Each morning in “Crew” we aim for some sparkly moments to set the tone for a great day! The students explore a learning provocation inspiring G.R.A.C.E. (Gratitude, Respect, Acceptance, Caring, and Engagement).
A sense of belonging can happen organically, but we’re also intentionally trying to help students co-create a warm sense of community on purpose.
Yesterday, the surprise was a hockey table and the classic Canadian tale “The Hockey Sweater” with some powerful themes.
Bachelor Bob, our lop-eared learning coach, also did his part to drive the inquiry and keep team members focussed on the big goal!
Crew sessions like these hit learning standards across the curriculum, such as those in Language Arts, Physical & Health Education, Career Education, ADST, and more!
P.I.P. UPDATE: As a part of our Career Education goals, students are working on their own personal interest projects. They are welcome to work on multiple smaller projects or focus on one larger goal.
A popular interest in our class right now is textile arts, and many students are learning sewing, knitting, and crochet.
*If your child is interested in learning to sew, please send me an email granting your child permission to use my class set of sewing needles and have from me in sewing.
Students can bring in their own material, but I only permit students to use in class the needles I provide and track by number, so I can more easily supervise the safe sewing practices at all times. (No random sewing without permission—we can’t risk losing needles in class.) All students who sew must be reliable in following class safety guidelines.
Thank you so much for all your amazing support of our creative learners!
Crochet Club (a P.I.P. Option)
If your child has expressed interest in joining the in-class Crochet Club with Brooke (our grade 9 TA), please read the information below…
PASSION FOR CROCHET: We are blessed to have Brooke, a grade 9 PCS student, working with us on Wednesdays and Friday afternoons as a TA (teacher assistant).
Brooke is a multi-talented entrepreneur who runs her own crochet business selling her handmade creations. She has offered to teach any interested 4A student basic crochet skills during our inquiry blocks. (I personally do not know how to crochet, but I will directly supervise the sessions.)
FEASIBILITY: Crochet is a challenging skill that can take lots of one-to-one guidance for younger children to master, so it is best taught in smaller groups rather than as a whole class activity. So the plan is for Brooke to start working with one group of about 4-5 students next Wednesday, and then start a new group in a few weeks until each interested student has had a chance to be taught by the end of the year.
Tying a slipknot
MATERIALS: Our school does not have crochet hooks or the specific yarn and other materials needed, and I have not been able to secure donations yet—but I am looking into that for the future.
For now, since Brooke has her own business, she is able to purchase crochet materials at wholesale prices. Brooke has offered to buy bulk quantities of yarn, crochet hooks, and the other materials needed for our students to get started in crochet, and she put together a “Learn to Crochet Starter” kits for students to purchase from her that includes materials to make a duck. The kits will include the following:
– 3 crochet patterns for stuffies
– 5mm crochet hook
– 7mm crochet hook
– Fluffy yarn to make the duck
– Thin yarn to make square/coaster/dishcloth
– Stuffing
– 4 stitch markers
– 6 pairs of craft eyes (for duck and other extra
projects)
– 2 darning needles (to sew in the ends,) they are NOT sharp, very dull and made from plastic, and not a safety hazard.
Brooke has priced the cost of the kits, after her wholesale discount at $25 each—there is no profit for her, just material costs.
If your child would like to work with Brooke and do the “Learn to Crochet a Duck” project, you can send in $25 cash (which will go directly to Brooke for the kit material).
Purchasing the hooks and materials for the project directly on your own is also an option, but the cost could be higher.
Students who are interested but are not ready to commit to doing a full duck project yet and just want to experiment with basic skills are welcome to use my yarn and try finger crochet in class. (Today we introduced the basic slipknot.)
Or, feel free to send in crochet materials with your child and Brooke and/or other classmates can work together as time allows once the duck project students have finished.
THIS IS OPTIONAL: So, to be clear, there is no expectation or pressure for any child to do the “Learn to Crochet a Duck” project or purchase a kit. It’s simply a neat opportunity—and a student can decide later in the year to join in. We are blessed to have Brooke with us all year!
NEXT STEP: If your child has a strong interest, a likelihood of following through with the project, and you would like this opportunity for him or her, then send in $25 to initiate the kit purchase or email me if you have other questions.
