May 6 - 10

 

Just a few reminders about our upcoming week.  First, we will have a field trip to the Calgary Zoo on Wednesday, May 15.  Please help your child have a wonderful day by ensuring they are dressed for the weather, have a lunch, and a water bottle.

Our school will also be hosting a Celebration of Learning Open house on Thursday, May 16th from 6:00pm to 7:30pm.  Students and their families can come into the school to see the wonderful learning that students in all classrooms have been working on.  Families are encouraged to visit multiple classrooms for a "museum" tour and do not need to stay the entire time.  Here's a little sneak peak of one of the projects we will be sharing.

I Can Examine the Cycle of Patterns

This week we started a unit on patterns.  We have been connecting our prior learning in science by sorting objects based on a common attribute.  Later in the week we began creating repeating patterns with loose parts.

Music Update from Ms. Mandin

April has been a busy month in music class! Here are some of the highlights from the past month:

We began to explore the world of orchestral instruments, learning about different instrument families. As we learned about and listened to various instruments, students shared their interpretations, likening them to emotions, places, or events. Many noted that brass instruments sounded grand and powerful, as if they were announcing a royal arrival. While listening to the woodwinds, many students observed that these instruments reminded them of birds, and that the notes sounded as if they were being “squished”. Through this exploration, kindergarten and grade 1 students not only discovered the variety of instruments in an orchestra but also practiced their ability to express thoughts and emotions through music.

Reminders:

Monday, May 13, 2024

• NO LIBRARY - we will not be exchanging books this week.  We will resume book exchange on Wednesday, May 22.
• Book Fair Visit - students will be preview the books prior to the sale.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

• Students may purchase items for the book sale - the book sale will also be open on Thursday evening if parents want to visit with their child.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

• Field Trip to the Calgary Zoo

Thursday, May 16, 2024

• Celebration of Learning (6pm - 7:30pm)

Friday, May 17, 2024

• Non-Instructional Day, NO SCHOOL for Students

Monday, May 20, 2024

• Victoria Day, NO SCHOOL for Students

Save the Date:

• Field Trip to Reader Rock Garden, June 12, 2024

April 29 - May 3

 

This week we snuck out before the change in weather to visit the tamarack trees.  They have started making big changes for spring.  Look closely and you can see the new seed cones already forming!

I Can Mix Primary Colours to Get New Colours

This week in art we worked on mixing paint to create new colours.  We will use this knowledge along with our learning about shades and tints to create pieces of art for the upcoming Celebration of Learning on May 16.

I Can Talk About What Animals Need to Survive

We had an exciting week with our incubated eggs!  We came into school on Monday morning to two little hatchlings and saw a third hatch at lunch.  We welcomed one more on Tuesday morning.  Everyone loved getting to see and interact with the chicks starting on Wednesday.  We had multiple opportunities to hold them before they went back to Farmer Margery.

Reminders:

Monday, May 6, 2024

• Library Book Exchange

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

• Whole School Photo

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

• Calgary Zoo Field Trip

Thursday, May 16, 2024

• Celebration of Learning (6pm - 7:30pm)

Friday, May 17, 2024

• Non-Instructional Day, NO SCHOOL for Students

Monday, May 20, 2024

• Victoria Day, NO SCHOOL for Students

Save the Date:

• Field Trip to Reader Rock Garden, June 12, 2024

April 22 - 26

 

Our eggs are officially on lockdown!  We anticipate that some of them might begin hatching in the next week.  Here's pic from when we candled them this week - I am not an egg expert but it kind of looks like you can see a foot?  What do you think?

This week we also said "goodbye" to our student teacher, Ms. F.  She had one final class at the university on Friday and then she officially becomes a teacher.  We are planning on welcoming her back later in the year as a substitute teacher (as long as she isn't put into her own classroom right away), so it wasn't a forever goodbye.  

I Can Construct 3D Shapes and 3D Composite Shapes

This week we've been working on naming and making 3D Shapes.  We had a chance to use toothpicks and marshmallows to make a variety of shapes.  Ask your student to tell you the different names.  We also had a chance to make castles with foam blocks.  This gave students a chance to see how shapes can be found in different man-made structures.

I Can Help Take Care of the Earth

After a wonderful Earth Day assembly put on by the grade 3 and 4 students we went outside and helped clean up the community garden green space at the top of the hill.  Students enjoyed finding a picking up trash.  A few students reminded me that "we need nature, nature doesn't need us".

Literacy:

This week we worked with the spelling pattern -tch and -dge.  

Our new HFW are: woman, women, were

Reminders:

Please send back permission slips for our Calgary Zoo Field Trip and our Family History Questionnaire!

Monday, April 29, 2024

• Library Book Exchange
• Hatching?

Thursday, May 16, 2024

• Celebration of Learning (6pm - 7:30pm)

Friday, May 17, 2024

• Non-Instructional Day, NO SCHOOL for Students

Monday, May 20, 2024

• Victoria Day, NO SCHOOL for Students

Save the Date:

• Field Trip to Calgary Zoo, May 15, 2024
• Field Trip to Reader Rock Garden, June 12, 2024

April 15 - 18

 

We have some exciting changes in our eggs!  If you look very closely you can veins starting to form!  It will be really exciting to see how the eggs change over the next week - stay tuned for updates.

I Can Recognize How Communities Might Have Been Different in the Past Than They Are Today:

Ms. F lead us on a historical community walk through Ramsay.  We learned about the history of the Dominion Bridge Building, St. Anne's Church, and the C.C. Snowdon Building.  It was a blustery walk but everyone did amazing and kept their spirits up!

