November 24th - 27th

What did students do this week?

This week in grade three, students continued exploring one of our big Social Studies themes: Where do we live and what makes Alberta unique? We used maps, songs, loose parts, and hands-on inquiry to help students learn about our place in the world.

Alberta has six major physical regions and we explored each one:

1. Rocky Mountain Region

Found in western Alberta, this area has tall mountains, snowy peaks, deep valleys, and famous national parks like Banff and Jasper.

2. Foothills Region

Located just east of the mountains, the foothills have rolling hills, forests, and many natural resources.

3. Grasslands Region

Southern Alberta is home to wide open prairies, sunny skies, farms, and prairie wildlife like pronghorns.

4. Parkland Region

A mix of forests and grasslands, this region has fertile soil, lakes, and wildlife. Many communities live near or within parkland areas.

5. Boreal Forest Region

Northern Alberta is covered in thick forest, wetlands, lakes, and rivers. Wildlife such as moose, wolves, and beavers live here.

6. Canadian Shield Region (in the far northeast)

A very small part of Alberta touches the Canadian Shield, an area of ancient, rocky land. It has thin soil, many lakes, and unique wildlife.

** Hands-On Learning Highlights **

* Loose Parts Mapping

Students used rocks, fabric, LEGO, sticks, gems, and other materials to create loose parts maps of Alberta’s regions.

* Alberta and Canada Songs

We listened to and learned songs that helped us remember the provinces, oceans, and Alberta’s regions. Music made reviewing geography fun and memorable!

* Student Map-Making

Students created their own maps including:

-Title

-Alberta’s six physical regions

-legend with symbols

Social Studies Outcomes - (I can...):

• use geographic tools to ask questions about the world and Canada

• identify Canada's provinces, territories, and capital cities

• identify and locate Alberta on a map

• distinguish the different physical regions

• describe natural features, plants, and animals of each region

Possible Questions to Ask Your Child:

• Can you show me where Alberta is on a map of Canada?
• Which oceans surround Canada?
• Which physical region is Calgary in?

• Tell me about your loose parts map.

• What materials did you use in your loose parts map?

• Which song did you enjoy the most?

• What is a legend?

Photos