OJCS KINDERGARTEN / GAN

General Studies, Kindergarten, Science, STEAM

Let’s Talk Science…. Solids, Liquids and Gases

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Andréa Black

SK spent most of the week inquiring about, observing and experimenting with the States of Matter. We listed different examples of each state and learned their properties through activities and songs; we experimented with mixing more solids and liquids to create gases and documented our observations. We even built a mini snowman and then watched to see how water can actually shift from one state of matter to another (snow, water, water vapour). Below are some of the videos and songs we watched in class to enhance our learning and some pictures as well.

We culminated our learning by participating in another super fun Let’s Talk Science lab with Farah and Madalina from the University of Ottawa AND we got to do our experiments in the OJCS Makerspace!! The kids were introduced to everyday liquids and solids to determine their properties. They used their hands and senses to explore different liquids, like water, oil and corn syrup, and then poured them out to see the differences between them. Then they did a cool experiment where we mixed solids with water to see whether or not they would dissolve and ended with another experiment where we mixed solids (baking powder and sugar) with water to create a gas….. the kids loved experiencing this neat reaction and it sparked some really interesting questions…. make sure to ask your child what they observed and learned in Science this week!!

Move Like Matter Dance:

Matter Chatter Song:

3 States of Matter Song:

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (from now until early March) – 2:00 pm Dismissal

Monday, Feb. 6 – Tu B’Shevat

Thursday, Feb. 16 – OJCS Winter Fun Day

Friday, Feb. 17 – PD Day (NO SCHOOL)

Monday, Feb. 20 – Friday, Feb. 24 – Family Day/Reading Week (NO SCHOOL)

Kindergarten, Reminders

Dress Down Day is tomorrow!!

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Andréa Black

Tomorrow, Friday, January 27th, is Dress Down Day!! This time, we will be collecting tzedakah in support of CHEO. Don’t forget to bring your loonies and toonies!!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (from now until early March) – 2:00 pm Dismissal

Friday, Feb. 3 – Let’s Talk Science comes to SK

Monday, Feb. 6 – Tu B’Shevat

Thursday, Feb. 16 – OJCS Winter Fun Day

Friday, Feb. 17 – PD Day (NO SCHOOL)

Monday, Feb. 20 – Friday, Feb. 24 – Family Day/Reading Week (NO SCHOOL)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to Naomi who turned 6 on January 22nd

and

to Avery who turns 6 on January 31st!

Kindergarten, Reminders

Pyjama Dress Down Day Redo!!

Posted on January 11, 2023 by Andréa Black

This Friday, January 13th, we will be having our rescheduled Pyjama Dress Down Day!! We will be collecting tzedakah and new pairs of pyjamas in support of the Pyjama Patrol. The kids are welcome to wear their jammies to school and bring a stuffy if they would like.

If your child participates in after-school programming at the JCC, we kindly ask that you send an extra pair of indoor shoes for those days/programs so that we don’t have send their school shoes back and forth where possible. Please note, those children that participate in aftercare are able to leave this extra pair of shoes at the JCC.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (from now until early March) – 2:00 pm Dismissal

Friday, Jan. 13 – Pyjama/Dress Down Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to Elinor who turns 6 on January 15th!

Chagim, Chanukah, Jewish Studies, Kindergarten, Reminders

Pyjama Dress Down Day is tomorrow!!

Posted on December 22, 2022December 20, 2022 by Andréa Black

Tomorrow, Friday, December 23rd is a special Pyjama Dress Down Day. We will be collecting tzedakah and new pairs of pyjamas in support of the Pyjama Patrol. The kids are welcome to wear their jammies to school and bring a stuffy if they would like.

