Happy Friday!

I can see the sun shining and that makes me happy.  A good sign for the day.  We continue our study into animals.  Rooms 113 and 203 are discovering that animals are colourful.  Rooms 114, 204 and 112 are investigating animals homes.

Thank you Elder Brother Sun for shining your light and warming Mother Earth!
:)
Melissa

A bit about today

Today, rooms 113 and 203 will be going outside!!  Rooms 114, 202 and 112 will be examining the Three Sisters (our bean, corn and squash plants).

:)
Melissa

Environmental Tips to Save Energy

• Your appliances need a tune-up too; clean all filters and coils.
• When replacing hard-to-reach light bulbs, such as exterior porch lights, switch to energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. You will not have to change them for up to seven years!
• Use your window coverings to help warm or cool your house.
• Make your home more energy-efficient through improved insulation, caulking and weather-stripping. The less energy you use, the less impact you have on the environment.
• Install and use a programmable thermostat. For every 1° C you lower your thermostat, you can save 2% on your heating bill. A reduction of 3° C at night and when you are away during the day provides optimal savings and can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by half a tonne.
• When buying a new appliance, choose an energy-efficient one.
• When not using devices that have a "phantom load" unplug them, or plug them into a power bar and turn that off.
• Hang your clothes to dry. The lint collected from the dryer's filter: that's your clothes slowly disintegrating!
• Kids! Energy efficiency can be practiced at home, at school and during recreational activities – in fact, practically anywhere and anytime in our day-to-day activities. This may be as simple as turning off the lights when leaving a room, or bicycling to school instead of asking mom or dad for a ride. Encouraging energy efficiency reduces the use of fossil fuels, thus reducing emissions of harmful pollutants into the Earth's atmosphere.

:)

Melissa

Animals!!

Today, we begin our discussion of how animals meet their needs.  We start by sorting animals into wild and domesticated categories.  Wild animals find their own food and shelter and domesticated animals rely on humans for their food and shelter.

:)
Melissa

Family Fun

Check out this website for fun things to do in Toronto with your family.

http://www.toronto4kids.com/

:)
Melissa

Let it Snow!

Snow has arrived!  Children love to play in the snow.  Our outdoor time continues, so please ensure your child comes to school prepared to explore outside.  Warm boots, snow pants, jacket, hat, scarf and mittens.  Mittens are much warmer than gloves, generally, so I suggest mittens.  Sunglasses are also a good idea on sunny days as the glare of the sun off the snow can be very bright.

There is no such thin as bad weather, only bad clothes.
:)
Melissa

Recycling

Today we will talk about recycling.  Recycling is an important way to keep trash out of the landfills.

:)

Melissa

What Goes in Recycling?

Beverage and food containers

Rinse clean and recycle

• Clamshell containers (hinged, clear plastic containers used for food items such as berries and take-out)
• Clear fruit and vegetable containers
• Clear take-out food containers
• Clear molded bakery item trays, egg cartons
• Disposable plastic plates and glasses
• Cold beverage cups/lids
• Plastic bottles and jugs (lids on)
• Milk/juice cartons and boxes (put plastic tops and straws in garbage)
• Glass bottles and jars (put lids in garbage)
• Aluminum cans
• Plastic food jars, tubs and lids (e.g. margarine, yogurt, ice cream, sour cream containers)

• Metal cans (place metal lid inside can and pinch closed - if lid is plastic, recycle loose)
• Cardboard cans (e.g. frozen juice, refrigerated dough, chips, nuts, powdered drink mix — put plastic pull-off strips in garbage; place metal ends inside cardboard can and pinch closed)
• Aluminum trays, burner liners, pie plates and roasting pans

Home and personal product containers

Rinse clean and recycle

• Plastic bottles (lids and sprayers screwed on tight)
• Plastic kitty litter tubs with plastic handles
• Plastic laundry detergent tubs and lids

• Aerosol cans (empty; put caps in garbage)
• Metal paint cans & lids (empty, separate lids from cans)
• Clear compact disk cases (empty)

Foam polystyrene and plastic retail shopping bags

Rinse clean and recycle

• Foam food and protective packaging (e.g. drinking cups, egg cartons, meat trays, takeout food containers, electronics packaging)

• Plastic grocery and retail shopping bags without drawstrings, metal detailing or hard plastic handles (remove receipts: place all plastic bags in one retail or grocery plastic bag and and tie handles together)

Paper

Not contaminated with food or chemicals

• Bags, rolls, junk mail, writing/computer paper, envelopes, window envelopes
• Shredded paper (put in clear plastic bag and tie closed)
• Gift wrap, cards (no ribbons, bows, foil wrap)
• Newspapers, flyers, telephone directories, magazines, catalogues, soft/ hardcover books (remove plastic covers, liners, over-wrap and put in garbage)

• Boxboard boxes (e.g. cereal, tissue, detergent, egg cartons – flatten; remove liners, plastic windows and put in garbage)
• Corrugated cardboard (clean, unwaxed, flattened; pizza boxes must be empty; remove plastic over-wrap from pop/water cases and put in garbage)

No

 

"Top Bin Sins"

• Propane/helium cylinders and tanks
• Medical waste (needles, plastic catheter bags/tubes)
• Squeeze tubes for home and personal products (hair, body, etc.)
• Tools, scrap metal, auto parts
• Toys
• Clothes, shoes, carpets, curtains, bedding

• Small appliances, electronics
• Cassettes, CDs, DVDs
• Batteries, car batteries
• Plastic paint pails (all sizes, with or without metal handles)
• Plastic pails (with metal handles)
• Black plastic plant pots and trays (other colours can be recycled)
• Binders (e.g. three ring), clipboards

 

Other items that don’t go in the Blue Bin

• Hazardous waste: propane/helium tanks & cylinders, batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs (Must not be put in recycling or garbage; take to Drop-off Depot.)
• Medical waste: needles are hazardous waste (Must not be put in garbage; take to Drop-off Depot.). Plastic catheter/colostomy bags and tubes are garbage.
• Dryer sheets, baby wipes, make-up pads, cotton tipped swabs, dental floss
• Hair, pet fur, feathers, wax, wood pieces, cigarette butts, wine corks, vacuum bags/ contents, fireplace and BBQ ashes
• Plastic: caulking tubes, food storage containers, motor oil jugs, black plant trays, black flower pots, non-disposable plates and drinking glasses, packing peanuts, binders

• Plastic (bags/wrap): plastic over-wrap (on pop cartons, water bottles, toilet paper), bags holding flyers, dry cleaning, milk (outer and inner), produce, bread, sandwich and plastic food wrap
• Glass: drinking glasses, dishes, cups, crystal, window glass, light bulbs, mirrors, pottery, pots, pans
• Metal: scrap metal, coat hangers, pots, pans, small appliances, binders
• Aluminum: foil food wrap, potato chip bags, metallic gift wrap
• Other paper products: waxed cardboard, waxed paper. Note: Soiled tissues and napkins go in the Green Bin.
• Wood: pieces, flooring, crates for fruit

A New Beginning

I'm excited to begin working with new classes for the next 10 weeks.  Rooms 112, 113, 114, 202, 203 and 204.  We will spend our time together learning about how our planet cares for us and how we can in turn care for her.  We will learn the seven teachings of humility, courage, wisdom, truth, honesty, love and respect.

Check in to this blog each day to learn about the exciting things we are doing.
:)
Melissa

Autumn Adventure

We had so much fun exploring the park.  We discovered things attached to fallen leaves.  We don't know if it is an insect but we brought it into the classroom to find out.

Adventure Time

Today is my last day working with room 104 and my second last day with 106, 205, 208 and 207.  All my classes today will go on an outdoor adventure.  We will explore RV Burgess Park.  I will encourage the children to look for the changes that have happened now that the weather is colder.

:)
Melissa

A Busy Friday

We are going to have a super busy day today....the day is going to fly by.  Room 104 is going outside for Adventure Time.  Room 106 is going to water the classroom garden.  Room 207 is going to prepare the materials for out large classroom planter and room 205 is going to plant The Three Sisters in the planter.  What an amazing day!  I see the sun peaking out between the clouds.

Thank you Elder Brother Sun for warming us on this chilly day.

:)
Melissa

The Three Sisters

Tomorrow, we will plant the Three Sisters, corn, beans and squash.  When planted together, these plants help each other grow.  The three plants benefit from each other. The corn provides a structure for the beans to climb. The beans provide the nitrogen to the soil that the other plants use, and the squash spreads along the ground, blocking the sunlight, helping prevent weeds from growing. The squash leaves also act as a "living mulch",helping the soil to retain moisture, and the prickly hairs of the vine deter pests.   Just as in a community we all work together towards a common goal, the three Sisters work together to grow.

Thank you to all the good foods from Mother Earth for taking away our hunger.
:)
Melissa

Caring for Mother Earth

Caring for our classroom garden is a big job.  Our plant collection is constantly expanding.  It takes an huge collection of watering cans to care for all these plants.  Today, it is room 207s job to water our plants.

:)

Melissa

Our Woodchip Challenge

Yesterday, I gave the children a challenge, how tall can you make a woodchip pile?  They worked hard!  And had fun.

:)
Melissa

Adventure Time

Today, room 104, 207, 208 and 205 will be going outside!  I will be challenging the classes to work as a team to build the tallest pile of wood chips they can make in the learning yard.  Stay tuned for photos of their accomplishments.

It wonderful to see elder brother sun up so early this morning.  Thanks for shining your light, Sun.

:)
Melissa