Talk about beautiful weather we have had this past week. It really has been nice since the previous week.
Hopefully, the groundhog was right and we will be having spring soon. At least the daylight last longer now.
Two exciting things are happening this week. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, so don’t forget your sweetheart.
And it’s a long weekend this coming weekend. Monday is Family Day, a day that some people get off work. Enjoy the day with your family. There are a lot of events happening around the country, so hopefully everyone can attend something. It’s supposed to be warm for the weekend, so why not get out and enjoy it.
In Botha School, some changes have taken place as the Grade 4/5 class has lost Mrs. Bennett as the teacher, but gained Mrs. Jewett as the new teacher. So they’re going to miss Mrs. Bennett, but would like to welcome Mrs. Jewett to the Botha School.
They are having fun with their poetry classes and get incredibly excited during writing time.
Please remember to keep practising mathematical skills at home. Students in that grade are expected to know all their facts up to 9X9, so please keep reviewing those.
In Mrs. Maxwell’s grade 2/3 class, they are thinking about friendships and relationships in their E.L.A. reading material, as they take another look at comprehension strategies, using context and background knowledge, visualization, questioning, making connections and summarizing.
On Valentine’s Day, they will be doing a fun E.L.A. Valentine’s theme day, beginning with a short play production.
The beginning of February, students were lucky to have Avery Acheson from C.A.R.E. Avery came to their class, talking about human rights as they begin a unit in Social Studies about rights, responsibilities and helping organizations and individuals who are making positive differences in the world. They would like to say thank-you to Avery Acheson for doing that for them.
In grade 2/3 class, they are asking people to save their paper towel tubes and cardboard for their upcoming science projects. They will be using these items for testing materials and building things.
The Grade 1 students would like to thank everyone who sent Kleenex boxes in and cardboard tubes. They have built vehicles with wheels, animal homes and Valentine cards with movable parts out of those. And they would like to remind everyone to keep saving these items for them to use. Thank you.
Another exciting thing the Grade 1s did is make soup in January. They found out too much pepper makes a very spicy soup. They also did some writing about their experience after this project was done.
With Valentine’s Day coming up Thursday, the E.C.S. class made their own Valentine cards for each other. This links to many curriculum objectives, for example accepting and showing kindness to each other, communicating through writing and drawing, learning their addresses and community awareness.
They also had a Teddy Bear Picnic to teach the students about Bears and Winter. The feeding habits bears have before they hibernate, the hibernation system, and then the bears waking up in the spring , having their cubs, and eating and teaching their cubs how to hunt and fi sh for their own food. The children also made their own caves in the classroom, and settled in to hibernate with their stuffi es.
This month, they are going to continue learning about bears — make their own clay bears, also they are going to study about Hippy Hippo and Rhino Ralf and making words out of alphabet pretzels, so the students can eat them after. The students are learning sight words this way, and through this they are starting to read some, so watch out parents. Sounds good, and lots of fun.
Don’t forget Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Zumba classes are being held, and every Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. are Booty Bounce and Cardiovascular Hip Hop Classes. So please phone Carrie Turigan at 403-741-8308, with any questions and to get registered for these.
Tuesday (Feb. 19) is Bingo evening again, so come out to the Botha Senior Centre for a great time. The balls start rolling at 7:15 p.m. You could be the next big winner.
Bingo happens every second Tuesday evening.
Then the last Sunday of February is the Old-Time Dance again starting at 1:30 p.m. The Five Plus One Band will be the entertaining band for the afternoon, so come on out for a great time.
This event involves a pooled lunch, so please bring buns/sandwiches or dessert with you to share. Everyone is invited out, no age limit at these dances, they are fun for everyone.
Quilting takes place again on Monday (25th) at 9 a.m. at the Botha Senior Centre, so make sure you grab your quilting items and come out and join your neighbours and friends for a great time.
Remember the Dog bylaw in Botha and please keep your dogs under control at all times. Please keep Botha looking nice and clean.
We wish everyone a fun Valentine’s Day on Thursday and a great Family Day on Monday.
— BOTHA BOOSTER