Tuesday 11 December 2018
Monday 10 December 2018
AARCS Fundraiser
Room 12 and 13 are doing a fundraiser to raise money for the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS). During the daytime and evening winter concert shows on Thursday, December 13th, we will be selling homemade Crunchy Tuna Cat Treats and Blueberry Dog Bites. Each bag will cost $3 and all proceeds will go towards AARCS to help ensure the animals in their care have their basic necessities this holiday season. Please bring cash if you are interested in purchasing treats for your own pets or as a holiday gift!
If you have any questions please email Ms.Midgley (lemidgley@cbe.ab.ca) or Miss Ireland (hlireland@cbe.ab.ca)
Home Reading
Hi Families,
Please remember to send in your child's home reading books for exchange at least once between now and winter break.
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
Please remember to send in your child's home reading books for exchange at least once between now and winter break.
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
Christmas Concert Tickets - Coming Home Today!
Hi Families,
Christmas Concert tickets (2) are coming home with oldest/only children today.
Please look for them in their mail folders/backpacks.
Please return any tickets you do not plan to use.
Requests for additional tickets, please contact the office.
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
Christmas Concert tickets (2) are coming home with oldest/only children today.
Please look for them in their mail folders/backpacks.
Please return any tickets you do not plan to use.
Requests for additional tickets, please contact the office.
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
Thursday 6 December 2018
Thursday, December 6th, 2018
Hi Families,
A reminder that there is no school tomorrow, Friday, December 7th as it is a PD Day for teachers.
We started off our week with a community walk to Nickle School. We had beautiful weather, and the sidewalks weren't as bad as anticipated, so we made it to and from in really good time.
While at Nickle, our grade 8 buddies shared with us a rough draft of a story they are writing for each of us, based on our interests. We offered them feedback about their story so that they can improve their work and tailor it specifically to their audience, us! Afterwards, we got to go on a school tour, and see all the different classrooms and spaces.
We used our observations from the day to compare and contrast Nickle School with Lake Bonavista School, first with Ms Brown's class as a large group activity.
We continued with our exploration of counting by introducing/revisiting subitizing. Grade 2 students were able to summarize their understanding from last year by explaining that subitizing is when you can count a group of "things" without having to actually count because your brain just recognizes how many. Perfectly said! They also shared that subitizing becomes more challenging as the numbers of "things" gets bigger, or depending on how they're organized/arranged.
We watched two videos to reinforce those ideas. Try watching them at home with your child (they're short, I promise!)and have them explain what they understand about their Subitizing Superpower!
Experiencing Subitizing: http://www.stevewyborney.com/?p=430
The Boundary of Subitizing: https://www.stevewyborney.com/?p=436
As a task to apply our understanding of subitizing, students designed their own 11/12/13 cards to replace the Jack/Queen/King cards in a deck. As we have been playing Shut the Box quite a bit, having cards with dot patterns on them would support our visualization of different strategies for calculating total points.
Erin Novak, our school Occupational Therapist, came in to teach us about Social Stories in connection with our learning on big, medium and small problems. Between now and Christmas we will start developing our own Social Stories using specific structure and language.
Finally, we were able to start painting our community!
New shelf choices were introduced to the classroom this week, which included exploring concepts in:
Ask your child what their new favourite shelf choice is.
Mrs. Podgurny was sick this week, so we did not have our regular library exchange.
In your child's mail folder this week, you should have found their November letter home to you. Please take some time to read it together, celebrate the growth between October and November, and also discuss their current goal (what it is and how to get there). Last, take a moment to write a little note back to them for encouragement - their faces light up when they see it!
Finally, in preparation for some upcoming activities, please send in with your child:
- a glass jar that has a wide mouth for growing crystals.
- a container for repotting corn and pumpkin seedling. Something out of the recycling bin is fine!
- any milk jugs or other jugs with a handle for art.
Please ensure all these materials are clean and ready for use.
Thank you families! Have a wonderful weekend!
Ms. Thomas
A reminder that there is no school tomorrow, Friday, December 7th as it is a PD Day for teachers.
We started off our week with a community walk to Nickle School. We had beautiful weather, and the sidewalks weren't as bad as anticipated, so we made it to and from in really good time.
While at Nickle, our grade 8 buddies shared with us a rough draft of a story they are writing for each of us, based on our interests. We offered them feedback about their story so that they can improve their work and tailor it specifically to their audience, us! Afterwards, we got to go on a school tour, and see all the different classrooms and spaces.
We used our observations from the day to compare and contrast Nickle School with Lake Bonavista School, first with Ms Brown's class as a large group activity.
We continued with our exploration of counting by introducing/revisiting subitizing. Grade 2 students were able to summarize their understanding from last year by explaining that subitizing is when you can count a group of "things" without having to actually count because your brain just recognizes how many. Perfectly said! They also shared that subitizing becomes more challenging as the numbers of "things" gets bigger, or depending on how they're organized/arranged.
We watched two videos to reinforce those ideas. Try watching them at home with your child (they're short, I promise!)and have them explain what they understand about their Subitizing Superpower!
Experiencing Subitizing: http://www.stevewyborney.com/?p=430
The Boundary of Subitizing: https://www.stevewyborney.com/?p=436
As a task to apply our understanding of subitizing, students designed their own 11/12/13 cards to replace the Jack/Queen/King cards in a deck. As we have been playing Shut the Box quite a bit, having cards with dot patterns on them would support our visualization of different strategies for calculating total points.
Erin Novak, our school Occupational Therapist, came in to teach us about Social Stories in connection with our learning on big, medium and small problems. Between now and Christmas we will start developing our own Social Stories using specific structure and language.
Finally, we were able to start painting our community!
 |
| Students decided different colour blues would represent fresh and saltwater. |
 |
| Magnets and magnetism. |
 |
| Loose parts snowflake construction |
 |
| Landforms and bodies of water |
 |
| Fine motor and practical life |
Ask your child what their new favourite shelf choice is.
Mrs. Podgurny was sick this week, so we did not have our regular library exchange.
In your child's mail folder this week, you should have found their November letter home to you. Please take some time to read it together, celebrate the growth between October and November, and also discuss their current goal (what it is and how to get there). Last, take a moment to write a little note back to them for encouragement - their faces light up when they see it!
Finally, in preparation for some upcoming activities, please send in with your child:
- a glass jar that has a wide mouth for growing crystals.
- a container for repotting corn and pumpkin seedling. Something out of the recycling bin is fine!
- any milk jugs or other jugs with a handle for art.
Please ensure all these materials are clean and ready for use.
Thank you families! Have a wonderful weekend!
Ms. Thomas
Monday 3 December 2018
Winter Concert - Update from Mrs. Kawchuk
Hello parents!
Our Winter Concert is just over a week away!
Students performing in the 6:00 show (Mumford, Pereira, Nielsen, Bouchard/Carroll, Green, Brown, Thomas,) need to arrive at school at 5:40 pm on Thursday Dec. 13.
Students performing in the 7:30 show (Ross, Grant, Arnold, Link, Gierl, Ireland, Midgley) need to arrive at school at 7:10 pm on Thursday Dec. 13.
