Here we are comparing our heights...
This week we will be measuring (very simply) height and surface area. We measured our heights using hands today, making sure each hand touched the last to get an accurate measurement. Each student graphed their height on our bar-graph, which they remembered how to do from months ago (Bravo!). In doing this activity, we ran into the problem that some students measurements suggested that they were taller than me! The mathematicians figured out that this is because our hands are all different sizes, and that to get an accurate graph, we would have to measure everyone with the same pair of hands, or with a different object that's the same for everyone. Great thinking!
In our geometry unit, we used shapes to make designs and pictures. Here are a couple flowers designed using pattern blocks:
I suggested to many parents that asking your artist to write a French caption for their work would be a great at-home idea. Some of our artists have done this in their free time. Here are two great examples:
Today we went to a presentation where we got to see a performance of African-based drumming and dancing by students.
Our words for this week are all animals:
la vache, le cheval, la chèvre, le chat, le cochon,
un oiseau, la poule, le lapin, le canard
We are also going to talk a bit more about descriptive words (and adjectives) in the next couple weeks. Today, we drew pictures of ourselves and completed some simple sentences describing the colour of our eyes, our hair, and other nice things about ourselves (e.g., "Je suis intelligente.", "Je suis sportif."). Ask your writer what he/she wrote about him/herself today!
In Science now, we are going to talk about energy. Today we learned that everything that moves is using energy. We made a chart of things that move (e.g., a kite) and what makes them move (e.g., the wind), and students are encouraged to continue thinking of ideas when they're outside or at home. As part of this unit, we will talk about objects that use energy, where living things get their energy, safety and conserving energy. At the end of the unit, we will have a visit from Scientists in the School, which is like an in-school field trip. More to come on this later!
This Thursday morning is our LAST workshop with Donnely, and then it's back to me. Let's make the most of our time and be at school, ready to learn, right on time.
Have a great week,
Tamara