Water, Water, Everywhere ~ or is there?

Last week we started a new inquiry unit on water!  When we start a new unit of learning we always like to start with what we think we know about that topic. Since we just finished a unit on matter it was exciting to see some of our learning show up here!  Take a look at all the things we think we know already.

 Wow!  We sure know a lot!  After sharing our thinking about what we know we watched a short video called "World Water Day."  It showed lots of different images of people using water.  Then we looked at some books and shared our ideas of how people use water.

A summary of our thinking on how we use water!

After that, Mrs Betts asked us if we thought everyone had access to clean water.  This graph shows our thinking . . . .

Hmmm. . . We know that water is essential to all living things and that we all need water to survive but not everyone has access to clean water so this made us wonder . . . . "How can we help everyone have access to clean water?"   Check back to see what we find out!

Learning to Collaborate!

Every Monday we start our day with "Monday Mingle."  This is a chance for us to not only hear all the exciting things our friends did over the weekend but also to practice our collaboration skills.  We quickly review each skill and then meet in groups of 4 to practice them.  We are really working on our listening skills!  Being an active listener is hard work!  So is sharing the air. . .  some of us love to chat while others are working on sharing our ideas in group situations and some of us have trouble being responsible to the group - we want to wander to another group!  We are getting much better at these skills! 

Do you use these skills when you are at work or school?  Do you find one harder than another? 

Opening our Minds to Learning!

Last week Mrs. Betts wrote the words "Growth Mindset" on the board and asked us what we thought that meant.  After some think time, one student responded,"I think it means your mind is getting ready to grow!"

Then we watched a video called, "Austin's Butterfly."  It was so inspiring. You can watch it by going to the link below.

Austin's Butterfly

In the video a grade one student is asked to draw a particular type of butterfly.  His first attempt was good but not quite right.  Through positive and descriptive feedback he made several attempts (6 to be exact!) and finally completed an excellent replica of the butterfly he was asked to draw.

After watching the video we talked about how receiving positive, specific feedback or advice, persevering at the task and being willing to make several tries or attempts at the task you can achieve great things!

We are learning to open our minds to positive feedback so we can learn new things!

Do you have a growth mindset?

iRide! Do You?

Last Monday was our first bike clinic and we were so excited!  Two coaches - Coach Tubs and Coach Jeff - from Cycling BC came to help us work on our biking skills.  The first thing we learned was how to adjust our helmets so that our brains and foreheads were protected.  We also learned that if we have a fall from our bike and hit our head we should get a new helmet!

After adjusting our helmets we learned how to use hand brakes.  It is really important that you press both brakes at the same time - if you only press your front brake you bike will flip up and you will go sailing over the handle bars and if you only use your back brake you bike will skid on you and you might fall. We practiced riding on the basketball court and stopping at different times!

Then we learned how to travel around obstacles, turn in tight spaces, keep our heads up to watch for other riders and pedal both slowly and quickly.

Next we learned how to use hand signals to show other bike riders and people we are stopping.

Biking on the grass was a lot harder!  We learned how to start with a "boom ya" and then stand up and pedal to get some power!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

stand up on our bikes to get some power

We can't wait for our second session this coming week!

Meeting An Author and Illustrator!

Last Monday, Mrs. Soo, our librarian, organized a visit from a local author and illustrator.  Her name is Dianna Bonder.  She has illustrated eleven children's books and has written four of them.  She began by talking about her illustrations.  She showed us how she uses basic shapes to draw the outline of people and animals and then fills in the details.  Many of us made connections to our directed drawing lessons that we have done this year.  We were impressed with her ability to add details to make her illustrations come alive!

She also read us her story, "Eleven Lazy Llamas" which is based on a true story!  She told us that it takes her about a year to illustrate a book, and several years to both write and illustrate one book!  It was an inspiring visit since many of us love to draw and write books!  Have you ever met an author or illustrator?

Salmon Release!

On Tuesday our school released 28,166 salmon fry into the creek at the end of the road by our school! Volunteers and workers from the Nicomekl Hatchery came to our local creek to release the salmon and every class had the chance to help! 

 We walked down in pairs with Mrs. Osborne's class.  When we got to the end of the road we made a line and then we each got a bucket full of little fish! 

 We couldn't believe how many little fish were in each bucket!

We each got to walk down the bank and carefully release the fish into the creek!  They sure swam away quickly!We learned that 25% of the salmon will come back in three years to spawn, 50% of them will come back in four years, and the last 25% will come back in five years!