March 13

Good afternoon!

I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend. We talked a little about Daylight Savings Time, and I'm wondering if it affected you? I had a few sleepyheads in class today!

Today in gym we started hockey! The Grade 1s shared what they knew about hockey. Did you know that equipment is needed, such as a hockey stick? Others shared that sometimes there are players, coaches, rules, and nets. We individually practiced with soft "pucks", and I have to say there is some talented kids! Tomorrow we are hoping to work in pairs, and maybe pass to each other.

This morning our fabulous volunteers, Ms. Connie and Ms. Jen helped us finish our Lorax community art. As we were working, an interesting question was posed: What are you learning? One student said he was learning about the Lorax and another said she was learning how to colour. Sure, we read about the Lorax, and yes everyone is colouring, but that is not all! Students talked about patterns (Math) and some chose to represent this concept while others did not. The important thing is that they are aware what a pattern is and is not. Obviously colour is involved. Students were experimenting with colours (Science). They were asking to mix white or black to lighten or darken the paint, and were pleasantly surprised when they mixed secondary and primary colours or two secondary colours together. Pulling in Language Arts and Social Studies, students shared the important message of the book, discussed their thoughts, collaborated and problem solved. They worked as a community in their groups, as they represented the community in The Lorax. And finally, using different mediums/tools to create Art. At just a glance, you may think it is art, but there is a lot more learning happening. I will post photos of their finished project when they are dry. In the meantime, here you go:

It's kind of like scribbling but not! ~ Arop

We drew a line down the middle and both did half. ~ John

Three pieces colour faster! ~ Max

Erasing to problem solve. ~ Ethan

I'm going to help finish the rest. ~ Amy

This was cut off as it was a mistake.

I like these two colours. What do you think? ~ Ally

I'm really impressed! ~ J.C. comments on the above artwork.

This afternoon we read the poem "Hey Diddle Diddle". I read it first, then the students were my echo as I read each line. We paid attention to sight words we already knew, and figured out the words that rhymed. Every student had two or three words on a card and had to recreate the poem. There were also some picture cards. They did great!

This week's sight words: make, soon, run, fly, day. Students were asked to write each word three times and write a sentence using each word. Please review and use in conversation every day this week. 

Check backpacks for a letter about Leprechaun traps! This is a fun family project you can do at home. If you decide to build a trap, please return by Thursday! I plan to wear green every day this week, and especially on Friday!

Please return library books for Tuesday. Thank you.

Important Dates:

March 17: Early dismissal @ 11:00; Pillars of Care assembly @ 8:15; Jump Rope for Heart forms due.

March 21: Constable George Kovacs from Calgary Police Services will be a guest in our classroom @ 9:00.

March 22: Student Involved Conferences 3:30 - 7:30

March 23: Student Involved Conferences 8:00 - 12:00, no school for students

March 24: Professional Development day, no school for students

March 27 - March 31: Spring Break

Have a great evening!

Ms. Cokar

March 8

Good afternoon!

We have started to discuss shapes. We have started with sharing what we know about 2D shapes. To get our brain cells ready, and being inspired by some interesting creatures we have seen in Dr. Seuss books, Room 5 students designed their own shape creatures.

Some printed shapes which the students had to cut out.
If the size was too big, they sized them down.

Students were asked to not glue until first planning.

Cutting is a great skill to have!

Careful planning and gluing.

Amy followed her design.

This reminds me of the Gingerbread Man!

I love the eyes and the star heart!

Absolutely amazing! Great job, Room 5!

As you know we have been talking about community. When we read The Lorax, we learned about how a community was torn apart. Today, in small community groups, students planned and drew a background for their interpretation of what the Lorax's community looked like when things were better. What did we learn when we worked together? Logan said, "We concentrated and worked really hard together." Amy said, "My group planned it out together before drawing." Ethan felt that not everyone in the group was listening to each other. John and JC shared that they did equal work. Ahmed's group had to problem solve when community members were drawing things they weren't supposed to! Peter shared that Carman and him could not agree on bushes as he did not want them on the paper! Finally they solved the issue by Peter drawing something else, and letting Carman know he was fine with her decision. At the end of the day, it was a good learning experience, working together as a community.

Our Read to Self needs work as our stamina is going backwards! We are trying to start again with 5 minutes.

Have a great evening!

Ms. Cokar

March 7

Good afternoon,

As promised, here are some photographs from yesterday.

Truffula trees, based on The Lorax.

Cutting out a circle for the Truffula treetop.

Colouring in the tree trunk.

Carefully making tufts.

One tuft glued!

