PATTERNS: Students were asked to create a pattern, any pattern, using any materials they could find within the classroom. Many students demonstrated creativity when they built their patterns and many were able to extend their knowledge of patterns to create intricate and challenging patterns. Ask your child what their pattern was!
On another day, we then decided to take a walk through the park, collecting items in nature as we walked. We then used what we collected to create a different pattern, this time with a partner.
TENNIS: The students were engaged and excited about learning to play tennis. We learned skills such as: walking the dog and walking the cat (and others) to build the necessary skills required for a full game of tennis. The students were able to play a few small games hitting the ball over the net at close range. It was impressive to see the growth of the students play over the lessons they received!
PAPER CHAIN CHALLENGE: The students were challenged to create the longest paper chain possible while being given only 2 pieces of construction paper, scissors and glue. They had to come up with a plan, share with a group of three, compromise on a group plan, construct the chains, make any necessary changes/ improvements and then demonstrate their final product. I was overly impressed with the positive language and group support the students demonstrated! We talked about sharing duties with each person having a role to play in the group work and they did this amazingly well!
After the students had plenty of time to create, test, fix and rebuild their paper chains, we decided to measure how long they were and we stretched each of them down the hallway. We then discussed what made some chains longer than others and the students realized that cutting the larger paper into thin strips of paper made for the longest chains.
DAY OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: We have been reading picture books to teach the students about residential schools and have discussions on what it must have felt like to be a residential school student. Students agreed that conditions were less than ideal, scary and students were mostly treated unfairly, poorly and in unkind ways. We held a school assembly to honour residential school survivors, acknowledge the damage caused by the residential school system and understand how we cannot, as people living in Canada, ever make the same mistakes again. Each class created an orange shirt depicting how each class was connecting to the reconciliation process.
