Sunday 24 June 2018

     Happy last week of school!  This year has passed so quickly and now we have suddenly arrived at the last 4 days of school.  Lindsay and I would like to thank you all for your support and co-operation as we all worked together in your child's education.  It has been a pleasure to be part of your child's learning and successes.  Wishing you all the best as you continue the journey with your child.
     We have returned all of our library books!  Thanks so much for your help finding the lost books.  We were excited to hear our class mentioned on the announcements and we received a tasty treat from Ms. McGee for cleaning our accounts.  Thanks again!
     Your child brought home an accumulation of their work on Friday.  Please take some time to have a look at their amazing progress throughout the year.  We created a book with their monthly pictures, which will become a treasure.  Please return all the mailbags empty on Monday as we still have some things to send home later in the week.  Thank you to everyone who volunteered to wash toys.  Please return the toys before the end of the school year.  Thanks in advance.  Your help is greatly appreciated.
     We discussed bees this week and will continue the discussion regarding the importance of bees and how we can help the bee population.  The children are also completing a Summer Bucket List book!  The class also used their rekenreks to explore numbers.  We will continue to use our rekenreks to solve number problems.  The rekenreks will be sent home at the end of the week with some activities you can do with your child.  Enjoy!  The library had inventory this week, so the children were able to use iPads in our classroom while the books were counted.
     Terry Fox cookie sales will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  Just a reminder, we place and pick up our order before lunch, so please send the money to school with your child.  The children were excited to have Mr. Currie has a Mystery Reader this week.  Please see the picture to right of the blog.  Report cards will be sent home at the end of the day on Tuesday.  If your child is absent on Tuesday, they will receive their report cards on Wednesday.  A reminder that the SK students will not have a teacher listed on their report cards.  Class lists will be posted before school starts with your child's student number.
     The students attended the first part of the LKS talent show on Friday afternoon.  We will attend the second part of the talent show Tuesday afternoon before the SK Graduation.  A reminder that the Graduation begins at 2:00.  
     Thursday is the last day of school and pizza lunch.  Lunch on the lawn is a LKS tradition where the school eats in the Shale Pit.  Families are invited to join us for this year end celebration.  The Kindergarten classes have been given a meeting place, outlined in the letter sent from the grade parents.  When you arrive, we will be in the meeting spot, you are then able to collect your child, his/her pizza and continue to eat with us, or meet with siblings and other families.  Miss Janice will supervise the children not accompanied by their families.  If you attend, you are responsible for your child.  Children should line up at our wall at 12:30 for afternoon entry as usual.  Fingers crossed for wonderful weather.  In case of rain, we will follow our regular pizza lunch routine.  Please see me if you have any questions.


This Week:

Monday-return empty mailbags
Tuesday-Music
               Terry Fox cookie sales
                Report cards sent home
                SK Graduation 2:00-3:00
Wednesday-Library (A), Computers (B)
                    Terry Fox cookie sales
Thursday-Pizza Day
                Lunch on the Lawn
                Last day of School 
Friday-First Day of summer vacation!


   

