Makin’ Plans!

Our Student Learning Plan Meetings are well underway. It is fascinating to see what creative resources and activities parents will be using to support their child’s learning at home! The SLP meetings continue next week as well.

From what I hear, there are Facebook and WhatsApp groups run by parents in our program through which parents share resource ideas and support each other. Of course I am not on those pages, but I hear they are very helpful.

You will have received an email from the main school with some forms for parents to complete and return as soon as possible. Please look for it, and, if necessary, make sure your email inbox recognizes Beaconsfield School, Beaconsfield PAC and me so we don’t end up in your Junk/Spam Folders!

Please remember that In-Person Learning starts on Thursday September 28 for Grades 4 to 7. In person Learning starts on Tuesday October 3 for Kindergarten to Grade 3. (The statutory day in Lieu of September 30 Day of Truth and Reconciliation is on Monday October 2)

Enjoy these last few days of summer, I look forward to seeing you all soon!

What is an SLP?

At this time of year I often get asked “What is an SLP, and what happens at an SLP Meeting?”

SLP is short for Student Learning Plan. The SLP template outlines the skills the BC Min of Ed expects each child will be able to demonstrate by the end of the school year. They are specific to each grade level.

Parents come to the SLP meeting with a plan for what activities and resources they plan to use at home to support literacy, numeracy, and the other content areas. The SLP can certainly evolve throughout the year. Please mention any major changes to the SLP at one of the three Portfolio meetings.

Essentially, almost ANYTHING can be a vehicle for learning if you pause frequently to make observations along the way and regularly reflect on and document your learning. Be Creative! Have fun with it!

Some families choose to use ‘store bought’ resources and kits, some families use online resources and programs. All these choices can be used as a jumping off point to supplement your own nature walks, field trips to various venues, attendance at events, etc.

I highly recommend an interdisciplinary approach to the work and learning activities you are doing at home.

For example, if your child is interested in ostriches, they might do some research online (tech), go to the library to find books about ostriches (career ed) draw pictures of ostriches (art) make a diorama showing the ostrich in its environment (social studies/applied design) dictate/write a story about ostriches (literacy) create a song  and dance about an ostrich (fine arts/ health/physical ed), watch a show about ostrich and talk about what they think about how the characters behaved (critical thinking and social emotional learning) So much learning around one simple theme!

In addition to daily or nearly daily reading from a wide variety of genres, I highly recommend setting aside several regular times per week to focus on academics in a quiet setting. (Perhaps a little bit of ‘seat work’ as well as updating a reflection journal or activity log book.) (These can be written and/or drawn, and/or scribed for someone else to write etc.)

Try to have two or three ideas for each area in the SLP. It is understood that any specific learning activity or resource will likely “check boxes” in other areas as well.

The teacher may likely have specific requirements for some subject areas as well.

I recommend parents revisit the SLP often to “check off” the various outcomes as they are met. Many outcomes will likely be met many times over the year. In this way you can be confident that you are covering the outcomes, or notice gaps where you may want to focus for a while. NOTE: If you keep notes and take photos about how the outcome was met, (ie “performed an ostrich dance for grandparents over Zoom”) the three Portfolio submissions will practically write itself when the time comes!

The SLP Meeting

At the SLP meeting the teacher and parent, and the students will go over the SLP in detail to fine to ensure sure it meets Min or Ed criteria. The use of Allotment Funds might also be discussed at the SLP Meeting.

The meeting may take up to one hour. Please help your child to remain focused during the meeting.

If you must bring your child’s siblings to the meeting, please bring a activity to keep them quietly occupied.

Happy New (school) Year!

As the weather cools the school days are heating up! I’m so excited to be back in the office and preparing for the year ahead. I particularly look forward to meeting with each family individually to create your individualized Student Learning Plan (SLP). This year the SLP meetings will take place from September 11 until Sept 26 (except  Sept 13, 20, 25)  Please email me as soon as possible with your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for dates and if you prefer morning or afternoon time slot. I will do my best to schedule families with more than one student in the program for back-to-back time slots.

