Dear families,
This week we completed our inquiry on Canadian Coins and their values, learning about the loonie and the toonie, and doing several summative written and centre-based activities. The children loved playing "store" and "yard sale" with the cash register, coins, play money and gift cards. The children learned about Braille and how the visually impaired can tell different values of coin and paper money. We continued answering all the questions the children had about money (I sent a copy of these home with their folders), such as, "Where is money made?" and "Why isn't it flat?" and "Why is Queen Elizabeth on the money because she is the Queen of England?" All great questions! We re-watched the Making Stuff video and discussed steps to making coins. We also learned a new money song to help remember the values of coins, and learned about how polymer bills are made and why we use them instead of paper bills. The kids did coin rubbings on tracing paper and completed a money book and the sentence "If I had 100 dollars I would..." with their Reading Buddies (WOULD was one of the sight words we learned this week). We learned about the word "symbol" and why particular pictures were on Canadian money. Next week I will move the cash register to the Dramatic Play Centre where the kids can play "Farmer's Market."
At the Sharing Assembly the children did a terrific job singing and dancing to the Gummi Bear song. Congratulations to Camilla, Iris and Tessa who received certificates for "Integrity." That's a special one and I'm very proud of you!
Thank you to Avery's mom and Theo's mom who volunteered for Computer Lab this week, and to Andrew's mom who was our Mystery Reader! She read to the kids outside and brought cool fossils too!
The children also completed mini read-and-write booklets of DID, SOME, THEY and WOULD, and completed their May calendar and "This is me in May." I have sent a photocopy home, and keep the originals for assessment. I will send them home next month. If I have sent home an extra calendar for your child to do, please return it (completed) next week. Thank you.
The Book Fair was a great success and the children loved shopping and window shopping for books in the Library!
On Thursday it was Kosti's last day as his family is moving to Finland. We had a party at the end of the day and Kosti's mom kindly brought snacks and juice boxes. The children presented him with a giant card they made, with what they wanted to say to him, such as "I will miss you" and "You are a nice friend." We will miss you Kosti and wish you and your family all the best on your new adventure!
On Friday when it was so hot I opened up Groovy Girls, Littlest Pet Shop and Doll House Centres (I brought them from my home since my kids have long outgrown them!) and they were such a hit! Cooperative play is an important skill and I loved seeing the children share and play together so nicely. The children also had fun playing on the iPads. We will have them in our class all next week. Yay!
Our Special Person of the day pulled names from a hat to decide who would volunteer to assist with supervision of the children on the Springridge Farm field trip - thank you in advance to the moms of Alexandra, Luca, Andrew, William and Dylan. I have prepared packages for you for the trip. It will be so much fun!
Next week we will start our Inquiry on Farms and Farm Animals. We will start with our Schema (what we know already) and then Questions and then New Learning, as well as Misconceptions. Miss. Nisker will start us off with her in-depth knowledge about horses! We'll follow that up with cows, pigs and sheep, as well as other farm animals and farm life. I'm excited about this unit and have a lot of fun educational things planned for the kids.
That's my news for this week. I hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather this weekend! See you Monday!
