Wednesday, September 29 (No school tomorrow)

 Hi parents,

Orange Shirt Day at LBS was a big success. All around the school, students were engaged in meaningful work related to reconciliation and the positive actions we can take moving forward to ensure children, and adults, are treated with kindness and compassion.

In our classroom, the students made orange hand prints, and wrote brief responses about what Orange Shirt Day means to them. We had more compelling class discussions, and it's easy to see how much the students genuinely care about these important issues.

We attended a virtual assembly, hosted by Rooms 12 and 13, that celebrated Indigenous culture and promoted reconciliation. 

We continued to explore the Hearing and Sound "Virtual Exhibit" (which can be accessed here), and learned how certain decibel levels can damage our hearing in different ways. We learned that some sounds, like a rocket launch, an airplane, or fireworks, can damage our hearing immediately, unless we wear protective gear.

At the end of the day, we had Music class.

Tomorrow is Truth and Reconciliation Day, so there will be no school. We will be returning on Friday, which I'm sure will feel very bizarre.

Please remember send back your ADmazing Savings Books if you are not interested in purchasing!

Have a nice night,

Zac

Tuesday, September 28 (Orange Shirt Day tomorrow!)

 Hi parents,

The students worked hard today and we started a bunch of new work tasks.

In the morning, we watched this video about Orange Shirt Day. Don't be fooled by the beginning - even though it may seem to be geared towards a very young audience, it does an awesome job explaining a number of significant, complex topics in a way that kids can understand and empathize with.

We rewatched our "What is Summer For?" video from last year. I challenged the students to write scripts for a 'sequel', titled, "What is Fall For?" Basically, they had to come up with a list of fun things to do in the fall. Some students brought their scripts home and are hoping to act out some scenes with their families, so get ready!

We did some math worksheets around the concept of place value, and I feel like the students are starting to get the hang of it. I'm also getting better at finding ways to challenge the students who may be finding it a bit easier, so all around, there are some exciting things happening in math.

In the afternoon, we did some work in Literacy Groups. We also participated in a Hearing and Sound "Virtual Exhibit", which taught the class a bit about how hearing works, and how hearing can be affected if hair cells in the ear are damaged.

Today was also picture day, and that went smoothly. I'm looking forward to seeing how they all turn out! Retakes will be available mid-October if needed.

Tomorrow is Orange Shirt Day. If your child doesn't have an orange shirt, please encourage them to wear one of their favourite shirts. Last year, Elder Shirley told us that it's not about the colour of the shirt, but what the shirt represents - we're all very fortunate to go to a school where we can be ourselves!

Have a nice night,

Zac

Monday, September 27 (Picture Day Tomorrow!)

 Hi parents,

We had a pretty typical Monday today, but it was a good day all around.

In the morning, the students did some place value math problems, wrote in their journals, and practiced this week's spelling words. We also went to the Library, and the class got to check out new books. Unfortunately, the books still have to stay at school, so if your child accidentally brought their home, please let them know and send the books back. :)

In the afternoon, students splits into groups and participated in literacy tasks. Some students worked on letter sounds, others worked on sentence writing. We're collaborating with Ms. Greenhall's class to introduce the students to a wider range of literacy activities that they will later be able to do during Daily 5 - the students are also getting to know their 'neighbour class' a bit better, which is great because we are in the same recess cohort, so hopefully we'll see some new friendships form as well.

At the end of the day, we had Recess, Gym, and Music.

Tomorrow is picture day! And on Wednesday, September 29, our school will be participating in Orange Shirt Day. 

Have a nice night,

Zac

Virtual Open House - Music & Picture Day (Sep. 28)

 

Here is the open house video for Music class, by Ms. Kawchuk!

Also, I forgot to include School Picture Day (Tuesday, Sep. 28) on the last "Upcoming Dates" section, so please keep that date in mind too. I'll be reminding students tomorrow.

Spelling Words (Week of Sep. 26)

 Spelling List A

Dot	Mop	Rod	Log
Mom	Hog	Shot	Chop

 

Spelling List B

Novel	Block	Stock	Shock
Bottom	Common	Profit	Proper

 

Spelling List C

Politics	Hospital	Probably	Conflict
Constant	Operator	Confident	Confusion

ADmazing Savings Coupon Books

 ADmazing Savings Coupon Books

ADmazing Savings Fundraiser has begun! The proceeds from this fundraising activity will be used directly in your child’s classroom. Books are available for $25.00 each, of which Lake Bonavista will use $11.50 for the benefit of our students.