As you know, while most elements of this program are open-ended and flexible, there are a small number of mandatory Ministry of Education requirements. These are the SLP, an Activation Assignment (due Sept 25th) and  3 Portfolio Presentations. For students in grade 4 to 7, there are also several additional interim portfolio submissions. I will provide a list of the relevant dates at your SLP.

In-person attendance for Thursday/Friday students begins Thursday September 28. The first day of in-person attendance for the Monday Tuesday group will be Tuesday October 3. Please note: Kindergarten students will only stay until noon on October 3 and 10th. (“Gradual Entry half days” are important element of setting up for success. Any parent who feels their Kindergartener would benefit from a longer gradual entry period is welcome to discuss that with me)

On the first day of class, every student will have their very own “Cubby” where they can leave useful items at school. Grade 7s will get a locker! All students should keep an art smock, apron, or oversized T-shirt at school to protect clothes from MESSY art and science projects. Monday/Tuesday students should also have a change of clothes and  extra socks in a Ziplock bag, and a pair of “inside shoes” or slippers to wear inside the classroom. Please label all their clothes/shoes with their name or initials.

Penultimate Post for this school year

Well this year has sure zipped by. Such growth, learning and collaborative fun!

Year End report cards will go home on the last day of classes for each group: Tuesday June 27 for Monday/ Tuesday Group, and Thursday June 29 for the Thursday/ Friday group.  Any report cards that are not picked up will be mailed home.

Our craft fair has been a huge success. So far we’ve raised over $400 for the SPCA and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Friday June 23 is the year end picnic for the Thursday/ Friday group. Monday June 26 is the picnic for the Monday/ Tuesday group. We are inviting our newcomer students who are joining us next year to meet us at the picnic in the afternoon. In this way we can start looking forward to some new friendships in September too.

Speaking of September…..please watch your email on September 5th or 6th detailing the schedule for Student Learning Plan meetings (SPLs) and Activation Assignments. SLPS and Activation Assignments (along with the Portfolios) are among the few Ministry of Education’s mandatory elements of the Home Learner Program. SLPs will occur from September 11 to 25. The Activation Assignments are due On or before September 27th.   SLP Templates and Activation Assignments will be made available for pick up at the school on June 29 and 30 and again from September 6th. I urge you to pick these up sooner rather than later so that you can begin preparing for the SLP well in advance of the meetings in September. You could even bring the completed Activation to your childs SLP meeting, thus saving a trip. The office is a very busy place, so please do not ask for a tour of the school while picking up/dropping off SLPs etc. A tour will be offered at the time of your SLP meeting and again on the first day of attendance.

Please note: At the start of the year the new Kindergarteners will all have a ‘gradual entry’. This means they will go home at lunch time for the first 2 or three days of attendance. This is the practice in most VSB schools because it prevents the children from becoming overwhelmed by the end of the first few days. Details will follow in September.

Sunny Days!

Its Hot out There! ~ Please ensure your child is using sunblock before coming to school and has a water bottle and a hat so we can enjoy the sunshine safely.

A few reminders: The Thursday/Friday Group meets at VanDusen Gardens at 9:55 am tomorrow June 8th. One parent and one younger sibling may also attend for free. Families provide their own transportation. Although our workshop ends at 11:30, everyone is welcome to stay until the gardens close at 5:00pm.  Consider bringing a picnic and making a day of it!

The Rock On Sing Along Show band is performing at the school at 11:00am on Thursday 15th. Students and one parent and one younger sibling of the Monday/Tuesday group are also welcome. Please plan to arrive at 10:50 to attend the concert (and help lead the “O Great Earth” song!)

Sports Day is Friday 16th. ALL students in both groups are welcome for the whole day. Bring a big lunch and sun protection. Pick-up/Drop-off will be in the usual place and time. Monday/Tuesday group parents, If you haven’t already done so, please let me know if you plan to attend the concert and/or Sprots Day.

FYI, CBC Kids has just introduced a section that uses Minecraft to teach lots of Social Study’s concepts.

Fluttering and Puttering

The school year is almost over, and we have so much to do! Our Butterflies are almost ready to emerge from their chrysalises and flutter about until we can release them outdoors. There have been no in person classes, but each day brings new delights as students share their last Portfolio of the 2022-23 school year. In between portfolio meetings I find myself puttering about preparing templates for SLPs and Activation Assignments for the 2023-24 school year. Like butterflies, my thoughts seem to flutter, alight for a moment, and then take off again!

