Posted in General Studies, Math

Introducing IXL

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.  The program can be accessed through either the link above or by downloading the app for Apple or Android products, though it tends to work better through the website.

We will continue to use this program in class, but practice time at home is also encouraged! However, please ensure that your child is working on this as independently as possible. If a teacher or parent helps out, especially during the Diagnostic process, the recommendations and next steps will be biased and not as authentic for the students to monitor their own growth, be confident in their abilities as well as provide authentic feedback to the teacher on his or her personalized math journey. 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 past blog posts from our Math specialist, Mrs. Cleveland:

IXL: Online Math Forum for Personalized Learning

IXL: Four Highlights to Understand

Please comment on this post or feel free to reach out if you have any questions!!

Posted in Reminders

Coming Up: Dress Down Day and Book Fair!!

This Thursday, November 30th is Dress Down Day!!  This month, we are collecting tzedakah in support of the Royal Canadian Legion in honour of Remembrance Day.  Don’t forget to bring your loonies and toonies!!

Next week, the OJCS Scholastic Book Fair begins!!  SK-A will be visiting the Book Fair on Wednesday, December 6th and SK-B will be visiting on Thursday, December 7th 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 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.  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!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

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

Thursday, Nov. 30 – Dress Down Day

Tuesday, Dec. 5 – Thursday, Dec. 7 – OJCS Book Fair

Tuesday, Dec. 12 – OJCS Family Chanukah Celebration @ 6:30pm

Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)HAPPY BIRTHDAY Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)

to Joey and Liv in SK-A who turn 5 on December 6th!!

Posted in Uncategorized

MAKING MUSIC – empty shoe boxes, empty tissue boxes – please send!

Dear SK Parents,

The theme in SK French is Making Music as well as learning the name of musical instruments.

We are making music instruments. We’ve already made rattles using simple materials.

We would also like to make a string instrument and for this we need:

  • empty shoe boxes
  • empty tissue boxes

If you have any of these boxes at home, can you please send them in with your child.

Merci!

Madame Maryse

 

 

 

Posted in General Studies, Reminders

In November, we remember…

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month…..

SK spent some time over last week learning about Remembrance Day and why it is such an important day.  We read stories about being brave and courageous, we talked about the men and women who made sure and continue to ensure that Canada is safe and free, and we learned why we wear poppies as a symbol on this day.  Of course, we crafted poppies of all kinds!!

At our Remembrance Day assembly, the kids recited a poem called “Little Poppy” and they did an incredible job both performing and showing respect for their fellow students.  Check out the video below:

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

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

Thursday, Nov. 23 – Dress Down Day

Friday, Nov. 24 – PD DAY – NO SCHOOL

Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)HAPPY BIRTHDAY Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)

to Joshua in SK-B who turns 5 on November 14th!!

Posted in Uncategorized

French Class Work and Activities

Dear SK Parents, 

Just a quick note to let you know that I’m sending home the children’s work and activities related to our theme of l’Automne (the Fall).       

I hope you enjoy looking at the children’s work with them… and just a reminder to empty the Note Tote and return to school.  

Many thanks, 

Madame Maryse

Posted in General Studies, STEAM

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

Yesterday was a very exciting day in Senior Kindergarten!!  We had a special guest join us in the Makerspace and lead us in a Let’s Talk Science lab. Farah, a Science student from the University of Ottawa, led us in a discussion about how different animals get ready for winter and the SK students impressed as they showed off what they already knew.  They told Farah that many animals adapt to get ready for the cold weather by eating a lot of food 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 they 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 for leading this special, super-fun experience!  It has certainly sparked some interest in both classes to explore this theme further….

Speaking of getting ready for winter, now that the colder temperatures are upon us, we thought we should clarify our Outdoor Play plan for the winter months.  We will continue having our recess and end of day pick-up on the playground, so please ensure that your child comes to school dressed appropriately.  However, if it is colder than -15, with or without the windchill, we will not be venturing outdoors (we will be using the Weather Network to determine the temperature).  As with rainy days, if there are no kids or teachers on the playground when you arrive to pick-up, please come to the front door to find your child.  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.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

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

Thursday, Nov. 23 – Dress Down Day

Friday, Nov. 24 – PD DAY – NO SCHOOL

Posted in General Studies, Reminders

Chefs, Doctors and Firefighters….. OH MY!!!

After last month’s Terry Fox Run led to discussions about real-life heroes and how we can help in our own community, KA & KB have been learning all about different kinds of community helpers over the past few weeks.  From police officers to artists, from mail carriers to nurses, we have been talking and learning about all of the ways different people in our community help us every single day.  We read books and sang songs, we made books, we crafted, we coloured, we matched, we sorted, and we dreamed about what we want to be when we grow up!! The highlight was of course our visit from the firefighters from Station 23, especially Firefighter Brad (aka Wesley’s dad), driving the truck. Check out the pictures below!!