Carefully gluing the tufts onto the treetop. 

Don't these Truffula trees look beautiful?

Trying to show perspective. Do some trees look near or far?? 

Money  Mentors presentation:

Ms. Taylor speaking to an avid audience.

A money song we learned.

Sight Words:

Logan circled what he feels was his best work!

Library books are due tomorrow! 

Ms. Cokar

March 6

Good evening!

I am so sorry for this very late blog post! I wanted to share a few things and will add more detail tomorrow.

Today in gym, some of us were able to try partner skipping. After Mrs. Nelson and Ms. Grunert had a turn, I heard all the kids chanting my name. I haven't skipped in ages, however managed to skip 12 times while my partners turned the rope for me. Such fun to see students trying as this is not an easy skill!

We had the fabulous Ms. Jen volunteer this morning and she helped us create Truffula trees, based on The Lorax. I am unable to post pictures as I am using my cell phone and not the school computer. Check back tomorrow.

We had Ms. Taylor visit from Money Mentors to share about money and savings. Students learned the value of coins, a song, and what people do with money after it is earned. An important discussion piece was needs versus wants.

Sight words for this week: look, are, this, too, get.

Again, sorry for the delay and lack of pictures! Stay tuned'

Ms. Cokar

March 3

Good afternoon,

Daily 5 in Language Arts/Literacy is something that we strive to do every afternoon. Students are learning to be patient and to shift seamlessly from one activity to the next. During Daily 5, students are: reading to self, reading with teacher, literacy work using technology, at a literacy center tub, or completing word work. I typically start a round after a mini whole group lesson. For example, after discussing characters, my small writing group started to plan characters for a classroom book.

Daily 3 (sometimes Daily 4 or 5!) in Math is similarly set up in that a lesson is taught as a whole group, and then students rotate to math tubs, math with teacher, and math with technology.

There are a number of lunch containers that are left behind every day. They do not have student names on them, and "Not me!" is the response I hear when I ask, "Does this belong to anyone?" If possible, perhaps you can write initials or a last name on the containers. If you are missing anything, please check the Lost & Found. At the end of every month, items such as lunch bags, hats, scarves, shoes that are not claimed are collected and sent to Goodwill. If you are looking for something, please stop by the Lost & Found as soon as possible.

Please check your son or daughter's backpack for the Jump Rope for Heart pledge forms. These are due back by Friday, March 17. If you register on the Jump Rope for Heart website, students will be awarded a FREE skipping rope, even if no money is raised! Here is the link:
http://support.heartandstroke.ca/site/PageServer?pagename=jump17_home

Important Dates for March:

Monday, March 6:
Financial presentation for all Grade 1 classes

Friday, March 17:
Pillars of Care assembly at 8:15
Maker Space time in Learning Commons
Early Dismissal at 11:00

Wednesday, March 22:
Last day of classes before Spring Break
Student involved conferences 3:30 - 7:30

Thursday, March 23:
No School for students
Student involved conferences 8:00 - 12:00

Friday, March 24:
No School for students; non-instructional day

March 27 - March 31:
Spring Break!

March 2

Good afternoon!

Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss! This month Room 5 is doing an author study on Dr. Seuss. His creative and fun books will be connected to all subjects, not just Language Arts. Stay tuned the next few weeks.

This morning in gym, students really focused on some fundamental skipping skills, such as how to hold the rope handles, and in which direction to turn the rope. We also learned a very valuable skill - making sure we are not in somebody else's way!

In Science, if you recall, the other day I wrote the "Winter" in the middle of a page, and divided the rest of the page into four sections. After reviewing and getting some more examples, and some great conversation, students put their ideas to paper. Students shared that people in winter wear warm clothes, drink hot cocoa, and participate in a lot of outside activities like sledding and skiing. Animals hibernate or fly to warm places. Arop drew a nice picture of fish under frozen water. He said that the fish were staying warm under the shelter. Cohen drew drooping trees and plants that were not getting sunlight. Almost everyone said the weather is snowy, but sometimes it can be sunny. Ask your son or daughter what winter examples they had of what people wear in and what they do, what animals do, what happens to trees and plants, and what the weather is like.

Our class is hoping our acrostic poem gets read to the school. In small groups we discussed why people love reading, and some of us (Ethan, Alia, Logan, Raina, Yousif) wrote down some great ideas. At the end, we came up with a great poem, which everyone signed. Our title is a "hat's off" to Dr. Seuss. The poem has the word READ and each letter is used to describe reading:

Read
Enjoy
Adventure
Delightful

Have a great evening!

Ms. Cokar