 

If you wish to take advantage of these discounts, please complete the order form printed on the back on the ADmazing envelope, and enclose the correct amount of money - $25.00 per book ordered. - directly to your child’s classroom teacher by Thursday, October 7^th, 2021 or earlier.

 

Please ensure if you are returning the book that you have not scratched off the code area for the app, as the book will not be returnable if the code is visible. 

 

Additional books for Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer or Southern Alberta may be ordered at $25.00 each for family, friends and relatives.  If you wish to order additional books, please send your order as soon as possible to your child’s teacher so that the order can be filled.  As a school, we discourage door-to-door solicitation.

Thursday, September 23

 Hi parents,

Today was a nice way to wrap up our short week.

In the morning, the Grade 3 students did their math assessments, and I am really happy to be done with almost all of the obligatory start-of-year assessment stuff. I missed being able to interact with the class during Morning Math and Explore and Play.

We had our Spelling Quiz, and then did a place value colouring activity, in which students had to colour numbers according to statements regarding place value. For example, students would be given two numbers, "512" and "355", and instructed: "Colour in the number with 5 in the hundreds place". 

I like this activity because it incorporates a bit of reading comprehension as well as math knowledge.

We talked about the book we've been reading, "Sideways Stories from Wayside School", and the students wrote about their favourite short story, and which character they were 'most like'. 

In the afternoon, we did Daily 5, and a Kids Art Hub drawing lesson. We talked about Scarecrows, and whether or not they are effective ways to protect crops from crows. We watched an episode of Molly of Denali, and talked about the importance of storytelling in many indigenous cultures, and we also shared some experiences related to fish and fishing.

The Virtual Open House video is ready to watch! The students have seen it several times now and are ready to tell you all about it. It may not be quite as fun as a real tour of the classroom, but it's the best we can do unfortunately.

Please note - our first formal parent-teacher conferences are in November! 

Have a nice weekend!

Zac

Wednesday, September 22

 Hi parents,

Our Terry Fox Run certainly lived up to the hype today! We had an awesome time and I know the students took a lot away from all of our lessons, conversations, and of course, laps around the field.

This morning, I gave the Grade 2 students a somewhat unpleasant 5-part math assessment (this was created by Alberta Education, not me!) Most of the students have never had to focus on math for so long, and I was so impressed by their perseverance. The Grade 3 students did a great job reading, writing, and drawing quietly in the mean time. Their assessment is coming up tomorrow. The purpose of these assessments is to see what impact, if any, Covid may have had on students math abilities, so that we can potentially acquire more supports in the classroom later in the year. 

For writing, the students were asked to come up with 5 interview questions that they would ask Terry Fox, if they could. As a bonus challenge, I asked students to write how they thought Terry might answer their questions. I was once again very impressed by the work each student submitted - their responses showed genuine interest, empathy, and respect.

What would you ask Terry Fox?

Our Terry Fox Run was at 10:45. The class ran a total of 144 laps!

Students were given the option to donate their hard-earned Class Dojo Points to our school's Terry Fox Fundraiser. 10 Dojo points = $1. Through these 'Dojonations', we raised $25. Many students expressed that they felt good about putting their points towards a good cause.

In the afternoon, we attended a Terry Fox Virtual Assembly, did Daily 5, and had Music class.

Tomorrow is our Spelling Quiz!

Have a nice day,

Zac

Upcoming Dates:

Sep. 24 - Virtual Open House 

Sep. 29 - Orange Shirt Day

Sep. 30 - Truth and Reconciliation Day (No School)

Virtual Open House Information

What an amazing school year start-up we have been having at LBS! Typically, at this time of year, we host Parent Teacher Conferences in an Open House format. With restrictions due to Covid-19, our format has been adjusted. This year, each class has created a video to introduce families to our school, answer commonly asked questions and show details of how our class works. These videos will be released on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 4:00 pm. If you have questions after viewing the video, please reach out. We are certainly missing seeing families in our school building and look forward to future opportunities where this may be possible.

Tuesday, September 21

 Hi parents,

The enthusiasm leading up to our Terry Fox run has continued to grow! This morning, we watched another video about Terry Fox, and continued our discussion from yesterday. The students had even more thoughtful contributions to make. 

