February 2026

Math

Our Party Challenge continued as students explored grocery flyers to choose items for their party menus 🛒🍕. Once their menus were set, they dove into learning about unit rate—figuring out the price for one plate of food before calculating the total cost for 40 plates. The reactions were priceless! 😲 Many students were shocked by how quickly the totals added up. Parties can be expensive!

Later in the week, we brought our Math and creativity together using Adobe Express 🎨💻 to design eye-catching party invitations. Students made sure their invitations clearly communicated the type of party, the location, the time, and to whom guests should send their RSVP to. We learned that RSVP comes from the French phrase “Répondez s’il vous plaît,” which means “Please respond,” letting the host know whether or not you’ll be attending.

We ended the week by calculating the cost of decorations 🎈🥳, adding even more to our growing budget totals. The only thing left to do now is reflect! Students will be answering questions about their planning process and considering whether their expenses are reasonable and realistic.

More thoughtful reflection is coming up as we continue to sharpen our math (and life!) skills. Stay tuned!

Science

Our Grade 4 students continued their learning about rocks and minerals. They discovered the difference between rocks and minerals—understanding that minerals are naturally occurring substances with specific properties, while rocks are made up of one or more minerals. They also explored the properties of igneous rocks, learning how they form from cooled magma or lava and examining characteristics like texture and crystal size. So many budding geologists in the making! 🪨✨

Meanwhile, our Grade 5 students continued their study of the human body. They learned about the interconnectedness of life systems and how different body systems rely on one another to function properly. A big focus was understanding how some organs play important roles in multiple systems—for example, how the lungs are part of the respiratory system but also work closely with the circulatory system. It’s been incredible to see students make these meaningful connections! 🫀🫁

Physical Education

In Physical Education, we jumped into the world of soccer this week! ⚽ Even though we only had one period, students were eager to get moving and began building the foundational skills we’ll need for games starting Monday. It’s game time! 🙌

Here are some of the drills we worked on this week:

• Dribble Control Relays

Students weaved through cones set up in lines and zig-zag patterns, practicing close ball control with light, controlled taps. We focused on keeping the ball near their feet and staying balanced while moving. Some even challenged themselves to use their non-dominant foot!

• Passing Gates

Using pairs of cones as “gates,” students worked with partners to complete accurate passes through as many gates as possible. We emphasized using the inside of the foot, clear communication, and moving to open space after each pass.

• Shooting Practice

Students practiced aiming for target areas in the net, focusing on accuracy and control rather than just power. We talked about placement and being aware of where defenders or a goalie might be positioned.

It was a great start to our soccer unit, and I’m excited to see these skills come together in our games next week! ⚽🔥

Wednesday took us outdoors for Physical Education as our school proudly hosted the ball hockey tournament 🏒❄️. With the snow beneath our feet and plenty of fresh air, we had an absolute blast! It was the perfect opportunity to stay active, enjoy some friendly competition, and simply have fun playing together.

The Arts

In Music, we proudly performed This Little Light of Mine ✨ at the assembly—and it truly was fantastic! All of the practice over the past month, along with our extra rehearsals this week with Ms. Reyes’ class, really paid off. Our confidence and energy shone through in every note. Next up: the recorder! 🎼 Get ready for music note reading, new techniques, and lots of practice as we begin this exciting new musical adventure.

In Visual Arts, students continued working on their 2-point perspective drawings, carefully adding colour, detail, and personality to their buildings. It’s been amazing to see how a few lines can turn into vibrant cityscapes full of depth and life. The effort and focus they’ve shown while bringing their designs to life have been fantastic!

The Wrap=Up

We were also excited to welcome Ms. Khan to our classroom community! She is a second-year Master’s student from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and will be working with us over the next six weeks. She brings such an enthusiastic and positive approach to learning, and it has already been wonderful having her in our classroom. We’re looking forward to all the ways she’ll support and inspire our students during her time with us!

With just two more weeks before March Break, we’ll be packing in lots of learning as we wrap up several units of study. There’s still plenty to accomplish, and we’re ready for the challenge! 💪📚

Don’t forget—our final skating trip is on March 13th ⛸️❄️. We’re excited to lace up one more time!

Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday! 😊

Language

We continued working on our biographies, and students who finished their good copies proudly displayed them on our bulletin board outside the classroom. 📝✨ It’s wonderful to see their hard work showcased so that others in the school can stop, read, and learn about these incredible youth activists who are making a difference in the world. Once finished, some students began working on their own autobiographies! I can’t wait to learn even more about each of them and the experiences that have shaped who they are. 🌟 I’m hoping we’ll be able to wrap up our biographies over the next week or so.

In Language, we continued building our portfolios. This week’s reflection question was: What part of your learning was most challenging this week, and how did you handle it? 🤔💭 There has been so much thoughtful reflection happening. It’s fantastic to see students really thinking about not just what they are learning, but how they are learning — and how their effort, strategies, and perseverance impact their growth. 📚💡

Math

In Math, we have officially launched our Party Challenge! 🎉

Last week, we wrapped things up by brainstorming all the factors we would need to consider when planning a party. Students had to think carefully about budgeting and estimate how much money they might need to host a party for 40 people. 💰🤔

This week, they began planning their own parties for 40 guests. Once they decided on the type of party they wanted to host, students jumped into mathematical modelling by designing a seating plan that would fit their guests and match their theme. 🪑📊 From there, they were off to the races, planning their menus! 🍕🥗🧁

We ended the week by searching through grocery flyers and determining the best “bang for our buck” by calculating unit rates for different ingredients needed for their party meals. 🛒📈 It was fantastic to see students applying real-world math skills to make informed decisions. Some of the party ideas are incredibly creative, and I can’t wait to see what the final budgets look like and how much these amazing celebrations might cost! 🎈✨

Science

In Science, our Grade 4 and 5 students have been diving deeper into their respective units with great curiosity and enthusiasm! 🔍🌍

Our Grade 4s continued exploring rocks and minerals, with a specific focus on igneous and metamorphic rocks. They learned that igneous rocks form when molten rock (magma or lava) cools and solidifies, either beneath the Earth’s surface or after a volcanic eruption. 🌋 They also explored how metamorphic rocks are created when existing rocks are changed by intense heat and pressure over time — without actually melting. Through discussions of the rock cycle, students considered how rocks are constantly changing and transforming, and how these processes connect to what we see on Earth’s surface today. It’s been wonderful to see them make connections between the different stages of the cycle and understand that rocks tell a story about Earth’s history! 🪨✨

Our Grade 5s continued their learning about human body systems, focusing on the circulatory and respiratory systems. ❤️🫁 They explored how the respiratory system brings oxygen into the body through breathing, and how the circulatory system — powered by the heart — transports that oxygen through the blood to cells throughout the body. Students also learned how these two systems work closely together to remove carbon dioxide, a waste gas, from the body. Understanding this important partnership helped them see how interconnected our body systems truly are and how each plays a vital role in keeping us healthy and functioning.

We didn’t quite get to our planned experiments this week, but we are all set and ready to dive into some hands-on investigations next week! 🧪😊

Physical Education

In Physical Education, we kicked off an exciting week of soccer! ⚽ Although we only had one class period, students were eager to get moving and decided to jump right into a game. It was great to see their teamwork, energy, and sportsmanship on display.

Next week, we’ll shift our focus to skill development—building our passing, dribbling, and shooting techniques. Stay tuned as we continue to grow our game!⚽🔥

The Arts

In Music, we continued practicing This Little Light of Mine 🎶✨ as we prepare for our performance next week. Students are encouraged to keep practicing at home so they feel confident and performance-ready. Next week, we’ll be rehearsing alongside Ms. Reyes’ class as we put the finishing touches on our piece and get ready to share our hard work. It’s exciting to see (and hear!) everything coming together.

In Visual Arts, our cityscapes are really starting to come to life! 🏙️ Students have been adding doors and windows and deciding on the different types of buildings that will fill their skylines — from towering skyscrapers to unique neighbourhood shops. The creativity and attention to detail have been wonderful to see. Next week, we’re moving on to colour, and I can’t wait to watch these city scenes truly pop! 🎨🌈

The Wrap-Up

What a week it has been! 😊 It’s hard to believe how much we’ve packed into such a short time.

