October, October, where did you go?
It was a busy month – and I was lagging in the blogging department. Sorry about that. A quick catch up is needed for all of us!
We finished out Leaf and Autumn Inquiry. Students worked through the scientific method and discovered many interesting facts about leaves. We experimented with leaves in many different ways and even made some beautiful leaf mobiles for your homes (Shout out to Aude for the awesome idea!!). As well, we took weekly walks around our community looking at all the leaves around us and on the trees. Riverheights is a great place to be in the Fall time! It was interesting that the students were most fond of this little Maple Tree that has been obviously recently planted on Elm street – right beside the fence by Montrose Playground. They loved looking at the leaves and because the tree was “just planted”, it was easy to investigate the leaves, stems on the trees and branches. The students all took turns smelling the leaves each time we passed and it was amazing to see all of the different colours a Maple Leaf can turn. They also keep their shape so nicely, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if these little leaf lovers grow up and plant Maple Trees all in their yards!
Our Favourite Maple Tree!
So many interesting leaves were brought in daily. This one had frost on it!
Hope you have found a neat spot for your Fall Mobiles. They turned out so well!
October gave us our Annual Montrose fundraiser. This year the theme was a Triath-A-Thon. We danced, did yoga and math back in the classroom. I am so proud of the efforts the students and parents in Room 129 made. Together we raised so much money for our great school. Our class came in SECOND PLACE for the we money raised . . . in the whole school! We won a Fruit and Veggie PARTY and an Extra Recess! I think we will wait to use them on a sunny day in January!
We Got some Mooooooooooooves though, right??!!
We continued to go for lots of walks in October! We did community walks, we did listening walks and my favourite let’s slow down and take pictures walks; Each group of three was given 1 camera and they each had to take three pictures each (no more, no less). It was amazing how with a bit of thoughtfulness put into their photography, the things the students noticed around the community to take pictures of. We will definitely do this lots more! Students shared their pictures with their peers and it was so neat to hear “I noticed this cool bird feeder in the trees above the far park”, “I took a picture of a branch shaped like a diamond”, “I saw the most beautiful leaf on the ground, look at my picture!”.
Listen, Listen, What do you hear?
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
The Authors in Room 129 continue to write in copious amounts! We celebrated #NationalAuthorsDay, but really, EVERYDAY is National Authors Day in Room 129. The students write and share, write and share, write and share. They continue to get inspired by published books and books written by the writers in Room 129. Lately they have been really noticing the details of books; the publishing company, contents page, page numbers, all the details! I think over the winter we will start our own Publishing company and have a publishing station where students can choose books they want to publish and then shelve them on a special book shelf for their peers to read during Drop Everything And Read Time (Independent Reading Time). I think my little Authors would really enjoy this process!
We did HALLOWEEN (On a Monday! Why? Why? Why?)
We had our Annual Halloween Math and Carving Morning. Thank you to all the parents who took time and joined us. We love having parents come in to help! You are welcome ANY time!!
We weighed pumpkins, measured the circumference of the pumpkins, did estimation with size and how many pumpkin seeds, we grouped and tallied the seeds, predicted and checked if pumpkins can float, chose how to carve the pumpkin as a team and drew names for who got to take the pumpkin home at the end of the day!
The afternoon brought Fun Costumes! Great food! SPOOKY, SPOOKY Gym time, Computer Games and a little dancing!
And now November is here! Isn’t it lovely! I can’t remember a November so warm and beautiful. We are enjoying all the moments and continue to get outside as we are fully into our Community Inquiry.
Brody got me with snow!
He danced and watched his classmates having fun in the snow! Snow Much Fun!
