Since it is Thinking Thursday, we challenged our selves to edit for fully missing /ch/ word wall words in the morning message by using our "Wise Owl" reading strategies: "What would look right, sound right, and make sense?" We shared a very entertaining book about the writing process, "How This Book Was Made," and learned how to edit our writing. We got to use the special 'edit-to-get-it' pens to check for sneaky capital letters, punctuation, spelling, and add juicy words to yesterday's journal writing. After recess we had literacy centers, then did Punctuation Punch with our poetry to build awareness of periods, commas, beginning capitals, and exclamation marks. All of the grade ones began the afternoon with a mindful moment together to help them feel more relaxed and ready to learn. In math we told subtraction stories and worked on showing them with snap cubes, as well as translating them to number equations. After plenty of dancing in music, we finished our day working on our feelings colour wheels, then enjoying a little 'pickle time' (free centers) to reward all of the hard work the students did this week.
Mail Pockets
- No new mail went home today.
Words of the Week
Each week we will focus on a set of high frequency words that we are using in our poems and morning message. Feel free to practice these and look for them in your own books! This week we are focused on the "ch" digraph.
each much such child children choose cheer
Please and Thank You!
- Please email me as soon as possible to let me know what family tradition your child would like to share (see more information below).
- Thank you for returning school Library books for Wednesday (our scheduled weekly exchange time is Wednesday afternoon).
Cultural Traditions:
To help us learn about cultural traditions within our classroom community, we would like to invite students to share and teach about their own celebrations and holiday customs. This is not limited to winter holidays, nor is it limited to "official" holidays, if there is a special seasonal tradition your family enjoys. This could take the form of (but is not restricted to) a photograph, artifact, video, or poster. Please email me with the tradition or holiday that your child would like to share before Friday, December 8. A presentation schedule will be sent home the week of December 11. The sharing will take place the week of December 18. Your child should be able to speak about their holiday or tradition and answer questions.
Volunteer Opportunities:
- We would love to welcome morning literacy volunteers into our classroom from 8:00 to 8:30 each morning. If there is one morning a week that works for you, wonderful, but drop-ins are always welcome, too! Just let me know the day before, please. This role will involve helping to create sight word rings, as well as reading one-on-one with students
- Our next Fish Creek ridge walk will be (tentatively, weather dependent) Wednesday, January 24 at 12:30 pm. We would appreciate 3 volunteers joining us on this leisurely walk to observe seasonal winter changes.
- Grade one will be attending the Calgary Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, February 6! We are seeking 1 or 2 more volunteers to join us for the concert, and to explore the Arts Commons and Plus15 system downtown.
Thank you very much for considering! Please email Elysa ([email protected]) or Danielle ([email protected]) if interested to confirm your availability.
Save the Dates:
December 14, 2017 from 6:30 - 7:30 is our Making Memories Winter Celebration. This will be an open house style evening for you and your family to visit with neighbours and make some holiday memories at Prince of Wales school.
Grade one will be enjoying a Family Traditions Brunch on Friday, February 9. Families are welcome to attend! More information to come later!
Guest Readers
On the last morning of school before the break (December 21), we are requesting volunteers to be ‘mystery guest readers’, anytime during the morning (8:00 AM-11:15 AM). This will be a surprise for the children. We would like to have parents come in with their favourite winter story to read to the class. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this, and/or to add your name to the schedule for the morning!
December 21:
All grade one students will be invited to wear their pajamas, bring a stuffy and/or blanket, and their favourite books to read! In the afternoon we will be enjoying a sing-along with Paulo, followed by snacks. Similar to the Halloween party, we would appreciate contributions for fruit, veggies, crackers & cheese/meat, 1 treat, drinks, and plates & napkins. Please click on this link to access the sign-up:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4fa4ae2daaf58-december
Upcoming Dates
Dec. 8 - PD Day (no school for students)
Dec. 14 - Family Event, 6:30 PM
Dec. 19 - Carolling in the PM (families are welcome, more info to come)
Dec. 20 - Report Cards go home
- Boston Pizza Fun Lunch
Dec. 21 - Carolling in the AM (families are welcome, more info to come)
- Special Guest Reader day!
- Seasonal Celebration in the PM! Pajama sing-along and snacks
Dec. 22 - Organizational Day (no school for students)
Dec. 25 - January 5 - Winter Break!
Jan. 8 - PD Day (no school for students)
Jan. 16 - Calgary Humane Society Field Trip
Jan. 24 - winter Ridge Walk
Feb. 6 - Calgary Symphony Orchestra field trip
Feb. 9 - Grade One Family Traditions Brunch (more information to come, but mark your calendar, please!)
Daily Challenge
Today we read, wrote about, and visually expressed how colours have different feelings associated with them for each of us. How does each primary and secondary colour make you feel?