It is has been a great few weeks celebrating Chanukah in Senior Kindergarten!! From singing, dancing, eating yummy treats, and getting crafty, to practicing the brachot, Dreidel math and learning Chanukah vocabulary words in Hebrew, there has been tons of ruach-filled fun in our class!! Check out our Chanukah picture gallery below.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (from now until early March) – 2:00 pm Dismissal

Friday, Dec. 23 – Pyjama/Dress Down Day

Monday, Jan. 9 – Return to School!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to Mia who turns 5 on December 31st

Wishing you all a wonderful Chanukah filled with light, love and laughter, and a restful, relaxing Winter Break!! See you in 2023!!

General Studies, Kindergarten, Math

Introducing IXL

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Andréa Black

IXL Online Math Forum

IXL is an online forum that provides diagnostics of learning skills, promotes review, mastery and extensions of skills through practice, as well as providing students, teachers, and parents valuable information on student’s progress through grade data points. We have just introduced IXL in the classroom and there will be a handout in your child’s backpack today that explains how to log in with your child’s login and password; if you need a reminder or have not received the handout, please contact Morah Andrea. We will continue to use this program in class, but practice time at home is also encouraged! For a more in-depth tutorial on how to set up the program for your child as well as highlights of the program, check out these blog posts from our Math specialist, Mrs. Cleveland:

IXL: Online Math Forum for Personalized Learning

IXL: Four Highlights to Understand

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (from now until early March) – 2:00 pm Dismissal

Thursday, Dec. 8 & Friday, Dec. 9 – Parent-Teacher Interviews (2:00 Dismissal on Thursday and NO SCHOOL on Friday)

Tuesday, Dec. 20 @ 6:30 pm – OJCS Family Chanukah Celebration

Friday, Dec. 23 – Pyjama/Dress Down Day

Kindergarten, Reminders

Scholastic Book Fair is coming to OJCS and other important reminders….

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Andréa Black

Next week, the OJCS Scholastic Book Fair begins!! SK will be visiting the Book Fair on Thursday, December 8th and the kids will have a chance to purchase some books. We have already sent home a flyer in your child’s Note Tote…. if you would like to go through it or check out the Virtual Book Fair Link with your child and pick a few options, it will give you a sense of how much money to send to school. We ask that you send your child’s money in a ziploc baggie with their name on it and the total amount you are sending. You can also send a list of preferred books with your child, though we cannot guarantee that every title will be available. If you would prefer to make your purchases online, that’s more than fine, but please ensure that your child understands that they will not be buying a book at school. Parents are also welcome to visit the Book Fair during the designated times as outlined on the poster below. Any questions? Feel free to comment on this post!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to Eva who turns 5 on December 2nd

to Amelia & Isadora who turn 5 on December 3rd

and to Lev to turns 5 on December 6th!!!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (from now until early March) – 2:00 pm Dismissal

Monday, Dec. 5 – Thursday, Dec. 8 – Scholastic Book Fair at OJCS

Thursday, Dec. 8 & Friday, Dec. 9 – Parent-Teacher Interviews (2:00 Dismissal on Thursday and NO SCHOOL on Friday)

Tuesday, Dec. 20 @ 6:30 pm – OJCS Family Chanukah Celebration

General Studies, Kindergarten, Science, STEAM

SKs are Germ Busting Super-Soapers!!!

Posted on November 29, 2022 by Andréa Black

Now say that 5 times fast!!

It’s that time of year where germs seem to be more prevalent than ever and many of our friends in SK have been sick over the last few weeks, so we thought it was a perfect time to talk about how we can avoid spreading germs and tie it all into some sensory & scientific exploration…..

Yesterday, the kids participated in the Magic Finger (or Pepper Germs) experiment. After sprinkling pepper (germs) over some water in a shallow dish, we investigated what happened to the pepper when we dabbed it first with our finger and then what happened when we put a little bit of soap on our finger. We even tested different types of soap to see which worked the best…. the results were indeed like magic, so make sure to ask your child all about it!!

Today, we spent time learning how to properly wash our hands to make sure we are keeping the germs away…. we even did a special experiment with Glo-Germ Gel and a black light to see if they were scrubbing hard enough!! The kids got to see for themselves how proper hand-washing can make germs disappear and they are all Germ Busting Super-Soapers now!!