Saturday 16 June 2018

     Happy Father's Day to all of our wonderful Fathers in Room 159.  The children have been very busy this week creating secret projects for you.  I hope that everyone can wait until Sunday for their surprise.  Enjoy your special day, you have earned it!
     Friday was the last day for our Snuggle Up books.  Please return your child's mailbag and Snuggle Up book on Monday, so we can organize our books.  Ms. McGee is also collecting all the library books for her year end inventory.  We have 3 outstanding books at the moment.  Thank you to everyone who has returned a library book.  It is greatly appreciated.
     As the Senior Kindergarten children prepare for Grade 1, we are beginning to go outside for recess when our schedule permits.  It has been so much fun to watch the children explore new equipment and find friends and siblings outside.
     Thank you to everyone who has been sending sunscreen and hats with your child.  We are working hard to keep everyone sun safe.   The children are becoming very independent putting on their sunscreen.  The stick sunscreen has become very popular with the children.  Please check out the selection the next time you are in the drugstore.
     This week we will be discussing bees and their importance in our world.  We will also begin some adding activities.  We have now completed our investigation of the numbers to 10.  The Seniors completed a money review activity on Friday.
     Our Reading Buddies are graduating this year and moving to Grade 9.  They are on their Graduation Trip next week, so we had our last visit on Thursday.  The kindergarten students created cards and treat bags for their buddies.  It was wonderful working with Mr. Bracht and the Grade 8 students this year.
     Just a reminder that during this very warm time of year going home for lunch is always a wonderful treat.  It gives your chid an opportunity to change their environment, cool off and enjoy a quieter place.  I realize that this is not an option for everyone, but please take the opportunity if you can. 
     Our last Sharing Assembly is Friday, June 22.  The Award Winners have been notified.  All children will have received an award throughout the year.  If I have missed anyone, please let me know immediately.  See you there!


This Week:

Sunday-Happy Father's Day!
Monday-Return Snuggle Up books and mailbags
Tuesday-Music
Wednesday-$2.00 for Terry Fox cookie
                   Library (A), Computers (B)
Thursday-First Day of Summer
Friday-Sharing Assembly
             Library (B), Computers (A)

Mark your calendar-Lunch on the Lawn-Thursday, June 28, everyone is invited!



   
   
   

Friday 8 June 2018

     Welcome to the middle of June!  We had a busy  week in Room 159.  We have introduced all of the coins and will continue to practise their names, values and features.  The children completed their "This is Me in June" picture this week.  They will be posted in the classroom later next week.  We also finished our art for the top of the June calendar.  Last week we used oil pastels to colour a sheet of paper and then we painted the entire paper black.  Using chop sticks, the children exposed the colours to make fireworks.  Everyone had a great time designing their own fireworks after watching firework displays on the Smartboard.  We worked on a special task with our Reading Buddies this week.  All will be revealed next weekend.  Shhhh it's a secret!
     The last weeks of school are always very busy.  Please continue to read the blog to have all the information and dates that you need.  All library books are due this week and the children will not be borrowing new books.  Please return all library books as soon as possible.  We want to clear our classroom account.  Enjoy your child's poetry book this weekend and please return it for our end of the year poems.  The poetry books will be sent home to keep at the end of the year.
     The children played soccer with Ms. Santiago in the gym this week.  In the computer lab, they explored a dice counting game called "Race to Five" on abc.ya.     
     A reminder to Senior Kindergarten parents-please send me your child's baby picture and return your graduation RSVP this week.  Thanks in advance.
     Terry Fox t-shirt order forms were sent home on Thursday in your child's mailbag.  The shirts will be delivered in September.  There will be a display in the front hall June 11-14 and June 18-21 for sizes and ordering.  You may also return your order form and payment to our classroom.  This is your only opportunity to order t-shirts, they are not available in September.  The money raised from selling the t-shirts goes directly to our Terry Fox campaign.  Show your spirit and get a Terry Fox shirt!
     Our last pizza day is Thursday, June 28 and it is also Lunch on the Lawn.  Lunch on the Lawn is a tradition at LKS where families are invited to lunch and everyone eats together in the Shale Pit.  Fingers crossed for nice weather.  Please try to join us for this special event on the last day of school. When you attend Lunch on the Lawn, you will eat with your child and other friends, and be responsible for him/her for the lunch hour.  Children who do not have families attending this event, will eat with the lunch room supervisor as usual.  

     Just a reminder regarding lace up shoes.  Shoelaces become untied very easily and pose a safety hazard.  Please continue to have your chid wear velcro shoes for safety reasons.  Please no open toed sandals also.  

