Week #13: Nov. 25th - 29th

Dear Families,

Happy ALMOST December!  It's the "most wonderful time of the year" and I've overheard some of the kids enthusiastically buzzing about their Elf on a shelf, creating their Christmas lists, preparing to write letters to Santa, and all the other joys that this season brings! 

Although it is a magical time for many, we must not lose sight of those who may be struggling mentally, emotionally, and financially during this time of year.  It looks differently for everyone. 

We regularly talk about the importance of ‘LIVING IS GIVING’ and we want to support those who may need some help this holiday season to make it a little lighter and brighter. 

Our class family is truly thinking about the feelings of others because we will be participating in a variety of activities and initiatives that will support important organizations such as Sick Kids, the elders at Sunset Manor, and My Friends House.

Please read on to find out the specifics on how we are going to graciously give back to those that need our time, attention, and donations the most.  Thank you in advance for your care, compassion, and contributions :)

CHARACTER RECOGNITION:

A big congratulations to Keenan, Sofia, and James for being celebrated for their Courage and Bravery at Wednesday's assembly! 🎉

Your strength to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s challenging, is truly inspiring. Thank you for showing courage not just in your actions, but in your thoughts and words as well.

Your classmates and I couldn’t be prouder of you—keep shining as role models for us all! 🌟

🌟 NEON DAY SHOUTOUT! 🌟

A HUGE thank you to all the amazing staff and students who went all out with their colourful and creative outfits for Neon Day Spirit Day on Wednesday! 🎉 

You truly lit up the school with your energy and vibrant styles—it was such a joy to see everyone shine so brightly!

As you can see, I also had an absolute blast getting into the spirit myself and loved seeing the hallways come alive with your incredible outfits and enthusiasm. Days like this remind us how fun it is to come together and celebrate our school spirit. 

Thank you for making Neon Day such a glowing success 🌈✨

HARLOW:

Thank you Harlow and family for your generous contribution of glowsticks for our class to enjoy during Neon Spirit Day! 

Your thoughtful gesture helped make the day even more fun and memorable for everyone. We truly appreciate your kindness and the positive energy you brought to our celebration! 

It’s families like yours that make our classroom community so special 💖 Thank you again for making our Neon Spirit Day shine a little brighter!

🎄 DECEMBER'S CHARACTER FOCUS: EMPATHY & COMPASSION 🎄

This month, our class is focusing on two very special character attributes: Empathy and Compassion—values that are close to my heart and ones I’m passionate about nurturing in all my students.

When we show empathy and compassion, we consider the feelings of others, shifting our perspective from “ME” to “WE.” Helping others not only makes a difference in their lives, but also fills us with a sense of joy and connection!

I’ve shared a video below that highlights the importance of empathy in a relatable way for both children and adults. 

Pleaes take a moment to watch it with your child, and enjoy a meaningful conversation about its message afterward. Let’s work together to grow these beautiful qualities in our kids! 💕

🎅 SANTA LEADS THE WAY TO EMPATHY! 🎅

Guess what? I’ve been in touch with Santa, and he’ll be visiting our school on Thursday December 19th! 🎅✨ That’s right—Santa himself is making his annual trip to Nottawa, and he can’t wait to see all of you! 

Since December 2017, Santa has been amazed by Nottawa’s empathetic spirit, and we know this year will be no different. Check out some of the photos below from his past visits!

Patiently awaiting 1:1 time with Santa :)

Donations to My Friends House in Dec. 2019

Donations to My Friends House in Dec. 2022

Grade 5 Jardine & I :)

This December, let’s show Santa how Empathetic and Compassionate Nottawa truly is! These character attributes are at the heart of what makes our community so special—and they’re also Santa’s specialties! ❤️

To help reinforce the spirit of Empathy and Compassion, we’re encouraging our Nottawa students to think about others, especially those who may be visiting My Friend’s House (Women’s Shelter) this holiday season. 

Thank you for your incredible support, as always! Let’s make this holiday season a time to spread kindness, joy, and care for those in need. Together, we can make a positive difference! 🎄🎁

GOOGLE CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENT:

In the spirit of Empathy and Gratitude, our class will be taking a moment to think about the feelings of our Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

The brave men and women of the CAF consistently rise to every challenge to protect and serve our country, and it’s our mission to show them how much we appreciate their dedication. 

This holiday season, we will send them messages of love, peace, and hope to express our gratitude for their service.

Many CAF members will be away from their families during the holidays, and we hope that our letters will bring them comfort and joy while they continue their important work. 

When have posted this assignment on Google Classroom, I encourage your child to log in begin working on their letter, class time will be provided as well.

A printed and decorated copy will be due by Dec. 20th. I will mail these heartfelt letters of appreciation during the holidays. Thank you so much for supporting this meaningful writing activity! 

DECEMBER KINDNESS CALENDAR:

We’re truly on a roll when it comes to showing our empathy! Now more than ever, we need each other to help lift our spirits during this special holiday season!

A big thank you to the students who have already been engaging in the acts of kindness suggested in the calendars I have sent home from September to November. I’ve loved hearing about some of the kind gestures you've shared—thank you for making a difference!

For me, and many others, the holiday season is a perfect time to stop, reflect, and consider all the wonderful ways we can spread joy, peace, and kindness. Not just to our loved ones, but also to those who may be struggling, who don’t have a warm meal or a safe place to sleep at night.

Together, we can make a real, positive difference in the lives of others. Let's keep spreading those acts of kindness! 💖

HOLIDAY HAPPY MAIL PROGRAM:

Here's another meaningful initiative which I can't wait to participate in with my students!  

Our class will be joining in on the 'Holiday Happy Mail' Program.  What is it?  The mission is to bring joy to the elderly by distributing handmade cards and written letters. 