This Friday, Oct. 27th, is Dress Down Day!!  This month, we are collecting tzedakah in support of Magen David Adom.  Don’t forget to bring your loonies and toonies!!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Friday, Oct. 27 – Dress Down Day/3:00 PM DISMISSAL begins

Tuesday, Oct. 31 – Photo Retake Day (please let me know if you would like your child to get a retake and have them wear a white collared shirt)

Thursday, Nov. 2 – NOON DISMISSAL and Goal Setting Conferences

Friday, Nov. 3 – NO SCHOOL for Goal Setting Conferences

Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)HAPPY BIRTHDAY Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)

to Leon in SK-A who turns 5 on October 26th!!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!

Posted in General Studies, STEAM

Global Maker Day 2023

October 17, 2023 was #GlobalMakerDay and the Senior Kindergarten kids certainly rose to the challenge!!

We started by reading the story “Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!” by Candace Fleming, in which we met Mr. McGreely who always wanted a garden.  When he finally planted one, he encountered 3 bunnies that, every night, ate all of his vegetables.   No matter what he tried, he could not keep the bunnies out of his garden!!  We stopped reading before the end and posed a challenge to the kids…. their mission was to construct something that would keep the bunnies out of their garden.  Using all of the recycled materials that we’ve been collecting (thank you so much for everything you sent in!!!), each child completed the challenge and they were super proud of what they accomplished.  The innovation and imagination in our classroom was astounding!!!  Make sure to ask your child about their creation!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Friday, Oct. 27 – Dress Down Day/3:00 pm Dismissal begins

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!

Posted in General Studies, Reminders, STEAM

We Need Your Recycled Goods!

SK families, we need your recycled goods!

We are collecting items for the OJCS Global Maker Day coming up on October 17th.  We are looking for wine bottle corks, popsicle sticks, cereal/cracker boxes, toilet paper tubes, paint stir sticks, and plastic tubs/lids (think yogurt pots, sour cream tubs – clean please!)…. any items to help with our creativity.

Thank you for your help with this excited endeavour!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Tuesday, Oct. 17 – Global Maker Day

Friday, Oct. 27 – Dress Down Day/3:00 pm Dismissal begins

Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)HAPPY BIRTHDAY Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)

to Laz in SK-B who turns 5 on October 14th

and

to Liana in SK-B who turns 5 on October 18th!!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!

Posted in Chagim, General Studies, Jewish Studies, Reminders

Chag Sukkot Sameach!!

This week in the Hebrew and Jewish Studies, the children focused on three themes: Colours, Autumn, and Sukkot. The entire week was dedicated to the colour orange, which is closely associated with Autumn, so they learned words like orange (katom), Autumn (stav), wind (ruach), clouds (ananim), and more.

To celebrate Sukkot, each class took a visit to the OJCS Sukkah, where they performed the traditional shaking of the Lulav with Dr. Mitzmacher, and on Thursday, they got to eat lunch in the Sukkah. For this occasion, the children prepared a delicious and nutritious orange snack made of carrots, clementines, and orange bell peppers. This activity included listening to instructions in Hebrew, practicing skills like peeling clementines, counting carrots in Hebrew, and cutting the bell peppers with plastic knives. Inside the Sukkah, in addition to the regular blessings for the meal, they recited the blessings of Borei Pri Ha’aetz and Borei Pri Ha’Adama.

The children also enthusiastically participated in the activities prepared for the entire school at Tuesday’s OJCS Sukkah Hop. They enjoyed a special story and activity with our librarian, Brigitte, a fun harvest-themed relay race and of course, the sweetest, stickiest, and most enjoyable activities was building an edible Sukkah.

We hope everyone had a Chag Sukkot Sameach, a joyful holiday!  Check out the pictures from our Sukkot activities below….

WE NEED YOUR RECYCLED GOODS!

We are beginning to collect items for the OJCS Global Maker Day, on Tuesday, October 17th. We are looking for wine bottle corks, popsicle sticks, cereal/cracker boxes, toilet paper tubes, paint stir sticks, and plastic tubs/lids (think yogurt pots, sour cream tubs – clean please!) items to help with our creativity.

Thank you for your help with this excited endeavour!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Monday, Oct. 9 – Thanksgiving Day (NO SCHOOL)

Tuesday, Oct. 17 – Global Maker Day

Friday, Oct. 27 – Dress Down Day/3:00 pm Dismissal begins

Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)HAPPY BIRTHDAY Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)

Belated wishes to Moishe in SK-B who turned 5 on October 3rd!!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!