Outdoor Kindergarten

 

 

 

 

 

We sure enjoyed the sun and warmer temperatures last week. As the end of our third term approaches it is time to look at student progress. In kindergarten, this might be a photo showing understanding of the number ten with sand. Or an art project that shares social-emotional learning. Sometimes it just takes a moment to capture a year of development.

The week ahead: May 24-27

• Tuesday, May 24 – at the park. We’ll continue learning about invertebrate features, measurement and what makes a good story.
• Wednesday, May 25 – at FLE. Home reading book exchange. We get to explore a new Community Helpers play centre.
• Thursday, May 26 – at FLE. Library. Cookie Sale Day for Canucks’ Charity.
• Friday, May 27 – at the park.

Check out the hands-on learning about capacity and weight, movement and materials from last week! Activities like this really show how much their independence and creative thinking skills have grown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week, we’re starting our park days at the new location where there’s a lot of fun to be had building and creating in the sandy mud. Rain pants are a must! We will provide buckets and shovels to share.

The week ahead: May 16-20

• Monday, May 16 – at the park.
• Tuesday, May 17 – at the park.
• Wednesday, May 18 – at FLE. Early dismissal for K students @ 11:33 AM.
• Thursday, May 19 – at FLE. Library.
• Friday, May 20 – No school. Professional Development Day.

Happy May Long Weekend! No school on Monday, May 24 – Victoria Day holiday.

The week ahead: May 9-13

Measurement of length, capacity and weight are the focus in math this week. We will continue to share our favourite stories and talk about story structure in Language Arts. We’ll experiment with movement and materials as students design and make a toy that moves as their Science and ADST project.

Monday & Tuesday – at the park.

Wednesday – at the school. Home reading book exchange. Whole school photo.

Thursday – at the school. Library.

Friday – at the park. If not too rainy, we’ll be making a toy out of natural materials. If you can, please send a roll of green painter’s tape and a bit of string for attaching things together. If rainy, we’ll delay this to next week.

Looking ahead: Wednesday, May 18 will be an early dismissal day for Kindergartens, due to the Welcome to K event (for next school year’s Kindies). Dismissal will be at 11:33.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found quite a variety of living things at the park on Friday! As the weather warms up, everything living underground for the winter is emerging, laying eggs, and crawling about.

Measuring living things like slugs is tricky as we discovered they can stretch or shrink and move about. We measured with sticks, flowers and other objects to understand the concepts “longer, shorter, and same”.

 

The week at a glance: May 2-6

Monday, Tuesday – at the new park. Consider sending both runners and boots for stream play and playground.

Wednesday – at FLE. Home reading book exchange. Stream of Dreams (salmon workshop plus fish/hawk painting)

Thursday – at FLE. Library.

Friday – at the park.

Thank you so much to our parent drivers for the hatchery trip! It was a perfect day for releasing fish! Last week we practiced dramatic storytelling by acting out “The Three Billy Goats” on the bridges at the park.

 

 

 

 

 

The week at a glance: April 25-29

• Monday, Tuesday – at the park, drop off at the picnic tables behind bathroom. We are measuring things around us with non-standard units like sticks, hands and sit squares.
• Wednesday – at FLE. Home reading book exchange. Entrepreneur Fair: students CAN bring up to $10 to purchase an item or two at the fair. We will all be going to see the fair but it is OPTIONAL to purchase anything.
• Thursday – at FLE. Library book exchange.
• Friday – at the park. Once again, due to other park users, please meet at the picnic tables behind the bathrooms. Since it is our last day at this park, we’ll map our favourite features. School Spirit Day: Twin/Triplet day – dress alike with a buddy or two if you would like to.

* Looking ahead to next week: New park location (see calendar for May) – there are opportunities for creek play as well as walking trails and an adventure playground. You may wish to send boots and a pair of runners in a separate bag for your child so they can be comfortable doing whichever activities we choose.

I hope everyone enjoyed the nice weather and Easter celebrations this long weekend. After last Tuesday’s hail, it was a welcome change. Here are some photos of our visit with Red Runner ducklings and Easter Egg chicks. Students practiced being gentle with them and learned about how they grow, what they look and feel and sound like, etc. All part of our science learning about the observable features of plants and animals. LEPS came and taught us about water on our planet. The main message your child should have come home knowing is this: most of the water on Earth is salt water or ice, which we can’t drink. The tiny part that is fresh water has to be shared by all of us, so let’s take good care of it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The week at a glance: April 19-22

At school this week, we’ll be capping off our learning about salmon with a fish release field trip to Nicomekl Hatchery. Thank you to our parent drivers!

