February 24

Pink Shirt Day–What’s It All About?

Today marks Pink Shirt Day across Canada.

What is Pink Shirt day all about? It all began when a boy in the 9th grade wore a pink shirt on his first day of school in Nova Scotia. He was made fun of and was picked on because of this. A few boys saw what happened and decided to do something about it. They bought 50 pink shirts and distributed them for others to wear. By the end of the week, most students in the school were wearing pink to show support for the boy who was made fun of.

 

We looked at several quotes today and discussed what they meant and why they are always important, not just today.

Here’s a look at some of the ones we discussed today:

  1. Kindness–it costs nothing but means everything
  2. We rise by lifting others
  3. Kindness begins with me
  4. Kindness is the mark we leave on the world
  5. Throw kindness around like confetti
  6. If you can anything, be kind

We designed some of our own pink-tshirts today too.

 

 

We revisited this poster called THINK. It’s a great acronym to remind ourselves how we can be kind to others when it comes to our words…

What are ways you can show kindness to others?

Category: 2020-2021, Religion & Family Life, Teacher Talk | 7 Comments on Pink Shirt Day–What’s It All About?
December 14

The 3rd Week of Advent-JOY

Mrs. Rudy’s class and Miss Nessan’s class led our school in a beautiful virtual liturgy. Today, we light the PINK candle and we are reminded there is only 1 more Sunday before Christ’s birthday. We light a pink candle because it is the liturgical color for joy.

Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of our Saviour.

Today, in lieu of homework, we received an invitation from Mrs. Sullivan to complete at least 1 act of kindness this week. We also watched a wonderful video that reminds us that while we are looking forward to some gifts under the tree this year, we also need to look at what gifts we already have!

What would Jesus want us to do for others to bring joy to them?

What gifts in your life bring you joy?

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December 1

Patience People for the Lord is Coming

On Sunday, we marked the 1st Sunday of Advent. What an exciting time of year, isn’t it? Many of us have our Christmas trees up, decorations on and in our homes, and we are awaiting the coming of Jesus! How awesome.

On Monday morning, we celebrated the special season of Advent with a liturgy which was done beautifully by Mr. McKeough’s class. Father Jasica shared a wonderful message with us about what Advent truly means and he blessed our wreath. We lit 1 purple candle on our Advent wreath which sits on our prayer table.

Advent means a coming. It is a time when we prepare our hearts to get ready to welcome baby Jesus into the world. The colour purple was the colour of royalty because purple dye was costly and rare. So the liturgical colour of Advent is a symbol of looking forward to welcoming the coming of a King.

There is much symbolism within the wreath itself.

  • the wreath is in the shape of a circle meaning that God’s love has no beginning and no end
  • the evergreen boughs represent the hope for eternal life
  • the candles show that Jesus is the light of the world

This is also a time we are asked to think of others and remember what is most important at this time of year–family, friends, and Jesus. The best present we could ask for is not going to be laying under the tree on Christmas morning–it is the birth of our Lord.

 

Today we made our own Advent wreaths. They look beautiful!

Growing up, I listened to many Christmas albums, but this one is one of my favourite songs off the album called Gentle Night. Here is a beautiful Advent song reminding us to be patient as we prepare for Christmas:

 

How are you preparing for Christmas this year?

Category: 2020-2021, Religion & Family Life | 1 Comment on Patience People for the Lord is Coming
February 27

Lent is Here

On Tuesday Feb. 25th, the smell of pancakes wafted through our school hallways as we were celebrating Shrove Tuesday, otherwise known as Mardi Gras or Pancake Tuesday! Perhaps you, too, were eating pancakes on Tuesday.

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday which is the first day of Lent. It’s a day of penitence, to clean the soul, and a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent begins.

Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up. So Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself, and to use up the foods that aren’t allowed in Lent. Historically in the old days, there were many foods that Christians would not eat during Lent such as meat and fish, fats, eggs, and milky foods. So that families wouldn’t be wasteful, they would have a feast on the shriving Tuesday, and eat up all the foods that would go bad over the next 40 days.

Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday because they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats and milk in the house with just the addition of flour.

In addition to indulging in some pancakes, students were asked to reflect on what this year’s Lenten Promise might be. How will we behave more like Jesus?

What is your Lenten Promise this year?

 

Category: 2019-2020, Religion & Family Life, Teacher Talk | 4 Comments on Lent is Here
December 20

Merry Christmas!

It is a bit hard to believe we have arrived at the Christmas holidays. Where has time gone?

We spent some time in our class recently discussing the true meaning of Christmas and why it’s so important to keep the Christ in Christmas. What is this time of year REALLY about? How do we stay connected with God when things are so hectic all around us?It’s important to slow down and be mindful of the true reason for the season.

I hope you and your families have a joyous Christmas together, surrounded by good food and lots of love.

We will see each other and connect again in the new year.

Warmly,

Mrs. R. Sullivan

 

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December 16

3rd Week of Advent–Joy

Today, we gathered once again as a faith community in our gym where Mrs. Rudy’s class led our school in a beautiful liturgy. There was singing, praying, and most of all, celebrating the fact that as we light the PINK candle, we are reminded there is only 1 more Sunday before Christ’s birthday. We light a pink candle because it is the liturgical color for joy.

Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of our Saviour.

How can we prepare our hearts for Him?

What would Jesus want us to do for others at this time?

 

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September 25

What is Heaven like?

A visit to Mass last week prompted a discussion in our own classroom about heaven. During Father John’s homily, he was asking what we all thought heaven was like.

Children’s ideas and thoughts about heaven is always so interesting…and often beautiful.

There are so many questions about heaven that even adults have such as…

  • Where is heaven?
  • Will there be other children in heaven?
  • What does heaven look like?
  • How do I get to heaven?
  • How long do I stay in heaven?

We’ve been reading together a lovely picture book called Someday Heaven by Larry Libby. It helps answer some of those difficult questions.

Have a peek at our students’ ideas of what they think heaven might be like…

Category: 2019-2020, Religion & Family Life | 3 Comments on What is Heaven like?
April 1

Spring Has Arrived!

After March Break, time always seems to fly. We are in the season of Lent, moving closer to Easter. The students in our class have been working incredibly hard on their school work. We have been diligently studying and practicing our times tables. Mrs. Sullivan has been impressed!

As a class, we’ve been pushing ourselves to strengthen our Word Study test scores overall and the results have been outstanding!

Several students have been challenging themselves to achieve silver certificates in Mathletics. Wow! Who will earn the first gold?

We continue to move along nicely in our newest writing unit called Realistic Fiction where we are gathering ideas.

Take a look at some of the activity in our room as of late:

What do you like the best about Spring?

Category: Math, Religion & Family Life, Teacher Talk, The Arts, Writing Workshop | 3 Comments on Spring Has Arrived!
March 5

Our Lenten Promise

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday which is the first day of Lent. It’s a day of penitence, to clean the soul, and a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent begins.

Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up. So Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself, and to use up the foods that aren’t allowed in Lent. Historically in the old days, there were many foods that Christians would not eat during Lent such as meat and fish, fats, eggs, and milky foods. So that families wouldn’t be wasteful, they would have a feast on the shriving Tuesday, and eat up all the foods that would go bad over the next 40 days.

Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday because they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats and milk in the house with just the addition of flour.

In addition to indulging in some pancakes, students were asked to reflect on what this year’s Lenten Promise might be. How will we behave more like Jesus?

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January 23

What is Empathy?

At our school, we are focusing on one particular virtue each month. A virtue is a type of morally good behaviour or character.

The virtue this month is EMPATHY. So, what is empathy? What does it mean to be empathetic?

 

Today, we read a book introducing this word and what it looks like. Students learned what it means to put ourselves in someone’s shoes. We shared examples of how we have shown empathy for others in our own lives. We had lots to talk about!

If you’re still not sure what empathy is, take a look at this short video made by 8th graders from Kalispell Middle School in Montana, U.S.A.

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