Saturday, January 24, 2015

Learning about healthy eating with Mr. S









Learning about recycling and composting

This week we did a lesson on recycling. We sorted pictures on the Smart Board and decided if these waste items went into the garbage, paper recycling, plastic recycling or compost.







Morning messages

Once a week teachers write a message to the class. We work together to read the message. Afterwards, students are asked to be "letter detectives." They take turns finding and circling the letter in the message.







Recently we began searching for words in our messages. We started by selecting two sight words. We wrote them on cue cards and added them to our world wall in the class. The word wall is a helpful tool to use when writing. 

This weeks sight words: a, is




Sunday, January 18, 2015

Starfall

Starfall is is great website for beginning readers. You can view and listen to individual books. Children can press each word and the program will sound it out as they read through the book.

Click here to visit the Starfall website.

Exploring letters in a variety of ways


















 

 

Family Literacy Day

Family Literacy Day
Wednesday, January 28th @ 2:00 pm
Room 148

Family Literacy Day is a national awareness initiative held annually in January to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.

Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with children is crucial to a child’s development. Even just 15 minutes a day can improve a child’s literacy skills dramatically, and can help a parent improve their skills as well.

On Wednesday, January 28 we will be celebrating Family Literacy Day. We invite parents to come in and read their favorite children's story.  We'd appreciate if the story is around 5-10 minutes long. On this day, the children are encouraged to wear their pajamas and bring a stuffed animal from home.


If you are interested in volunteering your time and sharing your favorite story please fill out and return the form that was sent home with your child last week or send a note in your child's message book. 

Thank you!



15 Minutes of Fun

ABC Life Literacy Canada is encouraging Canadian families to have "15 Minutes of Fun" learning together. Learning can happen at any time. Practicing literacy together every day has tremendous benefits for both children and parents. Here are some great ways to get started:



  • Read a “wake up” story in the morning (after reading your bedtime story the night before).
  • Search online for fun places to go in your community. Pick out a spot for your next family day trip.
  • Make up a new recipe together and post it online.
  • Tell knock-knock jokes together while doing the dishes.
  • Create a story with your family: take turns writing one sentence at a time, then read the whole story aloud when you’re done.
  • Write a review of a book you read together as a family. Send it to the author through email or snail mail.
  • Organize a book swap at your school or with your friends.
  • Track your trip to school, the park, and the grocery store on a map. Find a different route to take to each place.
  • Learn to play a musical instrument. What about the ukulele?
  • Write a note to include in a grown-up’s lunch – ask them to write back!
  • Make a popsicle stick model with your family.
  • Write your names graffiti-style using chalk on your sidewalk – you may need to shovel first!
  • Play a board game together.
  • Look up the words to your favourite song online. Have a sing-off with your friends!
  • Count how many steps it takes to get from your bedroom to your kitchen. Find out who in your family has the most steps to a snack!

Our fish inquiry

Seeing as we got some new pets, we decided to begin a class inquiry on fish.

We began by brainstorming a list of things we know about fish and things we are wondering; what we would like to know.


Students enjoyed looking through various books about fish. They drew pictures and even did some fabulous journal writing.







Learning about and labeling the parts of a fish.