Learning Intentions
I can talk about my culture
I can create an artifact that helps show my culture
I can describe my cultural artifact
I can explain what is special about my artifact
I can share my ideas with others

This week in Social Studies, students planned and built an artifact to represent their culture. This was an opportunity for students to delve into their family’s history or to better understand their Canadian identity. In our lessons, diversity was defined as “When many different kinds of people learn, live and share ideas together in one place.” And, students explored diversity in both our country and in our classroom. On Wednesday, they shared their learning by hosting their ‘Culture Artifact Museum’ to share their artifacts, and the stories behind them, with our Grade Three friends.

Learning Intentions
I can build my foundation reading and writing skills
I can build my phonological awareness of letters, sounds and how they are represented
I can collaborate with my group
I can use my understanding of short vowel sounds to write three letter words
I can use digraphs, blends and heart words in my writing
I can use various spellings to showcase different short and long vowel sounds
I can use UFLI lessons to strengthen my literacy skills
I can build my comprehension skills and retell information from a text

After our Spring Break, students started working in leveled Literacy Groups four days a week. These 30-minute sessions are anchored in UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) lessons. This enables students to work in smaller groups on targeted literacy activities. All students underwent testing, combined with classroom observations, to determine which group would best help build their literacy skills. Ending the year with a strong focus on Literacy will help students strengthen their reading and writing abilities and prepare them for the next grade.

At Home Learning:
Literacy:
Ask your child to write 2–3 sentences about their day, remembering capitals, spaces, and punctuation. Ask them what the difference is between an adjective and an adverb. Ask them what 3 question words help us to identify adverbs (how, what and where).

Math:
Your child will bring home basic facts to practice on Monday. Please have them complete the work to build faster recall.

Photos of the Week

 

 

 

Learning Intentions:

• I can create and follow rhythms using my body.
• I can move to match different beats, patterns and music.
• I can express myself through music and movement.
• I can work with others to create and perform.
• I can listen carefully and try new ways to explore rhythm and dance.

Students had the exciting opportunity to participate in Sound Kreations this week. This is a meaningful real-life experience focused on self-expression through movement during their gym time. Students worked on developing coordination, rhythm, and creative movement skills while building confidence and collaboration. They explored sound, pattern, and expressive performance through music and movement. The students learned a dance and performed it for the school. Ask them to show you the dance! A big thank you to the TRS School Council for generously covering the full cost of this enriching experience for all students!

Learning Intentions:

• I can solve subtraction problems using various strategies.
• I can show and solve subtraction using expanded form. (Gr. 2)
• I can explain my thinking when solving subtraction problems.
• I can find missing numbers in subtraction equations.
• I can choose a strategy that helps me solve subtraction problems accurately.

This week, students continued to develop their understanding of subtraction using various strategies. They practiced solving subtraction problems by counting back, using pictures, working with number lines, and tens blocks.

Grade 1s are strengthening their basic facts and exploring subtraction concepts by identifying the larger number (minuend) and the smaller number (subtrahend), including solving missing number problems. Grade 2 students worked on subtracting two-digit numbers, both with and without regrouping, using strategies such as tens blocks, expanded form, and open number lines to support their thinking.

At Home Learning:

Literacy:
Ask your child to write 2–3 sentences about their day, remembering capitals, spaces, and punctuation. Ask them to highlight the nouns, verbs and adjectives in their sentences.

Math:
Ask quick subtraction or addition questions during everyday activities: What is 12 – 3? If you have 20 Cheerios and lose 7, how many are left? I have 5 gummy bears, you have 8. How many do we have altogether?

Your child will bring home a basic facts to practice on Monday. Please have them complete the work to build faster recall.

Social:
Please ensure your child has returned their "All About Me" homework, as we are finishing up our Heritage and Diverse Cultures Unit and will need the information on it for the culminating task.