Today we read “Yetsa’s Sweater” by Sylvia Olsen — a story that opened our eyes to the beauty, meaning, and history woven into every authentic Cowichan sweater. Through stories, videos, and voices from Cowichan people, students learned how this Coast Salish art form connects generations through skill, family, and identity.
We discovered how early encounters and trade between Indigenous peoples and European settlers led to new ideas and exchanges. There were times of cooperation and times of conflict. We also discussed the harm of cultural appropriation and the need to honour and protect authentic designs.
Students examined real Cowichan sweaters and authentication labelling, and talked about ways we can support Indigenous artists’ work.
This connects with our BC Grade 4 Social Studies learning about how First Peoples and newcomers interacted and influenced one another and how art reflects identity, values, and relationship to place.
This learning also grows from our earlier reflections on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Becoming more aware of the history of our local area (and of the peoples who have lived here for thousands of years) is an important part of our journey toward truth, understanding, and reconciliation.
In Math and Science, we have been learning how to accurately organize, record, and share data using bar graphs. Students designed and conducted their own polls, collecting their peers’ responses in tally charts first and then compiling their data in bar graphs.
We’re continuing our “bunny science” adventures — this time focusing on how to design humane, school-appropriate experiments and how to record our findings like real scientists! 🐇🔬
Today we learned the difference between qualitative data (observations we can describe, like the bunny’s behaviour or body language) and quantitative data (information we can measure or count, like the number of hops or the time it takes to choose a treat).
We also talked about why it’s important to control the variables — keeping everything else the same — so our results are fair and reliable. [All of this learning is important in getting students ready for greater independence when doing a Science Fair project next year in grade 5.]
This book, Rabbitology, is a fabulous resource for bunny scientists (a Christmas gift idea?)! Some sample pages below…
A cozy, calm classroom—fuzzy slippers, Bible time, and prayer by the fire with a bunny. We are thankful.
Hello, 4A families!
It’s been another rich week of learning! Students are bringing home their “Multiplying by 3s” quizzes today. Please note that questions with an asterisk (*) were “bonus” questions for extra challenge. We have reviewed how to solve each question in class.
We have been learning about the “wet in wet” watercolour technique in Art class.Lots of special moments of connection during Crew this week! During the FSAs, it has been so quiet and focused that Bachelor Bob has been able to get in some good nap time. The kids get excited and do a silent cheer when discovering and pointing out when he naps in new positions—this was a new pose, the “superbunny”.
This week in Language Arts, our grade 4 writers explored how to carefully read a text and then write a great “reading response”. We learned that a strong response directly answers the question, begins with a clear topic sentence, and develops its ideas with specific details and evidence from the text.
Students practiced using sentence stems like “As the author writes on page…” or “In the fifth paragraph, the text says…” to support their writing while referencing the source material accurately. We also talked about using vivid vocabulary, smooth transition words, and finishing with a thoughtful conclusion—all while keeping an eye on spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
After the direct lesson, students put on their “teacher hats.” Working in small groups, they analyzed five sample responses and scored them using our proficiency scale—Emerging, Developing, Proficient, or Extending. They discussed the merits and challenges of each piece. This activity helped students recognize what works well in writing and reflect on the strategies they want to apply in their own.
Our focal text for this activity was a piece on the history of cheese. Along the way, we discovered some of the science behind how cheese is made. (Judging by the cheesy enthusiasm in the room, a future science lesson on cheese-making may be on the horizon!)
In Language Arts, we have also been learning about forming contractions and continuing to build our vocabularies with our “Word Study” program.
In Arts Education, we have completed the Minecraft self-portraits and are working on watercolour painting techniques with our Thanksgiving art project.
In Math, we have wrapped up our unit on telling time and have been working with data and graphing. Students are learning to use tally charts and make accurate bar graphs.
A game of handball in the gymAs well, in combination with our Bible learning, we are starting to plan and script plays and puppet shows to bring to life some Bible stories from the Old Testament. I am happy to see kids so excited to dive into their Bibles—this school culture is so special and wonderful for our children!
In our Bible classes this term, one of our goals is to study key stories from the Old Testament which will be a foundation for our upcoming focus on the birth of Jesus during the Christmas season.
