KINDERGARTEN
St. Gertrude School
Room 103
NEWS
March 2016
Ms. Barran & Mrs. Santos' Classroom Newsletter
February Festivities
Lent is for Loving
The month of February provided us with many opportunities
to learn and talk about celebrations, traditions, and events.
We started off the month by learning about Groundhog
Day. We learned about the origins of Groundhog Day
through books and information on the internet. The
children watched non-fiction videos about groundhogs and
learned about their physical traits and habitats. This
special day also prompted us to take a closer look at
weather, the seasons, the sun, and shadows. Students had
fun making shadow puppets on our Smartboard screen as
well as investigating their shadows during outdoor playtime.
Through observation, they learned that light from the sun
is needed in order to make a shadow appear outside.
Students made their own representations of the
groundhog's habitat using materials from our 'creation
station.'
As a school community, we celebrated the end of Ordinary
Time with Mardi Gras (Pancake Tuesday). To get into the
Mardi Gras spirit, we made masks, dressed in purple,
green, and gold, and participated in a Dance-a-thon in the
gymnasium. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious pancake
feast provided by our Parent Council.
The February festivities continued as we prepared for
Valentine's Day. During the first half of the month,
students busied themselves making cards for their friends
and loved ones. Paper hearts were put out in the Creation
Station so that the children could address them to
whomever they pleased. What a great way to practise
authentic writing skills!
After the Family Day long weekend, all students were eager
to orally retell stories about their family events. Some even
chose to write and illustrate their recounts on paper. We
are excited to see more and more of our students
'stretching out' words to include all the letter sounds they
hear in each word. Our writing is really coming along!
These friends are investigating shadows using the light
from our projector.
Mardi Gras was followed by Ash Wednesday, which marked
the beginning of the Lenten Season. We participated in a
school-wide liturgy in the gym and students received ashes
on their foreheads. In class, we discussed how we can turn
away from sin and be more like Jesus.
As part of our Lenten Project to be more like Jesus, we
read a book called How Full is Your Bucket? This book
reminded us to do kind things for one another. Students
have been encouraged to perform acts of kindness at home
and at school. We continue to log our acts of kindness on
our class 'bucket' at school.
Thank you to those families who were able to join us at St.
Francis Xavier Parish for our Lenten Mass. It was our
class' first out-of-school excursion. We are so proud of
how respectfully our students behaved in church, and how
reverently they sang and prayed. The mass was a wonderful
opportunity for our students to see how we can come
together as a community to celebrate our faith.
Happy Mardi Gras!
Ms. Barran & Mrs. Santos’ Classroom Newsletter Page 2
Our Shape Exploration
How tall can you build your rectangular prism?
In Math, students have demonstrated an interest in both
two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. This
interest began in the Building Centre, as students
discovered that they could build three-dimensional
structures using the straws and connectors. It wasn't long
before students realized that they could manipulate the
straws and connectors into cubes, rectangular prisms, and
even triangular prisms.
During small group instruction time, students have been
taking a closer look at 3-D figures and documenting their
properties. They even used their writing skills to make
posters to describe the characteristics of each 3-D figure.
At the Building Centre, students have been making towers
and other structures using three-dimensional building
blocks. Students have been eager to have photographs
taken of their structures. Many of them have chosen to
write about their structures, identifying the threedimensional figures their structure contains.
Using the Smartboard to play a shape matching game.
More information about shapes has been obtained through
many shape books read in class. Dayle Ann Dodds' book, The
Shape of Things , has become a class favourite, as it helped
students broaden their awareness of the shapes
surrounding them in their environment. Students have been
using the interactive Smartboard to play games that match
two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes to the reallife object of the same shape.
At the paint centre, students have been using 3-D blocks to
create colourful shape prints. What a fun way to further
investigate the relationship between two-dimensional
shapes and three dimensional figures. Colour and Shape
Bingo has also been a fun way to help reinforce the
properties of two-dimensional shapes.
Using 3-D figures to make shape prints.
This friend figured out how to make a triangular prism.
Ms. Barran & Mrs. Santos' Classroom Newsletter Page 3
Photo Gallery...
Beautiful Valentines!
Making groundhog puppets.
Such a sweet message!
Having fun in the snow! Is that a rectangular prism I
see?
Thank you to Ms. Vesz from the Dairy Farmers of Ontario for
teaching us all about dairy farming.
"I made a cube!"
Ms. Barran & Mrs. Santos’ Classroom Newsletter Page 4
Photo Gallery...
This friend is using a flip book as a resource
Responding to our 'tower building challenge.'
to help spell the names of 3-D figures.
Not only could they name all the 3-D figures used in their
tower, but they could tell us properties of each shape!
These friends sorted all the manipulatives by colour.
These friends are enjoying the snow while it lasts!
Indoor dancing fun!
Ms. Barran & Mrs. Santos’ Classroom Newsletter Page 5
Notes and Reminders...

Congratulations to Maryani, Mayzen, and Nicolas, who will be recognized at this month's school-wide virtue
assembly. Throughout the month of February, Maryani, Mayzen, and Nicolas demonstrated the virtue of
respect by treating others with love and kindness. We thank these friends for helping to make our classroom
a safe, fun, and happy place to learn and grow. We will be focusing on the virtue of kindness throughout the
month of March.

Thank you to all parents who volunteered to help supervise at the church for our Lenten Mass. Your time,
patience, kindness, and leadership were greatly appreciated!

Thank you to all those who have been sending in your child's paper circles with their Lenten acts of kindness
written on them. We are making them visible in the classroom, so please keep them coming!

Thank you to all who were able to contribute to our Mardi Gras fundraiser. As a school-wide Lenten initiative,
we will be collecting monetary donations and gently used clothing to help Syrian refugees. We thank you in
advance for your incredible generosity.

Throughout March and April, we will be discussing ways of caring for the earth. We will be observing Earth
Hour at school by turning off the lights and any other electronic devices for at least one hour. You can help
reinforce the concept of energy conservation by taking part in this initiative at home on Saturday, March
19th from 8:30-9:30pm.

There will be no school from March 14-March 18th, 2016. Enjoy your March Break! There will also be no
school on March 25th and March 28th, 2016 . Wishing you all a blessed Easter!
Thank you so much for your continued support and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Ms. Barran & Mrs. Santos
Our February Virtues Winners