October 11-14, 2022

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Our class is loving the beautiful weather and having the opportunity to be outside. We had a few special learning moments that happened because we are getting to be great observers. The first happened when we were lining up from being outside for physical education. One of our classmates looked to the sky and saw far in the distance a group of dark coloured birds in the sky. The birds all flew together, first making a line and then swooping in together to make a tight dark ball of birds. They were too far away for us to count them, but it looked like hundreds of birds flying together in a synchronized pattern. Then they would fly into a wavy line and then back into a ball.  Our class was memorized as we watched them. It was beautiful. Mrs. Cooper has an idea about what kinds of birds they might have been, but as a class we are hoping to do research this week to find out more. (Note: Mrs. Cooper wasn't able to take a photo, but it looked like this one below taken by Greg Saulmon posted on birdsdowntown)


Our second special nature observation happened on our walking field trip to Wapta park. When sitting in circle, we looked up and saw tiny little birds pecking on the branch of a tree. Then all of a sudden one student stated, “one just came out of a hollow!”. After looking closely, we noticed that the branch actually had 7 (or maybe more) hollows with birds going in and out of them. Can you see the bird in the video below? Can you look closely like we did and see all the hollows? (Mrs. Cooper is hoping the video works. She hasn't included a video in the blog before).



While at our field trip, we also used our observation skills to closely look at one thing in nature that we wanted to write a poem about. We are learning how to use descriptive words and phrases to create a picture in the mind while examining the learning intention “I can explore and use poetic structures in poetry”. Back at school we are looking at different poems to see if we can find poetic structures such as rhyme, rhythm, repetition and similes. Next week we will continue to examine poetry and these poetic devices. Then we will use our own observations to create nature poems of our own.

 

In math, we continued our work with representing, comparing and ordering numbers, but we are also building in regular fluency practice into our week to work on the learning intentions: “I can recall addition and subtraction facts to support mathematical thinking” and “I can develop strategies to support fact recall”.  One strategy we focused on this week were adding doubles (3+3, 4+4, 5+5, 6+6, 7+7, 8+8…..all the way up to 12). We also shared how each of us would add three to a number in a way other than counting up. Some of us related it to the doubles fact 3+3 and then just added a few more. Some of us add three by adding two and then two more.  Ask us to show you how we can add doubles.

 

Be sure to also ask us about building the props and background for our Wishtree “setting”. We are working on the learning intention “I can create representations of fictional texts that show understanding of character, setting and plot.”  This means that we have to make sure that our details are accurate and that we are being great listeners as Mrs. Cooper reads.

 

As usual, we did so much more. Ask us about our favorite part of the week!   Also be sure to review the important dates below.

Important Dates

  • Friday, October 28 - Non-Instructional Day: No School
  • Monday, October 31 - Halloween (more information to come)
  • Monday, November 7 - Photo Retakes
  • Thrusday, November 10 - Remembrance Day Assembly
  • Friday, November 11 - Remembrance Day - No School


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