Room 20
Stoch - grade 3
Embedded Files
"Trees are poems that Earth writes upon the sky."
- Khalil Gibran
"Trees are poems that Earth writes upon the sky."
- Khalil Gibran
It's Official: Sugar Maple is the WINNER! 🍁
It's Official: Sugar Maple is the WINNER! 🍁
The City of Toronto launched a Kid's Vote to accompany this year's municipal election and Wilkinson was invested! 250 students learned about the 5 native tree candidates (all were excellent choices) and had their voices heard! A whopping 133 students chose the Sugar Maple at Wilkinson. Then, after over 10,000 Toronto kids officially voted - it was confirmed that the majority also wanted the Sugar Maple to win! Now the City will plant over 1,000 Sugar Maples this year. Look for free tree planting events here and cross your fingers that Ms. Kathleen is successful in trying to get one of the trees for our school yard!
Tree-Inspired!
All of this tree learning and tale telling about this magical time of year led us to creating works of nature art with the lovely leaves to decorate our yard and have things look "so pretty! so pretty!"
Tree-Inspired!
All of this tree learning and tale telling about this magical time of year led us to creating works of nature art with the lovely leaves to decorate our yard and have things look "so pretty! so pretty!"
Some questions to ask your child:
- what tree were you rooting for if Sugar Maple had not won?
- what is your favourite fall colour in leaves?
- what kind of nature art leaf beauty were you working on?
Some questions to ask your child:
- what tree were you rooting for if Sugar Maple had not won?
- what is your favourite fall colour in leaves?
- what kind of nature art leaf beauty were you working on?
"Autumn... the year's last, loveliest smile."
- William Cullen Bryant
"Autumn... the year's last, loveliest smile."
- William Cullen Bryant
Why Leaves Change Colour 🍂
Why Leaves Change Colour 🍂
There is science to explain why the leaves change colour - but that's only one world view and a great opportunity for us to get creative! And creative these students got! Later, Ms. Kathleen read this Anishinaabe story, retold by Margi Preus (found on CommonLit). Young Nanabozho is given paint made by his Nokomis (Grandmother) and starts adding a little colour to cone flowers, ladybugs, bees, a heron, raccoon, fox, salamander, woodpecker, and chickadee and he tries to add some colour to sparrow until things go wrong! In the end, it is alright and explains how the leaves change colour every year!
Getting Creative
Before the Anishinaabe story was shared, students were challenged to come up with an explanation for why the leaves change colour that is not based on science. Silly, funny, scary, ridiculous, inventive, or sad stories were welcome and this crew delivered their ideas in the most dramatic way! This really is the loveliest time of year. Everything is, as chickadee says "so pretty! so pretty!"
Getting Creative
Before the Anishinaabe story was shared, students were challenged to come up with an explanation for why the leaves change colour that is not based on science. Silly, funny, scary, ridiculous, inventive, or sad stories were welcome and this crew delivered their ideas in the most dramatic way! This really is the loveliest time of year. Everything is, as chickadee says "so pretty! so pretty!"
Some questions to ask your child:
- what story did your group come up to share about why the leaves change colour?
- what happens to Nanabozho when he climbs up the tree after sparrow?
- what are some of the things that Nanabozho painted? (use cartoon image to remind)
- what kinds of things did Nokomis use to make the dyes and paint?
Some questions to ask your child:
- what story did your group come up to share about why the leaves change colour?
- what happens to Nanabozho when he climbs up the tree after sparrow?
- what are some of the things that Nanabozho painted? (use cartoon image to remind)
- what kinds of things did Nokomis use to make the dyes and paint?
"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning."
- Fred Rogers
"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning."
- Fred Rogers
Toronto's Tree of the Year! 🌳
Toronto's Tree of the Year! 🌳
This fall, the City of Toronto gave kids a vote of their own during the municipal election: choosing 2027's Toronto Tree of the year! Five native species trees were on the ballow: Basswood, Paper Birth, Red Oak, Sugar Maple, White Pine.
The official winning tree will have 1,000 plantings on public land plus school sapling! Fingers cross Wilkinson gets one!
Tree Candidates: Campaigning for the Canopy!
We know that planting 1,000 of these 5 native tree species would be an excellent addition to Toronto because we have learned about how wonderful and important trees are ... but, it was time to show which tree should win through creative commercial making! In groups, we reviewed one of the candidates, decided on a few important facts about that tree, worked on how to act out what we know, and came up with a catchy commercial to show our classmates! Time will tell what tree is the official winner of Toronto's Tree of the Year 2027!
Tree Candidates: Campaigning for the Canopy!
We know that planting 1,000 of these 5 native tree species would be an excellent addition to Toronto because we have learned about how wonderful and important trees are ... but, it was time to show which tree should win through creative commercial making! In groups, we reviewed one of the candidates, decided on a few important facts about that tree, worked on how to act out what we know, and came up with a catchy commercial to show our classmates! Time will tell what tree is the official winner of Toronto's Tree of the Year 2027!
Some questions to ask your child:
- what tree did you help make a commercial for?