Students are invited to work on their own, with a partner, or in a small group to choose one Bible story to retell or dramatize for our class. The goal is for students to creatively but faithfully retell their chosen story and share what key lessons it offers us.
Students are welcome to use props, puppets, or costumes, and we’re having many thoughtful conversations about how to make creative choices that bring a story to life while also honouring its message. This is nuanced, meaningful work that helps students think deeply about questions such as:
Which props and costumes would be effective and engaging without being distracting? How can we portray characters in ways that feel authentic and respectful?
It’s been exciting to see how enthusiastic students are! We’ll continue to work together in class to develop their projects, but families are encouraged to talk at home about the stories their children have chosen.
Students may present their work as a live performance or storytelling session, or, if they prefer, they can create a short movie at home.
To inspire them with some ideas, I’m posting two examples:
A short video of my son Ben’s dramatic retelling of David and Goliath (we recorded this as a family when he was in Grade 1). His retelling came from memory and was in his own words—we value both faithful storytelling and age-appropriate personal understanding.
As well, you can see my own finger puppet dramatization of Jonah.
Fun news for the 4A jam makers: our “jam lady,” Katherine was featured tonight on CHEK News.
The segment highlights her advocacy around the Saanich farm stands bylaw, her new product called Traffic Jam (a playful nod to Victoria’s recent traffic situation), and her service passing out free jam to road workers.
Please watch this bespoke bunny-based math tutorial we made in class this week!
Combining music, visuals, and animals certainly helps imprint math facts in the mind more quickly! In our class, the social connection is key too—even if we forget a math fact, we may remember the friend’s face that brought us that fact! We’ve got lots of songs coming up for all the times tables, and our goal is to learn them all before Christmas! We will keep sharing them here—so stay tuned!
Also, students brought home their quiz on patterns today with feedback/corrections to look over. They can rewrite this quiz again next week. I offer unlimited rewrites within reason and before the end of term—I just expect students to show they have meaningfully studied to improve in between rewrites.
As well, I encourage students to review at home how to tell time from an analog clock. This is the next topic we will assess in quizzes and one-to-one math meetings. We have been practicing reading our practice clocks and new class clock, we watched the video below, and I have sent home a corrected worksheet of each child’s progress so far.
We had a memorable first day with our “ambassador bunny” named Bachelor Bob. He inspired lessons on self-awareness and self-regulation to help prepare us to be focussed, calm hosts. The children were so caring and sweet—it warmed my heart to see their rapt attention, gentleness, and joy. Bob had an awesome day and loved hoping around to sniff everything!
As a part of our SEL curriculum (social-emotional learning), we practiced “perspective-taking” — thinking about our classroom atmosphere through the bunny’s eyes.
Tapping into grade 4 Science curricular goals, we observed how this animal used his senses and responded in our environment, and we began to brainstorm humane, school-appropriate science experiments we could do to collect even more data to grow as bunny scientists.
Which healthy, bunny-safe treat would a pet bunny prefer: carrot slice, apple bits or broccoli?
We made predictions that we will test in the future.
In Science, we also continued to learn about the scientific method.
In Language Arts, the beautiful book “The Word Collector” launched our discussion of the power, fun, and benefits of growing a richer vocabulary.
Each student has set up a new “Word Study” duo-tang with a personal spelling dictionary to use and add to all year; it comes with some helpful resources and is the home of our current list of 4A’s student curated “word hunter” vocabulary.
In Math, have been reviewing money concepts and strategies for solving word problems.
We have also worked on identifying and creating patterns and pattern rules with addition and subtraction.As a part of FSA preparation, students practiced reading and doing calculations with data from an infographic.
In Social Studies last week, we learned about the history of residential schools in Canada by reading The Orange Shirt Story by Phyllis Webstad and watching videos that gave important context. Our chapel theme also echoed this learning. I was very moved by the sensitivity and care our students showed during group discussions and brainstorming as we reflected on the phrase Every Child Matters and how it connects to biblical teachings that remind us we are all children of God.
Students expressed their learning and understanding of this theme in several ways: in a dialogue, in a word chain activity, and on a quiz.
