We CAN do it!!

Once again, Dougall is partnering with the Downtown Mission to help collect canned and boxed food, to help those without enough to eat.  The entire school is being challenged to collect 1,000 cans.  Our class goal is 50 cans!  We will be collecting food from Dec. 1 to Dec. 9.  Regular can count updates will be made over the next two weeks!  The students are excited for the challenge, and are very excited to be helping others.  Thank you for your support!!  Together, we CAN do it!

Salt Painting???

Yes!!  During visual arts this week, we took painting to a new level -- we created masterpieces out of salt and coloured water.  The students had a blast.  The first step was to create the design using a glue stick.

Next, the students covered the paper with salt, and revealed their fantastic designs.

Ta-da!

The last step was adding the colour.  We used coloured water and dropped water onto the salt designs. The students were amazed at the way the salt attracted all the water, and the colour was only visible on the salt.

The students created some interesting designs...and it was fantastic to see literacy aspects incorporated within visual arts.  Many students chose to create letters, and even messages through their artwork.

Literacy Games and Resources

Time spent on the computer can help your child develop their literacy skills.  Find some time to spend with your child on the computer and check out some of these great sites.

www.windsorpubliclibrary.com
The library has so much to offer.  Not only can you find information about books to borrow and activities to participate in, but there are tabs to click on for kids and parents.  Fantastic links to various activities and games.  There is also a great list of picture books and novels by grade.

www.starfall.com

Activities, games and on-line stories at all stages of reading development.  Includes stories students can read, and click on unknown words and hear the word.

www.pbskids.org

Various activities, games and stories based on favourite children’s PBS Shows (Curious George, Arthur, The Cat in the Hat, Martha Speaks etc.)

www.readwritethink.org

Click on the Parents & After School tab for a great variety of reading and literacy activities (Book Cover Creator, Alphabet Organizer, Construct-A-Word etc.)  You can specify which grade level the activities should be geared toward.  This site is run by the International Reading Association.  There are some really helpful articles and tips listed.

www.storylineonline.net

You and your child can listen to famous celebrities read aloud from some favourite children’s books (The Polar Express, A Bad Case of the Stripes, Harry the Dirty Dog).

www.mrsalphabet.com

This site provides games, activities, stories and even recipes to help children learn and understand the alphabet, phonics, beginning reading, math and more.

www.scholastic.ca

Although Scholastic is a book publisher, their website offers great articles, ideas and tips for parents as well as fun reading activities for children.  Your child can find more information about favourite book characters, read about authors, explore Birdwell Island with Clifford the Big Red Dog, and more.

www.funbrain.com

This website offers literacy and math activities and games.  Many popular children’s book series are featured.

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/games

You can customize your search for literacy, math and even science games.  Read aloud stories, literacy games and puzzles are just a few of the activities featured.

Meaningful Silence...

Friday was a very special and meaningful day in our classroom - one I will truly never forget.  As a school, Dougall decided to become a part of Free the Children's Day of Silence.  Free the Children is an organization that encourages and empowers children in North America to participate in activities that will help to improve the lives of fellow children around the world.  Many of our students raised pledges and we all agreed to take a Vow of Silence for 120 minutes on Friday.  

As a class, we were excited for this opportunity -- and for what it meant.  We always start the day with our Morning Message.  Before our Vow of Silence began, we shared and collaborated about why we were going to be silent.  The ideas the students shared were meaningful and POWERFUL!

The students used their Kid Writing skills to record their ideas...

Here is the final list - their ideas are incredible!

*  to change the world

*  for kids who need water and food

*  so kids can go to school

*  so kids don't have to work

*  so kids can be kids

Although we were silent, a lot of great learning still took place.  Here are a few of the things we did while we were silent:

Literacy Centres (Computers, Pocket Chart Reading, Write the Room)

We also did some silent reading...

Thank you to all the families and friends who sponsored our students to help raise funds for Free the Children!  If you would like more information about Free the Children or the Day of Silence, please visit www.iamsilent.com.

Students Making Connections

Our day is full of various learning activities.  The main goal is to get students talking, interacting, discussing and exploring.  When given the chance to create and explore, it is amazing to see what learning takes place.  An exciting learning moment happened today during Literacy Centres.  


A small group of students were using play dough to create letters, names and words (this is one our favourite Literacy Centres right now).  The students at the centre were creating words, talking about what words they had created, and what they would work on next.  This conversation evolved into a discussion about the other languages the children speak at home.  Before we knew it, students were creating words in English, and in the various other languages they speak.  The students were comparing the symbols/characters they were using and what they each meant.  What a powerful learning opportunity presented itself!  These students truly connected and learned with each other and from each other.  

Play Dough & Fine Motor Control

Helping your child to improve their fine motor control is as easy as making a batch of (or purchasing some) play dough, and allowing them to play with the dough.  Your child will develop strength in their finger and wrist muscles simply by rolling, shaping and pinching the play dough.  These muscles are the same muscles your child uses when printing and colouring.  This is a fantastic way for your child to improve their printing skills - without picking up a pencil! 


Playing with play dough is an open ended activity.  This will allow your child to play, and experiment along the way.  Take the opportunity to engage in conversation while your child is creating.  Working together is a great way to engage in an authentic, oral language activity.



