Gymnastics!!

Tomorrow's the day!  It will be my first time taking a class over to Salto Gymnastics for an afternoon of learning all about the sport.  Please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for this adventure, including being prepared for a walk in the rain.  Flip flops are not allowed!

All parents are welcome to come along!  See you tomorrow!

There is a place for science in our real life!

Yes, I did stage this set of photos, so NO, the sweet blonde boy is not really bored! I just don't think he realized he would be in the pictures!  The students had made flower vases in science the previous class. They were explaining how their vases worked (or didn't).  In this way, they learn from their peers and begin to understand that not all science experiments are successful and that sometimes, you have to try again.  Using a glass vase, as a model of success...

this little darling tried the same bouquet of flowers in her own vase, holding it for the photo and then...

letting it go...

to learn that flower vases, like houses or bridges, need a solid foundation in order to stand the test of time!  Sometimes we learn more from our failures than our successes!

Wednesday....Part 2

The principal of the school took this photo and sent it to me.  I am still smiling over our good fortune of being awarded the BP Energy Grant for the next school year!

After our wonderful in school field trip with 'Awesome Bridges' the students had the opportunity to participate in the Grade Nine Business Fair.  It was a hands-on experience to recognize what a consumer is faced with when purchasing goods and/or services.  They had to make choices to ensure that they had enough money to get what they wanted.

It also gave them the opportunity to practise some money counting and mental math skills!

The 'pie in the face' booth was REALLY popular!  It was an example of paying for a 'service'.

This darling loves her brother, no matter what he looks like!

YUM! YUM!  This 'goods' looks good!

The exchanging of cash...

..enjoying the experience!

In the afternoon, the students were faced with another science challenge!

In groups of three, they counted out 50 straws,

and using a set amount of masking tape,

attempted to create the tallest, free standing structure that they could design.

The discussion, planning, co-operation and sharing was wonderful!

Again, it was an opportunity to put into action, their learning.

This group focused on ensuring that the structure had strong support.

This group was focused on getting the height element.

Science rocks!

Science Day Extraordinaire!

Now I know what you're thinking, but really this is NOT a way to torture students!

Instead, the students spent a happy and productive morning having the opportunity to actually build four types of bridges!  Thank you to our parent volunteers who manned the stations and assisted the students with getting the right pieces in the right places.  This really will be a case of a picture telling you the story, so enjoy!

Suspension bridge

Arch Bridge

Girder (or beam) bridge

Illustrating and labeling

Putting in the trusses

A sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when a job is well done!

Concentration

Teamwork

Inspection

I learned there is a suspension bridge in Edmonton, near Fort Edmonton Park!

The reason for the smile?  Today I learned that I have been granted $10,000 by bp Energy, to support a project in my classroom next year!  What an exciting morning for us all!

The rest of the day was just as exciting, but I'll save that for tomorrow's post!

What we've been up to...May version!

At last!  The snow is gone and we can spend our phy. ed. classes outside!

We have been learning to play an easy version of T-ball, getting a chance to field, hit and run the bases.  It's a new experience for some.

Without a pitcher or catcher, the students are becoming quite successful at hitting the ball.

Though we don't keep score, it feels great to make it around the bases and touch home plate.

In science we are "Building with a Variety of Materials" and trying to put into practise, the theories we learned in our "Testing Materials" experiements.  The students made plasticine animals and found that it wasn't so easy to get them to stand on their legs.

They were each able to choose the type of animals that they wanted to create.

 

The creativity came through..

                                               ...as did the details in all the llittle creatures.

  I couldn't move the other photo above, but we participated with the entire school in the "Living Rosary."  Our class joined the other Grade 3 class and shared the first decade.  Here one of our boys is leading the school in saying "Hail Mary."  We are saying a decade each morning in our class for morning prayer as well.

Daily, Daily Pray to Mary!