A.P.P.L.E. classroom

The Alberta Project Promoting active Living and healthy Eating (APPLE Schools) is helping to define effective ways to create healthy school communities in Alberta. 

Our Purpose: 

1. To improve healthy living habits of students. 
2. To increase knowledge about healthy living for parents, students, teachers and the school community. 
3. To apply and sustain Comprehensive School Health in school communities.
4. To sustain capacity for healthy environments in school communities.

Every morning, the students spend their recess running around, climbing on the playground equipment, and using the new equipment that each class was given for this school year.  

After recess, the students come inside and enjoy either a fruit or vegetable that has been packed in their lunch kits.  Please help your child learn that the 'healthy choice should be the easy choice.'  Ensure that there are apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, dragon fruit, carrots, snow peas, cucumbers.....you get the idea...in their lunch each and every day!

These happy, little faces are worth the effort!

Peanut Aware Zone

Thought you might like to see how our budding artists are starting to bloom! These little Wemberlies are from last Friday when we talked about the reality that worrying does not really help us achieve anything!  Instead, we should be willing to try new experiences!

Here's our own little art gallery with our framed 'dot' paintings along with two proud artists!

Our classroom needs to be a 'nut aware' zone this year as one of our classmates has a peanut/nut allergy.  I know how important protein is for growing bodies and how difficult it is to ensure that children get all the nourishment that they need with a packed lunch.  As a class, we talked about the ways that our classmate might have contact with peanuts through our lunches.  One little boy mentioned that we has 'WOW butter' and when I was shopping I found this one, which is actually made with sunflower and sesame seeds along with flax.  Please try to add a little note that just says that the sandwich is made with the alternative that will keep our little friend safe.

Just a reminder that sending a fresh fruit or vegetable every day for morning snack really keeps the children energized until lunchtime.  Please help avoid the 'sugar' rush that happens when a prepackaged snack such as 'fruit snacks' is sent.  The children are busy learning and really need your support to fuel their tummies to keep going!

Thanks so much!

Nine days down!

It has been a busy week!  Who would have thought that we would see snow this first full week of school?  It was 30 degrees this time last year!  Keeping the children happy and healthy, no matter the weather is one of our goals.  When it looks like my class could use an opportunity to recharge, I often get them up and dancing using a short dance video on the SMARTBoard.  This one was from Koo Koo a Roo and the children loved doing the Dinosaur Stomp with them!

It's a fun way to learn to follow directions, and learn left from right!

We will have our library book exchange with Mrs. Mishio every Friday.  Please have your child pack their library books every Thursday night so that we can have new books on Friday.

Seems a long time since that first day of school but being a bit worried about all the newness of the class, grade, and what is expected can still give a child a case of the 'jitters.'  We shared the things we are a bit worried about and then had a glass of 'jitter juice', to wash all those worries away.

Wemberly worries about everything!  We made 'text to self' connections with her.  The children heard the story (the text) and then thought of how they were a bit like Wemberly (self).  We shared these, wrote about them, created our own little Wemberly and then painted a background for these little mice.

The children found out that painting is not really the same as colouring.  They were very focused, concentrating on doing their best.  The final results look lovely!

Tomorrow is International Dot Day.  We'll be celebrating!  The answer to 'What did you do at school today?', should be 'So much!!!'

Keeping Healthy...Having Fun

Did you notice that the note for September 5th said "Special Event"?  Thanks to Mrs. Lampka who organized eight activities for our students to participate in during the afternoon.  Here at our school, which has the APPLE School designation, we look for ways to ensure our students are learning to eat well and be active to start the habits early and avoid issues later.  

The children were willing participants in everything we tried.

This morning, the Rise and Shine binder was introduced.  It is an interactive way for the students to participate in our Daily Calendar activities, which provides great mathematical practise in ways that relate to the real world.

Today, we focused on the date and number of days we have been in school.

The children listened to the story "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" and had the opportunity to create the same type of tree with all the letters put in order.

We have 'reverse recess', which means that the children play outside for 15 minutes and then come in to eat their snack.  Our hope is to make the healthy choice, the easy choice.  For this snack I ask the children to choose a fresh fruit or vegetable.  The natural sugars in these snacks give the children the energy to get through the rest of the morning.  Remember that all the students may have water in the classroom, as long as the bottle is one that has a locking  spout so that it cannot be knocked over and spilt.

OOPS!  I made a mistake.  My 'before school' supervision is on Tuesday, so that is the morning that the students will have to wait outside until I can come in to unlock the door.  On Wednesday, I have supervision at the morning recess.  Sorry for the confusion.

I will be sending home the Scholastic book orders tomorrow.  The company is always the most generous to classrooms in September, allowing teachers to use 50% of the monies towards purchasing books for the class.  If there was ever a month to order, this would be it!  If you are ordering, the cheque is to be make out to Scholastic Canada, Inc.   I will send in the order on Friday, September 12.  Don't forget that is our Welcome Back breakfast.