Well, it was a four-day week but the students finished a few projects so we can begin some final projects for the year.
All week the grade 3 students have been practising and reviewing for the grade 3 EQAO standardized test of math, reading and writing that begins next week. The students self-reported that they are feeling more confident now about their ability to answer the test questions correctly and completely.
The grade two students have been reviewing math concepts too. They completed activities that review graphing and data management and patterning.
On Wednesday, our librarian, Ms. Mantello invited our class to come to the gym to listen to the Canadian children's book author, Heather Hartt-Sussman, talk about being an author and to listen to her talk about what it's like to be an author, and hear her read aloud two of her books.
We finished our Painted Lady butterfly project on Friday by releasing the adult butterflies outside. The students completed their science observation journals and wrote a reflection on what they remembered about the project and how they felt about finally releasing the butterflies. One student wrote, "I feel sad because I will miss them. I also feel happy because they will be free." Each student created an origami box and a symmetrical paper butterfly to decorate the lid. Each child chose an empty chrysalis to put inside the box as a memory from our project. More information and photos from this project may be seen in a separate posting.
The class finished watching the movie, The Iron Giant and used their notes and drawings to help them write about the movie story and compare it with the story in The Iron Man book. After reflecting on what they liked about the book and the movie, the students were asked to compare the book and the movie using a Venn Diagram graphic organizer and then write their opinions about which they liked better, the book or the movie. (At this stage in their lives, most children will pick the movie over the book because it's difficult for a book to compete with the colourful animation, action, sound and music of the movie!)
As we continue to learn how pioneers lived hundreds of years ago, one of the major themes of this unit is learning how to make things. Hundreds of years ago in Canada, people could not go to the store to buy things they needed. People had to either grow it or make it. In that spirit, the students continued to practice knitting using the corkers they made last week and they learned how to make a pom-pom using a handmade cardboard "donut" and the yarn they dyed several weeks ago. They are also learning how to do different kinds of knots, square knots and overhand knots.
The children rehearsed the play, "Honesty is the Best Policy" a few times this week. The students will be performing this play on the stage in the gym near the end of June.
Books read aloud this week:
Noni Says No by Heather Hartt-Sussman
The Butterfly Alphabet by Kjell Bloch Sandved
The Iron Giant (movie based on the novel, The Iron Man by Ted Hughes)
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