Identity Portrait - Celebrations and Traditions

Hi Everyone, 

In your child's mail folder tonight, please find a notice regarding our latest identity exploration: celebrations and traditions. This is the second-last component before we begin our culminating art project.

Students will be putting together the skills they are learning in art for developing a self-portrait, as well as connecting to an artist study for inspiration, and our lessons to understand their personal identity to develop something like this (I drew it quickly for the students today so they could understand where the artifacts and photos are ending up):

This is a VERY rough sketch of our final product: an Identity Portrait. Students will be completing a version of this project IN CLASS, so please continue to send in artifacts and photos ONLY. Thank you for supporting our multi-disciplinary exploration into identity! 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Ms. Thomas

Friday, October 27th, 2017

Hi Everyone,

Thank you to all the families who were able to come and be in the audience for our assembly. We felt so proud to be able to share our learning with you!

In addition to practicing for our assembly, this week the students have been:

- comparing the needs and characteristics of bats and birds using Venn Diagrams.
- differentiating between owls and bats using their understanding of birds and mammals.

- exploring identity by sharing their names stories, family stories and artifacts, and beginning the conversation about celebrations and traditions.

- exploring shapes and colour by investigating the combinations of ways they can make a tower with three different coloured blocks.
- learning to track and organize their work for communication to an audience.
- developing systematic approaches to problem solving
- reasoning and justifying their strategies and conclusions.

- comparing different self-portraits from famous artists, making connections to their prior learning, and thinking critically about which features are realistic.

- developing their understanding of letter/sound relationship through a variety of word work activities.
- some students were challenged to think of adjective/noun pairs that match their intials - what can you come up with?

A busy, productive week!

On Tuesday, Lake Bonavista School will celebrate Halloween. We ask that costumes demonstrate the fun part of dressing up; costumes should be positive in nature. Costumes that promote violence are not appropriate for school. Fake blood, weapons and so on may not be sent as a part of your child’s costume. Costumes need to be easy to pull over clothes and simple to put on after lunch.

The official Lake Bonavista Halloween Schedule for Tuesday, October 31st:

9:00 - 9:30 Kindergarten (am) will complete their Halloween parade accompanied by the 5/6's. 

12:28 - 2:00 Kindergarten (pm) to grades 3/4 can change into their costumes and participate in classroom celebrations.

1:40 - 1:55  Recess.

2:00 - 2:30  Halloween Parade begins (parents in the gym).

2:30 - 2:43  Head back to class and get organized for dismissal. 

*If parents want to take their children home right after the parade, that is fine, they just need to sign them out at the office, and sign them off off their bus if applicable* 

If this attention to Halloween is contrary to your family values, please contact the teacher so alternative learning activities for your child can be provided.

On the following Wednesday, November 1st, we will be having a PJ and Literacy Day. Students are invited to wear their pyjamas and bring either a stuffy or blanket or pillow for the day. They will also have opportunities through the day to explore literacy in different forms: books, comics, board games...if your child would like to bring any of these for sharing, please ensure they are labeled with their name. Thank you!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms. Thomas

Identity Portrait: Family

Hello Families,

Today, students in rooms 8 and 11 continued to explore the different factors that contribute to identity, by examining family. We watched "The Big Book of Families" as a read-aloud to see how families are different, and get ideas about how they shape our identity. 

You can watch it together here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDpckrBl0S8

Afterwards, Ms. Brown and Ms. Thomas told stories about their families and gave ideas of artifacts that they would use for their own Identity Portrait project:

Ms. Brown's story: "Soccer (or football) was always something my dad and I shared, watching EPL, playing, etc. so I would bring a picture of a soccer ball or jersey. My mom has always embraced her Italian side, so I would use a picture of pasta (or even real pasta!) and a lyric from the song “mumbo italiano” as it was a song we always sung together while cooking. I would bring a dog tag from my dog, Sunny. I would also bring a piece of bark from nature as spending time outside with my family shaped my childhood. Last, I would bring an emblem of Big Ben and Trafalgar Square, as they are symbolic of England and I remember first visiting them and feeling connected to my family history." 

