Celebrating Diwali – The Festival of Lights! ✨

This week, our school had a wonderful time learning about Diwali, the Festival of Lights! A special thank you to one of our parents who visited and shared about the meaning and traditions of Diwali. Students from different grades enjoyed creating beautiful Diwali crafts, including decorating diyas and other festive items.

It was a joyful celebration of light, color, and togetherness as we learned how people around the world celebrate this special festival. 

Happy Diwali to all who celebrate!

Here are a few highlights from our celebration:

Welcome to Kindergarten!

We have had a busy and exciting start to our school year in Kindergarten. Both our JK and SK friends are learning and growing together every day!

On the first day of school, we explored our new classroom, made new friends, and even mixed paints to discover brand new colours. Our activity was inspired by the book Curious George's First Day of School.

Students also  practiced tracing their names — soon they'll be writing them all on their own!"

Dot Day

We celebrated Dot Day and created our own special dots to show our ideas and creativity. Everyone’s dot was unique—just like us!

Terry Fox Run

We joined the school in the Terry Fox Run. The children showed energy and joy as we learned about Terry’s courage and why he is remembered.

Orange Shirt Day

On Orange Shirt Day, we wore our orange shirts to show that Every Child Matters. We talked about being kind and caring to everyone. We also learnt about the 7 Grandfather Teachings of the Indigenous peoples. We also learnt about the seven grandfather teachings of the Anishinaabe peoples. These are guiding principles for living a good life, including Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility and Truth. These principles emphasize treating others with kindness and making good choices. .

Fun Day

We also had a special Fun Day sponsored by the Wynford Group. The children enjoyed face painting, big slides, and lots of laughter!

Character Trait

In September, we learned about the TDSB character trait: Respect. We practiced respect by listening to each other, taking care of our classroom, and using kind words.

We are excited for all the learning and fun that October will bring. 

Nowruz

 🌸 Celebrating Nowruz: The Persian New Year! 🌸

Nowruz means "New Day" and is the Persian New Year, celebrated on the first day of spring. It marks a time of new beginnings, family gatherings, and hope for the year ahead!

🌿 How is Nowruz Celebrated?

Nowruz is a 13-day celebration filled with special traditions:

🌼 Spring Cleaning (Khaneh Tekani): Families clean their homes to welcome fresh energy for the new year.
🍎 The Haft-Seen Table: A beautiful table is set with seven special items that start with the letter "S" in Persian, like Sabzeh (sprouted wheat for growth) and Seer (garlic for health).
🔥 Jumping Over Fire (Chaharshanbe Suri): Before Nowruz, people jump over small fires, saying, “Give me your warmth, take away my worries!”
💰 Eidi (New Year Gifts): Elders give money or small gifts to children as a symbol of good fortune.
🎊 Family & Feasts: Loved ones gather to enjoy delicious food like Sabzi Polo (herbed rice) and fish!

🌞 Why is Nowruz Special?

Nowruz is all about fresh starts, kindness, and joy. It reminds us to welcome the new season with hope, love, and positivity!

Nowruz in the Classroom

Our classroom is a mixing pot of different cultures and we have several friends who celebrate Nowruz. This art activity was recreating the Sabzeh.

Sabzeh is a traditional symbol of renewal and rebirth in Persian culture, often seen during Nowruz, the Persian New Year. It consists of sprouted wheat, barley, or lentils placed in a dish, representing growth, fertility, and the start of a new year. Sabzeh is a key element of the Haft-Seen table, a special arrangement of symbolic items, and is later discarded in a ceremonial act of letting go of past burdens and welcoming fresh beginnings. 

Sabzeh Art

Items Needed

Green paint

Toilet paper roll/paint brush - for painting

Flower pot template

Markers - to decorate pot

In our classroom students are comfortable sharing their culture and family traditions or celebrations. This student brought a sabzeh from home and did an excellent job sharing this with the class. It was our main inspiration for the sabzeh art. 

Nowruz Activity -

🔥 Chaharshanbe Suri: The Festival of Fire 🔥

Chaharshanbe Suri is an exciting Persian festival celebrated on the last Wednesday night before Nowruz (Persian New Year). The name means “Red Wednesday” and it is known as the Festival of Fire.

🌟 What Happens During Chaharshanbe Suri?

Families and friends gather outdoors to jump over small bonfires while chanting:
"Zardi-ye man az toh, sorkhi-ye toh az man!"
("Take my sickness, give me your warmth and energy!")

This tradition symbolizes letting go of past troubles and welcoming health, happiness, and good fortune for the new year.

During circle time, we gathered a small pile of sticks and students took turns jumping over the pile. This was a great activity to talk about fire safety. 

Happy Nowruz and Happy First Day of Spring!!!

You can download the free sabzeh art resource on my TPT Store

St. Patrick's Day

☘️ What is St. Patrick’s Day?

St. Patrick’s Day is a special day that celebrates St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. He helped bring Christianity to Ireland a long time ago. Today, people all over the world celebrate Irish culture on this day!

🌟 Why Do People Wear Green?

Wearing green is a big tradition on St. Patrick’s Day! Some people say it’s because:
✅ Ireland is called the “Emerald Isle” because it’s so green.
✅ Green is the color of shamrocks, a symbol of luck.
✅ Leprechauns (silly little fairies) can’t see green, so they won’t pinch you if you wear it.!

🍀 What is a Shamrock?

A shamrock is a small, green plant with three leaves. St. Patrick used it to teach people about kindness and friendship. Now, it’s a symbol of good luck!

🧚 Who Are Leprechauns?

Leprechauns are tiny, mischievous fairies from Irish stories. They love gold and hide it at the end of a rainbow! If you ever see one, be quick—because they run super fast! 🏃💨

🎉 How Do People Celebrate?