By now you will have received an invitation to the Beaconsfield PAC family picnic. Please also know that all Home Learner students are welcome to attend the Beaconsfield Sports Day on June 16th. It will be a full day, with students drop off and pick up in the regular place at 9:00 and 3:00. Monday/Friday families please let me know as soon as possible if you will bring your child to school that day.

I recently learned about an alarming phenomenon called phytophotodermatitis. This happens when the juice from certain foods interacts with sunshine to cause a chemical burn on skin! Celery and some citrus fruits are included in the list of foods. Please consider taking a moment to learn more about it.

SLP schedule will open in June. For the best choice in dates/times  please keep an eye out for an email with SLP in the subject.

I love it when parents pass along new learning resources, they have discovered that might be of interest to other parents. CL shared an amazing resource to support Indigenous Way of Learning This is a link to a site of Indigenous games for children     EA_indigenous-games-for-children-en.pdf (csf.bc.ca)

Short and Sweet.

This post will be short and sweet because we are in the middle of our last round of Portfolio Presentations which continue until June 2.

Thursday/Friday group DON’T FORGET that we will meet at 9:50am at Van Dusen Botanical Gardens on your first day which is June 8th.

It is always such a delight to meet with students and parents during Portfolios. The diversity and breadth of learning activities happening in your families is just astounding! I often feel like I have the best job I the district because I get to see the range and depth of your creativity and resourcefulness.

All current students are invited to the performance of the Rock-On Sing Along Show at 11:00 am on Thursday June 15. One parent and one sibling of the Monday/Tuesday group are welcome to attend since this is not your usual program day, and your kids don’t have their own drivers’ licenses yet! Lol. Wait at the back door of the gym at 10:55 (our usual drop off/pick up spot) and I will open the doors for you just before the concert starts at 11:00.

Other dates to note: Year End Family Picnics at Trout Lake will happen from 11:30  to 2:30 on Friday June 23 and Monday June 26. This year’s picnic is going to be even more special because we will be joined at about 1:30 by some of the kids and parents who will be starting with us in September!! I am grateful to the parents who have volunteered connect with the new and new-ish parents at the picnic. The goal is to offer support to newcomers by sharing experiences and ideas about SLPS, allotment spending, and preparing for Portfolios etc. Such a wealth of information and expertise in this community!

Parents of students who will be joining us in September, please take note: I have BCC emailed out invitations for a few opportunities to help you get ready for September. Please check your Spam Folders if you haven’t seen anything from me recently.

Somethings Fishy…

After exploring various techniques for Print Making with paint and construction paper, we became brave and printed with fabric ink onto T-Shirts. The results were Eye-popping and beautiful!

We made fish shaped stencils and used locally sourced leaves and cedar boughs to create beautiful underwater scenes and nature themed designs. We drew on our earlier Applied Design skills and Math learning about Geometry (symmetry, flipping/sliding/ turn around a point etc.) to create our designs. We hope our shirts build on our efforts with identifying Storm Drains last week to inspire people  to value and protect the environments that fish need to survive and thrive. Please refer to the note about  the need to Heat Set the ink before its first trip to the washing machine.

Thursday Friday Group Please Note!!! June 8 is your first day back after Portfolios. AND it is a Field Trip to VanDusen Botanical Gardens! PARENTS: The program is already paid for. Admission is also covered for the adult bringing the student to the garden. There are a small number of spots remaining for a younger sibling if necessary. Please let me know as soon as possible if you require help for a younger child to attend. Everyone is welcome to stay at VanDusen gardens after the program ends until the gardens close at 5:00pm. Feel free to bring a picnic! Details to follow in a private email in a few days.

Some other Outdoor Education opportunities you might enjoy:

Neighbourhood Nature School (SPEC)
This is a free online learning hub for students from (K – 7). Students and families can learn together while at home or school, exploring their backyard and neighbourhood. Each week, a variety of lessons and activities will be added. With over 42 sheets of items to discover, this fun activity encourages both home learners and school students to search their neighbourhoods, school grounds and green spaces for patterns, textures, local wildlife, native plants, sensory weather, fall crops and colours in nature.