There is an epidemic of loneliness among our elderly.  Every day, many seniors are spending what are supposed to be their golden years in long-term care homes with little or no connection to the outside world.  

Many leave their rooms for only meals and medical appointments.  Many have little family left, or have families who live hours away and don’t visit often. 

The seniors who move into long-term care facilities have to leave their homes, beloved pets and close friends.  We often forget that seniors are a vibrant, valuable part of our communities with so much knowledge that can be shared with others.  We’re here to remind seniors of that, one kind act at a time.

In this age of screens and instant communication, we often forget the power of a handwritten note. Who wouldn’t love to receive a kind, personalized card complete with original artwork and a handwritten message out of the blue?  

You have the power to brighten a senior’s day with just a few minutes of your time by creating a handmade card that will be hand delivered to a senior in a long-term care facility.

I have every confidence students will be buzzing with excitement to begin their letter and card writing for a senior at Sunset Manor (see photo below) which is located in Collingwood. 

This a very meaningful writing activity as students are yet again, demonstrating this month's character attributes of:  EMPATHY & COMPASSION!  We are thinking about the feelings of the elderly :)

Here's something else that's exciting that we will be doing!  I will be contacting Sunset Manor and our class is planning/coordinating to set up a very special Zoom call with the elders who will receive our handmade cards. It will be an opportunity for us to also interact and share some songs with them!  

Yes, you read that correctly :-)  I've done this with my classes over the years, and they always enjoy this heartfelt experience!  

See some photos below.  This experience surely brightened the seniors hearts!!  Elders LOVE listening to children perform.  I just had to get my class this year to participate as well!

A Google Meet my former class participated in with an elder from Sunset Manor

I will be sure to post all about this experience before our winter holidays so you too can get a glimpse of this special event.  Stay tuned everyone :-)

MATH:

I’ve posted a digital workbook on Google Slides that students worked on in class related to Mass & Capacity. Be sure to check it out, as it’s a great way for your child to revisit the concepts we’ve been covering in class!

Additionally, I’ve included a helpful link to Math is Fun, which offers resources to support your child’s understanding of metric measures, our current focus in math. This site has lessons, activities, and quizzes for your child to explore, practice, and reinforce what they’ve learned.

Here's the link -->  https://www.mathsisfun.com/measure/index.html

I encourage you to give your child the opportunity to explore this resource over the weekend—it’s a fun and interactive way to strengthen their understanding and keep learning! 😊

GRAMMAR:

This week, we focused on forming plural nouns! 

Here are the rules:

1. Add -s to most nouns (e.g., cat → cats).
2. Add -es to nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z (e.g., box → boxes).
3. Change -y to -ies for nouns ending in a consonant + y (e.g., baby → babies).

Please ask your child to explain these rules and give examples.  I'm sure they’ll love celebrating their skills! 😊

FINLEY V. & FINLEY L.:

A big thank you to Finley V. and Finley L. for your thoughtful donations of Kleenex boxes for our classroom. Your kindness is so appreciated, especially with the winter season upon us when these little things make a big difference.

Your generosity shows how much you care about our Learning Community, and it means so much to all of us. Thank you for helping to keep us prepared and comfortable during the chilly months ahead! 💙

🌍 CELEBRATING LANGUAGES AND CULTURES IN OUR CLASSROOM 🌍

In our class, we place importance on learning about and appreciating the rich diversity of cultures and languages that make up our world. 

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are values we emphasize daily, and they hold a special place in my heart as an educator. 💖

This week, we had a wonderful opportunity to learn from Harlow, who shared her experiences of living in Russia! She taught us about some of the Russian language she learned as a youngster, writing down several words for us to practice together. 

The highlight of our learning was counting to 10 in Russian—a fun and meaningful way to explore another culture!

Thank you, Harlow, for helping us expand our understanding and embrace the beauty of diversity. These moments remind us how important it is to honour and celebrate each other's unique stories and backgrounds. 💕

LEYAH:

Another thank you goes out to Leyah for taking the time and effort to teach our class about her culture and language, German!  

It was so wonderful to see her share something so special with all of us, especially after being inspired by Harlow’s sharing :) I love this!

I can tell Leyah worked hard to prepare and share some special German words with us, and it showed in how confidently and thoughtfully she presented them with us 💖 Amazing work!

JAMES:

A thank you to James for bringing in the Santa hat for our classroom Buddha! His thoughtful gesture has added a festive and cheerful touch to our space, spreading holiday spirit and smiles to everyone who sees it. 

James’ creativity and kindness does not go unnoticed, and we all appreciate him helping make our classroom feel warm and welcoming.

Thank you again for thinking of us and for sharing your holiday joy!

TAYLOR:

Once again, a huge thank you to Taylor for her continued contributions to our Tabs for Kids initiative this week! 🌟 

Your thoughtfulness and generosity make such a positive impact, and your dedication to helping others inspires us all.

Thank you, Taylor for your kind heart and for showing us how small actions can lead to big changes. Keep up the amazing work—you’re truly making a difference! 💖

MINDFULNESS:

Here’s a beautiful example of giving to inspire us all as we think about how we can make this holiday season brighter for everyone! 🎁 

Please take a moment to watch the video below—it’s sure to spark some inspiration. We all have the power to give, and together, we can make a difference! 😊

GROWTH MINDSET:

Thank you, Alex, for sharing this week’s powerful growth mindset: "We can't change people, but we can definitely help them!" 🙌

These words are a wonderful reminder that while we can’t control or change others, we have the ability to support and encourage them in positive ways. 

Helping people grow and improve is a beautiful way to make a difference in their lives, and it shows the power of kindness and empathy.

Thank you for inspiring us all to think in a way that focuses on helping and uplifting human kind! 🌟

With appreciation & respect,

Ms. P. Gill