I Can Move Safely Through Space During Gymnastics:

This week we started learning about different balances, jumps, roles, and movements in gymnastics.  Ms. F has been doing a great job helping us learn how to use our space safely.  

Reminders:

Please send back permission slips for our Calgary Zoo Field Trip and our Family History Questionnaire!

Monday, April 22, 2024

• Library Book Exchange

Friday, April 26, 2024

• Ms. F's Last Day

Save the Date:

• Field Trip to Calgary Zoo, May 15, 2024
• Field Trip to Reader Rock Garden, June 12, 2024

April 8 - 12

 

Phew, we sure had a busy week this week.  When students came in on Monday morning they noticed an odd assortment of eggs had shown up in our class. No, this wasn't a case of a late Easter Bunny but a provocation for our next science unit, Living Systems.  

Students were very excited as we set up the incubator on Monday and had a chance to candle the eggs on Thursday.  Stay tuned for exciting weekly updates on their progress.

I Can Use a Variety of Mediums to Create Art

On Monday, we also used the solar eclipse as an opportunity to learn about a new medium in art.  We learned the basics of how to use chalk pastels to create a picture of the solar eclipse.  Chalk pastels sure are messy, but also a lot of fun!

I Can Tell a Story Using Oral Language

On Wednesday, we welcome a special guest, Chris.  He is the Superintendent of the Siksika Board of Education.  We were very fortunate to have him come and share the story of Napi and the Big Rock.  The Big Rock is the rock that is just on the outskirts of Okotoks (an easy drive to go and see in person).  Students learned the Blackfoot story that shares how this rock (originally from the Jasper area) ended up all the way on the prairie.   Afterwards, students had a chance to practice orally retelling the story with a friend and then represent the story using pictographs in their visual journals.

Literacy:

This week we learned about open and closed syllables and compound words.  This means that we are now reading some really big words - it's amazing the growth everyone has made this year.  

Our new HFW words are: friend, because

Reminders:

Monday, April 15, 2024

• Library Book Exchange

• Spring Photo Day

Thursday, April 18, 2024

• Spring Dance,  6pm to 7pm

Friday, April 19, 2024

• Non-Instructional Day - NO SCHOOL for students

Save the Date:

• Field Trip to Calgary Zoo, May 15, 2024
• Field Trip to Reader Rock Garden, June 12, 2024

April 2 to 5

 

We had a great week back after spring break and we were able to quickly settle back into our regular routines.  

Just a reminder to please help ensure your child is set up for comfort throughout the day by making sure they have the appropriate outdoor clothing for weather conditions.  It's no fun spending the day in wet socks or pants after playing outside for recess.  

I Can Make Connections to My Community's Past

This week we welcomed a speaker from the Glenbow Museum who came in and told us about some of the "Mavericks" that helped to establish Calgary as a community.  She shared photographs (only a few of their million) and brought in some artifacts for students to explore.  Students asked very thoughtful questions as they tried to figure out what each artifact is used for and who might have used it.  

Thank you to the Ramsay Parent Association for generously providing the funds for this program.

Literacy:

This week we learned about adding -ed to the ends of words and what that sounds like (sometimes it sounds like /e//d/, /t/, or /d/.  We also learned about adding -ing to the ends of verbs to change their tense.

Our new HFW are: any, many

Music:

In March, our Grade 1 students had a blast in music class! They worked hard on mastering "Peter Rabbit", tackling its tricky rhythms with determination and singing the lyrics with incredible enthusiasm. Additionally, we expounded upon the basics of counting rhythms by identifying whole and half beats in 4/4 time. The highlight of the month for students was working together to play pop and classical music on the boomwhackers, deepening our understanding of different musical genres.

Reminders:

Monday, April 8, 2024

• Library Book Exchange

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

• Indigenous Story Telling Residency

Thursday, April 4, 2024

• Glenbow Museum Visits

Monday, April 15, 2024

• Spring Photo Day

Thursday, April 18, 2024

• Spring Dance,  6pm to 7pm

Friday, April 19, 2024

• Non-Instructional Day - NO SCHOOL for students

Save the Date:

• Field Trip to Calgary Zoo, May 15, 2024
• Field Trip to Reader Rock Garden, June 12, 2024

March 18 - 22

 

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Spring Break and had a chance to have some rest and relaxation!  Hopefully the weather will start to cooperate and feel more like spring.  

We took some time this week to think like scientists and make careful observations of tulips.  In small groups, students were asked to carefully observe a tulip stem - what did they see, feel, and smell.  Afterwards, students practiced creating observational drawings by looking closely at the tulip and only drawing what they saw.  This was a big change for many as we talked about how scientific drawings are different from illustrating our journals or adding details to artwork.  

Literacy:

This week we learned about -ed and -es at the ends of words.  Having an -ed at the end of a word can change the tense of a verb (example: jump to jumped).  Having -es at the end of a word is a way of making it plural.  We add -es to words that end in -ch, -sh, z, s, and x.

Our new HFW are: two, does, any, many

Reminders:

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

• First day back from Spring Break

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

• Library Book Exchange

Thursday, April 4, 2024

• Glenbow Museum Visits

Friday, April 19, 2024

• Non-Instructional Day - NO SCHOOL for students

Save the Date:

• Field Trip to Calgary Zoo, May 15, 2024
• Field Trip to Reader Rock Garden, June 11 or 12, 2024