Pondering Ponds and Producing Prints

Our younger group certainly enjoyed our field trip to Van Dusen Botanical Gardens as we participated in the Pondering Ponds program. The facilitator was very impressed with their focus and their good questions. We learned so much about what happens on the surface, in the water column, and on the bottom of a pond. We saw some goslings and ducklings and BIG Carp as well.

Marking more than 40 City of Vancouver Storm Drains with bright yellow fish shapes was a meaningful way for our students to help the environment. We learned that the water from the toilets and sinks in our homes gets treated before it goes into the ocean, but the rain that falls washes down storm drains and goes straight to the ocean!! We hope the Yellow Decals help people to be mindful about the chemicals and garbage that go on the streets, gardens and lawns.

If you are looking for some ways to help the environment’s Bees and Butterflies? Van Dusen Botanical Garden is having a Plant Sale on the plaza beside Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park. Drop by on Saturday May 13th between 10am – 4pm to pick up some beautiful plants that help Pollinators from your own yard or balcony or patio.

Last Thursday we participated in the city wide Earthquake Drill called “The Big One At 2”. As I have received Search and Rescue training, I had to hand the class to another teacher once we were all assembled outside, and then practice preparing to conduct a search inside the building. Our class has practiced this drill in the past and all the students knew exactly what to do. Well Done. Some students were not quite sure what to do or where to meet their parents if an earthquake happened when they were not at school. This might be a good opportunity to review your family’s Safety plans.

This week we are continuing to create art through a printmaking process. Some beautiful cards are  in the works. ENJOY!

PORTFOLIO Schedule is open. Email me soon for the best selection of remaining times.

Remember, due to Portfolios, there are no in person classes from May 23 to June 2 Classes recommence Monday June 5. (Not June 6 as shown on the blog calendar.)

Important Updates for New Students in September 2023

All families who were offered and accepted a placement for September Please Take Note:  Both the Monday/ Tuesday and Thursday/Friday groups are completely full. If you know that you Will Not Be Attending in September after all, please let me know as soon as possible so that I can offer your spot to another student on our waitlist.

Families will soon begin receiving emails from myself and from the main Beaconsfield School Office. Please ensure that you mark both of these addresses as “Not Spam.” Among the items you will receive will be a calendar of important Home Learner Program Dates so you can plan for Student Learning Plan (SLP) meetings, Portfolio Presentation dates and other important events.

During the month of June I will also offer a Drop In Open House for any new students and a parent to swing by and check out the classroom so you can know what the space looks like when you arrive in the Fall. Any Current Parents who would like to attend would be very welcome to come along and share your expertise.

Making Our Mark…In A Good Way!

Leaving Our Mark…In a Good Way!

Parents of the Monday/Tuesday group: Please check  your emails for important information about our field trip on Tuesday May 9th.

Last week our older students created an engineering project. They “purchased” building materials (popsicle sticks and toothpicks), researched and then built a bridge. Once complete, they then measured the amount of weight their bridge could sustain. Lots of surprises and lots of laughs and learning.

This week both groups had the opportunity to mark many city storm drains in our neighborhood with bright yellow salmon symbols These symbols remind Vancouver resident that our storm drains lead directly to the ocean. By being mindful of the chemicals we use in our yards, gardens, and driveways, we can all play a part in protecting our ecosystems.

The third and final portfolios take place between May 23 and June 2 and the appointment schedule is now open. Please email me with 3 possible DATES and specify if you prefer morning or afternoon, and I will do my best to accommodate your preferences. If you plan to include any Digital submissions, please ensure they are provided at least 48 hours ahead of the meeting in order for me to view them in advance of our celebrations!

The date of the “Rock On Sing Along show” has changed!! Please note that the concert is now at 11:00am on Thursday June 15th. The Monday/Tuesday students are encouraged to attend. (The adult driver of any Monday/Tuesday students is welcome to attend and may bring one younger sibling if necessary.)

