3D shapes are everywhere!

We've been examining 3D-shapes in math and are having a blast!

Check out this hilarious and helpful song we have been humming all week long. Careful, it REALLY gets stuck in your noggin'!





The boys and girls hit the halls armed with a camera to find real-world examples of a sphere, a cylinder, a cube and a cone! Contrary to what they may have told you, we were looking for SPHERES, not spears. 



Where else can you spot 3D shapes?


Solid Shape slides in Animoto video are gratefully borrowed from Mrs. Ricca's Kindergarten. 

Criteria for Strong Illustrations

Our writing has become really strong! We began the year writing a beginning sound or a word or two. Now? We can write a complete idea independently! Each day we work hard at our writing, and our growth is amazing! SO much to be proud of!

But lately, our illustrations have not matched our strong writing. At times, we have not given our illustrations as much effort. How can we make our pictures as awesome as our writing?

Students looked at some examples of illustrations and brainstormed what makes an illustration dazzling. Then we gathered and sorted our ideas, and together generated criteria for a strong illustration!

We have already had a chance to apply our learning! Sorry, though, no pictures of the students' illustrations today ... these are part of a top secret Mother's Day project!

Some spring butterflies have showed up in our room today, too!

We also removed our egg turner to prepare for hatching! By Monday we should have some barnyard news! We can't wait!

Our Earth is Awesome! Happy Earth Day!

God blessed us with a beautiful place to live, Earth!

We have spent the week preparing for Earth Day! We read a silly book by one of Mrs. Beliveau's favourite authors, Todd Parr. Enjoy! 

We also read Dr. Seuss' book The Lorax, which got us thinking about how we can care for our environment. Then we channelled our inner Lorax, yellow moustache and all, and made posters about how we will care for our Earth!

Look at our awesome work!

I can recycle paper. I can ride my bike.
I can care about the plants. I can plant new trees and plants. 

Our posters are both hilarious and thoughtful!

Happy Earth Day, friends! Remember that little choices each day can make a positive difference!

Candling and Bowling

Today is day 10 of our hatching journey. Remember when we began?

We learned that on the 10th day of growth, a chick's beak is hardening! Isn't God amazing?

Today we candled a few of the eggs in our incubator. Candling can tell us if the egg is developing into a chick. First we made our classroom very dark. 

Using a special bright light, we were able to see if there was a developing chick inside the egg or not. Dark, shadowy egg? Chick! Bright, lit up egg? No chick. 

We candled about 8 eggs, and most of them were dark! In another 11 days or so, the little ones growing inside the eggs will hatch. We can hardly wait!

Can your child describe the life cycle of the chicken?

Our student teacher is nearing the end of her time with us, but she is squeezing in another spectacular Coding Club challenge before she is gone! Bowling!

The learning (and fun) never stops!

Spring Photo Challenge! Join in!

Spring has sprung!

Our Science mini-unit on Seasonal Changes in Spring has kept us hopping, and we have been keeping our eyes "peeled" for these signs of spring!

We've been looking for what people do, how animals change, and what plants and trees are up to come this warmer season!

Let's share the signs of Spring we've found!

Here is how our photo hunt works. 

First, give your child a camera (your phone would be excellent!) and have him or her take a picture showing a sign of Spring!

Then, to share your photo and/or comment on our "wall":

(1) Double-click on our Signs of Spring wall below. 

(2) A box will appear. Type in a comment. Upload a picture. Ta da!

(3) Marvel at all of the signs of Spring our students have found!

Created with Padlet

Thank you for NOT mentioning first or last names on our blog, as well as any other identifying / sensitive information.

What signs of Spring can you and your child find?

New Books, New Life, and a New Challenge!

We had such an exciting day!

New Books
We love to read and we will read anywhere! Today, we read on a BUS! The Bookmobile came from the Strathcona County Library! We heard a few silly stories on the bus, and then had an opportunity to each choose 5 books to borrow. We even got flashy book bags! 

We couldn't wait to get reading!

The Bookmobile will be back for the next three Mondays. We can't wait!

New Life
Today we welcomed in a generous and very knowledgeable mom who is helping us hatch chicks. We have an incubator full of eggs, and in 21 days, we hope it is full of wee little chicks! Each day we will carefully monitor the incubator's temperature and humidity. This is sure to be an exciting journey as we experience new life first hand!

New Challenge
Our energetic student teacher began a Coding Club today! The students were challenged to create a song with Dash, and boy have they been rising to the challenge! 

What a marvelous Monday!

Classroom Makeover: Flexible Seating

Welcome! Never has a class of Grade 1 students been SO EXCITED to get into class after Spring Break! 

Our room has changed from this ...

... to this!

We are excited to have a room with "flexible seating". Students, while assigned a home base (desk) as we transition, are frequently encouraged to choose a space around the room where they can do their best!

Here are just some of the new work spaces available around the room:

We loved exploring and trying out various new locations and seating today!

Using the couches, pillows, and lawn chairs, we were all able to gather for a story. Ask your child the silly name we have given this area of our room.

Please pop by and see our cozy little classroom. We are so excited to take more responsibility for our learning!