Next week will be just as exciting as we welcome a teacher candidate into our classroom. Ms. Khan will be joining us starting Wednesday and will observe and learn alongside us until mid-April. We’re looking forward to having her as part of our classroom community and sharing all of the wonderful learning that happens each day. 🍎✨

On Thursday at 12:30, we will have our Character Assembly, where students will be recognized for demonstrating the character trait of courage. It’s always a special moment to celebrate the ways our students show bravery — whether that’s trying something new, standing up for what’s right, or persevering through challenges. 💛

Next Friday, we’re heading to the Aga Khan Museum for their Silk Road workshop. During this interactive program, students will explore the history and impact of the Silk Road — the ancient network of trade routes that connected Asia, Europe, and Africa. They’ll learn how goods, ideas, cultures, religions, and technologies travelled across continents, shaping civilizations and influencing the world we live in today. Through hands-on activities and guided exploration, students will deepen their understanding of global connections and cultural exchange. 🌍🧵

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday! 😊

Language

In Language this week, students continued their research on their youth activists ✍️. Many students have made great progress and moved on to working on their good copies 📄, refining their work and making sure their ideas shine. It has been amazing to see the effort and thoughtfulness going into their writing!

We also continued working on our portfolios 📚, reflecting on this week’s question: What part of your learning was easiest for you this week, and why? 🤔 This reflection helped students think critically about their strengths and the strategies that help them learn best, while also giving them a chance to celebrate small successes along the way.

Next week, we hope to wrap up our good copies ✨ before we begin exploring persuasive writing 🗣️💡.

Math

In Math this week, our financial literacy unit wrapped up with students taking a close look at budgets 💰 and learning practical strategies to stay out of debt. We explored the difference between good debt and bad debt 📊—for example, taking out a loan for education or a house can be considered good debt because it’s an investment in the future, while borrowing money for things like unnecessary luxury items or high-interest credit cards is considered bad debt.

On Tuesday and Thursday, students worked in pairs 🤝 to solve problems that highlighted the key learning from the unit. These collaborative activities helped them apply what they’ve learned in realistic scenarios, making budgeting, spending, and decision-making come alive.

Next week, we’ll be starting The Party Challenge 🎉! Students will be tasked with planning a party, using all the skills from this unit—calculating unit prices, budgeting, and making smart financial choices. This hands-on activity will help strengthen their mathematical modelling skills while solidifying everything they’ve learned about financial literacy.

Science

In Science this week, students continued reading and learning about fascinating topics in their grade levels 🔬📚.

The Grade 4s focused on rocks and minerals 🪨, diving into the rock cycle and exploring the differences between metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks. We took some time to examine different rocks together, observing their textures, colours, and unique features 🔍. Next up, the Grade 4s will participate in a mining activity, exploring how rocks and minerals are extracted from the Earth and thinking about the processes behind them.

The Grade 5s are learning about human body systems 🫀💨. This week, we started with the circulatory and respiratory systems, understanding how oxygen and nutrients move through the body to keep us healthy and active. Soon, the Grade 5s will take part in a hands-on activity where they will build and label a life-sized human body and its systems, which will be a fun way to see how all the systems work together in real life.

Science has been full of exploration and discovery this week, and students are excited for the hands-on activities ahead! 🌟

Physical Education

Here's what we were up to this week:In Physical Education this week, students had a lot of fun staying active and building their skills 🏐🤾‍♂️. With the net up, they had the chance to play volleyball, practicing their serves, passes, and teamwork as they moved around the court.

We also got back into One Bounce Ultimate 🥏, and students’ skills were even stronger this week! Their movement, coordination, and catches were fantastic as they worked together to move the ball up and down the court. It was great to see everyone improving their teamwork and strategy while having fun and staying active 💪🌟.

The Arts

In Visual Arts this week, students continued working on their 2-point perspective drawings 🏙️✏️. They focused on adding buildings in the background as well as doors and windows to their existing structures, bringing their cityscapes more and more to life 🌆.

The attention to detail and creativity have been wonderful to see, and students are excited to continue next week. Soon, it will be time to add colour 🎨, which will make their cityscapes even more vibrant and dynamic!

The Wrap-Up

See! What a week it has been! 🌟

Just a reminder that tomorrow is a PA Day, so there will be no school for students 🏫❌. Monday is the Family Day holiday, making it a really long weekend 🥳—we’ll see everyone again on Tuesday.

