Thank you to all of our students who braved the rain on Wednesday to get involved in our Garden Club! Our students planted a variety of bulbs that should grow into daffodils and tulips in the Spring.

Don’t forget: Garden Club is at Lunch (12-12:30) every Wednesday, rain or shine. Thank you to Ms. Starling and Ms. Raven for supporting our outdoor learning!

Mr. Murray has been teaching us all about human body Science! So far, we’ve investigated how important our skeletons and skulls are for our survival.

Some discussion questions:

-Why are our bones so important?

-Have you ever had a broken bone? How did it heal? What happened?

Today, we read a book called One Boy’s Choice. This book explores the power of our choices to impact the lives of others; the child in the story must choose between releasing a fish (for the good of the environment) or keeping the fish (to show off to his friends).

What are some actions that we might take that have positive outcomes (or negative consequences) on others?

This week, we discussed methods that work for us if we are feeling anxious, stressed, or frustrated. In the book Clovis Keeps His Cool, Clovis uses breathing techniques, self-care strategies, happy memories, and companionship to help keep him from ‘losing his cool’.

What are some things that work for you if you feel overwhelmed?

This week, we’ve been discussing the important role that Terry Fox has in Canadian (and world) history! We know that when Terry Fox ran his Marathon of Hope, he was often uncomfortable and in pain because of his prosthetic. A prosthetic is a tool that someone with limb differences/amputations can use. You might also see people using a mobility aide (such as a wheelchair, cane, or walker). For example, Terry had a prosthetic leg used for walking and running:

The technology and design of mobility aides and prosthetics has improved so much since Terry Fox was alive! We are developing new ways to make these tools more comfortable and functional. Some people even get creative with their designs, such as this inventor in the video below who created a prosthetic arm out of Lego:

Some questions I encourage you to discuss at home:

-Why is important to continue developing better technology/designs for prosthetics and mobility aides?

-What is a tool or piece of technology that doesn’t exist (yet) that you think could help people with diverse needs/abilities?

Hello, learners! A reminder that tomorrow we will be taking part in our Terry Fox Run. This run helps raise funds and awareness for cancer treatment. Ms. Lynka, our school librarian, shared a video and stories about Terry Fox this week. Please feel free to watch the video below, a Canadian Heritage Minute, about Terry Fox:

Don’t forget to dress for the weather tomorrow!

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

Today, our class discussed beauty standards and ‘white-washing’. We viewed some examples of advertisements for beauty products and makeup. Then, we compared and contrasted these videos with a recent commercial from Sephora that featured Indigenous people, models, and influencers. Check out the video below:

This week, we’ve been taking virtual ‘trips’ to amusement parks and carnivals by investigating the Science behind some of our favourite treats!

We learned about the process of making cotton candy, and investigated the appearance, scent, taste, ductile (stretchy), malleability (easily shaped), and dissolvability of cotton candy! Did you know that cotton candy is mostly made of air, sugar, and colour/flavour? Check out the video above to learn about the strange invention of cotton candy!

Today, we discussed renowned athlete and activist Billie Jean King. King was a very successful tennis player who proved gender stereotypes about women in sports wrong. She spoke out about inequality in regards to women being paid less than men in sports. She founded many clubs that supported women in pursuing sports as a career. She was also an ally for women of colour who wanted to play tennis, including a young Black athlete named Althea who became a very influential tennis star.

King was outed in the 1980s. This meant that a journalist found out that she was a lesbian and spread the news across the world. When someone is outed, it means they did not agree to share this part of their identity about themselves. Because King was outed, many people targeted her and she faced lots of homophobia and even threats against her. King then became an activist for LGBTQ+ rights as well, and has participated in many Pride parades.

Some possible discussion questions:

1. Why do you think Billie Jean King had to fight harder to be respected and accepted as an athlete?
2. How can we be allies to people who experience racism, sexism, or homophobia?
3. Would you consider yourself to be an athlete? Why or why not?