Week #12: Nov. 17th -21st

Dear Families,

This week was Anti-Bullying Prevention Week, and our classroom was filled with meaningful conversations, reflections, and activities that helped us grow as a caring community. 

Together, we explored what it truly means to create a space that is safe, inclusive, and welcoming for everyone. 

Students shared thoughtful ideas, practiced empathy, and engaged in learning that strengthened both their hearts and minds.

I’m proud of the way our class stepped up to listen, support one another, and think more deeply about kindness and respect. Let's keep this up boys and girls!

LANGUAGE:

To help do a deeper dive into Anti-Bullying Prevention, I did some explicit lessons about what bullying really means. 

We learned that bullying is targeted, meant with the intent to hurt, and happens over and over again. 

When something doesn’t fit all three of these parts, it isn’t bullying, but it might still be unkind, and we can always work to make kinder choices.

I also taught the class a helpful reminder: “T.H.I.N.K. Before You Speak.”

We ask ourselves:
T – Is it True?
H – Is it Helpful?
I – Is it Inspiring?
N – Is it Necessary?
K – Is it Kind?

Please check out the video below for further information about what bullying is and what we can do to help stop it. They shared ways to speak up, stay safe, and support friends.

After the video, students got creative and made their own comic strips! Each comic showed a bullying scenario and a positive way to solve or prevent it. The students did a solid job showing kindness, problem-solving, and respect.

Check them out :)

I’m so proud of students learning and the thoughtful conversations we had!

LEARNING BUDDIES:

We continued our learning about Bullying Prevention by working together with our Learning Buddies. 

Each student paired up with their younger buddy, and together they created special Kindness Notes called “You Are Awesome!” These notes were made to share with loved ones and friends to help spread kindness.

My students were wonderful mentors! They helped their younger buddies think of kind ideas and write their sentences. It was such a beautiful moment of teamwork, caring, and sharing. Everyone worked hard and supported one another.

At the end, each of my students wrote a special message just for their Kindie Buddy, so their buddy could take it home and feel appreciated.

It was a heartwarming way to practice kindness and show that small acts can make a BIG difference!

CHARACTER RECOGNITION ASSEMBLY:

Next week, Mrs. Hammond's grade 3's will be leading a special assembly to honour students who demonstrate exceptional character in their thoughts, words, and actions. 

This exciting event will take place on Friday, November 28th at 9:30AM in the gym.  It is also a dress up spirit day, so please dress up in MISMATCH clothing :) 

🎉 Ideas for Mismatch Spirit Day!

• Wear two different socks — one rainbow sock and one with polka dots!

• Put on a mismatched outfit — like a fancy shirt with sporty shorts.

• Mix up your shoes — one sneaker and one sandal (as long as it’s safe!).

• Wear different colours — a bright yellow hat with a green shirt and red pants!

• Mix patterns — stripes on top, zigzags or plaid on the bottom.

• Different accessories — one sparkly earring and one colorful one, or two totally different hair clips.

• Crazy hair styles — braid one side, ponytail on the other!

Get creative and have fun with this one!

As always, we warmly welcome all families to attend and celebrate with us! :)

Please note, I have personally notified the parents of students who will be recognized for their courage & bravery.  

We hope you can join us in celebrating these awesome students if you're able to attend! :)

EMPATHY & COMPASSION ASSEMBLY:

Here’s another exciting announcement!  The next month, our class is proud to lead a Character Education Assembly on Thursday, December 18th at 9:30 AM. 

Our assembly promises to be memorable, featuring special speaking parts, songs, drumming, and a slideshow celebrating all of our students at Nottawa.

This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize the empathy, compassion, and achievements of our incredible staff and students, you won’t want to miss it! 

Please mark your calendars and join us for this celebration of character and community :)

In the coming days, your child will bring home their speaking parts to practice. Thank you for supporting their public speaking journey as they prepare to showcase, share, and shine! 

WINTER CELEBRATION CONCERT:

We’re excited to invite you to our Winter Holiday Concert on Wednesday December 10th at 6:00 PM! 🎶 

My students will perform 2 songs with Mrs. Cavill (their music teacher).

Song #1: “I Believe in Miracles.”

Song #2: “Up on the Housetop.”

Mrs. Cavill has asked that students please practice the lyrics at home so I will make these accessible and post them on Google Classroom. Please have your child access these :)

Get ready for a festive and heartwarming evening showcasing their talents.  We can’t wait to see you there! 🌟🎵

GRAMMAR RULE #4:

This week we learned all about Common & Plural Nouns.  Below, I have posted a video which provides examples for this rule.

A common noun names general items (e.g., "town," "teacher"), while a proper noun names specific items and begins with a capital letter (e.g., "Nottawa," "Ms. Gill"). 

I have shared with the students that I feel English is one of the most challenging languages to effectively learn and apply because there are so MANY RULES and EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULES. 

I have felt this first hand growing up because my first language was Punjabi and I didn't speak English fluently until I was in grade 2, and even then, I struggled for years to read and write it properly.  Thankfully, I was placed in an ESL class to help build my grammatical skills :)

Now being a teacher, I value explicitly teaching grammar because it's the foundation to WRITING and builds confident and competent writers.  

Additionally, when we learn the RULES TO GRAMMAR, we understand the English language on a deeper level so that we can apply it to every day life (e.g., resumes, cover letters, letter of reference, presentations, etc.,).

Please review the grammar sheets your child brought home in their agenda, and ask them to share what they’ve learned. 

Try coming up with examples together at home, it’s a meaningful way to reinforce these important rules!

AVERY, HYLA & RYDER:

A big thank you to Hyla, Ryder, my former student Avery and their families for their thoughtful effort in collecting and donating tabs for kids. 

Your kindness and dedication to this cause truly make a difference and reflect your caring spirits.

It’s inspiring to see this generosity in action, and I am so grateful for the support.  Acts like this remind us of the power of community and compassion, YAY! 

Thank you for making a positive impact, you’re amazing! 🌟

MINDFULNESS:

Your brain is truly extraordinary, with different regions controlling amazing functions that keep you thinking, learning, and thriving! 

Since the very first day of school, we've been exploring and discussing how these regions work, and now it's time to share that knowledge with our family.

Just like a great team, your brain’s regions work best when they work together!

Let’s take a tour to meet these incredible regions and learn how they operate --> click the video below! 

Understanding and appreciating your brain can help you set a positive, peaceful tone for thinking, learning, and playing every single day. 

Enjoy learning about our amazing brain power! 🧠✨

GROWTH MINDSET:

Thank you to Iris' older sister Tessa for providing this week's mindset message!  

"Even in the darkest of days, your heart will always shine brightly!" - Tessa (grade 5)

What does this mean?

This means that even when you’re having a hard day or things feel tough, there is still something special and good inside you. 

Your kindness, your courage, and your caring heart can still shine like a bright light. No matter what happens, you always have goodness in you that can help you keep going and make the world a little brighter!

#yougotthis

With love, grace, and gratitude,

Ms. P. Gill