November/ December Update

Well we made it! I think we have all been waiting for this break for a long time now but we have made it through. Thank you for all your support with homework and catch up these last few weeks. I attempted to have no marking over the holidays, but I was not successful. At least my pile is minimal. 

These past two months have been work filled. We had fun learning Geometry. Every student's creation out of recycled materials was amazing, thank you for all the hard work parents I know you helped. More importantly their knowledge of geometric 2D shapes and 3D figures was present in each presentation. I am so impressed.

Some other subjects/ topics we have been learning about are Characteristics of Living and Non-Living Things, Letter writing, and Data Management (collecting data, sorting it, and representing our results on a graph). We have begun learning how to write instructions and make lists, learning about our countries seasonal changes and how they affect our environment and livings things. In the new year we will continue studying our letter blends beginning with st and sw words, begin measurement, as well as test out a new character trait: Teamwork!

Our Holiday Craft Party was such a success. Once again thank you to those parents who were able to join us that afternoon, your help is irreplaceable. The students had tons of fun and as you will see when the crafts arrive home, these children are full of creativity.

As I posted about a month ago it has been hard trying to motivate the children to focus on their work and we have had many discussions about what hard work looks like both while you are doing it and after the final product is complete. We started a points earning program a few weeks back called Popcorn Points. Students were challenged to earn popcorn kernels by working hard, focussing, and concentrating, and handing in level 2 and 3s. They were able to earn all their popcorn kernels and so Ms. Guenther brought in a popcorn snack on the last day of school. They were all very appreciative of it and as a class told me they will show me hard work in the new year.

Please note for the new year: Homework may come home time to time if I really need something finish or if your child is loaded up on unfinished work. If there is any reason they cannot complete the homework at home please send it back to school the next day as I give them time to catch up on work at least once every day. I prefer to witness their process and know they are completing the work with only the prompts I want them to have to better understand their knowledge and comprehension.

You will have received a pile of spelling sheets and poem sheets back as I have emptied the children's folders to begin fresh in the new year. Please keep these for reading practice as well as word practice. Although they are getting 5 out of 5 on their spelling tests they are not remembering how to spell these words in their daily writing and that is the whole point of these spelling tests. So practice practice practice!!!

Lastly, I would like to wish each and every student and their families a warm, happy, fun, and safe winter holiday. No matter what you celebrate these two weeks should be about spending as much time with our loved ones as possible. Think about all that is happening in the world yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We are blessed to be who we are, have what we have, and live where we live. Take advantage of it while you can. 

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE LOVELY GIFT! It will keep me busy over the holidays.

Happy Belated Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Merry Christmas! HAPPY SAFE NEW YEAR!

Ms. Guenther

Update from Ms. Guenther - Friday December 4th, 2015

December Has Begun!

The countdown until winter holidays has begun as we enter the month of December. Please ensure you check weather daily to make sure your child is dressed appropriately for 3 recesses a day.

You may notice homework coming home throughout this month, as I am trying to get everything we are working on finished and marked before the holidays. Please allow your child to explain what they have to do and then complete it independently. I really want this to be their efforts. However, they have been instructed they can ask parents for help with reading, spelling (after they've tried all their strategies) and for checking it afterwards. Refer to the checklist that was sent home back in October and encourage your child to edit and check their own writing. This is a skill we need to build.

