Supporting Children Around Mother Earth!!!

Dear Families,

Our school is collecting pennies to raise money for Sleeping Kits.  Each class has been given a 2L bottle to fill with donations.  Any donation from you big or small will make a significant difference!  The students are excited to help other children in need - what an amazing opportunity for US to give back.  The money raised will then be given to "The Sleeping Children Foundation."

PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR PENNY DRIVE!!! 

“We have it in our power to change the world.”

~ Thomas Paine

Penny Drive - Raising Money for Sleeping Kits
(Kate) 

Yes We CAN!  Make a CHANGE!  Our Chance to SHINE!
(From left - Garie, Kate, and Christopher)

“I choose to believe I can and will change the world with my thoughts, words and actions.”

Namaste,
Miss Gill

Animoto Video - celebrating OUR Student's Math Learning!!!

Dear Families,

Let's put our hands together to celebrate MATH LEARNING!!!  The children LOVE MATH as I've worked at creating engaging, minds on, interactive lessons.  The students enthusiastically participate in our "Math Minds On Songs!"  Incorporating music into my math lessons has made a signifcant difference.  Your child is up, moving, singing, and LEARNING KEY CONCEPTS in a FUN, meaningful way!!! 

Just below, I've posted two pictures of my classroom Math Wall.  It is designed for the children to utilize during math learning opportunities.  I begin each math lesson by saying, "Math Learning!"  Immediately following this, the children turn to the wall and say math vocabulary that pertains to the BIG IDEA we're focusing on at that time.  Currently, our focus is on - Telling Time (to the hour and half hour) and Money (adding and subtracting money amounts).

Click on the link below (My Animoto Video) to watch and celebrate our Connaught Student's Math Learning! 

A school-wide Learning Goal is implementing 3 Part Math Lessons into our teaching.  The focus in this particular video is on Fractions. 

My Animoto Video - Celebrating OUR Student's Math Learning (Kindergarten - Grade 8)

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." 
~Harriet Tubman



Namaste,
Miss Gill

WE'RE WACKY & WE KNOW IT!

Dear Families,

I hope you all had a "Wacky Weekend!!!"  The children and I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating school SPIRIT on Friday!  Thank you to all those students who participated in this school wide event and to those families who took valuable time in helping their child assemble wacky tacky attire!    Photo credit goes to Christopher's Mommy!  Thank you Stephanie for all your pictures you've sent along to me.  You've captured many memorable moments of these amazing group of students!!!

CELEBRATING WACKY TACKY DAY!!!

From left: A'Laura, Christopher, Haily, Kate, Melissa, Megan, Libby, and ME!

Word Study:  one, two, three, four, five

• This week's 'Key Words' are focused on 'Number Words.'  Most children can successfully read all these words, however, the next step is to spell them correctly in their writing.
• Please have your child complete their word study pages and then take 5-10 minutes practicing spelling these 'key words' independently.

Math:  Learning Goal - Telling Time

• Please take a moment to read over the 'The Math Note' I've sent home with your child, so you're both aware of the upcoming learnings and are familiar with the expectations of this area of mathematics.  Telling time is a vital life skill for your child to learn, having your support at home is crucial as it will certainly benefit their learning.
• In my lessons, I will be using our school's SmartBoard.  The SmartBoard is an interactive and engaging piece of technology that I know your child will have a keen interest in using and learning from. 

Science:  Learning Goal - The Human Body



• Your child will be learning about some of the external and internal organs in the human body(e.g., heart, lungs, intestines, brain, stomach). 
• In my lessons, I will be using our school's Document Camera as a tool to do interactive read alouds using non-fiction text.

Below is a picture of Jasmine and Naina using the school Document Camera to assemble external and internal body parts to a foam puzzle.  Well done, SCIENTISTS!!!



"The benefits of the reading, writing and math does not outweigh the need for children to learn to work and play together."  ~ John Wilson

Namaste,
Miss Gill



A Tribute To ... Mrs. Roth, Mr. Tyson, Wonderous Chicks!

Dear Families,

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to your child for making our CHICK LEARNING EXPERIENCE a purposeful, engaging, and memorable one!  Your child demonstrated a keen interest and respect for our chicks.  I was amazed at their work ethic and positive energy throughout this process.  We certainly enjoyed every aspect of our chick's development.  Seeing them go on Friday was extremely difficult, but we all understand the chicks need to be reunited with their Farm Family.  We will hold our chicks near and dear to our hearts, minds, and souls.

Mrs. Roth 
Without your inspiration, guidance, teachings, and support, none of this Chick Learning would have been possible.  You truly inspired and guided us in bringing this amazing experience to OUR CLASSROOM - we thank you with all our heart!  Thank you for joining our Class Family for our Earth Day Celebration to celebrate and share chick development learning with the rest of the Primary Division!  Your teachings and compassion reached the hearts and minds of every child.  You are a gifted and amazing educator, Mrs. Roth!!!  We're sooo fortunate to have YOU part of our Classroom Family.