On St. Patrick’s Day, people have fun by:
🎈 Wearing green clothes and shamrocks.
🎵 Listening to Irish music and dancing.
🌈 Looking for rainbows and leprechauns!
🥔 Eating yummy Irish food like potatoes and soda bread.

🍀 Fun Classroom Activities!

Here’s how we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in our classroom:

🌿 Shamrock Art & Crafts

We made beautiful shamrocks using green paper as part of our writing. We talked about what makes us feel lucky. Did you know that the shamrock is a symbol of good luck and Irish tradition?

🎶 Irish Music & Dancing

We listened to Irish music and even tried some Irish dancing! It was so fun moving to the lively beats. We also practiced doing the Irish Dance. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Introduction to Coding in Kindergarten

Introducing coding in kindergarten fosters essential skills while making learning fun. Young children are naturally curious and quick learners, making this the perfect stage to start exploring programming concepts. Here’s why coding is a game-changer for early childhood education and how to get started.

Why Teach Coding in Kindergarten?

• Problem-Solving Skills: Coding helps children think critically and break tasks into smaller steps.
• Creativity: Kids can turn imaginative ideas into stories, games, and animations.
• Resilience: Debugging teaches persistence and the value of learning from mistakes.
• Collaboration: Team-based activities improve communication and teamwork.
• Future Preparation: Early exposure builds a foundation for STEM learning and future opportunities.

How to Introduce Coding

1. Unplugged Activities: Teach sequencing and logic with screen-free activities like treasure hunts or storytelling cards.
2. Kid-Friendly Tools: Use apps and toys like ScratchJr, Bee-Bot, or Code-a-Pillar to make coding accessible.
3. Play-Based Learning: Blend coding with play, such as creating obstacle courses with coded instructions.
4. Encourage Exploration: Let children experiment, make mistakes, and find solutions independently.
5. Storytelling Integration: Use coding to bring narratives to life by programming characters.

Tips for Educators and Parents

• Keep concepts simple, focusing on patterns and problem-solving.
• Celebrate effort and persistence, not just success.
• Use colorful visuals and interactive tools to maintain interest.
• Be patient and support individual learning paces.

The Impact of Early Coding

Coding in kindergarten nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and confidence while sparking a love for learning. It’s not about preparing kids for tech careers but equipping them to understand and shape their world. Early coding ensures children grow as active creators, ready to thrive in a tech-driven future.

Below is a simple game introducing our kindergartners to coding. The goal is to get the rat to the cheese while avoiding the cat. I like that the student was able to self-correct after she realized there was a better option to getting to her target. 

Holidays in December

In December we recognize several holidays and celebrations significant to families in our school community. This post will zero in on three such celebrations:

Christmas 

Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays worldwide, blending traditions, religious significance, and universal themes of love, generosity, and joy. For some people, Christmas is a time of faith and reflection. For others, it’s about family, togetherness, and giving. 

For Christians, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and it is a holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, who, according to the Christian religion is the son of God. It is a celebration of hope marked with key traditions, including the nativity scene, singing carols, and attending church services. 

Many families come together at Christmas to share meals, play games, and exchange gifts. People engage in acts of kindness like donating to charities and giving to those in need. 

This year students created holiday ornaments and a paper snow globe using finger paint and crayons.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a week-long cultural celebration that honors African heritage and African-American culture. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa takes place annually from December 26 to January 1. It draws inspiration from traditional African harvest festivals and focuses on principles promoting unity, self-determination, and cultural pride.

7 Principles of Kwanzaa:

1. Unity: Striving for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
2. Self-Determination: Defining oneself, naming oneself, and speaking for oneself.
3. Collective Work and Responsibility: Building and maintaining communities together, solving problems as a collective.
4. Cooperative Economics: Supporting and building businesses that benefit the community.
5. Purpose: Working collectively to build and develop communities in alignment with cultural goals.
6. Creativity: Using creativity to improve and beautify the community.
7. Faith: Believing in the people, community, and the righteousness of the struggle.

Kwanzaa is a time for reflection, celebration, and commitment to building stronger families and communities. It serves as a reminder of the importance of cultural identity and collective progress, making it a meaningful addition to the holiday season. 

Students created the Mkeka mat from paper using the traditional colours of black, green, and red on a yellow base. This craft was a great way to strengthen their fine motor skills. It was somewhat challenging for some students, however they did a fantastic job.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century BCE. The holiday commemorates the victory of the Maccabees, a small group of Jewish fighters, over the much larger Syrian-Greek army and the miracle that followed. 

Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, which usually falls in late November or December. To celebrate the eight nights of Hanukkah, people light candles on a branched candlestick called a Menorah. They start with one candle and add a new candle each night. In addition to the lighting of the candles, gifts are exchanged and children play holiday games. 

Other customs include:

• Playing dreidel: A spinning top game with Hebrew letters symbolizing the phrase "A great miracle happened there."
• Eating fried foods: Such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts), to honor the miracle of the oil.
• Giving gifts: Especially to children, a tradition that has grown in popularity, influenced by the timing of Hanukkah near other winter holidays.

Hanukkah is a joyful celebration of resilience, faith, and miracles, making it a time for family, tradition, and reflection on overcoming challenges.

Menorah Craft

HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

Diwali

Diwali is India's most important celebration, often referred to as Dipawali. It is a Hindu festival of lights that symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Families in my class celebrate Diwali so explaining this to other students was important. Diwali is celebrated annually and lasts for five days. It usually falls between October and November.

In class, students created Diya (lamps). These are an important symbol and are lit during Diwali

 Diya Lamp Craft