Happy Monday — Our impact on nature, oceans, and more! May 1

Hello Everyone!

Here are some of the things we did today:

  • We talked about animal classification and did venn diagram puzzles for applied math to organize characteristics of animals. Good job trying to figure out the puzzles in groups!
  • We looked at a cool chart from the Economist on the relationship between competitive environment, anxiety, and high results on achievement tests in high school. Check it out! This involved looking at a more complicated chart with an x, y axis and forming conclusions about data.
  • We worked on our endangered animal/plant art inspired by the artist Sue Coccia. Everyone was asked to identify 10 things from their animal or plant research that would inspire images to put inside of the larger shape of their animal or plant. See Sue’s art here and be thinking of what else you could include. If you haven’t found a First Nations image or story to include, take time to find one to make your art more dynamic.
  • We discussed some of the ways in which humans impact the environment and ecosystems, brainstorming in groups human activities that result in pollution or harm. One of the keystone spaces to be looking at for our impact on the environment is the OCEAN. We put together large maps, discussed how to find coordinates through latitude and longitude, and began charting the Rubber Ducks story to learn about ocean currents. We will continue to investigate oceans and hopefully get to some carbon dioxide pH experiments later this week.

Things to get done & Reminders!!

  • Journal:  You were supposed to start this on Saturday, but many students did not, so start today! You know what to record from a previous blog entry. Do it for seven days.
  • E-Portfolio Numbers in the News: I checked the e-ports and some of you did not do the assignment, or you did not include a link, or you did not actually answer the questions. So, it is late, but try again! Thank you.
  • Venn Diagrams: I asked you to choose 5 animals and make 3-circle venn diagrams for them using taxonomy information and other characteristics. Due tomorrow.
  • Quiz Friday: Respond to this blog entry with a sample questions you think might be on the quiz. Focus on big ideas not just the small stuff!
  • Geocaching! As a bonus, look up geocaching. Anyone who gets a list of where you can find geocache sites locally and brings it to me tomorrow can get a prize (first five people only.)
  • Student Election Tomorrow: Read the “20 Hot Topics” handout for more info on who you should vote for at tomorrow’s student vote session in the gym.
  • BOB: Many of you have not turned in your 20 questions for BOB…….Again, not going to chase you down! Just a reminder — just because your group members have read a book does not mean you shouldn’t also read it. You need to read as many of the 11 books as possible. The more members who have read the books, the better the chance you can answer the questions and win!
  • Caribou: Test is on Thursday morning this week! Last one for the year.

Have a great night!

Think of Grade 4 and 5 as Practice Years!

Hello Everyone,

Grade 4 and 5 are great opportunities for you to practice making the transition between primary elementary school years and higher-level work. 

There are many things that make you a successful person. Knowledge and cognitive ability aren’t always enough to get through higher academic work. It is important to work on other areas of personal and social responsibility, as well as self-management skills, so you are able to make it through the coming years with flying colours!

Term three can be a time when people get more relaxed. Whew! I made it through term one and two! I did well on my report card! It is sunny outside! But, it is important not to fall in to the trap of the “early summer vacation disease.” 

I noticed this today as many of you asked for more time on your animal project, even though you had plenty of time in class and the assignment was posted all week on the blog. Some people were just doing the bulk of their research today! So, we need to make sure we stay on track. We still have a lot to do and two months to go!

Make it your goal in grade four and five to master these things, so you can be a super star in higher grades:

Get enough sleep: Don’t use electronics 30 minutes before bed time. Read something without a screen before going to sleep as it is a good way to wind down. Get 10-12 hours of sleep a night.

Do your homework right away: I don’t assign a lot of homework, but I do expect that the little I do assign should be done. It is good practice for future years when you will have more to keep up with. Do the homework as soon as possible when you get home. Carve out time in your schedule when you will be able to think about school work or at least organize your papers and prepare for the next day.

Have balance: Always ask yourself and discuss with your parents whether or not the number of activities outside of school is impacting your ability to do school. When you come to school over tired or over stimulated, this can mean you are unable to do work at school OR get into conflicts with your peers because you can’t manage emotions and behaviours. Make sure you have some down time doing something you really want to do for fun, too. Research has proven definitively that our down time is when the brain organizes itself, downloads the day, comes up with the most creative ideas, and relaxes so it can approach the next thinking challenge. You need down time for your mental health, but also so you can be more successful at school and at life.

