Our Big Ideas in Kindergarten

The coho salmon eggs have hatched and the alevin are alert and healthy. The children had an opportunity to peak into the aquarium this week to see them.

Big Idea

Learning about ourselves and others helps us to develop a positive attitude and caring behaviors which helps us build healthy relationships.

Your children have been having lots of conversations about caring relationships with their families and their school friends. We have read many books like Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox and The Six Cedar Trees and How Raven Stole the Sun to inspire deeper thinking and cultivate knowledge building conversations. I have also added some First Nation plush animals into their play so that they can use some of the language and learning during exploration.

We have been continuing our learning about the spirit alliance First Nation animals; wolf, salmon, bear and raven and their inspiring traits. This past week the children set a learning goal for writing using the animal traits as inspiration (in kid language) be kind, be creative, work hard, be a good communicator, work together, listen with our minds and body... Next week the children will continue with setting a learning goal and be introduced to reflecting orally on their goal later in the day.

Big Idea

People create art to express who they are as individuals and community.

The children were introduced to a variety of new materials in the art studio this term. They have been exploring sharpie markers with different tips, paint, water colour, chalk pastels, pencil crayons, shaving cream, as well as paper, tape and string (very impressive pieces). Last week they combined chalk pastels and water colour on beautiful water colour paper squares to illustrate the coho salmon eggs. We will be spending time this week on 2D chalk pastel art modelled after Wesly Kandinsky and then, after spring break, use that understanding to create a collaborative sculptural interpretation of Kandisky using coloured paper.

Please begin to collect recycled parts for our spring endeavor 3D sculptures which I would like to add to the art studio. I already have some clay for the base. Some suggestions would be:

wire

large beads

large buttons

wood offcuts

squares of cardboard

stiff tubes

small Styrofoam blocks

pipe cleaners

I will set up a box for the collection in the classroom.

Thanks,