This term in Grade 1 science class, we learned about force, motion, and simple machines. The students enjoyed creating their own simple machines and sharing them with the class. They showed some great creativity and knowledge!

In Grade 1, we have been learning about how people lived in the past, and particularly their schools, tools and transportation. After studying about some of the schools that children attended 150-200 years ago, the students were excited to create their own “one-room schoolhouse” models. We also wrote letters using feathers and ink. It was a fun (and messy) experience!

A Spelling Bee is a competition in which contestants are asked to spell a broad selection of words with a varying degree of difficulty.  Spelling Bees provide a valuable educational experience for students and allow them to engage in healthy competition.  This year’s Spelling Bee used words for the student’s spelling list and through a comprehensive learning process allowed students to learn definitions, pronunciation and the root of English words.

Students practiced vocabulary words which helped them to excel in reading and writing and gain more of an understanding of the words they read.  The confidence level of many of the students increased and even when the student did not win their portion of the competition, their spirits remained high.

Last year the Spelling Bee was renamed Anna’s Spelling Bee in honor of the late Anna Ahmed who served as the Reading Specialist and facilitator of the Spelling Bee from 2016 – 2017.

This year’s Spelling Bee was a Team Competition.  Students across grades formed teams of 5 to 7 students per team.  Each player was responsible for a specific spelling game.  The competition had 5 games including; Speed Spell, Letter by Letter, Show and Spell, Guess and Spell, Laser Letter, Super Word, Language of Origin, and Word Families.

Teachers served as coaches for each team and guided the students weekly in learning their words and learning how to play the Spelling games.

The students practiced for months to learn their spelling words and perfect each game.  Students had to use the virtues that they learned throughout the year; friendliness, respect, responsibility, courage, courtesy, enthusiasm, perseverance, self-discipline and compassion.  Most of all, students had to learn to work as a team. They won as a team and lost as a team. They learned that as teams they could achieve much more.

Kindergarten students competed individually, learning vocabulary and gaining confidence.

Congratulations to our winners and to all contestants.