Day: 19 January 2013

Penguin Research

We began our enquiry into penguins by creating a ‘KNOW’ (or THINK we know) chart and a ‘WONDER’ (what we want to know) chart.  Please note that ALL ideas are recorded at this point and will be proven – or disproven – by the end of our unit.

We followed up with a visit to the Library to explore the penguin entries in the on-line World Book database via the laptops.  Students have now been put into partnerships and they have chosen the penguin that they want to research in-depth.

Beginning this week the student-partnerships will spend 45 minutes each Tuesday on the laptops doing research on their chosen penguin.  We also have an extensive collection of fact-based books in the classroom and the library.  Students will collect information on their data sheets and then formulate this information into a report format.  These reports will be orally presented to the class at the end of the unit.

Early last week I sent home a letter about the World Book on-line resource, along with how to access the penguin websites which I have attached to my Delicious account – a link on this blogsite.  Feel free to explore the on-line sites at home with your child.  They should be able to tell you the name of their specific penguin – although, these were just chosen at the end of the day on Friday so they may not be totally clear on how to pronounce their penguin’s name yet:)

 

Our JUMP Rope for Heart Event

On Friday, January 11th we had a ‘Kick-Off’ assembly with a representative from the Heart and Stroke Foundation.  Our ‘Heart Hero’ (Derek) made an appearance as well.

At the assembly, students learned how to keep their hearts healthy.

This past Friday (January 18th) we held our JUMP event.  We created a Heart Wall with the red paper hearts – where students had recorded their ideas about keeping healthy – that had been sent home with their pledge forms.  In the afternoon, classes each had a 40 minute block where they met their buddy class in the gym and had a lot of fun jumping rope.   We were very lucky that this year we didn’t have rain!  This meant that we got to enjoy jumping outside of the gym on the basketball court.  Students enjoyed skipping on their own – and with the long ropes, as well.

 

If you haven’t already done so, please return your completed pledge forms – or register your collected fundraising on-line by Wednesday, January 23rd.  Thank you for your support of this very worthy charity.

Pringle Comes to Rosser!!

On Monday, January 14th we were thrilled to receive a very COLD package, delivered by Mrs. Ameixa, which had arrived from the South Pole!!  You can still see some of the wet spots on the brown paper from where the ice melted!

Inside this package was: a novel (Mr. Popper’s Penguins); a letter from Admiral Drake (a character in the novel); a lovely little penguin named Pringle; and a Journal in which the students can write and share their home experiences with Pringle.  This was a very exciting arrival for the students – and the adults in the room, as well!

Pringle, our class penguin, has already made home visits to the homes of: Maya A., Ateeq, Alex, and Justin.  She is currently spending this weekend with Lyka and her family.  When students bring Pringle back to school they share their home (and extra-curricular visits) with the rest of us through their written entries in the Journal.  Pringle has been very busy enjoying a lot of different kinds of foods and activities!

All students are anxiously awaiting their turn taking Pringle home.  When she arrives in your home I am sure your family will be very welcoming.  Enjoy the experience!