Organize your binder: Keep yourself organized. If you see your binder is a mess, take it home and look at whether or not you could remove some items or better arrange them. Don’t just leave it on the shelf and expect it to magically rearrange itself!

Put your name on things: If you want credit for your work, if you don’t want to lose papers, put a NAME on it. (I’ve taught high school and those teachers do not have time to hunt down who didn’t put a name on an assignment.)

When you know you are going to be absent, plan ahead: If you see a project is coming up, and you know you will be away, plan ahead. Carve out time to work on it ahead of the due date so you can turn it in on time.

When sick, follow up: If you are sick, don’t assume someone will take care of getting you up to speed. Make sure you have a routine. Who in class will you ask for help? When could you talk to the teacher about what you missed? Did you get your handouts from the board?

Turn things in on time: Work on managing your time. If you see you were unable to get enough done during a class period, then make plans to do some at home. Don’t expect extra time for assignments. It doesn’t reflect well on you to constantly be asking for more time or to show up to school without your work done. Sometimes, a deadline is a deadline. It is not a good habit to be turning things in late, and even though the teacher may accept them, it does reflect on your performance and ability to manage your time. Of course, better late than never. Be a good communicator and tell me when you need more time. I won’t be mad, and I will talk with you about your plan to get it done, because I know you are learning. But, also make a goal to do it within timelines the next time. 

Use class time well: If class time is given to work, don’t waste it and then expect the teacher to give you more. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time given the number of cool activities we have to do and to learn!

Be kind: Say “Good Morning” and ask how someone is before you ask for something from them, whether it is a peer or an adult like Ms. D. Help one another out. Be willing to help someone when they ask, or even when they don’t ask. Don’t always expect a reward, but know that being kind makes the world a better place for YOU to live in. Be proud of being an expert at something, but be humble enough to admit you don’t know everything, and be okay with that. Because we don’t all know everything. That’s impossible and would make the world a very boring place. 

Pick up after yourself: Push in your chair. Keep your materials organized. Hang up your coat and backpack. Don’t leave others to pick up your mess. Own it when you make a mistake. Cleaning up after a mistake means admitting it, reflecting on it, and just moving forward. Don’t lie. Just say how you are going to make it better and try harder next time.

Be curious and inventive: Be willing to research new things. Don’t just study because someone told you that you should study — do it for yourself, too. Share new ideas, even if they seem crazy. Listen to others’ ideas, because you may be able to store them away and help make those ideas even better some day.

Be aware: Listen to others. Sometimes, choose to watch and observe rather than just jumping in with the first thought in your mind. Watch how other people do things and ask yourself if that is something you could try. Be aware of your personal space and that of others. Practice being observant without making immediate judgements.

Okay, everyone. Happy Friday, and please do some thinking about this. Ms. D really believes that if you work on these things, you can truly be successful at ANYTHING you want to do in the future.

And don’t get relaxed yet. We still have two more months of activities and fun before summer!

Kindly,

Ms. D

Seven Day Nature Journal, April 28th Update

Hello Everyone!

Today we continued our conversation regarding survival in nature by talking about how to notice things in the sky that can help us find direction or keep track of time. We did some skits in groups to show our understanding of how the MOON, EARTH, and SUN work together to make our night/day and our seasons.

We discussed how time can be marked using the phases of the moon, and we looked up which phase we are in right now. Why is the marking of time important?

We talked about how the moon and gravity pull create the tides, and then we found out how to look up tide tables so you would know the highest and lowest tides. Why might you need this information?

Finally, we began work on planispheres, which when used with a compass can help us to find direction by looking at constellations. All of this was about using nature as a guide to mark time or find direction.

Over the next seven days, as we continue our unit, use your journal to record the following and practice keeping track of daily data related to nature:

  • Record the weather (as printed daily on Weather Network) and include the percent chance of precipitation (POP), humidity, and air pressure
  • Record the phase of the moon
  • Record highest and lowest tide
  • Draw a quick picture of the sky and try to identify the cloud formation by name
  • Record sunrise time and sunset time
  • Draw a picture of what it looks like outside (quick sketch)

Remember that all of the journal things we have been doing are important. I will be looking at your journal for participation.

