Good morning everyone,
I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend thus far, one more full day to enjoy the "sunshine"!! Im being optimistic!!
We had a very good week at school last week. Our primary focus was on how different animals get ready for winter. Some animals migrate, some hibernate and some stay and adapt. We did some writing on this, watched some videos and read some wonderful books. We learned a little bit about the bear and what happens when he hibernates and next week we will do more bear activities with Deana (our first nations worker). We completed our bear week with a beautiful bear directed drawing painting, that will be put up on Monday. They sure have individual personalities!!! I love how the children are soo eager to do the directed drawings as it gives them a starting point of how to draw something step by step. During many of the children's free choice time you can see them drawing and sketching in their drawing books. One is never bored if they enjoy drawing!!

This week we also continued to work on measuring things around the classroom. The grade ones continue to explore adding and subtracting numbers to ten and are learning about "families" of numbers. That each number can have more than one member in its family..ie..5 can have a 5 plus 0, 4 plus 1 etc. The grade twos are now practicing adding their double digit numbers. They have rules for when adding these numbers..see if they remember them. They are very much enjoying adding these larger numbers!!

Ms. Biorn came in this week and talked about the seismic upgrade and also talked about moving to Queen Elizabeth School next year. Some children were confused by how this would look like but Ms. Biorn was able to answer a lot of questions. Packing all the stuff up will be my biggest challenge!! hahah

Jung came in and talked to the children about emotions. Jung has been coming in every week to present the Roots of Empathy program. Jung has noticed how mature and respectful the children have become as well! This Tuesday will be our baby visit with Liya. The children just love seeing Liya grow!!

Thank you to everyone who sent in their skating forms.
HOWEVER....we have a problem...we do not have neeeeeeeeeear enough drivers!!
For the first and last skating times I think we have enough for only 14 children to go. The middle ones have enough for 19 to go. If there is any chance that you can drive on any of these days, please let me know. Thank you to the ones that have said yes already!!

This next week I will be away from school from Wednesday to Friday. I will be leaving for a family funeral. I will be telling the children that they will be having a substitute but perhaps you can also review respectful behaviour when we have a guest teacher in. I would appreciate that.

With that, have a great Sunday. Enjoy the pictures. I will see you all on Monday.
teri

Mrs. Biorn talks about the move next year.

Jo holds up our finished platter...we are just waiting to have it fired. Its sooo beautiful. This platter will be up for auction at the Gala. The gala is at the end of February. I hope you will be able to attend.

Painting our bears.

Our winter solstice pictures.

Free play.

Our acrostic poetry that we did last week.

so funny!!

more bear art

Some very cute bear dreaming stories, plus our what animals do in the winter work.

adorable!

learning about hibernating bears

Happy New Years!!
It is 2019! Hard to believe...and I say this every year..time flies when you are having fun!
It was sooo exciting to see all the children on Monday. They look sooo grown up!! It's amazing what happens after not seeing children for two weeks. They all came back with such big smiles and such great attitudes. What they learned before January seems to have solidified. They took a break and they came back with mature and energetic little minds ready to learn.

The children were ready to write...and tell me about their winter holidays. They were also ready to make some resolutions! They made a main one..then they wrote some resolutions for them to work on at home, at school and for the community. They are really good ones. Come in and take a read...it will put a smile on your face.

Our big concept this month will to be to focus on Active Listening and being a Wolf.
One of our Social Emotional Learning strands is learning the importance of communication. In the story the Six Cedars (a First Nations book)..the elders tell a story about how each animal has a power. The wolf's power is being a good communicator. He needs to be a good communicator in the forest with his pack so that him and his pack can stay safe and so on. In class we need to be able to be good communicators and that takes skills of sharing your ideas as well as listening to others. Deana, our First Nations Support worker came in and revisited this concept as well. Together the children talked about being a good communicator and then did a self evaluation of themselves. Their evaluation will be sent home in their report card. It was interesting to see how they felt they were. It would be valuable to continue to reinforce active listening at home. Ask them...are they listening like a wolf??? Are you communicating and sharing with me the way that a wolf would?

We will be continuing to look at The Six Cedars book and our next animal will be the Bear...the bear also has different powers...stay tuned!

In math the children have started a measuring unit. We will start with non-standard measurements and then learn how to measure with standard units...ask your child what a non standard tool is and see if they can show you how to measure different items around the kitchen. Ask them the three rules they need to remember when measuring things.

Mr. Tosczak continues to join the children on Tuesday afternoons. This term the students will be learning about appropriate manners, at home, at school, and with friends. They will learn how to deal with teasing, arguing and "I wants".

Reminders:
1) Skating field trip forms have been sent home. Please fill them out and send the needed money with the forms. If you need to rent skates the cost is different. Make sure to add the necessary costs up. Thank you...the children are sooo excited. We find that after four sessions of skating the children are so confident on the ice. 

With that..have a great Sunday..and enjoy the lovely pictures!
teri

We are all great communicators...come see what we have written!

Our main resolutions!

Ruby shows us how to use a breyer as we make prints of snowflakes.

Ray shows us how to create the "plate" that we will make a print of.

Hjalmar shows us his picture of the snowy scene that he made of the story...mouse and the winter solstice.

The girls show us how much they love to draw in their drawing books during free choice.

Yet some of them like to play with the polly pocket toys.

Or.....look at all the creativity happening on the carpet!

So busy..getting all the different things done!

George uses up all our scrap papers to create some winter friends.

You must read how much fun we had!!

They made some pretty wonderful goals!!