Wow! I was so impressed with our class of spellers this week. Great studying Grade One and Grade Two. I'm proud of your efforts. Don't forget to have a parent or guardian sign your test and return your spelling notebook back to school tomorrow.
After our morning prayers where we offered an intention for the folks who endured Hurricane Irma's wrath one of our young friends added another marble to the marble jar.
Yes, today was the fifth day of school for the year.
If you wish to see week one's posting at any time, simply click on the link in the blog archive in the column to the right near the top of the page. You can also click on the link below:
That meant that we sang a new line to our song about the "12 Days of School".
Our homework for the week is easy. All you have to do is try to memorize the poem that was placed in your red homework folder.
We integrated our math lesson today with the poetry.
The children learned how to fill out a tally chart.
We checked our date of birth on Mr. Hamer's computer to determine the day of the week on which we were born. (Remember, you can click on the images to make them larger and click outside them to shrink them again.)
Then we took turns going up to the blackboard to put our "tally" beside that day of the week. Hey, I learned that I was born on a Friday!
It was fun coming up to the blackboard.
All the tallies are in the chart now.
Then we counted the tally for each day of the week and wrote the amount in the "total" column.
We then added up the total and Mr. Hamer asked us why it added up to 20. We had to think about that for a while until someone figured it out. The reason the total is 20 is because there are 20 pupils in the class. Mr. Hamer later checked his date of birth (a very long time ago!) and he was born on a Tuesday.
With the tally chart complete, we turned around at carpet and created a quick "Bar Graph" to go along with the information.
Say...there's one day in the week that not a single member of our class was born on...can you figure which day it is? If you can't, you'd better come to school with me and Mr. Hamer will teach you!
Here are a few pictures that show part of the process in the making of our hot air balloons.
We stuffed them with toilet paper then stapled the edge together.
I like the lightning bolt on my balloon.
The polka dots look cool in front of the stripes on my outfit.
I like this diagonal checkerboard look!
My stripes go this way.
While my stripes go the other way.
I like waves.
After school, Mr. Hamer put some of our balloons up on the wall to go along with his giant balloon that has pictures of students from his last year's class. No worries, though. Soon our pictures will adorn that big balloon.
This is "Super Sam, the Sentence Snake" and he likes when we make up good quality sentences. Mr. Hamer tells us that he's also Mr. Hamer's "Eyes in the Sky". I'm not too sure what that means, but Super Sam always seems to know when I'm not paying attention!
Today we talked about respect because it is a part of our morning oath that we say each day.
I like how I coloured mine.
Here's another student's version.
She coloured her letters to emulate animal bodies! Really cool!
Here's our spelling list for Week Two for our both grades.
Our Weekly Spelling List - Week Two (Quiz will be next Monday)
Grade One (short a) Grade Two (short e)
1. and 1. wet
2. am 2. tell
3. can 3. pen
4. dad 4. best
5. cat 5. met
6. bag 6. well
7. man 7. set
Hi moms and dads. Remember I mentioned last week that one of my bands was going to play at a fundraiser for a local wheelchair association?
Well, I am proud to announce that the association known as "Entre Deux Roues" (Between Two Wheels) raised eighteen thousand dollars on the night for the young adults who require wheelchair assistance. What a thrill.
The funds came from pledges for a one hour "wheel-a-thon" out on the streets nearby from 4:00PM to 5:00 PM followed by a dinner, then the dance with a raffle held for prizes. I was overjoyed to play guitar while everyone in their wheelchairs danced with able-bodied folk all night long!
One of my bandmates shares his knowledge of the guitar with a keen audience member following the performance. Yes, boys and girls, we all can make a difference!
Have a great evening everyone!
Mr. Hamer OCT
Day Six
Here we are...hard at work today.
Remember our tally chart from yesterday?
How we turned the information into a bar graph?
Today, the boys and girls coloured in their own versions of the graph.
Because this is their first day creating a graph this school year, I "scaffolded" their learning.
What scaffolding means is that I'm taking them by the hand in the early stages...similar to offering them a crutch.
You'll notice that I have already labelled the graphs and drawn the bars for the children.
All they have to do is colour the bars in a creative manner.
To take the students "deeper" into their thinking, I then asked more challenging questions than just how many students were born on any given day of the week.
Questions like..."Which other day had the same number of students born as Friday?"
Or..."How many more pupils were born on Tuesday than Monday?"
How about...If one more student was born on Wednesday, then Wednesday would have the same number of births as which other day?"
How about...If one more student was born on Wednesday, then Wednesday would have the same number of births as which other day?"
More children found time to finish up their hot air balloons.
By stuffing and "stitching" them.
That's a really colourful one, I say!
Later we studied how a hurricane develops using the SMARTboard.
The students were fascinated by the short video I shared with them.
Indeed, hurricanes are big storms!
We learned how lucky we are that we don't have to experience hurricanes up close in Canada.
Ask your son/daughter to tell you two or three things they learned about hurricanes today!
Some more photos of the children working in their groups.
They are a hard-working bunch!
I appreciate their ability to focus on the task.
More of their finished work.
Great colouring as we learn more about graphing!
A final look.
Do you like the colours I chose for my hot air balloon?
I'm a lightning kind of guy!
I love my designs.
I come along with a storm!
You call them polka dots...I call them bubbles.
Diagonally speaking, my hot balloon is pretty interesting, I'd say!
My balloon is "wave"ing to you!
Mine matches my shirt!
So does mine!
My balloon is pretty cool...just like me!
Day Seven
The children enjoyed trying out the new calendar in class today.
It is very colourful with its artist theme.
Each day, a different student is able to change the two weather sections at the bottom of the chart.
They get to indicate what day it is today.
What day was it yesterday?