Photos of the Week

 

 

Learning Intentions:

• I can tell you that a noun is a person, place or thing
• I can tell you that a verb is an action word
• I can tell you that an adjective is a word that describes a noun
• I can use nouns, verbs and adjectives in my written work

This week, the students learned about nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Through various videos, discussions, and independent tasks, the student learned about these different parts of speech. The students participated in word hunts for different verbs, illustrations to demonstrate different types of nouns and made a diagram in their visual journal. In Journals next week, they will challenge themselves to include three key words (noun, verb, and adjective) in their writing. 

Learning Intentions:

• I can tell you about my heritage
• I can tell you about my culture
• I can tell you about my name
• I can tell you about celebrations, places and foods that are special to my family

This week, the students started a new unit called Our Shared Stories. Students brought home a paper at the beginning of the week to learn more about their names and their culture. This was due on Thursday, and the students will be using this for a final project at the end of this unit. On Monday, the story On Tuesday, the students participated in a virtual presentation from the Calgary Public Library. The presentation was from a series called, "Caretakers of the Land" and focused on Indigenous Languages Day. The students listened to a story and learned how to say different animal's names in Indigenous languages. They looked at Indigenous knowledge and values and how everything is connected to one other in the world. They ended the week by learning more about different languages in our world. 

Supporting Your Child at Home:

• Reading: When reading with your child, ask them to identify the noun, verb or adjective in a sentence. 
• Math: Your child brought home a basic facts practice sheet. Please have your child continue to practice their facts at home to build quicker recall. 
• Social: Please ensure your child has returned their "All About Me" homework as we will need it for an upcoming project. 

This Week in Pictures

 

 

Week of March 16-19

Learning Intentions:
I can increase my flexibility and agility
I can move my body by rolling, jumping, climbing and throwing
I can follow instructions and move safely through the course
I can develop my balance and focus

In Gym, students enjoyed navigating their way through the last gymnastics unit: Mission Impossible. The entire gym was transformed into a series of challenging tasks from the moment you entered the gym.  Students were challenged to climb, toss beanbags, and move around obstacles in a variety of ways. This was a fun way to conclude our gymnastics unit.
 

Learning Intentions:
I can write to convince others of my opinion
I can explain why coral reefs need to be saved
I can make connections between what I’m reading and myself
I can use words and pictures to show my understanding of a story

In Literacy, students continued to ‘dive deep’ into our book study of “The Brilliant Deep”. First, students did a persuasive writing task where their goal was to help save coral reefs. Then, we used ‘text to self’ to draw on prior learning to write and draw about student’s connections to the book. Finally, students were able to share their main takeaways from the book in a graphic organizer.

On St. Patrick’s Day, all the teachers were away learning about the new Social Studies curriculum at the Area office. While we were away, the students worked on a number of fun, Saint-Patrick’s-Day-themed activities including Mini Booklets with math, riddles, roll-a-story and more. A highlight for students was using actual cereal for the Lucky Charms Graph activity!

 

At Home Learning
During the break, try to keep working on addition by using cards or games. We will be starting subtraction after the break. Also, reading a little every day helps to build decoding and vocabulary skills.

This Week in Photos

 

 

 

 

 

Have a restful and restorative Spring Break!

Ms. Renette's Grade 1/2 Blog

 Learning Intentions:

I can describe materials and explain if they are natural or processed.

I can test materials and describe if they are transparent, translucent, opaque, absorbent, or waterproof.

I can measure objects using length, weight, and area.

I can solve addition problems using strategies that help me think about numbers.

I can reflect on my learning and explain what I might change or improve next time.

 

This week in SMATH, students completed their “Build a Toy Project” by reflecting on the building process and the materials they used. Throughout the unit, students explored different properties, including whether materials are natural or processed, transparent, translucent, or opaque, and absorbent or waterproof. They also measured their toys using non-standard units (linking cubes) to assess length, weight, and area, and shared what they learned and what they might do differently next time. The students continued working on addition skills. Grade 1s practiced building confidence, accuracy and speed with addition facts to 20, while Grade 2s learned strategies to solve double-digit addition with regrouping by breaking numbers apart to make problems easier to solve.

 

Learning Intentions:

I can move my body in different ways, like climbing, balancing, and rolling.

I can balance, climb and travel safely across equipment.

