Posted in General Studies, Math, Reminders

Practicing Patterns!

For the past couple of weeks, SK has been exploring patterns. In fact, we’ve have been so busy practicing finding the core of a pattern as well as copying, creating and extending patterns using different materials and manipulatives, that I didn’t manage to get any pictures ;( But you can check out your child’s Pattern Book that was sent home today and ask them to tell you what each pattern is and have them identify different pattern rules (AB, ABC, AAB, etc.) in the world around them.  We also did a Pattern Scavenger Hunt, so you may want to encourage your child to find as many patterns as they can at your house or as you are out and about!

Here are some fun pattern videos that the kids enjoyed:

Patterns! Mini Math Movie

The Pattern Practice Song

Banana Banana Meatball

Meow Moo Moo

SK also explored another kinds of pattern, this time with counting! Students were introduced to skip counting by 10s, 5s, and 2s as a way to recognize number patterns and develop more efficient counting strategies. While this concept was new for many, it provided a meaningful challenge as students worked to move beyond counting by ones and begin “shortcut counting.” Through hands-on activities, movement, and repetition, students practiced identifying and continuing these patterns, building both confidence and number sense along the way. To support learning in a fun and engaging way, we also incorporated a variety of interactive videos (provided below), which helped reinforce these concepts through music, visuals, and movement.

Scratch Garden – Counting by 10s

Number Rock – Skip Counting by 10

Scratch Garden – Counting by 5s

Number Rock – Skip Counting by 5

Scratch Garden – Counting by 2s

The Ants Go Marching 2 by 2

They also practiced patterning and skip-counting on IXL which they can continue to do at home!  Once your child is logged in, click on the Teacher Recommendations tab to find the various activities that have been assigned.

SPRING is here – YAY! … but also… this time of year is very tricky as we have puddles, mud, wet grass, wind, sun, and sometimes rain or snow… This means we need the SK kids to have appropriate gear in order to enjoy their time outside.

We ask that you please send your child to school wearing either snow or splash pants, depending on the forecast, and appropriate boots as we will be trying to get outside as much as possible! Even if it is not raining, the playground will likely be wet.  This will help us avoid multiple clothing changes throughout the day. We will be sending your child’s spare clothes bag home after the break to update for the warmer weather.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Mar. 16-31 – Rosh Chodesh Nissan Book Drive

Sunday, Mar. 29 – Hot Lunch Order deadline

Tuesday, Mar. 31 – SK Model Seder (please send all required elements to school; students are welcome to dress up, but please send a change of clothes to school; refer to Morah Susan’s email for more details)

Wednesday, Apr. 1 – Friday, Apr. 10 (inclusive) –  Passover Break (NO SCHOOL)

Monday, Apr. 13 – School Resumes

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

to Noah who turned 6 on March 8th

to Daniel who turned 6 on March 13th

to Ray who turned 6 on March 17th

and to Morah Susan who celebrated on March 18th!!

 

As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns!!

Posted in General Studies, Math, Reminders, Special Events

SK celebrates 100 Day!!

Yesterday was the 100th day of school (well technically it was Day 101, but we were busy tubing on Wednesday) and SK spent the day celebrating in many different ways!! We started by reading a story called “William’s 100th Day of School” and then we did a special 100 Day workout – we warmed up by running on the spot for 100 seconds and then did 10 different exercises 10 times each…. Phew!! It was a great way to work out our bodies and our minds, never mind that it helped us practice counting by 10s!  We spent the afternoon counting, measuring and comparing 100 different objects.  Did you know that 100 marbles are heavier than 100 cotton balls? Or that 100 chain links are longer than 100 unifix cubes?  SK does!!  We ended our day with a 100 Day parade, counting 100 steps around the hallways and showing off our 100 Day crowns.  What a day!! Check out the pictures below from our celebrations….

Another reminder that next week is Ruach Week at OJCS!! Check out each day’s theme below….

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Monday, Mar. 2-Friday, Mar. 6 – Ruach (Spirit) Week

Tuesday, Mar. 3 – Purim

Friday, Mar. 6 – 3:00 pm Dismissal

As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns!!

Posted in Chagim, Chanukah, General Studies, Jewish Studies, Math, Special Events

Happy Chanukah from SK!

SK celebrated Chanukah with a joyful blend of creativity, kindness, and celebration! Throughout the holiday, students explored the meaning of Chanukah through hands-on art projects such as wick-painted chanukiyot, glowing aurora menorahs, translucent dreidels on the light board, paper-mâché latkes, and festive door decorations.

