Casa Update
This term our casa students have been participating in a new physical education program.
Our first unit focused on space, directions, and body awareness. Through games and activities such as red light/green light, tag, and freeze dance, students have learned to identify, maintain, and use space adequately while demonstrating an understanding of paths of motion.
Our second unit focused on locomotor skills. The learning focus of this unit was to develop an understanding of basic concepts of human locomotion. We discussed various ways that our body can move, and practiced these movements with games and activities such as Follow the Leader, Yoga, and Mr. Wolf.
We have now moved into our third unit: rhythmic activities. For the next few weeks, we will be performing locomotor and non-locomotor skills to music, expressing ourselves through creative movement, and creating simple rhythm patterns. This week the students particularly enjoyed using scarves to express themselves in a creative movement activity featuring gentle Classical music. Next week we will expand our creative movement repertoire with more musical variety.
Reminder: if you haven't yet signed up for parent/teacher meetings, please sign up via the sign up sheet posted outside of your child's classroom.
Toddler Community Update
Bread baking is a favourite practical life activity in our Toddler Community.
The Toddlers were engaged in bread baking on Wednesday. They helped with measuring and pouring, then enjoyed spreading butter and raspberry jam on the bread for a tasty snack.
Music and movement was a great success. The children loved the actions to the words of the songs and had so much fun dancing.
We appreciate the outerwear that has been sent for playing outside. We recommend winter boots and neck warmers as sent for your child as well, as we are outside at least 45 minutes before lunch and sometimes 30 minutes at the end of the day. Even before the snow flies, snow pants are also recommended to keep your little one warm during outdoor play.
The children continue to learn and grow in our community with many activities promoting independence and self-awareness. Some of the Toddlers are now helping to prepare snacks, and assist in tidying up at snack and lunch time. We have learned that it has been carried into their home life as well.
Elementary Update
The elementary class has had a wonderful week with major explorations in botany, geometry, and music.
The students have been studying the function of plant stems and observing the water intake of celery stalk specimens, making daily observations and measurements. In geometry, they have been exploring lines and learning terms such as "ray", "segment", and "endpoints". The highlight of the week was our community outing to the Boris Brott Education Concert, where we were introduced to the instruments of the orchestra, and heard popular pieces such as the themes from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Jurassic Park. Our very musical group has also begun their preparations for our Winter Concert, filling our classroom with joyful singing in both French and English!
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
• Friday, December 2 – PD Day & Parent Teacher Interviews
• Wednesday, December 21 – Holiday concert and social (4:30-7:00pm)
• Friday, December 23 – Last day of school (winter holidays begin)
• Monday, January 9 - First day of winter term
Enjoy your weekend,
Ms. Achong & Mme. Prat-Kalonji
Toddler Community Update
Since forming their community in September, the toddlers have become more comfortable and independent in the classroom.
They are taking work out independently, completing tasks and returning materials independently, and tucking in their chairs when they finish their work. At snack and lunch time, the children are setting up their own mats and cups at their table.
Some of the older toddlers have been introduced to flower arranging and glass polishing, while others have enjoyed spooning. Some of the younger toddlers have been practicing pouring water, squeezing a sponge, and simple food preparation (for example, cutting bananas). Through this work with practical life activities, the toddlers are learning about logical sequencing and control and coordination of movement.
Outside, the children have been engaging in a lot of gross motor movement; running, jumping, and using their arms and legs to move the trucks and cars. The children enjoy songs and movement games outdoors, as they learn about their environment.
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
- December 2 - PD Day and Parent/Teacher Interviews
- December 21 - Winter concert and social
- December 23 - Last day of school (winter holidays begin)
- January 9 - First day of second term
Casa Update
This week in Casa we have seen children making beautiful floral arrangements.
This Practical Life activity requires many steps and an extended period of concentration, while also allowing the child to embellish his or her environment.
We have also noticed many of the math materials being chosen. Materials such as the addition work charts and the memory game of numbers give the children the opportunity to master operations and also extend concentration over a longer period of time.
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
- December 2 - PD Day and Parent/Teacher Interviews
- December 21 - Winter concert and social
- December 23 - Last day of school (winter holidays begin)
- January 9 - First day of second term
Casa Update
We have seen an explosion of writing in the Casa classroom this week.
In the Casa classroom children are introduced to the movable alphabet (large individual wooden letters) when the child is able to identify a number of sandpaper letters. This Language activity gives further practice with linking letter sounds with letter symbols, and initiates word building. In order to build phonetic words, the child uses the skill of analysis to decipher the sounds in words. An exciting leap into self-expression, work with the movable alphabet enables the child to bring their thoughts to life and communicate through the written word.
This week the large movable alphabet has been taken out to give the children opportunity to create words with the individual sounds they recognize. Some children have been making their own booklets, labels and stories. Cursive writing is ever present as well - this is still very much a favourite.
Just a reminder: if you haven't already selected a time to visit the classroom for a scheduled observation next week, please sign up via the sheet outside of our classroom. Your child will enjoy having you visit the classroom, and it will be a wonderful opportunity for you to observe your child's learning in progress.
Elementary Update
The classroom exploded with an enthusiasm for math this week, with many students working on multiplication and measurement using the metric system.
Work in history continued with discussions of the fundamental needs of human beings and how people have met their needs for shelter, food, and clothing in the past and present. We also enjoyed a Community Outing to the Locke Street Library to select new sources for project research. The class is looing forward to having parents join us during our morning work cycle as fall term observations begin next week.
Have a great weekend!
Ms. Achong and Mme. Prat-Kalonji
Elementary Update
The elementary class was a buzz of activity this week with many students completing independent research projects and making their first plasticene models to illustrate their studies.
Our weekly community outing investigated architecture and street art in the Kirkendall neighbourhood, followed by a visit to the studio of local artist and Lyonsgate parent, Dana Cowie. After a demonstration of painting with warm and cool colours, the students worked on their own pieces using acylics on canvas. We would also like to thank everyone who joined us to view our work at our Open House this week. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon for Parent Observations!
Bon Weekend,
Ms. Achong & Mme. Prat-Kalonji
Toddler Community Update
Thank you to the moms who came out for our Toddler sing-a-long and story this week.
We enjoyed dancing and singing to various songs such as "Bonjour mes Amies", "Wheels on the Bus" and danced to "What are you Doing?" and other movement songs. We all had a great time.
The children continue to work very well in the classroom and are beginning to master some activities like the more challenging puzzles and setting up their own table setting for snack and lunch. Great job Toddlers!
Casa Update
Halloween was a key feature in our classroom this week, and we enjoyed learning all about pumpkins. We also saw a strong interest in the bells throughout the week.
Children are born with the ability to hear, but the ability to listen is learned. As children develop the ability to listen, they build the foundation for analysis of language and communication as well as learning proper enunciation and context. Activities in the Practical Life area, such as responding to a bell and the silence game, as well as activities from the Language area such as vocabulary enrichment and language training, develop the child’s ability for focused listening.
Upcoming Dates:
• Tuesday, November 15 – Clothing orders due
• Friday, December 2 – PD Day & Parent Teacher Interviews
• Wednesday, December 21 (tentative date) – Holiday concert and social (5:00-7:00pm)
• Friday, December 23 – Last day of school (winter holidays begin)