Category: Science

Students enjoyed the challenge of building gum drop structures with their older buddies from Burnaby Mountain last week.  Students had to test their knowledge of engineering as they tried to figure out:

Which shapes made by the toothpicks and gumdrops were the strongest? Squares, rectangles, or triangles?

Did the width of the base make a difference?

When the structure collapsed, which portions stayed in one piece? Why did those parts not collapse?

They were then tasked with using their discoveries to create a stronger structure that would support more weight.

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On Monday students in Division 4 and 8 had lots of fun playing in the dirt while they planted their seed potatoes.  After the break  we will continue to tend to the potatoes and observe their lifecycle before harvesting them in June.

This week Div 4 and 8 students were surprised to see that the daffodils we planted in the fall have begun to sprout and are preparing to bloom.  Some students were also puzzled by how much they have grown already especially since the ground has been covered in snow for the past week or two.  Over the coming weeks students will continue to track and document the growth of the daffodils, review their life cycle, and investigate factors that can enhance or hinder growth.

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Students have been learning that ecosystems consist of a set of interconnected processes that depend on each other for their function and today they had the opportunity to begin creating an ecosystem in a bottle. Since beginning our investigations on biomes and ecosystems students have been learning how materials, like water, are cycled through the whole ecosystem to benefit each part of it and how the fish and the plants and the soil are all affected by the same water and depend on one another.  They have also been learning that all ecosystems have a feeding hierarchy; energy source; producers, consumers, and decomposers; and non-living things such as minerals and elements.

In Science, we have been learning how plants and animals are interconnected and how they adapt to their environment over time.  We have also been learning about how water, sunlight, soil, and air help sustain life in our ecosystems.  Furthermore, students have been learning research techniques, questioning strategies, note taking, and referencing skills.

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Today Div 4 and 8 began our Planting a Promise project.  Students learned about daffodils and what they need to grow and survive and how the needs of plants and humans are similar and different. During this discussion students discovered that many of the basic needs for plants and humans are the same, however, plants are producers and humans are consumers.  They also learned the difference between annuals and perennials and learned how perennial bulbs provide food for the developing flower bud, stem and leaves throughout the winter before they bloom in the spring. Following our lesson on the daffodil life cycle the students then planted 50 daffodil bulbs, which hold the promise of beautiful flowers in spring.

Thanks again to Ms. Starling our volunteer gardening expert who assisted with the planting of our daffodils.  Your help was greatly appreciated!

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Division 9 had a great time today enjoying the sunshine and playing games in the park with their pen pals.

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Students of Division 9 recently harvested 342 potatoes that they’ve been growing and tending to since March.  They also prepared detailed presentations for our Strong Start students and their parents to explain the potato lifecycle and how to grow them. Students thoroughly enjoyed digging in the dirt and discovering different insects that decided to call our potato plants home. Once the potatoes were harvested each student took their own bag of potatoes home to enjoy with their family members.

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OBJECTIVES

•  Design and construct a boat with only the supplied materials in 2 1/2hours
•  The boat should float
• Carry lots of weight and go fast

TOOLS AND MATERIALS PROVIDED:

• two 4 x 8 feet sheets of 1/8 inch cardboard
• 25 feet of string (8 meters)
• one roll of duct tape
• one roll of packing tape
• one retractable utility knife
• one laminated sheet with specified team number (we were Team 3)
• two pencils
• one pairs of gloves
• one pair of safety glasses
• 2 meter sticks
• a tape measure

RACE TIME

2 MINUTE WEIGHT CHALLENGE

HOW THEY DID

During the construction phase of this challenge the students worked cooperatively and used their creative and critical thinking skills to design and construct a well built boat.  Together they successfully completed the 25 meter race across Kensington Pool and their boat stayed afloat for the 2 minute weight challenge at the end of the race.  Even though they were the youngest in the competition and the first to compete, they finished in 67 seconds posting the second best time in the first round of races.  These students did an excellent job representing Twelfth Avenue Elementary and demonstrated that with planning, focus, and teamwork you can achieve your goals. Way to go team! You were amazing and should be very proud of your performance!

This year for “Earth Week”, 12th Avenue students participated in the Plastic Bag Grab Challenge. Students learned about the importance of the 3Rs (Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling), strategies for keeping our Earth healthy and clean, and how to use reusable bags instead of plastic bags.  Together, we collected a grand total of 1176 bags, which will be recycled instead of sitting in the landfills.  Many thanks and congratulations to our all students, staff and our families for all their support and contributions!