This year’s virtual INNOVATION DAY is just 2 days away!! It is a day to celebrate STEAM here at OJCS, so make sure to join us on Thursday, April 7 at 11:45 am to see what SK has been busy building and learning.…. check out the poster below for the day’s schedule and links for the SK meet. We look forward to virtually welcoming you to our Kindergarten classroom!
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Earlier this week, the SK class once again participated in another super fun Let’s Talk Science virtual lab with Nia and Alex from the University of Ottawa. They taught us about 3 different kinds of simple machines: a wheel & axle, a lever, and an inclined plane. Then they led the kids through the construction of a playground where each structure was one of these machines built out of everyday materials, such as pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks. The students were so engaged and enthusiastic as they built their merry-go-rounds, teeter-totters and slides and they were so excited to bring their playgrounds home!!
Here’s a really fun video/song from Scratch Garden that we have been watching and listening to to remember the different types of simple machines we learned about:
The Simple Machines Song – Scratch Garden
Don’t forget, next week is Ruach Week at the OJCS. Check out our previous blog post for each day’s theme!
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:
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
This Friday, Dec. 17th is a special Pyjama Dress Down Day for the ALS Society of Canada as chosen by Grade 6…. Don’t forget to bring a loonie or toonie for tzedakah!!
Dismissal this Friday is at 2:00 pm.
Don’t forget to let us know if you need to pick up your Rapid Antigen Testing kit before we send them home on Friday. We hope everyone has a wonderful winter break and we look forward to seeing you all back at school on Monday, January 3, 2022.
The SK Team
Yesterday was a very exciting day in Kindergarten. We had special virtual guests join our class and lead us in a Let’s Talk Science virtual lab. Nia and Alex, 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 Nia and Alex 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 Nia and Alex for leading this special, super-fun experience! We can’t wait to do it again in the winter!
SK had a wonderful time visiting the Book Fair this morning and many of the kids made some awesome purchases!! For those that did not bring money or were away from school today, the kids will have one more opportunity to visit the Book Fair on Thursday morning…. We recommend sending in $10-$15 in order to purchase a book. You can also visit the link in the poster above to order online. Happy Reading everyone!
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month…..
SK has spent some time over the 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!!
For our Remembrance Day assembly, we sang a special song called Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu (Peace Will Come Upon Us) as our wish is for there to be peace everywhere. If you missed the assembly, here is our video:
A few reminders:
Stay tuned for information about the OJCS Book Fair coming soon!
Have a wonderful weekend!
October 12, 2021 was #GlobalMakerDay and the Kindergarten kids certainly rose to the challenge!!
After listening to a Virtual Storytime with Miss Brigitte, who read “Be a Maker” by Katey Howes, we investigated different types of ramps based on one of the many challenges provided…. What ramps are on our playground? What ramps do we use everyday? Why do we need ramps? Then the kids were asked to make their own ramp using a variety of recycled materials. The innovation and imagination in our classroom was astounding!!!
In the afternoon, we shifted our Maker mindset to the Parashat Hashavuah we read last week: Noah’s Ark. Using only tin foil, the kids were asked to make an ark that could hold small toy animals and stay afloat. We then tested each ark to see how many animals they could hold without sinking…. Believe it or not, Levi’s ark held a record 49 toy animals!!
What an inspiring, incredible day!!
Welcome parents and friends to the Senior Kindergarten/Gan Blog!!!
Moving forward, this will be your main source of communication from us at school. It is on this page that we will post important information, special events and dates, updates on what is happening in the classroom and of course, pictures!!!
It is hard to believe that we have already finished one month at school!! Between all of the holidays and the fun activities in our class, time certainly has flown by!! Check out the collage below to see some highlights from the last month….
Don’t forget, there is no school on Monday, October 11th.
Tuesday, October 12th is Global Maker Day…. Along with students around the world, SK will be participating in a variety of Maker challenges. Stay tuned for updates on their creations.
Next Tuesday is also our virtual Back to School Night beginning at 7:00 pm. The SK session will be from 7:15-7:45. You will be receiving information and links soon. We look forward to seeing you then!!
Have a great long weekend! Shabbat Shalom!!
Yesterday, KA & KB participated in our final Let’s Talk Science virtual lab of the year. This time, Nia and Kelvin (Science students from the University of Ottawa) introduced the topic of nests to the kids and we were astounded by their ideas and observations as they discussed what kinds of animals build nests and what materials they use to build them. Then we played a Guess the Nest game and even though some of the questions were really tricky, these super-smart kids got most of them right!! To wrap-up our learning, the kids were tasked with building their own bird’s nest out of the materials they were provided, but with the extra challenge of using a clothespin (to simulate a bird’s beak) instead of their hands. Check out some of the nifty nests created:
You may have some blossoming birdwatchers on your hands now as Nia and Kelvin challenged the kids to look for birds’ nests around their neighbourhoods or to build an outdoor next and see if any creatures make it their home….. If your child finds or builds any nests, please share the photos in the comments!!
I want to send a huge thank you to Nia and Kelvin for all of the amazing virtual labs this year and for inspiring our little scientists. A big thank you as well to Morah Taylor for coordinating these amazing virtual experiences for our K students this year!!
Thank you so much to everyone who was able to join us for Innovation Day in KA and KB yesterday!! The students worked so hard to create their planet sculptures and to learn space facts and they were so proud to share what they had learned and created with you. If you were not able to join us, you can watch both KA and KB’s Solar System Presentations in the videos below…..
Today, we wrapped up our Outer Space unit by talking about stars and constellations and then the kids built their own constellations out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Their imaginations were in full gear and the different structures they created were truly stellar!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to Asher A. (KA) who turns 6 on March 26th
and to Ariel (KA) who turns 6 on March 30th!!!
Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and safe Passover – chag Pesach sameach from the K team!!
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