Week #28: April 2nd - 5th

Dear Families,

Here we are already at the end of our first week of April, wowie!  Isn't the old saying April showers bring May flowers?  

Well, we had showers earlier this week, but got a dumping of snow on Thursday which caused an inclement weather day.  I do hope everyone stayed safe on the roads, and for the students who remained at home, I hope you enjoyed a quieter day ;)

Thank you to all the students who continue to work hard in their academics at home and at school.  With only April, May, and June left of school, I want to ensure the children are well prepared for the next grade level!  

We certainly are getting there through our dedication, determination, and persevering through challenges.  In life, there are no shortcuts, face hard times with grit.  Always believe in yourselves boys and girls!

SOLAR ECLIPSE:

As many are aware, Monday, April 8 is a PA day for SCDSB elementary students.

On Monday, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.  A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, completing blocking the face of the Sun.  The sky will darken as if it was dawn or dusk.

A friendly reminder for those interested!  Safety is the number one priority when viewing a total solar eclipse.  Please be sure you're familiar with when you need to wear specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing.

Want to watch it live?  Join NASA experts for a broadcast of the total solar eclipse at the link --> 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Official Broadcast

Please ensure that you scroll down to the MINDFULNESS section of my blog to watch an informative video about solar eclipses and have fun answering some comprehension questions to increase your knowledge & understanding of this special event happening on Monday!

MACLAREN ART PROGRAM:

Today, we had an excellent art opportunity during periods 3 & 4.  Artists from MacLaren visited our classroom to teach and do art with the children.

In the program, students used traditional water colour painting techniques and explored optical colour-mixing, visual texture and transparency as they created an out-of-this-world artwork representing space, the planets, and more!  Great connection as we soon experience the eclipse ;)

Check out Mae's final piece, brilliant!

We enjoyed this unique opportunity to meet and work with professional visual artists in our classroom.  They helped encourage our creativity, visual literacy, nurturing an appreciation of visual art and celebrating our strengths and abilities.  

The students put forth their personal best and I am sure you'll be proud of their results as they brought their artwork home today :)

Below are photos of us just getting started ;)

Thank you so much to the MacLaren Art Studio for offering your time, energy, and enthusiasm with us all.  We had a blast and are so proud of our art pieces!  

Margot even wore a Starry Night hoodie for our art program today, niiiice!

Final pieces REVEALED!

Every one is UNIQUE!

Proud of who WE ARE.

I hope you'll hang these up with PRIDE :)

And finally, check us out in more art action below!  Calm, confident, and focused :)

WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY:

World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated annually on April 2nd. It is all about love, understanding, and celebrating our friends for who they are.

Why is it on April 2nd?  Well, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared the 2nd of April as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life of those with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society.

Autism touches more than 70 million people globally.  Approximately 1 in 50 children and youth are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Canada and this number continues to grow.

Many countries around the world light up their landmarks BLUE to help increase understanding and acceptance of people with Autism. 

Harlow even painted her nails BLUE, how sweet!

Thank you Harlow for making me a blue bracelet to accompany my sweater

Thank you to all the students and staff who joined us in celebrating Autism Awareness Month (April) by showing your support and wearing blue :)  

Together, we can show this wonderful community of people that we understand and will share our compassion always. 

Wearing BLUE with pride & dignity :)

In this video, children will learn the importance of World Autism Awareness Day and how to celebrate.

APRIL KINDNESS CALENDAR:

Your child has received this month's kindness calendar!  I really liked the suggestion for April Fools Day - Pull a kind prank on someone.  

As always, I do hope your child utilizes some or many of the suggested ideas this month to bring joy to your household and beyond :)

CHARACTER RECOGNITION ASSEMBLY:

On Tuesday, we recognized March's character attribute of Integrity - “We can always be trusted even when NO ONE IS WATCHING!”  

Congratulations to all our Character Award recipients!

I have shared with my students how I feel this attribute encompasses all our character attributes that we have focused on thus far.  

I believe if a person demonstrates integrity, they also possess respect, caring, courage, honesty, optimism, cooperation, inclusiveness, empathy, and responsibility.  

I am comforted in knowing that WE at Nottawa are truly surrounded with many students and staff who consistently model integrity in their actions.

This song was played at the assembly and I really like it as did the kids.  Give it a listen, it's catchy :)

Congratulations to Ayden, Harlow, and Molly!  You are being recognized for ALWAYS displaying Integrity in your thoughts, words, and actions.  

I am so very proud of you!  Continue to be your best self in all that you do!  You are exemplary models for this attribute!  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU :-)

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PINK:

The International Day of Pink is a worldwide anti-bullying and anti-homophobia event held annually during the second week of April.  

Though similar to Pink Shirt Day in that it also seeks to end all bullying, the Day of Pink is more specifically aimed towards anti-LGBTQ+2 bullying.

WHY THIS MATTERS:

"Discrimination takes many shapes, whether it’s based on race, age, disabilities, gender or sexuality. The 2SLGBTQIA+ community is no stranger to the bullying and violence that stems from hateful beliefs.

While progress has been made towards removing these social barriers from our society, unfortunately discrimination still persists.

So every year, on the second Wednesday of April, we urge people around the world to put on a pink shirt and stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to continue fighting for equality and acceptance."

Please have your child wear pink on Wed. Apr. 10th 2024 to show our solidarity and support in creating a more inclusive and diverse world!  I really appreciate it :)

Coleton, Cayden, Connor, & Ryan (Class of 2018/2019)

SOCIAL STUDIES:

Students are really enjoying learning about Canada's Political Regions!  Many are determined to learn  ALL our provinces, territories, and their capitals by HEART!  I'm so proud :)

Thank you to Margot for sharing a friendly and fun game (see link below) that helps us solidify our skills in recognizing the Regions.  

Provinces & Territories Quiz Game

I have posted this game on Google Classroom as well so encourage your child to keep practicing.  

Perhaps you can also have a friendly competition to try to beat your child's score / time.  I believe the fastest time in our class so far is 0:19.  Mine was 0:24 (hehe).

AYDEN, BENTON, MALCOLM, & JONAS:

I would like to give a shout out to Ayden, Benton, Jonas and Malcolm who are already using class time to actively read, research, and note take about a province that they're interested in learning more about!

They know that I will eventually be assigning a project for this social studies unit so they're taking initiative for this task, AMAZING!!  Your dedication to your academics is awe-inspiring boys, keep it up!

MINDFULNESS:

Tune in to the video below! Get ready for some solar eclipse facts for kids! See why solar eclipses are so amazing, and what causes them!

You will learn about how the Earth, Moon and Sun align to cause partial and total eclipses!

Now that you've viewed the video, try answering the questions below :)

Whoa! It’s the middle of the day—so why is the sky getting dark? It’s a solar eclipse!

A solar eclipse happens when, at just the right moment, the moon passes between the sun and Earth.

Comprehension Questions: 1. What happens during a solar eclipse?

2. True or False: A partial solar eclipse always blocks all of the Sun’s light.

3. What is a path of totality?

4. The Sun’s atmosphere is called the ____________. Answer Key: 1. The Moon passes between the Sun and Earth 2. False 3. Path of the Moon’s shadow 4. Corona

I hope you enjoyed learning more about the solar eclipse and why it's such a fascinating and big deal!

GROWTH MINDSET:

Thank you Danika for this week's mindset message! 

"Stay POSITIVE, storms don't last forever."

With this week's rainy and snowy conditions, we must remain positive that brighter, sunnier, and warmer days are a comin'!

With love, grace, and gratitude,

Ms. Gill