Newsletter #13

November 29th Edition of

The K/1 Class News

Hello Everyone!

On Monday the class practiced printing, went the library (after a couple missed weeks) and practiced “just right” reading.

Tuesday the class was very excited to meet baby Max (our Roots of Empathy baby). Baby Max is 3 months old and was curiously looking around at the children. On Tuesday we also played in the gym, wrote our names in nature and practiced making life cycles in our Oral Language groups. The kids were all given a book to take home called, “Good Morning Canada”, this is yours to keep courtesy of scholastic!

Wednesday was a half-day to accommodate the student led conferences. The children had a chance to practice each station during the day and were excited to show their families what they have been learning.

On Thursday the class went to Whole School Meeting where many children brought in their spare change to donate to cancer research. We collect change each Thursday if you ever feel like sending some in for your child to contribute. On Thursday we also made bird feeders with our buddies and had Music class.

Please remember to bring in any lightly used items to the Re-gift Fest donation room. We encourage families to donate the same number of items as the number of people in their immediate family.

The lyrics to “Santa Bring Me Snow” were sent home on Thursday. If you find time to help go over the words with your child it would be appreciated. Here is a link to the song if you would like to hear it:

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/santa-bring-me-snow/354643/

Thanks to those who have returned the Roots Of Empathy consent form. If you have any questions about the program, don’t hesitate to ask

Important dates to remember:

December 6 Fieldtrip to the Christmas tree farm

December 7 Re-gift Fest “shop”

December 19 Christmas Concert 6pm

December 22 Winter Break begins

Enjoy your weekend!

Ara and Kaz

avanriel@sd64.bc.ca

klundgren@sd64.bc.ca

                      Making life cycles in our Oral Language groups

                                  Writing our names with sticks!

                                   
                   Roscoe was proud of his "hi" he wrote in nature. 

Newsletter #12

November 23rd Edition of

The K/1 Class News

Greetings Everyone.

This week was a busy one!

On Monday we continued working on our printing practice, and had fun playing games in the gym. There was no library today due to the book fair being set up in that space. We also started a habitat mural and played squirrel games in the forest. Monday was also school photo retakes.

Tuesday our class had a chance to look at all the lovely books at the book fair. Many of the children copied the titles of the books onto a wish list to bring home. We focused on sorting life cycles in our oral language groups. Tuesday was our first day of the Roots of Empathy program. You were all sent home a newsletter outlining the program and a consent form. Thanks to those who have returned the consent form. If you have any questions about the program, don’t hesitate to ask. We look forward to meeting baby Max next week!

Wednesday was a busy day. Some of the children purchased books from the book fair, we continued learning about measurement, we practiced our song for the Christmas concert, made owl puppets and played an owl game outside.

On Thursday the class welcomed Janet Hoag in to help do some math assessments with the class. We also had our Whole School Meeting, went to Music and explored nature.

The lyrics to “Santa Bring Me Snow” were sent home on Thursday. If you find time to help go over the words with your child it would be appreciated. Here is a link to the song if you would like to hear it:

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/santa-bring-me-snow/354643/

Reminder: November 29^th is an early dismissal day for student led conferences. This is your child’s opportunity to share their learning with you. Please arrive at least 15 minuets prior to your meeting time so you can visit each learning station with your child. These experiences/meetings are this terms report card.

Important dates to remember:

November 29^th is an early dismissal day for student led conferences.

December 6 Fieldtrip to the Christmas tree farm

December 7 RRR Christmas “shop”

December 19 Christmas Concert 6pm

December 22 Winter Break begins

Enjoy your weekend!

Ara and Kaz

avanriel@sd64.bc.ca

klundgren@sd64.bc.ca

                        The kids measuring things using unifix cubes

                           Cruiz building a fence during centres time

              The class getting ready to fly their owl puppets to the forest

                                             Counting all the "mice" the owls caught

Newsletter #11

November 16th Edition of

The K/1 Class News

Hello Everyone!

Monday this week was a holiday because of Remembrance Day so there was no school.

Tuesday we wrote about our favourite local animal in our journals, had our Oral Language groups and enjoyed learning about dinosaurs with a science group “Let’s Talk Science” from the University of Victoria.