ALSO, check to see that you have turned these in (as some of you haven’t!) and remember that in term three, I will not be chasing you down for work. Please practice being responsible and getting all of your work in.

  • BC Map indicating the 4 Endangered spaces
  • Water Drop Life Cartoon
  • Water Audit
  • Water Questions (previously posted on blog, from our readings about water)
  • Forests Handout (questions and highlighting)
  • MATH: Earth by the Numbers, chart and handout questions
  • MATH: Numbers in the News, on your e-portfolio, answering all questions and putting link for article you chose
  • Tuning In Articles and Reflections
  • Food Web Handout
  • BioBlitz Taxa Handout
  • Animal Research

Things for Monday:

  • BOB 20 Questions on 1-2 of the BOB Books – Due Monday
  • Read BOB (ongoing) — Remember to read as many books as possible by end of May!
  • Nature Challenge Due April 30 — slideshow on May 1!
  • Review handouts in your blue binder for Quiz next Friday
  • Did you finish trying the MATH: Venn Diagrams? We go over these Monday.
  • Student Vote on May 2nd, so look up the Liberals, NDP, and Green Party positions over the weekend so we can discuss!

Have a great weekend!

Ms. D

Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and more! Update April 26th

Hello Everyone,

First, overall reminders and updates:

  • Field Trip Payments: Please send a cheque for $7.38 for the OWL presentation AND $25.00 for our three dragon boat sessions. One cheque for both is fine, if you prefer. In order to participate in dragon boating, you must have the waiver filled out and returned. I am still seeking drivers for dragon boating. If you are planning on helping with driving, your child should have given you a driver’s form to fill out and return ASAP.
  • Animal Research: Be sure to find answers to the questions about your animal! We will have some class time Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. By Friday EOD you should have your notes and the answers to the questions ready to turn in.
  • QUIZ: There will be a quiz Friday, May 5th on what we have talked about so far in terms of biodiversity, ecosystems, water cycle, taxonomy, etc. We started the process of reviewing today by making a list of key vocabulary in our journals. We will review more in class. I recommend going through your blue binder and reviewing information. Some of you would benefit from better organizing your papers and may want to take your binders home to organize them.
  • Applied Math: Today we will share our charts, diagrams, and graphs from the Earth By the Numbers assignment, and your next task is to complete Numbers in the News, which can be done on your E-Portfolio. You are supposed to be looking for an article in which numbers are used to explain key ideas. You need to answer the questions from the handout in your post and provide a link to the article online. Some more time will be given in class. You should be able to finish this by Friday, April 28th. Tonight work for 15-30 minutes at most on this to stay on track.
  • Nature Challenge: Don’t forget the deadline for the nature challenge is April 30th — with the pictures due to Ms. D on May 1st, Monday. Put your photos in a slideshow format. Each photo will need to be clear in terms of location (and be a different location!) in order to be counted.
  • Forests Handout: Please read, highlight, and finish these activities by Friday, April 28th. Some time available on Thursday and Friday to finish.

We have been having great discussions about biodiversity, and I think our trips to the watershed and the park really helped us to think about the ecosystem around us. As you do research on your animal and talk about their habitat, the eco province they live in, and find out more about their characteristics and taxonomy, this will help bring the things we have been discussing into focus and make them clear before we move on to the next part of our unit.

So, what’s next? We will look at oceans, moon and tides, weather, climate change, and our impact on the world. We will also continue the book Skeleton Tree, which is all about survival in the wilderness, and I will be challenging you to learn a few skills for survival. We already introduced the compass and how it works. We will be doing some critical thinking activities to discuss how decision making is a serious part of survival. And we will also look for nature’s signs and signals that helps us to get oriented and survive.

TONIGHT HOMEWORK:  Remember, 15-30 minutes of applied math. Library Tomorrow. Pay for OWL/Dragon Boating. Find one example of nature being impacted by humans in B.C. What happened? When did it happen? How did it happen? Why?