Here is a summary of some of the big ideas we brainstormed together based on our research…
1. Explain why it is important for Canadians to learn about residential schools and to participate in Orange Shirt Day.
Learning about the history of residential schools in Canada helps us understand the injustices that took place, which is a part of ensuring that they are never repeated. We remember children who were forcibly taken from their families, those who never came home, and the survivors who courageously share their stories. By participating in Orange Shirt Day, we stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples, take responsibility for learning and sharing the truth and take responsibility for reconciliation. We join in proclaiming that every child matters. This day encourages Canadians to reflect on how past decisions continue to affect Indigenous communities today. It reminds us of our responsibility to live in ways that respect the dignity, worth, and rights of every child. It strengthens our communities by emphasizing compassion, justice, and respect for other cultures.
2. Thinking about the history of residential schools in Canada, what are some ways we can work towards truth and reconciliation?
Here is a list brainstormed from our research and dialogue with friends and mentors…
Listen with respect to the stories and experiences of residential school survivors.
Share the history of residential schools with others to raise awareness and promote understanding.
Learn about the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and take practical steps to support them.
Learn about the history, languages, and cultures of Indigenous peoples in Canada, and especially about the Indigenous nations whose land we live on.
Attend local Indigenous-led events, ceremonies, or cultural celebrations when invited, showing respect and openness to learning.
Support Indigenous authors, artists, musicians, and knowledge keepers by reading their work, listening to their voices, and sharing them with others when we have permission to do so.
Teach and model respect for Indigenous languages and names, making an effort to pronounce them correctly.
Work together in our communities to challenge racism and unkindness wherever we encounter them.
Support Indigenous businesses and initiatives as a way of contributing to economic reconciliation.
Care for the land, water, and environment, recognizing the deep connection Indigenous peoples have with the land, and learning from their stewardship practices as we care for God’s creation.
Lego continues to be a favourite provocation for creativity and connection between lessons.
Wow! What an awesome afternoon we had making jam and memories we had with Katherine Little, the beloved local hero and “jam lady”!
Check out our “documentary” below sharing a bit about the experience. It includes an excerpt from when Katherine was featured on CTV News, which sets up context for our learning.
Katherine shared her fascinating story of life both before and after jam wonderfully kicked off our year exploring themes of resilience, discovering one’s passion, the power of creativity, and community service.
With a nod to the David and Goliath story, Katherine generously shared her advice, encouragement, yummy jam, and awesome pink car named “Dolly”—inspiring students to dive into their own great personal interest projects!
The very jams that Katherine and her husband James taught the students how to label and top with Canada-themed fabric are available in grocery stores around town now—yet visiting her “Little Stand” directly at 1283 Queensbury Avenue is the shortcut to getting the freshest deal! Keep your eyes peeled for the other little stands all around Saanich that are permitted to keep operating thanks to Katherine’s advocacy for a change to the bylaw.
Related to this special day, we will continue unpacking concepts the science of jam making with the topic of states of matter and also explore municipal civic engagement in our Social Studies classes.
It has been such a joy to connect with many of you during Parent-Teacher Conferences, and I look forward to meeting with the rest of you later this week. I want to take a moment to share some updates and clarifications that may be helpful for everyone.
Math Learning and Homework
We have an exciting year of math ahead! Teaching math is one of my passions, and I love helping students grow in both skill and confidence. Right now, we are doing a broad review of key concepts to prepare students for the upcoming Foundational Skills Assessments (FSAs). After this review period, we’ll move into a more sequential progression through core topics.
So far, we’ve been working on multiplication facts using a multiplication chart, place value (up to the hundred-thousandths place), expanded/standard/word form of numbers, comparing numbers, money calculations, general math vocabulary, pattern rules, and bar graphs. This week we’ll be focusing on interpreting data from graphs, continuing money work in word problems, and reinforcing mental math strategies. I recommend families play money games at home to help students practice calculating change. For example, letting a child be the “banker” in a game of Monopoly is great practice.
Our math lessons usually include direct teaching, hands-on activities and/or a demonstration, then some small-group work, and then an individual worksheet that serves as a review or summary. I encourage students to bring home all worksheets to share with their families to keep the learning going. You’ll notice students bring home worksheets that aren’t finished, but please don’t worry—these are meant as a communication tool so you can see what we’re covering in class, and I don’t require unfinished worksheets to be completed at home and returned. However, I do encourage students to keep working on them if your family finds that is helpful.