Students in all classrooms (except for room 16, and 17) can wear what they like to the concert. No hats please so we can see everyone’s smiling faces when they are on the stage!
Thank you for your support, the student’s are very excited!
Julie Kawchuk
Sunday 2 December 2018
Sunday, December 2nd, 2018
Hi Families,
Happy December everyone!
We started the week with sharing our small, medium and big problems. Many students were able to identify that the majority of problems we have at school could be identified as small problems, We were able to identify how these small problems made us feel, but often couldn't come up with different strategies to solve the problem, or regulate our feelings. So, we started looking at a large visual menu that offered us 50 different strategies for when we are feeling upset, sad or unfocused at school.
We also looked at three different Conflict Resolution videos produced by the ShowPeace project through the National Film Board to look at how small problems can become big problems when we aren't managing our emotions: ShowPeace NFB
When the Dust Settles: https://www.nfb.ca/film/when_the_dust_settles/
Dinner for Two: https://www.nfb.ca/film/dinner_for_two/
Elbow Room: https://www.nfb.ca/film/elbow_room/
Later in the week, students chose photo prompts to develop simple story lines about the character, their problem and their solution:
In our ongoing pumpkin/corn inquiry, we were able to answer all our questions this week:
1. Will the corn and pumpkin continue to grow if we give them all their basic needs: food, water, shelter, space and air?
Yes! Our pumpkin and corn seedings are rapidly growing, reaching for their light source! They are growing so well, we will likely need to repot them again, or build support structures for them!
2. What will happen to the pumpkin and seeds that we did not harvest for repotting?
Our pumpkin continued to rot away, and their were so many sprouts coming out of it at the beginning of the week, to the point the screen was being lifted off! But then, the chunks of pumpkin started to harden, and then sprouts started to wither. It is very dry in our school, and without us watering, growth couldn't keep happening.
3. Do all corn kernals pop when heated?
Students worked diligently to harvest the kernals from the calico corn cob. Mrs. Romanko gave us her air popper for us to finalize our experiment. Sure enough, we had some kernals pop! They were teeny tiny! The majority of the seeds did not pop however, which made students wonder about the age of the kernals.
In Math, we have been looking at examples of patterns and non-patterns, and developing our reasoning of how we know.
We also continue to develop our understanding of number, specifically different ways to count, depending on our current demonstrated levels of ability, as shared with you during conferences through the mini assessment done on each child in the month of November.
In anticipation of walking field trip to Nickle School on Monday, students created a list of questions they would like to ask their buddy in order to determine similarities and differences between the two schools. They were also reminded that we will be walking outside for an extended period of time, and given the expected snowfall and temperatures, it would be a good idea to be prepared so that they are comfortable: winter boots, winter jacket, snowpants, mittens/gloves and hat.
Please see the additional blog note regarding our upcoming Winter Concert on Thursday, November 13th. More information to follow.
Ms. Thomas
Happy December everyone!
We started the week with sharing our small, medium and big problems. Many students were able to identify that the majority of problems we have at school could be identified as small problems, We were able to identify how these small problems made us feel, but often couldn't come up with different strategies to solve the problem, or regulate our feelings. So, we started looking at a large visual menu that offered us 50 different strategies for when we are feeling upset, sad or unfocused at school.
We also looked at three different Conflict Resolution videos produced by the ShowPeace project through the National Film Board to look at how small problems can become big problems when we aren't managing our emotions: ShowPeace NFB
When the Dust Settles: https://www.nfb.ca/film/when_the_dust_settles/
Dinner for Two: https://www.nfb.ca/film/dinner_for_two/
Elbow Room: https://www.nfb.ca/film/elbow_room/
Later in the week, students chose photo prompts to develop simple story lines about the character, their problem and their solution:
In our ongoing pumpkin/corn inquiry, we were able to answer all our questions this week:
1. Will the corn and pumpkin continue to grow if we give them all their basic needs: food, water, shelter, space and air?
Yes! Our pumpkin and corn seedings are rapidly growing, reaching for their light source! They are growing so well, we will likely need to repot them again, or build support structures for them!
2. What will happen to the pumpkin and seeds that we did not harvest for repotting?
Our pumpkin continued to rot away, and their were so many sprouts coming out of it at the beginning of the week, to the point the screen was being lifted off! But then, the chunks of pumpkin started to harden, and then sprouts started to wither. It is very dry in our school, and without us watering, growth couldn't keep happening.
3. Do all corn kernals pop when heated?
Students worked diligently to harvest the kernals from the calico corn cob. Mrs. Romanko gave us her air popper for us to finalize our experiment. Sure enough, we had some kernals pop! They were teeny tiny! The majority of the seeds did not pop however, which made students wonder about the age of the kernals.
In Math, we have been looking at examples of patterns and non-patterns, and developing our reasoning of how we know.
We also continue to develop our understanding of number, specifically different ways to count, depending on our current demonstrated levels of ability, as shared with you during conferences through the mini assessment done on each child in the month of November.
In anticipation of walking field trip to Nickle School on Monday, students created a list of questions they would like to ask their buddy in order to determine similarities and differences between the two schools. They were also reminded that we will be walking outside for an extended period of time, and given the expected snowfall and temperatures, it would be a good idea to be prepared so that they are comfortable: winter boots, winter jacket, snowpants, mittens/gloves and hat.
Please see the additional blog note regarding our upcoming Winter Concert on Thursday, November 13th. More information to follow.
Ms. Thomas
Wednesday 28 November 2018
School Council Updates: T-Shirt Orders and Halloween Candy
A message from Lake Bonavista School Council...
- T-Shirt Sales have been EXTENDED to December 5! Order your T-shirt on the order form sent home or linked here: https://tinyurl.com/yd5o5vve Look on the bottom right under ‘Resources’
- School Council request: Donations of Halloween Candy! Send to school office or bring to Winter Concert.
Monday 26 November 2018
Walking Field Trip to Nickle - Volunteers Needed!
Hi Families,
Next Monday, December 3rd, students in Rooms 8 and 11 will be doing a walking field trip to Nickle School as part of a collaborative learning project.
Students will need to dress for the weather, as we will be spending an extended period of time outdoors.
We require two additional adults to join us for this walking field trip. If you are available Monday morning, please send me an email. A current police clearance is required.
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
Next Monday, December 3rd, students in Rooms 8 and 11 will be doing a walking field trip to Nickle School as part of a collaborative learning project.
Students will need to dress for the weather, as we will be spending an extended period of time outdoors.
We require two additional adults to join us for this walking field trip. If you are available Monday morning, please send me an email. A current police clearance is required.
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
Northern Reflections - Winter Window Exhibition
Hi Families,
An artist friend of mine is a part of the Northern Reflections Winter Window Exhibition for the second year in a row.
If you'd like to do something new this holiday season, and take advantage of the warmer weather, you may want to check it out. Download the Augle app and take the kids downtown to see that magic that happens when you use Augmented Reality (AR) to view original art:
Northern Reflection Winter Window Exhibition
An artist friend of mine is a part of the Northern Reflections Winter Window Exhibition for the second year in a row.
