We have been having lots of fun this week learning about waste, and where it should go. We had the chance to teach our Kindergarten buddies how to properly sort their snack waste, and clean their recycling. Alongside this inquiry, the whole school has been learning about photography from our Artist in Residence, Sarah. We look forward to upcoming projects with photography!

In our words:
- We talked about waste with our Kindergarten buddies (SF).
- My buddy thought everything was compost (MH)
- One of my buddies guessed that the wrappers go in the recycling and she was right (RS)
- I was talking to my buddies and I told one of them "don't forget to clean out your yogurt bottle so that you can put it in the recycling!" (RJ)
- Map project: Group B finished the Earth and now we're putting the population on using gems (VS). Group A: The sun is finishing up with tissue paper (and the planets are all finished) SF. Group C: Canada map now has the population distribution with glitter.
- We tried to flip a tarp over while we were on it (ZM). We weren't successful but we had fun (MH).
- I found a giant ice chunk while we were outside today (RJ)
- I found lots of toys when we were outside. We think they may be from the Kindergartens (ZG)

Reminders:
- We do not have school tomorrow! WW. We only have 2 days off (SF)
- For Monday, I need to bring an item for photography (about tennis ball sized, good for birds eye view and ants eye view)
- On Monday, we're going through classes to collect garbage and recycling
- My homework is....to see the waste at home and where it goes (just noticing, tracking what I can WITHOUT 'dumpster diving'.

Learning about Landfills

- We did some really cool work with Green Calgary today! We had a presentation where we learned about where our Black bins go, to the landfill, and some of the design challenges that are factors in this huge operation. We learned about ground water, and the importance of keeping the leachate (leaking liquid from the landfill) from polluting it. We built models of landfills to test which materials and designs would stop the leachate from leaking through. Ask me about the types of waste that commonly end up in the landfill that shouldn't, and where they should actually go.

- In math, we are working on multiplication of single digit numbers. By the end of grade 4, we want all students to be able to recall the facts to 7x7. Over the coming weeks, we will be practicing these facts and learning tricks for remembering them.

- In social studies, we are learning persuasive paragraph writing. Each student is writing a paragraph to support the statement "_____ is / isn't a good place to live because...", each writing about the place that they have been researching (Solar System, Earth, or Canada). We had a discussion on the difference between an opinion and supporting a persuasive argument with evidence.

Reminders:
- Tomorrow is pink shirt day. Students are invited to wear a pink shirt. We will be having some discussions around kindness.
- Artist in Residence photography work continues tomorrow!

We are back online! Ms. Brandley has been having some technical difficulties with her laptop, so we haven't been able to update our blog for a week!

We have some really exciting things happening in grade 4! 

- In Social Studies, we are nearly finished our maps! Our 3 groups (Solar System, Earth, and Canada) have completed their research to answer the question, "How do the natural resources, geography (land), influence where people live?" They have also been working hard to complete the visual presentations of each of their places to answer this question. We hope to have it all on display in the classroom when you come in for Student Learning Conversations (conferences) in March. 

- Mrs. Michiels returned last week! She has been actively taking up our work around Waste in our World. We have been looking closely at which bins waste should go into (blue, black, green, or other). 

- We began our work with our Artist in Residence today! Her name is Sarah, and she is teaching us all about photography. We are making all kinds of awesome connections with Light and Shadow (science inquiry coming up!) and will be creating our own photography projects that we will share with you at the upcoming Spring Gala. Today, we learned about the history of the invention of taking photos, capturing images of light.

- In math, we have begun reviewing multiplication. We have talked about grouping, problem solving, arrays, and have begun working towards recall of multiplication facts to 7x7. 

Reminders:

- Green Calgary is coming tomorrow to do a presentation on waste in Calgary. We look forward to learning more about where waste in the black bin goes! A letter about the cost for this presentation was sent home last week. 

February 18th, 2020

Due to technical difficulties, this blog post is being shared a few days late...

In our words:

·      We learned a bit about waste. We learned about the three bins that we use and what should go in them (RS)

·      Andie shared a presentation about animals – at Vancouver Aquarium (LJ)

·      In gym we did some body movements (PS)

·      Group A created the splatter paint background for the Solar System / Galaxy (ZM). We painted it with toothbrushes (ER)

·      We saved all of the waste from our morning (including nutrition) and put it on the carpet (tarp) and sorted it (ZG)

·      In Group B we started making the half sphere for the Earth (AF)

Fish Creek Park - Hull's Wood

Today, we went to Fish Creek Park, Hull's Wood area. We were investigating the relationship between human and natural systems, as well as beginning to explore waste in our world.

- I built a snowman - 2! (ZM)
- We found this fort made out of sticks and wires (SF)
- We found a beaver dam and we think there was a snake in it (ZG)
- I built a giant snow ball and destroyed it (JL)
- We found a caution tape on a tree (RS)
- At Fish Creek we found a fence which had a 'Rewilding sign (orange fence against the creek) (PS)
- There was an animal motion camera on a tree to catch pictures of animals with motion (LJ)
- I found a log, a tree with a bunch of holes in it (AF)
- My toes hurt (EM)
- We found a plastic car (GB)
- I climbed a tree and hanged backwards from a branch (MH)
- We saw the beehive (AM). Or was it a fungus?
- We saw ducks playing in the slush (RJ)

Reminders:
- Tomorrow is Valentines Day. We will have a short classroom celebration time in the afternoon. Please see an earlier email from me for the names of our classmates.
- No school Thursday or Friday (teachers convention)
- No school Monday (Family Day)

In our words:
- We started the Beakerhead Challenge. Rubber bands! (SF)
- We had math today (PS) - preparing for our quiz and practicing making equations with unknown numbers.
- We were working on our planets (HW)


Reminders:
- We have a math quiz on Wednesday (rescheduled) (LJ)
- We have a field trip to Fish Creek Park tomorrow (AF). Dress for the weather, lunch you can eat in the park, and waterproof footwear.

We have been working on a large visual presentation to zoom out from Alberta, to Canada, to the Earth, to the Solar System. We are diving into the question of "How do geography, climate, and natural resources influence the growth of a population?" We will share photos of our projects, the groups are getting very creative and doing a great job summarizing ONLY key points in their research.

In our words:
- Maps project - The Canada group, are creating a large (relief) map of Canada (PS)The planets group is going to paint styrofoam balls to create a 3D map (ZG).
- We practiced our math for the quiz Friday (SF)
- We have a new read aloud book. It was written by a ten year old (WW)
- The new book is called "She Tamed a Dragon" (EM)


Reminder:
- Tomorrow we have a community walk. Dress for the weather, including waterproof shoes.
- We have a math quiz on Friday - below are the expectations. We will have time to review and practice during math tomorrow, in addition to today.