Students self-mark these worksheets to promote ownership and immediate feedback, while I daily observe and assess their in-person learning and regularly mark their learning through quizzes, tests, and one-on-one check-ins. I’ll continue posting math tutorials on the blog, and I encourage you to explore additional kid-friendly videos online for reinforcement if you’d like to hear concepts explained in different ways. Here is a link to the place on my blog where I have linked to a huge number of favourite math tutorials videos at the grade 4/5 level, with concepts ordered roughly in the order I usually teach them throughout the year. https://inquiryninja.com/math-tutorials/
Foundational Skills Assessment (FSA)
In British Columbia, all grade four and grade seven students, both in public and independent schools, participate in the Foundational Skills Assessment (FSA). This standardized assessment is designed to measure students’ competencies in literacy and numeracy.
The FSA process is spread out over about six sessions on different days, with a mix of pencil-and-paper tasks and online multiple-choice components. This helps reduce fatigue and allows students to do their best. We have already started preparing by practicing with sample questions from past FSAs so students can become familiar with the format and wording.
While some children may feel nervous about any kind of test, I want to reassure you that the FSA results do not affect your child’s school “grades” or report card. Rather, the FSAs are used at the provincial level to provide a broader picture of how schools across B.C. are supporting students and at individual schools like PCS we appreciate the general feedback so we can make data-driven decisions on how to best support learners’ needs. Families will receive their child’s results once everything is scored, but the emphasis in class will always be that this is a learning experience rather than a performance.
My goal and approach is to keep the atmosphere calm and encouraging, providing students with the time and space they need within the allowed guidelines. I also remind them that one test on one day cannot fully capture everything they know. In our regular classroom practice, I balance more traditional assessments (quizzes, multiple-choice, short answer) with opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning in other ways—through projects, interviews, creative work, and oral explanations. For example, after our recent Social Studies quiz, students can now choose to keep their mark or enhance it by rewriting the quiz and/or have a one-on-one interview with me, or express their understanding through a making a story, song, or other creative project (all of this is optional).
The big idea is that the FSA is just one piece of their learning journey. My goal is to ensure students feel prepared, supported, and confident—not only for this assessment, but also for many different kinds of learning challenges in the future.
Cozy & Flexible Seating for All
We are blessed to have this beautiful new classroom—and fortunate to be learning in a modern era where educators understand that healthy bodies need flexible options for body breaks and opportunities to work in ways and places that feel comfortable.
4A students have many choices of comfortable work spaces…
Students often have the autonomy to do their work not only at a desk but with a clipboard at the carpet or in a cozy nook they find or create, or to use a wobbly stool or cushion, to try the bike or bring a clipboard or Chromebook outside (within a few feet of the class for ease of supervision) for some fresh air. Please reach out if you have any other ideas or questions about how to help your child feel maximally energized, productive and regulated at school. *Note: I support bathroom breaks anytime a student says he/she needs it, and I always encourage water breaks as needed as well, and just ask students to store their water bottles at the “hydration station” in one particular area of the room so we can minimize water spills on technology and class work.
Supporting Diverse Needs
Every single student in our class is a gift from God, bringing a unique mix of interests, talents, and passions. A big part of our classroom culture is understanding that everyone has something valuable to contribute and, at times, everyone needs support too. I take a universal design for learning approach so that different types of supports and enrichment opportunities are available for all.
Some of the practices we’re establishing include:
Flexible seating: Wiggly stools, clipboards, and cozy corners so students can find comfortable ways to focus. Soundscapes: Noise-canceling headphones are available, and we vary the sound environment throughout the day—sometimes very quiet, sometimes lively and collaborative. Fidgets: Students are welcome to make use of non-distracting (quiet, non-messy) fidgets in class if it helps them to focus. Peer mentoring: Students are encouraged to be helpers and mentors to one another, building leadership, confidence, and interpersonal skills. Learning supports: Our learning support teachers and education assistants work with us throughout the week, providing targeted support to individuals and groups so that all students benefit. Technology: All students will have regular access to direct supervision while using technology options to advance their learning. We are just getting started with computer classes and setting students up with accounts and teaching responsible use. Coming soon, all students can access voice-to-text options for some work as well. Differentiation and enrichment: Lessons are designed with multiple entry points. Students who need review are supported with building blocks, while those ready for more challenge are given extension questions and enrichment opportunities.
