Week of February 13, Happy Valentine's Day!
Looking Back:
Literacy:
Writing:
In celebration of Valentine’s week, our class focused on the importance of self-love, friendship, and kindness. We began by watching a short video where adults were invited to write love letters to themselves. This sparked a thoughtful discussion about how challenging it can sometimes feel to recognize and celebrate what makes us special.
To support their thinking, students explored a list of positive character traits and key words. They reflected on which words described them and used these as inspiration to write their own love letters. It was a meaningful experience as students identified and shared what they appreciate most about themselves.
To complete the activity, each student created a small heart, attaching their letter to the back. We proudly displayed them outside our classroom as a reminder that self-love and confidence matter. It was a beautiful way to celebrate who we are, both individually and as a community.
Through discussions and practice activities, students identified common and proper nouns in sentences. They worked on changing one type into another, such as turning a city into Calgary or Mrs. Smith into a teacher. This helped strengthen their understanding of capitalization and how nouns are used in writing.
Math:
In math this week, we focused on identifying which operation to use when solving word problems. Students practiced looking for key information in the problem to determine whether addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division was needed. We will continue building our skills with multiplication and division word problems next week.
On Wednesday, students participated in a digital Valentine’s challenge called Heartbreak Heroes. They solved addition and subtraction problems to uncover clues and complete a puzzle. There was also a multiplication and division challenge available. Some students were able to move on to this second challenge, while others will have the opportunity to continue working on it. Feel free to have your child explore and complete the challenge at home over the long weekend.
Science:
We continued our study of energy by exploring four types of forces: applied force, tension, frictional force, and spring force. Students examined real-life examples of each and discussed how these forces act on objects in everyday situations. They then chose to work independently or with a partner to draw and label an example of each force, along with listing two additional examples to show their understanding.
STEAM / Buddies:
Students teamed up with their Grade 1 buddies for a heart-themed STEAM challenge. Together, they designed and built heart sculptures using strips of coloured paper. The creations turned out beautifully, and it was wonderful to see the Grade 3 students taking on leadership roles while supporting their younger buddies.
Social Studies:
Over the past two weeks, our learning has focused on the question: What makes Métis culture distinct, and how does it contribute to Alberta’s western identity?
Students have been learning about who the Métis people are and what makes their culture unique. We looked for clues about Métis culture through stories, artwork, symbols, and important objects. Students explored how storytelling and images help share traditions, values, and history. We also examined meaningful Métis symbols and discussed what they tell us about identity and culture.
Finally, we explored where Métis communities are located in Alberta and talked about why these places are important to Métis history, culture, and Alberta’s western identity.
Ask your child to share some of the information they took away from our work on this vast topic.
Olympics:
Our class has been excitedly following the Olympics through a daily scavenger hunt booklet. Each day, students receive a clue that helps them solve an ongoing Olympic-themed puzzle. Last week, they went on a country hunt, designed a sweater to represent their country, and created a lanyard similar to an Olympic pin.
We also began learning about the artist Keith Haring, exploring his bold lines, movement, and use of symbols. Inspired by his style, students chose a winter sport from the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics and created dynamic artworks that capture motion, energy, and Olympic spirit while expressing their own creativity.
In math this week, we focused on identifying which operation to use when solving word problems. Students practiced looking for key information in the problem to determine whether addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division was needed. We will continue building our skills with multiplication and division word problems next week.
On Wednesday, students participated in a digital Valentine’s challenge called Heartbreak Heroes. They solved addition and subtraction problems to uncover clues and complete a puzzle. There was also a multiplication and division challenge available. Some students were able to move on to this second challenge, while others will have the opportunity to continue working on it. Feel free to have your child explore and complete the challenge at home over the long weekend.
Science:
We continued our study of energy by exploring four types of forces: applied force, tension, frictional force, and spring force. Students examined real-life examples of each and discussed how these forces act on objects in everyday situations. They then chose to work independently or with a partner to draw and label an example of each force, along with listing two additional examples to show their understanding.
STEAM / Buddies:
Students teamed up with their Grade 1 buddies for a heart-themed STEAM challenge. Together, they designed and built heart sculptures using strips of coloured paper. The creations turned out beautifully, and it was wonderful to see the Grade 3 students taking on leadership roles while supporting their younger buddies.
Social Studies:
Over the past two weeks, our learning has focused on the question: What makes Métis culture distinct, and how does it contribute to Alberta’s western identity?
Students have been learning about who the Métis people are and what makes their culture unique. We looked for clues about Métis culture through stories, artwork, symbols, and important objects. Students explored how storytelling and images help share traditions, values, and history. We also examined meaningful Métis symbols and discussed what they tell us about identity and culture.
Finally, we explored where Métis communities are located in Alberta and talked about why these places are important to Métis history, culture, and Alberta’s western identity.
Ask your child to share some of the information they took away from our work on this vast topic.
Olympics:
Our class has been excitedly following the Olympics through a daily scavenger hunt booklet. Each day, students receive a clue that helps them solve an ongoing Olympic-themed puzzle. Last week, they went on a country hunt, designed a sweater to represent their country, and created a lanyard similar to an Olympic pin.
We also began learning about the artist Keith Haring, exploring his bold lines, movement, and use of symbols. Inspired by his style, students chose a winter sport from the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics and created dynamic artworks that capture motion, energy, and Olympic spirit while expressing their own creativity.
Looking Ahead:
MTS Reminders - Tuesday February 10 |
Jump Rope For HeartWe’re excited to share that every donation made to Jump Rope for Heart this February will be matched by a generous partner (up to $75,000) — doubling the impact of your support! That means every contribution makes double the impact in supporting life-changing heart and brain research here in Canada. If you’d like to support our Jump event, you can donate through our school’s fundraising page: Let’s make this year our most impactful yet! Thank you for supporting our school and Heart & Stroke. Fun LunchThe next Fun Lunch will be held on Wednesday February 25. Fun Lunch is only for grades 1-4 and our EES students.
Please make sure to send a morning snack with your child on Fun Lunch Days. Orders must be placed by the Friday before the day. Food SupportDid you know that the Breakfast Club of Canada has shared research demonstrating that 40% of Alberta’s children experience food insecurity? This means that 4 out of 10 children do not have access to food when they are hungry. If your family is experiencing challenges with providing food for your children you can find help at Brown Bagging Calgary. Complete this form for support and they can deliver lunches to McKenzie Towne School for your children. https://go.bb4ck.org/l/858913/2024-01-15/38fdbw You can also find out more information on their website https://bb4ck.org/ Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids Upcoming DatesTHURSDAY & FRIDAY Teacher Convention - NO SCHOOL February 16 Family Day - NO SCHOOL February 24 Jump Rope for Heart Assembly - 8:30am February 25 Fun Lunch - Coco Brooks Pizza February 25 PINK Shirt Day February 27 Non-Instructional Day - NO SCHOOL March 16-20 Book Fair (More Information to come) March 17 Wear Green for St. Patrick's Day March 18 Fun Lunch - Subway March 19 & 20 Parent/Teacher Conferences March 19 NO SCHOOL for Kindergarten March 20 Parent/Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL March 23-27 Spring Break - NO SCHOOL |