I can follow safety rules when using gymnastics equipment.

I can try new movements and improve my skills by practicing, trying again and doing my best.

I can take turns, encourage others, and work safely with my classmates.

 

This week in Gym, students continued to explore their Gymnastics unit, practicing moving their bodies in different ways using various pieces of equipment. Stations include tressels with ladders and balance beams to travel across, a climber for safe climbing and descending, and tumble mats for rolling, balancing, and controlled landings. The students are working to build strength, balance, coordination, and confidence while also practicing important safety and body-awareness skills. They enjoyed trying new movements, moving carefully between pieces of equipment, and encouraging each other as they practiced their skills. They are excited for “Mission Impossible” next week!

Finally, on Thursday we celebrated 100 Days of School. The day was packed full of 100 Day themed stories, body breaks and learning activities. For example, students imagined and then drew what they might look like at 100 years old. It was a fun day to celebrate that students are 100 days smarter!

At Home Learning:
Math: “Flash & Dash” to 20
Write addition facts to 20 (like 8+5, 9+7, 6+6) on small pieces of paper. Place them face down. You flip one over and try to answer as quickly as possible. If you get it correct, keep the card. If not, it goes back in the pile. See how many you can collect in 2 minutes! Try to beat your score the next time!

Literacy:
Pick 3 random words from a book, cereal box, or around the house. Read the words and then write a funny or silly sentence using them. For example, “The Whale wore a phone on its head.” Encourage sounding out words and adding capitals and punctuation.

Spelling:
We will pause our spelling program for now as we shift our focus to strengthening Math fact fluency. After Spring Break, students will bring home a practice sheet each week with addition (and later subtraction) facts to 20 to help build speed, accuracy, and confidence with numbers.

 This Week in Pictures:

                           

 Learning Intentions:

• I can answer questions about the story and share my thinking
• I can tell the problem and solution in a story
• I can choose words to describe Ken and use events from the story to prove my thinking
• I can make connections between the story and my life
• I can explain why helping coral reefs is important
• I can make rhyming words and build new words using the letters in "coral reef"
• I can use pictures and words to show what I learned from the story 

This week, the students started a Book Study on "The Brilliant Deep." The students started the week by learning more about rhyming and identifying words that rhyme with key terms from the book. Then, they focused on important information from the story and made early reflections such as making connections to their own life. Next, they focused on the problem and solution within the story. We will be exploring various themes and literary elements throughout the next three weeks based on this story. 

Learning Intentions:

• I can add numbers to 20 (Grade 1)
• I can add double digit numbers to 100 without regrouping (Grade 2)
• I can use doubles facts to help me solve problems
• I can use making tens facts to help me with quick recall
• I can apply adding skills to play various games

In Math, the students continued to work on developing their addition skills. Grade 1s focused on continuing to develop their fact fluency with basic facts to 20, doubles and making ten facts. The Grade 2s started their learning on double digit addition without regrouping. Both groups have been practicing their skills through independent tasks and games. They continue to have mini lessons and watch songs and videos on the topic too!

Learning Intentions:

• I can tell you what absorbency means and provide an example of an absorbent material
• I can tell you what waterproof means and provide an example of a waterproof material
• I can decide which materials are more durable 
• I can make appropriate choices surrounding what materials are needed to create different items
• I can tell you about real jobs where adults are makers
• I can follow a building plan that I have made
• I can build an object using different materials
• I can build an object that has a purpose

This week the students continued their Build a Toy project focused on Matter and Materials in Science. They started the week with an absorbency experiment and discussions surrounding waterproof materials. They focused on what durable means and how different materials are important for different builds. They also learned about different jobs in the real world where adults are makers! The students ended the week building their toy! We will continue building and doing some more connected math and science work next week!

  

Supporting Your Child At Home:

Math – Practice addition facts with your child based on their grade level.

Literacy – Practice simple sentences, making sure to use proper capital letters and punctuation. Also, practice rhyming short sentences (you write one, then they write one).

Spelling - Below are the spelling words for this week. Please ensure that your child is practicing the correct test. 

                                              This week in Photos: