News for June 15, 2018

News for June 15, 2018

This week the children learned about screws and wheels and axles (simple machines), started to create sock monkeys and, at the end of the week, our class welcomed a new student from Nigeria!

Writing

Most of the class have now finished writing and illustrating their graphic novels using the homemade books they created last week. These are now part of a class book. This book has a Table of Contents and an Index and each child was responsible for completing both so that other students can find individual graphic novels easily. 

Math 

The students started to review and apply some of the math concepts learned this year. This week we reviewed place value and probability by playing two versions of a game using a die (digits 1 to 6) and 10 playing cards (digits 0 to 9) to create the greatest 3-digit and 4-digit numbers. The class practiced their addition and subtraction to use codes to solve riddles. They reviewed how to read and interpret calendar information. 

Science

This week the class learned about the last two types of simple machines: the screw and the wheel and axle. Did you know that a screw is actually an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder? Did you know humans have been using wheels and axles to help do work for thousands of years? The children also completed a final unit worksheet reviewing and applying what they know about the six simple machines. The class also applied some of this knowledge to create a Father’s Day gift using screws and a screwdriver (wheel and axle), nails (wedges) and a hammer (levers).

Art

The students created homemade Father’s Day cards with messaged of love and appreciation using the bits of colourful, patterned paper in our “fancy paper” bin.

The children used what they know about simple machines to create a present for Father’s Day. After transferring a pattern onto a piece of wood with a marker, each child (with my help) used a Philips screwdriver and two screws, plus 12 nails and a hammer, to put the screws and nails into a heart shape on a piece of wood. Next, each student picked a small ball of coloured thread to wrap around the nails and screws to “colour in” the heart. Finally, the children each wrote a message on the wood. Then the students wrapped the presents and taped on the cards they made so everyone will be ready to give their special, homemade gifts on Sunday.

Oral Communication

The two groups of children performed their plays for the drama teacher Ms. Endert. Ms. Endert reminded the actors to speak loudly and clearly and to remember to face the audience at all times. The plays will be presented at the last character assembly of the year next week.

Extra

The class went to the gym this week to see a presentation about bike safety. They learned how to check their bikes to make sure the bike is safe to ride. They were reminded of the safe way to wear a bike helmet. The presenters reviewed the “rules of the road” when riding bikes and the hand signals when turning to let others behind the rider know what the rider is going to do.

Books read aloud this week:

Get to Know Screws by Paul Challen

Get to Know Wheels and Axles by Paul Challen

The Glass Doorknob - A Sock Monkey Adventure

Pippi Longstocking (chapter book - finished) by Astrid Lindgren

POP! The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy

Chowder by Peter Brown