Week of February 26, 2026
Welcome, Ms. Tran. Here is a link to her introductory letter. Introductory Letter
We enjoyed learning from our knowledge keeper, Hal Eagletail, on Tuesday afternoon.
Looking Back:
Literacy:
Novel:
We were thrilled to begin our new novel study of The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf. From the very first chapter, we discovered that the story is narrated by a young boy living in a suburb of London, which sparked great curiosity and discussion.
As we read, we noticed several unfamiliar words and expressions. To build our understanding, students created a vocabulary page in their visual journals, comparing terms used in the story with the words we commonly use here in Canada. This helped us explore language differences while deepening our comprehension.
We also practiced visualizing and character analysis. On a separate page in their journals, students compared the narrator and his three best friends, using details and descriptions provided by the author to support their thinking. It was a fantastic start to what promises to be a meaningful and engaging novel study.
Writing:
We had a wonderful time writing to our new student teacher this week. On Monday, she introduced herself with a fun slideshow game where we guessed some of her favourite things. Afterward, we each wrote her a letter sharing what we would like her to know about us. It was a meaningful and engaging way to help her quickly get to know our unique personalities.
This week, we focused on concrete and abstract nouns. Students learned to distinguish between nouns they can experience with their senses and nouns that represent ideas or feelings.
To reinforce their learning, they completed grammar games in Google Classroom and created their own lists of concrete nouns found around the classroom and abstract nouns discovered in their reading.
Math:
We began the week by reviewing the key concepts from our multiplication and division unit, strengthening our strategies and building confidence before completing our unit assessment on Wednesday.
We then launched our new unit on measurement with our student teacher, who introduced some exciting new learning. Students are beginning to explore how and why we measure in everyday life. Ask your child what they have discovered about measurement so far!
This week in Science, students learned about acceleration and discovered that it means any change in speed or direction. It is not just about going faster. Slowing down and turning are forms of acceleration, too.
To see this in action, we built balloon rockets. As air rushed out of the balloon, it created a force that pushed the rocket forward along a string. Students observed how the force caused the balloon to speed up and how the direction could change depending on how the string was set up.
This hands-on experiment connected directly to our Forces and Motion curriculum, helping students understand how forces can change an object’s speed or direction. Science really took off this week!
Social Studies:
This week in Social Studies, we reviewed Indigenous languages of Alberta, including Cree, Dene, and Blackfoot, and were honoured to learn from Knowledge Keeper Hal Eagletail. He shared teachings about spirit animals, and students reflected on and illustrated their own. Some even wrote their spirit animal in Cree, Dene, or Blackfoot.
We also explored important symbols of Alberta, including Indigenous flags, the Medicine Wheel, symbols in our Learning Commons, and the Alberta flag. Students then created personal symbols that represent their own identity.
MTS Reminders - Tuesday February 24 |
Jump Rope for HeartOur school has been participating in the Jump Rope for Heart campaign during the month of February. We have focused on learning about and engaging in physical activity that relates to building healthy and strong hearts and bodies while raising money through family and friend donations to support research for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. We are overwhelmed with the generosity of the MTS community who have raised over $8,000 to support the cause. This February, thanks to the generosity of the Birchall family, every Jump Rope for Heart donation will be matched* - doubling your impact on the next breakthroughs in heart and brain research! MTS held a special assembly today, with special guests Max and Mike Pozzo in attendance as well as representatives from the Heart and Stroke Organization. In 2018, when Max was a student at MTS he participated in the Jump Rope for Heart program at our school, where he learned about the signs to look for if someone is having a stroke. Not many 8-year-olds can say they saved a parent's life. Unless your name is Max Pozzo, who knew exactly what to do when his dad Mike suffered a stroke! Thank you MTS families, friends and relatives for your support of students and this important Foundation which supports research in the fight to beat heart disease and stroke. If you’d like to support our Jump event, you can donate through our school’s fundraising page: Pictured are Max and Mike Pozzo and Principal Lorraine Slater Pink Shirt Day- February 25Pink Shirt Day, celebrated since 2007, is an opportunity to stand against bullying by promoting caring school cultures and active bystanders. We invite students and staff to wear pink tomorrow. Pink Shirt Day reinforces the importance of sustained, whole‑school approaches to bullying prevention and student well‑being. CBE defines bullying as repeated, persistent behaviour intended to cause harm, fear, or distress. Effective prevention helps students distinguish between conflict, mean behaviour, and bullying, while strengthening relationships and belonging. Fun LunchTomorrow is Fun Lunch Day! The next Fun Lunch will be held on Wednesday March 18. 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 Year Book PicturesIf you have any pictures from any school events (ie, first day of school, Terry Fox Run, Halloween) that you would like to share with the Yearbook Committee, please click on the link below. Once you log in, please enter this code. ADD-PICTURES-TO-YEARBOOK-26 More information will be shared on purchasing at a later date. Upcoming DatesTOMORROW Fun Lunch - Coco Brooks Pizza TOMORROW PINK Shirt Day FRIDAY 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 20 Parent/Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL March 23-27 Spring Break - NO SCHOOL |