Ms. Thomas's story: "I would bring a picture of my family: Mom, Dad, my brother and me. My Dad is from Wales, so I would bring a picture of the dragon from the flag of Wales, as well as a label from a mint sauce bottle. My Dad puts mint sauce on everything when we have a roast, and now I do too! My Mom is from Saskatchewan, so I would bring some wheat. I am from the maritimes so I would bring some shells to represent the ocean. My family is military, and we lived a lot of different places in Canada, so I would bring a small map of Canada with dots for all the places I've lived. My Mom and I like to travel together, so I would take a picture of the memory books I made for her. We also like to garden together, so I would use a seed packet to represent that. My Dad and I build things together, so I would bring some wood screws, and a picture of my Dad with my shed from this summer". 

Students are bringing home a notice requesting pictures and artifacts about their family. There are some questions to help guide you in your selection, and you can use Ms. Brown and my stories to help you also think of ideas. These pictures and/or artifacts will be glued to a final Identity Portrait, so please read the criteria on the notice carefully.

If your can bring their artifacts early next week, it would be appreciated. Over the next 4 weeks (ish) we will be collecting different stories and artifacts to support a culminating task. Your support is appreciated. 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms. Thomas

Halloween

With Halloween just around the corner, I'd like to share with you the official Lake Bonavista Halloween Schedule for Tuesday, October 31st:

9:00 - 9:30 Kindergarten (am) will complete their Halloween parade accompanied by the 5/6's. 

12:28 - 2:00 Kindergarten (pm) to grades 3/4 can change into their costumes and participate in classroom celebrations.

1:40 - 1:55  Recess.

2:00 - 2:30  Halloween Parade begins (parents in the gym).

2:30 - 2:43  Head back to class and get organized for dismissal. 

*If parents want to take their children home right after the parade, that is fine, they just need to sign them out at the office, and sign them off off their bus if applicable* 

October Scholastic

October Scholastic Book orders are due tomorrow. If you would like to order, payment is available online or cheque. Please remember to send in your completed order form.

Bat Basics

Hi Families,

Today we had Katrina from the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation in to teach us about local species of bats. We learned:

"White nosed fungus can wake up bats during hibernation because it makes their nose itchy"
"Predators like dogs and cats can attack bats so you should keep them inside or put them on a leash"
"Bats have long fingers and the skin that forms their wings goes from their fingers all the way to their ankles"
"Bats eat insects, especially mosquitos, grasshoppers and moths"
"Baby bats hang from the tree or cave wall waiting for the mother to feed them. They are too heavy"
"Chemicals like bug spray can make bats sick"
"We should build bat boxes so when they have babies they are protected"
"Humans are a bats biggest problem because they can carry the white nosed fungus on shoes"
"If you know bats are hibernating, don't go near them, because you might wake them up and then they will starve"
"Bats can eat 3000 mosquitos every night"
"One kind of bat can swim, but it doesn't live in Alberta"
"Bats in Alberta mostly eat insects"
"Bats can get into attics because of small holes. You should not touch the bat, you should call an expert to help you"
"If you go in a cave, you should clean your shoes in case of white nosed fungus"
"Bats have fingers, they are inside their wings"
"One type of bat eats scorpions, but they don't get poisoned"
"Bats only live to about 2 years old, even though they can live until 30"

Most of all, we learned that bats need our help. There are many problems facing bats, but the good news is that there are also many solutions. The students came up with:

Many students are interested in visiting the AIWC. Luckily, they are having a "Talk n' Tour" on November 5th. Here is the link for more information: http://www.aiwc.ca/news-and-events/upcoming-events/

Last, students are coming home with a magnet with the AIWC's contact information in case you ever find a wild animal in need.

Have a wonderful evening!
Ms. Thomas

Name Stories - Identity

Each afternoon, a few students have been presenting their name stories to the class.

So far, we have heard that our classmates' names mean:

A narrow in the land.
Gift of God.
Ruler of the house.
Champion or winner.
A flower.
Farmer.
Strong willed warrior.

Please continue to send in your child's name stories for sharing, we love hearing them!

Rectangles

Brains Grow and Change: The Math Myth https://vimeo.com/224719652

As a class, we continue to explore shape. We did an activity called Framing Rectangles which help make space for young mathematicians to count, describe shapes, explore ideas, build with square tiles, investigate conjectures, organize findings, add and takeaway square tiles, and record ideas with visuals.