Have a great rest of the week!

Ms. D

Animal Research and Monday Update

Hello everyone!

Some of you have chosen to start your animal research early, and thank you for your enthusiasm! We do have time in class to do this project, so you don’t need to do it all at home. It was not the assigned homework and it is not due until EOD Friday.

Not everyone has told me which animal they are doing. So, to help, and to make sure we all are doing a variety of animals, respond to this post with the animal you are doing.

BTW, if anyone has had trouble paying for OWL, please let me know, so I can check in to it on Monday.

See you soon!

Ms. D

 

Endangered Animal, Plant, or Space

Hello Everyone,

We have been talking about the many endangered species in B.C. and the world, as well as the endangered habitats or spaces (which is part of what contributes to endangered animals.) As part of this discussion, you will be asked to further research an endangered animal or plant of your choice. You will begin doing research on Tuesday, April 25th, and more information will be given to you then. The research will be used to help in a small art project, inspired by the Northwest artist Sue Coccia.

Please find out the following:

  1. What is the common and scientific name of your animal?
  2. What is the taxonomy chart for your animal or plant?
  3. Which list did you find the animal or plant on?
  4. Where would we find the animal or plant in B.C.? Describe its habitat and any details about whether that space is endangered or in trouble.
  5. What does the shape of your animal or plant look like? Draw it.
  6. What does your plant or animal need to survive?
  7. What kinds of adaptations or features does the animal or plant have that allow it to compete for food/resources?
  8. How does your plant or animal reproduce? What is its life cycle?
  9. What could we use your animal or plant for? How do humans typically interact with it?
  10. Why is the plant or animal endangered?
  11. Is there anything humans are doing or could do to help improve the situation?
  12. Any other interesting facts?
  13. Why do you think we should care about this animal or plant?

Keep notes on these questions in your journal. Make sure to indicate where your information came from as you take notes. When you finish taking notes, we will be using this information to make an art project.

Criteria for a good mark? Aesthetic presentation, thorough information, answering all of the questions given, and showing understanding of endangered animals/plants and why they are endangered. Rubric will be provided next week. Project due EOD Friday, April 28th.

Have fun researching!

Wonderful Watershed Trip!

Hello Everyone!

First, let me thank our parent volunteers who have come with us on our nature walks to Everett Crowley and to the Watershed — Sandy, William, Kathy, Russell, and Candace! Without you, we wouldn’t be able to do the trips, and we appreciated your company!

We had a fantastic trip! Despite being rained (and hailed upon) at the end when we were up at the highest point of our journey near the dam, we had an informative and fun hike in the lower area of the Lower Seymour Watershed protected forest, and we played several fun games to learn about the forest’s ecosystem and the water cycle.

Pictures to come soon! Thank you to all of the students for your excellent behaviour, participation in activities, and thoughtful questions! You were definitely able to extend knowledge discussed in class and take it further during our trip. Ms. D learned a lot! I look forward to visiting the area again on my own with my family.

Please make sure to complete the water audit, as each completed audit online counts as an entry for us into the GVRD contest for a pizza party for the class! Count your water usage on the water audit handout, go to Green Bricks to input your results, and then be sure to put your handout in the inbox.

Also, respond to this blog entry tonight as a homework assignment to tell me your favourite part of the trip. Provide detail about something you learned related to the ecosystem of the forest or the water cycle and the watershed.

Thank you!

Ms. D

Happy Long Weekend & Reminders!

Hello Everyone! Happy Long Weekend!

Reminder: Please have your rain gear, backpack, comfortable shoes, snacks, big lunch, water bottle, extra socks, hat, gloves, and hand sanitizer ready for Tuesday for the Watershed Trip. Be here at school NO LATER THAN 8:50 AM.

The bus will leave promptly at 9AM. If you arrive after that, we cannot wait for you and you will need to report to the office to call home or stay in the other 4/5 class for the day. 

Parent volunteers please arrive at 8:45 AM and come in to the portable to sign release prior to leaving. The trip is all day and we will be back before 3PM.

 

Talking About Water!