This Week:

Monday-Return all library books
Tuesday-Snuggle Up books exchanged
               Music
               Table 21 Event
Wednesday-Library (A), Computers (B)
                   $2.00 for a Terry Fox cookie
Thursday-Return Sound Review books and Sight 
                  Word Book
Friday-Last day for Snuggle Up books
            Library (B), Computers (A)

Saturday 2 June 2018

     Happy June!  It is difficult to believe that this is the last month of school.  This Spring has gone by so quickly!  As always, June is a busy month.  It begins today with Springfest from 10:00-2:00 at school.  It is a great fundraiser for all the wonderful things we do at LKS.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Springfest basket and everyone who has volunteered their time to make Springfest a success.  Your support and generosity is greatly appreciated!  Our baskets are in the gym all ready for the Silent Auction.  If you preordered wristbands for Springfest, they are in your child's mailbag.  It has been a very hot week in Toronto.  The air conditioning is our classroom continues to work inconsistently and we often still have very warm temperatures in our classroom.  Thank you to everyone who takes their child home for lunch for a cool break.  It is greatly appreciated.  Our lunch hour is from 11:20 to 12:30.  Thank you to everyone who sends sunscreen and a hat for your child to protect them from the sun.  We continue to help with sunscreen and search for as many hats as we can find in backpacks.  Sunglasses are also a great idea!
     A reminder to unpack your child's mailbag on Tuesdays and Fridays.  Please continue to read the Snuggle Up books with your child and discuss the work they have done that week at school.  They have wonderful learning to share with you.  Mailbags will continue until Friday, June 15.  Please keep looking for library books, Ms. McGee will be sending home reminders for last books soon.  We are always excited to hear our name on the announcements when we clear our classroom account.
     We have introduced the quarter and the loonie this week.  The children are also enjoying using real coins in our classroom store.  The children completed their June calendar on Friday.  They are completing a multi-stage art project for the top of the calendar.  We started  colouring with oil pastels and then we painted black over our colourful abstract art.  The next step will begin on Monday.  All will be revealed on Friday!  Hint-it involves chopsticks!  On Wednesday, we created rekenreks with our Reading Buddies.  Rekenreks have 2 rows of 10 beads and are used to support numbers sense.  They help to build awareness of numbers 0-20 and number combinations of 5 and 10.  We will use these in upcoming math activities.  As always it is a pleasure for Mr. Bracht, Ms, Santiago and I to watch the Grade 8 students work with our Kindergarten students.  Both classes are always so excited when we get together.
     The Senior Kindergarten students received their Graduation invitations in their mailbags Friday.  Please fill out the bottom portion and return it to school.  Also baby pictures are due by the end of the week.  Please feel email your baby pictures to ellenburn@bell.net  Thanks in advance.
     Ms. Santiago taught the children a new game in the gym called Guardians of the Farmhouse.  In the computer lab, the students played Sight Work Bingo on the Abcya website.

     Have a wonderful weekend!  A reminder there is no school on Friday.  Please return your child's Sight Word book and Sound Review book on Wednesday, so we have time to add the new work.


This Week:

Monday-Music

Tuesday-Library (A), Computers (B)
              Snuggle Up books exchanged
Wednesday-Terry Fox cookie sales  $2.00 each
                  Return Sight word books and Sound Review books
Thursday-Library (B), Computers (A)
               Snuggle Up books exchanged
                
Friday-PA Day-No School!

