Category: Parent/Guardian Resources

Snow Science Part 1: A Messy Experiment

Sometimes Science surprises us! We made 2 fake snow recipes yesterday and the results were… a bit messy to say the least. If you want to make this snow at home, the recipe for our successful fake snow was:

Mix together 1 tablespoon of white hair conditioner and 5-10 tablespoons of baking soda. Stir until well combined, adding more baking soda or conditioner until you get a texture that is not too sticky and can be molded into a ‘snowman’. Optionally, you might add a drop of colour to your snow.

             

Pictured above left: successful snow! Pictured above right: less successful snow!

We learned that baking soda works much better than cornstarch when making fake snow. We will try this experiment again on Friday to create our ‘perfect’ recipe. Stay tuned!

Tea Tasting: An Optional At-Home Activity

Hi everyone! On Thursday, November 26th I will be sending home a sample of one of the teas we have been learning about in Science. Please feel free to brew and taste the tea together at home! Here is some information about the tea:

    • The tea is Jade Fir tea from the Namasthe/Ranger Tea Company, a Canadian-owned handcrafted tea brand
    • This teas ingredients are: Spring harvest mountain green tea and Douglas Fir tips 
    • The Fir tips are sustainably harvested from unceded Coast Salish territories and forests by Indigenous members of the company
    • Because this is a ‘wild’ brew, you might see some large pieces of pine, sticks, etc.
    • Douglas Fir tea has been used for centuries as a ‘thirst-quencher’ (rehydrating and energizing properties)
    • This tea has citrus-y, pine-y flavours that may be new or unusual to many people, but it has been enjoyed by many Indigenous cultures for thousands of years

 

  • Please ensure that there are no allergens in the tea, and always consult with a doctor if you are pregnant/taking medication before drinking this tea

 

To serve: Steep the tea in hot water for 3 minutes. Strain and enjoy. You may also want to add a little maple syrup for sweetness, or a slice of lemon for flavour. 

Please let me know if you try the tea, and I hope you enjoy this unique blend of Green tea and Fir tea! I’ve attached a video of an Indigenous chef discussing how he sustainably harvests ingredients for tea:

 

 

Respect, Inclusivity, and Neurodiversity: Pixar’s Short Film ‘Loop’

Have you ever had a challenge communicating with someone else? In Pixar’s short film ‘Loop’, two teens learn to communicate with each other. One of the characters, Rene, is on the autism spectrum and is non-verbal. We discussed how just because someone thinks differently or sounds different than we do, that doesn’t mean that they do not deserve our respect and kindness.

We also learned about Temple Grandin, a woman who famously wrote Thinking In Pictures about her life as a female scientist on the autism spectrum.

If you want to learn more, feel free to watch the interview with the film-makers above. And if you have a Disney+ account, you can find ‘Loop’ under the Pixar SparkShorts section!

Parent/Guardian Resource: Talking about Racism

Hello to our parents, guardians, and families of Div. 5 students!

In Socials this month, we will be discussing topics that involve stereotypes, prejudice, and racism; we will also be learning about people who stood up against oppression and made positive changes in their communities! For example, we learned about Viola Desmond and her fight to end racial segregation in Canada. I know that we will have some challenging, meaningful, and interesting discussions around the topic of past and present injustices over the weeks to come!

It is important to recognize that many students have likely heard/learned about different examples of injustice through current events, social media, their own life experiences, etc. I am so proud of how honest, empathetic, and critically-minded our class has been in our lessons so far! Here is a resource that may be helpful if you want to continue these conversations at home.

Thank you!