Bats!

Hi Families, 

Yesterday, students were shown a picture of a bat and asked: 

"What do you feel?" 

"What do you think?"

"What does it remind you of?"

"What makes you say/feel that?"

It seems a lot of us feel scared or nervous when we see a bat because of it's physical characteristics and the way they move. Many of us also associate bats with vampires and spooky stories. 

Through a quick survey, we found out that some of us had never seen a bat before:

Later, we read the story "Stellaluna" about a little bat who gets separated from her family, and lives with birds for a short time. We found out that there are a lot of difference between bats and birds. We liked how the author created a fiction story that still gave us real information.

Today, in preparation for our visit from the Alberta Institute of Wildlife Conservation, students shared their wonderings about bats which included questions about flight, being nocturnal, life cycles, echolocation and how they survive winter. We look forward to gathering information tomorrow.

If you have no already done so, please make sure you send in your child's payment for ArtFelt Studios and Bat Basics presentation.  

Thank you everyone!

Ms. Thomas

Save the Date!

Rooms 8 and 9 (Ms. Thomas and Ms. Gray) will be hosting an assembly on Friday, October 27th at 10:00am. We hope to see you in the audience!

Colors Crackle, Colors Roar!

Hi Everyone,

I am sending home our new poem early this week to encourage at home practice, as we will be performing this poem as part of our assembly. Here it is in digital form as well (please note the glossary on the bottom for correct pronunciation of the Spanish words):

Thank you everyone!
Ms. Thomas

LBS School Council AGM

All are welcome to attend the School Council AGM, next Tuesday, October 24th at 6:30pm.

We hope to see you there!

Freezer Feastival - Last Week!

LBSC 8^th Annual Freezer FEASTival

The deadline to place your order in the 8^th annual Freezer Feastival is fast approaching. All orders need to be received on or before October 23rd.

You can easily place your order online at www.freezerfeastival.ca

20% of all sales will be used to help support school activities.  These funds go to enriching our children’s learning opportunities. In previous years it had been used for Gym equipment, Robot kits and field trip funds.

You will be able to pick up your order on Tuesday November 14^th at Lake Bonavista School, between the hours of 11:30 am to 4:00 pm

Thank you for your support. If you have questions or concerns please contact LBSC Fundraising coordinator at lbscfundraising@gmail.com.

Bon Appetite!

Thursday, October 12th, 2017

Hi Families, 

Today we had our first lockdown drill of the school year. Please see the information sent home in a blue notice for more information. 

Earlier this week, students started to explore the concept of identity. When asked what identity was or where they've heard it before, one students connected their understanding to superheroes, "Batman has two identities: Bruce Wayne and Batman". This prompted another student to articulate that identity is "who you are". 

Today, we started exploring the different factors that contribute to identity, starting with our name. Toegther with Room 11, we read "The Name Jar". Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it—Yoon-Hey.

You can watch it together here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS5XRO1AUT4

Students are bringing home a notice requesting information about the story of their own name. If you can return these early next week, it would be appreciated. Over the next 5 weeks (ish) we will be collecting different stories and artifacts to support a culminating task. Your support is appreciated. 

On Friday, October 27th at 10:00am Rooms 8 and 9 will be hosting an assembly to celebrate their learning. Families are welcome to join us in the gym.

Tomorrow is Fun Lunch. Students will still need a healthy snack for the morning. If you wish to order future Fun Lunches, please visit the school homepage and scroll down to the VERY bottom for the Healthy Hunger link. Next week is Little Caesars. 

Reminders:
- Monday is a Professional Development Day. No school for students. 
- Scholastic Book Orders due Friday, October 20th. 
- Freezer Feastival on until Monday, October 23rd: www.freezerfeastival.ca 

Have a wonderful evening!
Ms. Thomas

ADmazing Savings Coupon Books - Last Week!

We have entered our last week of our Admazing Savings Fundraiser! The proceeds from this fundraising activity will be used directly in your child’s classroom. For each book sold, students will be receiving a ballot into a draw for a prize donated by ADmazing Savings. 

Books are still available for $20.00 each, of which Lake Bonavista will use $10.00 for the benefit of our students.