Kindness was at the heart of our learning as students earned coins to play dreidel by “spreading the light” through kind words and actions. Along the way, we sang Chanukah songs, learned brachot, listened to many Chanukah stories, created a class playlist, and even connected with children in Israel during a special Chanukah meet-up. It was a meaningful celebration filled with light, learning, and joy!

Scan this QR to hear SK sing Souf-Souf-Soufganiyot:
Scan this QR code to hear SK sing The Potato (Latke) Song:
The week of Chanukah happened to coincide with 8 being our Number of the Week, so we spent a lot of time doing activities counting to 8 in all 3 languages!!  We also did a special activity where we counted and added to find out how many candles we need for all 8 nights of Chanukah!!

Chanukah celebrations also took on a Science spin this week as the kids experimented and created with one of the symbols of this chag – oil!!

First, we did an experiment with water, oil, and food colouring.  Be sure to ask your child if the water and oil mixed together or stayed separate and what happened to the food colouring…. feel free to put their responses in a comment on this post!

Then they had the opportunity to craft a Kad Shemen (oil jug) using liquid watercolours, oil, and eyedroppers.  Once again, they got to see the magic the oil created.  Check out the pictures below for the results of our oil and water experimentation!!

On the last day before winter break, our SK students enjoyed a special Chanukah/Pyjama Day celebration with Grade 1. Together, they listened to a story, played Chanukah games, and shared a delicious pancake breakfast – our very own “pan-candles!” It was a cozy and joyful way to celebrate before the break!!

Thank you all for the very generous gifts; we are very lucky morahs to spend everyday with your children.

Wishing you and your families a Chanukah and winter break filled with laughter, love and light… Chag Sameach!!

Morah Andréa and Morah Susan

 

Posted in At Home, General Studies, Math

Introducing IXL

As mentioned in last week’s post, we have just introduced IXL to the students in class and it can be used as a resource that can be accessed at home to practice math skills.  The SK kids had the opportunity to try it out a few times and we wanted to share a bit more with you about what it is and how you can access it at home, should you or your child wish…

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.  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.

Generally, when accessing IXL, the kids will be accessing activities under the Teacher Recommendations tab.  I will be updating these activities regularly based on what we are practicing at school.  There is also the Diagnostic Arena which will continuously update your child’s levels based on the activities they complete.

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

How Do I Login to IXL?

Follow the link below or download the app.

https://ca.ixl.com/signin/ojcs

Username: [firstnamelastname] – all lowercase, no spaces, no dashes (ie. andreablack). Use your child’s full first and last names as they are registered with the school.  If using the website or app, you may have to add “@ojcs” after your child’s username and then it should save that login automatically.

Password: math123

Please comment on this post or feel free to reach out via email if you have any questions!!
Posted in Francais, General Studies, Jewish Studies, Math, Reminders, Special Events

All the Fall Things… Apples & Terry Fox

Over the last week and a bit, we have been talking all about a favourite fall food, APPLES!!!  SK has learned about the Life Cycle of an apple, participated in a variety of apple math activities and we even did an apple taste test, comparing how 3 different kinds of apples look, smell, and taste, and of course choosing which one was our favourite; then we put the results in a graph.  The favourite in SK was Golden Delicious.  With Morah Susan, the kids did an exploration of apple seeds, making predictions about how many and comparing the amount of seeds in each type of  apple they tasted.  They have also been talking about les pommes en francais and tapuchim in Hebrew and learning about these important Rosh Hashanah symbols.

The SK kids have spent the last few days learning all about Terry Fox and why he is a Canadian hero.  We have read books, watched videos, compared superheroes and real-life heroes, and learned why Terry wanted to run across Canada.  Today, we participated in the OJCS Terry Fox Run!! Thankfully, the weather cooperated and, just like Terry, they took it one step at a time, they didn’t give up, and they ran for as long as they could!!  Kol ha’kavod!!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Tuesday, Sept. 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day – students are welcome to wear orange shirts or their uniform shirts.

Wednesday, Oct. 1 – NOON DISMISSAL for Yom Kippur

Thursday, Oct. 2 – NO SCHOOL for Yom Kippur

Tuesday, Oct. 7 & Wednesday, Oct. 8 – NO SCHOOL for Sukkot

Click on this link to order your Orange shirt before Sunday at noon!

Posted in General Studies, Math, Reminders

SK Measures Up!!

