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Messages from Across the Grades
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Junior Kindergarten "JK"
JK students have been wondering about numbers and spring. Recently, students celebrated 100 days of school by investigating the number 100, where they counted personal collections of 100 items and creating necklaces after counting 100 beads. Students have also gone outside to wonder and notice all of what the Spring season has to offer.
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Grades K/1
In Kindergarten students have been wondering how animal survive in the winter. Students have been learning about hibernation, migration and adaptation. In numeracy, students have been investigating 2D and 3D shapes in nature with our grade 6 buddies. Meanwhile, grade 1 students have created a wonder wall, filled with imaginative wonders and thoughts shared through class discussions. Students have also wondered about life in space and visited the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.
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Grades 2/3
Connecting to their unit on Forces and Motion, grade 2 students explored Science World. They identified of variety of push and pull forces and dug for fossils prepared by their grade 3 reading buddies. In grade 3, students visited the Britannia Mines Museum where they participated in workshops like, Mineral Detectives, BOOM! and inquired about the underground train and mining experiences.
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Grades 4/5
Grade 4 students have been exploring Genius Hour projects. Genius Hour is inquiry-based, student-directed learning. It is an approach to learning where students are guided by their interests, background knowledge, and curiosity to learn. Grade 5/6 students have participate din a series of self-paced inquiry activities once a week. Some questions that students are investigating include, "How do fossils help us learn about the past?" or "How do glaciers change the Earth's surface?"
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Grades 6-8
Each week, the grades six, seven and eight classes explore a Science picture and engage in the scientific inquiry process by applying the skills of observation, questioning and inferencing. Examining these images of the local environment and natural phenomena help students develop their critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills. This leads to a deeper understanding of the world around them.
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Literacy at Pythagoras Academy: Words to Wonder About
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wonder (noun)
definition- a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable, a surprising event
word origin- German, Old English wunder
synonyms- astonishment, amazement, spectacle, miracle, phenomenon
antonyms-confusion, shock, fear
new words- wonderful, wonders
sentence-It is a wonder that spring arrived after the long cold winter.
wonder(verb)
definition- desire or be curious to know something, to feel adoration or amazement
word origin-German wundern, Old English wundrian
synonyms-curious astonishment, awe
antonyms-concern, suspicion, doubt
new words-wondering, wondered
sentence- I wonder what happened to the dinosaurs?
I often wonder about words. I wonder what they mean. I wonder where they came from. I am in wonder that words in English often have more than one meaning. What do you wonder about?
Word Study is used in classrooms as one approach to practice spelling words. From studying words, we learn not only the definition, but we can also learn opposites and words that have the same meaning and is a different word. We see words used in context to help provide the meaning. By using the right tools you can enter an exciting adventure into learning new vocabulary and learning how to correctly spell a word. Use a dictionary or a thesaurus in book form or try these online resources:
Online Eytmology
Dictionary.com
Being curious and wondering gives you more to think about and talk about with your friends and family. What are you wondering about right now?
Warm regards,
Mrs. Lois Powell
Director of Literacy
Teacher Librarian
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Wellness at Pythagoras Academy
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During March, Pythagoras students and staff have been actively exploring the theme of wonder and inquiry. Part of the G.R.O.W model, states that “Wonder” relates to being a problem solver and spending time in contemplation.
With wellness, this can be tied to our awareness of what is going on around us and implementing the Five Chair Five Choices model of the “Meerkat” and “Giraffe.” When sitting in the Meerkat chair, we are asked to explore our attitude and how to approach certain situations or even feelings. In other words, we carefully ponder our decision making, which in a real-life situation helps to solve conflicts. While sitting in the Giraffe chair, we express and show curiosity and intent to stay connected to the other person we are communicating with. In other words, we show empathy by asking ourselves the question “ What is going on with them.”
Resource:
7 Ways Kids Can Develop Self-Awareness Skills (That Also Help With Kindness & Empathy!) https://raisingkidswithpurpose.com/self-awareness-skills-for-kids/
Ms. Una Miljevic
Vice Principal of Student Life
Grade 4-8 Team Lead/ Grade 4 Homeroom Teacher
Wellness Coordinator
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Exploring and Investigating in the Arts
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Wonder and inquiry are fundamental aspects of the artistic process, driving artists to explore and create in order to better understand the world around them. By asking questions and seeking out new information, artists are able to tap into a sense of curiosity and wonder that fuels their creativity.
This same sense of wonder and inquiry is also present in the classroom, where we've done whimsical projects involving creatures from kindergarten to grade 8. Through these projects, students are encouraged to explore their imagination and ask questions about the world around them, leading to a deeper understanding and appreciation of art and creativity.
Whether it's painting, sculpture, or any other form of artistic expression, wonder and inquiry play a crucial role in inspiring artists to push the boundaries of their craft and create something truly unique and meaningful. By embracing the sense of curiosity and wonder that drives us all, we can continue to create and explore the world around us, discovering new insights and perspectives that enrich our lives and inspire us to do even greater things.
Ms. Dhaliwal
Visual Arts Specialist
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Informational Technology: Wondering and Inquiry
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Pythagoras Penguins, our school’s First Lego League team, showed excellence again during BC/Y Championship FIRST LEGO League Challenge on March 11th, 2023, at the Meadowridge School.
Our large team of eight dedicated students from grades 4-7 received the Rising All-Star Award. This year, students had to be curious about electricity, brainstorm different issues/problems that have to do with electricity and wonder about an innovative solution to this problem. After researching and problem-solving for a few days, students decided to inquire about the safe charging of tablets.
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They designed a prototype of a Power Shield Box that can charge different batteries and devices, preventing fire. They contacted local experts and had multiple meetings with BC Hydro engineers and electricians, Richmond Fire Department, and Home Insurance agents. After discussing their ideas and receiving thorough feedback, students iterated them. They added valuable changes, such as using wireless charging, avoiding thermal runaway and adding a thermometer to their device to control the temperature of the batteries. Students worked on this innovative project from September to March; they were engaged, curious and optimistic. As a result, judges were so impressed by their performance that they wrote the following in the team’s evaluation rubric: “This award celebrates a team that the judges notice and expect great things from in the future.”
Mrs. Yanina Vihovska
I.T/A.D.S.T Teacher
Educational Technology Coordinator
Specialist Team Lead
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Upcoming School Events and Important Dates
April 3-6: Pysanka Week
April 4: Fire Drill
April 7: Good Friday No School
April 10: Easter Monday No School
April 13: Fire Drill
April 15: PA Annual Gala
April 20: Student-Led Conferences Half-day
April 21: Earth Day
April 24-28: Arts Week
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Upcoming Community Events and Important Dates
April 1: April Fool's Day
April 1-April 2: Food Truck Wars- Langley
April 29: Richmond Night Market - Richmond
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