The children enjoyed working with their Grade Two Buddies building gingerbread houses to take home. We had so many creative solutions and encouraged the children to work together. Thank you to Jessica, Kendra and Mr. R. for helping with the children. My little hubby elf made me an early Christmas gift for the classroom. These tessellations will be a playful addition to our math tubs. Even though our Playful Inquiry on Patterns finished a few weeks ago the children continue to grow their knowledge. Here are a few more treasures the children made this week. Christmas Village arranged by Wyatt Christmas art created by Willow and Cruz I  have added a couple of special Christmas play centres this month; Christmas tinker toys and Christmas village which have been enjoyed by the children. This week will be quiet as so many of our families are busy with Christmas activities. We will remain onsite and enjoy Christmas  stories, so...

We have been enjoying some lovely Christmas stories. A few are funny, others sentimental and most are about friendship, family and kindness. Our new book this year is Little Santa by Jon Agee. Our class visit to Departure Bay Eco Preschool was filled with wonder, joy and new experiences. Kylie read the children Little Santa by author Jon Agee and shared her space with the children. Her yard was full of activities not usually available to the Kinders; a mud kitchen, water play, a car track, a playhouse and a huge sand box. The children are busy little Christmas elves and have been making decorations for the community, classroom, home and each other. They made Christmas placemats for the senior home after listening to Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mom Fox, handprint reindeer for the classroom and little Christmas trees for home. We have been working in small groups on a delicious family Christmas gift. Thank you to families who have sent in bubble wrap...

A group of children were making surf boards for stones and shells at the seashore The children have loved this beautiful fall weather and because of awesome parent support are enjoying many mornings at the seashore and in the forest. Kitchen Science Family Project I have sent home the science kit with the first family. Each family will have the kit for one week. If you would like to do a classroom demonstration pick one of the experiments and your child may do it on Friday (the day the kit is returned).  Please indicate on the sheet in the kit so that another family does not do the same experiment. A newsletter will come home on Monday with the details. Math   We have completed our playful inquiry on patterns and the children have created many simple and complex patterns using a wide variety of loose parts.  I have added pattern play to one of our Math Work Stations and a pattern challenge to our math journals. The e-portfolios have all been updated with patt...

I am so appreciative of the people that I work with. First the ferns came from Alex who has abundant ferns growing in her garden and is kind enough to share. Secondly, the shelf that to be honest I was very envious of was given to me by Kelly and third how amazing is it when a colleague is out shopping with her family and spies the perfect storytelling rug for my classroom. What a wonderful life!! ...

Of course we needed a little Halloween fun! Loose Parts Play by Acacia Our google document for November is up and ready for you to add dates that you are available to go offsite or stay indoors for cooking. We are not cooking this upcoming week however we will be making mini pizza's the following week. Our community volunteer Donna will be away until December and I am looking for a replacement community volunteer. The November class calendar is prepped and ready to go home on Monday. Reflective Learning I have begun to conference with the children individually asking them to do a simple reflection upon their own learning beginning with math. I will send home a copy of the sheet for you and either post a video or photo on their e-portfolio connected to the reflection sheet.  I have sent home an invite to all families to join Freshgrade. If you have not received the invite please email me and I will resend. Freshgrade will be used to share student...

The Opal school in Portland describes playful inquiry as.... This aligns with my belief about children as capable, competent and curious. I always trust that they will learn given kindness, patience and time. In our kindergarten classroom I have planned this framework around morning table work using a wide variety of loose parts and following up with a sharing circle about their thinking.  On this day they were guided with the question "what is a pattern, how can you show your thinking?" I have organized the table work to include a modified version of a gallery walk by asking the children to leave their design for the next participant to read and then move to a new space to create again. If a child comes to a space where a pattern has been left behind, then they can read the pattern and then rebuild using their own ideas. Beautiful Pinwheel Pattern by Eli I find it so interesting that their conversations revolve aro...