Brrrr!!!! It was SO COLD outside today! We spent our day inside for lunch and recess.
This morning we continued our story writing about The Three Little Pigs. Students took the traditional story frame and made their own versions of this classic fairy tale. They chose to create an S map with pictures and labels or a comic strip format and are now working on writing their stories out in their journals. The children have become so involved in this activity and their stories are amazing! We have tales about The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark, The Three Little Flies and the Big Bad Frog, The Three Little Mice and the Big Bad Cat...It is so exciting to see their creative minds at work!
Homework
Spelling List came home today.
Reminders
WE STILL NEED PARENT VOLUNTEERS FOR SWIMMING!!! So far we only have one parent who has signed up for swimming. If we do not have 2 parent volunteers for each day of swimming, we will unfortunately not be able to go.
If you are able to volunteer for any of the days, please e-mail me. (Mornings - March 16th - 23rd) Thank you so much for your support!
rckroeker@cbe.ab.ca
REPORT CARDS GO HOME FRIDAY
(Parent/Teacher conferences March 10th & 11th - booking times open March 6th on the school website)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Friday, February 25th
Did you know that you can freeze bubbles?? Ask your child about what happens when you blow bubbles outside at -22 degrees! (Apparently at
-25 the bubble will shatter when broken!)
SWIMMING: Look for swimming info to be coming home soon. We will be swimming in the mornings and need 2 volunteers each day! Please e-mail me if you are available.
Have a great weekend!
-25 the bubble will shatter when broken!)
SWIMMING: Look for swimming info to be coming home soon. We will be swimming in the mornings and need 2 volunteers each day! Please e-mail me if you are available.
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday, February 24th
We had many exciting events happening today!
It was TWIN DAY and everyone was seeing double around the school. Many student chose to come dressed like someone else and it was very exciting to find all the different twins around the school. We even got a visit from Mr. Bimmons (who we discovered is Mr. Simmons' evil twin!)
First was our Friendliness assembly and we were able to view amazing examples of learning from many our the classrooms around the school. We were treated to poems, songs and even some African throat singing!
Many of the students participated in Fun Lunch today, and all the students got to have a picnic in the gym!
After recess we also had the opportunity to watch space shuttle Discovery's final launch into space. They are off to the International Space Station and when they come back Discovery will be taken out of service. CBC was at our school to capture this historic moment and you can look for our school on CBC news tonight between 5:00 and 6:30. (Did you know that, during take off, the Discovery uses enough fuel to fill a swimming pool EVERY 25 SECONDS??)
SWIMMING: Look for swimming info to be coming home soon. We will need 2 volunteers per day for each class!
Volunteer Calendar:
It was TWIN DAY and everyone was seeing double around the school. Many student chose to come dressed like someone else and it was very exciting to find all the different twins around the school. We even got a visit from Mr. Bimmons (who we discovered is Mr. Simmons' evil twin!)
First was our Friendliness assembly and we were able to view amazing examples of learning from many our the classrooms around the school. We were treated to poems, songs and even some African throat singing!
Many of the students participated in Fun Lunch today, and all the students got to have a picnic in the gym!
After recess we also had the opportunity to watch space shuttle Discovery's final launch into space. They are off to the International Space Station and when they come back Discovery will be taken out of service. CBC was at our school to capture this historic moment and you can look for our school on CBC news tonight between 5:00 and 6:30. (Did you know that, during take off, the Discovery uses enough fuel to fill a swimming pool EVERY 25 SECONDS??)
SWIMMING: Look for swimming info to be coming home soon. We will need 2 volunteers per day for each class!
Volunteer Calendar:
Please note that we are booked for swimming during the month of March (March 16-18 & 21st - 23rd) and will be looking for volunteers (TWO PER DAY) to help our students get changed in a quick and efficient manner - we often have a particular need for Dads to help out in the boys change room! Grade 1 times will be in the morning, so if there are days you know you can help, please e-mail me! rckroeker@cbe.ab.ca
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 22nd
Welcome back from our looooong weekend! I hope you all had a great few days and had the chance to spend some time with your families yesterday. The children had a lot to share about all the fun things they did.
