Farewell!

Dear boys and girls,

I am sitting in a very empty classroom imagining that you are all outside enjoying the sunshine! I wanted to tell you what incredible individuals you all are. God blessed each and every one of you with such unique gifts, personalities, and talents. Continue to treat eachother with kindness. When you face a new situation, know that I believe in you. Always look for Jesus in everyone you meet, and continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus as you make the world a better place.

Have a wonderful, relaxing summer and please keep reading!

Love,
Mrs. Beliveau

Minute to Win It: Grade One Style!

This afternoon, after plenty of packing, organizing and tying up of loose ends (as well as loose shoe laces), we spent time enjoying one of our last days together as a class. The kids took part in the Grade One 1st Annual Minute To Win It games!

The first game we took on was "There She Blows". The students had to blow a cup across the floor and past the finish line. Look at the fun! 

The deafening roar from our classroom (whoops!) even drew in Mr. Lakeman, who is never one to pass up fun or competition!

The next challenge was "Capture the Rainbow". Each team began with a cup of jelly beans. Using only one hand, students did a relay race to separate it into the different colours. What a hilarious team challenge!

Next up? Teams fanned tissue paper fishies across the room and into a hula hoop for the game "Go Fishing". All of that fanning sure felt nice on Mrs. Beliveau!

"Cookie Slide" was an absolute hit! Kids opened up their Oreo cookie, licked it, and stuck it to their foreheads. Then, without using their hands, students wiggled, squinted, and smooshed their facial muscles around to try and get that cookie to move into their mouths. 

Next, teams gathered for "Snack Scramble". They worked together to quickly assemble the front of a snack box that had been cut into pieces.  

The final game was lively! Using a straw, students were moving marshmallows from one cup to another by sucking in on the straw. This took patience, but lots of cheering and encouragement got the job done!

The students had so much fun laughing, looking silly, and cooperating. It was a fantastic way to spend one of our last days together!

But we were not exactly sure how this happened ...

Minute To Win It games were adapted from here and here. 

Lovin' the Library!

The boys and girls were so excited to jump on a bus and head to the Strathcona County Library for a very special tour, and we learned a lot! 

When we arrived we headed into a special program room in the Enchanted Forest children's section with our "tour guide" Jane. 

We learned that, with a library card, we can sign out AS MANY BOOKS AS WE CAN CARRY for 3 weeks! Wowzers!

Jane showed us many of the items that can be borrowed from the library (you can see many of them on the table behind her). We can borrow read-along kits (book/CD), CDs, DVDs, beginning readers, picture books, really fun PlayAway kits (an MP3 player with stories to listen to), and so much more! 

We took a tour to see what we can do in the library, and many were surprised to find out that we can come and play the wii! We played a game of Eye Spy that took us through the children's section, the Discovery section, the computer area, past the Information Desk, and back to the program room. Did you know there are even cozy areas called "living rooms" where you can relax on couches with a book, wii, magazine, or borrowed laptop? (yes, the library even has laptops to sign out!)

Did you know the leaves on the magnificent tree
in the children's section are changed with the seasons?

Back in our program room, we learned all about the Summer Reading Game called Believe it or Not that the library offers. Can your child tell you what the picture of the leafy tree is for? How about how to earn a free DQ ice cream or win free, brand new books? Have a peek in the Grade 1 reading kit your child received today. It is specifically tailored for our readers entering Grade 2 in the fall!

The summer reading game, "Believe it or Not". Come play once a day!
You may also play this game on the Bookmobile, too!

The morning finished off with a few silly songs, games, and even a book about underwear. No longer will we wonder what kind of underwear a turtle wears!

Be sure to check the Summer Program Guide for many FREE programs offered this summer for kids and families, like Beetles are Bugs, Beach Party, and Hot Wheels Show and Shine! 

The guide can be picked up in the library or accessed online,
and it is packed with fun and free things to do all summer!

The library makes reading and learning so much fun, and is an excellent way to spend your summer! Please encourage your child to continue reading daily throughout the summer, as this will make the transition to Grade 2 tremendously smoother. 

"Chicken littles" aren't so little anymore!

This past April we had the amazing experience of hatching chicks in our class (check out here, here, here, here and here). Today the children were in absolute disbelief when they saw pictures of them now!

Can you believe our teeny, tiny, fluffy little puff balls have grown into chickens?

Thank you to the family who generously offered their home to our feathered friends. Hatching chicks continues to be an incredible learning experience! 

Isn't God amazing?

Our trip back in time

On Friday we spent a wonderful day at the Fort. Saskatchewan Museum and Historic Site! We were able to experience life in the early 1900's in a hands on and very engaging way. It was an excellent way to tie together all of our learning for our final Social Studies unit, which focusses on changes from past to present. 

Why not sit down with your child and experience the day together by sharing the photos below?

A huge thank you to all of the eager and energetic volunteers who made our trip a success, and many thanks to the wonderful museum interpreters who brought the past to life for us. It truly was an engaging day!

Jacks (and Jills) and their Beanstalks

About a week ago, we started several experiments to explore more about the needs of plants. There have been many changes and lots of learning taking place, so here is the update!

