Learning at Home
1st Edition: We miss you AP Eagles!
Dear Arthur Pechey Families
We miss you so much! I hope this message finds all of you safe and healthy. After all of the connections teachers and families have made this week, one thing we have come to understand is just how diverse the needs, wants, and resources of every family are. The purpose of this Learning at Home newsletter is to provide our families with a variety of learning activities that do not require technology. Our focus will be on literacy and numeracy, with suggested activities for all age groups.
We know there is a lot going on for families right now and recognize you will not complete all of the activities provided....that is completely fine! There are a variety of ideas shared so that students and families can choose what works best for them. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or concerns regarding the learning opportunities provided.
I want to share my appreciation to you for your engagement in this process and your words of appreciation and support to our teachers and staff this past week. Thank you for your patience as we figure this out together. Please feel free to reach out to any of us if you have any questions or concerns along the way. We are here for our families and want to help!
Stay healthy, stay safe, stay connected, and take good care of yourselves.
Brandi Sparboe
Principal - École Arthur Pechey Public School
We may not be in school, but... the learning doesn't need to stop. This week's theme is staying CONNECTED.
~Ideas to Help Structure the Day~
Daily schedules for learning at home will look different for every family. Having a nine and 12 year old boy at home myself right now, I am also busy navigating through these unique challenges to find our healthy balance! Learning at home cannot and should not be expected to replicate classroom learning. Here are some suggestions that may provide guidance as you figure out what learning at home may look like for you:
Set up a daily schedule.
Depending on the age of your child and the type of activity, students might focus on two or three learning activities each day for between 10 and 30 minutes before needing a body break.
This is also a great time for students to build time into their days to be creative, to find ways of connecting with others, and to learn or practice a new skill or interest.
We want to encourage our students to continue to be physically active - get outside and keep your body moving each day!
Be flexible and forgive yourself if it doesn’t work out!
Tipi Teaching focus this week: HOPE. Check in on the people who matter most and celebrate the hope we have, for ourselves, our family, and our community.
~ LITERACY~
~READING~
Encourage your child to read independently for two 10- 20 minute sessions per day, listen to an audiobook, or be read to. Any reading material is fine, as long as you feel it's appropriate. If your child struggles with five or more words on the page, then the selection is too difficult.
Perhaps try read or tell a story to your child. Have them dramatically act out the story. You might have to play some of the characters!
* Reading and writing can be done in English, or in French, or in your home language; try having your child try any combination!
~WRITING & LANGUAGE~
Find a school notebook (it's ok if there are other things in there) of a couple sheets of paper, and have your child use it as a Writing Journal. Each day, your child could choose two of the activities from the list below (it's fine to repeat activities).How long should the piece of writing be? Whatever your child is able to comfortably write in a 10- 20 minute session.It will be different from child to child.
Remember: drawing and scribble-writing (for younger kids) is still a form of writing!
For Younger Learners - Oral Language Focus this Week:
- It’s ok to play! Have toys and a space your child can use their imagination and play. You can pull out some plastic, paper and pots and pans from the kitchen and let them set up a restaurant or play house.
- Find purses, shoes, hats or clothes your child can use to play dress up.
- Pretend to have a phone call with your child. Take turns pretending to be a character from a book, movie or tv show they like.
- Set up a virtual playdate with a relative or friend. Use Skype, Facetime etc.
For Older Learners - Writing Focus this Week:
- Pick a room in your house (bedroom, living room, kitchen, family room, even bathroom!) and describe your dream version of it. What would it look like? What would it have in it?
- Create a fictional conversation between two people in your home, or two imaginary people, where one person is surprised by something in the conversation.
- Write a letter to someone you have been thinking about lately. Tell them about all of the things you are excited to do with them once you are finally able to have a visit!
- Interview a person in your family about their childhood. Ask about their favourite: games to play, foods to eat, and music to listen to. Write down their responses and draw some pictures to help illustrate their story.
- Jot down a journal entry about how you're feeling and what your day was like. Think about using the "Zones of Regulation" to help describe your feelings, like in the movie Inside Out.
- Make a list of all of your hopes and dreams! Use materials around the house to create a Vision Board or Dream Board to put in your bedroom.
~NUMERACY~
For Younger Mathematicians:
- Take two types of cereal. Make a pattern with it; then sort it into two groups. Use cereal type as your sorting rule.
- Make a group of six pieces, using any found items you have available (cereal could work, too!) Put them in two groups of three; count how many there are altogether; make the group equal 8; now make it equal; continue to add and subtract.
- Make a circle with the cereal or any other shape; turn it into a long train. How many pieces are there altogether? Which is longer: the cereal or the table? Now eat the cereal as a snack!
- Make a map of a room in your home. Don't forget to include all doors and windows!
- Build towers from plastic cups or blocks you have on hand. Then measure them!
- Give your child a pre-determined weight or measurement and challenge them to find objects in the home that are that length/measurement and then check their accuracy.
- Play the "Yes/No" Game: 2 Players; use slips of paper or index cards and draw simple shapes or write numbers on them. Each player takes a card from the pile (face down) and holds it over their head. The object is to guess what's on your card, using only Yes or No questions (ex. Am I more than 10? Am I less than 15?). Keep asking questions until you get it correct.
- Practice with decimals! Take 100 Fruit Loops, beads, sprinkles or other small coloured items. Figure out the fraction for each colour (22/100 are green, 17/100 are red, etc.), write the fraction as a decimal (0.22 are green, 0.17 are red, etc.), and even as a percent (22% are green, etc.)
- Play 24. Write down four numbers under 10, and try to make them add up to 24 using any mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.) Write down all the solutions you come up with!
- Grab a deck of cards and get ready to play "War" - addition, subtraction, or multiplication war; each player flips two cards instead of one and the highest sum, difference, or product wins!
~A Note from Ms. Peterson~
Hi Arthur Pechey Families!
This is a unique time in our school and community which has brought a lot of unknowns. Anxieties are high and isolation can be tough on a person’s mental health. Please reach out if you or your child need support. If you would like to set up online mental health supports for your child, please email me at apeterson@srsd119.ca
I miss my Arthur Pechey families and hope you are doing well!!!
Ms. Peterson
Find me on Facebook! @Aryn Peterson
If your child needs to talk to a professional, they can reach out to https://kidshelpphone.ca/. They can text or call someone directly, if they need to talk.
If you are in need of support, contact https://www.811healthline.ca/mental-health/
or call 1-888-737-4668
"What's Up?" Wednesday
Weekly Invitation from your SLC
Join us Wednesday for Character day! Dress up as your favourite book or movie character.
~Helpful Information~
The Government is Providing Financial Support
Canada Child Benefit (CCB)
The government is providing an extra $300 per child through the Canada Child Benefit. The benefit will be delivered as part of the scheduled
CCB in May. Please read more about the government support at:
https://www.canada.ca/en/departmentfinance/economic-response-plan.html
Goods & Services Tax Credit (GST)
There will be a one-time special payment in early May for low & modest income families. The average additional benefit will beclose to $400 for single individuals &close to $600 for couples. You do not need to apply for thispayment. If you are eligible, you will receive it automatically.
Canada Emergency Response Benefit
Will provide a taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months
Apply online or by phone: 1-800-206-7218