An Explosion of Colour!

Just when you thought Grade 1 couldn't get any messier, we began a Science unit all about colour!

Sometimes class is SO much fun, the kids don't even know how much they're learning! Using a paper plate, we blobbed two primary colours on top, put a paper clip on, and using a magnet below were able to move the paper clip to mix our colours!

After colour mixing, we posted what we learned about "primary" and "secondary" colours!

This little tune had us all jammin' to some sweet beats...

Then we tackled some hefty vocabulary and examined many items to see if they are transparent (see through) or opaque (not see through). 

Check out all the samples!

And that was just the tip of the iceberg! So many more messy, hands on experiments to come! Get the wet wipes, here we come!

Let's Go Back in Time

What was life like in Canada long ago? Where did people get their food when there was no Costco or Superstore? Where did people get their clothes before there was the mall? Before Pokemon and Rainbow Loom, what games did the kids play? Today we journeyed back in time and learned about how the Inuit, Plains First Nations, and Woodlands people used nature to survive.

INUIT

The Inuit lived in northern Canada amid the ice and snow. They lived in cozy igloos, made of snow blocks and ice.

We learned how the Inuit hunted the ring seal. Standing with a spear above a hole in the ice, they waited motionless for the ring seal to come for air. Once captured, the Inuit were careful not to waste the fur, bones or meat of the seal.

A ring seal fur and "kamuks", little booties made of seal

 
The Inuit also hunted caribou. They would use an "ulu" knife to scrape the fur for use. One student had a chance to dress in caribou "kamuks" (boots) and a parka! Notice the glasses? The small slits protect his eyes from the glare of the bright sun off of the snow.

An "ulu" knife, caribou boots, and our very own Inuit boy

PLAINS

The Plains First Nations lived in flat areas, similar to Ardrossan. Their homes were teepees, made of long tree poles and animal skins. The Plains people hunted the bison, an excellent source of food. We were SO fortunate to see and feel a bison fur up close!

The Plains First Nations hunted many animals and used the hides, teeth, feathers, and bone to make various clothing and jewelry. Look at this lucky lady! She is wearing a deer skin, a choker necklace made of bone, beaded moose moccasins, a breast plate worn for battle, and an eagle feather headdress.  

Eagle feathers were earned for acts of bravery or generosity

We also were able to touch a basket made of grass, fans made of feathers, and a tomahawk made of stone. What creative uses for nature!

WOODLANDS

The Woodlands people lived in Eastern Canada in the forests. Their homes were wigwams, bent trees covered in animal skins. They used the birch trees for many purposes. We saw a replica of a birch bark canoe, little birch baskets, and even a horn to make a moose call! (whew, no moose wound up in our classroom!)

The Woodlands people hunted many different animals and made use of the fur, meat, bones, teeth and more!

L to R: red fox, silver fox, coyote, and a huge timber wolf

After we learned about what Canada's first families lived in, wore, and ate, we tried our hand at some games the children played!

Catch the bone on the stick was tricky!

We all loved guessing who had the fruit seed:

We dropped four sticks and scored points depending on how they landed:

To complete our afternoon, we made little fans, decorated with pictures of nature. 

Today we experienced, in a small way, what life was like in Canada many years ago. We were in awe at how creative, strong, and resourceful our first families were. Thank you to our Strathcona Wilderness Centre presenter and to the helping hands of our three parent volunteers. What a rich opportunity to learn and have fun!

ARE WE GETTING ALIENS???

Mrs. Beliveau: So, boys and girls, tomorrow we will have two new students joining our class! 

Students: Really? Awesome! Is it a boy and a girl?

Mrs. Beliveau: No, not a boy and a girl. 

Students: So ... two boys?

Mrs. Beliveau: No. 

Students: Girls, then?

Mrs. Beliveau: No, not boys or girls at all. 

Students: Animals? Are we getting a gerbil?

Mrs. Beliveau: No, no animals here. And these new students aren't human. 

Students: ALIENS?!?!?! ARE WE GETTING ALIENS?!?!

Mrs. Beliveau: No aliens, but these new students are in fact blue. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see!

*  *  *  *  *

It is with great excitement that we welcome in our two newest classmates, Dot and Dash!

Image courtesy of Wonder Workshop

Dot and Dash are robots (phew, not aliens). These two are going to help us learn about coding and robotics! 

You can't bring in two robots and not let the kids "have at 'er", so we charged them up, downloaded the apps, and explored! 

The task was simple. In small groups, the kids practiced moving Dash, the larger robot on wheels, around a square. In each of the corners was a spelling word. The children challenged one another to move Dash to different words. There was excitement, cooperation, frustration, patience, persistence, and lots of squealing and smiling!

This little exploration activity was just the tippity tip of the iceberg! What will Dot and Dash be up to next?

Adoration: Prayer in the Presence of Jesus

This week we are blessed to experience a very powerful form of prayer called Adoration. Today Mr. Marshall came into our class to teach us about what Adoration is and how we will participate in it. He also shared a fantastic blog post explaining the process for the families of our students! 

Adoration is a unique and ancient form of prayer. The root of the word is "adore". Essentially, Adoration is an opportunity for us to show our deep love for Jesus. 

What sets Adoration apart from other forms of prayer is that Jesus is with us in a consecrated host. We are able to pray with Jesus before us, who is truly present in the Eucharist. 

After our school mass this Wednesday, we will be placing a consecrated host inside this beautiful gold Monstrance. Jesus is truly present!

Many of us remembered seeing a monstrance similar
to this one during our church tour last fall at OLPH!

When we begin Adoration and we enter Jesus' presence, we will show our deep respect by genuflecting, bowing low on one knee. Today we practiced this in a prayerful manner.

Then we will be led through a series of prayers; Adoration prayer, Confession prayer ("I'm sorry for ... Please forgive me"), Thanksgiving Prayer, and a Supplication prayer (our prayers for others). This experience will draw us close to Jesus. 

Mass will be held in our school gym with Fr. Pierre this Wednesday at 9:00 am with Adoration to follow for individual classes and small groups. Please consider joining us for mass and Adoration if you are able. This prayer experience is a first for most of us, but it is sure to be a powerful one. All are invited!

Please keep us in your prayers as we experience Adoration!