Homework
Please see spelling list in your child's backpack. We have included their student ID number again this week for added practice. The children have been using their IDs to log on to the computers during our spelling station time in class.
Bits & Pieces
THURSDAY is a big day.
* ASSEMBLY in the morning at 9:10 (hosted by the Grade 2s).
* FUN LUNCH day. Students who ordered fun lunch will be receiving pita lunch.
* TWIN DAY! You you can can come come to to school school dressed like someone else! We hope to see a lot of twins, triplets, etc.
VOLUNTEERS
Please note that we are booked for swimming during the month of March and will be looking for volunteers (no more than 1-2 per day) The dates are: March 16-18 & 21st - 23rd to help our students get changed in a quick and efficient manner - we often have a particular need for Dads to help out in the boys changeroom! I don't the the exact TIMES for Grade 1 yet but if there are days you know you can help, feel free to e-mail me and let me know! Thank you very much in advance!
In math we had to work as groups to come up with as many CORRECT number sentences as possible for the number 12! To make this harder, the groups were responsible to checking over the work of other students.
Today we went on a listening walk around the school. In small groups, we recorded the different sounds we heard in various areas (hallway, great hall, office, gym, library, etc.) Some of the sounds we heard were the same, but some were very different!
Did you know? Children have better hearing than adults. There are some high frequency sounds that people stop hearing around the age of 25. We did an experiment in class, and at 21 hertz the students were still able to hear the sound, but Mr. Simmon's and I could not! The children thought this was pretty neat!
Homework
Please see spelling list in your child's backpack. We have included their student ID number again this week for added practice. The children have been using their IDs to log on to the computers during our spelling station time in class.
Bits & Pieces
THURSDAY is a big day.
* ASSEMBLY in the morning at 9:10 (hosted by the Grade 2s).
* FUN LUNCH day. Students who ordered fun lunch will be receiving pita lunch.
* TWIN DAY! You you can can come come to to school school dressed like someone else! We hope to see a lot of twins, triplets, etc.
VOLUNTEERS
Please note that we are booked for swimming during the month of March and will be looking for volunteers (no more than 1-2 per day) The dates are: March 16-18 & 21st - 23rd to help our students get changed in a quick and efficient manner - we often have a particular need for Dads to help out in the boys changeroom! I don't the the exact TIMES for Grade 1 yet but if there are days you know you can help, feel free to e-mail me and let me know! Thank you very much in advance!
In math we had to work as groups to come up with as many CORRECT number sentences as possible for the number 12! To make this harder, the groups were responsible to checking over the work of other students.
Today we went on a listening walk around the school. In small groups, we recorded the different sounds we heard in various areas (hallway, great hall, office, gym, library, etc.) Some of the sounds we heard were the same, but some were very different!
Did you know? Children have better hearing than adults. There are some high frequency sounds that people stop hearing around the age of 25. We did an experiment in class, and at 21 hertz the students were still able to hear the sound, but Mr. Simmon's and I could not! The children thought this was pretty neat!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, February 16th
HAPPY 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL!!!
We had a great day at school today. We did a ton of activities around the number 100. We counted to 100, walked 100 steps, did 100 jumping jacks and drew what we think we will look like at 100 years old. Ask your child about what things they noticed about 100 year old seniors.
**Just a reminder NO SCHOOL Thursday or Friday this week and Monday is FAMILY day!
Enjoy the long weekend!
We had a great day at school today. We did a ton of activities around the number 100. We counted to 100, walked 100 steps, did 100 jumping jacks and drew what we think we will look like at 100 years old. Ask your child about what things they noticed about 100 year old seniors.
**Just a reminder NO SCHOOL Thursday or Friday this week and Monday is FAMILY day!
Enjoy the long weekend!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tuesday, February 15th
Happy 46th Anniversary of the Canada Flag! We talked today about all the flags we have seen over the past week. We learned that the maple leaf is an symbol of Canada's natural environment and that the colours red and white were symbols of our past. Originally, some people thought the two sides of our flag should be blue, to represent Canada 'from sea to sea'. After our discussion the students had the opportunity to design and colour their own flags. Students chose symbols and colours to best represent what is most important to them in their own lives.