If you'd like to do something new this holiday season, and take advantage of the warmer weather, you may want to check it out. Download the Augle app and take the kids downtown to see that magic that happens when you use Augmented Reality (AR) to view original art:
Northern Reflection Winter Window Exhibition
Friday 23 November 2018
Friday, November 23rd, 2018
Hi Families,
Thank you to all the families who were able to come to Conferences. It was wonderful spending time with each of you, sharing your child's learning so far this year.
Our poem this week is a silly one from Shel Silverstein. It is long, so I've included a link to a video version to watch with your child: Sick by Shel Silverstein
We continued developing our learning about the needs of living things through our pumpkin and corn experiment. Students documented what they learned from the experiment through deduction, inferencing and materials in the classroom such as nomenclature.
The wondering continues as students proceeded to ask MORE questions. We now have three student driven experiments happening in our classroom:
1. Will the corn and pumpkin continue to grow if we give them all their basic needs: food, water, shelter, space and air? Each student repotted a seedling in a cup with soil to observe over time.
2. What will happen to the pumpkin and seeds that we did not harvest for repotting? The pumpkin is currently in a bucket covered with window screen in our classroom, rotting and sprouting away!
3. Do all corn kernals pop when heated? Students are harvesting the kernals from a calico corn cob with then intention of developing this experiment.
Continuing with our understanding of the brain, behaviour and learning, we started examining how we respond to problems. We watched a great video that made connections to our prior learning, and allowed for opportunities to scaffold our next steps:
Why Do We Lose Control Of Our Emotions?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bKuoH8CkFc
We brainstormed and documented big, medium and small problems on our Problem Thermometer, matching appropriate responses to each of the problems.
Finally, we did individual writing giving personal examples.
At home, you can chat with your child about the examples below - are they small, medium or big problems? How do you know? What should be the size of your reaction? What would that look like?
Next week, we will share our problem solving strategies, as well as learn new ones that are classroom friendly, and create a personal problem solving menu for when we need help.
Finally, we gathered and analyzed data from our Landforms Survey to determine which landforms are going to make up our constructed community. I was very impressed by the organization and interpretation of data, as well as their calm communication of ideas and solutions when the data wasn't what they hoped for.
So, we can finally announce that our community will have plains, a river and an ocean. Sounds like a nice holiday spot :) We look forward to constructing the land and bodies of water in the next week.
Thank you to all the families who were able to come to Conferences. It was wonderful spending time with each of you, sharing your child's learning so far this year.
Our poem this week is a silly one from Shel Silverstein. It is long, so I've included a link to a video version to watch with your child: Sick by Shel Silverstein
We continued developing our learning about the needs of living things through our pumpkin and corn experiment. Students documented what they learned from the experiment through deduction, inferencing and materials in the classroom such as nomenclature.
The wondering continues as students proceeded to ask MORE questions. We now have three student driven experiments happening in our classroom:
1. Will the corn and pumpkin continue to grow if we give them all their basic needs: food, water, shelter, space and air? Each student repotted a seedling in a cup with soil to observe over time.
2. What will happen to the pumpkin and seeds that we did not harvest for repotting? The pumpkin is currently in a bucket covered with window screen in our classroom, rotting and sprouting away!
3. Do all corn kernals pop when heated? Students are harvesting the kernals from a calico corn cob with then intention of developing this experiment.
Continuing with our understanding of the brain, behaviour and learning, we started examining how we respond to problems. We watched a great video that made connections to our prior learning, and allowed for opportunities to scaffold our next steps:
Why Do We Lose Control Of Our Emotions?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bKuoH8CkFc
We brainstormed and documented big, medium and small problems on our Problem Thermometer, matching appropriate responses to each of the problems.
Finally, we did individual writing giving personal examples.
At home, you can chat with your child about the examples below - are they small, medium or big problems? How do you know? What should be the size of your reaction? What would that look like?
Next week, we will share our problem solving strategies, as well as learn new ones that are classroom friendly, and create a personal problem solving menu for when we need help.
Finally, we gathered and analyzed data from our Landforms Survey to determine which landforms are going to make up our constructed community. I was very impressed by the organization and interpretation of data, as well as their calm communication of ideas and solutions when the data wasn't what they hoped for.
 |
| Our original data. |
 |
| Our adjusted data based on solutions proposed and voted on by the students. |
So, we can finally announce that our community will have plains, a river and an ocean. Sounds like a nice holiday spot :) We look forward to constructing the land and bodies of water in the next week.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms Thomas
Ms Thomas
Monday 19 November 2018
Monday, November 19th, 2018
Hi Families,
This morning, we started our week with some excitement! Look what happened to our pumpkin and corn over the weekend...
Students immediately started making connections to their previous learning about the needs of living things, and their original hypothesis, concluding that the pumpkin and corn must be getting all their basic needs as they are GROWING! Students then started generating new hypotheses for where the pumpkin got water from, and where the corn was getting nutrients from. We started documenting our observations and learning later in the morning.
We are also excited that we have received some deliveries of Story Spoons from generous parents who donated their time and talents to creating new literacy materials for the classroom. Look at our wonderful, growing collection so far:
Some reminders for the rest of the week:
Library exchange on Wednesday.
Growing Smiles Fundraiser Orders due Thursday, November 22nd.
Spirit Wear Orders are due this Friday, November 23rd.
Learning Conferences, Thursday, November 22nd: 4:00pm onwards
Learning Conferences, Friday, November 23rd: 8:00 - 1:00pm.
Scholastic Book Fair running in conjunction with Learning Conferences on Thursday and Friday.
No School for students, Friday, November 23rd.
Thank you everyone!
Ms. Thomas
This morning, we started our week with some excitement! Look what happened to our pumpkin and corn over the weekend...
Students immediately started making connections to their previous learning about the needs of living things, and their original hypothesis, concluding that the pumpkin and corn must be getting all their basic needs as they are GROWING! Students then started generating new hypotheses for where the pumpkin got water from, and where the corn was getting nutrients from. We started documenting our observations and learning later in the morning.
We are also excited that we have received some deliveries of Story Spoons from generous parents who donated their time and talents to creating new literacy materials for the classroom. Look at our wonderful, growing collection so far:
Some reminders for the rest of the week:
Library exchange on Wednesday.
Growing Smiles Fundraiser Orders due Thursday, November 22nd.
Spirit Wear Orders are due this Friday, November 23rd.
Learning Conferences, Thursday, November 22nd: 4:00pm onwards
Learning Conferences, Friday, November 23rd: 8:00 - 1:00pm.
Scholastic Book Fair running in conjunction with Learning Conferences on Thursday and Friday.
No School for students, Friday, November 23rd.
Thank you everyone!
Ms. Thomas
Friday 16 November 2018
Friday, November 16th, 2018
Hi Families,
Many of our classroom friends were sick this week :( I hope everyone has a restful weekend and feels better by Monday!
Landforms - This week, we continued exploring landforms, reviewing the names of common landforms, their characteristics (or attributes!) and the pros and cons to having each in our community. Students generated quite a list, reflecting on basic needs for survival as well as quality of life:
Attributes - We started some art to demonstrate our understanding of attributes. We hope to have these displayed during conferences to explain the criteria.
