Special Helper Measurement Project

For this cycle of our special helpers we are asking families to work on a measurement project for your child to bring in on their special helper day.

We will send home a strip of paper as tall as your child.

Please choose a familiar object like a duplo block, a spoon or a toy car and help your child repeatedly trace it on their strip of paper.  We will compare our measurement tools in class!

Here is an example to help you get started:

Thank you!

Our new pets are arriving soon....

We have aquariums all set up and ready to go!  Even just the empty aquariums have generated a lot of talk, questions and curiosities.  We've begun talking about the types of fish we will have in our aquariums and how to care for them.

Room 104

Room 129

Our first fish will be platys.  They are a friendly tropical fish that gives live birth so we hope to have baby fish in our tanks soon!

Here's how to tell the males from females:

These are 2 breeds of platys:

                    Red Fin                                                                                    Mickey Mouse

This what a pregnant platy looks like:

And here is a baby platy!

Outdoor Inquiry

We continued our inquiry about snow and its properties outside now that the weather is co-operating!

January Newsletter

Inquiry Projects

This month both classes are exploring the properties of snow by bringing snow into the classroom and investigating it outside!  We will experiment with melting snow and ice and mixing snow with other materials.

Our other area of interest is winter and arctic animals!  The students were excited to see photos of the new baby polar bear at the Toronto Zoo!

Math

This month we will focus on measurement.  The children will explore non-standard (for example, measuring with hands or paper clips) and standard units of measurement (for example, measuring with a thermometer or ruler).  To support this unit at home, try making snow angels outside and measuring the length and width using footprints.  Try it with each family member!  Inviting your child to cook or bake with you is another wonderful opportunity for hands on learning about mathematics!

Important Dates

January 17^th – Trip to Forest Valley

January 24^th – PA Day (no school)

February 17^th – Family Day (no school)

February 20^th – Trip to the ROM (information will be sent home soon!)

February 21^st – Jump Rope for Heart

Trip to Forest Valley

January 17^th – all day!

We are traveling to Forest Valley Outdoor Education Centre via school bus!  Please make sure your child is dressed for a day of outdoor fun!  Layers and warm clothes are required.

ALL students (including daycare children) need a waste free lunch and a water bottle.

Parent volunteers are welcome to join us!  Please speak to your classroom teacher or ECE if you are available for the day.

February Report Cards

This term only JK students will receive report cards in February.  As always, you are welcome to contact us at any time for an update on your child’s progress.

Class Pet

We will be welcoming fish into our classrooms this month as our new class pets!  Our first fish will be platys, which are a friendly breed of fish that give live birth!  We look forward to learning about pet care with the children and seeing where their curiosities lead us.

Class trip to Forest Valley Outdoor Education Centre

On Friday, January 17th we will travel by school bus to Forest Valley Outdoor Education Centre.

Permission forms and information about this trip were sent home today, Monday January 6th.  If you did not receive a form or require a second one let us know as soon as possible!

The cost is $8 per student.  Please speak to your classroom teacher or ECE if you are unable to pay but would still like your child to attend.

Fortunately the weather is forecast is mild next week!  It is still important to dress warmly for this trip.  Snow pants, snow boots, warm jacket, hat, mittens and scarf are necessary.  Dressing in layers is also ideal for keeping warm (for example, a t-shirt, with a long sleeve cotton shirt, with a sweater over top).

Students will need to bring a waste free lunch (no garbage).  Please send a water bottle in your child's lunch.

We will depart school shortly after arrival and will return before our usual dismissal.

Parent volunteers are needed!  Please let your classroom teacher or ECE know if you are available to travel with us!

Snow: Our January Inquiry

This month the children's interest in weather and the seasons has lead us to investigate snow.  So plentiful and widely available!

Some the the children's questions include what snow is made of and where does it come from. We will also be experimenting with bringing it indoors and mixing it with other materials.

Today we added snow to our water table and noticed it change throughout the day.

In the morning the children described it as hard, cold and icy.  They noticed their hands quickly got cold when touching it!

Later in the day, the snow was described as slush, water, melting and softer.  The children were able to handle it longer as it changed to water!

Meanwhile, we still have our usual learning centres open and full of curious, engaged students!

Painting

Literacy and Fine Motor skills

Reading

Dramatic Play

Mathematics

Science

Scientist in Schools Workshop - I Am a Scientist!

Just before the holiday our Kindergarten classes enjoyed a half day of fun experiments and investigation with Scientist Sara!

A BIG thank you to all the parents and grandparents who volunteered to help run this fantastic program.  Our next workshop is scheduled for April and we will be looking for volunteers again!

Here are a few of our Junior Scientists at work.