General News
We had a short week due to the holiday, but students are settling nicely into a groove in our new downstairs classroom. A huge thank you to everyone who helped with campus cleanup last weekend. It was such a great feeling to walk into such spic-and-span classrooms on Tuesday morning!
Reading/Writing Update
This week was all about picture books and world religions as we prepare to write our own books in the coming weeks! We read four different books that feature religion. We took notes as we read to observe when the books mention: house of worship, prayer, religious clothing/dress, religiously associated words, religiously based events, religious artifacts/symbols, mentions of the after, and any other noticings. We read books that mention indigenous religious elements and symbols with dream catchers and oral storytelling traditions. We read one about Muslim religious elements and clothing and dress about wearing a hijab for the first time. We also read a book about Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the event of reincarnation. Finally, we read one with themes that align with Christianity, like helping those that are less fortunate. We also introduced our new class novel this week! We are reading the book Feathers by Jaqueline Woodson.
Math Update
Year 1 students dove into decimal division and built their understanding step by step. They used colored models to visualize how division works, practiced the standard algorithm with decimals in the dividend, and learned how to turn remainders into decimals. We began with single-digit divisors and, by the end of the week, confidently tackled double-digit divisors, showing impressive growth in both accuracy and confidence.Year 2 students began their journey into algebra. They explored key mathematical properties such as the commutative, associative, and distributive properties, and learned how these rules help numbers behave in predictable ways. Students practiced solving simple one-step equations by “balancing” both sides, and used Hands-On Equations kits to physically model and maintain balance in equations. This concrete approach helped make abstract algebraic ideas feel logical, tangible, and even a little fun.
Theme Update
This week in Theme, students began with a sharing circle, where each learner presented one fascinating fact from their religion of study. It was a wonderful way to practice speaking, listening, and curiosity, while also discovering the surprising diversity of beliefs and traditions around the world. We then shifted our focus to Buddhism. Students launched the unit with a collaborative brainstorming activity exploring the Eightfold Path, activating prior knowledge and questions before diving deeper. As they watched an informative video, they captured their learning through mind-map style notes, helping them organize ideas visually and make meaningful connections. To wrap up the week, students began designing their religion “birth certificates” in Canva. Working on this project in class allowed them to receive real-time tech support while thoughtfully translating their research into creative, polished digital artifacts. The results so far show both strong understanding and imaginative design.
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