February-May 2025: Kindergarten at Gordon Terrace
Field Trip to the Design Lab
Today we went on a field trip to the Design Lab, and it was such a cool and inspiring experience! The students were absolutely buzzing with excitement, and it was amazing to be a part of fostering that energy around creating, building, and exploring new technologies.
During our visit, students worked with LEGO coding bricks and iPads to build a carousel ride. They followed step-by-step instructions to build the base and then used code to bring their rides to life. One of the most meaningful takeaways for me was seeing how different students shone at different stages of the process. Some students found it tricky to follow the instructions during the initial build, but those same students came alive when we reached the creative portion of the project.
When given the freedom to imagine, modify, and customize their carousels, these students thrived. Many thought deeply about how to make their rides more inclusive for LEGO people, adding ramps for characters in wheelchairs or adjusting seats to fit larger adult figures. It was such a powerful reminder of the value of open-ended, creative opportunities in the classroom.
This experience taught me the importance of offering students chances to express their strengths in different ways. Not every child will shine in structured tasks, but when we make room for creativity, imagination, and choice, every student has the opportunity to feel successful and inspired. Sometimes, the most meaningful learning happens when we step back, trust the process, and let students take the reins.
Easter Fun!
The short week leading into the Easter long weekend was filled with so much joy, excitement, and hands-on learning! We leaned into the Easter theme and integrated it across multiple subjects, making for an incredibly engaging and memorable experience for our students.
One of our favourite activities was decorating paper eggs and taping them to the backs of our chairs so they could “hatch.” Our special eggs needed to stay warm and quiet, so we practiced pushing in our chairs and keeping a calm classroom environment. Because we took such great care of them, the eggs hatched on Thursday! Students arrived to find little Peeps had appeared overnight, along with official birth certificates signed by E. Bunny himself. Each student named their Peep and got to work creating a home for it. To build the homes, students used toothpicks and marshmallows to design 3D shapes—an adorable and effective wrap-up to our 3D shapes unit. Once their homes were built, students measured the height and weight of their Peeps using mini marshmallows, applying the measuring skills they had learned earlier in the term. They recorded their findings on an “All About My Peep” sheet. It was a sweet and silly way to celebrate both their learning and their success in taking care of their eggs.
This project also flowed beautifully into what Mrs. Willumeit will be doing after the break—hatching real chick eggs in the classroom!
Because we’re still in our Force and Motion unit, we brought Easter into our science learning with an “Easter Inquiry” outdoor investigation. Students visited various stations:
- Egg races that explored how size and weight affect motion
- A weighing station where they compared eggs with different fillings
- A parachute station that investigated how parachutes impact how objects fall
- A pulley system station where they used downward force to lift a basket up to the fire pole platform
It was a fantastic way to connect our science concepts to hands-on, playful experiences.
We also brought the Easter theme into our art time. Students made beautiful “stained glass” Easter eggs using wax paper, tissue paper, and Mod Podge, and created adorable directed-drawing bunnies. It was so special to see how unique every bunny turned out—even though we followed the same steps, each student brought their own creativity.
This week really reminded me that I can bring fun and imaginative ideas into the classroom while still meeting curricular goals. It showed me that integrating themes in a creative way helps students stay excited about learning while practicing and applying key skills. Most of all, it reaffirmed that my playful, sometimes silly ideas do have a place in the classroom—and they can lead to some of our most meaningful learning moments.
Force and Motion Unit!
One of my absolute favourite moments in this unit so far has been watching students who don’t always shine during other subjects suddenly step into the spotlight. As we explored big machines, movement, and simple forces, some of my quieter learners emerged as our “class experts.” It turns out they had so much knowledge to share—about construction vehicles, physics in action, and how things move—and it was a joy to hear them speak with such passion and pride.
Seeing those students light up, confidently contribute, and teach their peers has been one of the most fulfilling parts of this experience. It reminded me how important it is to create space for all kinds of knowledge in the classroom—not just what’s in the curriculum, but what children bring with them from their lives and interests. This unit has reaffirmed for me that when we tap into our students’ passions, everyone gets to feel successful and seen.
3D Shapes Unit!
We are currently deep into our 3D shape unit, exploring the differences between 2D and 3D shapes and investigating the attributes of six key 3D shapes. This unit has been especially exciting for me—not just because of the engaging content, but because it’s the first one I’ve taught without relying on a formal TRU template or a fully pre-structured unit plan.