Today, our classroom's unofficial 'Terry Fox Club' allegedly ran 200 laps around the playground to practice for tomorrow's run. Another group of students formed a separate "Terry Fox Club" and did exercises at recess. Another recess fitness club was also formed - it's really cool to see so many students taking the initiative and making these things happen!

The class got a 'sneak preview' of our Virtual Open House video, which is going to be sent out to families on Thursday evening. In the spirit of open houses, I've asked the students to act as virtual tour guides for parents, by explaining parts of the video and how they relate to our day to day activities.

The students made Terry Fox posters, by arranging images, titles, and original text. They also traced their shoes.

Today is International Peace Day, so we also created Peace Books in the afternoon. We continued to work on Place Value in math.

Tomorrow is our Terry Fox Run, as I'm sure you know! Please help your child make sure they're dressed for some outdoor physical activity.

Have a nice night,

Zac

Monday, September 20

 Hi parents,

Today was a good day for our class, and a pretty typical Monday too.

In the morning, we talked about 'place value', and did some Morning Math problems in which students had to identify the number in occupying various place-value spots in large numbers. For example, students would be asked to identify the number in the 'hundreds' place in the number '1458', by circling it or underlining it.

We watched this Terry Fox video and had an awesome discussion about Terry Fox, cancer care, and how we can all help to raise money for the cause. I love teaching about Terry Fox because he continues to inspire children without fail - even after the Terry Fox Run! Today, a group of students decided to challenge themselves to do 100 laps around the playground during recess, to train for our upcoming run.

The Terry Fox Run is on Wednesday, September 22. Please see the blog note below for additional information!

The students wrote about their weekends in their journals. We talked about how we can use the "5 W's" (Who, What, Where, When, Why) to add detail to our writing. 

For example, instead of just writing, "On the weekend I watched a movie", students could elaborate by explaining who they watched it with, what movie they watched, why they picked that movie, and where they watched it.

We got to visit the LBS Library and check out books, for the first time in over a year! Students are still required to leave their library books at the school, so if you find any in their backpacks, please send them back!

In the afternoon we did Daily 5, practiced the new spelling words, and had Music class.

Have a nice night!

Zac

Terry Fox Run 2021 

We will be having our Annual Terry Fox Run on Wednesday, September 22, 2021. Teachers will be discussing with students the life of Terry Fox and the contributions he has made to cancer research as well as coming together in the afternoon for a virtual wrap up assembly.  Students are encouraged to wear blue/white/ or their school t-shirt on this day. 

Students can dedicate their run to someone who they know has been affected by cancer. Please speak to your child prior to our run and if they choose to dedicate their run to someone, they can share this in their class sharing circle prior to or after their run. 

Should you wish to make a donation online, please use the following link to donate through the Terry Fox website: 

http://www.terryfox.ca/LakeBonavista 

Let’s keep Terry’s dream to find a cure for cancer alive! 

Spelling Words (Week of September 19)

 Spelling List A

Big	Pin	Fit	Kit
Dip	Lit	Tip	Rip

 

Spelling List B

Which	Still	Chill	Print
Quick	Video	Winter	Sister

 

Spelling List C

Mission	Village	Digital	Deliver
Picture	Million	Minister	Original

Friday, September 17

 Happy Friday!

We had a fun PJ Day today and did some cool activities.

Perhaps coolest of all was the spelling quiz, which we did after a math-filled Morning Work Period.

We watched a Wild Kratts episode about bats. We talked about 'note-taking', and how taking notes is different from other kinds of writing, like story writing, poetry, etc. We discussed how notes should be short, simple, and efficiently recorded, because you don't want to miss anything while you're writing. The students took notes about bats throughout the episode, and we shared information after.

The class finished up their full moon artwork, by adding shadowy landscapes and of course, bats.

Stay tuned for next week's spelling words!

Have a nice weekend,

Zac

Thursday, September 16 (PJ Day Tomorrow!)

 Hi parents,

We had a pretty good day today that was full of entertaining class discussions.

In the morning, we watched a Magic School Bus episode about bats. The students discussed whether or not they thought Ms. Frizzle might secretly be a vampire. We created a T-Table to contrast the arguments for, and against, her being a vampire. We also made a pictograph to show how many students voted yes and no. I'm hoping that using these organizational tools will encourage students to create tables, graphs, and charts when doing their own 'research'.

We did some more watercolour painting too, through a similar activity to yesterday's. This time, the students painted their entire sheet using cool, 'night time' colours, leaving only a single circle blank. This circle is going to be the full moon as we continue working on these art pieces, and the students are going to add landscapes and even some bats! 