Number Sense Game - Students learned/reviewed/practiced the card game "Shut the Box" this week, and approached it from differentiated levels. Some students are learning about recognizing dot patterns at a glance (subitizing), counting on, counting back, and using tools and strategies for score keeping with addition of multiple addends. Phew!
To play "Shut the Box", you need 2 dice, and cards 1-12 (they do not need to be the same suit).
Start by laying out the cards in order, face up.
First player rolls both dice.
First player can turn over the card that matches either the sum (+) or difference (-) of the dice.
We are working towards automaticity of basic facts, but our entry strategy for developing these skills is being able to count on (start with the largest number and count on the other dice amount) and count back (start with the largest number and count back the other dice amount).
For example: if 4 and 5 are rolled, the player can turn over 9 (5...6,7,8,9) or 1 (5...4,3,2,1).
The first player continues to roll the dice, turning over cards until they can't turn over any more cards.
The cards that are left showing are the added together and that is the first players score.
The cards are turned back to face up, the dice are now passed to the second player for their turn, following the same process.
The winner is the person with the LOWEST score.
Current strategies we are using for adding scores:
1. Using a Hundred's Board, students start with the largest number and count on the other numbers until a total is reached.
2. Students work to group numbers to make 10 to develop mental math strategies, including deconstructing numbers (12 is 10 and 2).
Colour Groups - We had our second Colour Group activity today. Ask your child what they made in Colour Group, and what fun events happened during the assembly.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms. Thomas
Many of our classroom friends were sick this week :( I hope everyone has a restful weekend and feels better by Monday!
Landforms - This week, we continued exploring landforms, reviewing the names of common landforms, their characteristics (or attributes!) and the pros and cons to having each in our community. Students generated quite a list, reflecting on basic needs for survival as well as quality of life:
Attributes - We started some art to demonstrate our understanding of attributes. We hope to have these displayed during conferences to explain the criteria.
Number Sense Game - Students learned/reviewed/practiced the card game "Shut the Box" this week, and approached it from differentiated levels. Some students are learning about recognizing dot patterns at a glance (subitizing), counting on, counting back, and using tools and strategies for score keeping with addition of multiple addends. Phew!
To play "Shut the Box", you need 2 dice, and cards 1-12 (they do not need to be the same suit).
Start by laying out the cards in order, face up.
First player rolls both dice.
First player can turn over the card that matches either the sum (+) or difference (-) of the dice.
We are working towards automaticity of basic facts, but our entry strategy for developing these skills is being able to count on (start with the largest number and count on the other dice amount) and count back (start with the largest number and count back the other dice amount).
For example: if 4 and 5 are rolled, the player can turn over 9 (5...6,7,8,9) or 1 (5...4,3,2,1).
The first player continues to roll the dice, turning over cards until they can't turn over any more cards.
The cards that are left showing are the added together and that is the first players score.
The cards are turned back to face up, the dice are now passed to the second player for their turn, following the same process.
The winner is the person with the LOWEST score.
Current strategies we are using for adding scores:
1. Using a Hundred's Board, students start with the largest number and count on the other numbers until a total is reached.
2. Students work to group numbers to make 10 to develop mental math strategies, including deconstructing numbers (12 is 10 and 2).
Colour Groups - We had our second Colour Group activity today. Ask your child what they made in Colour Group, and what fun events happened during the assembly.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms. Thomas
November/December Scholastic - Due Date Extended
Hi Families,
With many students being away ill this week, I am extending the due date for the November/December Scholastic orders to Monday, November 19th.
If you would like to do an secret order for Christmas, please include follow up with an email or note in your child's mail folder, and I will keep your order tucked away for you to pick up at your convenience.
Cheques or online payment only.
With many students being away ill this week, I am extending the due date for the November/December Scholastic orders to Monday, November 19th.
If you would like to do an secret order for Christmas, please include follow up with an email or note in your child's mail folder, and I will keep your order tucked away for you to pick up at your convenience.
Cheques or online payment only.
Ms. Thomas
Tuesday 13 November 2018
Gum, Fidgets and Other Learning Tools
Hi Families,
I wanted to post this information as many students have questions about gum, fidgets and other items being brought to the classroom.
Yes, I allow gum in our classroom. Other teachers in our school prefer not to have gum in their classrooms, so this permission to have gum is for our classroom only. For safety reasons, I have the clear expectation that gum not be chewed in gym, or outside while playing. To respect other classrooms and the school environment, we do not chew gum in the Music room or library. If we are visiting another classroom and the teacher asks us not to, we respect that. If I see or hear gum, it gets spit out.
Students are more than welcome to bring tools into our classroom, including Finger Spinners, stress balls, massage rocks or small stuffies to help with their learning needs.
We have a rule in our classroom, “Tools not toys”. Any tool has the ability to become a toy depending on how it’s used. If a student is using a fidget tool, I expect their eyes and ears to still be active, their attention to be on the activity,and their actions not distracting others.
Any tool being used as a toy, will be taken from the student, and sent home at the end of the day. Before sending any tools for learning to school, please have a conversation with your child about expected behaviours. Gum included. I would recommend a conversation of how much and when (i.e. after snack for morning learning, and after lunch for afternoon learning).
As an additional reminder, the Student/Parent Handbook (available through the Lake Bonavista website) states: Toys, digital technology & other personal items that are not requested by the teacher for educational purposes should not be brought to school.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I am happy to clarify any of this information. Your support from home is appreciated!
Thank you everyone!
Ms. Thomas
School Spirit Wear!
In your child's mail folder this evening, please find an order form for SCHOOL SPIRIT WEAR!
Orders due by Friday, November 23rd, 2018.
Orders due by Friday, November 23rd, 2018.
Growing Smiles Fundraiser
Dear Parents,
Growing Smiles is the Lake Bonavista Improvement Society's current fundraiser and the order deadline is approaching quickly. You can order a variety of Poinsettias, Holiday Planters, a beautiful Wreath and an Outdoor Planter.
To order visit: https://lakebonavistaschool.growingsmilesfundraising.com or return the paper order form to the school by November 22nd. Orders will be ready for pickup on December 3rd between 2:45 and 6:00 pm.
The funds raised by LBIS in previous years have gone to items such as Robotic Kits, Gym Equipment and Field Trips that enrich all our students’ experiences. Thank you for supporting our school.
LBIS
Monday 12 November 2018
November/December Scholastic
Hi Families,
In your child's mail folder this evening, please find a combined November/December Scholastic order.
If you would like to do an secret order for Christmas, please include follow up with an email or note in your child's mail folder, and I will keep your order tucked away for you to pick up at your convenience.
Cheques or online payment only.
Orders are due by this Friday, November 16th.
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
In your child's mail folder this evening, please find a combined November/December Scholastic order.
If you would like to do an secret order for Christmas, please include follow up with an email or note in your child's mail folder, and I will keep your order tucked away for you to pick up at your convenience.
Cheques or online payment only.
Orders are due by this Friday, November 16th.
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
Sunday 11 November 2018
Sunday, November 11th, 2018
Hi Families,
My apologies for the Sunday post, and also the long post! We are transitioning into some new, exciting areas of focus...
