We also danced yesterday at a very cool around-the-world dance workshop. We experimented with dances from different places and styles, including a waltz, a salsa, a jig, some animal moves - we even did the robot!
Earlier this week, we went to College/Shaw library where we participated in some interactive stories, guessed fun facts, and listened to some jokes. We also got a little time in the park.
Today I sent home the calendar for May with more dates. Our next library trip is on the 13th, and you'll see that we have another big trip coming up on the 24th. Forms for this, as well as Scholastic packages, will come home later next week. If I haven't already told you, please keep the evening of May 30th free for our Kindergarten Concert. It will begin at 5pm in the gym (though we will ask the kids to arrive a little earlier). We hope to keep the concert to an hour. Please let me know if your child cannot attend, as each person is important to a performance we are preparing!!!
Next week we will begin a new entry routine. Rather than have outdoor play first thing, we will come in right away, and then go back out later in the morning for our private outdoor time before lunch, as has been our routine all year. This change is good preparation for grade one. In the morning, our goal will be to get to the carpet in time for announcements, and I will expect everyone to listen to the announcements, and try to sing with me (or remain silent) during the national anthem. Please reinforce these expectations at home. A lot of our kids are into sports, so I always remind them of how soccer or hockey players stand respectfully for the national anthem before the game. If they've never seen this done, it might be good inspiration.
Looking forward to June, in preparation for the Dewson Festival, each class has been asked to collect items for a raffle basket. Our theme is Arts & Crafts for kids. If you are able to purchase or donate new items, such as markers, crayons, craft paper, stickers, popsicle sticks etc., that would be fantastic. You can send it to me, or directly to the office (I think) by May 23rd. Just include a note so I remember what it's for. Thanks!
Ooo, we had a great music class yesterday. Mr. Greene taught us about the Gamelan. The Gamelan is a traditional Indonesian ensemble of percussion instruments. I remember learning about this tradition in university. The instruments are revered and honoured, as you might honour royalty. To show respect, we all took off our shoes when playing the instruments. Mr. Greene said that our class had done such a good job, that we could show his next class how it's done, giving me time to run downstairs, grab my camera, and take some pictures!!
We are very into performing right now - I've been invited to a few concerts during centre time. Some performances are songs and poems that I've taught, but others are freshly composed and original. The performers seem to be reading the music from their drawing books...
What else? Plants!! Our large garden is coming along just great. Sunflowers, tomatoes, 4 o'clocks and beans are all doing their thing by the window. We are quite proud of our growing babies. In our plant journal, we learned and labeled the basic parts of a flower, and also put some puzzle pieces in order, showing the steps from seed to leafy plant. This was easy for us, thanks to that cool experiment we did where we watched the bean seeds crack and start growing their little roots out of soil.
Les racines
La tige
La feuille
Les pétales
La plante
We attempted to answer another massive question from our list today. Why do stars look like «?
I found a YouTube video that answers the question very well, but we didn't have time to discuss after everyone's turn.... I'm very curious what our scientists understood.
Have a good weekend, and don't forget your green bags on Monday!
We attempted to answer another massive question from our list today. Why do stars look like «?
I found a YouTube video that answers the question very well, but we didn't have time to discuss after everyone's turn.... I'm very curious what our scientists understood.
Have a good weekend, and don't forget your green bags on Monday!