One of the projects we have been working on is a comic strip based on the events of the poem “The Secret”. Students had to use the actions in the poem to create a comic strip showing how secrets can spread and hurt others. This helped us to understand the main idea of a poem. I told the students that I would pick the winner and create a comic using a comic strip creator called MakeBeliefsComix . The winner turned out to be a tie between B.D. and J.K. So I combined the two ideas and created these comics.
What a busy day of learning today!!!! Today we started a new poem called “Apologies”. Students brainstormed a variety of inanimate objects, then though out apologies for how they have used them. Whether it was sharpening a pencil or kicking soccer balls, students had a great time thinking up apologies for their actions! We did a sample poem together, which you can see below:
Students also finished studying the eight times tables, which are the last times tables the students had to learn. Actually, the only 8 times fact we had to learn was 8×8 as we had already learned all the other times tables and could apply those to learning the 8 times tables. For example, students already knew 2×8 so they also knew 8×2. After this, students will be working on multiplying multiple digits (ex. 28×2).
In social, we started a new project called “A Tribute To . . .” We have been learning about about everyday services and emergency services in class. Using that information we picked an emergency service to write a tribute about. We will take those tributes, add music and pictures to it and create a voicethread to add to our blog.
Finally, in science we have been making some fantastic discoveries. First students discovered that the Sun is huge compared to the Earth and Moon and that the moon is actually tiny compared to the Sun and Earth. We then then solved a mystery. WE have been wondering how it is possible for the moon to cover the sun during a solar eclipse if the Sun is so big. Using a couple of examples, (including one of the boys standing on a counter!) students discovered that the farther away something is from us, the smaller it looks. So the sun appears to be the same size as the moon because it is so far away!! Next week, I will show the students a neat website that shows what the sun looks like from different planets!!!!
I have included the spelling letter in the box.net widget on the side. As well, I am working hard to get the May newsletter ready. Look for it coming soon!!!!
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)
It’s almost the end of the week and that means that it was a crazy Thursday with music, library and gym all happening on the same day. I have also replaced all the widgets on the blog. I decided to try a different book service as nothing seemed to be happening with the other one and, as you can see, it works though it is not as spiffy as the other one. Ah well! I also thought I would start adding the devotions that we do as a class to our blog so you can discuss them with your child as part of your evening devotions if you wish.The students’ “Colour Poems” are coming along beautifully. There are some truly beautiful and creative poems being written and I am very impressed with their ideas and the way they are stringing them together. As I mentioned in the newsletter, one of the changes I have seen in the class has been in the freedom they feel to be creative. I think that is plainly evident in their poetry with all the beautiful language and imagery being used.On a completely different note – Did you know that the Earth hums? Apparently scientists have noticed this for a long time.
“The planet emanates a constant rumble far below the limits of human hearing, even when the ground isn’t shaking from an earthquake. (It does not cause the ringing in the ear linked with tinnitus.) This sound, first discovered a decade ago, is one that only scientific instruments – seismometers – can detect. Researchers call it Earth’s hum.
Investigators suspect this murmur could originate from the churning ocean, or perhaps the roiling atmosphere.”
Here is a video we watched awhile ago on the size of planets compared to each other and other stars. It’s quite amazing.
Here’s something to check though. Are those numbers correct? Can they be compared with other sources? Which shouldn’t always take things for granted just because they are on t.v. or on the internet!