MAPSS Movie Event - It was wonderful to see many of you at the MAPSS Movie Event! It was a great opportunity to connect with families from the three different Montessori schools and bring awareness to the Society - who they are, what they do and how they support the Montessori program in Calgary's public schools. Consider following them on Facebook to receive updates on future events! Thank you to MAPSS for the wonderful movie experience!
Remembrance Day - Thank you to the grade 5 and 6 students for a lovely Remembrance ceremony on Friday. In the classroom, we had thoughtful discussions, not only about the sacrifices made by others, but also about the general nature of conflict and peace. We used the video "Poppies" as a springboard to talk about the feelings of war, as well as the books, "A Bear in War" and "A Poppy is to Remember" to develop our perspective of families influenced by the war, and to understand why the poppy is a symbol associated with Remembrance Day.
Letters Home Folder - This week, students will have brought home their "Letters Home" folder (navy blue) which contains their first letter sharing their October learning. Please read the information at the front of the folder to understand the purpose of the writing, what to look for while reading, and how to follow up with your child. As well, look for some anecdotal notes in the top corner of your child's letter, explaining what individual supports and strategies your child used in the writing process. Your child's folder needs to be returned after you have had time to enjoy it with your child, preferably Monday or Tuesday of the following week.
Math: Attributes - We continue to develop our understanding of attributes in math. In mathematics, the word attribute is used to describe a characteristic or feature of an object, that allows for grouping of it with similar objects and is typically used to describe size, shape or colour of objects. Developing their ability to analyze attributes supports understanding of attributes at the quality level )shape, size, weight, length, width, height, etc.) and quantity level (many, few, more, less, none, etc.) and later, more specific number values (e.g., sets of 2, sets of 10, sets of values greater than 2).
Sound Study: Syllables and Digraphs - In the last couple of weeks, we have completed our review of letters, sounds and actions within the Animated Literacy program. For students who are still developing their understanding of letters and sounds, they are being supported through targeted small group or 1:1 practice. As a class, we have started to look at two big ideas in our sound study: that words have pieces (syllables), and that some letters don't always make their original sound (currently look at the digraph /ch/).
Syllables are sometimes described as the beats in words, as we often clap them out to determine how many syllables are in each word. Syllables play a vital role in reading and writing for young learners but also for advanced readers and writers. Being aware of syllables in words (syllable awareness) develops before the awareness of sounds in words (phonemic awareness). This is because the chunks are more obvious. Syllables are used in reading and writing through:
1) Syllable Segmentation: this involves saying the word in its syllable chunks. Later, this is important for spelling long words. We have been developing our understanding of syllable spelling this week with great success!
2) Syllable Blending. This involves listening to
syllable chunks and pulling them together to make a word. Later, this is
important for reading long words.
Community: Landforms - Together with Ms Brown's class, we began to explore different landforms and bodies of water. By identifying key words in a given definition, students were able to match and sort terms and illustrations. I wonder which landforms and bodies of water students will choose for our constructed community?
Mixed Media Art: Monsters - We self-assessed our monsters this week and noticed that aside from eyes and teeth, many of us did not add any additional details to make our monster stand out from the others. Using various loose parts donated from families (thank you families!), they students enthusiastically added details that created unique art pieces with character! In the upcoming week, we'll use our monsters as writing prompts inspired by the book, "Glad Monster, Sad Monster"
Needs of Livings Things: Pumpkin and Corn - Finally, we set up an experiment to observe over the next couple of weeks exploring what our pumpkin and calico corn need to survive. Students made predictions about what would happen when we added dirt to the pumpkin, and water to the corn, based on their understanding of the needs of living things. They demonstrated excellent reasoning skill based on their knowledge!
My apologies for the Sunday post, and also the long post! We are transitioning into some new, exciting areas of focus...
MAPSS Movie Event - It was wonderful to see many of you at the MAPSS Movie Event! It was a great opportunity to connect with families from the three different Montessori schools and bring awareness to the Society - who they are, what they do and how they support the Montessori program in Calgary's public schools. Consider following them on Facebook to receive updates on future events! Thank you to MAPSS for the wonderful movie experience!
Remembrance Day - Thank you to the grade 5 and 6 students for a lovely Remembrance ceremony on Friday. In the classroom, we had thoughtful discussions, not only about the sacrifices made by others, but also about the general nature of conflict and peace. We used the video "Poppies" as a springboard to talk about the feelings of war, as well as the books, "A Bear in War" and "A Poppy is to Remember" to develop our perspective of families influenced by the war, and to understand why the poppy is a symbol associated with Remembrance Day.
Letters Home Folder - This week, students will have brought home their "Letters Home" folder (navy blue) which contains their first letter sharing their October learning. Please read the information at the front of the folder to understand the purpose of the writing, what to look for while reading, and how to follow up with your child. As well, look for some anecdotal notes in the top corner of your child's letter, explaining what individual supports and strategies your child used in the writing process. Your child's folder needs to be returned after you have had time to enjoy it with your child, preferably Monday or Tuesday of the following week.
Math: Attributes - We continue to develop our understanding of attributes in math. In mathematics, the word attribute is used to describe a characteristic or feature of an object, that allows for grouping of it with similar objects and is typically used to describe size, shape or colour of objects. Developing their ability to analyze attributes supports understanding of attributes at the quality level )shape, size, weight, length, width, height, etc.) and quantity level (many, few, more, less, none, etc.) and later, more specific number values (e.g., sets of 2, sets of 10, sets of values greater than 2).
Syllables are sometimes described as the beats in words, as we often clap them out to determine how many syllables are in each word. Syllables play a vital role in reading and writing for young learners but also for advanced readers and writers. Being aware of syllables in words (syllable awareness) develops before the awareness of sounds in words (phonemic awareness). This is because the chunks are more obvious. Syllables are used in reading and writing through:
1) Syllable Segmentation: this involves saying the word in its syllable chunks. Later, this is important for spelling long words. We have been developing our understanding of syllable spelling this week with great success!
Community: Landforms - Together with Ms Brown's class, we began to explore different landforms and bodies of water. By identifying key words in a given definition, students were able to match and sort terms and illustrations. I wonder which landforms and bodies of water students will choose for our constructed community?
Mixed Media Art: Monsters - We self-assessed our monsters this week and noticed that aside from eyes and teeth, many of us did not add any additional details to make our monster stand out from the others. Using various loose parts donated from families (thank you families!), they students enthusiastically added details that created unique art pieces with character! In the upcoming week, we'll use our monsters as writing prompts inspired by the book, "Glad Monster, Sad Monster"
Needs of Livings Things: Pumpkin and Corn - Finally, we set up an experiment to observe over the next couple of weeks exploring what our pumpkin and calico corn need to survive. Students made predictions about what would happen when we added dirt to the pumpkin, and water to the corn, based on their understanding of the needs of living things. They demonstrated excellent reasoning skill based on their knowledge!
Saturday 10 November 2018
Arts Commons Field Trip - Postponed
Hi Families,
We are sad to inform you that our field trip to the Arts Commons has been postponed. We had submitted the Arts Commons fees for approval, and unfortunately they were not approved by the date we expected. We sincerely apologize to all of our wonderful volunteers who had offered to join us on this trip and to all of our students who were very excited about this learning opportunity. We are all very disappointed. Our trip has been rescheduled for May. Additional details to follow in the new year.
