The What If game

We have started playing the What If game.  It is a great activity and can be changed to suit any topic.  Here is a few examples that we discussed today: What if all the trees were gone?  What if everyone always threw their garbage on the street?

Feel free to share any "What if" questions you have discussed with your kindergarten aged students or children.
:)
Melissa

a great spot in our city

Introducing Evergreen

We believe we can solve even the most pressing urban environmental issues by bringing diverse people together, inspiring them with possibilities and engaging them in identifying solutions and taking action. The need has never been more urgent.
To help create greener, more sustainable cities, we focus on four key areas:

Greenspace, Children, Food and CityWorks

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Mission: Inspiring action to green cities
Vision: Green Cities, Healthy Planet

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Our Values

Collaboration: Engaging diverse audiences in ways that are playful, optimistic and empowering to accelerate strategies for change
Innovation: Connecting and transforming innovative ideas into bold action
Accountability: To the communities we serve, those who contribute their time and resources, and in the delivery of programs and services of the highest quality
Systems Approach: Between people and place and the recognition that environmental issues are part of interdependent, complex social and economic systems.


Evergreen has lots of free family events.  Check out this link for upcoming events. http://www.evergreen.ca/whats-on/#

Honesty

Today, we will talk about honesty again.  We will explore the difference between lying and joking or making a mistake.  Often children have trouble distinguishing between a lie and mistake and conflict can arise.  If your child is in room 104, 106, 207 or 208 then ask them what they learned today about honesty and lying.

I see the sun rising!  That is a great sign of a sunny day to come.
:)
Melissa

Adventure Time!

Today, room 106 and 208 will be going outside.  Let's hope Grandfather Thunder Beings hold off with the rain until after school.

:)
Melissa

Honesty

Grandfather Sabe brings us the teaching of honesty.  Sabe teaches us that honesty means accepting who you are, telling the truth, not cheating, lying or stealing and keeping your promises.  We will reread the book A Promise is a Promise and talk about how we show honesty.

Thank you elder brother sun for warming the earth today.
:)
Melissa

Bulb Fever

Today, I will be planting even more bulbs with the children.  We already have planted over 100 bulbs of various varieties - fritillaria, croucus, tulipa. hyacinthus, and anemone.  The bulbs we are planting today are all tulips.  It makes me already excited for spring and the blanket of colour and beauty all our work will bring.

Thank you Mother Earth for all your beauty.

:)
Melissa

Our new water plants

Our Indoor Garden Grows

Room 101s container garden keeps growing.  Today, Mrs. Ure brought in some plants from her backyard pond.  These plants will be grown in water, not soil.  The children will continue to explore the different features of plants and what they need to survive and thrive.

Say thanks to the rain for helping all living things grow.
:)
Melissa

Learning about Love

One of the seven grandfather teachings is love.  We will talk about love through the story The First Strawberries.  The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story is a retelling of a Cherokee legend about the origin of strawberries. Joseph Bruchac is a master storyteller whose books capture the magic of oral tradition. In this picture book for young children, Bruchac retells the story of a woman and man. Their life was good until one day the husband spoke harsh words to his wife. Her hurt feelings caused her to walk away from their home. At once, man regretted speaking hurtful words. He immediately set out after her to ask her forgiveness. Unfortunately, woman could walk with great speed. Man was left far behind. The Sun took pity on the Man and his feelings of remorse. Sun caused wonderful fruit to appear at the feet of the Woman in an effort to slow her journey. Sun first sent raspberries but the woman ignored the fruit. Next Sun sent blueberries and then blackberries. Neither fruit slowed the Woman's pace. Finally Sun sent strawberries and these wonderfully, sweet fruits caused the Woman to stop and taste. This allowed her husband to catch up and the couple reconciled. The story ends with the explanation that whenever the Cherokee eat strawberries they are reminded that friendship and respect are as sweet as the juicy berries. The text is simple and is complemented by the illustrations rendered in soft watercolours. 


The coming weekend will give us all time to spend time with the people we love, our family and friends.  Enjoy.

:)
Melissa

Aqua Words

Today, room 104 and 205 will talk about water.  They will describe a variety of ways and reasons why water is important to people and wildlife.  Water is central to all life and life activities.  Plants and animals must have water to survive.  75% of the earth surface is covered with water.  Canada is 8% covered with water and we have 16% of the worlds fresh water, making it one of the wettest countries in the world.  The major purpose for this activity is to increase the childrens appreciation of the importance of water.

Let's hope we can thank the sun for shining today and keeping us warm.
:)
Melissa

Adventure Time!

Today, rooms 104 and 208 will come outside with me - as long as it isn't raining.  We will work collaboratively at the sand pit in the learning yard, digging tunnels and holes.  Yesterday, one group of students made a beaver lodge with sticks and sand.  The upside of the rain is that there will be water that we can channel and pool....messy but wonderful.

Remember to thank the rain for helping all living things grow.
:)
Melissa

Adventure Time

Today, rooms 205, 106 and 208 will be going outside!  We will go to the learning yard.  Last week, a small group of children from room 205 and I went on a neighbourhood walk and collected sticks to use as digging tools while we are in the Learning Yard.  We will all work together in the sand pit to dig, tunnel and create.  Who knows where our imagination will take us.

As the trees prepare to sleep for the winter, thank them for all the food they give us.  Apples are fresh, local and delicious right now.  Try as many different kinds as you can.

:)
Melissa

An Interesting Article

http://blog.childrenandnature.org/2013/11/18/the-hybrid-mind-the-more-high-tech-schools-become-the-more-nature-they-need/


:)
Melissa

Everybody Needs a Home

Today, the children will explore the idea that people and animals share the basic need to have a home.  We will draw pictures of homes and compare their needs with the need of other animals.  An animals habitat includes food, water, shelter and space.  Everybody needs a home but a home is bigger than an apartment - it is the whole neighbourhood that has everything in it that is needed for survival.

Don't forget to thank the sun for warming us as the weather gets colder.
:)
Melissa

Nature Collection

Yesterday, I took a small group from room 205 to create a natu collection.  We collected sturdy sticks to dig in the sand in the learning yard, flowers, pine needles and pine cones.  We also found lots of acorns.  We brought them back to school and planted one.

Wildlife is Everywhere!

In our learning yard we searched for wildlife.  Worms, insects, spiders, squirrels and birds!  We also got distracted by all the beautiful leaves and added to our leaf collection.

We noticed a rainbow of colours..red, orange, yellow, green, purple and combinations!  Nature is the first and, and ultimate, source of colour!

Adventure Time!

Adventure time
C'mon grab your friends
We'll explore because we can
trees and grass and plants and creatures
the fun will never end
Adventure Time!


Adventure Time is our outdoor time.  Our time to explore the world around us.  Our time to pursue transcendent experiences in nature.  The weather forecast isn't promising today.  In a perfect world, all the children would arrive in rain boots and coats so we can explore our environment in the rain, something most children don't get a chance to do.  Room 101 accepts any donations of rain boots and rain coats so we can dress for the weather and get outside, no matter the weather.  I wonder what the wild creatures do in the rain?

Remember, say thank you to the rain, it helps all living things grow.
:)
Melissa

Welcome to Room 101!

This cycle, I am working with rooms 104, 106, 207, 208, and 205.  I also see room 111 and 206.  Partnering periods are open to all teachers.

This week, on our outdoor time, we will be looking for wildlife on a community walk.  Children often think of wildlife only as large animals like those they see in pictures of Africa with lions and elephants.  They might think of creatures of North American forests that they have seen themselves, like deer and elk.  But wildlife includes all animals that have not been domesticated by people.  On our community walks, we will look for and document all wildlife we see.

Don't forget to say thank you for the rain today.  Rain helps all living things grow.

:)
Melissa