A quick clarification

Just a quick blog post to clarify:

We will be sending the other two pages of words this week, so there is no need to print from the online book (unless you wanted to).  I merely posted the online book to test out a new tool and also to give you an extra point of reference in case anyone wanted it.  We will also post 2 more videos of Mme Tessmann reading the words for your reference.  I hope it helps!

Also, we have added a new video to Our Favourite Songs page, which you can find by clicking on the link on the right under Pages, or by clicking here. 

Soon I will post an update on what we have been working on in science, so stay tuned for that!

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

MIMI - An online book of all the words

I have created an online book version of all the words that we are learning for this cycle of our MIMI word study.  To view it, click here.  This website also allows you to download the *pdf version of this file for you to use at home if you wish. 

I have a feeling we will be using this site to make some online class books this year!

2nd page of words (video)

Here are the words on the second page that we sent home. 

les couleurs - un sac de crayons

MIMI

Français (French Language Arts)

Both Mme Tessmann and Mme Hegarty teach French Language Arts.  To teach French Language Arts we use the “PWIM”/”MIMI” model (Picture Word Inductive Model/Modèle Inductive des Mots Illustrés) which which is an in depth word study based on a photo that we`ve chosen.  We have been working through the 1^st cycle of PWIM/MIMI using the picture titled Dans la Salle de Classe (In the Classroom). 

 

 Each MIMI Word Study Cycle works through the following process:

·        labelling a variety of French vocabulary words in the picture,

·        exploring common letters, sounds, syllables, in the words,

·        reading and sorting the vocabulary words by doing a variety of word study activities,

·        sorting and classifying vocabulary words according to letter sounds, number of syllables, etc.

·        creating and reading simple sentences using the vocabulary words generated from the picture,

·        generating titles for the picture, and

·        writing stories (working with paragraphs) based on the photo.

Today your child is bringing home some of their MIMI word cards (2 pages).  Please have your child practice reading these words daily or regularly if daily is not possible.  When practicing reading these words with your child, we suggest doing the following:

1.      Have your child practice identifying and naming the picture of each object in French.

2.      When your child knows the names of each object, practice reading the words associated with the pictures.

Please feel free to cut the cards up as you wish and make a game out of it to make learning these words fun for your child.  For example, you can use them as flash cards, play a memory matching game or sorting words with common attributes (ie. letters, sounds, words like un/une, etc.)

We have made some videos of the words being sent home, which may help you and your child to practise at home.

du papier - des souliers

Our first word study poster

Here is our first MIMI poster of the year. Through MIMI (a french term which translates to PWIM: Picture Word Inductive Model), we will explore words, letters, and letter sounds using these words which were "shaken out" by the students. We will be sending home word cards from this poster for your child to practice in the near future.

Destination: Conservation Update

Mme Hamilton (Grade 3/4 FI teacher) and I are doing the "Destination:  Conservation" environmental club at École Victoria School this year and, for that reason, I just wanted to highlight some events happening in Saskatoon next weekend for World Rivers Day.

On Sunday, September 30th, you may be interested in accompanying your child(ren) to any of the following:

River Landing Hike:    Join Girl Guides Saskatoon for their public hike along River Landing. This hike will stop at River Landing as well as possibly make it to the Water Treatment Plant. Enjoy the beauty of the South Saskatchewan River in this interpretive hike and learn about Girl Guides too. The walk runs from 1pm until 3pm. Please arrive at Friendship Park at 12:30pm to pre-register.

Who/What’s in our River: Greg Fenty from the Saskatoon Zoo Society will be in the park giving you the scoop of what special organisms live in our river! There will also be an interactive biological artifacts display. Great for kids!

Friendship Park and River Clean up: Trash Dashers Saskatoon invites the public to come on down and help keep Friendship Park and our riverbank clean Sunday, September 30th at 3pm. Girl Guides Saskatoon will also be participating in this event.  

More details and other events can be found at the following Facebook event page:  http://www.facebook.com/events/102435269914373/ . Information courtesy of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society - http://www.environmentalsociety.ca/

The Destination: Conservation Environmental Club will be having our second meeting on Wednesday, September 26th at 12:05pm in Mme Hamilton's classroom.  Students of all ages are welcome!

Nos capsules de temps

Yesterday we finished our time capsule project which we have been working on since the very first day of school. Inside it contains:
- a self-portrait done on the very first day of school
- some drawings and writing about our interests
- a string that I used to measure your child's height
- a traced and coloured copy of your child's hand and foot
All of this was done with very minimal assistance and the children wrapped them up yesterday. I put a sign up that says "do not open until June 2013" because we will do all of this again at the end of grade 1 to celebrate the growth and learning we will have accomplished during grade 1. I know that it will be a wonderful experience to have a concrete example of how hard we have worked during the school year.

Meet the teacher night

It was very nice to so many parents tonight. I'm sorry if I didn't get a chance to speak to everyone - it was pretty busy in the classroom! Hopefully you got a chance to speak to at least one of us.

Tomorrow I will take a few moments to explain the Capsules de temps that you may (or may not) have noticed in the corner of the classroom. ;)

Thanks for coming tonight! It's going to be a great year!

Bonsoir tout le monde!

Qui suis-je?

The boys and girls in salle 6 have worked very hard on these self-portraits with Mme Tessmann. Can you find your son or daughter's artwork? We are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at the Meet The Staff Night (at 6:30pm) to find out if you can guess right!

Mme Hegarty

Welcome parents / Bienvenue aux parents!

Bonjour les parents!

Hello parents!

This year we are trying out a new method of communication.  In addition to your children's agendas (which we will continue to check daily), we are hoping that this blog will serve to replace monthly newsletters and provide you with important classroom news on a more regular and current basis.   We encourage you to sign up to get any updates emailed to you directly by adding your email address to the box on the right (where it says "Follow this blog by email").

Please be patient as we get accustomed to this new technology;  it has been a slow process getting it ready in the midst of a busy first few weeks of school, but we will be adding updates and information soon.

In the meantime, here is a video that I have shown the Grade Ones that they enjoy very much.  I hope you enjoy singing this with your child as much as I do! Warning:  you may find yourself involuntarily humming this tune over the weekend. :)

Looking forward to seeing you at Meet the Staff night on Wednesday!

Mme Karyn Hegarty