Category: ADST

Hello families,

We have continued to have new experiences and new learning this week. We learned about our brain and how much it grows in the first ten years of our lives and why new or novel experiences are important to our brain’s development.

MONDAY: Our gym time emphasized moving around in the gym safely being mindful of our bodies as we navigated the larger space. In class, we regularly have movement breaks where we dance to music, do jumping jacks, burpees, or hold a plank for as long as we can; their repertoire of exercises will continue to grow over time. Students seem to enjoy these energized moments to help them reset and increase the oxygen in our brain for further learning.

TUESDAY: We did a team building activity called Ha, Ha, Ha. We all stood in a circle. The one person in the middle tried to make others smile. Once they smiled, they joined the person in the middle to try to get others to smile until almost the whole class was in the middle! We learned how smiles were so contagious and it didn’t take very long before they were all in the middle. They asked to play it again!

We read a book called Your Fantastic Elastic Brain and learned about the different parts of our brain, how it can be stretched, and how important it is to us. Click here to read reflections written by Lucas L. and Steven. Feel free to watch the book:

We had an important lesson on Digital Citizenship. We learned about being really mindful of what we say to others online and to THINK before we post anything. This acronym is great for all of us to think about even before we speak to others face-to-face, isn’t it?

Microsoft Office 365 was introduced. Students quickly learned how to log in to Teams and to find their assignment about describing themselves. This online platform will allow me to support your child’s writing in an augmented way. Students will be given the opportunity to revisit, revise, and revise their work again often after mini-lessons or receiving descriptive feedback. As well, they will be offered options to collaborate with classmates on future projects. Using Office 365 provides students with knowledge and experience that will support all aspects of our revised curriculum’s core competencies: communication and collaboration skills, creative thinking as well as critical and reflective thinking, personal awareness and responsibility, positive cultural and cultural identity, and social awareness and responsibility. To learn more about our Core Competencies, click here.

If your child does not have a set of earbuds with a volume control and a mini microphone, please send to school at your earliest convenience. There is no need to purchase an expensive one; I have seen some at a dollar store. I do have some large headphones students can use. This offers them the ability to listen to their own work privately as well as record their voice without picking up the classroom’s ambient noise.

FRIDAY: We will be going to Young People’s Concert at Michael J. Fox Theatre. All students have been asked to arrive at 8:45 AM. The bus will be leaving promptly at 9:05 AM. Thank you for your cooperation.

FOOD BANK: Our school initiative is to Scare Hunger by donating non-perishable food. The goal for each class is to collect enough to fill two boxes. Please continue to bring food in. Thank you for your generosity!

BOWLING: If you have not yet returned the form and paid for bowling, please do so as soon as possible. If you need another form to fill out (or need details), please click here to print out a copy or simply write a note in the planner giving your consent and record the online payment confirmation number. I am still looking for one more parent volunteer to walk with us to Revs, please. Thank you.

SCHOLASTIC: Orders are due on Saturday, October 12 at noon. To learn how to place an order online, click here. If you need the flyers sent home again, please let me know.

INSIDE SHOES: If your child does not have a pair of inside shoes, please send. With the beauty of our west coast weather, it really helps in keeping our classroom space cleaner. It is also more comfortable for your child to wear runners than heavy boots all day. Thank you.

Dear Parents,

All the kids seemed extra happy on Valentine’s Day. One student exclaimed, “This is the best day of my life!” 

We hope you have heard all about our Stone Soup making experience. As part of our ADST curriculum, students all had an opportunity to cut various vegetables which they really enjoyed. Great success when no one cuts their finger! We have deemed that they “passed the test” and are all ready to help chop vegetables at home now so feel free to solicit their meal prep skills. Children were encouraged to try different vegetables and give ones they had already made up their mind they didn’t like another chance. We discussed what having a closed mind versus open mind meant. As a result, some discovered they have a new liking for mushrooms! So many of them really enjoyed the vegetable soup, shouting, “This is sooo yummy!”

Core Competency connection:

• I can keep an open mind to try new things.
• I can contribute to my classroom community by helping out.
• I can use tools in a safe manner.

Thank you so much for your contribution to our soup! Your ingredients made it taste simply delicious! And thank you to Manoj’s mom for helping us out in the morning; we appreciate your time. 

Dear students,

What did you think about making our Stone Soup? How did you feel about cutting the vegetables? How do you think making Stone Soup helps to bring people together like in the story we listened to? What is your “I Can” statement? 

We would love to read your reflections on our soup making day!

Thank you, Ms. Chan & Ms. Cowan

Next week, we will be reading a story called Stone Soup. It is an old folk story about strangers who convince the townspeople to contribute a small amount of their food to make one meal for everyone to enjoy. Although there are many different versions, the main message of the story is about the value of sharing and community. To build anticipation, students were given a bowl with stones in it to imagine what the story will be about. They worked hard to write their very own story using their creativity. They had to include a bowl of stone soup in their story as well as basic story elements like characters, setting, problem and solution with a beginning, middle, and end.

So, to celebrate friendship on Valentine’s Day, rather than have a traditional party with sweets, we will be making our own Stone Soup to share. We are asking everyone to help create this soup by contributing something from home. Please have your child bring the specified ingredient on Tues. Feb. 12 or Wed. Feb. 13 so that it can be cut and prepared ahead of time. Our class will be making the soup on Valentine’s day. Please also send a reusable soup bowl and reusable soup spoon to help our environment. Feel free to send the food item and reusable bowl and spoon to school a day ahead too. Thank you.

We will be providing the pasta and any other additional ingredients. Please note that on Thursday, February 14th, students will not require a meal from home as we will enjoy the soup together for lunch. If you feel that your child would prefer a different meal, it will be fine to enhance our soup with something more for your child; however the soup alone should be sufficient. Thank you for your support and contribution!

Look for the notice that is going home on Friday, February 8th or click here to view.

On Wednesday, we sent home a list of students in the class to help your child organize the writing of Valentine’s cards. If for some reason you did not receive this, please inform me at Livia.Chan@burnabyschools.ca and another one will be sent via email.