Thursday, October 8th, 2020

Hi Families, 

A reminder that tomorrow is a P.D. Day - no school for students. 
Monday is Thanksgiving - school is closed to staff and students. 

See you Tuesday, October 13th!

This week, ask your child about:

- learning, practicing and making real world connections with our new poem about 3D Shapes*

- reviewing/learning new Animated Literacy characters: Nn, Ii, Ww, Vv*

- journal writing at our just right literacy level using the sentence frames:

                - "On the weekend..." 

                - "On Thanksgiving, my family..."

- identifying and labeling a vertice/apex, edge and face on 3D shape models: cone, cylinder and sphere*

- developing our October calendar to practice the number sequence to 31, and identify important events*

- reviewing expectations for Buddy Reading within our Reading Jobs rotating schedule*

- discussing , identifying and recording the different groups we belong to*

- using Google Maps to zoom in and out to see our different communities: world, North America, Canada, Alberta, Calgary, local community

- discussing "What things did the artist use to make this artwork", "If you could touch it, how would the different parts feel?" when viewing a piece of mixed media art

- creating a feeling collage that includes items with different textures*

- completing Montessori nomenclature on the parts of a ladybug 

*Materials/visuals or templates for these activities re available on Google Classroom to support home learning routines, or in the case of a prolonged absence from school*

We continued with our buddy inquiry on ladybugs this week, consolidating our data to see what information we could gather. 

In September, each student observed and recorded the number of spots on 10 ladybugs:

This week, each student shared their observations, and we recorded them in a very rough bar graph. Ms. Thomas did not take into account many factors when she initially planned the graph:

Finally, we discussed how data needs to be organized when you are sharing it with an audience. So, we used an online program to create a published bar graph:

Student conclusions from our data:

"The most common number of spots on a ladybug is 6 or 7"
"Ladybugs must have at least one spot"
"Ladybugs seem to have spots where the numbers are in the middle - not too high and not too low"

Students generated some personal questions for inquiry about ladybugs that we hope to answer in the upcoming week, including whether or not "The number of spots is the age of the ladybug in years" is true. 

Today, students shared their family traditions for Thanksgiving and it sounds like you all have a wonderful weekend ahead of you! Enjoy your time with family! See you on Tuesday!

Ms. Thomas

Halloween at Lake Bonavista School

This message also came through a School Messenger from Mrs. Jones on October 3rd:

Everyone is keenly aware of the changes we have all had to make in our lives due to COVID-19. At school, we have been discussing how celebrations and events can continue in ways that fit within our current protocols. We recognize that many children and families love to share their creative talents through costumes and make up for Halloween. This year, we will include time to recognize Halloween in a low-key way:

• simple costumes that can be comfortably worn all day,
• no accessories,
• no shared food,
• adapted ways to share/parade.

Children are not required to wear costumes or may choose to wear orange and black. If your family does not participate in Halloween, there will be alternate tasks and activities provided.

Watch for more details in classroom blogs over the next few weeks.

Friday, October 2nd, 2020

Hi Families, 

What a gorgeous week of Fall weather! Students are enjoying being outside at various time of the day, participating in guided Phys. Ed. activities, free play and explorations of nature during lunch and recess. Please ensure your child is coming prepared for being outside at different times of the day, as our mornings are becoming quite cool and usually require a light sweater or jacket in addition to a t-shirt. 

Ask your child about:

- learning, practicing and counting down with our new poem about ladybugs*

- exploring the parachute during outside Phys.Ed. 

- generating a vocabulary list for talking about 2D shapes vs 3D objects*

- listening to the book "Shhh!" to springboard our discussion on our sense of hearing*

- identifying mystery sounds in a "Guess the Sound?" activity*

- brainstorming words that come to mind when viewing an image, as part of a shared writing Found Poetry

Our completed Found Poetry shared writing.
Ask your child about the process.

- reviewing/learning new Animated Literacy characters: Ff, Cc, Bb, Ll, Gg*

- completing Word Work to support these letters, at our just-right literacy level

- honouring the Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools in Canada on Orange Shirt Day*

- discussing "Which place looks quiet?", "Which place looks noisy?" and "What would you hear in each picture?" when viewing "Looking Over Broadway" by Red Grooms and "Rooms by the Sea" by Edward Hopper*

- exploring what is means to be indigenous*

- recognizing Orange Shirt Days by finishing the writing prompts:

                    - I matter because...

                    - School should feel...

- sorting 2D shapes and 3D objects*

- creating a hearing collage that includes items with different sounds*

- identifying and labeling vertices, faces and edges on models of 3D shapes: cube and pyramid*

- developing our awareness of school citizenship through a shared reading of "Rights and Responsibilities" 

*Materials/visuals or templates for these activities re available on Google Classroom to support home learning routines, or in the case of a prolonged absence from school*

Some reminders for the upcoming weeks:

Friday, October 9th is a Professional Development Day - No school for students
Monday, October 13th is the Thanksgiving holiday - No school

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Ms. Thomas

October Scholastic

 Hi Families, 

Scholastic Digital Flyers for October are now available online! 

Please see the information below for viewing and ordering information.

Thank you!
Ms. Thomas

Virtual Open House

Dear Families, 

Our Room 8 Virtual Open House Video 2020 is now available on the LBS YouTube Channel.

Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!
Ms. Thomas

Thursday, September 24th, 2020

 Hi Families, 

What a lovely week to celebrate the beginning of Fall! We managed to wrap up a couple of tasks this week, while continuing with our literacy and math routines. 

Ask your child about:

- observing, counting and recording the numbers of spots on 10 ladybugs*

- exploring hexagons, rhombuses and trapezoids with Shape of the Day*

- reviewing/learning new Animated Literacy characters: Rr, Hh, Jj and Kk*

- completing Word Work to support these letters, at our just-right literacy level

- journal writing: On the weekend...

- smelling mystery spices and flavourings to access "smell memories" - who, where and when does it remind you of?

- looking at the piece of art "Pie Counter" by Wayne Thiebaud*

- discussing how artists make images that appeal to our senses of smell and taste

- creating a food collage that includes foods with different tastes: sweet, salty, spicy, bland, juicy, etc.*

- self-assessed our work using our collage success criteria*

- celebrating the changing of the seasons by viewing the book "Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn"*

- illustrating what we enjoyed from Summer (Goodbye Summer), and what we look forward to in Fall (Hello Fall)

- stamping leaf patterns to connect to our new Fall poem: Autumn Leaves*

- sorting warm and cool watercolours to paint the leaves (warm) and background (cool)*

- laughing at "The Very Grouchy Ladybug" with our buddies from Ms. Bouchard's class*

- participating in an "un-taping ceremony" to celebrate each others works of art

Autumn Leaves Art
What's your pattern core?
Do you have a shape or direction pattern?
Which colours are warm? Which are cool?

- participating in our Lake Bonavista School Terry Fox run with our cohort

*Materials/visuals or templates for these activities re available on Google Classroom to support home learning routines, or in the case of a prolonged absence from school*

Sea of Blue!
Getting Ready to Run for Terry Fox!
Thank you School Council for our LBS Shirts!

As part of our literacy learning, we are beginning to explore logging on to school computers, using the same information that was sent home earlier in September. Navigating a keyboard is tricky but worthwhile work for early literacy learners. If you would like to support your child at home, you can open just a blank Word document, and have them practice typing their Student Number (which is their login at school) and password. 

A reminder that tomorrow is a PD Day for teachers, no school for students.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms. Thoams

Picture Day - Tuesday, September 29th, 2020