Over the weekend, one of our students had the opportunity to see the Titanic Exhibition that is currently on at the Telus World of Science (on now until June 27th) and shared his experience with us. The students were very captivated by the story of the sinking of the Titanic and were full of thought provoking questions. This quickly became a big topic of discussion for the day. As a class we watched a couple of videos from the Discovery Channel about how the ship sank and saw some old photos of the ship and its passengers. The children were very captivated by this piece of history and were amazed how such a tragedy could occur. They expressed their sadness for the people who died and demonstrated a real sense of compassion for the passengers as well as an overall curiosity about the subject.
I encourage you, if you have the opportunity and your child is interested, to visit the exhibition at the Science Centre as a family. It is so exciting to watch and take part as children develop an interest in the world around them!
Did you know?
From Balmoral School - Calgary:
"A popular myth is that the clock for the tower of the school went down with the Titanic in 1912. While this is an interesting story, the clock was never purchased as World War I began, and there were no funds available."
Over the weekend, one of our students had the opportunity to see the Titanic Exhibition that is currently on at the Telus World of Science (on now until June 27th) and shared his experience with us. The students were very captivated by the story of the sinking of the Titanic and were full of thought provoking questions. This quickly became a big topic of discussion for the day. As a class we watched a couple of videos from the Discovery Channel about how the ship sank and saw some old photos of the ship and its passengers. The children were very captivated by this piece of history and were amazed how such a tragedy could occur. They expressed their sadness for the people who died and demonstrated a real sense of compassion for the passengers as well as an overall curiosity about the subject.
I encourage you, if you have the opportunity and your child is interested, to visit the exhibition at the Science Centre as a family. It is so exciting to watch and take part as children develop an interest in the world around them!
Did you know?
From Balmoral School - Calgary:
"A popular myth is that the clock for the tower of the school went down with the Titanic in 1912. While this is an interesting story, the clock was never purchased as World War I began, and there were no funds available."
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday, February 14th
Happy Valentine's/Friendship Day!!!
Wow! What a busy day!
Today we made friendship cards for someone in our class. Each child drew the name of a friend to write a special message for. They were very thoughtful with their pictures and compliments. We also made mailboxes and exchanged Valentine Cards at the end of the day!
Lots of children came dressed in red in the spirit of friendship. They looked fabulous!
Homework
Short Spelling list this week. Please note the number at the bottom. This is your child's student ID # and they will eventually need to memorize it as they use it to log on to the computers at school.
Don't forget to bring in your flag tally for the 46th Anniversary of the Canada Flag tomorrow.
Wednesday is 100th Day of School! We will be doing a variety of activities with numbers to 100.
NO SCHOOL Thursday, Friday, Monday
Wow! What a busy day!
Today we made friendship cards for someone in our class. Each child drew the name of a friend to write a special message for. They were very thoughtful with their pictures and compliments. We also made mailboxes and exchanged Valentine Cards at the end of the day!
Lots of children came dressed in red in the spirit of friendship. They looked fabulous!
Homework
Short Spelling list this week. Please note the number at the bottom. This is your child's student ID # and they will eventually need to memorize it as they use it to log on to the computers at school.
Don't forget to bring in your flag tally for the 46th Anniversary of the Canada Flag tomorrow.
Wednesday is 100th Day of School! We will be doing a variety of activities with numbers to 100.
NO SCHOOL Thursday, Friday, Monday
Friday, February 11, 2011
Friday, February 11th
Reminders:
Monday is Valentines/Friendship Day - Students may wear red if they would like!
Please check your child's backpack for a list of first names for all the children in our class. If your child would like to make cards to hand out on Monday, please feel free to do so. WIf they are passing out cards we ask that they have one for every student in class.
On Monday we will be writing friendship notes and doing a special friendship activity in class.
Tuesday is the 46th Anniversary of the Canada Flag. Don't forget to keep recording how many flags you see around town! Today we learned that Canada will only be 144 years old this year. We discovered that some countries are thousands of years old and that the earth is 4.6 BILLION years old!
*** Conversation Starter: Talk with your child about which countries your family originally came from!
Wednesday will be our 100th Day of School! We will be celebrating with a variety of 100th Day activities.
