Hello families,
I hope you're enjoying the weekend! Hopefully we'll get some more snow so the children can have more fun in the playground!
We finished our inquiry and learning about Arctic animals and much of the children's artwork and writing is on the hall bulletin board. They did a wonderful job! We did a Venn diagram of the Arctic Wolf/Arctic Fox, and the Seal/Walrus. We watched short videos on the Smartboard of Snowy Owls flying, Narwals, Belugas and Orcas, the majestic Muskox (there are Muskox at the High Park Zoo if you find yourself there!), thousands of caribou running on the Arctic tundra, an Arctic Fox diving in the snow for food, and beautiful Arctic Hares. Thank you Christopher who brought in a book he had made about a polar bear and Stella and Iris who shared their snowy owl stuffies with us. Thank you Tessa for sharing the walrus photos and Iris who brought in a photo of a seal and a penguin. Learning about the natural world around us is a wonderful way to inspire the children to read and write and to respect nature and their world. I have sent home their Arctic Animal folders in Friday's mailbag. Items that are on display on the bulletin board will go home in a short while when I change the bulletin board theme.
In Science, we have started talking about winter weather and freezing temperatures, and the children predicted and watched the same amount of water (in different sized containers) freeze outside. Next week we will focus on the what, when, where, and why of SNOW. I have changed the science centre to be a "snowflake" making centre in which the children will create "snowflakes" with various crystal-like items. We'll also do an experiment with Borax and pipe cleaners next week to make crystals. Stay tuned for more to come!
In Numeracy, we have started our inquiry into Measurement. The children are measuring various items around the classroom. I am tracing their feet as well to measure and compare with. They will be learning how to measure with various standard and non-standard items such as cube-a-links, and why we measure things.
In Literacy, the children fixed mixed up sentences about Arctic animals, for example: they read "This is a big caribou," then traced the words, then cut out the mixed up words and glued them into the correct order. Then they drew a picture of the caribou. I was so pleased with their work and loved seeing the SKs helping the JKs. We also continued our Mo Willems Author Study. The SKs are finishing writing and illustrating funny booklets called, "Don't Let The..." The JKS read and coloured a Mo Willem's-inspired booklet called "Friends."
Our sight words this week were HE and SHE, and next week they will be LOOK and COME.
The 100th Day of School is fast approaching! It is on February 11th this year. In Friday's mailbags I sent home a note inside a zip-lock baggie which explains what the 100th day of school is about and gives you instructions about how to help your child count out 100 items that will go in the baggie. Please send the baggies back by February 7th so that your children can show their classmates the items they counted. Thank you!
This Thursday, January 21st is CELBRATE TORONTO day at LKS. Children are invited to wear clothes that celebrate Toronto, i.e. a Blue Jays shirt, a Leafs or Raptors shirt, etc.
The next Scholastic Order is due on January 29th. Thank you to Martel who stapled the booklets together and date stamped them!
Thank you to Martel's mom who helped in the Computer Lab and to Avery's mom who was our Mystery Reader.
I hope you have a nice week! Let's hope there's more snow!
