Ms. Watt's Class

This week we’ll be working on a totem pole animal that represents ourselves.
Totem Poles tell the story of the person who made them.
Every animal carved into a pole and the colour chosen have a different and very important meaning.
Tuesday
Let’s start by reading through a two page article on Totem Poles.
Afterwards, answer questions on the article TOTEM POLES.

While thinking about what animal has similar characteristics as you, read about 6 different animals that were commonly used in Totems Pole HERE (Totem Pole Symbols pdf).
What animal are you like? Are you powerful like a bear? A builder like a beaver? A leader like an eagle? A trickster like a wolf?
Or, if you don’t connect with one of these 6 animals, which animal are you like? Are you jumpy and like swimming like a frog? Are you shy like a turtle? Are you loyal and like playing like a dog? Are you independent and watchful like a cat? Are you gentle, kind and caring like a deer? Are you intelligent and a risk taker like an eagle?

Thursday
There are 5 pages of examples of different animals to look through for design ideas before starting.
Using an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, draw a large head of your animal (some animals may need the whole body). It is important to fill as much of the page as possible.
Totem pole art uses lines around lines and shapes inside any empty space (but not too many!).
When finished drawing, there should be large spaces, of different shape and size, to be filled in with colour.
~ to be continued next week ~

Starting this week, I’ll be providing a STEM activity as an option on Wednesday (or any day!) instead of IXL. You’re more than welcome to continue with IXL, but these activities may be a fun challenge to complete alone or with your family. I’ll try to provide activities with materials that you have around the house or are easily accessible.

This week, we’re starting with the Tower Building Challenge!
Click HERE to see more visuals about STEM.

We are living through history right now. Over the next week I’ll be asking you to continue to take some time each day to carefully and thoughtfully fill out a page about life during this very different time in your lives. I’ve really enjoyed reading the pages that you have been sending and I encourage you to keep up the great work! 4 more pages and then your parents will be asked to complete the last page on Friday. I’ll continue to post the pages here each day.
Time Capsule 1&2
Time Capsule 3
Time Capsule 4
Time Capsule 5
Time Capsule 6
Time Capsule 7
Time Capsule 8
Time Capsule 9
Time Capsule 10
Time Capsule 11

May Kindness Calendar

Keep up the great work on IXL Division 8! 
This week’s work can be found under LEARNING – GRADE 2 MATH.
If you’re feeling really successful, please give yourself more of a challenge and head back to Grade 3 skills afterwards, but I’d like you to practice your subtraction with regrouping first.
Lastly, an apology. The primary teachers have realized that the IXL diagnostics can go on and on…and on and on… I apologize if there was any frustration. One of the hiccups that happens when not in the classroom with the kids. I hope no one was put off and is still enjoying some challenge on the website!

April is Poetry Month!
This week we’re going to create a Five Senses Poem about the Great Bear Rainforest.
Click Five Senses Poem for a description of this type of poetry.

Think about what you have learned while reading the articles over the past couple weeks about the Spirit Bear (Monthly News, Non-Fiction article), watching the videos (movie trailer) and listening to Mrs. Roberts’ read alouds.

Below are the 4 steps that you will work through on Tuesday and Thursday. I have used a different location, the beach, as an example.

Use the 5SensesGraphicOrganizer to write as many things as you can think of about the Great Bear Rainforest using your 5 senses.
At the top of the paper, write a colour that comes to mind when you think of the Great Bear Rainforest.
(click on the pictures for a closer look)

After writing down as many words/short phrases as you can, choose your favourite word/short phrase from each sense.
Under Touch, please include words about how the things you’re touching make you feel (in blue ink).

Next, create detailed sentences on a piece of paper or this Great Bear Rainforest Poem graphic organizer.


On Thursday, after having a parent review your work, please use the same Great Bear Rainforest Poem paper to write your detailed good copy on in your neatest printing. Please email me a copy of your work.

Hopefully, if you’re continuing with your spelling list each week, you’ve checked out the great websites under the SPELLING tab above that make practice a little more fun! Below are some more ideas, many may be the same as in the websites, that I’ve found fun in the classroom and I think will be fun with your family!
~ Write down your words and then think of a word that rhymes with each of them.
~ Have a family member scramble the letters in each of your spelling words. You unscramble them.
~ Print sentences using 3 of your spelling words. Keep going until you have used all of your words.
~ Using your finger, trace your words on a family member’s back and have them guess what the words are. After, trade spots.
~ Play “I Spy.” The leader says, “I spy with my little eye a spelling word that has five letters in it and is something you sit on.” A player responds, “Is it chair, c-h-a-i-r?”
~ Play “Hangman” with a partner using your words.
~ See how many new words you can make by making only one change. You may add one letter, leave out one letter, or change one letter. e.g. rule – mule – mole – mile – milk…
~ Reprint your words, leaving out all the vowels (a e i o u). Later, look at the words without the vowels and print the complete words.
~ Number the letters of the alphabet from 1-26. Use your list words to make spell-by-number riddles. Exchange riddles with a family member.
a=1, b=2, c=3, d=4, e=5, f=6     e.g.  m=13 i=9 g=7 h=8 t=20
~ Print your words in alphabetical order
~ Starting with a word from your list, make a word chain
e.g. dog-garden-nest-time (last letter and first letter match)