Welcome to 2024 and the bitter cold of winter.  It has been quite exhilarating for Division 10 to experience such below zero temperatures.

Before the holiday break, all grade 2/3 classes gathered together for the winter solstice celebration and we certainly have now come into our winter weather journey. While students were creating Winter Cinquains, that required some deep thinking about a winter environment, the snow began to blow and a Thursday afternoon blizzard brought excitement to the classroom.  This real world experience supported their ideas for creative writing.

A cinquain is a 5 line poem that connects a title to describing words, action words and emotions.

The second term will have a focus on the components of listening and writing from the language arts curriculum.  Speaking and reading were the focus for first term but will of course continue to be part of our literacy learning.

With 10 weeks until Spring Break, students also realize that this is the time of the year to put forth their personal best and demonstrate their learning, understanding and progress from first term connections.

Many of the primary students are also very excited about going ice skating.  We have had to be very flexible though and accepting that not all will be as we hope it to be.  We expected Hip Hop lessons but they had to be cancelled.  We expected a Band Concert but it had to be cancelled.  We expected to have instructors for skating lessons but they too have now been cancelled.  We certainly appreciate your understanding. Notices did go home, sharing this information.

Today, with the freezing temperatures, we took advantage of the cold weather and did some experimenting with phases and stages of matter.  We wanted to see how a liquid changes into a solid.  We placed many different quantities and shaped containers filled with water to see if it would turn into ice.  It did and quickly.  We were able to then see how quickly the ice would melt.  We continued the process throughout the day.  Real World Experience!!!

Literacy Week will be another highlight of January.  Division 10 will be hosting the month end assembly at the end of the Literacy Week, on Friday, January 26 in the afternoon.  There will also be many theme days during that week. Stay tuned for more information.

Please remember to read planners daily, send students in warm clothes for the weather and continue to build upon skills such as reading, spelling and math facts.

As always, thank you for your support and Happy New Year!