Sink, Float, Dissolve (January 28)

We explored the interactions of solids with water in a few different experiments. On this day, we were testing a variety of solids to see if they would sink, float, or dissolve. Zoe remembered that Miss Alexander's camera was around, so we got a few pictures:

 

Stefanie observes if stirring affects whether the items float, sink, or dissolve.

The students found items in the classroom to test: "Hey, let's see if the ice pack sinks or floats!". 

Mikaila and Zoe's turn at the green station.

Ethan cleaning up a station that compared a variety of natural materials (wood, rocks, pom-poms etc.)

Joy diligently recording her findings.  

 

In another experiment, the students tested a variety of fruits and vegetables.  They found that oranges with the skin on floated while peeled oranges sunk!

 
 

Winter-themed party for filling the marble jar (January 23)

To start our party, we had to get suited up with winter gear:  mittens/gloves, scarves, toques, etc.

Then we played pin the nose on the snowman:

 

"What???"

"How did I do?"



Mikaila is all ready for winter

Then we made two teams, and each team counted out 100 cotton balls for a fast and furious "snowball" fight.  



Team at work!



"Hmm.... How should we do this?"



Gwyneth carefully counting

 Finally we sat down to make "snow sculptures" from marshmallows and toothpicks.


"It's a scarecrow!"



"These microphones are magical..."



We love food!!!



We got to eat our sculptures too!  We also ate popcorn and drank yummy banana/orange/yogurt smoothies that Miss Hildebrandt kindly made for us, before we rushed off for recess. What a busy morning!  



Charlotte finally decided on an ant as she did not have time for the amazing pig she had planned.  Charlotte took on the sculpture project as a serious artist. It was not for eating!

Read-a-Rama excerpts (February 28)

Read-a-Rama - in the words of the students. (Miss Alexander was away at "teacher school").

The best thing about Read-a-Rama was... we had a BLAST! - Joy

The best thing about Read-a-Rama was making a fort. We played all day!! And we read too. Read-a-Rama was fun. - Ethan

The best thing about Read-a-Rama was our fort game.  It was so fun. Very very very fun. Super super fun. Really fun. Double fun. - Lincoln

I was very happy to hear that they enjoyed it, and sorry that I  missed out on it. We are still enjoying the books loaned from Surrey library for the Read-a-Rama:  old class favorites like "Stuck", "Twelve Terrible Things" and "Exclamation Mark" as well as new-to-us titles like "The Day the Crayons Quit" and "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". - (Miss Alexander).

Season Detectives take a nature walk (March 11)

Taking full advantage of the beautiful weather during the last week before Spring Break, the K-2s set out after recess on Tuesday to look for signs of Winter and signs of Spring, in order to determine whether it is Winter or Spring.  Besides observing the last remnants of melting snow, discovering that most branches were still bare though some were starting to bud, and sighting a robin, the students took written and picture notes and helped capture the following images:

New growth on this tree... (we can tell because it wasn't there before and it's light yellow/green, not brown or beige)

Pink, delicate smelling flowers on this tree...

Lincoln diligently recording his observations... His notes included:
"no leaves on trees; tweeting ; smelly trees; bees; broken bushes; tons of acorns; 'looking down' leaves; construction."
Great work, Lincoln!!

Joy examining the tree's brown "pinecones" that flake into individual seed husks.

Nature's jungle gym:  a dead stump, perfect for climbing.



Is this a sign of winter or spring?



Small green shoots coming up through long, dry (dead) grasses = signs of Winter & Spring together!

Fresh air, sunshine, & birdsong.  Shirt sleeve warm weather.  I love taking science outside.
The K's noticed that the hydro towers looked like "girls with dresses, with their arms up"!

Other observations Joy noted:
flowers are growing on bushes
bees are buzzing
leaves are growing

So what do you think, given the evidence...  is it winter or spring?
If you're not sure, you can ask one of the K-2 detectives.

Brain Breaks

When journal is done, or in between spelling and math stations, you need to let your imagination go to work...

 

Mikaila's whiteboard art

Future engineers have been busy...

Authors celebrate (March 7, 10)

 

 

The Ks and Pre-Ks proudly displaying their book at the Book Gala

Friday afternoon - seeing their published book for the first time!  Totally absorbed!

Comments: - That was a long time ago.  That was a lot of work!!!

Flip City (March 13)

In the students words – excerpts from their journals:

Before:

I want to go to Flip City because I can do cool tricks then jump into the foam pit. – Joy



 

 

  

 

 

 

After:

My favorite part was jumping in the foam pit. – Ethan

 

…It was so fun to go on the trampoline and the foam pit.  The part I don’t like was going to school…  – Zoe

I like Flip City. I liked the shirt and pants I weared. – Lincoln

I loved jumping on the big trampoline. I love that. I liked jumping in the foam pit. - Mikaila