Letting go of a detailed, line-by-line script allowed me to be more responsive to my students’ needs and interests in the moment. I was able to make real-time instructional decisions, adjusting the pacing and focus of lessons based on how students were engaging with the material. This flexibility has helped me grow in confidence as an educator and made me feel more creative and attuned to my learners.
One example of this was during a lesson I had originally planned to spend one day on—focusing on the faces of 3D shapes. As I observed students exploring shapes through building and sorting centers, I noticed many were struggling to identify a “face” even when holding or constructing the shape themselves. At that moment, I shifted the centers to include stamping 3D shapes into play dough so students could clearly see the 2D shapes left behind. This hands-on discovery helped solidify their understanding of what a face is and how different 3D shapes are made up of familiar 2D shapes.
This experience reminded me that some of the best teaching happens when we respond with curiosity and creativity to what students need in the moment. I’m proud of how this unit is helping me grow as a reflective, flexible, and student-centered educator.
Metis Sash Lesson
As part of our Métis unit, we explored the significance of the Métis sash—its colours, patterns, and traditional uses. We also engaged with a hands-on carpet activity that connected the sash’s colours to native plants. While we couldn’t explore the real plants due to snow, students loved making these connections through vibrant plant cards and natural items.
I’ll be honest, my first attempt at teaching this lesson didn’t sit right with me. It lacked the authenticity and intentionality I strive for when bringing Indigenous content into the classroom. However, I’m proud of the way I paused to reflect, both individually and in conversation with my fantastic Faculty Mentor and Teacher Mentor. Together, we reimagined the lesson in a way that felt more meaningful and respectful.
In our second version, we sat in circle, worked with natural materials, and emphasized hands-on, experiential learning. I intentionally grounded the lesson in the First Peoples Principles of Learning, focusing on connection to place, story, and reciprocity. This shift allowed me to bring Indigenous knowledge into the classroom in a more decolonized and student-centred way—and I could feel the difference in the room.
This experience reminded me of the importance of being open to growth and collaboration. It also reinforced my commitment to teaching Indigenous content in ways that are authentic, respectful, and rooted in ongoing learning.
Probability Unit Highlights
One of the highlights of our probability unit was using a creative and accessible booklet as a summative assessment for our Kindergarten learners. This booklet invited students to apply their new probability vocabulary words like “likely,” “unlikely,” “certain,” and “impossible” to real-life and imaginative scenarios in a way that was developmentally appropriate, engaging, and fun.
I had been struggling to find an authentic way to assess whether my students could apply these terms beyond our classroom activities. While they had been doing a great job using the vocabulary during center-based explorations, such as predicting which items might be pulled from containers based on the number of each item inside, those conversations were very context-specific. I wanted to see if they could transfer their understanding to familiar daily events and imaginative thinking.
After exploring some ideas from other educators, I came across a simple but powerful idea: a probability booklet that allows students to draw and/or describe scenarios that demonstrate their understanding of each vocabulary word. I loved how this format allowed for creativity, humour, and expression, and how it was accessible to all students—whether they were ready to try phonetic writing, beginning drawers, or just developing oral language strategies.
As we worked through the booklet together, I had rich one-on-one conversations with students about their ideas. It gave me a clear picture of where each learner was at in applying probability concepts to real life, and it was such a joy to see the connections they made—both serious and silly!
To keep building on this learning, I’ve started integrating probability vocabulary into our daily calendar routine with questions like, “Do you think it’s likely or unlikely to rain today? Why?” It’s been a great way to keep that language alive in our classroom and help students apply it in everyday contexts.
This experience really reinforced the power of playful, differentiated assessment and how much insight we can gain when we meet students where they are and let their ideas shine.
Some fun while in my observation time:
Exploding volcanoes to celebrate the end of the dinosaur unit!
100-day craft to celebrate 100 days of school!
September 2024- Kindergarten at Gordon Terrace
Pattern core practice with paper flowers, pipe cleaners, and beads! This was an easy way to differentiate my assessment to each student’s level. I was able to challenge my higher students while ensuring every student completed the same project.
Building patterns outside with natural materials to practice our patterning skills!
Implementing some classroom management routines, using “My Mouth is a Volcano” by Julia Cook to teach about blurting (erupting), and practicing pinching our thoughts between our fingers and putting our hands up when we have something to say so we do not have erupting volcanoes on the carpet. This is something that will be easy to refer back to in a fun way for the rest of the school year.
