Hello Everyone,

We hope you're having a good week and want to wish all who are home feeling miserable a speedy recovery (there's been a ton of absences due to illness this week); we've missed you all very much. Also best of luck to our dance competitor — you'll be a shining star for sure :)

It was another whirlwind week, that's just picking up speed as we roll into spring.

The students have been hard at work on their science/tree inquiry art mural for Arbor Day, and wow is it coming together beautifully. They'll tell you all about it, and show it off, this Thursday evening at our Arbor Day Celebration, which is happening 6:00 - 7:30, everyone's invited.

We have had a lot of additions to our Circle of Courage this week.  It truly is wonderful how kind, supportive and generous our group of little people are!

In Language Arts we are seeing more and more fantastic stories take shape in Toy Theaters.  Likewise, the students have been learning how to create green screen videos, editing particular pictures in as backgrounds so as to match dialogue — very cool stuff.  51A has also been working on creative sentence building, and printing skills. It's looking good!

Math performance has been impressive.  Math sentences, math stories and measurement have been the group focus, while in stations, work with teacher was looking at overall math skill assessment. There are definitely some budding mathematicians among us.

In Phys-ed this week, the children were working on their basketball skills.  It is amazing to see how quickly dribbling skills developed in such a short time.

Music has been dedicated to the rehearsal of Music Monday and Arbor Day songs.  It's a lot of words to remember but they're getting there.

Many of us were in kindergarten this morning to support in a sewing project.  Again, it was fantastic to see how patient, kind and helpful our students are with the little ones.

It was a busy week and it was fun.  Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to pull all of our tasks together, and pitched in to help tidy up everyday!  You're a great bunch!

Have a fantastic weekend, be safe and laugh a lot,

Mrs. McArthur and Ms. Klein.

As an extra note, we posted (the post before this) an invitation to join in on Ms. Low and Ms. Ly's trout release.

Trout Release Invitation from Ms. Low and Mrs. Ly

Spelling Words - Week 16 (April 24-28)

Grade 1

some

her

would

make

duck

luck

suck

stuck

Grade 2

try

rest

hand

seven

again

fast

past

last

cost

blast

cast

oral

box

data

record

full

Happy Friday to All!

Room 51 students packed in a lot of things in the short week we had.  The students were really excited about presenting the moves they learned in Hip Hop dancing in a recital, combining several classes in a type of flash mob dancing.  They were fantastic and as proud of themselves as we were.  If you weren’t able to attend, ask your child to bust out some of their new dancing moves.  Physical education then concluded the week with having the 1s & 2s practicing their basketball skills in rotating skill centers around the gymnasium.

We also began the week off with a visit from Scientists in School.  Our scientist, Laura, set up stations for the students to do some great hands-on activities all centered on the seasons, such as what animals use to stay warm outdoors in the winter.  Ask your child about some of the things that they have learned.

Both groups, in math, started a new unit this week – measurement.  They had a great deal of fun comparing classroom items for length and weight, using a scale to weigh items. They then recorded in words or pictures showing how they made their comparisons. Then we began an inquiry into the calendar, looking at days of the week and just how a calendar works.

The students went to choir all together on Friday, while prior to this; they were continuing to practice their songs for “Music Monday” and Arbor Day.

Arbor Day is fast approaching so we spent a great deal of time this week researching tree facts for language arts and creating our mural for this special day.  Students began painting their individual backgrounds with sky and mountains, with some students adding clouds to their sky made from tissue or cotton balls.  They also started drawing their trees, paying particular attention to the shape and characteristics of their tree, including whether it is deciduous or coniferous.  They used real pieces of branches for their trunks and needles.  Those students with deciduous trees used various colours of tissue paper for the leaves on their trees and real branch pieces for their trunk.  Those with coniferous trees are encouraged to collect tiny pinecones on the weekend to add to their tree.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Weekly spelling April 18 - 22

Grade 1 Spelling

April 18 - 22

then

them

these

so

sun

run

fun

bun

Grade 2 spelling
April 18 - 22

farm

fire

home

us

move

bump

stump

clump

stamp

clamp

camp

question

test

predict

observe

guess

TWAS

Hello Family and Friends of 51 A and B,

I hope you're all able to enjoy a cozy long weekend.

Your children have been soooo busy this week.  There are so many things going on and likely will be right through to the end of June.

Your little scientists have been experimenting with temperature.  They are learning about thermometers and how to read them.  They went on walking tours, comparing temperatures inside and outside of the school.  The next step will be creating insulators, so don't hesitate to begin some discussions about things that insulate in and around the home. ALSO in science, the children have begun creating a massive wall mural where they will present their Arbor Day inquiry study, that includes a study of tree-reliant animals and birds.