Saturday 26 May 2018

     Welcome to the last week of May!  The countdown to summer vacation will begin soon!  Just a reminder to continue to read the blog weekly, as this time of year there are often special activities and changes in schedules.  Thanks in advance.
     We had a short, but busy week in Room 159.  We continued to work on our Van Gogh paintings and many of our masterpieces are complete.  Please have a look at our bulletin board in the hall.  We have received many compliments on our art and Mr. Currie included us on his twitter feed this week. We went outside with our Reading Buddies and looked in the playground for examples of living and non-living objects.  We have also introduced the features and value of the dime this week.  Everyone was excited to discuss seeing the Queen at the Royal wedding after talking about her on our coins.  We have also been counting nickels and dimes, since we are able to count by 5's and 10's.  Our "This is Me in May" pictures are also completed and will be in our classroom later this week.
     On Friday morning, we had a wonderful presentation entitled Visions of Turtle Island.  This was presented by members of the Six Nations Reserve and they introduced the audience to First Nations' powwow singing and dancing.  We learned that dance and music the First Nations' people's way of giving thanks and enjoying each other's company through social dances.  
     In the gym this week the children played Clean the Gym and in the computer lab, Ms Santiago introduced Number Bingo on abc.ya.  
     The Grade 7 classes are continuing to accept donations to the Children's Book Bank until Monday morning.  Thanks for all your donations.  Please bring in any last minute donations with your child at entry on Monday.
     June calendars were sent home on Friday.  It includes June, July and August birthdays.  Please let me know if I have missed any birthdays.  As you can imagine, this calendar is full.  
The award winners for the Sharing Assembly on Thursday have been notified.  I will notify the June winners in the upcoming weeks.
     Just a reminder to SK parents to please sent me your child's baby picture or toddler picture for our Senior Kindergarten graduation.  Thanks so much!
     This is also the last week for Springfest basket and Tombola donations.  We would like all Springfest basket donations Monday morning.  Tombola donations should be sent in by Thursday.  Thanks again for your generosity.  It takes everyone to make Springfest a success.  Please see e-mails from the Grade Parents for your opportunity to volunteer.  See you on Saturday, fingers crossed for wonderful weather.

This Week:

Monday-Bring your book bank donations
               Bring your Springfest basket donations
               Music
Tuesday-Snuggle Up books exchanged
               Library (A), Computers (B)
Wednesday-Smile!
Thursday-Sharing Assembly
                 Library (B), Computers(A)
                Return Sight Word books and Sound Review Books
              Scholastic Book orders due!
Friday-Happy June!
            Snuggle Up books exchanged 

Saturday-Springfest 10:00-2:00  See you there!
           

Saturday 19 May 2018

     Happy Victoria Day weekend!  Hopefully the weather will co-operate for the rest of the weekend.  Enjoy the long weekend and travel safely.   
     The children explored living and non-living things this week.  They had the opportunity to sort pictures on a "T" chart and on Tuesday they drew pictures and labelled their own ideas of living and non-living things.  Miss Santiago and I loved their great ideas and writing.  We also began our study of money, beginning with the nickel.  We will discuss the features and values of Canadian coins.  Our classroom store is also open, with a cash register, real coins and a variety of things to purchase.   We also practised counting by 10's and 5's this week.
     After planting and watching our sunflowers grow, we have also introduced the children to some of the art of Vincent Van Gogh, especially his sunflower paintings.  The children are in the process of completing their own sunflower masterpiece.  You can see the process in the pictures to the right of the blog.  We will put the paintings in the hall as they are completed this week.  One amazing fact we discovered this week, Van Gogh only sold one painting while he was alive and now his paintings are priceless.
     We also discussed the Royal Wedding on Friday.  The children were excited to discover that Queen Elizabeth was Prince Harry's grandmother.  We had been talking about Queen Elizabeth during our discussion of coins.  It is wonderful when information we are learning overlaps into other areas.  The children were excited to watch the wedding on Saturday.  I hope none of the children woke you up at 4:00 to see the wedding live.  I have to admit that Steve and I were up this morning at 4:00 am to watch every minute!
     Ms. McGee has sent home overdue library notices this week.  As the end of the school year approaches, we will continue to look for overdue books.  All books must be returned to the library by June 11.  We have sent home the last Scholastic Book order for the school year.  Your book orders are due to school by May 31.  You may place your order on-line if you wish.  Thanks in advance.
     In the computer lab this week, the children worked on BookFlix and read the story, "It Could Still be a Flower".  They watched the story, "Planting a Rainbow."  In the gym, Miss Santiago, introduced "Ribbit, Ribbit, Jump" and "Robot".
     The Grade 7 classes are continuing to collect books for The Children's Book Bank.  They are collecting slightly used children's books to be donated to less fortunate children.  All donations may be brought to our classroom this week.  Friday is the last day for donations.  Thanks in advance.
    The Springfest Committee is collecting Tombolas for Springfest.  Please read the information email from the Grade parents for more information.  Tomblas should be brought to the classroom also.
     The Terry Fox committee is selling ice cream sandwiches and cookies on Wednesdays to raise money for our Terry Fox campaign.  The Kindergarten teachers have discussed this and due to the timing of lunch periods, the size of ice cream sandwiches and the mess, Kindergarten children will not be able to purchase the ice cream sandwiches.  They will be able to purchase the cookies if you wish.  As always there is no obligation to participate in this fundraiser.  More information can be found in the LKS Bulletin.  Thanks for your support in this decision.  

