Learning About Communities

Within our class, students began showing an interest in different communities.  We explored different types of communities, the buildings you would find in each, and important community helpers.  Students loved looking through books, searching images on Google, creating their own books, building various communities within the building area and so much more.

The exploration and wondering about communities continued and students began focusing on the airports within a community.  They were building airports and airplanes everywhere!!  One of our students shared his knowledge of airports in Victoria B.C.  He was fascinated with float planes and in great detail taught his peers about these planes and that they are able to land on water.

Together with our students, the socio-dramatic play area was transformed into an airport!  "Air Rainbow" has multiple departures and landings each day.  Students eagerly sign up for a job within this play area.  Those who will be departing on a trip as a passenger do so with their passports and boarding passes in hand.  Passengers check in, weigh their baggage, pass through security and wait patiently in the gate area.  Once boarding begins the flight attendant helps passengers to their seats...soon after the pilot and co-pilot take over.  The imagination of our JK/SK students is wonderful to observe.  One of our JK students realized while in the flight attendant role that he needed some materials in order to serve food to his passengers.  This prompted him to create a shopping list for his teachers!

Several students were interested in building a 3D airplane.  We were very fortunate to have Mr. Raj visit our class and help with this project!  Together with the students Mr. Raj made a plan, conducted some research, and then co-created a wonderful airplane that is currently hanging above our airport!  Thank you Mr. Raj for spending a morning building with us! 

To help build on the students learning we were so lucky to welcome Captain Stephen Moore an Air Canada Pilot (and Dad to one of our students!) to our class.  He captivated the students and taught them so much.  We learned about; a pilots uniform, different planes, all the people that work at an airport and help a pilot, as well the importance of school.  We listened to a story, pretended to fly a plane, viewed a model airplane, and then got to take Captain Moore through our airport and onto our plane!  Below is a collection of some of the pictures taken during this valuable learning opportunity.  

This area of our classroom is still very popular.  Students have shown an interest in the world map and we are excited to see where our learning will go next!  To enhance our airport we are looking for a small child sized suitcase, digital scale, computer keyboard or pretend laptop.  If you have any of these items and would not mind lending them to our class we would be very appreciative.   

Caring Food Drive and Keep Olaf Warm

Anne Frank held its first Caring Food Drive just before the winter break, in which the Kindergarten classes played a very important role.   We could not be more proud of their hard work, commitment, and display of empathy.  Kindergarten students were responsible for counting food donations and then adding tally marks to class recording sheets.  Not only did our class put our math skills to practical use and donate a tremendous amount of food to those in need, they were also overheard discussing the reason behind the donations.  Students were heard saying: "I brought food for people who cannot buy their own food".  "I went to Sobey's  and picked out this food because some people don't have a lot of food".  "I feel happy because I am helping families".  "Look at all this food, I bet it will make lots of families feel good".  

Students continue to show the same empathy with our Keep Olaf Warm Campaign.  Thank you to everyone who has donated and for all the conversations you continue to have with your children to help them understand the reasoning behind these important initiatives.