Our Grade 4 students had a fantastic day exploring the past during our visit to Heritage Park Historical Village! Students stepped back in time as they explored historical buildings, learned about life in early Canada, and experienced what communities may have looked like many years ago. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the fort and learning about the fur trade in Canada. Students discovered how important the fur trade was in shaping early Canadian history and how it connected First Nations peoples and European traders. They especially enjoyed the hands-on experience of touching and examining different animal pelts that were commonly traded during this time. Students also had the opportunity to visit the Indigenous encampment and learn more about Indigenous ways of life, traditions, and the important role Indigenous peoples played in Canadian history. This experience helped students deepen their understanding of the diverse cultures and communities that have shaped Canada...
Our class has started an exciting new literacy unit, and we have begun reading Love That Dog , a novel written in verse by Sharon Creech . This unique story is told through poems written by a young boy, which has given us a great opportunity to explore poetry in a meaningful and engaging way. As we read, students are being introduced to a variety of poems that the main character encounters. We are taking time to think deeply about these poems by creating visual representations and discussing what they might mean. This helps us build our understanding of how poetry can express thoughts and feelings in creative ways. Inspired by the book, students have also started writing their own poems. We began by focusing on similes, using comparisons to describe ourselves in interesting and imaginative ways. For example, students are thinking about how they are “like” something else and explaining why. These poems will become part of each student’s own personal poetry book, which we will continue t...