Hello Lyonsgate Families,
This week your children’s Casa French teachers are speaking to the acquisition of French in a Montessori context, where children learn at their own pace. Elementary students are continuing their botanical studies. Due to illness, we do not have a Toddler update for you this week.
Casa Graduation Photos
On Thursday, April 28, Lifetouch will be at Lyonsgate to take graduation photos of the third-year Casa students. They will provide caps and gowns for the photos.
Illnesses and Masking Extension
You have all seen the emails about positive COVID-19 test results and other illnesses this week, and the notice of our extension of the masking requirement at Lyonsgate until at least April 22. Please check your inboxes for the following emails sent on Tuesday, April 5: “Illness Prevention at Lyonsgate” and “Masking Extension and Requirements.”
Lyonsgate’s Primary campus reached the threshold of 35% or greater absent on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week, which requires reporting to Hamilton Public Health. They ask us to remind everyone to keep doing all the things you are all doing so well already: masking, screening, monitoring for symptoms, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and vaccination if eligible: covid19.ontario.ca/book-
We received updated guidance this week and rapid test distribution will now include 5 tests in each kit. We will have the kits ready for distribution to Primary families next week and to Elementary families as soon as we receive the supply. Reminder: there is a new “Letter to School Communities” that contains a link to oral/nasal swabbing instructions.
A Lyonsgate parent also shared information from a pediatrician in Toronto that presentations of what appear to be hand, foot, and mouth disease have turned out to be COVID-19. Click here for the news article. If any symptoms develop that appear to be hand, foot, and mouth we are recommending you test for COVID.
Toddler
Casa North
Bienvenu au printemps!
In Casa North we do both group work and individual work, depending on which level of French the individual student is at.
Every day, we have “French circle” where all students are invited to participate. The gathering is well-prepared and includes everyone. It doesn’t matter the level of each child because this is the opportunity where they can hear book stories, learn new vocabulary, sing songs, do finger plays, and communicate in French. Most important, they get friends that can translate for them when they don’t understand me.
Each child is different when it comes to learning. Younger children love to sing songs, older children love book stories because they have enough vocabulary to understand the story, and most of them are learning to read books.
I do give each child presentations in French and, of course, keep very detailed records for each child.
Every child learns at their own pace and rate, and that is what Montessori addresses whether it is learning math, to read, or French.
Rester en bonne santé!
Mme. Murati.
Casa South
Salut tout le monde! Finalement, le printemps est arrivé!
It’s so nice to see the children progress and improve their listening comprehension as we are now in our final term. Back in September, as I would be teaching them some vocabulary, I would show a colour tablet and say the colour rouge, vert, bleu… some children would then tell me « No, that’s red! No, that’s green! »
Another time, I was teaching the word « cuillère » (spoon). The child laughed and said « That sounds funny in my mouth! » She managed to pronounce it just after a few more tries.
I’m happy to say that the children are now more comfortable with the French lessons and some are even confident enough to translate if another child is struggling to understand me.
I often use the three-period lessons. The three key steps are naming, recognition, and recall. Everyone is progressing at their own pace and I look forward to continuing practicing French with them.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mme Renée Perazzo
Elementary
Botanical investigations continued this week with a deeper examination of plant systems. Some students examined the transport system of the stem, setting out celery stalks in coloured water and tracking the movement of the dye upward toward the leaves. Others learned about patterns of leaf arrangement, surveying all the indoor and outdoor plants on campus and creating a chart of their data. Older students participated in the dissection of a lily plant, separating its whorls using a sharp blade, and identifying its reproductive parts. They also drew comparisons between how plant and mammal species reproduce in preparation for their next O.W.L. workshop on “Reproduction and Staying Healthy.” They are also researching the best conditions for seeding and sowing different fruits and vegetables in our backyard garden. The spring weather has also been drawing more students to work outdoors, leaving the indoor classroom rather quiet at times!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead,
Marissa and Michelle
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