Update from Ms. R

The homework for this week is for children to teach an adult about our class blog and talk about the information posted on the blog every week. Each student is to complete a teaching reflection sheet to write about what happened during the lesson. There is also a math sheet reviewing time unit words and telling time to quarter past the hour (0:15). This homework is due on Friday, November 30th.

On Friday, the class said "good bye" to Ms. Gashi our student teacher from the University of Toronto/OISE. She was with us for the past four weeks and we will miss her teaching and helping the children. We all wished her well in her teaching career, gave her a card, a pillow and even her very own "Old Red" teacher's marking pen!

Notes for parents:

1. Indoor shoes: Students must wear shoes at all times in the school building. If shoes are forgotten at home, your child must wear his/her winter boots all day and will not be allowed to participate in gym activities. Please send a pair of indoor shoes for your child to keep at school during the winter months.

2. School rules: This week our school had an assembly to review and reinforce the five basic school rules, as our school's code of behaviour. (Please see the photo above.)

3. Lego mural: Lego is sponsoring a huge Lego art mural in front of Union Station. You and your child can go and build a piece of the mural which will be displayed there until December 2nd and then moved to Nathan Phillips Square (City Hall). My son Max and I went this past week and it was fun to be a part of this big project. For each person participating, Lego will donate money to "Toy Mountain", a traditional CTV News charity to give toys to children.

Important Dates

November 29 - Anti-bullying assembly
December 7 - P.A. Day - no classes

December 22 - January 6 - Winter Holidays
January 7 - First day of school for 2019

News for November 23

News for November 23

This week, the class made a science research facts video, learned about units of time from seconds to years and started to make large art collage paintings.

The children created "How to Make a Pillow" posters to showcase their procedural non-fiction writing. After writing and editing their rough copies, each child wrote a good copy of his/her work. Then I took an "instant" Polaroid-style photo of each student holding his/her pillow, which was put on the poster and decorated with a frame. These posters are now on display on the large bulletin board inside our classroom.

The students learned about units of time words. For grade two, the children are required to know seconds, minutes, hours, days and years. (Weeks and months will be covered next week.) We also talked about decades and centuries. The children are also required to know how the units are related through exploring time unit equivalents (for example, one minute = 60 seconds). Did you know that a day is the length of time it takes for the Earth to make one rotation on its axis? Did you know that a year is the length of time it takes the Earth to make one trip (orbit) around the sun?

The children learned how to tell time to quarter past the hour (0:15). They practised telling time from analog clocks and matching digital times to analog clocks by drawing the hour and minute hands in the correct places.

The class heard the read aloud book, The Book of Gold, a magical book about the power of learning through books. In this book are two lion statues named, Patience and Fortitude. The children learned the meaning of these important words (plus the ASL or American Sign Language signs for them) and how these words apply to life. The children were then challenged to create artwork to illustrate an adventure for the stone lion statues. Some ideas were: diving underwater in the sea or travelling to Paris. The students cut out and glued (collage) photocopies of the statues onto large paper. Then they drew and painted the details of the adventure around them. After adding details with black Sharpie marker, the children were asked to write about why he/she chose that particular adventure for the lions. When finished the artwork and writing reflections will be put up on display inside our classroom.

On Tuesday afternoon, almost half the class went to perform with the primary choir at the Toronto Choral Festival. We had five grade two students from Mme Galimberti's class join us for the afternoon (since Mme Galimberti went on the trip). The children heard the read aloud, The Bear Ate Your Sandwich, and then learned how to fold origami bear faces and created a larger artwork using these.

In guided reading, the students worked in small groups to read the book, The Best Pet. This book is divided into short chapters and the children discussed why and how the author decided to divide the story up this way. The groups also practised making story connections to other books read and activities done in our class.

The class went to the library to exchange their library books. Our library day is on Day 5, every other week, which is currently every other Thursday. Please help your child to keep his/her library book in the library book bag and return the book to school. Please know that your child cannot take a new library book out until the previously borrowed book is returned. Also remember that your child can take out any book in our classroom to read at home each day, as part of our classroom's BAB or borrow-a-book program.

