March 24th, 2023

Hello families,

This week we finished our patterns in the ocean art and they turned out beautiful! Students have put so much thought and detail into recreating their images.

 



 


 

 







We celebrated World Down Syndrome day on Tuesday. Our class took part in a sharing circle celebrating our differences, as well as read some books about Down Syndrome. The class also listened to a wonderful story called Leah Goes to School.


 



On Monday we had a "species reveal" with the grade 3/4s. Students found out that the species in the aquarium are... Rainbow trout! 


This week we had some guest speakers visit our classroom. Mr. Brett came in and taught us about fish conservation, the physical characteristics of a Rainbow trout, their lifecycle, habitat, diet, and some of the flies they prey on. We also got to look at some fishing gear!

 


 








We also had Mr. Matthew, a marine biologist, visit our classroom and speak about  fish identification and the role of fish in Calgary's ecosystems. He showed us preserved samples of local fish species and read some fish books! Students were excellent listeners and participants throughout this amazing experience.








In math we began to explore addition word problems. Ask your child about the steps that we learned to solve them! When identifying addition vocabulary within a problem, students can refer to our math vocabulary trees which are always growing!






In writing we took part in a couple free writes to build our stamina and apply the skills we have been focusing on in our writing workshops. Students could write about their weekends, a picture prompt up on the SmartBoard, or another topic of their choice. 

 

For word work students demonstrated their understanding of nouns, adjectives and verbs by labeling them in sentences using the Montessori grammar symbols.

Check out a couple of the responsible work choices students made this week!



Guest Reader

Hello room 8 families,

 

We are excited to be bringing back our classroom Guest Reader program. This is an optional opportunity for students to read a book aloud to their classmates. Students can choose a book from home or a book from the classroom to practice. The book should take 5-7 minutes to read and students should have plenty of practice prior to their reading day. Students can practice reading to their family members, their pets, or even their stuffed animals! Students who are do not want to read in front of the whole class can always read to a partner in the library instead.


If a guest reader is away on their day, we will reschedule as needed. 

 

Here is a reminder of our success criteria. 

·      Using different voices (expression)

·      Speaking loud and clear

·      Showing the pictures

·      Reading fluently (this means practicing!)

·      Choosing a “just right” level – this is not a time to challenge yourself! 




Gymnastics

We will begin gymnastics in our regularly scheduled gym classes on Monday April 3rd.  The gymnastics unit will last two weeks.  Safety routines, cooperation and sportsmanship are taught and reviewed in each class.    

This physical activity opportunity will help students acquire individual skills through a variety of developmentally appropriate movement activities.  

It is important for students to come to school prepared to be actively engaged. The following guidelines are very helpful…  


HEAD TO TOE - READY TO GO!!!   

Head ....................... long hair pulled back  

Ears/Throat/Wrist ............... jewellery off  

Shirt.................................. one layer shirt  

Waist ................................................tucked in  

Pants.........................sporty pants or shorts, no belts or zippers  

Ankles..........................pants rolled up if ankles are covered  

Toes...............running shoes, gymnastic slippers or bare feet (no footed tights)  

“Playing & moving safely is everyone’s responsibility”  


Have a great spring break!

Ms. Greenhall


Upcoming Dates

  • Every Tuesday : Tea Time 
  • Home Reading and Library Books : Students can exchange as needed
  • Monday, March 27th-Friday, March 31st: SPRING BREAK

  • Thursday April 6th: Healthy Hunger - TacoTime

  • April 7th Good Friday : No School
  • Monday April 10th PD Day: No School

  • Thursday April 20th: Healthy Hunger - Edo


Khan Academy Kids
Our class is now signed up on the the Khan Academy Kids App. This app has literacy and math activities and is an excellent resource for students. We will be using it as an additional option at our "Listening to Reading" and "Math with Technology" stations during Daily L.A. and Math Stations. Here is our classroom login information if you would like your child to practice at home:
Please note that when in a topic you may need to switch between "grade 1" and "grade 2" to reflect your child's needs. Happy learning!


EPIC Reading
Our class code is: ypq1713



Prodigy Login
Please let me know if you would like your child's prodigy login information and I can email it to you!


Scholastic Book Flyers
Looking to shop for books online through Scholastic year round? I have set up a scholastic account for our class! Happy reading!

Class Code: RC358893