Autumn is awesome!

Fun Flashlight Friday everyone!!!!  The children enjoyed reading with a stuffie/favourite book and a friend with a flashlight.  It was like we were on a camping trip!  We noticed all the cool reflective materials on the children's coats.  

The seasons are a natural phenomena that children know well living in Canada.   Being at the autumnal equinox our environment is changing, and children are noticing many changes outside.  

Room 2's List
-The leaves are changing colours and falling down 

-It is colder 

-Kids are wearing warmer clothing

-Less daylight
-Different activities (splash pads are closed)

Wednesday we watched a book about a fox named Fletcher who was really worried about the leaves falling off the trees.  As scientists, we recognized these changes are part of a greater pattern of seasonal changes.  To understanding why they happen, today we watched a video of the book by Gail Gibbons:  The Reason for Seasons

The children learned that the tilt of the earth and the rotation of the earth around the sun are the factors that cause the changes in our seasons. We saw that during the Autumnal Equinox, the sun shines between the two hemisphere creating equal amounts of day and night. We did our own experiments with a light source and a globe. 



Each Wednesday our class is examining the amount of daylight and night using a visual pie graph to show the changing amounts of light.  Make observations at home about the amounts of light.  Is it darker now when you wake up.  Is it still light when you have dinner?  Discuss the changes you notice about the light you see.

These discussions got us talking about the word equals and what it means.  We experimented with our class balances and talked about the concept of equals in equations. Aha! .... another word with equ- in it.   We played with the idea that in an equation, say, 2+2=4 . The equal sign does not mean put the answer here, but that both sides of the equal sign are the same. 

So...  2+2=4    then   4=2+2  or   3+1=1+3   or   1+1+1= 4-1  Try making balanced equations at home!

Next, we set learning goals for these materials during Montessori Work Period.

We discovered that the prefix equ- is also found in equator (the line separating our globe into two equal hemispheres).

Today we celebrated our first birthday of the year.  Autumn (very aptly named), had a birthday on September one.  She shared photos and milestones from each of her years traveling around the Earth. 

To help us understand this concept, the children made models of the earth's rotation around the sun.  Look for it in their folders.  

REMEMBER TO REMOVE ALL ITEMS FROM CHILDREN'S FOLDERS EACH NIGHT!

Wanted: Room 2 Classroom Parent!

Hello Parents,

We are looking a parent volunteer in our class to be our room parent.  The room parent's job is to organize volunteers for the classroom and field trips.  The teachers will contact the room parent with our needs and the room parent will coordinate the help.  It is a great way to connect with other parents in the class and is a volunteer role that can be done outside work hours.

If you think you would like to take on this role, please contact Mrs. Halsall and/or Mrs. Wacker by e-mail.

Home Reading

Communication folders and home reading are coming home today. Please check your child's backpack for this folder. I've provided an extensive notice about how this program will work in our classroom as well as information about our reading assessments and expectations. Please contact either teacher if you have more questions and/or concerns.
Happy Reading!

Leaves and their attributes

In science today, our student scientists examined a set of autumn leaves with magnifying glasses.  The children compared leaves with each other and discussed how they were similar and different.
We composed a list to help us characterize our leaves by their attributes.

The children chose a leaf to sketch.  We discussed looking carefully at the vein structure, the edges and the shape.  The children started creating sentences about the attributes of their leaf.

If they wrote.  "It is yellow." The attribute they are describing is its colour.

Please look at their leaf with them.  Discuss what attributes you could write about.  Add a few more sentences about the attributes of their leaf.

Look at their sketch.  Talk about the features they included...ie.  "I see you made the edges bumpy just like on the leaf." Ask them if they want to add anymore details to their leaves.

READ TO SOMEBODY:  We almost reached our goal for read to somebody today.  Please look for a flashlight to bring to school on Friday as we only have to add 2 minutes to reach our goal of being on task for 20 minutes!

Don't forget that tomorrow is the Terry Fox Run!!!!

Toonies For Terry

(Room 2 and 3 practicing outside for the Terry Fox Run.  The students wrote inspirational messages in chalk on the compound to help encourage their community to participate in the run.)

