Learning Plan – April 1-3

Task 1 

Activity – Drawing/Writing 

Draw a picture and write about what you have been doing since school ended. 

Guiding questions: 

-how are you feeling? 

-what is different? What is the same? 

-what are the things you like about being at home all day? 

-what do you miss? 

-what is something fun that you have done with your family? 

-do you have any questions for your teacher? 

Learning Intentions:

-I can draw a detailed picture to represent my ideas 

-I can write and/or verbally share about my experiences 

Extension (optional):

-students can edit and check their work for punctuation, proper spelling of sight words and upper and lowercase letters 

Important note – this is a shared literacy activity. The goal is for students to share how they are feeling/thoughts about how things have changed in the past couple of weeks. The goal is for students to draw a detailed picture and write about their experiences. You can support students with spelling, sounding out words and generating ideas. You are also welcome to support them by scribing (write some of their ideas for them) if necessary. The focus of this task is less about printing/spelling and more about students sharing their feelings/thoughts. 

Task 2

Activity – Building/Writing 

Option 1 

Using materials that you have at home, build something unique and special. Get creative!!

Guiding questions:

-what is it called? 

-what is it used for? 

-how does it work? 

-how would you describe it? 

-what materials did you use? 

Option 2

Using materials that you have at home, build a setting and characters. Write a story about it! 

Guiding questions: 

-where does your story take place (setting)? 

-who are the characters? 

-what is the problem? 

-what is the solution? 

-what happens in the beginning, middle and end? 

Learning Intentions:

-I can use a variety of found materials (tin foil, paper, blocks, lego, sticks, rocks, etc) to represent my ideas 

-I can share my ideas through writing 

-I can check for upper and lowercase letters and the proper spelling of sight words

Extension (optional):

-complete both tasks, try and record your ideas in different ways, for example in Task 1 students could draw a diagram and include labels and in Task 2 they could write a simple story 

Task 3 

Activity – Math 

Shape Hunt – Go on a shape hunt around your house looking for and recording the 3D objects that you see! Look for (at least) the 3D objects below and see how many of each you can find. Choose a way to record your findings.

*pictures from math-salamders.com

Guiding questions

-what 3D objects can you find around the house (for example, a can of soup is a cylinder shape)? 

-what 3D objects can you name? 

-how will you record your ideas? (tally marks, graph, list, pictures)  

-what other 3D objects do you see? 

Learning Intensions: 

-I can name 3D objects

-I can identify 3D objects around my house (can – cylinder) 

-I can record my findings 

Extensions:

-after the shape hunt, answer the following questions: 

            -which 3D object has the least? Which has the most? 

            -count the number of each that you found, is the number odd? even? 

            -add all of your groups together, how many shapes did you find in total?

-describe 3D objects using the terms vertices and edges 

*photo from mathswithmum.com

-compare and describe three different 3D objects 

-build 3D objects using materials that you can find around the house (playdough, toothpicks, pasta, marshmallows etc. with permission, of course!)

On top of these three tasks, we encourage students to be reading for 20 minutes each day. After reading, have your child discuss what they have read. Some comprehension question you can ask after reading include: 

-where did the story take place (setting)?

-who were the characters? 

-what happened at the beginning, middle, end? 

-can you summarize the story? 

-what is one new fact that you learned (non-fiction texts)?

-what would happen if….

-why do you think….

*If your child would like to share their work with me, you are welcome to take a picture and include it in an email. At this point we are unable to open attachments, but can see photos that are included in the email itself. This is completely optional*

Task 4

Math

Grab, Estimate, Count

Choose different sets of objects around your house (coins, pasta, buttons, cereal) take a handful, estimate how many, count and record the number. 

For large amounts, have students count 10 and put them aside. Seeing what 10 looks like will help them make an estimate for the rest of the group. “If this is what 10 looks like, how many do you think there are in the whole group.”

This also leaves lots of options for how kids choose to count the group. They can count by 2, 5, 10 or find other ways to count. Students are working toward using more efficient strategies.

Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s):

Thank you for your patience as we work through some necessary planning in preparation for resuming structured learning opportunities for your child. I understand there has been a lot of uncertainty about what learning is going to look like moving forward. I can assure you that we are going to work on key learning outcomes at-home within the parameters established by the province and CBE.