Over the last few weeks, SK students have been busy investigating and exploring the concept of measurement!!  We started by using non-standard units of measurement to measure and compare the length, height, and width of different objects found around our classroom.  We even had a special Measurement Hunt where the kids chose different objects around the room to measure with their chosen unit of measurement (cubes, legos, paperclips, shoes, etc.) and then they documented their findings in a chart.  We also had the opportunity to try measuring with rulers and many students were able to find the measurements quite accurately!!  We also explored others types of measurement such as weight, capacity and temperature; through sensory and hands-on experiments, the kids compared a variety of objects and determined if they were heavy or light, empty or full, hot or cold, and so on.  Check out the photos below…

We also had our last meeting with our Reading Buddies earlier this week.  Thank you to our friends in Grade 4 and Grade 5 for reading with us, being wonderful role models, and giving the SK kids something they truly looked forward every month.

Tomorrow, Friday, June 20th is our last Dress Down Day of the year!  We will be collecting tzedakah for the Ottawa Kosher Food Bank.  Don’t forget your loonies and toonies!!

The temperatures as we wind down the year will be quite hot, so please ensure that your child wears a hat to school, brings at least one water bottle, and is dressed appropriately for the weather!  We will, of course, make decisions based on the temperature if it is too hot to be outdoors and have alternate indoor programming to stay cool.

Next Wednesday, June 25th, is our last day of SK.  After an all-school assembly, we will be having a special party to wrap up our year together as well as celebrating all of the summer birthdays in both classes.  Drop-off on Wednesday morning will be at the school’s front door regardless of the weather as the assembly starts at 8:45 am.  Pick-up is at 12:00 pm at the front of the school.

As we wrap up our year together in SK, we will be sending home the kids’ work and other things at school between now and next Wednesday.  Please check their backpacks daily!!  If you know that your child will be ending the year a few days early, please let us know so that we can ensure that everything gets where it needs to go!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Friday, June 20 – Dress Down Day for the Ottawa Kosher Food Bank

Wednesday, June 25 – Last Day of School (NOON DISMISSAL)

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

to Kira in KA who turned 6 on June 6th!!

Posted in General Studies, Math, Reminders

Practicing Patterns!

For the past couple of weeks, SK has been exploring patterns. In fact, they have been so busy practicing finding the core of a pattern as well as copying, creating and extending patterns using different materials and manipulatives, that I didn’t manage to get any pictures ;(  But you can check out your child’s Pattern Book that was sent home today and ask them to tell you what each pattern is.  We also did a Pattern Scavenger Hunt, so you may want to encourage your child to find as many patterns as they can at your house or as you are out and about!

Here are some fun pattern videos that the kids enjoyed:

Patterns! Mini Math Movie

The Pattern Practice Song

I Got Rhythm Dance Song

They also practiced patterning on IXL which they can continue to do at home!  Once your child is logged in, click on the Teacher Recommendations tab and find the various pattern activities I have assigned them.  We also played Fuzzbug Patterns as a class, so I’ve linked it here if they would like to play it at home as well!!

SPRING is almost here – YAY! … but also… this time of year is very tricky as we have puddles, mud, wet grass, wind, sun, and sometimes rain or snow… This means we need the SK kids to have appropriate gear in order to enjoy their time outside.

We ask that you please send your child to school wearing either snow or splash pants, depending on the forecast, and appropriate boots as we will be trying to get outside as much as possible! Even if it is not raining, the playground will likely be wet.  This will help us avoid multiple clothing changes throughout the day. We will be sending your child’s spare clothes bag home shortly to update for the warmer weather.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Monday, Mar. 24 – Friday, Mar. 28 – La Semaine de la Francophonie

Thursday, Mar. 27 – Francofête (Parents invited from 2:30 – 3:45 pm)

Friday, Mar. 28 – Dress Down Day for the Ottawa Humane Society

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

to William in SK-A who turned 6 on March 15th!

Posted in Francais, French Studies, Math

On compte jusqu’à cent – 100 day activities in French!

Chers Parents,

As Morah Andréa mentioned in her lovely post this week, the children also enjoyed exploring the “100” theme in French class this week. First off, they learned how to say one hundred in French – which is cent.  We also learned to count in French past 10 so that we can eventually get up to 100.  We made it up to seventy, soixante – dix!  Bravo, les amis!

Here are a few snapshots of our hands-on stations related to learning 100.

Counting objects  to 100 — by tens This activity not only helped them to see that 10 groups of 10 makes 100, but also reinforced their ability to count out 10 objects  en français! Some worked alone on this while others made it a collaborative activity.