Well, no one came forward to admit they hid the food in the closet. The good thing is I have not found anymore food either. So we had a class discussion about it, we are going to let it slide, but if it happens a third time there will be big consequences for the class. (no food allowed in the classroom, including birthday treats or party treats)

Save the Date: Friday, December 18th our class along with Mrs. Zale-Moore's class will be leading the Character Trait Assembly. Our trait this month is Kindness. Our class will be presenting with the kindergartens and hopefully doing a second presentation of our own. On Tuesday I presented the class with a Kindness Chain Challenge. In our writing centre we have blank strips of paper. When they witness someone doing something kind for them or for someone else they are to write it down on a strip of paper, put it in the Acts of Kindness bin and as we gather the strips of paper I will turn them into a paper chain. The challenge is to do so many kind things our chain extends around our whole classroom or maybe even into the hallway. However, in the first four days of the challenge I have only had one student write about one kind thing done in our classroom :( This is very sad. Hopefully we can be a group of really kind people next week and get this chain going. I have told the students, if we cannot build the kindness chain in our classroom than we cannot present it to the school. The assembly will be in the morning beginning between 8:45 and 9:00am. I will have an exact time for you closer to the date.

That's all for this week. Have a fabulous week everyone!!!!!

Update from Ms. Guenther - Friday November 27, 2015

Well, our week started off a bit rough and Ms. Guenther was quite frustrated. 

BUT! We were able to reorganize and adjust and the end of the week has been 200% better. Please encourage your children to always try even when they think they're wrong. Making mistakes is how we learn! Participation is so important to the flow of our day and the progression of our lessons.

We have begun geometry and will be working with 2D shapes and 3D figures until the holiday break. Vocabulary to keep your children practising are words such as rolls, stacks, slides, edges, vertices (points), faces, sides, flat, thick, thin, etc. These words will be helpful when they are describing their structure in their December Show and Tell.

Our Holiday Craft Day will be on Tuesday, December 15th, 2015 from 12:15 until 2:30. If anyone is interested please email Mrs. Galberg with your craft idea by Monday December 7th so she can pass the list of parents willing to volunteer to me and then I can choose the activities I think will work out best. I do have a selection of craft materials available in the classroom, and will let you know once I have chosen the crafts what supplies I have and what will need to be brought in on the craft day.

Again, please let me know as soon as possible if you will be taking your children away anytime in December. We are leading the Kindness assembly on the morning of December 18th and I do not want to assign speaking jobs to students who won't be there. I have received some notes in the agendas already so thank you to those parents.

If anyone has a story book at home that teaches about Kwanzaa I am on the prowl for a story to use in the Shared Reading activity we will begin on Monday. Please let me know, I would like to borrow it!

Thank you again for all your continued support and I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!!!

          Ms. Guenther

Update from Ms. Guenther - November 20, 2015

Request: If you are going on vacation anytime before December 18th please let me know as soon as possible . Our class is leading the Kindness assembly for December and I do not want to assign a performance part to someone who won't be here for it.

A view ahead:

Language: we will be focussing on using our editing skills, writing letters, the letter blends sk and sp, and using reading strategies.
Math: we have begun geometry and data management. Hope to fit probability in before winter holidays as well.
Science: We have been focussing on Characteristics of Living and Non-Living Things and will hopefully finish this before winter holidays and be able to flow into Seasonal Changes.
Art: We have been focussing on elements and principles of design, specifically lines, contrast, and value.

Upcoming Event: 

I am going to be doing a shared reading lesson about celebrations specifically looking at Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Christmas. I am looking for parents who would be willing to come up with a craft that represents each of these celebrations and then come in to do the craft with the children on our Celebration Craft Day (date to be determined) If you would be interested please email Mrs. Galberg and let her know your craft idea. I will choose by crafts that are age appropriate as well by those who have not had a turn to volunteer yet vs. those who have had a turn.

Something to Work On:  

I am still having quite a bit of trouble reading some students printing. This is an essential task to every subject and topic we will learn as showing their learning through writing is a way I can assess their comprehension. Please ensure to work on printing daily and other fine motor activities such as cutting with scissors, using tweezers or tongs, peeling stickers or fruit, or even beading using smaller sized beads and string to build up your child's pincer grasp which will significantly help them to strengthen their printing skills. 

Thank you, 

Ms. Guenther 

           

October - A Look Back!

1    Math - Number Representing:

    October 27^th Scientists in the School:

1.     October 30^th Pumpkin Carving: