Week 6: October 10–13, 2017

The Grade 1-2s came back from the long weekend with lots of energy! They got right into a unit on symmetry by completing pattern block symmetry challenges and conducting a symmetry hunt around the school. Later in the week, they used miras to practice drawing symmetrically and to reinforce the idea that symmetry involves making a mirror image of something. During Writer's Workshop, they captioned photos from their experiences during Week Without Walls and chose a piece of writing that they were proud of from the last week to annotate and include in their portfolio. During CERES class, they explored elasticity through a model bungee jumper. In social studies, they also began talking about community and different important aspects of their own communities. On Friday, they visited the ravine and reconstructed a beloved tree shelter that had been dismantled over the summer. They also observed a hive inspection of our rooftop beehive with our Alvéole beekeeper who talked to them about how they care for the bees over the cold winter. Check out more photos from the week below!

K uses pattern blocks to complete the other side of a symmetry puzzle. She says that the brown diamonds are very slippery but she perseveres in her efforts to get them in the right spot.

G and Z use their understanding of lines of symmetry to create mythical creatures out of pattern blocks. G figures out that her creature only has one line of symmetry and she marks it with a ruler.

M counts the lines of symmetry in the design she created out of pattern blocks. With support, she is able to count six!

G proudly displays her name from the Word Wall. Students use the Word Wall to spell unfamiliar words and frequently advocate for the addition of new words that they discover in their writing.

Z works hard to balance the glass bricks on each side of her line of symmetry to make sure she has it in the right spot.

M finds a line of symmetry on a welcome sign from the Grade 4-5 classroom. She is delighted that it is also the letter of her first name!

S uses her line of symmetry to demonstrate her learning on a light switch at the front desk.

G proudly displays a line of symmetry on the "A" of Amy's jar for a Sick Kids fundraiser organized by a Grade 7 student. Any teacher who gets money in their jar will need to wear pyjamas for a whole day.

M identifies a line of symmetry on the classroom broom.

K, G, and Z chose a piece of writing from their Writer's Workshop notebook that they are most proud of from the last month and they write about why it is their best piece before including it in their portfolio. Z uses the Word Wall to spell an unfamiliar word.

M writes about her Week Without Walls trip to Ripley's Aquarium during another Writer's Workshop later in the week.

G and K work on the background for the bat project in art class with Brie.

M and Z use palettes to mix just the right colour for their night sky. 

M explores symmetry using her favourite subject: cats! 

G, Z, and M invite A and P to join them in drawing after morning check-in.

Grade 1-2s and Early Learners stop for a photo on their way to the ravine.

Grade 1-2s and Early Learners work together to rebuild a beloved "tree shelter" that they frequently visited last year. It had been deconstructed and they worked together to reconstruct it.

Students worked together in pairs to move and lift sticks that were taller than they were. 

M and S work with K to move a large stick toward the shelter.

M and Z work together to sort sticks by length and thickness to be used in the reconstruction of the ravine tree shelter.

Students celebrate their completed construction. 

S and M work on creating birthday cards for the younger brother of a classmate, T, who they visit with every day after school.

M makes a birthday card for her little brother.

Our beekeeper from Alvéole visited to inspect the hive and add some food stores to help the bees survive the winter. He took time to show a frame to the Grade 1-2s and to explain how the smoke helps mask the scent of a human to calm the bees and protect the beekeeper.

G, S, and M really enjoyed watching the beekeeper take care of the hive and they even got to take home some wax!