- what tree do you think should win? why?
- why is it a good idea to have more trees in Toronto?
Some questions to ask your child:
- what tree did you help make a commercial for?
- what tree do you think should win? why?
- why is it a good idea to have more trees in Toronto?
Wilkinson Winner Announced!
250 students had their voices heard when they voted for who they think should be the winner of Toronto's Tree of the Year for 2027: Sugar Maple (more than 1/2 the voters)!
Wilkinson Winner Announced!
250 students had their voices heard when they voted for who they think should be the winner of Toronto's Tree of the Year for 2027: Sugar Maple (more than 1/2 the voters)!
"Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world."
- Robert McKee
"Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world."
- Robert McKee
Being Dramatic! 🎭
We took our enjoyment of Be A Tree one step further by bringing it to life! We focussed on creating a strong tableau, working together cohesively, and making sure the our movements were intentional and connected to the themes of the story . Basically, we were working on the drama curriculum but having too much fun to even notice!
Being Dramatic! 🎭
We took our enjoyment of Be A Tree one step further by bringing it to life! We focussed on creating a strong tableau, working together cohesively, and making sure the our movements were intentional and connected to the themes of the story . Basically, we were working on the drama curriculum but having too much fun to even notice!
The Learning Garden Theatre
Nothing brings a story to life like being a part of the story! We used our best dramatic skills and worked together to travel around the Learning Garden being entertained and being the entertainers!
The Learning Garden Theatre
Nothing brings a story to life like being a part of the story! We used our best dramatic skills and worked together to travel around the Learning Garden being entertained and being the entertainers!
Some questions to ask your child:
- what role did you play in your part of Be A Tree?
- was it harder to be the audience or performing?
- what part of the story did you like the best?
Some questions to ask your child:
- what role did you play in your part of Be A Tree?
- was it harder to be the audience or performing?
- what part of the story did you like the best?
"So, be a tree. For together, we are a forest."
- Maria Gianferrari, Be A Tree!
"So, be a tree. For together, we are a forest."
- Maria Gianferrari, Be A Tree!
Be A Tree! 🌳
This beautiful book of textured art and poetic words helped us learn how deeply connected we are to nature while helping us to understand the importance of trees in our ecosystem. Learning more about trees and our bodies brings the forest to life, sharing how our bodies mirror tree anatomy: our spines matching strong trunks while revealing the invisible, networks trees use to share food, signal danger, and nurse the sick.
Be A Tree! 🌳
This beautiful book of textured art and poetic words helped us learn how deeply connected we are to nature while helping us to understand the importance of trees in our ecosystem. Learning more about trees and our bodies brings the forest to life, sharing how our bodies mirror tree anatomy: our spines matching strong trunks while revealing the invisible, networks trees use to share food, signal danger, and nurse the sick.
Tree Exploration and Joy
We took our time enjoying this story with exploration breaks including:
- root exploration and learning
- bark feeling
- tree ring counting on the Learning Garden stumps
- tree art (coffee filters)
There is no end to the wonder and gifts of trees!
Tree Exploration and Joy
We took our time enjoying this story with exploration breaks including:
- root exploration and learning
- bark feeling
- tree ring counting on the Learning Garden stumps
- tree art (coffee filters)
There is no end to the wonder and gifts of trees!
Some questions to ask your child:
- what can you learn from the rings inside a tree? (age of tree, how each season was)
- why is the ground between the Learning Garden and Kindie yard so bumpty? (tree roots)
- how do trees help keep soil in place (prevent e-ro-sion)?
- what other things did you learn about trees? (clean air, roots communicate, prevent erosion, block wind...)
Some questions to ask your child:
- what can you learn from the rings inside a tree? (age of tree, how each season was)
- why is the ground between the Learning Garden and Kindie yard so bumpty? (tree roots)
- how do trees help keep soil in place (prevent e-ro-sion)?
- what other things did you learn about trees? (clean air, roots communicate, prevent erosion, block wind...)
"Attention is the beginning of devotion."
- Mary Oliver
"Attention is the beginning of devotion."
- Mary Oliver
Learning Garden Report
We love the Learning Garden. We are visitors to this marvellous space that we are lucky to have at Wilkinson. We wanted to know how it was doing, how it was growing, and what it was showing. So, in small groups, we became reacquainted through exploration. In small groups, we brought the class to a section of the Learning Garden to 'report' on our observations. It feels so good to be back and looks so lush!
Learning Garden Report
We love the Learning Garden. We are visitors to this marvellous space that we are lucky to have at Wilkinson. We wanted to know how it was doing, how it was growing, and what it was showing. So, in small groups, we became reacquainted through exploration. In small groups, we brought the class to a section of the Learning Garden to 'report' on our observations. It feels so good to be back and looks so lush!
Some questions to ask your child:
- what are some changes you noticed in the Learning Garden this fall?
- how can we be kind visitors to the Learning Garden?
Some questions to ask your child:
- what are some changes you noticed in the Learning Garden this fall?
- how can we be kind visitors to the Learning Garden?
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