Monday, November 9, 2015


ROOM 103's FALL EXPLORATION

The students of Room 103 have been using Art, Literacy and Science to learn and demonstrate their understanding about fall. We have studying the trees in the front yard and analyzing, exploring and discussing the changes.
 
 
 
Check out what we have been up to in Room 103.

Science Curriculum Expectations:
Understanding Earth and Space Systems: Daily and Seasonal Changes

1.1 Assess the impact of daily and seasonal changes on human outdoor activities
1.2 Assess ways in which daily and seasonal changes have an impact on society and the environment
2.2 Investigate the changes in the amount of light from the sun that occur throughout the day
Understanding Matter and Energy: Energy in our lives
2.2 Investigate how the sun affects the air, land and/or water
2.4 Investigate and compare seasonal differences in the ways we use energy and the types of energy we use
2.7 Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary
3.2 Demonstrate an understanding that the sun, as the earth's principal source of energy, warms the air, land, and water
3.4 Describe and compare the four seasons
3.6 Describe how humans

Math Curriculum Expectations:
Measurement:
-relate temperature to experiences of the seasons

Art Curriculum Expectations:
D1.1 Create two dimensional works of art that express ideas and feelings inspired by personal experiences.
D1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of composition, using principals of design to create art works on a theme or topic (fall, using dots and colours to express the colours of fall).
D1.3 Use elements of design in art works to communicate ideas, messages and personal understandings.
D1.4 Use a variety of materials, tools and techniques to respond to different challenges.

 
 

Monday, September 21, 2015

We have had a great first few weeks - stay tuned over the next few days to check out what we have been working on in Grade 1 Math, Language and Social Studies.

Please check the latest pages to find out about the Book Talk Program and the Take Home Bags!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

Ms. Givelos

Wednesday, September 9, 2015


Welcome to our Grade 1 Classroom! I am very excited to be teaching your child this year. I look forward to a great year filled with lots of new experiences, exciting learning, and of course, fun!

Please read below our FIRST NEWSLETTER sent home on September 9, 2015. 

I have an open-door philosophy and I always welcome parents/guardians. I believe that in order to provide an effective education for your child we must work as a team and therefore I like to keep a constant line of communication between school and home. I will be communicating with you via your child’s planner. If you have any questions and/or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school at 416-395-2750 or via e-mail at ilianna.givelos@tdsb.on.ca.

Friendly Reminders:
-Your child's agenda is a great way for me to send home items and to communicate with you, please ensure you are checking it every day
-Physical Education Days are Day 3 & 5
-Music & Drama is Day 1, 2, 3
-Library is Day 4
-Please send indoor running shoes so that your child always has appropriate footwear for Phys. Ed. And DPA
-Please send your child to school with a water bottle
-Please make sure that all things brought to school have your child’s name clearly marked on it to help place missing items with rightful
owners.  
Please label lunch bags.
Keep checking our blog weekly for updates, calendars, newsletters and to stay in the loop! Feel free to check out my posts from last year!

I. Givelos



Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Room 108's Birds Study Science Centre - Transforming our Drama Centre
The students of Room 108 have created their very own Birds Student Science Centre, where they can go and explore, create and research birds. We have writing down what we have learned and even created a Venn Diagram comparing birds and the boys and girls of Room 108.



Creating Birds

As part of our inquiry, the students of Room 108 made birds in their nests as an activity with Ms. Saplala. They each had used various materials and created birds of their choices and used their words to describe how and what they made. Some students chose blue jays, others cardinals, robins and parrots! Check out their work!

We also incorporated Capacity (Math) and had the students place their birds into their nests and estimate how many they can fit in their nest. 

Coming up....
Using texture art to create our own birds with Plasticine.

Some videos/website to visit at home with your child....

National Geographic Kids

Pebble Go - can be access through the TDSB Virtual Library

YouTube - Birds for Kids

YouTube - Birds Sounds


 The students researched various birds using technology and books and created the birds they were researching.                      

Shahira made an owl based on one of the stories we read in class. Inaki made a hummingbird and placed the hummingbird on a flower as thats where they get their food.                      










Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Bird Inquiry

Last week the students of Room 108 were thrilled to see the birds flying in the sky which started our BIRD inquiry!

We began by brainstorming ideas of what we know about birds.

We then began watching a few YouTube video’s on Birds creating nests and taking care of their babies. We documented how to build our OWN nests! The students were FASCINATED and cannot WAIT to find out more! Check out National Geographic Kids and YouTube to find out some great video's on birds!

We went for a nature walk and collected items that we can use to create our very OWN nests in class.



Branavan brought in a birds nest that he had found in his backyard this winter and the students loved checking out and observing how it was structured. 



Stay tuned as we will continue our exploration of Birds and transform our Dramatic Learning Centre into a Bird Inquiry Centre.


Start the discussion at home – talk to you student about what we are learning about birds, what they want to learn and try to find some resources/books that they can read/watch to tell us about in class!

CHECK out OUR WRITING

The SK students have been focusing on WRITING and have been working on writing words and sentences by sounding out each letter. Here are some examples of how our writing is developing!










Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Introduction to Measurement

Measurement:

The students of Room 108 have been exploring different forms of Measurement such as: length, height, capacity and weight. Our introductory lesson we brainstormed various Math Words to describe size, the students came up with: Huge, big, tall, short, ginormous! We have been focusing on Non-Standard Units for the last few weeks.

Books that we have read to support our learning:






In-Class Activities Included:
-Measuring length using our feet
-Measuring objects in the classroom using various materials such as markers, blocks etc…
-Measuring our own feet using various materials such as stickers, marshmellows etc…
-We have been exploring capacity in both the Sand and Water Tables (containers, comparing big with small containers)
-Comparing each other's heights and trying to estimate how much we weigh
-Organizing each other from tallest to shortest








Curriculum Expectations: 

M2.1 compare and order two or more objects according to an appropriate measure (e.g., length, mass, area, temperature, capacity) and use measurement terms (e.g., hot/cold for temperature, small/medium/large for capacity, longer/shorter or thicker/thinner for length)

M2.2 demonstrate, through investigation, an awareness of non-standard measuring devices (e.g., feet, hand spans, string, or cubes to measure length; hand claps to measure time; scoops of water or sand to measure capacity) and standard measuring devices (e.g., measuring cups at the water and sand centre, balance scales at the block centre) and strategies for using them (e.g., place common objects end to end to measure the length of the classroom; use cubes to plan the length of a road at the sand table or the block centre; use footsteps to measure the distance between the door and the sink)

M2.3 demonstrate, through investigation, a beginning understanding of non-standard units that are the same type (e.g., straws, paper clips) but not always the same size


Our Letter to Robert Munsch

We are excited to be writing a letter to Robert Munsch who we had e-mailed a few weeks ago. When we e-mailed him he contacted us asking for a class letter! Branavan is a HUGE fan of Robert Munsch and showed great interest in contacting him to express how much Room 108 loves his books! We are hoping to get a response soon (and hopefully an unpublished book about Room 108).