This week in math:  51 B completed estimation stations on length, weight, time and capacity.
They had a ball and learned loads about estimation.  They fully learned that some things are really easy to estimate and some things are much more challenging to estimate.

51 A worked on reading and creating number stories and number sentences to go with.  We learned that numbers are everywhere.  We also worked in our math stations, and the grade 1's continued to impress with their amazing addition skills, and use of base ten rods and units.

In Language Arts your little authors continued their story writing work in google docs.  The stories are getting more exciting by the second; some of the stories have been through their final edits, are printed off, and are being transformed into magical puppet theatre shows.

In social studies we continue to look at Canadian Ukrainian traditions, including creating pysankas (Ukrainian Easter Eggs).  The children each created their own and wow are they beautiful:

In Phys-ed this week, the students continued to learn Hip-Hop moves and choreography.  The big show is this upcoming Wednesday at 10:20am, and parents are welcome!!  (Ask 51 B to tell you a rabbit's favourite type of music . . .  :) )

We were also able to share in some fantastic passion project work.  The inquiries are so interesting and beautifully presented —well done students!! 

As a final note, if you have not already done so, please send in signed acknowledgment of risk permission forms for Tuesday's fun science day. 

Have a fantastic long weekend,

51 A and B team!

Calling all volunteers,

If you have time this coming Tuesday we could really use the extra hands for our scientists-in-school program.  It will be running in the morning for 51 B and in the afternoon for 51A.  We'd appreciate any time that you might be able to spare as the facilitator in charge has requested 4 volunteers per session.

Many thanks,

Ms. Klein and Ms. McArthur

Weekly Spelling Words April 10 - 14

Weekly Spelling Words:  April 10 - 14

Grade 1

other
about
out
many
bug
hug
rug
mug


Grade 2

plan
went
warm
read
lie
short
core
sport
report
port
done
solid
liquid
rise
size
door

TWAS April 7th

Hello Families of 51 A/B,

What a beautiful week.  We are all enjoying the spring-like weather so much!!

The students adjusted into their back-at-school schedules beautifully and dove right back into their daily routines.  Here were the things that they noted as standing out this week:

Today was club Friday — always a favourite!

Hip Hop started in Phys-Ed with Mr. A.J.  As expected it's a hit; the students are loving it and they've got moves!!  There will be a final dance presentation during the day on Wednesday April 19th (more details to follow).

The children are also hard at work in music practicing their Arbor Day songs, which is also quickly approaching (May).

Some very creative storytelling is emerging in Language Arts.  The students are hard at work adding lots of juicy details and setting up imaginative scenes.  The characters are starting to develop and little fingers are hard at work typing away in Google Docs, getting these creative works ready for print.

51B continued analog clock reading, and are really enjoying themselves. Ms. Klein had 'time' hidden all over the place, and paper plate clocks make for excellent practice.  Who knew telling time was so much fun!

51A is learning to use number sense to become expert estimators. Test out your child's skills:  cars in a parking lot, cheerios in a bowl, you name it, I bet they'll surprise you.  We also keep our skip counting and anchor numbers alive with math toss.

Science this week is all about Hot and Cold temperatures.  We learned about heat (energy), what causes it and tried to trick our senses with different water temperatures.

Social Studies, continues with our Circle of Courage philosophies, and a study of Saskatoon.  This week began an inquiry into Ukrainian Canadians in Saskatoon, and we were very excited to hear that we have a Ukrainian Canadian student right here in our class!!  We excited to learn some fun cultural tidbits from him.  We've put our own fun personal twists on Ukrainian Egg decorating, and are excited to take it a little further next week.

Speaking of eggs, the children were invited to observe some incubated chicken eggs in the kindie room and then got to see some immediately after they hatched!!

We also found time to share some fantastic passion projects; thanks so much to those who were willing to do so and thanks to EVERYONE who worked so hard this week.  You make 51 such a fun place to be!!

As a final couple of notes, CBE email is only accessible to teachers at the school right now so we won't be able to respond to parent emails this weekend . . . we're not sure how long this will be happening but will let you know as soon as we have an update.  Also we will be staining and painting on Monday so please send your child to school in clothing can tolerate a little 'discolouration' :)

Have a WONDERFUL weekend and thank you for all you do to support your child's learning,

The 51 team!!

Weekly Spelling Words - April 3-7

Grade 1

their
if
will
up
cut
nut
hut
shut


Grade 2

step
because
body
here
fall
germ
herd
clerk
nerve
serve
fern
food
fuel
build
flat
ago