As the days are now (finally!) getting warmer please ensure your child brings a water bottle and hat to school. Consider applying sunscreen as well. We will be taking advantage of the improved weather to get outside. We will also be going on many more impromptu outdoor adventures! Any students who arrive late and discover that we are not there know to go to the office to find out where we are…We could be in the garden or out reading under the trees. But we might be on our way to Trout Lake or Trout Lake or the Renfrew Ravine.

Who remembers times when kids were happily engaged in other activities, without being hooked on tablets and social media… Maybe this will bring back some fun memories! Maybe, if you are old like me,  you can teach your kids these games too!     https://t.co/PXa7avJ7Oj

It’s a Small World

Last week two BC Lions players spoke to us about how to protect the environment by using energy sustainably. Through some fun games and lively discussion we learned how each one of us can work to save energy in simple ways.

We used our electric microscopes to look at the world inside a drop of water! In the water from a tropical fish tank we discovered a world of very tiny organisms. So had legs and some might have been plants. Inside the cells of  some of the plants we saw some even tinier organisms that looked like they were being swallowed by some slightly bigger things. All of these organisms were too small to see with just our eyes, but under the microscope they seemed to be as big as trees! This made us realize that we need to take care of all parts of the earth; even the parts we cannot see on our own.

In celebration of Earth Day we learned a song written by Linnea Good called O Great Earth. Ask your kids to sing it for you!

Soon we will be doing some art on T-shirts. We need old Styrofoam tray to practice with. So please collect and wash any Styrofoam trays and send them to school by the first week of May.

Its Logical

As trees push out new leaves and insects emerge from their cocoons, we have discovered lots of interesting and intricate details in nature. We are using our math skills to enlarge the images we see in our microscopes and magnifiers as well. Rumor has it we may soon have cocoons INSIDE the classroom too. Stay tuned. Additionally, we have shared our perspectives on how good it feels to have curiosity and to show generosity. Together we are practicing logic skills as we learn how to play new math games. And we are even building game boards for some of these fun games to sell at our craft sale in June! The older students did a wonderful job with their Influential Canadian Project. And we had several ‘special guests’ arrive to share tea and goodies and conversation as we learned about lesser-known people from our history. Many of the older students are becoming quite proficient with the use of the ‘finger alphabet’ and we have begun to conduct our literacy activities in sign language!

Fun With The Sun

We attempted to harness the power of the sun and made several interesting discoveries about light and shadow along the way. We discovered that the temperature of the air does not affect the heat generated when focused on a small area. We used this concept to focus our attention AND a beam of light onto slices of cedar and alder to create art. Ask you kids to show you their first project competed this week. Later we will create game boards and other small objects to sell at our “Kids Helping Kids” craft sale in June. We’ve also been conducting experiments with levers and fulcrums. Ask your kids about our Balancing Acts.

Curiosity plays a pivotal role in learning. Both groups have had some deep and philosophical discussions about allowing our curiosity to ‘get the better of us’ when we might otherwise try to avoid a challenge. Overheard several times this week “This is more fun than I thought it would be!”

I collected a “Cold Write” from each group in recent days. During a “Cold Write” everyone writes or draws about the same topic for 15 minutes but without discussion or rehearsing. I collect this writing sample three times a year to get a ‘snap shot’ of individual student progress. At the start of the year most kids produced a few words or sentences. This time I could not get them to put their pencils down!!

PARENT RESOURCES: You may already have received an email from the main school office. If you are interested in Summer School learning and activities, registration for the Elementary Summer Learning Program begins on Monday, April 24.    https://www.vsb.bc.ca/page/5211/summer-learning

Also, the department of Kinesiology at UBC reached out on behalf of “UBC Active Kids” They are a community outreach program of the School of Kinesiology with a variety of physical activity programming aimed at Home Schoolers of all ages and abilities. Check out their website to learn more if you are interested. UBC Active Kids School of Kinesiology Outreach Programs  https://kin.educ.ubc.ca/outreach/active-kids/

Is it Crafts or STEAM?

As this round of Portfolio Meetings winds down I would like to say once more how delightful it is to celebrate your children’s efforts and accomplishments. It is marvelous to see how many students are using Reflection Journals, prediction & observations and other strategies to lift nature walks, and arts & crafts etc. to become S.T.E.A.M. activities. (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math)

Several parents also used a highlighter on their child’s SLP to track completed outcomes for specific academic areas as learning happened at home. I thought I would pass along that idea as it made it very easy to connect at home activity to the child’s SLP.