 

Yesterday we completed three stations to learn about water use and the watershed in preparation for our trip. We reviewed the key ideas together, which were:

  • Water use is highest during the months we have the least precipitation.
  • We use water for a variety of activities: washing, cleaning, making things such as clothes and water bottles, cooling things, factories, nuclear plants, hospitals, chemicals, and more.
  • The watershed has water that is used by a variety of producers and consumers, animals and plants, beyond humans: douglas fir trees, black bears, squirrels, salal, dragonflies, black-tailed deer, bald eagles, chickadees, spotted towhees, ravens, and more.

Then, we watched a series of videos from the GVRD to learn about how our drinking water is treated before it gets to our tap, as well as information on waste water and what we do with used water before it returns to our rivers and oceans.

You can find the videos and more information on water here:

Drinking Water Part 1

Drinking Water Part 2

Waste Water Treatment

What happens when I flush brochure

United Nations World Water Day: Are You a Waster?

You may also want to learn about the history of water supply and distribution — there is a great article about it on Wikipedia!

Or, you can see how the world will need to address water management and shortages in an informative article from The Economist For Want of a Drink

Finally, as was pointed out in class, it takes 3 litres of water to produce 1 litre of bottled water! You may want to watch this video to think about our use of bottled water products, The Story of Bottled Waterwhich is a video brought to you by the same authors of The Story of Stuff.

 

BIODIVERSITY:

 

We reviewed what we know about biodiversity so far, and we talked about how the O.W.L. presentation was linked to it!

Judy from O.W.L. said that one of the reasons there are so many different types of raptors is because if everyone is a different size (small like Katie, or large like Pokey), has different strategies to hunt (stealth versus speed), and hunts at different times (nocturnal vs diurnal), then all raptors will have enough to eat! By having biodiversity, the resources are spread out amongst the species.

We also watched a great TED ED video by Kim Preshoff on Why is Biodiversity Important? as well as What Does Biodiversity Do For Us?

If you want to see a great video about B.C. marine biodiversity, watch Rhapsody in Green.

Here is also a great encyclopedia entry on biodiversity with more information from National Geographic.

We then looked at a Power Point on BioBlitz, which was created by National Geographic, to further discuss how diverse our planet’s species are and how they are classified by TAXON (or taxa, plural.) If you were having trouble understanding the different groups of taxonomy, then read more about them here.

Your assignment was to find out more details on the TAXA class groups of Annelids, Mollusks, Arachnids, Insects, Bony Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Plants, and Fungi. Fill out your handout Biodiversity By The Numbers with characteristics of each one, and then try to guess the approximate number of species for each class of animals using the number bank provided.

Check out iNaturalist.org, as we will talk about this on Wednesday!

Have a great weekend!

Ms. D

O.W.L. and Water, Water, Everywhere – Update April 12

Hello Everyone,

As we continue our nature studies, we are learning about ecosystems, biodiversity, and our impact on both. This means taking time to look closely at the plants, animals, and trees around us! We had time to do this during our Everett Crowley Walk yesterday, and we will also see more natural areas during our Watershed trip on Tuesday, April 18th.

Today we had a great visit from O.W.L. in Delta, B.C.! For 90 minutes, we learned all about the types of raptors in the local area, such as bald eagles, golden eagles, barred owls, peregrine falcons, osprey, turkey vultures, and more. Then we visited with two birds — Katie, an American Kestrel and Pokey, a Barred Owl. They were amazing birds, and you can see pictures of them on the O.W.L. website here. Next week, you will receive a notice regarding a fee of $7.38 for the session, as explained in my previous posts and emails. 

We also did more preparation today for our Watershed Trip by talking about the four parts of the water cycle — precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, and condensation. Then we participated in stations provided by a GVRD kit to learn more about how our water gets to us. There were two articles to read on Water in BC and Rivers, and everyone needs to finish answering the questions below:

  1. Name the places you can find water (not the names of actual towns or rivers, but rather the places you can find surface and ground water.)
  2. What is another name for the water cycle?
  3. What do organisms use the salt of the oceans for?
  4. How often do tides change?
  5. What is a current?
  6. What are tributaries?
  7. What does anadromous mean?
  8. Give a pros/cons chart on dams with at least 3 pros and 3 cons on each side of the chart. What are the good things and the bad things about having a dam?
  9. Explain the Elwha River restoration.