A friendly reminder about the email that was sent to parents last week regarding our school’s sick policy:

We have many children coming to school sick. If your child has any symptoms, the screening tool will indicate that they must remain at home and self-isolate until their symptoms have been improved for at least 24 hours (48 hours if there was nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea), and they must of course be fever free. If your child is sick, please test them for COVID as we have several active cases.

Anyone away due to COVID must mask upon their return for 10 days following the first day their symptoms presented. This also applies to siblings.

I will ask as well that if your child should be masked due to illness or if would like your child to be masked at school, please let the SK team know so that we can ensure that those who require masks are wearing them during the day. Thank you so much in advance for your cooperation and support in keeping our school community as healthy as possible!!

Kindergarten, Reminders

Tomorrow is Dress Down Day!!

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Andréa Black

Tomorrow, Thursday, November 24th is Dress Down Day. We will be collecting for the Ottawa Humane Society so don’t forget to bring a loonie or toonie for tzedakah tomorrow to help all of the animals in their care….

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (from now until early March) – 2:00 pm Dismissal

Friday, Nov. 25 – PD DAY – NO SCHOOL

Monday, Dec. 5 – Thursday, Dec. 8 – Scholastic Book Fair at OJCS – Stay tuned for more information!!

Thursday, Dec. 8 & Friday, Dec. 9 – Parent-Teacher Interviews (2:00 Dismissal on Thursday and NO SCHOOL on Friday)

General Studies, Kindergarten, Science, STEAM

Let’s Talk Science…. Fat, Fur, and Feathers

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Andréa Black

Today was a very exciting day in Senior Kindergarten. We had special guests join our class and lead us in a Let’s Talk Science lab. Farah and Madalina, Science students from the University of Ottawa, led us in a discussion about how different animals get ready for winter and the SK students are already experts thanks to the many books we have read and the activities we have done in class. They told Farah and Madalina that many animals adapt to get ready for the cold weather by eating a lot of food to gain more fat or by growing thicker fur or feathers to stay warm. The kids asked great questions and knew a lot of answers to the questions they were asked. Then we experimented with Fat (vegetable shortening in a baggie), Fur (faux, of course!) and Feathers to see which kept their hands the warmest when touching ice. The students were so engaged and enthusiastic as they tried different combinations to see which would keep their hands warm…. the combo of fat and fur was the clear winner. Thanks to Farah and Madalina for leading this special, super-fun experience! We can’t wait to do it again in the winter!

Speaking of getting ready for winter, now that the snow has officially arrived, we thought we should clarify our Outdoor Play plan for the winter months. We will continue having our morning drop-off and recess on the playground, so please ensure that your child comes to school dressed appropriately. However, if it is colder than -18, with or without the windchill, we will not be venturing outdoors (we will be using the Weather Network to determine the temperature if you want to check before leaving the house). As with rainy days, if there are no teachers on the playground after the bell rings at 8:30, please bring your child to the front door for drop-off. While we will strive to get outside as much as possible, we will take advantage of the gym or other indoor physical activities when the weather is not cooperating.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to Esti and Sari who turned 5 on November 17th!!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (from now until early March) – 2:00 pm Dismissal

Thursday, Nov. 24 – Dress Down Day supporting the Ottawa Humane Society

Friday, Nov. 25 – PD DAY – NO SCHOOL

Uncategorized

Les 5 Sens

Posted on November 10, 2022 by swollock

Bonjour! SK has been learning about ‘les 5 sens’ (the 5 senses) and to wrap up our unit we dressed up in our ‘5 sens’ props and sang – check out the video below!

If you’d like to practice at home, here is the link to the song.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Friday, Nov. 11 – 2:00 pm Dismissal begins

Friday, Nov. 18 – Photo Retake Day (including students who were absent for the initial photos). Please wear a white shirt and ensure the original photo is brought into school.