We did an experiment to see if plants really do need water to live. We had two identical plants and put them on the windowsill. One was watered and the other one was wasn't: 

"Plants need water and that's that."

We also had two identical plants which we watered regularly. We placed one on the windowsill and one in a dark cupboard, and explored how important light is to a plant. Unfortunately both plants died, and when we inspected further we noticed that the roots were loose and barely covered in dirt. We decided to restart this experiment, and are currently waiting for two cups of grass to grow before starting over. (This has nothing to do with the fact that Mrs. Beliveau's thumbs are every colour BUT green ... wink, wink).

We planted grass seed in various things, including sand, dirt, cotton balls, and rice. We found that although the grass grew in the soil and sand both very well, the grass in the sandy cup eventually died. Surprisingly, the grass grew around the cotton and we also noticed a few hardy sprouts in the rice. Verdict? Soil is best!

We explored how plants transport water, and did two experiments with coloured water. Celery was placed in coloured water and the leaves quickly turned red or blue (within a few hours!). The white carnations took a bit longer, but they turned different colours as well. Water moves throughout a plant!

We also enjoyed growing bean seeds on our windowsill. We planted seeds in plastic cups by tucking the seed against the side of the cup using wet paper towels. This allowed us to watch the plant as it grew, kind of like a little window. Daily watering was key!

We have learned oodles about plants and what they need to grow! So why does Mrs. Beliveau's backyard grass looks so patchy? 

Animals and Action-Painting!

After completing our Needs of Living Things Unit, we spent lots of time last week researching an animal of the students' choosing. 

The children worked on their reports in partners, searching through National Geographic Kids  online as well as many non-fiction books. Teamwork made the process so much smoother! Working in pairs allowed children to troubleshoot issues that popped up on the computers, gather information from challenging text, and collaborate to write strong sentences. 

Students completed a simple report template by (1) drawing and labeling their animal and (2) writing about and illustrating three facts. 

We also glued on a colour picture of our chosen animal on the back, and as the finishing touch, had our reports laminated! The children were so proud! They read their animal reports to classmates today, and hope to read to the Kindergarten students tomorrow. 

This project was rich in learning. Students were asked to gather information from different sources, put ideas into their own words, write complete sentences, illustrate with detail, and collaborate with a peer. What accomplished kids!

Please check your child's agenda for this animal report. Review it and then complete the yellow Star and a Wish page. The star is for you to write what you feel they did well, and the wish is for something you wish they would work on next time. Please return the animal report and the Star and a Wish form by Monday. 

We had a ball this afternoon learning about American painter Jackson Pollock and his unique style of painting. Rather than paint a landscape or portrait, he painted action! Pollock would drip, pour, and splatter the paint! 

Can you believe we are out of wet wipes now?

We tried action painting today, too! The artwork is still drying and will need mounting, so watch for an action-packed Pollock-inspired bulletin board display soon!

Never a dull moment in Grade 1!

Horses Love Reading, too!

The children have learned many lessons and new skills this year, but perhaps the learning they take the most pride in is reading. They began the year able to identify sounds and read just a few short words. Now they are able to read stories, magazines, websites, comics, and so much more! What a tremendous accomplishment!

After practicing our reading daily since September, the children were ready and we were off! We spent a morning celebrating and sharing our reading talents with none other than a few gentle Arabian horses. 

The students moved through different centers, reading to the horses after completing the activities at each centre. The activities were fun and included labeling the parts of a horse with sticky labels, grooming the horses (and their hooves!), running silly relay races dressed as cow boys and cow girls, writing special messages on posters to the horses, trying out the feel of a saddle (complete with parent-generated bumps) and making paint-stamped bandanas. 

Reading was easily the highlight! There were so many magical moments as the horses leaned in to see the pictures and hear the students read. The children read with confidence and tremendous pride, and the morning is one we will fondly remember. 

Keep reading, boys and girls!

Thank you, Mr. Millar for motivating 
us to read all year long!

Busy little bees!

The kids returned to school rested and ready to learn! Today we were busy as bees as we continued to explore our Science Unit, Needs of Living Things!

ANIMALS

After experiencing chicks and worms, we have almost completed our focus on the needs of animals. Today the children began researching an animal of their choosing in partners. Students explored National Geographic Kids. Partners chose an animal that interested them, and throughout the week will continue to research, using both print and electronic sources. Stay tuned!

PLANTS

Last week we examined seeds, cutting open fruits and vegetables and graphing our findings:

Examining and graphing the seeds of an orange, snap peas,
cherry tomatoes and a peach.

This week we have many ongoing experiments and activities that will deepen our knowledge about the needs of plants. 

How important is light to a plant? We have taken two plants, and have placed one in a dark cabinet and one on our sunny windowsill. We keep everything else the same, such as how often we water them and how much water they receive. Which plant do you think will do better?

Our two plants before beginning our LIGHT experiment.
One student predicted "I think it will blum (bloom) in the light."

How important is soil to a plant? We have collected 4 different samples to grow grass seeds in: rice, sand, soil, and cotton. We are placing these on the sill too, and are watering them all at the same time. Will we be needing lawnmowers for all of the grass we may grow?

