Happy Lunar New Year!

We are ready for a great year of the rooster in Division 2!  With all our discussions on poverty, we are very aware of how fortunate we are.  

Gina from the Vancouver Public Library is coming tomorrow to teach us how to better use the public library as a resource.  We will use these new resources tomorrow as we continue our discussions on Residential Schools.  Miss Kelly and I encourage you ask your child about Reconciliation and Residential Schools as its a tricky topic and they may have sensitive questions.  We will continue to inquiry, share, and discuss in the classroom as well.  

Just a reminder about Play Day on Thursday!  We encourage kids to bring things to play with: games, dolls, cards, toys, bikes, skateboards, etc.  It's going to be great.  

Finally, our Lit Circle books are finishing up.  Students are working on a scrapbook page to represent the important themes, events, and characters in their novels.  On Tuesday the 7th, students will be handing in their 2 best Reading Power and Lit Circle Role sheets.  We encourage them to take some time over the next week to make sure they are handing in their best work!

Mrs. Soper & Miss Kelly

Artist in Residence

Another great week in Division 2 coming!  

In Language Arts, we continue to work on our Literature Circles and our Inquiry Project on poverty.  While we spent the first term talking about global poverty, we are focusing on poverty at home this term.  We've asked that all kids have a Vancouver Public Library card and a pin.  Students without a card have been sent home an application and we will get them dropped off and organised.  If they have their own, please send them to school the next two Wednesdays. 

We had a meeting with artist Susan McCallum today.  She is an amazing and inspiring artist and teacher and we are fortunate to have her as our Artist in Residence this year.  She will be coming 5 times this term to teach us painting.  The class will pick a poverty related theme for us to focus on, and we hope to end the unit with an art auction raising money for a local poverty cause. If you'd like to see some of Susan's work, check out her website. 

Play Day is coming up.  It's a great and important opportunity for maturing students to rediscover their creative side.  Please send your child to school on Thursday, Feb 2nd with games, toys, and other non-electronics.  Check out this and other Ted Talks for more information about the benefits of play!  

Play

Mrs. Soper & Miss Kelly

Mannequin Challenge - Better Late Than Never

Our Mesopotamia Projects are due tomorrow!  They are looking great and we are so excited for the unveiling tomorrow.   Lit Circles are also in full swing.  The discussions have been insightful and interesting to hear.  Students have a background knowledge assignment due on Thursday in addition to their regular Lit Circle role.  They will have class time to work on it Wednesday, but they should be working on it at home this week as well.  Our French family projects are amazing!  We will have a follow-up quiz on Monday as well, and that will end our study of the Family. 

We encourage kids to check out this Kahoot quiz to help study, and even make their own. 

Family Kahoot

Finally, we have switched our platooning since the New Year.  We are lucky to have Miss Walker teaching science this term, and Ms. Byrne teaching sewing for ADST.  Ask you child how its going!

 

Division 2 participated in the Mannequin Challenge craze in late November and then promptly forgot all about it!  Oops.  Here it is; better late than never!

2017 is Off to a Good Start!

Once again, thank you for all the generous gifts and well wishes before the break.  Miss Kelly & I couldn't have been more thrilled!  Thank you.  We hope everyone had a great break, and not too busy!  Especially since we are just starting to get busy back at school.

Our Science Sways were due today.  We are very excited to see where our student inquiries led everyone.  Our French family projects are also due this week.  Students have had over 3 hours of class time to work on it, but there may be some last minute art to complete.  The class' Mesopotamia projects are due next week.  The kids have been working diligently on their research for weeks!  We are looking forward to the presentations next week.

We have two field trips this week as well, a play at Tupper Friday morning and then skating Friday afternoon.  We go skating again on Feb 21st, and March 1st as well.

Finally, Division 2 is excited to start our Literature Circles.  Each student has chosen a novel out of a possible 8 that they think they will enjoy.  Miss Kelly and I have read all of the novels, and they are amazing!  Please encourage your child to stay on schedule for their reading, and Lit Circle work.  Perhaps even ask them about their novel.  It will be good practice for their Lit Circle discussions.

Just a reminder, we are still collecting food for the Vancouver Food Bank.  If you have any leftover Christmas goodies that need a new home, please send them to school!

Miss Kelly & Mrs. Soper