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?