• Monday: Holiday
• Tuesday: At the park.
• Wednesday: At FLE. Field trip to Nicomekl Hatchery. Students should wear waterproof footwear and dress for outdoors. Masks required for everyone. Parent drivers, please gather at the classroom at 10 AM. We’ll return by 12:00 PM. Home reading book exchange.
• Thursday: At FLE. Library book exchange.
• Friday: At FLE. I am attending an Eco Educators workshop and will have a TTOC. The District’s policy is that our class has to be at the school. I’m letting you know in advance to make arrangements for siblings who are attending school at the park. Happy Earth Day!

Enjoy the pictures of some of our learning outdoors this week: practicing writing words in chalk by counting the sounds, building and decomposing numbers with coloured cups. Our nature discoveries last week included a salamander and zillions of dandelions!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The week ahead: April 11-15

• Monday – at the park. Water program with LEPS (Rescheduled from last week) and Dandelion art.
• Tuesday – at the park. Easter and baby animals!
• Wednesday – at FLE. Home reading book exchange. Please return field trip form and complete volunteer driver paperwork. We are still in need of a few drivers for the Hatchery on April 20. It’s just 2 fun hours out of your day!
• Thursday – at FLE. Library. Easter surprise with the Leadership team.
• Friday – Good Friday, no school.

Happy Easter! Have a great long weekend, everyone. See you Tuesday at the park!

The first week of spring term was super packed with adventure and learning! Students are loving the variety of the new park; exploring and playing in different habitats like forest, field and pond. So far, we’ve made letters from the fallen alder flowers, investigated scat and tracks of animals on the trails and made habitats for our toy creatures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at school, it was surprising to see our spuds have sprouted! We observed Mason bees in their cocoons and hope to see them out pollinating our garden this week.

Grouse Mountain field trip was an awesome, exciting experience! Thank you to our parent helpers who strapped on and off a zillion snowshoes and helped keep our group safe. We enjoyed learning about barn owls, First Nations stories and dances, and mountain wildlife like Grouse and Grizzlies. The bus ride was a highlight for many.

After enjoying the snowy trails of Grouse Mountain last week, we’re shifting to learning about water this week, beginning with a presentation from LEPS (Langley Environmental Partners Society) at the park. Students will learn about the water cycle, where our drinking water comes from and where it goes. When we really think about how water connects all living things, we begin to realize that every drop counts!

The week at a glance: April 4-8

• Monday – at the park. Water, water everywhere with LEPS.
• Tuesday – at the park. Water investigations continue.
• Wednesday – at FLE. Home reading exchange, bring a stuffed animal to school this week for our vet play centre.
• Thursday – at FLE. Library.
• Friday – at the park.

Welcome back from spring break! The spring term is always full of growth, both in the children and all the living plants and animals. So much to observe, measure, explore and wonder about!

The week at a glance: March 28-April 1

• Monday – at the new park.
• Tuesday – meet at the school at 8:35 AM for our Grouse Mtn field trip. Pick up at 2:45 or 3:00 PM.
• Wednesday – at FLE. Home reading book exchange.
• Thursday – at FLE. Library book exchange.
• Friday – at the park.

Pictures of pirate day and beach play from before the break:

 

 

 

 

 

We practiced oral and dramatic storytelling last week with the traditional tale of ‘How Raven Stole the Sun’ and the imaginative story, ‘The Gruffalo’.

This being our last week at this park and before spring break, we’re going out with a splash! Students are welcome to get into the spirit of pretending to be a pirate on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Prepare for some fun mapping and treasure-hunting activities, mateys!

This week at a glance: March 7-11

• Monday – at the park. Pirate activities.
• Tuesday – at the park. Pirate activities.
• Wednesday – walk from FLE to Brae Island for beach play. Early Dismissal at 1:33PM for Student-led Conferences.
• Thursday – at FLE. Return all home reading and library books please. Planting our ‘Spuds in Tubs’. Early Dismissal at 1:33PM for Student-led Conferences.
• Friday – at FLE. Deadline for Grouse field trip form. Fun lunch. Final day before spring break.

Happy spring break! See you at the new park location on March 28!