That's a Wrap!

Thanks for a fantastic  year full of learning, exploring, laughing and growing, Huskies!  You were a wonderful group of learners and I loved being your teacher!  Enjoy your summer and we'll see you in September.  Keep blogging and reading through the summer!  Here`s how we spent much of our year - having fun and learning together!

Summer Bucket List

This week as we have begun to say our goodbyes, we talked about what we plan to do this summer.  We wrote our plans and dreams on our summer "bucket" list.

What`s on YOUR bucket list this summer?

Aboriginal Art

Last week we read the story, Raven.  It was very similar to the story that Dallas Yellowfly told us (see the post before this one!) While we were reading it Mrs. Betts asked us to notice the shapes and colours that were used for the illustrations.  Then we practiced drawing some of these shapes on our white boards.


We noticed that the art work had a lot of symmetry in it and that the colours that were used were mostly colours found in nature - green, red, blue and black - they were colours that the Aboriginal people could make from the berries in their environment. 

They were very simple shapes but very effective when used to create a piece of art.


Do you know the Aboriginal story of the Raven?

Celebrating the First Nations Culture

On Friday we were treated to 2 special presentations!  First, Dallas Yellowfly came to our class to tell us a story of "How Raven Stole the Sun."   Dallas is a member of the Blackfoot First Nations, which is a tribe that originally came from the area around Calgary. 

 Story telling is a very important part of the First Nation's heritage.  Many stories are passed down from generation to generation. He began by choosing some actors to help him tell the story.  First he chose a raven, and then a beautiful princess and finally a chief. 

 Our actors!

 

The raven was loud and proud

  .When Dallas talked about the chief, he explained how the chief wore the symbol of an animal to show respect for that animal.  It also meant that this chief was the leader of the salmon.  The chief was a mean, angry and greedy person who carried his special box with him wherever he went.  Inside the box were the chief's treasures.

Dallas showed the princess how to walk with swagger and wave to all the people.

 Dallas also showed us the drum that he had made and painted  himself.  The First Nations people believe that drums are alive because they are made from buffalo hide which stretches and shrinks depending on the temperature in the room.  

 

 

 In the end, the raven was clever and stole the box, returning the sun back to its position in the sky.  Well done, actors!  We were all truly engaged, and Dallas was a wonderful, funny storyteller! 

The actors did a fabulous job helping Dallas tell the story. 
 

At the end of the story, Dallas shared that all First Nation's stories have a message or moral and that the moral of this story was not to take more than you need.  He also taught us how to say thank you in his native language.  You hold your palms towards you and then pull them gently towards you three or four times.  

After recess, we enjoyed a visit from a First Nations artist and a dancing group called the North Star Dancers.  They wore button blankets and cedar hats, and sang, danced and drummed for us.

 National Aboriginal Day is on June 21 this year.  What do you know about Aboriginal culture?

Summer Time Reading!

 

  On Tuesday we welcomed two librarians from the local branch of our public library.  They told us about the summer reading program happening at all Surrey Public Libraries.  The theme this year is  "Build It!"  Starting June 16, you can visit the public library and sign up... then if you read for seven weeks, you will receive a reading medal!  There are also lots of fantastic prizes to be won.  

The first thing the librarians did was to "build" a human machine.  Each person had to think of one action and one sound - could be a loud sound or a soft one.  Then on the count of three they had to repeat the sound and action over and over again!!!!   

 They also shared a story with us.  It was an Aboriginal story about how the beaver got its tail. We laughed at their funny puppets and crazy voices!

If you love to read or want to take part in a fun reading experience be sure to visit one of the 9 Surrey Public Libraries!  Check it out at our local library!

 Will you sign up for the summer reading program?

Chalk it Up to the Chalkstar!

This week we saw a chalk expert at work!  Martin Hayes came to our school on Wednesday and Thursday and created a fabulous work of art. . . . all done with chalk!  A couple of times a day we would wander down to observe the changes.  We learned many techniques from him. . . . how to use different parts of the chalk for different effects;  how to use your hands to blend the colour, how to put two colours together, and how to create highlight using different shades of the same colour. 

Here are the tools he uses - many different types of chalk, including regular chalk and chalk pastels.  He also uses some brushes for blending colours together, although we saw him use his hands many times to blend and create the 3D effect.

The finished product!  Amazing!

On Friday afternoon, we spent one hour outside our
classroom for our own chalk art festival.

Just taking a break!

Each class was given a theme to focus on.  Can you guess some of the themes based on the collage below?

Thank you to Ms. Soo, our librarian, for organizing such an amazing experience for us!

A Feast!

On Wednesday we got to enjoy the yummy potatoes that we had harvested on Monday.  We steamed all 219 potatoes in the crock pot all morning, and they were ready to eat in the afternoon.  Each of us brought a topping to share - sour cream, salt and pepper, butter, bacon, lots of cheese, ketchup, diced tomatoes, chives, and broccoli! Once all the toppings were put out on the table, we  made our own potato sundaes!

There were a few of us who were reluctant to try the potatoes, but once we all took our first bite, we couldn't believe how tasty they were!

Mmmmmm. . . . They were delicious!  What do you like to put on your potatoes?