Class  Picture Day is tomorrow (Thursday March 9).  This is a group photo. Both groups will have a photo taken, so Mon/Tues students are included in this invitation.  Mon/Tues students will be dismissed as soon as their class photos complete.  Please arrive to school promptly as our classes are scheduled to go first.

The Grade 7s in the main school are having a snack sale at recess tomorrow (Thurs) to raise money for their trip later in the Spring. Most treats are $1-2.

Spring Break begins Monday and goes until Friday March 24th. Don’t forget to bring your Animal Diorama or Influential Canadian research to share. (Thurs/Fri group will hand in research March 30/31 and bring costumes on April 6th.)

 

Plugging along….

We are now at the midpoint in the schedule for the second round of Portfolio meetings. I am constantly impressed by the outstanding efforts families are making on the days you work from home.

I look forward to seeing the Thursday/Friday group on March 9. And look forward to seeing the Monday/Tuesday group right after Spring Break on March 27. Please bring your Dioramas on that day. I will email a suggestion for an animal and/or Influential Canadian to those students I have not yet heard back from. Let me know as soon as possible if your child wants to choose a different subject for their Diorama or Influential Canadian.

The Thursday Friday group will work together to build a “Rube Goldberg Machine”  early in the next term. Consider saving up some cardboard, string, plastic containers, and other intriguing materials we might incorporate.

CLASS PHOTO DAY IS Thursday March 9. ALL students are welcome, including the Monday/Tuesday group. I will bring the students in for their photo and then return any Monday/Tuesday students to their parents immediately after the photo is done. If you would like your child to be in the class photo, please  arrive at school promptly at 9:00 as our class is going first.

So Inspiring!

Portfolio season is now well underway. I am thrilled to celebrate your children’s efforts and accomplishments. It is indeed inspiring to see how much energy and creativity you are putting into supporting your child’s learning!

Thanks to so many parents spreading the word about our program, the Primary Cohort is no full for September, and only a few spots remain for grade 4-7! However, please encourage interested parents to still apply, as there are sometimes changes over the Spring and Summer months.

If you have not already done so, please send me your child’s chosen topic for their Animals of BC Diorama (Primary) or Influential Canadian (Intermediate) projects. These will be due on the students first day back after Spring Break.

Parents of Intermediate students (Grade 4-7) please remember that your child is required  to submit substantial evidence in the period between portfolios meetings as well as at portfolios. The next deadline for submissions is April 6th and their “Influential Canadian Project” can form a significant portion of this submission.

The final date for spending this year’s Allotment may be approaching sooner than you think! Please keep tax and shipping costs in mind, and that our office holds back a small amount for field trips and special materials. This year the hold back is approximately $30

I am including several recently discovered online resources I thought you and your kids might finds interesting. If the link does not work, try entering the URL manually.

Drawing with AI   https://scribblediffusion.com

Link to Free audio books https://www.facebook.com/reel/588439786037528?sfnsn=mo&s=F5x8gs&fs=e&mibextid=6AJuK9

Lastly, many of the bulbs we planted in the autumn are poking out of the ground! I invite the students to  drop by our garden box on your way to or from the Portfolio meeting.

A Flurry of Friendly Fun

Thank you to those who sent along fruit and other seasonal treats as we celebrated in advance of Family Day with the sharing of a collaboratively constructed Friendship Fruit Salad! The many ingredients and flavors  all came together to make a unique and wonderful dish!  One student in the older group proudly sent along homemade ‘stained glass cookies’ as well! On Tuesday we joined the mainstream school in an afternoon of activities celebrating Heroic Hearts in our community. I was absent on Tuesday. However, the  Teacher On Call left me a lovely note saying how much they enjoyed their day with our kids, and how friendly and helpful they were! Later in the week, the older group conducted an exploration of Chance and Probability. This helped us  realize the difference between Chance, and Likelihood, and how “the odds” work. Then we used those  principles to create some funny “Randomly Generated Art”

Important Dates to Remember: There are no classes for students during Portfolio season: February 23 to /March 7. Spring Break is March 13 to 24. The Intermediate group’s research project presentations will be on March 31; and their Influential Canadian Tea Party will be on April 6th. The outline for the project was sent/emailed home on Thursday February 16th. Please discuss the project with your child and send me the name of their chosen research subject by noon on February 24th

Whoosh!

