Thursday September 29, 2022

Our school was bright with hundreds of orange t-shirts today.  We spent time discussing the meaning of National Truth and Reconciliation Day, in a Grade One-friendly manner.  Our class experienced the story of Shi-Shi-Etko by Nicola Campbell which details the strong family and land connections of a young indigenous girl who is preparing to go to school.  Afterward, we discussed the difficulties children faced being taken from their families and ways of life so long ago and how we learn from past mistakes to do our best for children today.  It is a difficult topic to 

Enjoy a peaceful day tomorrow and I look forward to seeing students on Monday.

Wednesday September 28, 2022

Our class enjoyed the story 'The Eagle Feather' by Kevin Locke today.  We learned that the eagle feather is symbolic in indigenous culture for the virtues of kindness, honesty and courage.  We speak about these virtues in our daily conversations in Grade One as we all encounter new experiences throughout our days as a growing classroom community.  We coloured eagle feathers and wrote messages to remind us to practice these virtues every day at school.

Tomorrow is Orange Shirt Day!

Tuesday September 27, 2022

Today's science experiment had our students mixing primary colours to make secondary colours.  We used acrylic paint to blend the colours and then made a print of the result. Photos to come!

This week our students will be learning fundamental tennis skills through First Serve, thanks to funding from our amazing Parent Council.  

Orange shirt day will be on Thursday at Woodlands School.  We encourage all students to wear orange to recognize the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation for indigenous peoples in Canada.

Monday, September 26, 2022

It was great to see so many families in the classroom for conferences last week.  Our year is off to a great start!

This week we have Healthy Hunger (special lunch) on Thursday September 29th.  Please see details below!

In honour of Truth and Reconciliation Week, our students are encouraged to wear orange shirts to school on Thursday.  Students will have a chance to hear stories, view videos and share knowledge of indigenous peoples all week.  Today we heard the story 'Fry Bread' by Kevin Noble Maillard that beautifully illustrated the power of family and community.

There is no school on Friday to commemorate the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

Thursday September 22, 2022

The assembly hosted by Grade 3/4 inspired us to run with heart for our Terry Fox run!  I was so proud of our students as they rose to the challenge of 3 laps around the soccer field.  Even when they wanted to give up, they dug deep and ran for Terry!

We made a fall wreath for our classroom today with fall colours and a variety of leaf shapes.  Ask your child if they can remember why leaves change colour and drop off in the fall!

Parent-Teacher conferences tonight and tomorrow, I look forward to seeing many of you to discuss your child's progress.  If you haven't booked a time slot, please call the office and have Mrs. Melbourn help you.  I have some time slots available tomorrow morning.

Wednesday September 21, 2022

We read a story today that gave us some excellent examples of alliteration and rhyme.  Ask your child if they can tell you what alliteration means, and how Mabel Murple gave us all kinds of opportunities to hear phrases with words that start with the same letter (like her purple poodle, Pierre)!

Terry Fox run tomorrow, please ensure your child is wearing outdoor shoes that will be good for running around our soccer field!

If you haven't booked a conference time yet, please do so by using the online conference sign up page.  Email me if you have any trouble with the site and I can try it from my end.

No school Friday due to conferences!

Tuesday September 20, 2022

Our Social Studies curriculum has a large component on citizenship. We have been talking about responsibility and respect in the classroom. Ask your child what they can tell you about being a responsible single student. They had lots of great ideas today!

Conference bookings are back online after a glitch in the system. Please be sure to sign up for a time slot for Thursday afternoon/evening or Friday morning!

Terry Fox Run will happen Thursday. Please be sure your child is dressed for the weather!

Monday September 19, 2022

Today's literacy focus was on the letters i, m and p.  We added these letters and sounds to last week's collection and practiced making 3-letter words.  Ask your child how to change the first sound in Mat to make the word Cat...they are catching on!

A message went home from the office today about the glitch in the system for booking conferences.  We are all waiting to see how quickly the problem is resolved and the school will send further information as it comes in.

Send your Twoonies for Terry this week...our Terry Fox Run will take place Thursday!

Tomorrow will be our first Library Day at school.  Students will be allowed to sign out two books which they will keep in their Book Boxes at school to use at reading time.  They are excited!

Friday September 16, 2022

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Another busy week has come to a close!

Today our students made colour wheel sunflowers.  They look amazing!  We learned about the primary colours of red, yellow and blue and how they make secondary colours of purple, orange and green when mixed.  You will see them when you come to conferences next week!

Important notes about upcoming events:

Conferences will be held next Thursday evening and Friday morning.  These will be the first in-person conferences in over 2 years!  No school for students on Friday.

Healthy Hunger:  Please see the Weekly Update for information about ordering a hot lunch for your child on September 29th.  Information about payment and deadlines can be found there.