Please remember there is NO SCHOOL Thursday February 17th or Friday February 18th Due to Teacher's Convention.
Have a GREAT weekend!!!
Monday is Valentines/Friendship Day - Students may wear red if they would like!
Please check your child's backpack for a list of first names for all the children in our class. If your child would like to make cards to hand out on Monday, please feel free to do so. WIf they are passing out cards we ask that they have one for every student in class.
On Monday we will be writing friendship notes and doing a special friendship activity in class.
Tuesday is the 46th Anniversary of the Canada Flag. Don't forget to keep recording how many flags you see around town! Today we learned that Canada will only be 144 years old this year. We discovered that some countries are thousands of years old and that the earth is 4.6 BILLION years old!
*** Conversation Starter: Talk with your child about which countries your family originally came from!
Wednesday will be our 100th Day of School! We will be celebrating with a variety of 100th Day activities.
Please remember there is NO SCHOOL Thursday February 17th or Friday February 18th Due to Teacher's Convention.
Have a GREAT weekend!!!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wednesday, February 9th
Our field trip today was a great success! The students counted how many Canadian flags they saw on our bus ride to Y Stage(some found up to 27 flags!). The theatre was at the base of the Calgary Tower, which was a fun sight to see!
The play, 'Thrice Upon a Time' was funny and entertaining. We saw lots of acrobatics and light and shadow shows. They even used in-house sound effects! We were all very impressed! Ask your child about the three main characters in the play and what their favourite part was.
I would also like to say a big THANK YOU to our parent volunteers today!!! Parent volunteers play a big part in making trips like these possible. We sincerely appreciate your time and help!
REMINDERS
Remember to record how many flags you saw today! We also talked about using the tally system to record our numbers.
Spelling Review on Friday.
Have a great evening!
The play, 'Thrice Upon a Time' was funny and entertaining. We saw lots of acrobatics and light and shadow shows. They even used in-house sound effects! We were all very impressed! Ask your child about the three main characters in the play and what their favourite part was.
I would also like to say a big THANK YOU to our parent volunteers today!!! Parent volunteers play a big part in making trips like these possible. We sincerely appreciate your time and help!
REMINDERS
Remember to record how many flags you saw today! We also talked about using the tally system to record our numbers.
Spelling Review on Friday.
Have a great evening!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tuesday, February 8th
Tomorrow is the BIG Day! Field Trip! Just a reminder of our itinerary:
9:00(or as close as possible) - buses leave
9:30 - arrive at the theatre
10:00 - show starts
10:50 - show ends and we will have a 10 minute debriefing with the cast
11:10 - debriefing ends
11:15 - board busses
11:45 - return to the school
Please note: There is no time in the itinerary to have a snack. Please ensure your child has a nice, big breakfast. They will eat their lunch at their regular time (12:00). If your child ordinarily goes home for lunch they will need to bring one as there will not be time for them to go home. They will not be charged a drop-in fee.
Volunteers: Please come in with your child in the morning.
Students were also given a letter today about our Flag's Anniversary. Please go over it with your child.
Reminders:
Please note that ALL Grade 1 student will be entering and exiting from the compound doors starting tomorrow. While this does not change anything for our class, other students may need some reminders about where to go!!
100 Minutes of Reading: Keep track of your reading on the chart sent home! We hope EVERY student reaches 100 minutes before the end of the month!
Homework: It's another new spelling list! You'll see some words that look familiar as we look at words that continue to challenge us! You can find a link to the list below:
Spelling List Feb 7th
9:00(or as close as possible) - buses leave
9:30 - arrive at the theatre
10:00 - show starts
10:50 - show ends and we will have a 10 minute debriefing with the cast
11:10 - debriefing ends
11:15 - board busses
11:45 - return to the school
Please note: There is no time in the itinerary to have a snack. Please ensure your child has a nice, big breakfast. They will eat their lunch at their regular time (12:00). If your child ordinarily goes home for lunch they will need to bring one as there will not be time for them to go home. They will not be charged a drop-in fee.
Volunteers: Please come in with your child in the morning.
Students were also given a letter today about our Flag's Anniversary. Please go over it with your child.