This Week:

Monday-Happy Victoria Day!
Tuesday-Library (A), Computers (B)
               Snuggle Up Books exchanged 
Wednesday-Bring your donations for the Book Bank
Thursday-Library (B), Computers (A)
                Bring your Sound Review Books and 
                Sight Word Books 
Friday-Pizza Lunch
            Snuggle Up books exchanged 


**ALL WEEK**-Bring your Donations for the Book Bank
   Bring in your tombolas

Saturday 12 May 2018

     We have been very busy this week completing special projects for Mom.  The children were so excited to make their gifts and then take them home.  We hope everyone can wait until Sunday to open them.  Thank you to all the Moms in Room 159, enjoy your special day, you deserve it.
     In the gym this week, Miss Santiago played a parachute game involving colours.  The children explored living and non-living things on Pebblego during our computer time.  During our small group time, the children coloured the popcorn words from Popcorn Song #2, and we played "I Have, Who Has? with numbers to 30.  
      On Wednesday, we had a special guest visit our classroom.  A student's grandfather, a former chemistry teacher came and demonstrated clock reactions to the class.  It was so cool watching the chemical reactions.  You can research clock reactions on Youtube.  The reactions we observed were "Old Nassau Reaction"-orange/brown. the "iodine" clock reaction and "Landont" reaction.  
     Springfest is quickly approaching on Saturday, June 2.  Tombolas (small prizes for the Tombola game) may be dropped off at the classroom all month.  Please see the letter sent home on Tuesday or Springfest emails for additional information.  We are also accepting contributions for our Springfest basket.  Thank you to everyone who have already brought their donations.  Please contact the Grade Parents if you have any questions and check out the Springfest Bulletins via email.
     We are also accepting donations of gently used books for the Children's Book Bank.  Please bring any donations to our classroom beginning Monday.  These books will be donated to children who do not have access to books.  Thanks in advance.  
     Just a reminder, please do not send your child to school with tie up shoes.  The laces become untied and pose a safety hazard while playing and going up and down the stairs.  We try to monitor untied laces, but we want to prevent any accidents.  Also, please do not have your child wear open toed shoes.  
     This week we will be discussing and sorting living and non-living things.  Later in the week, we will also be introducing Canadian coins to the children.  The children always enjoy learning about money and we will be  opening a store in the drama centre with real coins.

Thank you very much for all your help with your child's leader day projects.  We are loving learning interesting facts and vocabulary about animals and the children have become very interested in what groups of animals are called.  For example, a group of owls is a parliament, a group of penguins in the water is a raft and a group of kittens is a kindle.  

This Week:

Sunday-Happy Mother's Day

Monday-Library (A), Computers (B)
Tuesday-Snuggle Up books exchanged 
Wednesday-Library (A), Computers (A)
Thursday-Return Sound Review books 
                Return Sight Word books
Friday-Music
          Snuggle Up books exchanged 
     
A reminder Monday, May 21 is Victoria Day and there is no school.   Enjoy your long weekend!