Thank you so much for your understanding.
Grade 1/2 Teachers
Thursday 8 November 2018
Volunteer Request
Hi Families,
I was wondering if anyone might be available to come in next week to help me with some odd jobs around the classroom that includes material preparation, painting and glueing?
Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday morning would be preferred, but I can be flexible :)
Please email me if you're available: krthomas@cbe.ab.ca
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
I was wondering if anyone might be available to come in next week to help me with some odd jobs around the classroom that includes material preparation, painting and glueing?
Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday morning would be preferred, but I can be flexible :)
Please email me if you're available: krthomas@cbe.ab.ca
Thank you!
Ms Thomas
Library Exchange
Hi Families,
Mrs. Podgurny is back! We have been able to set a consistent, school-wide schedule.
Our library exchange days are Wednesday.
Students must return their books on or before Wednesday, in order to sign out a new book.
Thank you!
Ms. Thomas
Mrs. Podgurny is back! We have been able to set a consistent, school-wide schedule.
Our library exchange days are Wednesday.
Students must return their books on or before Wednesday, in order to sign out a new book.
Thank you!
Ms. Thomas
Wednesday 7 November 2018
Wednesday, November 8th, 2018
Hi Families,
In your child's mail folder this evening, please find:
- Growing Smiles Fundraiser Winter Order Form. Orders for poinsettias, planters and wreaths due by November 22nd, 2018. Orders will be available on December 3rd, 2018.
- A copy of "Giraffe and Bird" by Rebecca Bender, for grade 1 students only, as part of the TD Grade One Book Giveaway, a program of The Canadian Children's Book Centre.
Ms. Thomas
In your child's mail folder this evening, please find:
- Growing Smiles Fundraiser Winter Order Form. Orders for poinsettias, planters and wreaths due by November 22nd, 2018. Orders will be available on December 3rd, 2018.
- A copy of "Giraffe and Bird" by Rebecca Bender, for grade 1 students only, as part of the TD Grade One Book Giveaway, a program of The Canadian Children's Book Centre.
Ms. Thomas
Remebrance Day
Remembrance Day
Dear LBS Families,
This Friday, November 9th, students in grades 5 and 6 are hosting
a Remembrance Day assembly.
We invite you to join us at 10:45 am.
At approximately 11:00 am we will stop for a minute of silence.
If you don’t have a poppy, we will have poppies available and are happy to accept donations that we will pass along to the Legion.
Hope we see you there!
Tuesday 6 November 2018
Scholastic Book Fair - Coming Soon!
Dear Families,
We are pleased to be hosting another Scholastic book fair this year during Parent Teacher Conferences. The book fair will be open for purchasing from 4:00 pm-7:45 pm Thursday Nov. 22 and 8:00 -12:45 Friday November 23.
Your child will have an opportunity to view the book fair on Wed. Nov. 21 and Thursday Nov.22 in the morning. They will not be purchasing any books on the previewing days.
We are looking for parent volunteers who would be interested in helping set up the book fair, as well as some parents to help with the book fair while it is running.
If you are able to volunteer during any of the time slots below we would greatly appreciate it! Please email Pam Green with the time and day you are available to help at pngreen@cbe.ab.ca. You will receive a confirmation email from Mrs. Green with more information.
Tuesday, November 20th – Set up time to be determined
Wednesday, November 21st - All day previewing for students
8:00am - 11:35am (2 volunteers needed)
12:25 pm - 2:35pm (2 volunteers needed)
Thursday, November 22nd
8:16-11:30am (3 volunteers needed) Previewing for students
3:45- 8:00 pm (4 volunteers needed) Purchasing for families
Friday, December 2nd
8:00-1:00 (3 volunteers needed) Purchasing for families
Monday 5 November 2018
Letters Home Folder
Hi Families,
Over the next couple of days, please watch for a navy "Letters Home" folder coming home with your child, as they complete the work.
There is a note at the front of the folder explaining the purpose of the writing, what to look for while reading, and how to follow up with your child.
Please look for some anecdotal notes in the top corner of your child's letter, explaining what individual supports and strategies your child used in the writing process.
Your child's folder needs to be returned after you have had time to enjoy it with your child, preferably Monday or Tuesday of the following week.
Enjoy!
Ms Thomas
Over the next couple of days, please watch for a navy "Letters Home" folder coming home with your child, as they complete the work.
There is a note at the front of the folder explaining the purpose of the writing, what to look for while reading, and how to follow up with your child.
Please look for some anecdotal notes in the top corner of your child's letter, explaining what individual supports and strategies your child used in the writing process.
Your child's folder needs to be returned after you have had time to enjoy it with your child, preferably Monday or Tuesday of the following week.
Enjoy!
Ms Thomas
Wednesday 31 October 2018
Wednesday, October 31st, 2018
Hi Families,
We had a wonderful day today!
In the morning, students spent time circulating between Ms Gierl's class, Mr. Link's class and our classroom to participate in different science explorations and challenges. Ask you child about the 3 different activities, and what new discoveries they have.
We got together with our buddies to share and practice our letters, words and books from our "Read to Teacher" lessons, as well as teach our buddies some Monster Math!
In the afternoon, we changed into our costumes and enjoyed parading for the school and families! Thank you for coming and joining our audience!
Tomorrow, students are invited to wear their pyjamas to school. They may also wear slippers, and bring either a stuffy OR blanket. Stuffies should be no bigger than your forearm (elbow to finger tip measurement) and blankets should be lap blankets, not full bed blankets, please. Students are also invited to bring a boardgame to share with buddies in the afternoon. Please label all boardgames with your child's name.
Thank you everyone!
Ms. Thomas
We had a wonderful day today!
In the morning, students spent time circulating between Ms Gierl's class, Mr. Link's class and our classroom to participate in different science explorations and challenges. Ask you child about the 3 different activities, and what new discoveries they have.
We got together with our buddies to share and practice our letters, words and books from our "Read to Teacher" lessons, as well as teach our buddies some Monster Math!
In the afternoon, we changed into our costumes and enjoyed parading for the school and families! Thank you for coming and joining our audience!
Tomorrow, students are invited to wear their pyjamas to school. They may also wear slippers, and bring either a stuffy OR blanket. Stuffies should be no bigger than your forearm (elbow to finger tip measurement) and blankets should be lap blankets, not full bed blankets, please. Students are also invited to bring a boardgame to share with buddies in the afternoon. Please label all boardgames with your child's name.
Thank you everyone!
Ms. Thomas
Conflict vs Rude vs Mean vs Bullying
Hi Families,
Thank you for your supportive response to the email I sent earlier in the week.
I wanted to provide some additional information for families who have asked in regards to the difference between conflict, rude, mean and bullying behaviour.
Also, I wanted to share an article with you offering a perspective I believe in when dealing with children and bullying behaviour: https://www.stopbullying.gov/blog/2013/10/23/why-we-dont-use-word-bully-label-kids.html
As well as: https://www.bullyingbb.com/2013/02/24/new-research-kids-are-overusing-the-word-bullying/
As always, I am available for conversation and questions.
