Month: May 2018

The Super Kids have become entomologists.  Who are entomologists and what do they study?  They are scientists who study insects.  Each student has picked an insect from the Pebble Go website to learn about so they can teach the rest of the class.  We have been talking about what jot notes are and how to use a web to organize ideas.

On Friday our caterpillars finally arrived!  The class is so excited to watch them go through metamorphosis and turn into painted lady butterflies.  We have 4 containers to study and observe.

     

On Friday dental hygienist, Camille Penner, visited our classroom.  I’ve been friends with Camille for 22 years!  I was thrilled that she agreed to spend some time with us to explain the importance of having good dental health habits.  Students even got to brush and floss large teeth.  Each student went home with a toothbrush.  I overheard one Super Kid say to the other “I guess my mom was right.” 🙂

   

We extended our learning by conducting a science experiment with eggs, pop, punch, and vinegar.  We placed eggs in these different liquids to observe.  After explaining that the shell represents the enamel on our teeth, each student recorded their hypothesis’ in their enamel investigation booklet.  Then we placed another egg into vinegar which represented plaque on our teeth if we don’t brush.    The next day we took them out and made our observations.  Next we used a toothbrush and toothpaste to try to clean the eggs.

The shell of the egg in the vinegar completely dissolved!

 

We were thrilled to go to the morning performance of “Beauty And The Beast” by the middle years students in our school.  What a show! Congratulations to all the students and staff involved.  When the student who played Belle started to sing, one Super Kid grabbed my arm and said, “Look Mrs. Didyk!  It really is Belle!”  The kids absolutely loved it.

 

 

We took advantage of the weather this week.  We headed outside for buddy reading and word work in the morning before it got HOT!  It might be May, but it sure felt like July with temperature above 30 degrees Celsius!

 

 

What are school wide explorations?  Students pick from a list of learning opportunities that interests them and take part in activities run by classroom teachers and other adults that work in our school.  Activities that our Super Kids are involved in are gymnastics, cooking, soup making, storybook STEM, gardening, yoga, Mindcraft, photography and art.  Each Friday afternoon in the month of May, we divide up and head to our chosen activities.  Some of the Super Kids stay with me for storybook STEM and others head off to other learning opportunities.  It is always a fun time hearing the kids excitement when they return to the classroom and share what they have learned!

     

For the past two weeks my exploration group explored the books “Amazed” by Aleksandra Artymowska and “Ada Twist Scientist” by Andrea Beaty.  The first Friday we were inspired to make our own marble mazes out of shoe boxes.  This inspired many of the Super Kids when they returned to the classroom!  At centre time many decided to create their own with the supplies we had. 🙂

  

 

This past Thursday (we didn’t have school of Friday) the group became scientists and learned about changes in state by making glitter slime and homemade ice cream.  The science conversations that the whole class had when they all were together again were fantastic.  How did you make it?  What does the salt do to the ice?  What is borax?  One Super Kid stopped reading an assessment reading book to show me that the picture on the page followed the rule of 3 in photography and then continued to explain with diagrams how you should take a picture.  It was fascinating!  He was teaching me.  Yes, we eventually got back to the book, but at the moment he was showing me his learning and his excitement was so much more important!

May the 4th was of course “may the force be with you” or Star Wars day according to some of the Super Kids so we did some Star Wars yoga with Cosmic Kids.

It is spring and we wanted to create some spring inspired artwork for our bulletin board.  Keeping with our study of famous artists, we revisited Claude Monet and examined his landscapes.  We focused on his piece called, “The Isle Grande-Jette by the Seine” painted in 1878.  What do you notice? What colour is the sky?  What makes you think that it is springtime?

Inspired by Monet we spent an afternoon and an additional morning working on our own versions with several steps with a focus on foreground, mixing colours, and shades. The kids are so proud of their work!

      

Mme. Stephanie had a special guest join us for music class where the kids got to hear Indigenous storytelling and incorporate music.

WARNING MOTHER’S DAY GIFT SPOILER BELOW! If you haven’t received your mother’s day gift stop reading now. 🙂

A few weeks ago we made Monet inspired art based on his waterlily pieces.  We decided when we were making them that it would be a wonderful gift for our moms!  We put them in frames and then decided to make lemon body scrub too!  Some of the kids were a little heavy handed with the baby oil ingredient so it might have a faint lemon smell, but remember it was made with love for the special ladies in our lives. My favourite part was watching the love and care that each student put into making their cards.

 

 

Happy Mother’s Day to all the special ladies that help take care of us each day.  To our moms, grandmothers, aunts, family friends, and caregivers we thank you!  The Super Kids wish you a wonderful day. 🙂