Permission forms have been sent through EMA for the Aga Khan Museum field trip 🖼️, coming up on Friday, February 27th.

Happy Lunar New Year 🧧🐇 to everyone celebrating on Tuesday, February 17th! On the same day, we’ll have a Dance and Culture Workshop 💃🏽 for African Heritage Month, which is sure to be a lot of fun.

Looking ahead, we have skating on Friday, February 20th ⛸️. 

Please enjoy a safe and fun-filled long weekend—I can’t wait to see everyone back on Tuesday! 🎉

Language

In Language, students continued their research and writing about youth activists of their choice ✍️📖. We focused on helping students understand the movie portion of our graphic organizer, where they were tasked with identifying three important events in their activist’s life and imagining how those moments could be turned into a movie 🎬. By gathering information from a variety of sources, students gained a deeper understanding of the change their chosen activist is hoping to make and why their work matters.

Many students have completed their rough copies, made thoughtful revisions and edits, and have begun working on their good copies, showing strong growth in their writing and research skills 🌟.

This week, we also returned to our student portfolios and explored the first question for our blog: What is one new thing you learned this week? How did you learn it? Students took time to reflect on their learning and shared thoughtful, meaningful responses about their experiences and discoveries throughout the week 💭📝.

Math

In Math, students continued to explore purchases with and without tax through real-life situations such as a toy store, a local charity purchasing items, and a school theatre club buying supplies for a set 🧸🎭. Students also explored unit rates, comparing prices to determine the most economical options for a variety of purchases and strengthening their problem-solving skills 💡➗.

To wrap up the week, we began exploring financial management and budgeting, setting the foundation for important real-world Math skills 💰📊. The fun continues next week as students dive deeper into income and expenses and learn how to make informed financial decisions!

Science

In Science, we began new units across both grades 🔬📘. Grade 4 students explored texts focused on rocks and minerals, while Grade 5 students explored texts related to the human body. These readings helped students build background knowledge and spark curiosity about the topics they will be studying in the coming weeks.

We also worked together on a group KWHL chart, identifying what we already know, what we want to know, and how we will learn it 🤔🧠. This activity helped students set learning goals and take an active role in guiding our science investigations as we move forward.

Physical Education

In Physical Education, we focused on sending and receiving the wiffle ball using scoops. Students practiced their accuracy and coordination, building confidence with each try.

We also played a game of One Bounce Ultimate 🤾‍♂️🤾‍♀️, where students worked together as a team, using their scoops to move the wiffle ball up and down the court to score goals. Already, it’s clear that students are becoming more comfortable and confident with sending and receiving the wiffle ball, and their teamwork is improving with every game 🎯👏.

The Arts

In Visual Arts, students learned about 2-point perspective and began creating their own cityscape drawings, practicing how to make buildings and streets look realistic and three-dimensional 🏙️✏️.

In Music, students started learning about the elements of a singing performance as we prepare to perform This Little Light of Mine for our February assembly alongside Ms. Reyes’ class 🎤✨. Students are encouraged to continue practicing at home, with the video available in Google Classroom, to help them feel confident and ready for the performance.

The Wrap-Up

What a busy week it has been! 🏃‍♂️📚 From learning about Black History Month, to exploring youth activists, financial literacy, science investigations, and arts and physical education, students have been engaged and curious every step of the way ✨💡.

Next week will be a shorter week, but Wednesday will be packed with learning! Students will participate in a Herbie Barnes Workshop. Herbie is an award-winning Anishinaabe actor, director, and playwright from Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, raised in Toronto. His workshop, Inquiry into Indigeneity, shares who he is as a First Nations artist and encourages students to explore with him who the First Peoples of Canada are 🌿🎭. On Wednesday, students will also learn about the significance of Ramadan and its traditions 🌙.

The week will wrap up with report cards going home on Wednesday, followed by caregiver-teacher interviews on Thursday and Friday 📝👩‍🏫👨‍🏫. Families can click on this link to book an appointment. The week will finish with an extra-long weekend for the Family Day holiday on Monday, February 16th 🎉🏡—a perfect time to relax, spend time with loved ones, and recharge for the weeks ahead!

Have a wonderful weekend! See you on Monday.