Friendships Everyone #1: Giving and Receiving of Friendship

The giving and receiving of friendship

What does friendship feel like?

Cedar group started by discussing what giving someone care looks like and how it makes us feel Then we showed our ideas through the song game "Daddy Loves the Bear":
Daddy loves the bear,
Daddy loves the bear,
Daddy loves the bear
and gives it lots of care.

The children took turns giving care to Teddy our big, old teddy bear at Creative Minds as we sang the song.

After, each child made a fuzzy bear and wrote how they would show/give friendship to another person.

Summer Days July 11th-15th

Streaming water, painting feet

Oh, what do you do
in the summertime
when all the world is green?

Do you fish in a stream,

or lazily dream

on the banks as the clouds go by?

Oh, what do you do 

in the summertime

when all the world is green?

Do you swim in a pool,
to keep yourself cool,

Cozy, friendly, snugly tents

or swing in a tree up high?

Oh, what do you do

in the summertime

when all the world is green?

Do you march in parades,

or drink lemonades,

or count all the stars in the sky?

Is that what you do?

So Do I!

-Dorthy S. Anderson

Making pancake, building s'mores

Sorting lemons, tasting lemons, selling lemon-limade

Gentle voices, caring hands, it's the way to meet furry friends

Visit to Our Local Fire Hall (FIRE HALL 21)

On May 5th, 2016, a group of children went to visit our local fire hall, Fire Hall 21. On our way, the children could not contain their excitement and wondered what they would see. On arrival, we were greeted by a big, red fire truck in front of the station and all the children were mesmerized by its size. Many of them said that it was their first time standing next to one. However, the children did not just get to stand next to it, each of them took turns to go through the back seats and they even had the opportunity to sit in the driver's seat! The fire fighters patiently explained their equipment and work environment. More importantly, they helped promote awareness of fire safety and prevention for the children. Thank you Fire Hall 21!

Building Together: A Walk to Dunbar

What is a community? The children gathered together and shared their understanding of what a community is and what is in one. To see what is in our Dunbar community, we walked along 39th  to  Dunbar Street. Along the way, the children noted a postal carrier, landscapers and construction workers. When we reached Dunbar, the children shouted with glee, "I see the community! I see the community!" We saw gas stations, a coffee shop, restaurants, a school, a bookstore, flower shops, bus loop, dentistry, dry cleaners, a community garden and IGA. Many children said they shop at IGA so we went in to take a look and see who works there: baker, butcher, cashier, stocker.

Then and Now #1: Early Human

The Water Group started to explore the life of early humans. We wanted to learn the similarities and differences between past and present. The children know that we can mail each other letters as a way of communication but did early humans send each other letters? "No!" the children giggled as they shouted out the answers. "They don't even have paper!" Charlie exclaimed. I told the children that it is possible for us to read messages from early humans even though they did not have paper. The children were very confused! I showed them pictures of cave paintings made by cavemen and we guessed what the paintings meant.


The children painted a cardboard box and made it into a cave. We are going to learn the daily life of an early human and we record it on our "cave" wall.

We Decorate Our World #3: Connect Through Decorations (2)

By looking at the gardens, the children learned many things about each other.

- Eric loves blue and he doesn't like to make his house too colourful. He likes it simple.
- Charlie loves red and swimming.
- Eva is good at making a beautiful garden and the children think her "house" looks very magical.
- Miquel likes green and he likes having big windows.
- Hyra wants her house to look pretty and colourful.
- Jacob likes having windows around the house. He also loves blue.
- Elliot loves red and he wants to make his garden pretty so everyone likes it.

We Decorate Our World #2: Connect Through Decorations (1)

Decorations tell human stories and help us know one another

Adding pools and flower beds

The children loved the different garden decors in our neighbours' yards. They commented on how cute a cat statue looked in one and in another how the trees looked silly. Our neighbours' creative gardens decorations inspired the children to create their own unique garden to their dioramas. Can the children's garden help us more about them?

"There's lots of flowers in my garden."

Blueprint for the garden