Real Students of the OC (Outdoor Classroom)

We settled into more of a routine today, and it seems the students are getting more and more comfortable with some new routines and daily practicies. We started with "Saviez-vous que?" this morning, an activity where students share something with the class. This a good little start-up activity that gets the kids thinking in French, and lets them get things off their chest before we get going for the day.

I neglected to mention in yesterday's blog post, but the kids put together a great mural that showed what they had done over the summer. It's on our back bulletin board, so make sure to check it out when you come in for Curriculum Night. We had a few more details on some fun summer activities during "Saviez-vous que?" this morning.

The students had their first gym class, as well as a trip outside to use our new outdoor classroom. This is a great little spot out behind the games court with rocks for sitting and big open circular area for presenting, teaching etc. Mme Curtis and I teamed up to do an activity about weather, which will be our first unit in Science. It will concern everything from climate trends to Newfoundland weather, the atmosphere, natural disasters and renewable energy. This also crosses over to our Social Studies curriculum, where the focus is on Human Environments and the geography, flora and fauna of Newfoundland. I would encourage you to discuss the weather when possible with your child, to foster a (hopefully) increasing awareness and interest in the climate of their environment.

In math we did an estimation activity, where the students had to guess the number of beads in a large container. We started with a blind guess, then counted 100 and guessed again, then counted out 100 each (1,400 total) and made a group estimate. We estimated the final number to be about 14,000, which was near to some guesses (and not as near to others). It was a great way for students to start thinking about numbers and scale, as we move into place value activities that will go up to 1,000,000 this year.

To tie in with this activity, tonight's Question du Jour relates to estimation. I have asked students to estimate how many hockey players there are in Newfoundland. Using things they already know or can easily find out (how many people that they know play hockey, how many people are in their league/team, how many people live in Newfoundland), I have asked them to make an educated guess.

I don't want students to get hung up on exact numbers, but to show their workings a bit and talk through the information they used to make their guess. I am not assessing these for grammar or spelling, although I have a certain expectation that I know they can live up to. Parents' role in this project is more to offer help talking things through and keeping the work organized and tidy than to help with their French skills. Can't wait to see what they come up with!

I appreciate students' (and by extension, parents') punctuality so far, it makes a big difference when trying to get things started in the mornings. I notice a real relationship between how much time students have to get ready and how quickly they are able to jump into things in the morning. I like them to have time to socialize and get organized before class, so thanks so much for getting them here nice and early.

Here is a link for your brower's Favourites bar, something that should come in handy throughout the year. It links to the Association Communautaire Francophone de St John's, which is the home page of the St. John's Francophone Associataion. This is the group that operates out of Grands-Vents, the french-language school on Ridge Road. They have frequent activities and clubs in French, including concerts and festivals. I would encourage you to participate in any and all of these that interest you, or at least to inquire. If you see anything in an upcoming schedule that they class might enjoy, please let us know so we can take a closer look!

http://www.acfsj.ca/index.php

I sent home September's schedule today, as well as a newsletter distributed by the office. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please let me know. Have a good evening, and talk to you tomorrow.