Level Updates

 Kindergarten:

The Kindergarten team is off to a wonderful start! Our friends are getting to know their new surroundings and routines, and making lots of new friends. Each day brings something new and exciting, we can't wait to explore what the rest of the year has to offer.

 

We inquiring about ourselves and what makes us unique, with our current planner This is Us. We are reflecting on how we have grown and changed, being open minded about our similarities and differences, and being risk-takers when sharing special talents we have.  

 

This month, we’re also looking forward to participating in some Quest and Kindergarten team Halloween traditions and celebrations. Stay tuned for more info in the weeks to come.  

Primary:

The Primary teachers are very happy to have everyone back for the start of the 2021-2022 school year.  We are so excited to offer more opportunities this year for children to explore the school!  Due to the different school year, we experienced last year, we are teaching things that we have never had to teach before. For example, how to go through the lunch line or how to return books to the library.  If you or your child are unsure of something, please do not hesitate to ask.  We sometimes forget that the children have not had these experiences yet.  

Our first planner of the year is "Problem Solving for Peace".  The children are learning about different systems in their lives and how they provide order.  We will be learning about rules, laws, and responsibilities.  The students really enjoy learning ways to problem solve in the classroom, for example playing "rock, paper, scissors," to fairly see who goes first.  As well as,  discussing "little deals and big deals." To support this planner at home try discussing the systems you have in your house that your children may not be aware of.  In addition, problem solve together when your child has an issue. If your child is forgetting their snacks, what system could they put in place to fix that?

As a team, we are asking that your child reads every day.  Reading 10 minutes a day, or being read to, can greatly improve reading skills which will impact all parts of your child's education.  We are looking forward to an amazing school year!  Thank you for your ongoing support. 

Elementary:

The Elementary Team has been hard at work! Students and teachers spent the first few weeks of school busily engaging in get to know you activities, learning classroom routines, and beginning workshops in reading, writing, math, and inquiry.  Our first planner of the year focuses on Indigenous Peoples. In this planner students learn about the Haudenosaunee culture and way of life. Students engage in research and discuss the similarities and differences among various Native American groups. We learn about how people of Native American heritage help to shape and make contributions to our world.  All of the students have enjoyed working together, learning, and having fun! 

Intermediate:

Thanks to Mr. Gibbs, the intermediate level had an engaging provocation into our first unit of the year. He supplied us with ancient artifacts and students had to use what they know and questions they had to conduct research. We learned that these artifacts were ancient coins, varied in size and metal type, often had someone of power on one side (a ruler or famous athlete) and were very old. These coins led us into the inquiry of civilizations from local and global perspectives.

 

Our current inquiry unit is Artifacts tell a story of exploration, power, trade and moral reasoning.

Our lines of inquiry are:

• analyzing and interpreting world maps

• How, why, when, and where people moved

• learning about the past from artifacts

 

In this unit, we will also research explorers, their motivations, geography and more.