And what day it will be tomorrow?
The finished look.
Students can then "play teacher" and ask a friend to go through the same procedure throughout the day.
Today we learned the difference between clockwise...
...and counter clockwise.
The clock moves in a clockwise direction.
While hurricanes rotate in a counter clockwise direction.
We practised lining up in case there is a fire drill or, heaven forbid, a real fire.
Then we posed for pictures out back the portapack.
Near the hedge.
At the edge of the property.
Having fun.
In the sun!
We also found some time in our day to practise memorizing our "My Day of Birth" poem that we have for homework.
Lots of children taking turns trying to memorize the lines.
This is fun, Mr. Hamer!
Yup! It sure is!
Even Rocky enjoys learning poems.
We also began colouring in the picture for our second song of the year called "Sambalele".
Ask the children what the song is all about.
Here's a crafty gal.
Here's a crafty gal.
Now, that's creativity!
Our hot air balloons are "Up in the Air!"
Have a great evening, Mr. Hamer
Day Eight
We start Day Eight of the school year with the singing and "signing" of the national anthem.
The boys and girls are quick studies and many have all the signs down already!
Then it was off to the gymnasium for a whole school assembly.
Mr. Chaplinsky offers up some sage words of advice to the assembled student body.
Some of the yard rules.
A review of each yard in the school.
How to handle situations in a positive fashion.
Hey, it was a sunny day, so outside we went.
For some fun pics.
Of a classful of...
great young children!
A balancing act.
Hanging in there!
My shirt matches the sky.
Hi mom and dad!
So much fun.
Queen of the castle.
A future fire fighter sliding down the pole.
I'll have you a race!
A princess with her crown.
Happy smiles.
Lots of fun.
Hi down there, Mr. Hamer!
Ready, set...go!
Our physical education class starts off with some stretches.
In a big circle.
Getting ready for a lot of running.
The game begins.
Goalie ball!
There it is!
No, here it is!
Great looking footwork.
At carpet, we read a lovely spiritual story, In God's Name.
What a lovely cover with those beautiful butterflies.
With lovely illustrations.
These are all the names for God we learned from the people in the book.
Then it was time to work on our "Butterfly Art".
We appreciate each other's work!
She's doing a fabulous job.
Creative colour choices!
Total concentration.
Not finished yet...but super quality!
Teamwork.
Mr. Hamer modelled a sampling at carpet. At the same time, we took our learning to a deeper level.
We discussed how both sides of the butterflies body appear the same. That's called "Symmetry". The "fold line" or the "Line of Symmetry" would go right through the body of the butterfly and if you folded the paper, one side would cover the other perfectly.
We discussed how both sides of the butterflies body appear the same. That's called "Symmetry". The "fold line" or the "Line of Symmetry" would go right through the body of the butterfly and if you folded the paper, one side would cover the other perfectly.
It's amazing how grade one and grade two students can emulate the same quality if provided guidance.
Happy girls.
Nice symmetry.
Looks effortless.
Due to the smiles.
The children have learned that "If you are going to do anything, then put your best effort forward. Do it for yourself!"
Lovely example!
Lots of colour.
Lots of detail.
A proud smile.
Great result with a bit more to go.
Some math work.
"I love my class!" says this young class member.
More calendar fun! Check in tomorrow for some more great pics from our time in Mr. Hamer's Grade One/Two classroom!
Even though there are many pics posted from today, it really showcases a fraction of all the wonderful learning activities that took place today!
Tomorrow morning, we head next door to church with the whole school for a mass with the new priest. Mr. Hamer will lead the choir at the mass.
Have a relaxing evening, Mr. Hamer OCT
Day Nine
The colours on my tree tell me the seasons are about to change.
Or, are they? 30 degrees today!
First block found us next door celebrating our opening mass of the school year.
The children listened while the choir sang Siyahambe, Come and Journey With Me, Who is My Neighbour, Take Our Bread, Come Into My Heart and Children of the Light.
When the boys and girls reach Grade Three they will be able to join the choir!
These next few shots were taken yesterday but I didn't have time to post them last night.
We headed outside to the outdoor classroom.
Sitting on the big rocks, we posed for pictures.
With the sun shining on us.
We are all friends in our classroom.
Everyone gets along beautifully.
Lots of smiles.
Lots of joy.
Fun antics too!
A class shot.
Now, time to goof around.
Even goofier!
In science class, we have been talking about hurricanes and weather this week.
Today's topic was the Water Cycle.
We watched this short video.
That explained evaporation. Note the water line.
Then we wait awhile.
Yes, the water near the surface is evaporating.
Check the waterline now!
Our little bird is a good teacher.
As the water vapour rises...
The temperature cools and the water droplets form larger ones.
The water condenses into clouds.
Then, when the water droplets become too large and heavy for the cloud to hold them...it rains, snows or hails.
We call the rain precipitation.
Feel free to review the video with your child at the link below.
Feel free to look at other videos for children about the water cycle...there are many out there!
Speaking of the water cycle, it's not raining on this pair's parade! They're having too much fun in school!
As are these girls.
Desk mates!
Two boys waiting to "take off" in their magical balloons.
We love when Mr. Hamer reads stories to us!
Lots of comfy chairs all around.
Over by the window.
Time flies when you're having fun!
Parents, don't forget that book orders are due this coming Tuesday.
You may order from either Seesaw or Lucky or both!
Don't forget to work on memorizing the poem for homework.
Remember...keep it fun.
Even if you learn a couple of lines, that's a start!
We will be going on Raz-Kids Monday.
Students will be reminded of their logins.
We will do the same with Dreambox.
Yes, learning is so much fun! To all the families of my students, enjoy a wonderful weekend with your fabulous son/daughter! Mr. Hamer OCT
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