Each child picked out two cool facts from his/her animal research posters to practise reading aloud. Then the students were videotaped holding their posters and sharing their cool facts with the class. Here is the video:

Books read aloud this week:

The Book of Gold by Bob Staake
A Lion in Paris by Beatrice Allemange
Ganesha's Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach

Update from Ms. R

A big "thank you" to all the families for coming in for parent-teacher interviews this week. It was wonderful to talk with you about your child's work in our classroom. Room 222 has an amazing group of children this year and we are having a lot of fun learning together!

The homework for this week is to write a FICTION story, in the homework writing journal, about the pillow your child finished this week. Some ideas from the class were: a magic pillow, a superhero pillow or the pillow works in an ice cream store! There is also a math worksheet reviewing analog to digital and digital to analog times to the hour and half-hour. This homework is due on Friday, November 23rd.

Parent Notes

1. The cold weather has arrived! Please make sure that your child arrives at school prepared to spend time outside. The children spend three separate times outside each day. There are two 15 minute recess periods, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. There is also one 30 minute period after lunch. All children are expected to go outside. Each child needs winter boots,  a winter jacket, a hat, a scarf and gloves or mittens. On colder and more snowy days, snow pants are also recommended. Please put your child's name on all his/her belongings. Many children have the same jacket or hat as other children and the name tags help to make sure that lost items are returned.

2. Extra clothes - Sometimes your child's socks and mittens can get wet after playing outside. Please tuck a fresh pair of socks and mittens in your child's backpack so they can change them if needed. Also, our classroom is quite cool, so a sweater or hoodie is also a good idea to have at school as well.

Important Dates

November 22 - Spirit Day - Crazy Hair Day!

December 7 - P.A. Day - no classes

December 22 - January 6 - Winter Holidays
January 7 - First day of school for 2019

News for November 15

News for November 15

During this four-day week the students worked very hard to finish their animal research posters and their handmade pillows in time to show their parents during the parent-teacher interviews.

In math, the children reviewed how to write, show and tell time using digital and analog clocks to the hour and the half-hour. These skills are not easy. Students are required to write the digital time given the analog time and to draw an analog clock given the digital time.

In science, the students finished their research sheet facts (graphic organizers) and completed their posters by using their facts to write complete sentences and add the animal drawings they made. The children also learned about collective nouns, or the names given to groups of different animals, like a pride of lions or a shiver of sharks. These posters are now displayed in the hall outside of our classroom.

Each child finished making his/her pillow by using a sewing machine to sew around the perimeter of the fabric, turning it inside out, filling the pillow with polyester stuffing and using a needle and thread to sew the "stuffing hole" closed. Did you know that your clothes are sewed inside out to keep the seams hidden  inside the clothing?

The class is now using ordinal numbers (first, second, third...) to help them write a non-fiction story about how to make a pillow, and to write what they did, how they did it and in the order that they did it. (This is referred to as procedural writing.)

In guided reading, the groups used what they learned last week about how text features (such as bold faced words) help the reader to understand the book. This week, the students concentrated on non-fiction texts. The class learned facts about penguins, elephants and animals with claws.

The students completed a reading response to the read aloud book, Lyle the Crocodile and also wrote their opinions of the story.

Books read aloud this week:

The Story of Snow - The Science of Winter's Wonder by Mark Cassino
Lyle the Crocodile (finished) by Bernard Waber
A Shiver of Sharks - A Compilation of Aquatic Collective Nouns by Patrick George
A Filth of Starlings - A Compilation of Bird Collective Nouns by Patrick George
A Crackle of Crickets - A Compilation of Insect Collective Nouns by Patrick George
A Drove of Bullocks - A Compilation of Animal Collective Nouns by Patrick George

Update from Ms. R

Homework

The homework for this week is for each student to teach an adult the American Sign Language (ASL) alphabet and if time, the ASL Remembrance Day song that the class learned this week. Then students are to complete a refection sheet and answer questions about how the lesson went. There is also a math sheet reviewing math concepts learned this week. This homework is due on THURSDAY, November 15th (since Friday is a P.A. Day).

Parent Notes

Thank you to all the parents for returning the forms or emailing me around arranging parent-teacher interviews. I appreciate your understanding and flexibility around the times,because many people want the same interview times. I will put a reminder note regarding your interview date and time on your child's progress report card. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and talking about your child's work at school.

