Exploration Time

During our exploration time we are working on discovering new things, or practicing a skill. The kids are introduced to different materials and create many unique experiences. The socialization or quiet time allows for them to learn, explore and have fun!

 Here are our thoughts:
I like using the kinetic sand. There is like white stuff in the kinetic sand so it doesn't make a mess. -Lily
I like exploration time because it helps me learn to build. -Blake
The kinetic sand is really fun because we get to make a restaurant. -Charlotte

Exploration time makes me better at stuff. When I get older I'll be better at building. -Jack
I learn stuff at exploration time. I can build and make patterns. -Ava
I like that we can meet people that we don't know very well. -Brooke
I colour pictures and and draw pictures too. -Adria
I enjoy exploration time because I can use paintbrush markers to colour my mandala. -Tyson
Exploration time is good because you can learn to work together to build a big castle. -Chase
I like exploration time because it's challenging. -Brody
I like blocks because you can build stuff and balance stuff. -Ben
We put blocks on the bottom and then 2 less on a row. When it gets far enough to the top you can put the top on. -Andrew
Exploration time is fun because I get to use sand to build different things. -Desi

I love watching, listening and asking about what they are doing. Exploration time is big hit in Room 2.
-Mrs. T :)

Beautiful Birch Trees

We made amazing birch trees in art class. There were several steps involved. Masking tape was used to form the trees. We thought 4-7 trees would be a good number to fit the paper. The tape had to be pressed down really well. Watercolour paints were used for the background and salt was added to the wet paint for a neat effect. Once the paint completely dried, we brushed off the salt and we were able to do the big reveal of the tree outlines as we gently peeled the tape off the paper. The trees were white and no paint had leaked through! Black crayons were used to outline the trees, and to draw on the bark.

We reflected on our artwork to explain something that was hard, something that was different, something we learned or liked, or maybe something we would change next time.

Here are our thoughts:
It was hard to draw the black lines. I would make my lines straighter. -Lily
I liked how my trees crossed. The lines were hard to make. -Desi
It was hard to peel the tape off really gently. It was hard to trace the trees with crayon. -Brooke
It was hard to make lines with the crayon. I like the colours. -Dominic
I have never painted over tape before. I would not change anything because it looks fine. -Brody
I learned how to make birch trees. I dumped a lot of salt in one spot. -Chase
I thought that we would do straight trees but trees are not always straight. I thought I would not do a pattern, but then I did a pattern. -Bianca
It was hard to keep my lines in the trees. It was neat to paint over the tape. -Adria
The tape was hard to get on because you have to spread the tape out. The salt made a good pattern. -Tyson
I learned how to paint trees. The tape made the trees really straight and white. -Jack
The hard thing was to do the sides of the trees. I would change my trees to go different ways. -Marshall
It was hard to keep the black lines on the very edge. Don't put way too much salt on the paint. Theo
It was hard to brush the salt off because there was lots of salt. The trees are straight. -Ava
I learned it was cool how we made the trees. We took tape and we put it on the paper and painted over it. We put on salt then we tore the tape off. -Blake
Doing the black lines was hard because it was hard to stay straight. I like the colours. -Andrew
I did good on my birch trees. I learned that I could tape it and I wouldn't get any paint on the trees. -Arianna
It was hard to trace the trees with black crayon. I learned that birch trees have lines. -Charlotte
The lines were hard to make. I would make the lines outside of the trees really dark. -Ben

The results are absolutely beautiful. Please have a peek at them on Artsonia. As I have been driving to work this week I have noticed the colours of the sky look just like the backgrounds created by the artists in Room 2. Simple breathtaking.
-Mrs. T :)

Word of the Year

We talked about the power of words and how they can have special meaning to us. After sharing important words, we selected only one word that would make us happy and give us good thoughts. It's not easy to pick just one word, but this would be our Word of the Year. We hope that if you ask us in a month, we will remember our word.

Here are our thoughts:
Help . . . I like to help people. -Desi
Love . . . because I love my dad. -Marshall
Hockey . . . because I am in Tim Bits. -Andrew
Caves . . . because they are cool. You might see gold. -Brody
Maui . . . because I like to go to the aquarium. -Ben
Love . . . I love my mom and dad and sister. -Lily
Hope . . . I have great hope that the year ahead will be awesome. -Mrs. T.
Daddy . . .  because I play with my dad. -Dominic
Peace . . . because it means you have lots of room to play. It means you can play. -Theo
Puppies . . . I like puppies because they make me happy. I like when my puppies lick me. -Arianna
Mom . . . I love my mom because she takes care of me. -Blake
Caring . . . it is a nice thing to do. I care for my mom and dad. -Charlotte
Love . . . because I love my family. -Ava
Play . . . I like playing with my friends. We play on the trampoline. -Tyson
Dragons . . . I love dragons because they can fly. -Brooke
Love . . . I love my mom and dad. -Adria
Brothers . . . I love my brothers because they share. -Jack
Cats . . . I like them because they are cute. -Bianca
Dad . . . because he loves me. -Chase

What would be your Word of the Year?
-Mrs. T :)

Happy 2017!

Welcome back everyone! It was so good to see smiling faces this morning. . .in between a few yawns. It`s never easy to return from a nice break, but we managed to get back into our routines slowly but surely. We had so much to share that we needed to start our day with a class meeting to hear all the adventures we were up to over the holidays.

We found out that one of our friends will be leaving our learning community and moving to another school. Today was her last day. This brought on some sadness as well as good wishes for all that lies ahead for our good friend, Stacey. We love you and we will miss you, Stacey.

Here are our thoughts:
I went to a Christmas party. I will miss Stacey so much. -Adria
I got to baby dolls for Christmas. I am going to miss Stacey. -Charlotte
I stayed up all night for New Year's Eve. I really like Stacey's drawings. -Ava
I snowmobiled with my friends on the holidays. I will miss Stacey. -Tyson
I went to laser tag yesterday. I am going to miss Stacey. -Desi
My family all got an X-Box I. I am going to miss Stacey a lot. She is one of my best friends. -Jack
I got a pinball machine and I got a Hyper Fire Nerf gun. I will miss Stacey. I like her and she's one of my friends. -Andrew
I got a remote control Tyrannosaurus Rex. I really, really, really, really will miss Stacey a lot. -Chase
I got lots of Lego. I will miss Stacey. -Marshall
I am going to see my cousins in 4 weeks and I am very excited. Stacey is my best friend and I will miss her so so much. -Arianna
I got my own snowmobile that I can share with my brother. It is a Yamaha Snow Scoot and it's blue. I am going to miss Stacey a lot more than you know. -Brody
I got Frozen Lego. I will miss Stacey because she is a good friend at school. -Bianca
I got an X-Box for New Year's. I got a Lego game Farm Simulator 17. I love Stacey lots. -Blake
I got a remote control car for my birthday. I will really miss Stacey because she is my number 1 best friend. -Ben
I liked my holidays. Good-bye Stacey. -Dominic
I liked my hobby train because I got it for Christmas from my mom and dad. I will miss you, Stacey. -Theo

I hope you all have had a wonderful start to 2017. A new year brings lots of promise and hope. I look forward to all the learning and growing that we will accomplish this year. Let`s have an awesome 2017.
-Mrs. T :)

Some creative building at indoor recess.