Term 1 - 2026

Welcome, bienvenue to Division 1!

Term 1 is all about establishing routines and getting to know one another. Please ensure that your child comes to school prepared every day with their agenda, their PdL and anything else they may need for the day. Here is a summary of what we will be doing during Term 1 and information about some ongoing routines in Division 1.

The most important component of the French Language Arts program in the class is the Programme de Lecture (PdL). Students bring together their reading, writing and oral skills in French by reading or responding to tasks in their red cahier. They should be reading or responding to tasks in their PdL for 15-20 minutes every day, either at school or at home. When they have finished reading their book and have completed their mini book report, they hand it in to be marked. Depending on how much they read and the quality of their responses, they receive a certain amount of tickets that they can put into our weekly draw for prizes. They also receive a sticker for our classroom PdL chart. 

We will be working on grammar exercises, written and oral activities and  various projects throughout the year in French. We will be starting out with letters this term as we will have pen pals in France! This term we will send off the first letter and wait for the class in France to reply.

In English Language Arts this term we will work on writing skills. Polar Expressions Publishing, a small publishing company, holds a short story writing contest every year for youth across Canada, and our class will be submitting stories. Usually about half of our submitted stories are published into a book that showcases the writing abilities of youth from K-12 nationwide. 

We will also be starting some spelling exercises in class, though there will be no spelling tests. Instead, the students are encouraged to complete their spelling homework in order to strengthen their spelling knowledge in English.

For Math, we will be mostly using a program called Mathletics, which supports the basic math curriculum as well as encourages critical thinking and provides some challenges for those who are able to extend their knowledge. This term, we'll start out with a focus on number sense and progress with addition and subtraction strategies. 

In Social Studies, we'll get going right away with a brief review of Canadian geography then jump right into studying the government. Since we have a provincial election coming up, the students will learn about the voting process and all intermediate classes will take part in a student vote. The student vote results will be compared with the actual voting results when the election finishes.

In Science our class will be studying the relationships between the sun, Earth and moon. We will use a program called Live It Earth to study the WSÁNEĆ Moons and to explore what role the moon plays in the WSÁNEĆ calendar. 

 Art lessons will aim to provide the students with various techniques and projects, sometimes learning about specific artists, and they will be encouraged to reflect on appreciation of art and their own abilities.

Every week students will have one block of Physical Education with Mme Kremler, a Music class with Ms. Harvey and one block of Makerspace with Mme Taylor. Many of our Grade 5s will be participating in the Strings program this year, taught by Mrs. Fisher, two mornings a week before school.

In Physical and Health Education we are starting with cooperative games and will often be outside while the weather is nice. Students will want to ensure they have good shoes for physical activities on those days and are welcome to leave an extra pair of shoes at school in the cloakroom. We will also have the opportunity to learn some Ultimate in our gym classes, do a dance to warm the school up for our annual Terry Fox run and participate in skating sessions with other French Immersion intermediate classes. As well, our Fall Cross Country season will start up soon! Practices will take place some mornings before school and more information will be sent home regarding dates and locations of Meets for those who wish to participate.

I will be using a program called EASE/AISE (Everyday Anxiety Strategies for Educators) to talk to the students about anxiety, help them know how to recognize it and develop some life-long strategies for coping with anxiety. "EASE helps educators teach students strategies to address the thoughts, feelings and behaviours associated with anxiety, while also supporting social and emotional learning and the mental health literacy of educators." (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/child-teen-mental-health/ease)

As well, I would like to tackle some digital literacy with the class using lessons from Common Sense Media. "Common Sense Media's Digital Literacy & Well-Being curriculum gives teachers a free, research-backed framework for building students' digital literacy skills. From AI literacy and social media to cyberbullying, screen time, and digital footprint, the curriculum covers the digital challenges students face every day as well as the offline skills they need to manage them." (https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-literacy). I will be trying to alternate weeks of Social Emotional Learning and Digital Literacy lessons with the students.

I will be using the CSL digital portfolio (accessible through Parent Connect: https://parentconnect.sd61.bc.ca/) as a reporting tool this year and you can check it for updates on your child's progress and posts of our activities. You are welcome to leave comments on there (only the teachers can see these comments). You are invited to check your child's portfolio regularly to stay up to date on their progress and their activities at school.

Please check the link to the class calendar below for specific dates of activities, such as field trips. A letter with details on field trips will be sent home.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to me by email.

Merci!

Rebecca Lampard

rlampard@sd61.bc.ca