Hope everyone is safe and well!

Dear earth team,

Mrs. Kenney and Mrs. Harrold miss all of you. We hope you are feeling well and staying safe. Here is a message from the grade one team:

March 9 - 13

Student Learning

• In Social Studies, we talked about the difference between needs and wants. 

• In Science, we learned how to draw deciduous and coniferous trees. Ask your child to share how these two types of trees are different. 

• In writing, we spent time learning about what trees have. Ask your child to share what they learned about trees. 

• In math, we worked on a big math word: the commutative property of addition. This means that it does not matter what order you add numbers, you will always get the same answer. 

• We have been exploring stop motion animation using an app. We have learned about how many pictures it takes to create one second of film and how much an object should be moved between each picture in order to show movement. Here are some examples of our work: 

• We have been very excited to practice this skill. If your child would like to continue this practice at home, here is the app that we are using, which is a free download: 

Classroom Updates

• Thank you for your patience this week with Mrs. Harrold's field trip to the Central Library. I am hoping to reschedule it for a later time in April. 
• Parent-Teacher conferences have been cancelled until further notice. 
• Please know that hand-washing continues to be a priority in our classroom. 
• Please check the CBE's website for regular updates about COVID-19. 

March 2 - 6

Student Learning

• We had a special guest in the classroom. Firefighter John came in to talk to us about fire safety and the importance of having a plan at home in the event of a fire. Students went home today with their firefighter hat, coloring book and tattoo. Ask your child to share what they learned from this presentation. 

• In Social Studies, we went on our community walk and looked for important parts of our community. We created an event map to show some of the important places and symbols around our school community. Ask your child to share what they mapped. 

• We read, "Lily's Purple Plastic Purse". 

• And we created a T-chart in our journal to show our connections to the story as well as our understanding of what Lily had in her purse. 

• In Science, we have been working on becoming experts on seasonal changes in plants. We learned about the difference between coniferous and deciduous trees and drew a realistic coniferous tree. Ask your child about the difference. 

• In math, we have been working on adding two and five and representing addition sentences vertically.  

• We also worked on the thinking routine, "It is ... It isn't ..." about 10. Ask your child to share some ideas about what is ten and what isn't ten. 

Classroom Updates 

• Mrs. Harrold's class is headed to Central Library on March 13. Forms went home this week. Please return them by Monday. I am still in need of two more volunteers for this field trip. Please email me if you are available and have your security clearance. Thank you in advance! Mrs. Kenney's class will be headed there later next month. 
• Mrs. Karpick is also looking for volunteers that may be available to accompany her grade one class to Library School on March 11. If you are available, please email her at cakarpick@cbe.ab.ca. Thank you!

February 24 - 28

Student Learning

• In math, we have been practicing making numbers using base ten blocks. This week, we read the book: 

• And talked about how numbers could also be represented as two addends. We worked on making 11 using 2 addends, making 12 using 2 addends and 13 using 2 addends. We put our work into a table so that we could see the relationship between the 2 addends. Our work looked like this: 

• Ask your child to share what they notice about the columns in the above pictures. 
• In art and writing, we have been working on understanding ourselves as a leaner as well as completing a self-portrait. Ask your child to share what they need in order to learn (sitting away from friends, etc.). 

• In science, we are beginning a research project into seasonal adaptations and changes in plants and animals. We have also been working on our technology skills. We have practiced logging onto a laptop, using a mouse, locating a website and using search bars. Ask your child to share what they have learned about animal hibernation and migration. 

• We had high school reading buddies today! 

Classroom Updates 

• The grade threes and fours starting a set design club for 'The Lion King'. They require the following items: 

1. Paint
2. Pop bottles
3. Spray foam
4. Large paper bags, ex. Compost bags for leaves
5. Moss
6. Fake vines or plants
7. Pieces of wood for the stand of 2 trees

• If you are able to donate these items for the musical, it would be greatly appreciated. 
• We will be going on a community walk on Wednesday, March 4 to look for community symbols. 
• Looking for an at home project? Our class will be beginning a stop-motion animation project to show their learning in science. To help with this project, we need iPad stands to hold the iPad still while we manipulate our objects. If you are able to make this iPad stand at home: Easy iPad stand instructions  and donate it to the classroom, that would be amazing! We would need stands by Monday, March 9th. 

February 18 - 21

Student Learning

• On Wednesday, it was our 100th day of school! We have started a list of 100 things we have learned so far in grade one. We wrote about what we would do when we are 100.  

• We also did some art with 100.

• In gym, we have been working on skipping. Ask your child to share what skipping skills they have been practicing. 

• In math, we have been practicing place value up to twenty and representing our thinking by drawing base ten blocks. Ask your child to share how many tens and ones there are in numbers up to twenty.  

Classroom Updates 

• Wednesday, February 26th is Pink Shirt Day, a day to celebrate kindness. On this day, students are invited to wear a pink shirt. 

February 10 - 12

Student Learning

• In math, we began a new math routine called, "Guess My Number". In this math routine, I pick a number between 0 and 20. I draw a number line and I ask students to guess the number. With each guess, I tell students if my number is higher or lower and then erase the number line to show how many numbers are left to guess. We have been working on the strategy of 'guessing in the middle' of the number line so that we can eliminate as many numbers as possible in one guess. Our goal is to guess the number in less than 5 guesses. Ask your child to play this with you at home. 

• In celebration of friendship day, we also made a pattern bracelet for a friend in the class. Ask your child to share who they made a bracelet for and what their pattern was. 

• In writing, we read, "Rosie's Walk". 

• And began work on our own story to describe a journey: 

• Next week, we will work on editing our first drafts for punctuation, capitalization and spelling of sight words so that our stories are ready to be 'published' into their own book. 
• We are preparing for our adventure at Science School in May. Part of the preparation is being ready to journal anytime and anywhere. We went into the hub this week to sketch what we could see. Our sketches were timed. Ask your child to share what they noticed that was new to them in the hub and how it felt to sketch in 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes and 3 minutes. 

• In Social Studies, we talked about responsibilities and students were asked to share what responsibilities they had at home. Ask your child to share what they wrote about. 
  

Classroom Updates

• There is no school on Thursday or Friday due to Teacher's Convention. We will see everyone on Tuesday, February 18th. Have a fun and safe long weekend. 
• We will take part in a community walk on Wednesday, February 19th. Please ensure your child is dressed for the weather.  

February 3 - 7

Student Learning

• On Wednesday, we had our field trip to the CPO to see 'The Hockey Sweater' as well as a presentation from the Alberta School of Ballet. When we returned to school, we used an event map to journal about the experience. Ask your child to share how the music made them feel and the instruments that they saw. 

• In writing, we worked on retelling and sequencing. We read the book, "Wolf in the Snow" and then retold through pictures and words what happened first, next and last. Ask your child to share what happened in this book. 

• In math, we have been working on the thinking routine, "Always, Never" connected to our learning about adding ten. Ask your child to share if the following are always true or never true: 

• We have also been playing a math game called, "Totality". Directions for the game as well as a printable copy of the game board can be found here. 

Classroom Updates

• Due to Teacher's Convention, next week there will be no school on Thursday, Feb. 13th or Friday, Feb. 14th.
• We will celebrate friendship day in the afternoon on Wednesday, February 12th. Please see last week's post for information about handing out cards. 
• Volunteer Opportunity: Ms. Karpick's class is headed to Library School. She is looking for volunteers who would be willing and able to volunteer on the following days: March 10 and March 11. If you are able, please email her at: cakarpick@cbe.ab.ca