News for June 3

News for June 3

This was a very crazy week for the students of Room 204! After weeks of preparation, the grade 3's finally experienced the three days of EQAO standardized testing and the grade 2's spent time in Mr. Hinrichsen's class. However, we managed to do other activities in-between the testing times.

We have now finished the Word Wall Word (spelling) program for the year. The class is now focussing on Fun With Words activities. This week, the children learned about synonyms (words with similar meanings) and antonyms (words with opposite meanings). The class also reviewed homophones (words that sound the same but with different spellings and different meanings) and parts of speech (nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs). 

The class rehearsed the play "Honesty is the Best Policy" and they began staging the various scenes and planning the props and costumes they require.

The class talked about the capybaras (world's largest rodents) that escaped from the High Park Zoo last week. Did you know that capybaras are native to South America, grow to one metre long, don't have tails and are semi-aquatic mammals (live half their life in water)? We also read aloud the true story of Capyboppy, about a family that had a capybara as a pet. 

The students learned more about the settlers or pioneers that came to Canada 200 years ago and how they lived. Most of the people that came to Canada at that time, came from England, Scotland, Ireland and the United States. The children learned about the things that would be in a typical family home, for example, the hearth (fireplace) and candles. Each student received a bandana or kerchief to wear when we are doing pioneer activities to help remind them of living 200 years ago. Bandanas were very useful and were used for head coverings, napkins, handkerchiefs and much more. At the end of the week, the students worked in groups to start creating buildings for our miniature Pioneer Village that we are making.

In the pioneer spirit, the children each made a skipping rope by measuring the length from the armpit to the floor and doubling that number and cutting that length of rope. The students will use these skipping ropes for the Jump Rope for Heart event on Monday, June 6th.

The children started to learn and practice the song and dance that they will perform at the concert on June 15th. The performance is only 5 and 1/2 minutes long but the students are learning how much work and practice goes into making a successful performance!

Books read aloud this week:

Forever Young by Bob Dylan and Paul Rogers.

Capyboppy by Bill Peet

Mary of Mile 18 by Ann Blades