If you are interested in making a batch of play dough, have your child help you make it.  Not only will your child enjoy helping you, but this is a great opportunity to explore various math concepts (counting, measuring) and use directional language ("First we need to get out the ingredients.  Next...  Then...).


Mrs. Freeman's Fantastic Play Dough Recipe

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup table salt
1 table spoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 package of dry Kool Aid (will colour and scent the dough)

** You can double or triple the recipe depending on how much play dough you would like to have.

Add all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir. Slowly add in additional flour until the dough is firm enough to knead. Knead the ingredients together and slowly add in more flour until desired stickiness is reached. Play dough should be firm enough to hold a shape and not stick to fingers.  Store in an air tight container.


SPECIAL THANKS to Mrs. McLennan for sharing her play dough recipe with us!  Thank you! :o)

Learning from the Greats...

Part of our Visual Arts program this year will focus on learning about, and learning from some of the greatest and most famous artists in history.  The goal is not to copy their art - but by exposing the students to these varying artistic styles, the hope is that the students will expand they way they think about and create art.

The first artist we studied was Piet Mondrian.  He became a famous for his abstract paintings, and developed his own style.  He used the same elements in his paintings:  lines, geometric shapes, and primary colours on a white background.

First the students had to plan and create their grid...

Next, they decided which primary colours they wanted to add to the grid...

The paintings that resulted are each fantastic and unique - just like our students!

Sensational SMARTBoard

The students had a great time today, using our SMART Board.  The SMART Board is an interactive white board that allows students to participate in hands-on learning through technology.  Throughout the year, we will be using the SMART Board for all our different subjects.  Today, we practiced reading, writing and matching our WOW words, and had fun with some rhyming activities.  Tomorrow, we will be using the Smart Board during Visual Arts.  Here are some students in action.

Unscrambling and spelling WOW words...

Unscrambling and matching WOW words...

Finding rhyming words...

November Oral Language Activities

The Speech and Language Services Department of the Greater Essex County District School Board has provided us with some fantastic ideas for promoting oral language.  There is an activity for each day of the week - for the entire month.  These quick, fun activities will help your child to strengthen their oral language and early literacy skills.  How many can you and your child complete this month?

	√
Good-bye summer! Let’s talk about the clothes you are wearing now to keep warm. Brrr…
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall…I know another word that means the season “Fall”, do you?
On the go, in the car or on a walk…find the names of stores, restaurants and streets and read the names together. Do you see the first letter of your name in those words?
New word: “Exhausted”…what does that mean?
Read a book together. After you’ve read it, have your child retell it to you 
Tell me the name of the month. Clap out its syllables (No-vem-ber).
Did you know that birds “migrate”? What does that mean? Why do you think they do that?
What sound do you hear at the beginning of these words: rake, red, roof, rope, ride
How many words can you think of that rhyme with the word ‘TREE’? (e.g., me, see).
Oh-Oh! We forgot to buy eggs for breakfast. What else could we have for breakfast?
Let’s read! Make comments about what you would do in the same situation of your story’s character(s) (e.g., “If I were Goldilocks, I would run out of there as fast as I could!”
Find the “Canadian Tire” flyer. Cut out all of the tools you see.
Play ‘I Spy’! I spy with my little eye, something that starts with the ‘sssss’ sound.
Pretend you’re in a band. Bang your drum for the beats you hear in words (win—dy: 2 beats)
Dinner-time! Use different words to talk about your food: scrumptious, bitter, crispy, flavourful
Make a tree using the letters of your name on the leaves.
On the go, in the car or on a walk….count how many trees have lost their leaves.
How many words rhyme with ‘IG’ (e.g., big, wig)
Choose a book and talk about its parts…cover, title, author, illustrator, pages…etc.
Tell me about the TV show you just watched. Who were the characters? What happened?
Around the house treasure hunt! Find 5 things that start with /n/.
New word: “Thrilled”…what does that mean?
Sing the alphabet song before you go to bed. Can you sing it backwards? It’s tricky!
What’s the weather like outside today? Use your good describing words.
Play ‘Guess and Tell’: Hide 3 items in a bag and see if you can guess what each one is by your description (e.g., It starts with ‘l’, It grows on and then falls off of trees, It can be many different colours…). You and your child can take turns being the “speaker” and the “guesser”.
What sound do you hear at the end of these words: nap, cup, lip, beep, top
Tell me about what you did at recess today. Who did you play with? What did you do?
Let’s colour or draw a picture! Tell me about what you coloured/drew.
How do you make a pile of leaves? Jump into one…it’s a lot of fun!
Christmas is around the corner. Have a discussion about your wishes. We’ll write them out next month!

Cooperative Learning

The students will have many opportunities to work together in group settings this year.  This allows students the opportunity to learn from each other and with each other.  Working in groups allows students to work towards a common goal, and also allows students to improve upon their social skills.  Cooperation, leadership, decision-making and communication skills are just a few of the different skills that are developed during cooperative learning activities.

On Friday, the students worked in groups during Language Arts.   Each group used various newspaper fliers during a classification activity.  It was interesting to watch the group dynamics and listen in while the students worked together.  During this activity students were discussing their ideas, clarifying their point of view, sharing their ideas, and even worked together to label each object.  Take a peek...