Ms Elder's Grade 4/5 Class

Last week, we attended a virtual magic show that was all about bullying. Here are some "take away" messages:  Yesterday, for Pink Shirt Day, we watched a video the Grade 2/3's made about what Pink Shirt Day is and how to be an "upstander." Thanks to Mr Jackson and Ms Harris' classes for their leadership around this!

Hi Students! Below is a list of the book that everyone did for their Book Talk presentation. I listed the projects, too, to help you remember who's was whose. If there was a book that sounded really interesting, you can check this list and try ordering it from the public library or ask Ms Haydu to see if it's at our school. Happy Reading!

Science: I can explore simple machines; I can test designs and make changes to see improvement "I learned that making a fixed pulley takes a lot less effort than making a moveable pulley." ~ Leo "I figured out that both of the pulleys are pretty easy to make. At first, Lillian and I both thought that it was going to be really hard. After we tried it, we got the hang of it, and we were able to make the compound pulley." ~ Callie "Today, we experimented with pulleys. We built new things with pulleys that help us lift heavy loads." ~ Dillon "I learned that you can add a bit of extra weight when you put something in another thing. For example, if you put a juice box in a boot, it will give the boot more weight." ~ Iggy  "Today I learned that if you have one pulley, one rope, and one load, you can still do the work of multiple pulleys. But, if you have multiple pulleys, it makes it easier. If you increase the distance, you take away the load.&quo

SS: I can learn about Canada's confederation; I can develop my research skills Citizenship: I can collaborate with a partner Test your parents knowledge of Confederation and our Canadian flag! Tell them 5 things you learned today about Canada or give them the quiz in the Google Classroom and see how they do!  Happy Flag Day! 

Students are aware that they have an upcoming Quiz on the Simple Machines concepts we have studied so far this year. Students should be able to:  When: Friday, February 25 List the different simple machines Give everyday examples of levers, pulleys, gears, and wheel and axles Label the parts of a lever ( load, effort, fulcrum ) Choose an appropriate simple machine to solve a problem Explain how a simple machine solves a problem/makes work easier using clear science language and full sentences Explain what happens when two gears connect If students are looking for ways to prepare, they can visit our Google Classroom and re-watch the videos/re-read through the information that's there. I also encourage students to tell a family member about the experiments we did in class (see previous blog posts) or try them at home! Students are taking home a "study sheet" today with these outcomes listed and a place for them to write down their ideas. This is optional to complete. 

Celebrating Carnaval with Bonhomme!   French: I can develop my French vocabulary; I can explore French Canadian cultural events. Winter Carnival (Carnaval d'Hiver) is a festival that happens every year that celebrates winter in Quebec City. Over the last couple of weeks in French class, we were working to whip up an amazing experience for the rest of the school. We split into different groups with different focuses to prepare to lead the school for Carnaval. Some groups were planning games, one group painted a Bonhomme mascot, one group wrote announcements to read to the school, and one group prepared a Google Slides presentation for the other teachers and classes.  Making the Instructions for Human Foosball The Making of Bonhomme Bonhomme ( bonhomme de neige means snow man in French) is the mascot of Carnaval. He wears a metis arrow sash ( fleche ) to honour the Indigenous people in the area. We watched a video on how to make them and it takes many hours. There are only a few peo

Science: I can explore simple machines; I can test designs and materials and make changes to see improvement Yesterday in class, we learned how to make catapults out of materials like: popsicle sticks, elastic bands, egg cartons, and hot glue. This relates to simple machines because catapults are levers, and we have been learning about simple machines. Here are some student learning reflections:  "I learned how to (1) build and (2) we made a type of lever." ~ Vance "I learned a bit more of self-control when you are getting angry because the elastic bands would not go over the one part and I was super frustrated." ~ Callie "I really liked this creation we did because you can build so much things from popsicle sticks and elastic bands and it was really fun." ~ Dillon "Me and Kimberly made a double catapult!" ~ Suzi "It was really fun testing out the catapults because I could practice on my friends and they wouldn't get hurt because we were

Science: I can explore simple machines; I can test designs and make changes to see improvement; I can use scientific vocabulary Throughout this week, we have been learning about wheels and axels. We learned about how humans invented the wheels. Wheels weren't just used for going on cars but also for spinning clay, and grinding grain. Over time, mankind started evolving and making wheels lighter that could travel across the world. We now use spokes to make the wheel lighter.  In these pictures, we tried to create our own set of human rollers, just like what were used to build the Egyptian pyramids.  We had some fun (or torture?) racing across the gym. Today, we made "Wheelies" out of cardboard and toilet paper rolls. We had to make them roll down a ramp and go as far as possible. It was important to make changes to our design after testing to make it go further.  "I learned that your wheels could be any size and you could have as many as you want. It was really fun!&q