WE HONOUR YOU, Mrs. Roth!!!

From Left: Mrs. McNabb, Miss Gill, Mrs. Roth, Mrs. Taylor

Mr. Tyson
Thank you for providing the fertilized eggs for our Classroom Community!  It was neat to have two types of eggs which produced two types of chicks - fluffy, buttery yellow chicks and silky, smooth amber/golden chicks.  A beautiful, charming sight to see!  Thank you also for taking the time to join our learning on Friday to answer my student's egg and chick questions :)

A MUST SEE VIDEO!!!  Click on the link below and join me in celebrating your child's CHICK learning!

CHICKS HATCHING 2012

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one"

Namaste,

Miss Gill

Day 21 – Chicks have HATCHED!!!

Dear Families,

It is with great LOVE and GRATITUDE that I announce the newest members of our Classroom Family – Our Wee Wonderous Chicks!  They have pecked their way through and are now ‘cheeping’ away happily, awaiting your child’s loving heart and support!  Thus far, we have 4 chicks in the brooder box and MORE ARE ON THE WAY!!!   The incubator still has a number of eggs remaining with tiny holes, which means – more chicks are diligently using their egg teeth so they too can join our amazing Connaught Family!!! 

This WHOLE WEEK we will have the opportunity to share our Learning Community with the chicks!  They are safely resting in a large brooder box with a heat lamp, feed, and a water tray where they will nestle in cozily to happily meet n’ greet the students!  As real scientists do, your child will continue to analyze, investigate and explore the life cycle and daily life of baby chicks.  Their knowledge has increased tremendously since the chick’s arrival and we are excited to provide more fun and purposeful activities to engage your child in MORE Chick Learning!

Upcoming Celebration: 

On Fri. Apr. 20^th, Mrs. Roth will be joining our Earth Day Celebration!  She will be volunteering more of her knowledge, time, love and energy to educate the rest of the Primary Division students about the Development of our Baby Chicks!  Thank you MRS. ROTH for being an integral part of our Learning Community throughout this school year!!!  You have and continue to spread your brilliant love and light J

After school (Apr. 20th), the chicks will be reunited with their Farm Family.  Mr. Oscar Tyson (a retired teacher who gave us the eggs) will be taking the chicks to his farm to raise them J  I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and say – thank you Mr. Tyson for providing our Classroom with such a powerful learning opportunity!  We will cherish and fondly remember this experience now – ALWAYS!!!

Please click on the link below, it is an educational clip on the development of a chicken that your child has seen in class! 

*Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you were a chicken?  Look at different kinds of chickens. Watch a hen laying eggs and see the baby chick hatch out of its egg. Learn about what chickens like to eat.  You're only a click away ...

LINK:  http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=128921 

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.  It's the life in your years.” - Abraham Lincoln

Namaste,
Miss Gill

"Chick" it out! Embryo Development Flip Chart :)

Dear Families,

I hope you all had a hip, hoppin' Easter with your family and friends!  Wowie, the Easter bunny greeted us with lovely rays of sunshine :) I had my family visiting from the city and we enjoyed many wonderful walks, talks and delicious meals.  Ohhh, and dark chocolate ... mmmmmm!

I'm excited to see your child back at school for another exciting, purposeful and FUN week!  They brighten and highten many of my days with their smiles, laughs and brilliant thinking! 

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Mrs. Johnston back to our Classroom Community!  She is an integral part of our daily learning and has demonstrated tremendous support and care for each learner.  We're delighted to have her return - she'll also be introduced to our Chick Learning!

Speaking of Chicks, below you will find a link that I've shown your child in class!  It's a file that provides slides of the development of a chick embryo!  We've discussed the various stages of the baby chicks development, ask your child the following to help reinforce learned concepts:

• What is the egg tooth and why is it important? (lump on beak, chicks uses it to peck its' way out)
• What is the purpose of the rotator? (turns eggs so both sides are heated)
• What is the incubator?  What is it pretending to be? (fertilized eggs are kept warm as the incubator is pretending to be the mother hen)
• How many days does it take for a chick to hatch? (21 days)
• What is the function of blood vessels? (carry blood and nutrients to the embryo)

Chick Embryo Development Flip Chart     *click this link to 'CHICK' out the flip chart*

FYI: Tues. Apr. 10th is Day 16 of Chick Development ...

May OUR Chicks be with YOU ...

I can do no great things, only small things with great love.  Mother Teresa

Namaste,

Miss Gill

Wonderous Artists! A Tribute to Gordon Harrison :)

Grade 1 Art Lesson  *click on the link to view animoto*

Dear Families,
Please take a moment to check out "Our Extraordinary Ones" as amazing artists!  They were inspired by Gordon Harrison - a Canadian artist who is our very own Mrs. Jungkind's dear brother.  Their enthusiasm, vision and creation capture the essence of art - imagination!  

Let's celebrate their growing creativity and love of colour and NATURE!

"It took me 4 years to paint like Raphael, but a life time to paint like a child."
-Pablo Picasso

Namaste,
Miss Gill