Creating Hypotheses: Mentos and Soda Experiment

What makes for an accurate and informative Science experiment? Well, we need to make sure we have a strong hypothesis, a clear control, and a variety of variables. Today, we began our investigation into the question: how can we create the largest, most dramatic eruption when mixing Mentos and soda?

So far, we have tested 2 liter bottles of Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Zero, Pepsi, Orange Crush, generic brand cola, and soda water (our control). We noticed that the Diet sodas performed very well.

Now, as a Scientist you must decide… what variables should be manipulate to get different results? Should we test smaller bottles of pop? Different kinds of soda (ex: Sprite, Root Beer)? Should we use different amounts of Mentos? Would other candies have similar effects?

We will continue this investigation over the next week!

Welcoming Conversations:

Thank you SO much to everyone who has attended our welcoming conversations so far! I must apologize for our technical issues and the time limitations; I know that these conversations will be the first of many, and I wish that we were able to chat in person so that I would be able to welcome you into our classroom space!

Later this week, I will try to post a ‘virtual classroom tour’. I will also be reaching out to anyone who was unable to sign up or who had their time cut short due to our technology issues. I appreciate all of your insights and and I excited to collaborate this year!

Wishing everyone well,

Kim Ward

Important Reminders

Hello, families! Some important reminders for this week (we have also written these in our planners):

  • Please return your Student Information sheets as soon as possible
  • Please review and return the yellow Student Emergency Release form as soon as you can
  • Sign up for Welcoming Conversations online. To make sure everyone is able to set a meeting, please only sign up for one ten minute time slot (per parent/guardian). Please contact Ms. Ward if you are not available during any of the remaining time slots!
  • Please fill in the online survey if you have not done so already
  • Early dismissal on Thursday
  • Don’t forget to dress for the weather (rain or shine) and that photo day is this upcoming week!

Thanks everyone! I look forward to meeting with everyone (virtually) this week.

-Ms. Ward

Body Percussion: Rhythm + Self-Regulation at Lochdale!

This week, we have been practicing our rhythm, beat, and timing with our percussion coach, Daniel! He is a musician who specializes in drum styles and rhymical beats from across the world. So far, we have learned about a rhythm called a “Hambone” (a song often drummed and sung by African Americans across the Southern USA). We also talked about how we can use stomping, clapping, and jumping to help regulate our emotions and reduce stress.

Below is a video of a drumming prodigy. A “prodigy” means that someone is very talented at something at a very young age. Have you ever played  the drums?

Happy Pizza Day!

Did you know today is National Pizza Day? We celebrated by learning about different pizzas around the world, and by designing our own bizarre, delightful, or gross pizza toppings!

We’ll be creating a piece of writing and an art project based around our unique pizza creations. Check out the video below and consider the following questions:

-What is your favourite pizza topping? What flavours do you like?

-Would you try a banana pizza? Why or why not?

-Do you think every country and culture has their own ‘kind’ of pizzza?

Segregated Schools: Separate is Never Equal

Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation (Jane Addams Award Book (Awards)) eBook : Tonatiuh, Duncan: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

As we learn about schools in the past and present, it is important to acknowledge the racist history of segregated schools. We learned about Sylvia Mendez and her family’s fight to integrate schools in Orange County (USA). Through their bravery and perseverance, the Mendez family were able to unite with other Mexican-American families to overturn the law that allowed students to be separated into schools based on their skin color and cultural heritage. Here is an interview with Sylvia Mendez about her experiences:

We also want to affirm that September 15th-October 15th is Latinx Heritage Month (though it is importance to celebrate influential Lantinx people throughout the past and present every month of the year)! Our class will continue exploring examples of Latinx artists, politicians, advocates, and authors.

 

-Ms. Ward

Our First Read Aloud Novel!

Ban This Book - Alan Gratz

This week, we began our novel study/read aloud for Alan Gratz’s Ban This Book. The novel follows a student named Amy Anne, who must find her voice in order to speak up against censorship. When Amy Anne’s favourite book is taken off her school library’s shelves, she takes matters into her own hands by creating a secret banned book library.

As we read this novel, we will discuss censorship and representation in children’s literature. Did you know that the Captain Underpants series is one of the most banned books across North America?

If you want to learn more about the importance of reading, you can watch this persuasive Ted-Talk speech from a 9-year-old student. Do you agree or disagree with their ideas?

All Around the World: Exploring Global Perspectives with Picture Books!

Hello, travelers! Over the next few weeks, we will be learning about different countries, continents, and cultures from through picture books written by a diverse group of authours (#ownvoices).

Today, we learned about the importance of educating people of all genders when we read The Library Bus by Bahram Rahman.

The Library Bus: Rahman, Bahram, Grimard, Gabrielle: 9781772781014: Books - Amazon.ca

The authour grew up in Afghanistan, where the book is set, and was inspired by the resilience of teachers and students. He is using the story to raise awareness about girls education, and to celebrate the beauty and landscape of his home country.

As we learn more about the world around us, it is important for us to consider:

-What do we know about this country already? How do we know/what are our sources?

-Is it possible to learn everything there is to know about a country or culture in one day? What should we do if we want to learn more?

-Can we make any connections to the characters in the book? How are our lives similar?

Check out the song we will be using to learn more about the vast world around us below:

Welcome to Room 22!

Welcome to all of our new students, families members, and returning folks from last year! Our Division 5 learning community is already hard at work investigating these questions:

  • What is a school? What does a school ‘need’ to have?
  • How can we make our classroom a safe and caring space for everyone?
  • Why do we come to school? What is the purpose of school?

We also read Grandmother School by Rina Singh, the true story of the Aajibaichi Shala (a school for grandmothers and elderly women) in India. This school was created to provide an opportunity for the grandmothers to learn literacy and numeracy skills. Many of these women were not able to attend school as children. and now take pride in learning alongside their grandchildren.

Check out the video below for more information on the amazing students of the Aajibaichi Shala!

We will continue to explore schools around the world, both in the past and in the present, and what our ‘perfect’ school would look like, feel like, etc.

Wishing everyone well,

Ms. Ward