Important Dates

November 14 - Progress Reports go home

November 15 (evening) and November 16 (morning) - parent/teacher interviews

November 16 - P.A.Day - no classes
November 22 - Spirit Day - Crazy Hair Day!

December 7 - P.A. Day - no classes

December 22 - January 6 - Winter Holidays
January 7 - First day of school for 2019

News for November 9

News for November 9

This week the class wrote about peace in our world, Canadian Remembrance Day, how to measure and calculate perimeter and even how to fold an origami paper crane!

In math, the children learned ways to measure two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects that are an irregular shape. One can use a measuring tape, since it can "bend" around objects or curvy lines and has standard units printed directly on it. One can also use a piece of string to measure and then measure the piece of string. The class also learned about perimeter, or the distance around an object and how to measure and calculate perimeter using standard and non-standard units. For example, the students worked in pairs to determine the perimeter of a book using wooden toothpicks (non-standard unit) and using measuring tape in centimeters (standard unit). For example, a square with each of its four sides measuring 3 cm would have a perimeter of 3+3+3+3=12 cm.

In science, the children learned the science behind two sets of teeth in mammals. Did you know that mammals have different shapes of teeth for eating? The front teeth or incisors are thin at the bottom to cut food like a knife. The back teeth or molars have a flat surface on top for grinding the food and prepare it for digestion. Our teeth are also needed for pronouncing words correctly. Baby teeth are also called milk teeth and as children grow, they fall out because the adult or permanent tooth pushes up on the baby tooth and pushes it out of the gums. The children counted their teeth and completed a diagram of the parts of a tooth (crown, root, nerve and gums and enamel).

In guided reading, the children talked about the use of text features in writing. Text features include the use of bold letters and underlined words and how words are positioned on the page. These features are used by a writer to show the reader that these words are important to the story and should be read with more energy. This week, the small reading groups were guided through the Robert Munsch book, Give Me Back My Dad!

In social studies, the class talked about loosing their baby teeth. They learned about tooth traditions around the world and discussed and wrote about their personal family traditions when they lose their teeth. Their tooth tradition writing will become part of a class book, that students can read during independent reading time.

The children also learned about the reasons behind the observation of Remembrance Day in Canada. They learned about the different symbols of peace. They talked about what peace looks like in the world and what they can do to help make a peaceful world. The children learned a Remembrance Day song using American Sign Language. They painted beautiful posters of poppies to use for decoration at the school's Remembrance Day assemblies. They learned about the tradition of wearing a poppy at this time of year. Did you know that it is customary to wear a poppy on the left side of your body, closer to your heart?

The students each wrote 33 words about what peace means to them. We used the number 33 because the Remembrance Day minute of silence is observed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (11+11+11=33). Our class made a Remembrance Day video of the children reading aloud their heart-felt messages. Here is the video:

For our ongoing pillow project, the students learned how to use an iron to iron fabric. Each child ironed the two pieces of fabric he/she designed in preparation for sewing the fabric next week.

Origami paper cranes are also a symbol of peace. The class learned the true story of a Japanese girl named Sadako, who died from radiation sickness at the end of World War II. Her story of how she and her friends and family tried to fold 1,000 paper cranes to try to help her get better caught the attention of the world and every year paper cranes are folded and sent to the Peace Monument in Hiroshima, Japan. The children learned how to fold paper cranes (and reviewed a bit of geometry along the way...) If you or your child would like to fold paper cranes, there are lots of instructions on the internet, but here is a video I made several years ago:



On Friday, the children attended the primary Remembrance Day assembly in the auditorium. There were poems and songs performed. Nine of the students in our class are in the primary choir and we watched them perform. Well done!

Books read aloud this week:

Throw Your Tooth on the Roof - Tooth Traditions From Around the World by Selby B. Beeler
Lyle and the Birthday Party by Bernard Waber
Give Me Back My Dad! by Robert Munsch
Sadako's Cranes by Judith Loske

Update from Ms. R

Homework

The homework for this week is to write about a family tradition in the homework writing journal, using the questions on the paper stapled to the journal page as a guideline. There is also a worksheet reviewing the parts of a letter and how to choose an appropriate standard unit of measure. This homework is due on Friday, November 9th.