Well, that week went by so fast that I am a bit late with this newsletter. It’s been a jam packed week of  Science, Social Studies, and Art! We painted with sponges over stencils. We made our own stencils in the shape of animals that are important to Indigenous people of Canada including Bear, Salmon, Raven. The older students tried their hand at cutting more intricate stencils and using oil pastels as well.

During Black History month we have shared literature by Black Canadian authors and learned some uncomfortable facts about certain aspects of Canadian history. In age-appropriate ways we explored some hard truths. We learned that we all need to play a part in ensuring that all people feel respected and safe in our community. The older group went deeper with a discussion about micro aggression, how to recognize it, and how to address thoughtless or unkind words. You would be proud of their maturity and openness.

We decided that trustworthiness and truthfulness can help us determine the difference between someone who is a good friend and someone who is an acquaintance. The older group also spent some time coming up with problem-solving strategies for when someone doesn’t treat us with respect.

For Science we had some fun messing around with things that Sink or Float and building boats from tinfoil to see how much weight they could carry. One boat managed to hold 92 marbles! We played with the ideas of Chance and Probability and learned how to graft our predictions and the actual outcomes.  The older students built several cityscapes which were then subjected ‘earthquake’ forces. We noticed that lower wider structures withstood more force than tall thin structures.

In anticipation of Family Day, next weekend is a long weekend! No instructional time on Monday February 20th. On Tuesday Feb 14 and Thursday Feb. 16, please a contribution of chopped fruit to be combined into a Friendship Fruit Salad. Feel free to send along other treats as well for Valentine’s Day if you wish. On the afternoon of Tuesday the 14, the younger group will briefly join other classes for a dance in the gym. Then we will return to the classroom for games and puzzles and ‘stations’ activities. Please remember that Friday Feb 17 is a professional day.

Portfolio Time and Spring Break are almost upon us. There are no in person classes during this time. But I will be sending home an activity for family’s consideration over those days. Additionally, look for a activity outline coming home with the Intermediate Thursday/Friday cohort. This History project is to be worked on over the next 5-6 weeks. It will culminate in a “Tea party” on April 6th in which we all pretend to be the Influential Canadian we studied.

Water Water Everywhere

This past week we have learned about the importance of clean water to all living things and how it cycles through the environment. We discussed what we can do as individuals to protect this precious resource. And we made some surprising discoveries about what floats and what sinks; and why. We saw how sugar can be invisible when it is mixed with water, but can reappear as crystals when the water is boiled away. Many amazing insights were revealed when we shared our thinking with Reggio Emilia inspired Story Mats. If your child was in attendance on those days, I hope you enjoyed the photos I sent of your child’s creation.

We’ve been learning how to take our pulse and measure our heart rate. We discovered that our heart rate is different if we are still and quiet from how it is when we are active or Very Active. All these numbers made for some interesting math calculations.

Our print making art explorations activities continue this week as we learn about ‘negative space’ through the use of animal shaped stencils. If you haven’t already done so, please send along an art smock or oversized T Shirt. This smock should remain at school for whenever we do messy art in order to protect clothes from paint and ink.

In the next few days, we will begin some archeology. We will dig for objects hidden in plaster. Who knows what will emerge!

Thank you for spreading the word about joining our program for the coming school year. We are close to full at the primary level, and a few spots remain at the Intermediate level.

Report cards go home this week. Please check your child’s backpack. The report is yours to keep, but I would appreciate the return of the envelope to use next term.

Portfolio time is upon us once again. They will take place from February 23 to March 7. Please remember that there are no on-site classes during portfolio time. Unfortunately, the Blog calendar is out of commission, so I am not able to update it to show which time slots get taken. Please send me three different dates, and whether you prefer a morning or afternoon time slot, and I will do my best to accommodate your request.