I am also very excited about our year-long personal interest projects, which will allow students to dive deeply into their passions and share their learning with others.
Bunnies in the Classroom
You may have already heard some excited chatter from your child—we have the opportunity to rotationally welcome my own bunnies and some of my foster bunnies (through Amy’s Bunny Barn) for occasional class visits this year! This won’t be a traditional “class pet” arrangement: the bunnies won’t live in the classroom full-time or travel home with families. Instead, they’ll join us occasionally for special visits with humane and hygienic safety protocols in place.
Our future 4A ambassador bunnies (in order that they appear): Bachelor Bob, Lord Velvet, Lady Bunzies, Rose, and Tulip
The goal is to give students the chance to observe the animals and reflect through the lens of science, stewardship, and leadership. Having animals in the classroom can also support social-emotional awareness and growth and create a unique, memorable bonding experience for our class community.
Our first visit is planned for the second week of October. All students will have equal opportunities to observe and interact with the bunnies, but we’ll move slowly—spending time learning about bunny body language, gentle handling interactions, and proper hygiene before any hands-on experiences. My bunnies are tame, gentle, and used to being around children, and I model taking full responsibility for their care and safety.
To be clear, I would not/have not recommended any child get pet bunnies. They are not “easy” pets because they can be messy and destructive and have specific care and housing requirements if one is to do it well. The goal of having a bunny visitor in class is not to encourage or hype up pet ownership, but to give children an honest glimpse of what stewardship for another life can involve and to squeak in some truly awesome science learning in the process.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I believe this will be a very special and meaningful experience for the students, and I’ll share more details soon to keep you fully informed and to respect families’ wishes around animal interaction.
Our Portable Classroom
I also want to thank you for your patience and support during our transition from “no classroom yet” to what will soon be a beautiful, ideal learning space. While we wait for our new cabinetry and storage (expected in three to four weeks), we’re working on adding hooks to make backpack storage more functional in the meantime. Please feel free to pop your head into the classroom if you haven’t already—things are coming together, and I’m excited for the space to feel more and more like a home away from home.
Microwave
There is a microwave in our classroom that I have not opened up use for general student lunches yet as I have been cautioned from colleagues that this can create some complexities in the class that we are not ready to add in especially given that we are still trying to get settled in the class and work around some other limits. Time limitations: Our eating period is short, and if many students need food heated, it can quickly create a lineup that prevents students from finishing their meals on time. Supervision responsibilities: If I am tied up managing a microwave line, cleaning spills, or handling hot or burned foods, that supervision is compromised. Fairness: It would be unfair if some students are disappointed when their food cannot be heated first or on time. Food safety and hygiene: Hot foods can spill,cook times can be unpredictable, and cooking smells can permeate the small space.
*That said, sometimes families are navigating more complex circumstances—so, yes, please let me know so I can help and find a work around.
Blog Updates
I aim to post one or two updates on our class blog each week. Sometimes, however, when we have a particularly special project or event, I take a little longer before posting because I want to capture it thoroughly and share it in a meaningful way.
For example, I’m currently finishing a little “mini-documentary” on our jam-making unit from this past week, along with some of the best images from that day. At the same time, I’ve also been busy marking the school-wide write and other writing assignments, which take up a fair bit of evening time. Thank you for your patience—I can’t wait to share more!
Blog Access
If you have occasional trouble loading our class blog on your phone or device, this usually happens if I have updated a blog post but you may have an old version of a blog post cached in your browser history (if you visited the blog before I updated it)or if a post contains large embedded videos. A quick fix is to clear your internet cache/cookies or try opening the blog in a different browser (for example, switching from Safari to Chrome). Refreshing the page after this almost always works. I’ll also do my best to keep posts with just one or a few videos to make them easier to load across devices.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. I feel so grateful for the opportunity to teach your children and to share this learning journey together!
Did you just read this HUGE blog post—-wow! Gold star! I am a longwinded when endeavouring to be thorough. Kuddos to you! But still do feel free to reach out with anything else that I can clarify!
Tiffany Poirier 