How important is water to a plant? We have two plants. One will receive water, the other will not. Which do you think will do better?

Our two plants, prior to beginning our WATER experiment.

We have also been exploring the roots of a plant and how they transport water and nutrients. We have placed some celery and carnations in coloured water, and are watching carefully to see what will happen. Any predictions?

The celery was just placed in the coloured water. One student predicted,"I think that the one in the red will tern red and the one blue tern blue."

The white flowers that were just placed in coloured water. What will happen?

Finally, we took some time to plant our own bean seeds in clear cups. It is only day one, so there are no changes yet, but the clever eyes in our class are keeping a close watch! In the meantime, we will ensure they get a few squirts of water each day. 

We continue to be in awe of God's creations as we learn about the Needs of Living Things!

Marvelous MOMS!

We all have many wonderful people taking care of us, supporting us, and loving us. We are especially blessed to have our moms in our lives! The children have spent the past week preparing a few very special surprises for Mother's Day!

Last week we had a ball preparing some Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub to pamper our moms. Rub a dollop on your hands, scrub under warm water, and rinse. It would even be a special treat for tired feet, too! It smells good enough to eat, and some students couldn't resist a few licks of their stir sticks! Good thing the mixture contains all natural ingredients: olive oil, sugar, lemon juice and lemon extract. 

Because we obviously couldn't call upon our team of reliable mom helpers to assist with this top secret project, Mrs. Beliveau's mom and her good friend came in. Who knew Mrs. Beliveau had a mom?

We put together very special cards for our moms, too. Several pages of sweet and funny thoughts and pictures fill these little treasure books. Here are a few creative gems from the pages of the students' cards:

Happy Mother's Day to each and every mom! 

You are a gift in your child's life!

Image courtesy of Motherhood Matters

The Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub recipe was adapted from a post on By Stephanie Lynn.

Happy Arbor Day!

"He who plants a tree plants a hope." 

(Lucy Larcom)

Arbor Day was terrific! We attended a special event put on by Strathcona County for many Grade One classes, which complimented our Science curriculum perfectly. Our morning was bright and busy! 

Sometimes we plant a seed and sometimes we plant a tree! We had front row seats to see a giant tree being lowered into the ground:

Our hearts were pumping at the "Nature-cize" obstacle course:

We planted our very own seedling in biodegradable cups, so that the cup can be planted along with the tree. Remember to give your seedling lots of sun, water, nutrients, and of course, LOVE!

We spun the wheel to win prizes, but first Mrs. Beliveau was asked a skill-testing question: 
If you see a forest fire, what number do you call? 

Phone 310-FIRE (but 911 will also work). 

We all won bird feeders! Hooray!

We headed towards a treed area to build "fairy houses" with dead material (e.g. sticks on the ground, fallen pine cones). The students loved this activity!

All of this fun had us hungry, 

so a quick tree cookie hit the spot!

We were in awe of the arborists! We learned that they are "tree doctors". We saw several of their special tools, including the chain saws! We met two amazing arborists, Spiderman and Cat Woman, who raced each other up the trees! What was even more amazing how how they came down ... 
UPSIDE DOWN! 

We learned how the rings on a tree help us count how old the tree is. We even got to practice on our own little "tree cookie":

We each received fantastic lunch bags filled with juice boxes and bananas and we settled in for an interactive performance by environmental activist and Juno-award winning Canadian artist
 Peter Puffin!

Thank you to the moms, dads, several enthusiastic younger-siblings and even our former student-teacher, Ms. Gallinger, for joining us for the morning! Strathcona County put on another fabulous Arbor Day for us and we had so much fun learning about trees!

Living Rosary

We have been learning that there are many ways to pray. Prayer can be recited, such as when we say grace before a meal or gather for mass. Prayers can be sung. We have learned the sung version of the Our Father as well as many faith-based songs, and love joining Ms. Barnes when she accompanies us on the piano. Prayer can also be spontaneous and take place anywhere, even when we ride our bikes!

May is the month of Mary, so this afternoon we took time to honor Mary's selfless contribution to our faith by praying the rosary. Mary said "YES" to God, trusting in His plan for her and bringing the world the priceless gift of her son Jesus. 

We gathered as a school community around a large wooden rosary that spanned the gym. Students and staff took turns leading the different decades and prayers by standing and holding the large rosary beads. Each student in our school was also given a rosary, generously donated by one of the families in our class.  As the prayers were recited, students moved their fingers along their own rosary from bead to bead. 

Here is the large rosary we used today.
As I was organizing and leading  the afternoon with the other Primary Teachers, I was unfortunately unable to get any pictures of the children at the celebration. 

Joining our school community in prayer today were several parents and siblings, as well as one of our school trustees, Mr. Jean Boisvert. Thank you to all who made time in their busy day to join us in prayer and reflection. 

The behaviour of the students from Kindergarten through to Grade 9 was very prayerful and respectful. Many compliments were given after this special assembly recognizing the positive choices and participation of all students. 

Please find a blessed rosary as well as a prayer card in your child's Kanga Pouch. Consider praying the Hail Mary as a family throughout May.