If you wish to take advantage of these discounts, please complete the order form printed on the back on the ADmazing envelope, and enclose the correct amount of money - $20.00 per book ordered. - directly to your child’s classroom teacher by Friday, October 13^th, 2017  or earlier.

Additional books for Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer or Southern Alberta may be ordered at $20.00 each for family, friends and relatives.  If you wish to order additional books, please send your order as soon as possible to your child’s teacher so that the order can be filled.  As a school, we discourage door-to-door solicitation. 

Tuesday, October 10th, 2017

Hi Families,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

Home Reading is coming home for the first time today. In your child's Home Reading bag, please find a letter introducing the program as well as three supporting documents. There is not a fixed Home reading exchange schedule, please return the books when you are ready, and 5 new ones will come home.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Ms. Thomas

LBIS Casino

Don't miss out on the opportunity to help earn ~$70,000+ for our Lake Bonavista School Improvement Society (LBIS) to use for the benefit of the whole school!  We need your help to fill the remaining positions for our Casino Fundraiser on October 26th and October 27th at Deerfoot Casino. 

Each volunteer position adds approximately $1,800+ to the total amount earned.  There are pretty great benefits too:

• spending time visiting with other parents from the school, 
• enjoying a free meal at the Mohave Grill, and 
• having your babysitter reimbursed by us!  

Volunteers can be anyone over the age of 18, with no criminal record, - so invite your friends and family to help out! 

Please go to:

 https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/5080e4fafac28abfa7-deerfoot for more information, or email Selena Candrlic at lbsccasino@gmail.com. 

Friday, October 6th, 2017

Hello Families,

Your child is bringing home their "Letters Home" folder today. Please read the information letter in the front to understand the purpose of the folder, read your child's letter, and write them back a little note on the back of their page.

Please return these folders within a weeks time.

Some reminders for next week:

- No school on Monday.
- Tuesday is library exchange.
- Tuesday is Photo Day.

- October Scholastic orders due on the 20th.

- ADmazing Coupon Book sales are in their last few days. If you would like to order one, please return your envelope with payment inside.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend everyone!
Ms. Thomas

Lake Bonavista Improvement Society Casino - Volunteers Needed!

Don't miss out on the opportunity to help earn ~$70,000+ for our Lake Bonavista School Improvement Society (LBIS) to use for the benefit of the whole school!  We need your help to fill the remaining positions for our Casino Fundraiser on October 26th and October 27th at Deerfoot Casino. 

Each volunteer position adds approximately $1,800+ to the total amount earned.  There are pretty great benefits too:

• spending time visiting with other parents from the school, 
• enjoying a free meal at the Mohave Grill, and 
• having your babysitter reimbursed by us!  

Volunteers can be anyone over the age of 18, with no criminal record, - so invite your friends and family to help out! 

Please go to:

 https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/5080e4fafac28abfa7-deerfoot for more information, or email Selena Candrlic at lbsccasino@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 4th, 2017

Hi Families,

This week, students have been deconstructing the different elements of Kandinsky's work by identifying key elements: line, shape and colour.

Students have worked to create their own sketchbook pages exploring different straight and curved lines.

Ask your child how a line is different from a shape.

Today, students were introduced to the geometry cabinet and pin punching in order to sort 2D shapes based on the attribute of number of vertices. We will be working on this a little bit at a time over the next couple of days.

We also started our letters home today. Each month, students will write you a letter documenting what they learned and what they enjoyed in the past month, as well as what their goal is. Each letter is an authentic piece of writing from your child, without significant editing from myself. Each month, I hope you will see the growth your child makes, maybe in letter/sound recognition, inventive spelling, legibility, punctuation, use of capitals, etc. Please look for a letter explaining the program in more detail, in the front of the folder coming home on Friday.

Last, we completed our seed maps today, so we can plant our harvested sunflower seeds! Students brainstormed how to mark a ruler so that they would not need to consistently locate 8cm (the space needed by a sunflower seed according to our research). In the end, students discovered we can only put 3 seeds in each pot to allow for space from the sides, and from the other seeds. LOTS of problem solving went into this!

In your child's mailfolder this evening, please find the October Scholastic book orders. Orders and payment are due by October 20th - cheques or online payment only.

Have a good evening everyone!
Ms. Thomas