Ms. Thomas
Thank you for your supportive response to the email I sent earlier in the week.
I wanted to provide some additional information for families who have asked in regards to the difference between conflict, rude, mean and bullying behaviour.
Also, I wanted to share an article with you offering a perspective I believe in when dealing with children and bullying behaviour: https://www.stopbullying.gov/blog/2013/10/23/why-we-dont-use-word-bully-label-kids.html
As well as: https://www.bullyingbb.com/2013/02/24/new-research-kids-are-overusing-the-word-bullying/
As always, I am available for conversation and questions.
Ms. Thomas
Saturday 27 October 2018
Halloween Reminders!
Hi Families,
At Lake Bonavista School, we love celebrating Halloween!
Some reminders for our upcoming school celebrations:
- Costumes are to be worn in the afternoon only. Children will have an opportunity to change at lunch.
- Our school-wide Halloween Parade happens in the afternoon, starting at 1:00pm. Families are welcome to come watch. Seating available in the gym.
- Morning kindergarten kids will do a mini-parade in the morning.
- Lake Bonavista School requests that costumes are
ones that children can change into independently, that
do not interfere with learning and include school
appropriate imagery, visuals and accessories.
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Ms. Thomas
At Lake Bonavista School, we love celebrating Halloween!
Some reminders for our upcoming school celebrations:
- Costumes are to be worn in the afternoon only. Children will have an opportunity to change at lunch.
- Our school-wide Halloween Parade happens in the afternoon, starting at 1:00pm. Families are welcome to come watch. Seating available in the gym.
- Morning kindergarten kids will do a mini-parade in the morning.
- Lake Bonavista School requests that costumes are
ones that children can change into independently, that
do not interfere with learning and include school
appropriate imagery, visuals and accessories.
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Ms. Thomas
Thursday 25 October 2018
Jo Boaler and Mathematics
For our Professional Development day tomorrow, teaching staff have been asked to read the article, "Fluency Without Fear: Research Evidence on the Best Ways to Learn Math Facts" by Jo Boaler.
Jo Boaler was named by the BBC as one of the 8 "people whose ideas are challenging the future of education".
If you're interested in math, or have questions about the way math instruction has changed and continues to change, I would highly recommend visiting Jo Boaler's website, or just reading the article itself (I've linked both below). It offers significant clarity around the concept of number sense vs rote memorization, as well as offering take away activities for home and classroom use.
I took Jo Boaler's online course through Stanford last year and found it truly inspiring, and hope some of these resources pique your interest, and excite you about mathematics:
Jo Boaler's youcubed website: https://www.youcubed.org/
Fluency Without Fear article: https://www.youcubed.org/evidence/fluency-without-fear/
Parents' Beliefs about Math Change Their Children's Achievement: https://www.youcubed.org/resources/parents-beliefs-math-change-childrens-achievement/
6 Ways to Support Your Child's Mathematical Development: https://www.youcubed.org/resources/6-ways-support-childs-mathematical-development/
Thursday, October 25th, 2018
Hi Families,
Thank you to all families who were able to come and be in the audience for our assembly today. The students were all so excited to share their learning with you!
The learning shared in our assembly was supported by the MindUP! curriculum, developed by the Hawn Foundation and Scholastic.
MindUP is for classrooms, teachers and home! https://mindup.org/
MindUP is grounded in neuroscience, activated by mindful awareness, inspired by positive psychology and a catalyst for social-emotional learning. We used complementary resources to support different lessons:
We will continue to use the MindUp! curriculum throughout the year to support further development of safe expression of feelings, self-awareness and self-regulation, as well as perspective taking.
Interestingly enough, Telus Spark will be offering a new youth science program aimed at de-stigmatizing mental health, and managing stress: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/wellness/new-youth-science-program-at-telus-spark-aims-to-destigmatize-mental-health/ar-BBOSLRc
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms Thomas
Tomorrow is a Professional Development Day (PD Day) for teachers.
No school for students. See you Monday!
Thank you to all families who were able to come and be in the audience for our assembly today. The students were all so excited to share their learning with you!
The learning shared in our assembly was supported by the MindUP! curriculum, developed by the Hawn Foundation and Scholastic.
MindUP is for classrooms, teachers and home! https://mindup.org/
MindUP is grounded in neuroscience, activated by mindful awareness, inspired by positive psychology and a catalyst for social-emotional learning. We used complementary resources to support different lessons:
 |
| We developed our vocabulary for different feeling through modeling, skits and personal experiences. Being able to accurately label our feelings empowers students with self-regulation. |
 |
| Understanding abstract concepts like anxiety was supported through beautiful picture books like "Hey, Warrior" by Karen Young |
 |
| Students created characters to represent their amygdalas using water colours. They accompanied their art with writing, identifying what their amygdalas are responsible for. |
We will continue to use the MindUp! curriculum throughout the year to support further development of safe expression of feelings, self-awareness and self-regulation, as well as perspective taking.
Interestingly enough, Telus Spark will be offering a new youth science program aimed at de-stigmatizing mental health, and managing stress: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/wellness/new-youth-science-program-at-telus-spark-aims-to-destigmatize-mental-health/ar-BBOSLRc
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms Thomas
Wednesday 24 October 2018
Sensory-Friendly Halloween Party
Did you know that Southcentre Mall hosts a special Halloween event to accommodate the needs of children with autism, mobility challenges and other special needs?
Find out more here: https://globalnews.ca/video/4578942/calgary-mall-to-host-annual-sensory-friendly-halloween-party-2?fbclid=IwAR1J7cIELXnXLiomWuaKXmG6Ps_jW-gCdtNduzYlixYm6JopbjELcBwXbP4
Find out more here: https://globalnews.ca/video/4578942/calgary-mall-to-host-annual-sensory-friendly-halloween-party-2?fbclid=IwAR1J7cIELXnXLiomWuaKXmG6Ps_jW-gCdtNduzYlixYm6JopbjELcBwXbP4
Friday 19 October 2018
Friday, October 19th, 2018
Hi Families,
For the remainder of the week, a lot of our time was consumed with putting our assembly together. We are nearing the finish line and look forward to sharing our work with you next week! If you are able, please join us at our assembly on Thursday, October 25th at 10:15am.
To support our work, could you please have your child practice and share their song with you? The lyrics are in their Poetry Folder: "My Brain is So Very Important". Thank you!
This weeks poem, "Fall Mixed Up!" is available to view online with your child. Watch it a couple of times to pick out different ridiculous details in the illustrations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMC5awr-N1Q
In math, we continue to explore three main ideas: patterns, data collection and sorting.
With patterning, we are currently focusing on exploring repeating patterns, and developing our vocabulary to include: repeating pattern, core, attribute, element. In the below repeating pattern example, the core is AB (the "chunk" that repeats), the attribute that changes is colour, the A element is green, and the B element is yellow.
As we become broaden our understanding of patterns, we will look at patterns with more elements, more complex cores, and translating patterns into other attributes and modes, such as shape, number, direction, size, material, and even sound and action.
Can you look for patterns in your home to talk about with your child?
We've looked at a variety of ways to collect, represent and organize data.