Parent Notes

On Friday, a pink half sheet of paper was sent home for families to choose a time for a parent-teacher interview. Many people would like the same times, so please indicate your 1st, 2nd, 3rd choices and I will do my best to accommodate your preferences. I will send home a confirmation note with your child on the same day that I receive your completed sheet.

Important Dates:

November 7 - Diwali
November 11 - Remembrance Day 
November 12 - Remembrance Day assembly on this day

November 14 - Progress Reports go home

November 15 (evening) and November 16 (morning) - parent/teacher interviews

November 16 - P.A.Day - no classes
November 22 - Spirit Day - Crazy Hair Day!

December 7 - P.A. Day - no classes

December 22 - January 6 - Winter Holidays
January 7 - First day of school for 2019

News for November 2

News for November 2

This week the children measured the height of the school, wrote about their personal special day traditions and celebrated Halloween and Diwali!

In math, the students continued the unit on linear measurement by reviewing the benchmarks for standard units such as centimetre (width of a little finger). Then they practised picking the appropriate units for measuring the length of various items (for example, a mouse is measured in centimetres not metres). The children also did some math activities, related to other subjects to apply their math skills. For example, they were challenged to add up the number of items that the main character, Elmer Elevator, put into his knapsack (over 55 items). On Halloween, the children each put 5 unwrapped caramels into the pot to melt to make caramel apples. How many caramels altogether? Just skip count by fives...

The class brainstormed ideas to solve the challenge from last week to measure the height of the school. We ended up going into the stairwell and having one half of the class on the first floor at the bottom of the stairs and the other half on the third floor at the top of the stairs. A loooonngg piece of plastic ribbon was dropped down from the third floor to the first floor. This plastic ribbon was placed along the floor on the hallway outside of our classroom to be measured using metre sticks and the school's three floors measure 10 metres tall! This piece of ribbon is now displayed in out classroom to remind the class just how long 10 metres is.

In writing the class learned about how to write a basic book review and how to express their opinions in writing. Then each child wrote a book review about the chapter book read aloud, My Father's Dragon, writing down what the book was about and their opinion of the book and why they liked or didn't like the book.

The children finally finished creating their books containing their stories about fish. Then these books were distributed among the class for the students to read a peer's book. Then, after reviewing the parts of a letter, each child wrote a letter to the student author of the book he/she read. These finished books and letters to the author will become part of our classroom library for children to read during independent reading time.

In guided reading the students worked in small groups to read the book The Special Day. The learning goal was to connect the illustrations with the text, looking at how the pictures reflect the information in the text and how the illustrations often show information that is not written about in the text.

In social studies, the class did an extension activity to the themes in the guided reading book, The Special Day. The children were asked to write about the special days in their lives and why these times are special to them. The students then put their words on construction paper leaves and worked cooperatively to create a "special day tree" and displayed their work in the hall outside of our classroom. At the end of the day, the class gathered to reflect and share on the activity.

In science, the class sorted their research animals into the 7 different animal groups using the sorting rules. For example, a panda bear is in the mammal group because it has fur on its body. The research questions the students generated last week were put into a graphic organizer to help the children look for and write down the facts they learn about their chosen research animal. Each child received a library book or an encyclopedia volume to read and to find out the answers to some of the research questions.

On Halloween, the children learned about the history of the symbols and activities of Halloween. Did you know that it was originally called All Hallow's Eve and was shortened over time to "Halloween"? The children worked on Halloween themed worksheets, created a little spider with fabric and beads and they unwrapped caramels to melt into a caramel sauce for dipping apples into for a Halloween treat.

On Friday morning the class celebrated Diwali! Parents came to the school and the children learned the story and traditions of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. The students made lanterns and had a chance to try traditional snacks as well.

Pillow project update! The children used black permanent marker to create designs on plain cotton fabric. Later in the week, they added colour to their fabric pieces using fabrics paints in squeeze bottles in the three primary colours.

Books read aloud this week:

My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett (chapter book - finished)
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
The Special Day by
The Incredible Bouncing Chowder by Peter Brown
Halloween Is...by Gail Gibbons
The Tailypo by Joanna Galdone