Dear Families,

Welcome back!  It was fabulous seeing my students this week, I had missed them tremendously.  I hope you enjoyed your March Break with your child and savoured your precious moments.  I heard so many neat experiences!  Now we're back to our regular routines and regimes, I bet as a parent you're delighted by this too :-)

Math:

On Monday, I handed back 'Time' assessments.  I'm impressed with the students progress in this area of mathematics!  Most are able to confidently tell time to the hour and half hour, and some even have extended their learning by telling time to the minute (not a Grade 1 expectation, but I exposed this to them).  I am encouraging families to continue to incidentally ask their child to tell time to further reinforce this learned concept.  Thank you.

This week, I introduced the concept of money.  

The expectation is the following:  

Students will:  

-identify the name and value of all our Canadian Coins

-add and subtract money amounts to 10 cents using coin manipulatives and drawings
-representing money amounts more than one way E.g., show 30 cents using coins

Families are encouraged to get their child involved when there is small 'change' involved when out on shopping excursions, so they get real world exposure to dealing with money in an authentic manner.

Here are a few pictures from Monday's introductory lesson on Money.  Students worked in pairs to sort and classify Canadian Coins and then they shared their sorting rule with their peers in what is called a "Gallery Walk."    

Kaden & Ashlee

Brody & Emma

Jacob & Karrington

Kurtis & Cassius

A Gallery Walk to share our mathematical thinking!

Miika knows all about Canadian coins

Gallery Walk at Kaden and Ashlee's desks

Brody & Emma diligently sharing their sorting rule

On Thursday, I introduced a math game called "Collecting Dimes."  Students learned to exchange coins depending on the specific money amount.  For example, when they had 5 pennies, they exchanged these for 1 nickel and when they got 2 nickels they exchanged these for 1 dime.  The object of the game was to collect 10 dimes on the game board.  The students are learning quickly that money has value and we can add and trade it in.  They enjoyed this game thoroughly!  It is my intention to continue introducing math games for them to ensure they're learning in a genuine, engaging, and meaningful way!

New Student:

As of Tuesday, we have a NEW STUDENT in our class family!!  Welcome Kyran who joins us from Wasaga Beach's Birchview Dunes Elementary.  I am proud to announce that each and every student has warmly welcomed him to our school community.  Kyran is a wonderful addition to our class and I look forward to having him as my student and a dear peer to your child.

Welcome Kyran!  We HONOUR You :)

Language:

On Wednesday, as part of welcoming our Kyran I read a book called The Name Jar, it is about a young girl who moves from Korea to America and goes to a new school.  Her name is Unhei.  Unfortunately, Unhei experiences great difficulty fitting in because of her unique name.  I don't want to give the story away to you, so please ask your child what the rest of the story is about (checking for understanding - comprehension) and ask them to share with you what they think the author's message was (what is the author trying to teach us?)  It was a powerful reading!!  At the end, I shared my first name (Pareen) and also taught the boys and girls how to say 'hello' in my language (Punjabi) - 'Sat Sri Akal.'  They were very intrigued by this, so I will share some more words with them :)  You see, Punjabi was my first language and I learned English when I went to school.  I struggled up until Grade 2, thankfully I was in an ESL (English As a Second Language) program which helped tremendously.  Alexander asked me if I knew how to write in Punjabi, unfortunately I do not, but I may ask my Mother (Shivraj) to write the alphabet to show the class!  Miika's family is Finnish, and I've asked him to share a few words, so he may come to school next week with some written down with his family.  I love different languages - Accepting and understanding differences!!

Accepting and Embracing Differences

Fake Injury Spirit Day:
Thank you to ALL the students who participated in Thursday's Spirit Day!  You're contributing points for your Spirit Team (house colours)!!  Parents and students worked hard to make their injuries look extremely realistic, and MOST REALLY DID!!  Impressive.  Here are a few pictures of our patients :)

Karrington & Kaden

Layla & Ava

Alexander & Nolan

Emma, Karina, Carissa

Cassius

Note of Gratitude:

I would like to take this brief opportunity to extend my warmest thank you to Ava, Ashlee, and Karrington for their loving acknowledgement of my birthday this past week (March 22nd).  I am deeply touched by your kind, sweet, thoughtful gesture girls.  I will cherish your thought, always!!  You are true gifts in my life!!

Cherished Gifts!

Thank you Ashlee for the heart-shaped rock!

Thank you Karrington!

Thank you Ava for the sweet letter!

A card from Ava :)

Quote:

“The benefits of reading, writing, and math does not outweigh the need for children to learn to work and play together.”  -- John Wilson

Namaste,
Miss Gill