Has there ever been a time when you have felt the pressure to be perfect? Our class discussed the physical and mental feeling that pressure can have. Whether you are performing at a talent show, trying to score in an important game, participating in public speaking, or writing a challenging test, we all feel pressure sometimes.

Many Olympians are under intense amounts of pressure. Figure skating champion Gracie Gold discussed how her mental health and body image were impacted by the intense pressure she felt during the Olympics. In an interview with Jonathan Van Ness, she discussed how she wanted to look perfect, nail her routine perfectly, and represent her team perfectly. However, too much pressure can be unhealthy for our brains and bodies! Gracie had to take a step back from her Olympic dreams to heal and recover, and is now an advocate who speak out against the effects that too much pressure can have on people!

What are some things you can do if you feel like the pressure is too much? What strategies work for you? Ms. Ward likes to deal with pressure by taking a walk to the dog park or calling a friend to chat.

To see some of the most high pressure (and successful) moments from figure skating, watch the video below:

 

 

Our class continued to explore what changes we can make to marshmallows. We submerged the marshmallows in vinegar. We tore the marshmallows into pieces. Finally, Ms. Ward set a marshmallow on fire (do NOT try this at home). We found that all these changes were irreversible (could not be undone), but lighting the marshmallow on fire changed it the most!

Check out this video to learn the interesting history of roasting marshmallows (an idea that was created over 125 years ago!).

Ms. Lynka told us all about Tyrus Wong, an artist who immigrated from China to America. During this period of history, people from China faced many racist laws if they tried to come to North America. Tyrus and his father had to pretend to be someone else, just so they could have a chance to move to California!

Many years later, Tyrus began working at Walt Disney Studios. At first, his job was to draw the ‘in-between scenes’ (a very tedious and tiring job). However, later Tyrus began drawing beautiful scenery and landscapes. Though he was an important artist in films like Bambi, he was not credited by Disney.

 

Today, our class explored how we can create changes (both physical and chemical) to marshmallows. We began by making some detailed observations of our marshmallows. Next, we microwaved the marshmallows. We noticed that the marshmallows grew much larger and expanded in the microwave! After a few minutes, the marshmallows deflated and hardened.

Above: the marshmallows after being microwaved

Below: the marshmallows after 1 minute

This week, we will continue to explore how we can make physical and chemical changes to these marshmallows!

Hi folks! Here are a few reminders for our students and families:

-Our French booklets are due this Thursday. We are learning to create plural sentences (ex: There are five blue pencils) in French. Please see Ms. Ramen for any questions!

-Our Leadership Team is selling raffle tickets for Black History Month! All proceeds go to Hogan’s Alley Society. Tickets are $1 and can be purchased between Feb. 8-14. Good luck!

-Please ensure that your Math check-in has been signed by a parent/guardian and returned to school ASAP!

-Bubble Gum Science experiment: an optional activity has been sent home. I would love to see photos or hear all about your bubble blowing results!

Thanks everyone!

-Ms. Ward

This week, we have been discussing the Paralympics. The Paralympics are a special event where Olympians with disabilities or impairments can compete. The first Paralympics were held in 1960. These Paralympics represent the over 1.2 billion people who are part of the disabled community.

It is important to celebrate athletes from different backgrounds; often, these athletes face discrimination and are not celebrated as much as they should be!

Check out the video below to learn the story behind the Amputee Soccer Club in Sierra Leone (a country in Africa):

As we continue to observe and celebrate Black History Month, it is important to learn more about different influential changemakers! We discussed Besse Coleman, the first African American female pilot. Watch the video for more information about this daring pilot!

Our class is learning all about the Olympics (past and present)! We learned that the Olympics started in Ancient Greece. Canada has hosted the Olympics 3 times, including the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver! Ms. Lynka taught us about the importance of design and engineering when creating the Olympic torches and cauldrons. Every country has their own Olympic torch design. The torches bring the Olympic flame from Greece to the hosting country.

Have you ever seen the Olympic cauldron in Vancouver?

Our class discussed Lunar New Year, and how celebrations can look different around the world! Many members of our classroom community celebrate Lunar New Year. For some people, this involves enjoying a special meal with family and friends. For some people, it means attending celebrations that might involve lanterns, lion dancing, or fireworks:

We learned that fireworks were first invented in China, where bamboo would be heated over a fire to create a loud BANG noise! Years later, a chemical compound called gunpowder was added to create fireworks more similar to those we see today.  We created our own ‘fireworks in a cup’ by mixing oil, water, food color, and Alka-Seltzer tablets. Stay tuned for video of our completed experiment!

Today, our class discussed elephants. We learned that elephants face many dangers from humans. Some elephants are forced to perform in circuses, and others are used for labour. Elephants are also at risk from poachers who harvest their ivory tusks.

We learned about the life of Lawrence Anthony, who took in a herd of elephants that had been abused by humans. At first, these elephants did not trust Anthony, and tried to leave the Thula Thula sanctuary where they lived. Through patience and perseverance, however, Anthony gained their trust.

The elephants grew so attached to Anthony that when he passed away, the entire herd came to his house to mourn him and comfort his widow and family. Every year on the anniversary of his passing, the elephants came back to Anthony’s home to remember him. Elephants have such capacity for emotional intelligence and for memory!