Tremendous Thursday!

"Thinking Homework"

That's what I tell the students that they have when a question comes up in class and I want them to ponder it, or ask a friend, or discuss with their parents.  The question on Wednesday was "Where does the gasoline that we put in our car come from?"  The obvious answer "..from the gas station..." wasn't the one that I wanted.

This gal did her thinking homework with her dad, who was one of those who had to be evacuated from Fort MacMurray.  She even brought a copy of a picture and then, with confidence shared her new knowledge with the class.  I was so impressed that she was able to say that dinosaurs had a major role in our natural resource.  Well done!

All our students gathered in our Multipurpose Room to hear from our special guest speakers.

I had been in contact with the University of Calgary for almost a month and a group of six engineering students presented to us today.  What is their passion?

They shared their experience as engineering students who build and race a solar car in different locations around the world!  They brought 'Delta' to us to see!

Here's the next car they hope to build....very funky!

The students got to see 'her' out by our playground.  Her back, roof and hood are covered with solar cells, and her engine is actually inside her rear tires!

More of the team was outside to answer questions.

The shell is almost like styrofoam and she only has 4 horsepower.

(One of my gals asked that question!!)

What's really cool is that the team wanted her to look almost like a car we would see on the road today.  Solar cars before this design almost looked like space ships!  As well, she can hold two people!  That also is quite innovative.

Here are the sponsors of this project.  I love that one of the sponsors is BP Energy.  They are the ones that funded our learning through the grant that I received!

Thanks University of Calgary for coming to our school! It was an awesome demonstration and learning experience for our little guys!

At the beginning of the week, the students took home a letter asking for the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of those who had to leave their homes in Fort MacMurray.  They brought the money they earned from doing chores this week, to school today and attached a note of what they wanted to buy with that money.  I slipped out of the school while they were at music and had a chance to shop.

They then wrote a note to the child who will receive the donation, explaining that they had earned the money and that they were praying for them.  These donations were taken into Edmonton over the weekend and left at the big donation centre on the Southside. For those students who didn't have a chance to bring in money, I made sure that there were socks or underwear for them to contribute.

They were so very proud of their ability to help.  I thank you, parents, for understanding that this was an opportunity for the students to live the words of Jesus from Matthew 25

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’