February is a very busy month - with Groundhog Day, Teacher's Convention, Valentine's Day, Family Day and the Winter Olympics - this month is going to fly by!
One of the other things that is happening during the next couple weeks is this month's SWAT team event. With our crew this month we will focusing on the topic of healthy nutrition with everyone. Given that February is typically associated with heart health and loving others - we decided to go with the Love Yourself theme - and what better way to Love Yourself than by eating healthy. Over the course of the next two weeks students will have the chance to gain entry into a Rainbow Lunch prize draw to be held at the next school assembly. Every class will be receiving "lunch tracking forms" for all the students in their classes. The teachers will use the form daily to record those students who have brought in a rainbow lunch featuring an item(s) from each of the four food groups (as per the Canada Food Guide). If the student has brought in a rainbow lunch they get to cross off a number for that day. Once they have crossed off the 10 numbers, the form is cut out and it becomes an entry ballot for the prize draw.
In Language Arts, we have been working on A Dragon Unit, in which we have been studying different pieces of text to learn about the origins of dragons. Students are working on showing their comprehension of the texts, as well as responding to the texts. We have been look at new vocabulary and trying to use clues to determine meaning of unfamiliar words. Students have also been working on Words Their Way, our spelling program - and you may notice that spelling tests are not on specific days. As we work through the patterns, some lists may need more class time and others may not need as much time - and I will always try to give at least one weekend to study.
In Science, we have wrapped up our unit on Magnetism and we have started exploring Hot and Cold Temperatures. Students have enjoyed demonstrating their knowledge of both hot and cold things, as well as explaining what is hotter or colder than different objects.
As a class, we have also been going over the rules and class expectations. These cold days mean indoor recess and the students are getting a little antsy. We have had some conversations about how some things that we are allowed to do at home are NOT appropriate for school. We have also been learning about being bucket fillers, as opposed to bucket dippers. We are learning about how our actions can not only affect ourselves, but others too. Students have discussed how to be kind to others and to also be kind to ourselves and have a positive attitude towards our learning. Some of the students have a very difficult time when they make a mistake and we are really trying to demonstrate that a positive, willing to try attitude is the first step. If we don't think we can - we are setting ourselves up for failure before we've even had a chance to try! And above all, if we make a mistake - that is how some of our best learning happens! We all make mistakes - and that is OK!
Happy February!