Reminders:
Please note that ALL Grade 1 student will be entering and exiting from the compound doors starting tomorrow. While this does not change anything for our class, other students may need some reminders about where to go!!
100 Minutes of Reading: Keep track of your reading on the chart sent home! We hope EVERY student reaches 100 minutes before the end of the month!
Homework: It's another new spelling list! You'll see some words that look familiar as we look at words that continue to challenge us! You can find a link to the list below:
Spelling List Feb 7th
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday, February 7th
Homework
Please check your child's backpack for their spelling list for the week. We also sent home their spelling review from last week. We have seen a lot of improvement from many of our students! Mr. Simmon's and I were very impressed to see that many children tried to sound out unfamiliar words phonetically. Keep up the hard work!
Bits & Pieces
FIELD TRIP THIS WEDNESDAY THE 9TH! We will be going on our field trip to see 'Thrice Upon a Time' at Y Stage in the morning on Wednesday. We will leave by bus at 9:00 am and return to school by approximately 12:00 pm. Please make sure that all students bring a lunch to school this day. We will be eating lunch when we return to school. There will no time for snack in the morning, so please make sure your child has a big breakfast! If you are volunteering please arrive at school with your child that morning (8:42 am).
VALENTINE'S DAY
On February 14th, should your child wish to bring Valentine Cards they are welcome to do so, but please do not feel that you need to send cards. We will be sending a list of first names home this week. Students will have time in the afternoon on Valentine's Day to hand out their cards.
** Because our virtue of the month is Friendliness, a suggestion would be to have your child write 'friendship' notes to their classmates as Valentines. **
MATH
Do you know it, can you show it? In math today, the students had the opportunity to show us what they know about addition through various forms of representation. The children chose to show number sentences through numerals, pictures, ten frames, word problems etc. Ask your child how they chose to show what they know!
Please check your child's backpack for their spelling list for the week. We also sent home their spelling review from last week. We have seen a lot of improvement from many of our students! Mr. Simmon's and I were very impressed to see that many children tried to sound out unfamiliar words phonetically. Keep up the hard work!
Bits & Pieces
FIELD TRIP THIS WEDNESDAY THE 9TH! We will be going on our field trip to see 'Thrice Upon a Time' at Y Stage in the morning on Wednesday. We will leave by bus at 9:00 am and return to school by approximately 12:00 pm. Please make sure that all students bring a lunch to school this day. We will be eating lunch when we return to school. There will no time for snack in the morning, so please make sure your child has a big breakfast! If you are volunteering please arrive at school with your child that morning (8:42 am).
VALENTINE'S DAY
On February 14th, should your child wish to bring Valentine Cards they are welcome to do so, but please do not feel that you need to send cards. We will be sending a list of first names home this week. Students will have time in the afternoon on Valentine's Day to hand out their cards.
** Because our virtue of the month is Friendliness, a suggestion would be to have your child write 'friendship' notes to their classmates as Valentines. **
MATH
Do you know it, can you show it? In math today, the students had the opportunity to show us what they know about addition through various forms of representation. The children chose to show number sentences through numerals, pictures, ten frames, word problems etc. Ask your child how they chose to show what they know!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Thursday, February 3rd
Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!
Bits & Pieces
Today we read a story called My First Chinese New Year and worked as a whole class in our big journals to represent what we learned about Chinese New Year. We know that Red means good luck and happiness. Oranges symbolize money and good luck. Children also receive red envelopes with money inside for Chinese New Year and get their hair cut to symbolize new beginnings.
In Science today we read a book about our sense of taste. Did you know that a catfish has taste buds all over its body? The students were asked to imagine what it would be like to taste a banana with your elbow! We also talked about how not everyone likes the same tastes. Talk to your child and family about their sense of taste. What is your favourite food? What is your least favourite food?
Tomorrow we will be doing a smell test to see how well our noses can identify different smells!
Homework
Tomorrow is our spelling review. Make sure you practice tonight so you can show off everything you learned at our spelling stations this week!
Parents, remember that spelling practice can be done in many different ways. Make a game out of spelling the words, or have your child try writing them in the colours of the rainbow using markers, crayons or pencil crayons. Another fun activity is to write the words with your finger in salt or shaving cream. The possibilities are endless!