We are learning about bats as an exciting introduction to our Hearing and Sound science unit. 

In Math, the students worked on some number representation worksheets. We're starting to delve into slightly more advanced territory now, using numbers in the hundreds and even thousands! Not bad for the third week of school.

In the afternoon, we discussed the difference between 'literal' and 'figurative' meaning, and the students brainstormed common expressions that we never use in a literal context - for example "I'm freezing!", "You just got roasted", "I'm dead meat", etc.

Tomorrow is Pajama Day, and it is also our spelling quiz. The students earned a Pajama Day extra quickly this year because they have been extra well behaved. 

Have a nice night,

Zac

Wednesday, September 15

Hi parents,

Happy Dot Day!

In the morning, the students had some Work Period time to complete the tasks we started earlier in the week.

We did another Dot Art activity, this time using water colour paints. The class "made dots without making dots", by painting the entire page but leaving one circular space blank (that's in reference to part of the book).

We had our first official Daily 5 session today, and it went quite well - the students were all engaged in their group stations and using their time responsibly. 

We read "The Good Egg", and had a class discussion about 'literal' vs. 'figurative' language. We ended the day with Music!

Have a nice evening,

Zac

Tuesday, September 14

 Hi parents,

We had a really great day today, full of lots of interesting class discussions, quiet work periods, and fun times outside.

In the morning, we read the story "The Dot", and had a discussion about the meaning of the word 'creative'. The students responded to the writing prompt: "Being creative means... // I am creative because..." 

Along with teaching the kids about creativity, The Dot is also effective in promoting a growth mindset and encouraging children to try new things, and "make their mark!"

We listened to "The Dot Song", which is a catchy song that accompanies the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_I43cxDQ-o

We did a drawing activity in which the students were given a piece of paper with a single dot on it, and asked to incorporate that dot into a larger art piece. Tomorrow, we're going to look at all the different pieces, which prove beyond a doubt that everyone in our classroom is creative, unique, and imaginative. Tomorrow is also "Dot Day" (unfortunately not a stat holiday) so I encourage everyone to wear 'dot' themed clothes, or something that reflects their individuality.

In the afternoon, we had our final 'warmup day' for Daily 5 - this time, the students practiced the Literacy Games station.

We ended our day with Gym, Math, and Work Period.

Have a nice night!

Zac

LBS SCHOOL COUNCIL

We have many open positions for our School Council, including Chair. If you are interested in learning more about these volunteer opportunities, please contact Jennifer Rooke, jlrooke@cbe.ab.ca. We will be having our first meeting on Tuesday, September 21st at 6:30pm.  Council will share updates as well as describe some of the opportunities to get involved. 

Monday, September 13

 Hi parents,

We had a pretty good day today and did a lot of typical "Monday tasks". If your child has been in my class since last year (or before!) I apologize, this blog post will be incredibly familiar.

We started our day off with Morning Math and journal writing. I'm trying to help students find ways to incorporate new techniques into their writing, so today, they were challenged to begin their journal entry with a sound effect that was some how connected to their weekend. For example: "Splash! That is the sound of me jumping into the pool. On the weekend I went swimming."

The students had some time to work on the short stories they started last week. They're just about finished now and I'm excited to share them!

We talked about this week's spelling words, and everyone had a chance to practice them. 

In the afternoon, the students learned about the "Listen to Reading" stage of our Daily 5, which means we only have one more station to go before we can officially introduce Daily 5! Just to recap - Daily 5 is a designated time for students to engage in a variety of literacy tasks, independently or in small groups. Daily 5 is great because it gives me a chance to read with small groups of students while the rest of the class is occupied with familiar activities that they can complete with minimal support. 

The students had some time to work on 'representing numbers' pages in their math books, and then we ended our day with recess and Music.

Please send back your forms envelope if you have not already done so!

Have a nice day,

Zac

Upcoming Dates:

Sep. 22: Terry Fox Run 

Sep. 29: Orange Shirt Day

Spelling Words (Week of September 12)

Spelling List A

Bed	Pet	Men	Gem
Pen	Bet	Net	Get

 

Spelling List B

Nest	Never	Level	Seven
Check	Second	Best	Next

 

Spelling List C

Together	Strength	Exercise	Extend
General	Website	Written	Western

Good luck!

Next Quiz: Friday, September 16