Friday, March 22, 2019
We just finished week 25 (March 4th to 8th) and week 26 (March 18th to 22nd) in portable 2. Here is a glimpse of what we were up to:
Field Trip to Backus – Before March Break, we spent a day at Backus Heritage Conservation Area. It was snowy and cold but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the day (mostly outdoors). I was happy that the sun was shining and the sky was a beautiful blue (that definitely made the cold more tolerable). While we were at Backus we learned many things about habitats and species at risk. We went on a hike in the woods, built habitats in the woods, played outdoor games, and explored the museum. We got to see a woodpecker perched up in a tree (out in the woods) which was spontaneous and incredible. I can’t believe it didn’t fly away with 27 people walking on the trail below.
March Break – During sharing circle, the students described one thing they experienced over March Break. Since we are focusing on descriptive writing, they described it in a way that ignited all of the senses. Using the five senses (plus emotions) is one way that writers create a picture in the audience’s mind when they are describing something. Students picked one thing to talk about and they described what they saw, heard, touched, smelled, and tasted. They also described the emotions they felt. Students were really excited to share something they did over March Break. It sounded like everyone had a safe and enjoyable week off.
Swimming – We had our 2nd swimming lesson on Friday, March 8th and our 3rd swimming lesson on Friday, March 22nd. Three down and five to go. The students are working hard to follow the lifeguard’s instructions and do the best they can.
Haiku Poetry – Our nature field trip to Backus and our current language focus on descriptive writing was a perfect combination to write some Haiku Poetry. A Haiku is a traditional Japanese poem about nature. When writing a Haiku in English, most writers follow this form: first line has 5 syllables, second line has 7 syllables, and the third line has 5 syllables. With only 17 syllables in the whole poem, it is a tiny poem that can make a big impact when written well. The writer has to carefully choose words that will paint a picture in the reader’s mind. So far, the students have each written and illustrated at least one good copy of a Haiku poem about nature. The good copies are currently on display in the hallway at school and they look amazing.
Co-op Student – On Monday, March 4th, we had a co-op student start a placement in our class from Waterford District High School. Her name is Morgan and she will be working full days at Waterford Public School (until June) as part of her studies. She is also my neice (my sister’s daughter) which the students seem to find funny. The students were very welcoming of Morgan and they look forward to getting to know her better throughout the rest of the year.
Bucket Drumming Performance – On Thursday, March 21st, we walked to the Legion to perform at the Senior Citizen’s Spring Fling Luncheon. The students performed Gang of Rhythm and we showed the audience all of the items we were using to make music for our performance (drum sticks, bucket, shaker, floor). We demonstrated how we use them during the performance and what parts of the bucket we use (rim, sides, top). The senior citizens were thrilled and very happy to see the performance. Everyone was so impressed with how well the students played together. We were glad that we were able to perform for them and bring some joy to the Senior Citizen’s lives.
Mart (Maths and Art) – One of the areas we focused on in maths was geometry and spatial sense. We cut an irregular shape (aka polygon) out of a small square and we made three different pieces of art with it. One piece of art was made by sliding the shape (aka translations), the second piece of art was made by turning the shape (aka rotations), and the third piece of art was made by flipping the shape (aka reflections). The students were amazed at how one shape can make a variety of designs just by the way you move it. We will be displaying our art work in the hall of the school for other students to see and learn about translations, rotations, and reflections.
Drum Dream Girl – We read a picture book called Drum Dream Girl. This reading allowed us to work on our reading comprehension skills like making connections and inferencing. It also allowed us to see how the author used descriptive writing to create a picture in the reader’s mind with her use of adjectives and imagery. The book takes place in 1932 in Cuba. It is a poetic narrative about a 10 year old girl “who dreamed of being a drummer in a time when that occupation was reserved for boys and men. She could not quell her natural impulse to drum. Hearing beats all around her, in the natural and human worlds, and in her own heartbeat, the girl must dream and drum in secret, until her father finally relents and has a teacher listen to her. Amazed at what he hears, the teacher takes her on as a pupil, eventually getting her her first gig as a drummer.”
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to email me at julie.pragnell@granderie.ca OR call me at school: 519-443-8942.
– Mrs. Julie Pragnell
The Pragnell Press 