This Week in Elementary

Our first round of poetry recitations were really successful. Each child was given a poem that spoke to an interest they have to practice for a week. All 19 were presented in Monday morning conference. Without exception, the children came prepared and delivered confident and heartfelt tellings. Afterward, they were asked to write critical analysis of the poetry they had read. Next we look forward to an array of presentations, including The Tyger by William Blake and My Heart’s in the Highlands by Robert Burns.

The children are finishing the Celtic earth cycle calendars they started making for the autumnal equinox. They really poured themselves into the project and the calendars going home this week are looking beautiful.

The first Great Lesson (The Coming of the Universe) will take place next Tuesday, October 3rd from 9-11.30 am. We ask that all children be in attendance for the entire lesson. The physical science and chemistry lab will also open next week for follow up work on the science demonstrations relating to the natural laws from the Great Lesson.

In addition to regular work in mathematics, geometry and language, there are a number of presentations booked for Lower Elementary including consequences of the earth’s rotation, the BC/AD timeline and biomes of North America. Upper Elementary are working on trade, scarcity and surplus in Economics as well as an advanced novel study of Orwell’s Animal Farm.

Both upper and lower have visual art, French, and ukulele next week as well. There is rhythm and ukulele home practice in the home work folders. Please remember to bring the folders and instruments to class on Monday. Students should have read chapter three of their novels so they make take it up in class on Wednesday. Lastly, there is a spelling test for all students on Monday morning.

On Friday we went to High Park to study botany and zoology. Our discoveries this week centred mostly around how different animals see colour differently. We talked about the colour spectrum before setting off and he kids enjoyed using uv light to perceive pollen on flowers. They also liked petting the bees clustered under a sunflower in the rain and springing open jewelweed seeds.