Making 100 hole booklets – un livret de 100 trous !  This was popular!! The children had little sheets with 10 circles to punch out with a hole punch out. Great fine motor and hand strengthening activity. They also needed a lot of determination to punch out 100 holes, and they succeeded!

“100 jours d’école” dot painting 

Posted in General Studies, Math, Reminders, Special Events, STEAM

SK celebrates the 100th Day of School (and other upcoming events)!

Today was the 100th day of school and SK spent the day celebrating in many different ways!! We started by reading a story called “William’s 100th Day of School” and then we did a variety of special activities just like William and his class did in the book!!  We did a 100 Day workout – we warmed up by running on the spot for 100 seconds and then did 10 different exercises 10 times each…. Phew!! It was a great way to work out our bodies and our minds, never mind that it helped us practice counting by 10s!  Did you know that 100 marbles are heavier than 100 cotton balls? Or that 100 chain links are longer than 100 unifix cubes?  SK does!!  We even had 100 Day activities en francais and ended our celebrations with a 100 Day parade, counting 100 steps around the hallways and showing off our 100 Day crowns.  What a day!! Check out the pictures below from our celebrations….

RESCHEDULED WINTER FUN DAY

Tuesday, March 4th is our rescheduled Winter Fun Day at OJCS… Woohoo!!  We are looking forward to a fantastic fun-filled day, but we wanted to let you know about a few important things….

Please ensure that your child is dressed warmly!! Students do not need to wear uniforms – comfy, cozy clothes and layers are encouraged.   We highly recommend sending an extra set of clothes, especially extra socks, to school as it will likely be wet outside and the kids will need to change.  Extra mittens or gloves and snowpants if you have them would also be helpful!! Aside from our usual outdoor play periods, SK will be spending some extra time outside (weather permitting, of course) and partaking in winter-themed indoor activities as well. As per usual, we plan to start the day outside, so please make sure they are dressed properly when they arrive at school and meet us on the playground between 8:30 and 8:45 am.

RUACH WEEK

March 10th-14th is Ruach (Spirit) Week at OJCS!!  We wanted to ensure that you and your child have lots of time to prepare, so please see the breakdown below for each day’s theme…. We can’t wait to see all of the creative costumes!!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Friday, Feb. 28 – 3:00 pm Dismissal

Tuesday, Mar. 4 – OJCS Winter Fun Day

Friday, Mar. 7 – 3:00 pm Dismissal

Monday, Mar. 10 – Friday, Mar. 14 – Ruach Week

 

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

to Alex in SK-A who turned 6 on February 24th

and to Ittay in SK-A who turns 6 on February 28th!

Posted in General Studies, Math

Introducing IXL

As mentioned to you in your child’s report card and during our conferences, we have just introduced IXL to the students in class and it can be used as a resource that can be accessed at home to practice math skills.  This week, the SK kids had the opportunity to try it out and we wanted to share a bit more with you about what it is and how you can access it at home, should you or your child wish…

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.  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.

Generally, when accessing IXL, the kids will be accessing activities under the Teacher Recommendations tab.  I will be updating these activities regularly based on what we are practicing at school.  There is also the Diagnostic Arena which will continuously update your child’s levels based on the activities they complete.

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

How Do I Login to IXL?

Follow the link below or download the app.

https://ca.ixl.com/signin/ojcs

Username: [firstnamelastname] – all lowercase, no spaces, no dashes (ie. andreablack). Use your child’s full first and last names as they are registered with the school.  If using the website or app, you may have to add “@ojcs” after your child’s username and then it should save that login automatically.

Password: math123

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

Innovation Day is Coming Soon!!

Tuesday, February 11th is Innovation Day at OJCS.  The kids in SK will be busy exploring and experimenting in preparation for your visit.  Come and find out what they’ve been working on between 9:00 and 9:45.  We will all meet together in KA’s class (room 128) and then we’ll split off into each classroom.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Fridays (starting on February 7) – 3:00 pm Dismissal

Tuesday, Feb. 11 – Innovation Day – 9:00-9:45 am in the SK classrooms

Thursday, Feb. 13 – OJCS Winter Fun Day (more information coming soon!)

Friday, Feb. 14 – PD Day (NO SCHOOL)

Monday, Feb. 17 – Friday, Feb. 21 – Family Day/Reading Week (NO SCHOOL)

Monday, Feb. 24 – School Resumes

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

to Livia in SK-A who turns 6 on February 2nd

and to Mila in SK-A who turns 6 on February 4th!