Reminders
Hockey Club for Grade 1 students will be in the gym at lunchtime tomorrow.
The 100th Day of school will be on Wednesday, February 16th. In honour of the 100th day of school, we are challenging all Grade Ones to read for 100 minutes in the month of February! Please check for the Yellow reading chart in your child's backpack today.
Have a good night!
Bits & Pieces
Today we read a story called My First Chinese New Year and worked as a whole class in our big journals to represent what we learned about Chinese New Year. We know that Red means good luck and happiness. Oranges symbolize money and good luck. Children also receive red envelopes with money inside for Chinese New Year and get their hair cut to symbolize new beginnings.
In Science today we read a book about our sense of taste. Did you know that a catfish has taste buds all over its body? The students were asked to imagine what it would be like to taste a banana with your elbow! We also talked about how not everyone likes the same tastes. Talk to your child and family about their sense of taste. What is your favourite food? What is your least favourite food?
Tomorrow we will be doing a smell test to see how well our noses can identify different smells!
Homework
Tomorrow is our spelling review. Make sure you practice tonight so you can show off everything you learned at our spelling stations this week!
Parents, remember that spelling practice can be done in many different ways. Make a game out of spelling the words, or have your child try writing them in the colours of the rainbow using markers, crayons or pencil crayons. Another fun activity is to write the words with your finger in salt or shaving cream. The possibilities are endless!
Reminders
Hockey Club for Grade 1 students will be in the gym at lunchtime tomorrow.
The 100th Day of school will be on Wednesday, February 16th. In honour of the 100th day of school, we are challenging all Grade Ones to read for 100 minutes in the month of February! Please check for the Yellow reading chart in your child's backpack today.
Have a good night!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Wednesday, February 2nd
Homework
Spelling List went home today. Review on Friday.
Please read the note about bringing in an object for our feeling bags - something with an interesting texture. The students will be playing a guessing game using their sense of touch tomorrow.
Bits & Pieces
Purple Calendar for February went home today. Please note the special days this month:
Feb. 9th - Grade 1 Field Trip to Y Stage Theatre
Feb 14th - Valentine's Day / Friendship Day - Wear Red if you would like
Feb 17th - 21st NO SCHOOL
Feb 24th - Twin Day - dress the same as someone else!
In Language Arts today we started talking about Fairy Tales. What is a Fairy Tale? See if your child can tell you some important elements of Fairy Tales. We also talked about some of our favourite Fairy Tales. If your child has a Fairy Tale that they would like to share with the class they are welcome to bring it in to school. Please ensure that your child's name is in the book.
In Social Studies we have been learning about Community Helpers. We brainstormed important people in our community and the jobs they do to help us. (ie. police officers, fire fighters, teachers, librarians, doctors, veterinarians, dentists, etc.) Some students also shared the important jobs that their parents do! The students have realized how important everyone's role is in order to maintain a safe and happy community!
Spelling List went home today. Review on Friday.
Please read the note about bringing in an object for our feeling bags - something with an interesting texture. The students will be playing a guessing game using their sense of touch tomorrow.
Bits & Pieces
Purple Calendar for February went home today. Please note the special days this month:
Feb. 9th - Grade 1 Field Trip to Y Stage Theatre
Feb 14th - Valentine's Day / Friendship Day - Wear Red if you would like
Feb 17th - 21st NO SCHOOL
Feb 24th - Twin Day - dress the same as someone else!
In Language Arts today we started talking about Fairy Tales. What is a Fairy Tale? See if your child can tell you some important elements of Fairy Tales. We also talked about some of our favourite Fairy Tales. If your child has a Fairy Tale that they would like to share with the class they are welcome to bring it in to school. Please ensure that your child's name is in the book.
In Social Studies we have been learning about Community Helpers. We brainstormed important people in our community and the jobs they do to help us. (ie. police officers, fire fighters, teachers, librarians, doctors, veterinarians, dentists, etc.) Some students also shared the important jobs that their parents do! The students have realized how important everyone's role is in order to maintain a safe and happy community!
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