreciate the multiple perspectives encountered within groups, and ways in which we ourselves can contribute to groups and to the group well-being.  Several students have been spotted encouraging their peers, giving appreciation to their peers for their actions and truly listening to hear what their peers have to say.  As teachers, we are incredibly proud to see this positive growth in our classroom and we are very proud of the caring and respect we see in our classroom. 

Self-Regulation and Well-Being
Active participation is something we are always working on and many students are beginning to contribute to our classroom in this way.  This includes our physical education and music classes.  We are fortunate to visit the gym twice a week to practise a variety of games and activities.  We also get to visit the music room where we learn new songs and actions too!  In the library we listen attentively to stories read by the teacher, and we also get to sing along with the SMARTboard.  There are so many ways we can participate and contribute to our classroom as a way to learn and show our learning and we are doing more and more of this every day!

Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours
In math we have learned about patterns.  Several students are now able to identify the part of the pattern that repeats, to identify that patterns repeat three or more times, and to create, extend and translate patterns. 

Problem Solving and Innovating

This month we studied 3D shapes and used our problem solving skills to decomposed 3D shapes into the 2D shapes they are composed of.  We also learned about reflective symmetry.  Using Miras we practised making symmetrical designs and many of us are now able to problem solve in order to make symmetrical designs.  We have also been learning about things that are living and non-living.  We developed criteria that we used to make these determinations, and several students are able to explain why something is living or non-living, using these criteria and learned French vocabulary to explain.  

February in Review

Belonging and Contributing

This month we got to act as members of our school community.  This month we learned about diligence at our assembly.  We celebrated Valentine’s Day, making bags f or our valentine cards and sharing the cards and treats we brought.  We got to make cookies too!

Self-Regulation and Well-Being

This month we introduced a formal sharing time into our day.  Students are given the opportunity to introduce themselves, to share their thinking and to explain their experiences with others.  They start by introducing themselves, then using their French language, they are given the opportunity to speak.  We have been introduced to books written by students, different art creations, different structures and more!  Sometimes these ideas inspire others and the learning continues. 

Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours

This month brought us the opportunity to review our measurement skills while making chocolate chip cookies on Valentine’s Day.  We also got to practise using number in authentic ways, such as the day we made pancakes for our class as well as another class.  We had to make sure we had enough pancakes, plats and forks for everyone.  We began learning about different shapes, their attributes, and found things in our everyday lives that take these shapes.

Problem Solving and Innovating

Using our French language, we have been continuing to talk about what we see, think and wonder.  Using our French language as much as possible, we have been practicing using, reading and representing the numbers one to ten I different ways (ex. You can show five with tally marks, on a ten frame or by drawing five hearts) and we have used our problem solving skills to construct criteria of various shapes.  In writing, the students are getting more comfortable using different resources around the room to support their writing such as alphabet strips, signs around the room and various labels. 

Rose City Gymnastics

Today we had a great day at Rose City Gymnastics. Thank you to all the parent volunteers who came along.  Check out our photos below: