Week at a Glance

January 26th-29th

Hibernation & Winter Diorama Project

Part One: Research

On Tuesday morning, students had help from their Grade 9 buddies researching about a chosen animal that hibernates. The animals they could choose included: a bear, groundhog, snake, bat, & queen bumble bee. The Grade 9's were an invaluable resource to myself and the Grade 1's helping their buddies use the chrome book to research the following questions about their hibernating animal:

1). What do they eat?

2). What is the animal covered with?

3). What family do the animals come from?

4). An interesting fact

Once the research componment is complete, students are ready to go onto the next part of their project which is constructing their diorama!

Part Two: Diorama Construction

On Thursday afternoon, students began constructing their winter & hibernation dioramas. Students were given materials such as cardboard boxes, paper cutouts & cotton balls and were asked to construct a diorama that resembled their chosen animal's den/burrow/hibernacula in the winter time. Students were absolutely thrilled to start this project. Next week, presentations of their completed diorama will be shown to their classmates.

Future Energy Systems

On Thursday, Future Energy Systems came out from the University of Alberta to explore seeds with our class! Topics such as land reclamation, the importance of plants, and revegetation were discussed. Students were given a a paper towel and then dipped it in water. They placed five field peas in the wet paper towel, folded it, and placed it in a Ziploc bag. When students return to class on Monday, they will see if their seeds have germinated. We will track the amount of seeds that have germinated and compare it to the seeds placed in a our dark cupboard. Students were excited to be scientists for the afternoon!

January 19th-23rd

Hibernation Day

This was a huge hit in our class! We have spent the last few weeks learning about winter, migration, hibernation, and adaptations of animals in the winter. Students completed a page in their visual journals regarding the various animals that migrates, hibernates, or adapts to winter. On Hibernation Day, students brought in their blankets, stuffies, flashlight and wore their pjs. They read under their "den" and completed an art project of a bear hibernating in its den.

All About Cows

It was a bit too chilly during to go outside during our Outdoor Inquiry block with Mrs. Besler so we stayed within the confines of our classroom this week. Students were curious about cows specifically. They came up with the following questions to investigate further with Mrs. Besler. 1). How do cows stay warm on cold days? 2). Do cows grow horns? If yes, how do we take care of them? 3). How do you tag cows?

Introduction to Addition

This week we began learning about addition. We took our learning outside and students collected fallen natural materials to help them explore addition and creating addition equations. Students used a variety of different objects to learn that they can use objects to help them count to add numbers together. Hands-on-learning is so much fun!

January 12th- 16th

Trees & Plants in the Winter

In Science we have been learning about plants and trees in the winter. Coniferous trees keep their needles year round and deciduous trees lose their leaves. We discussed that deciduous trees are not dead in the winter. They are dormant and conserving their energy for the spring. We braved the windy weather and spent some time outside. We observed that spruce and pine tree cones look quite different.

Numbers to 100

We have been reviewing our numbers to 100 this week as we our wrapping up this unit. We have played lots of games to reinforce our numeracy skills. Students were rolling different types of 6 sided or 12 sided dice to practice what comes before and after a given number.

Base Ten Block Art

We combined Math & Art together and students used base ten blocks to create a picture. They needed to identify how much their picture was worth based on the amount of base ten blocks on their picture.

January 5th-9th

Hands on Math

Students have been focusing on their numbers to 100 for the past month. Grade 1's practiced skip counting by 2's, 5's & 10's using paint, Q tips, and a template.

Visual Journals

In Social Studies we have been discussing natural and constructed landmarks and the key differences between them. Grade 1's have been documenting in their visual journals in Social Studies and Science. Students drew three or more different examples of constructed landmarks and added details to their picture.

Winter Scavenger Hunt

We took advantage of the beautiful weather on Wednesday and completed a winter scavenger hunt in the forested area behind our school. We also picked a deciduous tree that we would document its physical changes for each season.

December 15th-19th

Holiday Cheer!

Students got to dress up each day for a different holiday theme: Red & Green Day; Christmas Headwear Day; Ugly Christmas Sweater Day; Fancy Dress Up Day & PJ Day! On Wednesday we had a class Christmas party. Thank you to all the parents who contributed an item. On Friday, students had a special guest visit our class and in the afternoon we had SEED Day.

Snow Animals

Grade 1's spent some time outside visiting the animals before our holiday break. Our pigs will be taken to the market right after the holidays. It was a beautiful winter day so we built some snow farm animals as well!

Christmas Concert Fun

Grade 1's have been working so hard practicing for their Christmas concert! On Tuesday & Thursday, students got to watch all grades perform their parts for the Christmas concert. It is the best time of the year!

December 8th-12th

Needs & Wants of People & Animals

In our Wellness classes, we started talking about money in our Financial Literacy unit. Grade 1's discussed what items are essential to our survival. We also discussed some objects we want and that often we need to put our needs before our wants. Grade 1's reviewed that we can spend our money or we can save it.

Sheep Inquiry

We spent some time outside with Mrs. Besler as students wanted to learn more about sheep. They were interested in their wool and learnt it is very oily to the touch. We also discussed how their eyes are on the side of their head to help them have excellent peripheral vision to escape predators. Our school recently obtained some handling equipment so students got to experience the pathway sheep follow to be loaded up on the trailer. They loved this part!

Jingle Bells!

Grade 1's have been working super hard practicing their songs for the Christmas concert. They made some hand bells to accompany their voices as they sing.

December 1st-5th

Natural Landmarks

Students have been learning about various landmarks in Social Studies. They have explored what landmarks are and they two different types. This week we will be focusing on constructed landmarks. Studies love sharing about the different landmarks they have travelled to and visited.

Hands on Math

Grade 1's have been working on learning their numbers to 100 for the past few weeks. They have had many hands-on opportunities to work with base ten blocks, number strips, hundred charts, and their whiteboards to represent numbers in a variety of ways! This week we are focussing on ordering numbers to 100.

Fine Motor Art

In Art this week, students started working on their presents to give their parents at Christmas time. This craft involved folding, rolling, pinching, and lots of sparkles! Students loved this activity but I don't think our custodial staff did! hehe

November 24th-28th

Investigating Matter

Students collected five or more natural items behind our school to examine further. They looked at various properties of their object such as length, area, and weight. Grade 1's spent some time examining objects with a magnifying glass in the woods.

Letters to Santa

Grade 1's began our letter writing unit this week. They learnt about the different parts of a letter and the purpose of each. Students wrote a rough draft and finished their good copy that will be sent to the North Pole. Next week, they will learn how to mail their letter by completing the addresses on the envelope. In Art, students began working on a portrait of Rudolph using white pastel and water colors.

Visual Journals

This week, we began documenting our learning in a visual journal. In Social Studies, we have begun learning about different landmarks. Students drew three or more examples of famous or natural landmarks.

November 17th-21st

FNMI

On Tuesday afternoon, our Grade 1 class welcomed Felice Gladue from Metis alive into our room. Felice taught our class traditional Metis songs, dance, and stories. Our students learned to play the spoons, participated in the broom and teacup dance and also made our own set of spoons and a Metis themed infinity necklace.

Agriculture

On Tuesday and Thursday morning, we spent time outside in the barnyard learning from Mrs. Besler. She went over barnyard safety and rules we need to follow to keep students safe when interacting with the animals. Grade 1's learnt about the chore kids do to help prepare the animals for winter. Students learnt about some adaptions that animals have to help their survive and adapt to our cold winters.

Wellness

This week, students completed their final swimming lessons. Grade 1's were excited to spend time playing games, going on the water slide, and in the hot tub during their final lesson.

November 3rd to November 7th

Our Grade 9 buddies helped us complete a Remembrance Day project for the front bulletin board just outside our Grade 1 classroom.

Week 7 of swimming lessons at the LRC. Grade 1 has one more week to go! Week 8 will take place the Thursday after Fall Break.

Our class took magnifying glasses outside to explore objects in nature this week using our senses of sight, hearing, touch and smell. With a partner, each student had the opportunity to explore the wooded area behind our schoolyard and focus on investigating the properties of objects we found there.

October 27th to October 31st

This week our Grade 1 class wrapped up our research project on turkeys. With the help of Miss Samantha, and through our own observations as a class, we learned the following facts about our feathered friends:

turkeys can jump & fly short distances
turkeys have excellent eyesight and can see in colour
male turkeys are called Jakes & Toms
female turkeys are called Hens
turkeys can have up to 6000 feathers!

We said goodbye to the turkeys (with the exception of Walter & Henrietta) and broiler chickens before Miss Samantha took them off to be processed on Wednesday. Our class discussed how lucky we are to have the opportunity to raise animals for food at New Humble Community School.

During our Halloween celebration on Friday, our class investigated pumpkins and predicted whether or not they would sink or float. We then took each of our pumpkins to the kitchen and Mr. Jeff helped us test whether or not our predictions were accurate!

October 20th to October 24th

Barnyard Numbers Scavenger Hunt

Grade 1 and Grade 9 headed out to the barnyard on a scavenger hunt Tuesday! A few of the tasks students were required to complete are as follows:

Find the animal that moos. How many hooves are in the pen?
Find an animal for which a group is called a flock. Count the animals and write the number.
I'm not a spoon, but I help with hay. Farmers use me every day. Find me and count my tines.

Swimming Lessons Week 5!

October 15th, 16th & 17th

With the help of Miss Samantha, our class started a research project on turkeys. We will spend the next few weeks learning all about them! Gobble, gobble!

Outside in the barnyard listening to Miss Samantha answer our turkey questions.

Week of October 6th to October 10th

We have been learning about sorting and patterns in math. This week our class made AB patterns using objects we found in nature such as rocks, twigs, moss, leaves and pinecones.

Our class has completed a variety of Fall & Thanksgiving themed art and crafts so far this month. Here are a few samples of our amazing work!

Things are going "swimmingly" over at the Leduc Recreation Centre. Our class completed Week 3 of swimming lessons on Thursday, October 9th. On to Week 4!

Week of September 29th to October 3rd

Grade 1 headed out into the bushes behind the playground on Wednesday to participate in a Fall Scavenger Hunt with our Grade 9 Buddies!

Some of the items on our list were:

bird nest
moss
yellow leaf
fallen log
feather
ladybug
pinecone

Week of September 22nd to September 26th

On Tuesday, September 23rd in the afternoon our whole school participated in the Terry Fox Run benefitting Cancer Research.

This week our Grade 1 classroom completed a watercolour art project which involved drawing a sunflower with black marker and painting the sunflower and background with watercolour paints.

We began swimming lessons at the Leduc Recreation Centre! We will continue to swim every week for the next 8 weeks.

Week of September 15th to September 18th

Getting ready to peel & cut up potatoes.

Getting down to work!

Mr. Jeff demonstrating how to peel and chop.

With the help of Mr. Jeff and Miss Lisa, Grade 1 washed, peeled & chopped the potatoes we harvested from the garden and turned them into home fries. Yummy!!!

Listening to the story of how potato seedlings are grown in a greenhouse & planted on the farm.

On Thursday, September 18th, New Humble Community School travelled by bus to Great North Seed Potatoes for a tour of their facilities. Students were treated to a lunch of perogies, french fries and potato salad and then shown around the property by employees of the farm who explained how potatoes are grown, tended to and harvested. A special treat at the end of the tour was getting to harvest potatoes ourselves!

Week of September 8th to September 12th

This week our Grade 1 visited the school barnyard and garden with our Grade 9 buddies!

Our Grade 1 Classroom and Ms. Martinoff's Grade 9 class are buddies this year. So far we have read together and gone over the rules of the barnyard when visiting the livestock.