After the excitement of Francofête, we settled back into our routines last week. We began the week with an Easter egg hunt. Each student found 1 plastic egg, with a number of dried beans inside (no candy!). We gathered together to count out how many beans each child got, and then we talked about the best way to add together so many numbers. We eventually settled on making groups of 10. We used manipulatives to represent the groups of 10 that we made, and added them up to make 123 beans.

In math we reviewed positional language and the names and attributes of 2D and 3D shapes. We also did a shape sorting activity that involved identifying attributes of unusual shapes in order to group them. We practiced together on the carpet and then the table groups each began with a set of shapes. They needed to start with one shape, and then find others that were similar in some way. From this, they needed to articulate their "sorting rule" (what the shapes chosen had in common). Then I asked them to draw a new shape that followed their sorting rule, and write their sorting rule on the paper.

Our writing this week was in the preparation of the final projects for our structures unit. Each child worked with the 3 photos they took of the construction of their structure (beginning, middle and end). On the iPads, they used an app called Skitch to add text and arrows, telling the story of how they built their structure. They used their new vocabulary of materials and positional language to explain. It was a very challenging task because the app is a bit tricky to use, but the kids showed amazing stamina for seeing through this project!

     We also learned to tell a new story in French, Le Tambour Magique (The Magic Drum), with gestures to help with the memorization.

I talked with the kids about spelling and asked them how we might learn to spell a few words correctly by the end of grade 1, to get ready for grade 2. The Spelling Bee the previous week set the stage for this. After some discussion, we decided that we will have a dictée every Friday, but that I won't send home the words to study at home. The kids wanted to keep their time at home for playing and being with family, and I agreed that those things were very important. Instead, the kids will use "word study" time during Daily 5 time to study the dictée words. We will start with the words from the Francofête Spelling Bee, just 5 words each week. I am adding a few longer, bonus words for those who want a greater challenge.

We talked about behaviour on the carpet ( a perenial topic!) and I introduced some new visual reminders. I am asking kids to go and look these posters over when they are forgetting our agreements for behaviour.

We finished the week with a very fun music session with musician Michael Anderson, celebrating a student's birthday. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful experience with the class! And of course being in pyjamas makes everything more fun!