News for May 6

News for May 6

This week was Education Week at our school and there was a lot going on! Math Night, Science Fair and Track and Field Day...

The big news was the completion of our Million Dots Project. It is now on display in the middle stairwell of our school and go from the top of the school to the main level (3 floors). Photos and comments on the process can be found in a separate posting. The children even wrote a reflection on the process. I think we all now have a better appreciation of just how much a million is!

In math, the student continued the unit on probability by discussing examples of things that are certain, likely, equally likely, unlikely and impossible. We flipped two-sided counters (like coins), drew spinners and did activities to deepen their understanding of these concepts.

For Math Night, the class planned and organized the estimation activity, "How Many Candies" for grades 1-6 and kindergarten. The class had its own contest for estimating and on Friday, the children figured out who had the estimate that was the closest. Congratulations to Braeden and Emma for having the best estimations!

In science, the children put together photos and comments from our plant unit to create a display for the Science Fair. The children learned about solar panels and how they capture the sun's energy using the photoelectric effect to make electricity. They examined the solar panels on some small lights and compared these lights with how plants use chlorophyll in photosynthesis to make food (sugar) and gas (oxygen). We also displayed popcorn kernels to show how they can be germinated into corn plants (using the sun's energy) or popped into popcorn (using electricity).

On Wednesday, we began a new science unit on animal life cycles, by starting to look at Painted Lady caterpillars. The children have new research journals to write their observations and draw diagrams of these little creatures. Did you know that caterpillars have 12 eyes and 4,000 muscles?

In social studies, the students learned the story of wool. Wool was a very important fibre to the people that lived in Canada 200 years ago. It was used for clothing and household items like blankets. The wool starts off as fleece cut off of sheep. (It doens't hurt the sheep because it's just like a haircut.) Then it must be cleaned and carded to remove dirt and plant bits that might be stuck in the fleece. Then it is spun into yarn using a spinning wheel. It can be dyed at this stage if desired. Then the yarn can be knit or woven into fabric. The children had a chance to try using a spinning wheel and realized that it would be a lot of work to make the wool for socks or a sweater!

On Tuesday morning the whole class participated in the primary Track and Field event. The students spent the morning doing a variety of track and field events.

We even had time to weave, do Speed Stacking, create yearbook art and make Mother's Day gifts and cards! Whew!

Books read aloud this week:

Pelle's New Suit (The Story of Wool) by Elsa Beskow

Sixty Impossible Things Before Lunch by Harriet Russell

Infinity and Me by Kate Hosford

Great Expectations by Bruce Goldstone