Science: Science and Math Fun with the Second Grade!

The fourth grade girls used their knowledge of electric circuits to create original electronic games featuring addition and subtraction problems.  A circuit containing a light bulb was used to connect the problem with the correct answer so that the bulb lit up.  When their colorful and creative games were completed, the fourth graders visited the second grade girls so that they could play the games together.  The fourth graders enjoyed working with the younger girls and the second graders enjoyed demonstrating their math skills.  A good time was had by all!

French: Le Carnaval de Québec

In French class, we have started a mini unit on the province of Quebec. In our most recent lesson, we learned about Le Carnaval de Québec, an annual winter festival. Although the festival takes places in February, given our recent weather, it seemed to be an appropriate topic! Le Carnaval de Québec includes amusement parks, night parades, a palace made of ice, and a snowman mascot named Bonhomme Carnaval. At the end of the lesson, the girls completed fun worksheets from the festival's official website. They are intended for French-speaking students and the girls did an excellent job!

From the Library

Fourth graders are deep in the Amazon, reading Journey to the River Sea in language arts. In library we've discussed some of the book's Cinderella elements and have been reading, presenting and comparing many versions of this tale. Together we read Charles Perrault's Cinderella. Then the girls each read and presented another telling of this story, set either in another time or another culture.  Titles include The Orphan (Greece), The Irish Cinderlad, The Rough-Face Girl (Algonquin),
The Golden Sandal (Middle East), Ella's Big Chance (Jazz Age), Jouanah (Hmong), The Korean Cinderella, Yeh-Shen (China), and The Egyptian Cinderella.  In all versions the cruel and thoughtless lose out to the kind and good, but ask your daughter about the magical fish bones as fairy godmother or the falcon who steals the red slipper and delivers it to the Pharaoh.

Art: Student Mola Designs

We have figured out reverse appliqué! And, it wasn't easy for everyone, especially Ms. Arnot! Here are some girls starting to sew their layers together. 

Art: Molas in the Making

After a brief study of the Kuna tradition in Panama of making "molas" the girls designed their own.  The designs needed to be three layers, use reverse appliqué, and show the Kuna concept of "acala" which is the idea that everything has a partner or is part of a pair.  Traditional designs include birds, flowers, small animals and geometric patterns.  Molas are worn as the decorative part of a blouse. Ask your daughter what the subject of her design is. Mrs. Keller has a mola for the class to study up close. 

Science: Light up your life!

Can you put together a battery, a light bulb, and a wire to make the bulb light?  If not, ask a fourth grader!  The girls were given this equipment and found not one, but four ways to put these materials together to make a complete circuit.  Now they are applying their knowledge of circuits to create original electronic math games which they will play with the second grade students.