Everyone also completed a BACKPACK prep sheet, so you will know what to bring on the Watershed Trip Tuesday. Here are some things to remember:

  1. It is colder up there than here at school level. We will be going rain or shine.
  2. Dress warm and have a toque/small hat, gloves, rain jacket, warm socks, water resistant walking shoes, comfortable walking clothes in layers so you can remove layers as you get warm.
  3. Put an extra pair of socks in your backpack. Sometimes they do a forest walk, so you may need a change. If it is raining a lot on Tuesday, pack a light pair of extra pants, but don’t make your bag too heavy!
  4. Have a water resistant backpack. Small is better as you have to carry it the whole time.
  5. Antibacterial hand sanitizer, as there is not running water up there. Great idea to have it in a small ziploc bag so it does not spill.
  6. BIG LUNCH and SNACKS! Make sure you go with low litter lunch options. No metal containers that require a table, as we will eat outside. Ideas: sandwich, bag of veggies, banana, granola bars, breakfast bars, cheese puffs, etc.
  7. WATER BOTTLE — make sure it has a secure lid and will not spill. Make sure it can be put inside your backpack or attached to backpack.
  8. Extra plastic bag for garbage. There are not garbage cans up there. Pack out what you packed in.
  9. Sunscreen — put some on your face and exposed areas before we head up in the morning.
  10. Camera — no iPads/large cameras, go with a small one or a phone. Put it in a plastic bag for protection from rain.
  11. Napkins/Tissues to clean up or take care of nose issues if they come up, as there are not bathrooms up there.
  12. No umbrellas! No books! No journals!

Thank you, everyone, for doing your best to prepare well for the trip! Please contact me if you have any questions.

Ms. D

Fantastic Walk & Tree Discussions!

Hello Everyone,

Today we had a fantastic walk in the sunshine to Everett Crowley Park! Everyone used their plant guides to try and identify local plants used by First Nations. We were able to find most of them, although we didn’t see any lady fern, lily of the valley, or skunk cabbage, mainly because the forest is too exposed to light and those plants need more of a wet, rainforest environment.

Overall, it was a fun walk in the beautiful weather! We met Mr. Corbett, one of the main volunteers who works to improve the park, and he explained all about mason bees and the nests they had set up in the park. Mason bees don’t sting and are great pollinators!

You may want to celebrate EARTH DAY by visiting Everett Crowley for their activities from 11-3 on April 22nd. More details here.

Earth Day is also being celebrated at Science World, so if you would like to know about their March for Science, please see details here.

When we came back, we did a journal entry describing some of the things we saw. We also used some of the guide books we have in the classroom to help identify plants and trees we saw but did not have the names for in our guides. Please look in your house for any guides you could bring to help us as we identify plants!

We talked about how Vancouver and surrounding areas are part of a larger rainforest and looked at a graphic of the Pacific Rim Forest to see what types of vegetation can be found in our wetter forests. Go visit Pacific Spirit Park at UBC to see some great rainforest vegetation (and also the site of beautiful walks and nature that are frequently used by filmmakers as setting in our favourite movies.)

Using the book Treeology, we began to read about trees in more detail, so we can better understand how to identify them. We also played a game about old growth forests called Forest Trek. Everyone has a game board and the info to play at home, too.

Tonight, everyone is going to make a new page in their journal — a nature map of your home. Go outside and investigate the natural bits around your house or apartment building. Then, make a map on the paper that shows from above where nature can be found around your area.

Tomorrow, the organization O.W.L. will visit our classroom from 10-11:30 AM. They will explain how they help orphaned owls, talk about predatory birds like hawks and owls, and tell about the work they do to rescue them, as well as the situations in nature they need to rescue them from due to our changing environment. Please write any questions you have for them in your journal so you are prepared. Remember that the birds do not like loud noises, so we will be quiet during the presentation. Review their website tonight if you have time to see what their organization is all about!

Reminders: Deep Cove Notices overdue, Finish Earth By The Numbers Data for Math so we can begin charts tomorrow, no school on Friday/Monday, and report cards handed out on Wednesday or Thursday.

Have a great night!

Ms. D

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