Our Learning This Week...

Hello Families! We braved the bitter cold this week and stayed warm by diving into lots of exciting learning. Our classroom was buzzing with curiosity, creativity, and hands-on activities. Here’s a peek at what we’ve been up to!

In ELAL, we focused on the /ch/ sound. Students practiced listening carefully for this sound in words and worked on distinguishing between the /ch/ and /sh/ sounds. They enjoyed reading words and short stories that featured the /ch/ sound and built their confidence by identifying and using these sounds in a variety of literacy activities.

In Math, we began exploring word problems. Students learned a step-by-step approach to solving them by acting out problems, identifying important information, and underlining key details. We also discussed clue words that help determine whether to add or subtract, helping students think more strategically about how to approach each problem.

We also started learning about fractions this week. Students learned that a fraction represents a part of a whole and practiced writing fractions correctly. We focused first on halves and then expanded our thinking to include thirds, fourths, fifths, and beyond. Using visual models, students examined whether fractions showed equal or unequal parts, strengthening their understanding through hands-on and visual learning.

In Social Studies, we continued our learning about culture, with a special focus on holidays and celebrations around the world. Building on our discussion of Valentine’s Day from last week, students learned about Lunar New Year and Ramadan. After watching a video about Lunar New Year traditions, students compared and contrasted Canadian New Year’s Eve celebrations with Lunar New Year festivities, noticing both similarities and differences. We also talked about Chinatown and looked at pictures of the Chinese Cultural Centre in downtown Calgary

Following this, students learned about Ramadan, an important and meaningful holiday observed by millions of Muslims around the world. They listened to a presentation that introduced the purpose and traditions of Ramadan, including fasting, reflection, kindness, and community. Students also enjoyed a story about a young girl experiencing fasting for the first time, which helped them better understand what Ramadan can look like from a child’s perspective. To demonstrate their learning, students created drawings that highlighted important aspects of Ramadan.

In Art, students created beautiful drawings of a horse to celebrate the Year of the Horse in the Chinese Zodiac. We discussed the significance and qualities associated with the horse, then followed step-by-step instructions to sketch the outline. Students added vibrant details using oil pastels and acrylic markers. They turned out great!