Dying to Test Plants

After viewing flowers that had been transformed using food colouring, students designed and conducted their own experiments about different plant parts and their functions.

They came up with really creative (and messy!) experiments. We discovered that some parts of the plant are better suited to transporting liquids than others. Stems works well but roots seem to have a coating around them that blocked the dye. Flowers and leaves are hard to colour directly from the outside, they only changed colour when the dye came through the stem. Cauliflower was the fastest to change colours in case you were wondering :)

Genius Hour Has Begun!

Our students have spent this year learning through the inquiry process in Science and Social Studies. They have grown in their abilities to research and present information. Students have learned how to use questions to guide their thinking and to take responsibility for their learning. For our final inquiry, students are participating in Genius Hour projects where they are developing expertise in something new that they are passionate about. Projects range from learning to sew, to designing a comic book that raises awareness of animal rights, to creating a plan to reduce bullying on the playground. Check back next week to find out what they learned!

VIP and Pig Lungs

Our VIP officer showed kids the effects of smoking on the lungs by displaying pig lungs - healthy and one that was exposed to second hand smoke. Ask your child to tell you about it!

Giant Sized Math

Our school wide math problem for April is: How many baby steps in a giant step? Students had some creative ways to find out!

How many baby steps in a giant step?

Learning Commons

Students in 6 Pike and 6 Seguin are solving fraction problems they created for each other. Comments like "Yes, I got it!" and, "Ooh, this one looks tricky" were heard around the room. We use the Library Learning Commons for students to collaborate on a weekly basis (and have some fun along the way).

After solving a bunch of math problems, the students had the chance to reflect and give feedback to the teachers using a strategy called Chalk Talk. There were several charts around the room with different questions students could write on, making their thinking visible. The catch? The activity had to be done silently! If students wanted to comment on another student's idea, they needed to write it on the chart paper. 

Question: What has been the hardest for you in this unit?

"Keeping track when counting the colours in the hundredths grids."

"Reducing the fractions."

What do you still wonder about the math in this unit?

"I wonder how decimals, percents and fractions connect to my real life."

Question: What is the most important thing a student needs to know about decimals, percents and/or fractions?

"The most important thing to know is how to convert between fractions, percents and decimals."

"That decimals, percents and fractions can all represent the same number."

What do you need help understanding in this unit?
"I need practice converting improper fractions to mixed numbers."
"I still need help putting improper fractions on a number line."

We had fun consolidating learning this way and will definitely use Chalk Talk again!

Aliens?

Is it a bug, is it an alien? No it is students wearing safety goggles for badminton :)

Inquiry Celebration

We appreciate our guest, Ms McDonald, for coming to give us feedback on our Inquiry Projects. 

Students took notes from other student projects and left them feedback to improve their own. 

Using QR codes is a fun way to share our amazing videos!

Students used tablets, laptops, iPads and personal devices to create and view all kinds of tech projects. 

Mr. Pillon was wowed by the work all of the students shared. Watch for links to the projects once final edits have been completed!