Wednesday we had Quentin visit the class to share a poem and create an owl craft, we also learned about what a habitat is and had a senses scavenger hunt out in nature.

On Thursday we had Whole School Meeting and Mina and Sylvio presented their artwork. We finished off our animal stories with help from our big buddies and visited the bog to explore nature. The kids were thrilled to find the bog full of water after all the rain! What a difference from last week. As you will notice, many children got wet while playing in the water. Please make sure your child has a spare set of clothes at school and if items were lent out, please wash and return them so we can have them when needed.

We have also started learning a song (“Santa Bring Me Snow”) and dance to perform at our Christmas Concert in December. The kids are eager to learn the moves!

Ms. Klare is now teaching most of the day. Kaz and Mrs. Van Riel are supervising and assisting in her lessons. Ms. Klare is doing a great job and the children are always eager to hear about what she will teach them.

Important dates to remember:

November 20^th Retakes

November 21-23 Book Fair

November 29^th is an early dismissal day for student led conferences. This is your child’s opportunity to share their learning with you. Please sign up for an interview time (or contact us) if you have not done so already. If you can’t make it during school hours please let us know.

December 7^th ReGift Fest

Scholastic book orders were sent home. If you would like to order a book for Christmas and have it be a surprise, please email Kaz and she will make sure your child doesn’t see it. The book fair is also a great place for holiday shopping.

Have a great weekend!

Ara and Kaz

avanriel@sd64.bc.ca

klundgren@sd64.bc.ca 

                                  Making dino footprint fossils!

                         
                         Practicing digging for fossils using a cookie!

                  

Getting ready to work on our stories with the Big Buddies

                                 Exploring the bog full of water!

Newsletter #10

November 9th Edition of

The K/1 Class News

Hello Everyone!

Another week flies by. The children are slowly adjusting to the time change; many have been a tad more tired than usual.

On Monday, Mrs. Freeman taught the class as Kaz was away. The kids learned about the letters that start at the top and go down, Remembrance Day and made poppy art.

On Tuesday we wrote about Peace in our journals, practiced storytelling with wordless picture books in our Oral Language groups and Ms. Klare taught the class more about animals hibernation.

Wednesday we had our school Remembrance Day Assembly and enjoyed moving performances by the choir and some of the classes. We also started learning about measurement with Ms. Klare and continued learning about animals that hibernate while we were in the forest.

On Thursday Ms. Klare started a story writing project with the class, we created snowy forest art, had Music class and spent time in the forest.

ReGift Fest!  Thursday, December  7th

Our annual RRRR  (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Regift), now called “ReGift Fest” is coming up on December 7th. This is a wonderful school event is where families and community members donate gently used items for us to set up in our “Christmas Store” where the students come and shop for free for gifts for each of their immediate family members. Families are asked to kindly start setting aside or gathering gently used items suitable for a range of ages (baby to adult). We suggest you donate the same number of items as there are members in your family. If you have more and are willing to share, we would be very grateful. Please make sure the items are clean and in good working order. Please do not bring clothes, though scarves, hats and mitts are welcome. Donations of wrapping paper and ribbons are also gratefully accepted. Please hold your donations until the week of November 27 when we will begin accepting them.  Many thanks to Catherine Black for volunteering to coordinate ReGift Fest again this season. We will be looking for some parent volunteers for the ReGift day to help with wrapping gifts.

Important dates to remember:

November 13 School Closed for Remembrance Day

November 17 Pro D day (classes not in session)

November 20 Photo retakes

November 21-23 Book Fair

November 29^th is an early dismissal day for student led conferences. This is your child’s opportunity to share their learning with you. Please sign up on the google doc signup list for an interview time or contact us so we can sign up for you.

December 7^th ReGift Fest

Have a great weekend!

Ara and Kaz

avanriel@sd64.bc.ca

klundgren@sd64.bc.ca

                                   Jude finding texture on a log. 

                                     Ms. Klare having fun with the kids in the line up. 

                  Ms. Klare introducing a lesson on hibernation in the forest. 

Some of the kids looking for bugs. 

                                             

We played "camouflage" at the bog.