Category: Science

Today, students in Division 3 and Division 5 had the exciting opportunity to welcome MLA Janet Routledge to our school for a special presentation about government, democracy, and active citizenship.

Janet Routledge shared her journey into politics, explaining how she became involved in public service and what inspired her to make a difference in her community. Students learned about her important role as Whip for the Women’s Caucus and heard about ongoing efforts to improve equity and representation in politics, helping to ensure that more voices are heard and included in decision-making.

She also gave students an inside look at how Parliamentary debate works and discussed the importance of having a code of conduct to promote respectful discussion, even when people disagree. Students learned that strong democracies depend on people being able to share different perspectives thoughtfully and respectfully.

One of the most powerful messages Janet shared was that in a democracy, there should be no spectators—everyone has a role to play in helping their community and contributing to positive change. She encouraged students to think about how they can be active citizens, whether that means speaking up about issues they care about, helping others, or becoming involved in their community.

Students asked thoughtful questions and were highly engaged throughout the presentation. We are so grateful to Janet Routledge for taking the time to visit our school, share her experiences, and inspire our students to see themselves as future changemakers.

Division 3 has been having a fantastic time exploring the properties of matter through engaging, hands-on science investigations! Students have been learning about density, acids and bases (pH), chemical reactions, solutions and mixtures, chromatography, and emulsification by experimenting, observing, and thinking like real scientists.

Students explored density through floating and sinking investigations, including testing eggs in fresh water and salt water to discover how changing the concentration of a solution affects whether objects float or sink. During their pH investigations, they tested everyday substances to determine whether they were acidic, basic, or neutral.

One of the class favourites was making homemade boba pearls, where students observed the science of spherification—a chemical reaction that created a thin gel membrane around liquid, transforming it into chewy pearls! Another delicious highlight was making homemade butter, where students learned about emulsification by shaking cream until the fat molecules separated and re-formed into butter, which they enjoyed on warm toasted English muffins afterwards.

Students also used chromatography to separate ink pigments, discovering that a single colour is often made up of many hidden colours. To wrap up their chemistry learning, students had a blast reviewing key concepts through interactive Jeopardy games and Kahoot challenges, adding plenty of laughter, teamwork, and friendly competition to their learning.

Dear Aubrey Families,

Don’t forget to buy your tickets to the much-anticipated production of The Little Mermaid!  Ticket sales are now open on School Cash Online.

Round 1 Ticket Sales: Families can purchase a maximum of 2 tickets per child, per show. Based on availability, more tickets may be released later—so don’t let this wave pass you by! Please make sure you purchase your tickets by Thursday, May 14.

Round 2 Ticket Sales: Remaining will be released (more information to come!)

To purchase: https://burnaby.schoolcashonline.com/

Please reach out Ms. Klarich is you need assistance with SchoolCashOnline – Carmela.Klarich@burnabyschools.ca or 604-296-9001.

Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,

Liliane de Oliveira

Principal

École Aubrey Elementary School

Dear Families,

Our school is proud to be participating in Heart & Stroke’s Jump Rope for Heart on May 15. Students will learn healthy habits and raise funds to support lifesaving heart and brain research.

Please check your child’s planner or backpack for a postcard that includes more information!

Help us reach our fundraising goal by donating or register to create your own fundraising page to share with family and friends.

Visit our school’s fundraising page to get started:

https://jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca/114144

Why we participate in Jump

While research may be hard to see, its impact is impossible to ignore. Thanks to generous donations through Jump Rope for Heart, Heart & Stroke is driving groundbreaking research led by Canada’s top medical minds, like Dr. Lori West. Her research has made it possible for infants to safely receive heart transplants from donors with different blood types—saving countless lives.

Watch this video (https://youtu.be/c-mc5fc1i-c) to see Dr. West meet the children and families whose lives have been changed by her discovery and what her work meant for their hopes for a healthier future.

Learn more at jumpropeforheart.ca and support our school’s fundraising efforts by donating or registering here:

https://jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca/114144

Thank you for your support!

There’s nothing quite like seeing science come alive right in front of your eyes, and that’s exactly what happened during this exciting chemistry workshop!

Students dove into the world of elements, compounds, and pure substances, exploring how these building blocks interact in real chemical reactions. Instead of just reading about reactions, they experienced them through a series of hands-on activities that made abstract concepts feel real and memorable.

The Star of the Show: The Iodine Clock Reaction 

One of the most exciting moments came when students performed the iodine clock reaction. At first, everything looked calm—clear liquids, no visible changes. Then suddenly—blink and you’ll miss it!—the solution rapidly changed color.
This dramatic shift helped students understand that chemical reactions can happen at different speeds and that sometimes, important changes aren’t obvious until a critical moment. It sparked curiosity and plenty of “Whoa!” reactions around the room.

Investigating Chemical Change
Through guided steps, students carefully mixed solutions, measured liquids, and observed outcomes. They practiced forming hypotheses (“If we mix this, then what will happen?”), and then tested their predictions by carrying out experiments and recording data.

They also learned how to identify evidence of a chemical reaction, such as: colour change, formation of new substances, energy changes, and the power of catalysts (substances that speed up chemical reactions without being used up in the process).

In today’s workshop, students were also introduced to manganese dioxide as a catalyst. They observed how it accelerates the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, producing visible bubbling and a “smoking” or steaming effect. This demonstration helped students clearly see how catalysts can dramatically change the rate of a reaction.

This workshop was a powerful reminder that science isn’t just something you read, it’s something you do. From sudden colour changes to bubbling reactions, students experienced chemistry in action and gained a deeper understanding of how substances interact in the real world. And perhaps most importantly, they learned to stay alert… because in chemistry, sometimes the most exciting moments happen in the blink of an eye!

Today our class had the opportunity to take part in an exciting SFU Chemical Reactions in Action workshop where they explored chemistry through hands-on experiments and demonstrations.

Students investigated how different substances interact and change when combined. One activity involved creating tiny gel-like spheres similar to Orbeez, where students observed how chemical reactions can transform liquids into soft, solid beads through a fascinating process of bonding and reaction.

The highlight of the workshop was definitely the “Elephant Toothpaste” experiment. Students watched as a rapid chemical reaction produced a dramatic tower of colourful foam! As the reaction took place, students learned how catalysts speed up chemical reactions and how gases can be produced during a chemical change.

Throughout the workshop, students were encouraged to make predictions, observe closely, and discuss what they were noticing as the reactions occurred. It was wonderful to see their curiosity in action as they connected what they were seeing to the science concepts we have been exploring in class.

A big thank you to the SFU team for leading such an engaging and memorable learning experience. Activities like this help bring science to life and show students how chemistry is happening all around us! 🧫✨