Friday, April 29th, 2022

 Hi Families, 

Interdisciplinary Learning

As we explore local bird species, we have also been exploring different sources of information. We know that the internet, and the Calgary's Bird website was a great place to start, but we also learned this week, that authors and illustrators often embed real information in picture books. Ask your child what was learned about Magpies from these two texts:

As we closely study each of the City of Calgary bird nominees, students are also exploring different art media. We are using them as documentation to share with others, as well as creating groups of each bird in the classroom for bird watching with binoculars. 

We really enjoyed seeing the students Black-Capped Chickadee observation sheets this week, the stories of exploring new places in our community, and even running into classroom friends while out and about! Thank you for so enthusiastically sharing this home-school learning opportunity! 

A student example from this week. Great use of details to record their ideas. 
The annotations are mine, to document the what is shared orally.  

This week, students are coming home with an observation sheet for the Black-Billed Magpie. If you need another copy, the template has been uploaded to our Google Classroom --> Classwork --> Resources --> Have You Seen...Backyard Birds

Students are asked to record how many Magpies they observed in the space, where they saw the bird (tree, ground, bird-feeder, roof, light-post, etc.) as well as what the bird was doing (eating, drilling, calling, etc.)

No writing necessary. Students should record in pictures they can speak to. 

We will need the Magpie observation sheets back by Thursday, May 5th. Please ensure your child's name is written on the back. 

Finally, we have been creating a collaborative art project between all three kindergarten classes, using our learning last week with the City of Calgary Nature Kits and the book, "An Egg is Quiet". As a responsible choice in the Work Period, students can paint a watercolour egg of their choice and add it to the nest. 

An Egg is Quiet: Video

Literacy

In our Literacy work this week, we practiced our rhyming in order to predict rhyming couplets in our poem. Students had a lot of fun with their predictions, and are embedding skills taught throughout the year by identifying not just a rhyming word, but isolating the rhyming part.

Physical Education

Our unit on gymnastics continues this week, with the introduction of the climber, and other apparatuses. Please ensure your child is coming to school "Head to Toe, Ready to Go" 

HEAD TO TOE - READY TO GO!!!  

Head ....................... long hair pulled back 

Ears/Throat/Wrist ............... jewellery off 

Shirt.................................. one layer shirt 

Waist ................................................tucked in 

Pants.........................sporty pants or shorts, no belts or zippers 

Ankles..........................pants rolled up if ankles are covered 

Toes...............running shoes, gymnastic slippers or bare feet (no footed tights) 

Some reminders:
- Thursday, May 5th: Please return your child's Magpie observation sheet
- Friday, May6th: AM Kindergarten
- School Council Growing Smiles Fundraiser: Fundraiser Link

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ms. Thomas