While you enjoy your day off tomorrow please take time to remember all that we have because of those people who sacrificed so much for us in the past, and those who still do today.
Poppies, poppies, everywhere …
We have spent the past week getting ready for Remembrance Day. This has involved stories, poems, and discussions about war, peace, and the reasons that we recognize this important day each year. Student learned about John McCrae, a Canadian army physician, who wrote the famous poem “In Flanders Fields”. They made their own poppies out of heart shaped construction paper which they arranged around a copy of the poem. These are displayed on bulletin boards in the corridor outside of our classroom.
We also had a directed drawing lesson on the shape of a poppy. Students then re-created these poppies onto large cartridge paper which they then outlined with black china marker. These were then coloured with red painted petals and green centres. After these had dried the students went over the black lines with the china markers again, cut out the poppies, and mounted these onto green construction paper. These are also displayed on the large bulletin board board in the corridor.
The poppies that we made for our wreath are displayed (intact as a wreath) in the centre of this bulletin board.
Each poppy demonstrates the students’ individual interpretation and creativity. They all look great!
Pumpkin Carving With Our Buddies
On Thursday, October 29th we met our Division 2 buddies in the gym and had fun carving our pumpkins. Some of us got more into it than others.
In the end they all looked great.
The pumpkins were all lined up on the stage and made for a very nice surprise when we came into the darkened gym for our Hallowe’en Assembly the next morning. They were all well lit from within with flame-less candles!
We had a good Hallowe’en day with the assembly/parade and all the great goodies that were brought into the classroom. Thank you to those who sent in treats.
Patterns!!!
As we have been finishing up our Math unit on patterns, the students have been working on using pattern blocks to create beautiful 3-D pictures. They have been very creative with their designs.
Directed Drawing Lessons
We have Directed Drawing lessons 3 or 4 times a week. Students follow the direction of my drawings on the whiteboard while creating their own pictures on paper. They have been taking these lessons quite seriously and are gaining their skills more and more each week. We have been drawing a variety of domesticated animals.
As a result of these lessons many students are spending their free time (book time or Centres) using my collection of ‘how to’ drawing books to continue to work on their drawing techniques.
I am happy to see so much enthusiasm for Art!!
Pumpkin Carving in the Classroom
As part of our pumpkin unit, last Tuesday afternoon we dissected the class pumpkin that I got from our trip to the Laity Pumpkin Patch. I had a bulb / root that had come out of my garden when I was collecting leaves for our Elements of Art lesson a few weeks ago. So we began by talking about the ways that plants grow – bulbs or seeds. We talked about the similarities and differences between the two methods. While one is a bulb, and the other a seed, they both are planted in soil and begin by sending roots down into the earth. The jobs of the roots are to hold the plant securely in place and to suck up water to provide the plant with the means to make food. Once the plants are ‘grounded’ they send shoots up into the air from which the plants grow. We have spent a fair bit of time over the past two weeks discussing the process of photosynthesis – the way that plants use water, air, and sunlight to make their own food (glucose).
I had cut the lid off of the pumpkin and then let the students clean it out. Those students, who wanted to, formed a very productive assembly line which included: some students cleaning out the seeds and pulp; some washing the seeds; and others drying the seeds and putting them onto a cookie sheet. I baked these after school and left them for the students to have the next day.
The students had all tried the pumpkin pie that I brought into class the day after Thanksgiving so they were interested in seeing the part of the pumpkin that we eat.
Elements of Art – Colour
In the ongoing series of our lessons on the elements of art we have been experimenting with colour. Students learned about the three ‘primary’ (or first) colours: red, yellow, and blue. These are colours that cannot be made by other colours but, when combined, will create other colours. These colours are called ‘secondary’ colours. These colours are: green (made from blue and yellow), purple (red and blue combined), and orange (red and yellow put together). These are ‘secondary’ colours if they are mixed with equal parts of each ‘primary’ colour. When more of one primary is used than the other, then the resulting colour is called an ‘intermediate’ colour.
Elements of Art Lesson
Last Thursday we had a discussion on the Elements of Art. Students learned what an element is (the parts that make up a whole thing). We then discussed the six things (elements) that make up Art – colour, form, shape, value, line, and texture.
On Friday, students explored these elements through the media of wax crayons and leaves by experimenting with rubbing techniques. They outlined some leaves to show ‘line’ and ‘shape’. They used a variety of ‘colours’. By putting more or less pressure on the wax crayons they were able to show ‘value’ (lightness and darkness). The feathery look of the rubbings inferred ‘texture’. The only element that was not able to be demonstrated was ‘form’ as the leaf rubbings cannot be picked up off of the paper.
The students’ work is on the bulletin board in the hallway outside of our classroom.
Here are some portions of the rubbings:
Laity Pumpkin Farm Trip
We had a really great trip to the pumpkin patch on October 6, 2015. We were lucky to have so many parents willing to give their time to help make this a fun day for our students. The weather was spectacular which added to our great experience.
Here are some of the highlights of our trip:
The Petting Zoo
The Play Farm
The Forest Villages
The Corn Maze
and … panning for ‘gold’.
We also enjoyed a tractor ride, snack time, and hunting for the perfect pumpkin in the field.
A HUGE THANK YOU to all the parents who helped out by driving us to the farm and helping to supervise while we were there.
Upcoming Pumpkin Patch Field Trip
On Tuesday, October 6th, our class (along with Division 6 – Kindergarten) will be going to the Laity Pumpkin Farm. A notice about this went home today. Please consider driving for this trip as we will need to cancel if we don’t get enough parent drivers. It is a fun trip for everyone. We get to enjoy the petting zoo, a tractor ride, wander through the forest displays, and explore the corn maze. Students also get to choose a pumpkin (one the size that they can carry on their own). This pumpkin will be sent home with students for their own personal use.
We go on this trip rain or shine so please ensure that your child is dressed for the weather. They also need to bring two grocery bags (to carry their pumpkin) and their car seats for the drive there with parent volunteers.