Are there real-life examples you can share with your child, either in your home or connected to your work?
Finally, we've continued to develop our understanding of attributes through a variety of sorting activities. Starting with whole group activities where students guessed my sorting rule, they soon became adept at identifying common attributes between groups.
Using the app Book Creator, students worked in pairs to document their understanding of attributes and sorting in a "Sort the Street" book:
Most recently, they explored the school looking for real-life examples of sorting:
Sorting is everywhere! Can you go on a sorting hunt in your house? Where are things sorted? Where do things need to be sorted?
In your child's mail folder this evening, please find their photo proofs. Make ordering simple by ordering your portraits online, using your Picture Day ID and child's first name to get started. If you prefer to order on paper, an order form has been sent home as well. Photo orders are due by Wednesday, October 30th.
For the remainder of the week, a lot of our time was consumed with putting our assembly together. We are nearing the finish line and look forward to sharing our work with you next week! If you are able, please join us at our assembly on Thursday, October 25th at 10:15am.
To support our work, could you please have your child practice and share their song with you? The lyrics are in their Poetry Folder: "My Brain is So Very Important". Thank you!
This weeks poem, "Fall Mixed Up!" is available to view online with your child. Watch it a couple of times to pick out different ridiculous details in the illustrations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMC5awr-N1Q
In math, we continue to explore three main ideas: patterns, data collection and sorting.
With patterning, we are currently focusing on exploring repeating patterns, and developing our vocabulary to include: repeating pattern, core, attribute, element. In the below repeating pattern example, the core is AB (the "chunk" that repeats), the attribute that changes is colour, the A element is green, and the B element is yellow.
As we become broaden our understanding of patterns, we will look at patterns with more elements, more complex cores, and translating patterns into other attributes and modes, such as shape, number, direction, size, material, and even sound and action.
Can you look for patterns in your home to talk about with your child?
We've looked at a variety of ways to collect, represent and organize data.
 |
| Using two-sided counters gives us data about questions with two answers, like yes and no. |
 |
| Snap cubes give us a concrete representation of bar graphs. We can SEE information easily. First, we all used one colour to cast our book choice vote, then, grade 1 and 2 students got different colours so we could get different information. |
Are there real-life examples you can share with your child, either in your home or connected to your work?
Finally, we've continued to develop our understanding of attributes through a variety of sorting activities. Starting with whole group activities where students guessed my sorting rule, they soon became adept at identifying common attributes between groups.
Using the app Book Creator, students worked in pairs to document their understanding of attributes and sorting in a "Sort the Street" book:
Most recently, they explored the school looking for real-life examples of sorting:
Sorting is everywhere! Can you go on a sorting hunt in your house? Where are things sorted? Where do things need to be sorted?
In your child's mail folder this evening, please find their photo proofs. Make ordering simple by ordering your portraits online, using your Picture Day ID and child's first name to get started. If you prefer to order on paper, an order form has been sent home as well. Photo orders are due by Wednesday, October 30th.
Lake Bonavista School
Picture Day ID: QW018376YP
Retakes are currently scheduled for Monday, November 12th.
Thanks everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!
Ms. Thomas
Thanks everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!
Ms. Thomas
Tuesday 16 October 2018
Updates
The library is back open! We now have our library exchange on Monday afternoons
ADmazing Savings Coupon Book Fundraiser is now wrapped! Please send back any coupon books or payment that may be outstanding. Thank you!
Scholastic Book orders are due this Friday, October 19th.
Our assembly is on Thursday, October 25th at 10:15am. We would love to have you in the audience!
Thank you to all the families who have donated building materials to our classroom! You have been so generous in your donations, that I currently don't need any additional materials! Once we get a building project done, we may need some refills. Again, I'll keep you posted!
Thank you everyone!
Ms. Thomas
ADmazing Savings Coupon Book Fundraiser is now wrapped! Please send back any coupon books or payment that may be outstanding. Thank you!
Scholastic Book orders are due this Friday, October 19th.
Our assembly is on Thursday, October 25th at 10:15am. We would love to have you in the audience!
Thank you to all the families who have donated building materials to our classroom! You have been so generous in your donations, that I currently don't need any additional materials! Once we get a building project done, we may need some refills. Again, I'll keep you posted!
Thank you everyone!
Ms. Thomas
Tuesday, October 16th, 2018
Hi Families,
Yesterday, we started with our new poem, "Fall Mixed Up!" to celebrate the unpredictable nature of weather in Calgary. Part of the Alberta science curriculum is exploring seasonal changes, which offers some unique challenges living where we do! When this poem comes home, it is meant more as a "read with me" poem, as it's original format is a picture book, and quite lengthy.
Many students came in after the weekend with a variety of leaves, which prompted our return to a variety of activities in our classroom that were paused while we waited for "normal" Fall weather to return!
Some students dipped leaves in melted wax to preserve the colour, and hanging them in our windows to complement our fall leaf verbs:
Others helped grind different colour leaves with our mortar and pestle, in order to break them up a bit for an experiment on leaf pigments:
After setting the leaves in rubbing alcohol, we used filter paper to do simple chromatography to extract the pigments:
We were able to extract yellow, orange, red, purple and green pigments!
Students also wondered if we could extract chlorophyll (green pigment) from different kinds of leaves, which prompted an additional experiment set-up with needle leaves (spruce), sheath leaves (grass) and angiosperm leaves (regular, "broad" leaves) . We'll keep you posted on our findings!
Thank you to all the volunteers who were able to join us on our field trip to Fort Calgary today! We had a wonderful time participating in two different programs:
Yesterday, we started with our new poem, "Fall Mixed Up!" to celebrate the unpredictable nature of weather in Calgary. Part of the Alberta science curriculum is exploring seasonal changes, which offers some unique challenges living where we do! When this poem comes home, it is meant more as a "read with me" poem, as it's original format is a picture book, and quite lengthy.
Many students came in after the weekend with a variety of leaves, which prompted our return to a variety of activities in our classroom that were paused while we waited for "normal" Fall weather to return!
Others helped grind different colour leaves with our mortar and pestle, in order to break them up a bit for an experiment on leaf pigments:
After setting the leaves in rubbing alcohol, we used filter paper to do simple chromatography to extract the pigments:
We were able to extract yellow, orange, red, purple and green pigments!
Students also wondered if we could extract chlorophyll (green pigment) from different kinds of leaves, which prompted an additional experiment set-up with needle leaves (spruce), sheath leaves (grass) and angiosperm leaves (regular, "broad" leaves) . We'll keep you posted on our findings!
Thank you to all the volunteers who were able to join us on our field trip to Fort Calgary today! We had a wonderful time participating in two different programs:
Calgary: A Prairie Community - Students will built a 3-D map of our city while learning about the founding groups, and the changes over time as each group settled in the area. Everyone dressed in traditional clothing, learned to say "hello" in a new language, and handled artifacts as they learned about what makes different cultures unique.
Building Calgary - Students discussed Calgary’s past and how
different types of buildings have been made and used. They worked together to build a model log cabin, then traveled through the museum to
further explore buildings and their materials.
We look forward to our next field trip for One Day Arts School at Arts Commons! Stay tuned for details!
Ms. Thomas
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