On Thursday, September 27, 2018, Captain John Palliser students, staff and families will join thousands of schools across Canada by participating in the Terry Fox Run.  Our class runs at 9:30-10:05 am.  

To support Terry Fox’s dream and to raise money for cancer research, students are encouraged to donate a Toonie for Terry.  Cash donations can be brought into the school any day up to Tuesday October 2nd or you can choose to use our school’s online donation site http://www.terryfox.ca/CaptainJohnPalliser. Please click the “Sponsor Us” Link on this site.  

We have two special fundraising challenges underway.   The first is called Fashion for Fox.  Any student who brings in a $10 donation will be able to bring an article of clothing (the crazier the better!) for their teacher to wear during the Terry Fox run.  (Mrs. Halsall will bring in some crazy items too.)   In addition, for every $500 our school raises one teacher will get a pie in the face at a later assembly.  

Parents are welcome to join us for our Terry Fox Run on Thursday, September 27 either as a runner/walker or to help place stamps on students hands to record the laps they complete. 

Building up our Stamina

We have been working hard since the first week of school to build up our Read to Self Stamina. We can now read to our self for 20 minutes!! This was important to us because now we'll be able to start guided reading and learn new strategies to help us develop into better readers. As a reward for doing our job and building up our stamina to read for 20 minutes, we will have a Flashlight Friday!

Flashlight Friday is when we get to bring in a flashlight, turn off all the lights and read our favourite books by flashlight. This is where we need you, parents. This week on Friday, September 28th, please send in a flashlight so your child can participate in this exciting morning. Please ensure it is labelled with your name and if you have extras send them in for those students who don't have a flashlight. Thank you for all your support. We are all very excited!

Learning Commons

This year, students in grade 1/2 will attend 2, 30-minute classes in the Learning Commons each week (Mondays and Wednesdays). During this time, students will engage in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as they build communication and inquiry skills through problem-solving. In their first few STEM classes, students have learned about the variety of no technology, low technology and high technology experiences they will have when they come each week. Together, we brainstormed some of our  favourite  STEM activities.

Students are looking forward to:

-      robotics

-      makerspace

-      hands-on experiments

-      ipad and laptop use

-      coding

-      art

-      cross-curricular projects

-      math games

Please watch our classroom blog for updates.

Ms. Hoogers

Learning Commons Teacher

Curriculum Newsletter

Grade 1 and Grade 2 - September 2018 - January 2019

                         

Welcome!

Hello students and families of Room 2!

This blog will help teachers communicate with students and parents about daily classroom learning and events happening at CJP.

It will include information about
- Events (examples: Crazy Hair Day, Terry Fox Run, assemblies, artists in residence)
- Special activities (100 day celebration, special classroom projects,
- Curriculum (information about reading, writing, how to interpret your report card)
- How to support your child's learning at home

And most importantly.....

Our blog will not send out daily reminders to check; however we will be posting daily classroom learning through pictures, comments and student voice.

 How to use it? 

-Choose a regular time to view the post with your child each night.  (ex.  before dinner, after finishing home reading, etc.)
-Talk to your child about the activity or information reported.
- Use the blog to get more information from your child about the happenings in the classroom.

This is a great way for you to stay informed and involved in your child's learning!

Back to School Picnic

The annual CJP Welcome Back Picnic will take place on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM. Food trucks will be onsite if you would like to purchase snacks or dinner. This year's offerings include: Family Squeezed Lemonade, Family Dough and Family Freezed, Family Dogs, and Family Cheesed. Other food trucks may also be onsite. If you would prefer to pack your own picnic supper to eat at the school, please feel free to do so.

We are hoping for good weather so that families and staff may eat outside. At 5:45pm, classrooms will be open so that parents can see their children's classrooms and meet their teachers. This is a quick meet-and-greet as opposed to a sit-down conference, and students have been learning how to make proper introductions, including shaking hands and introducing their family members. This event will take place rain or shine, and alternate arrangements to eat inside will be made if the weather does not cooperative.