Casino:  Woodlands School parents are asked to consider volunteering their time at the Woodlands School Council Casino Fundraiser at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino on October 26th and 27th.  Please see the Weekly Update for more information.

Terry Fox Run  Thursday September 22nd.  Students will run around our soccer field to honour our hero Terry Fox.  If you like, you can send a twoonie to school with your child any day next week to contribute to our school's fundraising efforts.

Thursday, September 15, 2022

Happy Birthday to Sarah!

We ventured outside for our first nature walk of the year.  Since colour and seasonal changes are a big part of the science curriculum in Grade One, we will be tying these topics together as we enter fall.  We observed just a hint of seasonal change in the leaves on the trees, and we gathered as many different shades of green as possible to observe and sort tomorrow.

Tomorrow is half-day Friday with dismissal at 12:15!

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

We are having fun in the gym during our PE classes. We have been focusing on soccer skills this week, using our feet to control the ball and move around with control. Red Light, Green Light has been a big hit!

Conferences are coming up next Thursday and Friday!  Check the Weekly Update for details about how to use your MyCBE account to book a time slot. Conferences are an important part of the communication between home and school and I look forward to sharing lots of news about your child with you!

Our school will have our annual Terry Fox Run next Thursday, September 22nd. Students are invited to bring a “Twoonie for Terry”to donate to cancer research   

Tuesday September 13, 2022

Our Grade Ones are beginning to blend sounds together in early reading activities.  Today's letters, S, A and T gave us the opportunity to practice blending sounds into the word 'sat'.  Once we mastered that, we tried replacing the first letter with a few others...and came up with mat, bat and fat!  

Our high-frequency word of the day was 'is'...see if your child can point out this word in magazines, books or any text around them.  

Monday, September 12, 2022

Our class had a busy day of journal writing, counting, working with our new poem and playing soccer in gym.  Ask your child how they were practicing putting objects into groups of 5 to make counting easier and more accurate.

Conferences are coming up (September 22 and 23) so be sure to sign up for a time slot through your My CBE account.  You will receive notification when online booking opens up.

Friday, September 9, 2022

Our class spent time creating a monochromatic colour block with their favourite colour today. We learned about how colour needs light to reflect off objects in order to be seen. Ask your child what colour they chose for their monochrome collage!

Have a restful weekend!

Thursday, September 8, 2022

We are working on a special art project to display in our classroom for conferences on September 22nd.  This mixed media piece will feature personalized creations that showcase all the unique personalities in our classroom community.  Ask your child to show you how to draw a self portrait!

Our Library schedule will not begin until the third week of September.  I will keep you posted on our book exchange process and weekly library day once we have everything settled.

Remember our Ice Cream Social fundraiser at the school tonight!

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Part of our morning routine is our Name Slider (a carryover activity from kindergarten).  The kiddos love hearing the clues as to whose name will be revealed each day!  The 'Name Slider Celebrity' does our calendar date, adds to our Days in School ten frame counters, leads the line, takes messages to the office as needed and is the go-to classroom helper.  This helps us build a sense of community and encourages leadership amongst our students.

Please read the excerpts below from our Week at a Glance email to families.  Fun events coming up this week!

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Today’s activities included alphabet printing practice, two math games and a page for our class book about Grade One. Ask your child if they can tell you what they are most excited about learning this year:)

Thursday September 8th is our Woodlands School ice cream social, a fundraiser organized by our Parent Council. See the week at a glance for details!

Friday, September 2, 2022

Our first half-day Friday went smoothly!  Our students are learning the new routines very quickly.  Our 'soft entry' begins on Tuesday, with students entering as they arrive between 8:20 and 8:30.  Have your child knock on the door to signal their arrival and the supervising teacher (myself, Ms Melbourn or Mrs. Krahn) will be there to open the door and usher them inside.  If you happen to miss the bell, please have your student enter at the main doors.

I wish you a happy last long weekend of summer and I look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Tuesday!

Thursday, September 1, 2022

We had a wonderful first day of school!  We learned so many new routines and met so many new friends.  Here are some highlights:

"I played with the animals" Carter

"We played at the park and had so much fun" Aurora

"We played with the puppies" Wyatt

We enjoyed two stories, 'Pigeon Has to Go to School' and 'The Night Before First Grade' to get some good conversations going about our feelings around the start of school.  

Some notes about lunches and snacks:

Thank you for sending such amazing healthy lunches for your kiddos!  They are burning lots of energy with these full days at school.  There are some things you can do to help us with efficient eating and clean up:

    -try to pack food items in reusable containers to reduce packaging waste.

    -pack a ziploc bag in your child's lunchbox so they can put their waste inside and bring home to recycle

    -send water in a water bottle with a valve in the mouthpiece to avoid spills

Reminder that tomorrow is a half day so students will be ready for pickup at 12:15.