To help me understand your family’s access to technology, can you please provide responses to the following three questions:

§  Does your child have access to a computer, laptop, iPad/tablet, smart phone?

§  Does your child have access to the Internet?

§  Is your only option a paper-based education for your child?

While the lessons I will be providing are aimed to minimize technology, there will still be times where we will need to rely on technology as a resource. It is important that your child knows their CBE ID#, email and password. The CBE ID# can be found on their digital report card through PowerSchool. When you check in and reply to this email, I will send you your child’s email and password.

                                                                                                                                             

Starting Friday April 3, you will receive from me a weekly learning plan for the upcoming week. Each week’s plan will highlight what we are working on, various resources and an explanation of your child’s activities or tasks.

I will have a Grade 1 learning plan, for this week communicated to families via email and blog by the end of the morning on Tuesday March 31. In the meantime, read a story together and share your favourite part. 

I will primarily be communicating with you and your child via email with all learning plans also posted to the blog. As time moves on I also intend to use Google classroom and if necessary, will replicate lessons into a paper format. 

Students and/or parents can reach out to me for help or for clarification via e-mail at sdmccaw@cbe.ab.ca. If you have questions during the weekday, I expect to be able to answer most questions that same day. If specific support is needed I can also be available to call you at a time that is convenient for you.

I recognize this is new for most of us and we will get through this together. I am here for your child and look forward to being in regular contact with you and your child.

Sincerely, 

Stacy McCaw

Good morning room 10!

Good morning class!

Just wanted to say a quick "hello" this morning. I hope everyone is doing well. During spring break I challenge you to do a "signs of spring" hunt in your back yard or around your community. Can you see signs of spring? Any green peeking out from under the snow? How about buds on your tress and bushes? You could also plan a garden (imaginary or real) what would you plant and why? Draw and label it.
Remember next week is Spring Break so I will be unavailable for the week but I am looking forward to learning with you the following week.

Miss you guys so very much and can't wait to hear from you soon!

Love,
Mrs. McCaw
xoxo

Hello from Mrs. McCaw

Dear Room 10 families, I hope you are staying healthy during these uncertain times.  I wanted to reach out and let you know that I am thinking of you and missing your presence. Throughout the week, the staff at Maple Ridge have been working hard to navigate what learning will look like after Spring Break. In the mean time, please refer to the following link sent yesterday by email from CBE: Learning At Home I wanted to also let you know that myself, Mrs. Crowe's and Mrs. Ramsey's families are healthy and doing well. You will hear from us soon. Take care, Mrs. McCaw Please stay tuned as more information will be sent out after spring break.

Scientific Sketching and the Subnivean Zone

Room 10 has been practicing sketching like a scientists. We have learned that we need to look closely (drawing what we see), draw basic shapes, draw contour lines, draw details, add shading and add labels to our work. We have been practicing our sketching skills on nature and metal objects.

When we went to Ann & Sandy Cross we learned about the subnivean zone. Today we read a book about the subnivean zone and began an art project that demonstrates which animals live in the subnivean zone in the winter months. The subnivean zone is the area between the surface of the ground and the bottom of the snowpack. The word subnivean comes from the Latin “sub” (under) and “nives” (snow). Mice, voles, and shrews retreat here for protection from cold temperatures, bitter winds, and hungry predators.

Bow Habitat Field study

Sorry for the confusion everyone. The Bow Habitat trip is on April the 8th!

Upcoming field studies

Wow the end of the year is fast approaching! Where is the time going? Here is a list of the upcoming trips until the end of the year and how many volunteers we have so far.

March 31st: Leighton Centre
1. Taylor
2. Kelsey

April 8th: Bow Habitat
1. Kelsey

May 5th: CPAWS (in-school)

May 13th: Kamp Kiwanis
1. Kelsey
2. Laina
3. Ellie

May 26th: Hull's Wood

June 23rd: Ann & Sandy Cross


If you are able and would like to join us for any of these field studies let me know at sdmccaw@cbe.ab.ca

Thank you so much to everyone who was able to make it to our Celebration of Learning today. We loved showing you what we have been learning about!