Line Art

Part of our Shape and Space unit in math is a study of lines.  To compliment our study of lines, the class created Line Art.  The inspiration for this project came from a piece of art that I saw in the side entrance of the Ramada Inn in Fargo.  I do not know the name of the piece or who the artist is who painted it,  however, I do have a photo.  If anyone happens to know who the artist is, please let me know so I can give them credit.

The criteria for the project was to use parallel, perpendicular and intersecting lines, as well as horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines.  The students were also to use thin lines and thick lines, as well as short, medium and long lines.  All lines were to touch at least one other line and they were to include a good amount of negative space.  This is a sample of what the students created.

Basic Shapes

The End of the World

Crazy Lines

Zigzags

Epic Disaster

Colour Explosion

Watercolour Angels

In the first week of December the class painted watercolour angels.  The inspiration for this project came from The Usborne Book of Christmas Art Ideas 2004 edition.  For the project, the students had to think about colour value, composition, foreground, middle ground, background, and pattern, as well as watercolour painting techniques. The following are a few of the student pieces that were created.

Operation Christmas Child 2013

One of the goals in our school vision is to create compassionate community members.  Every year all of the Kindergarten to Grade 8 students pack shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  Once all of the boxes have been stuffed and collected, the students then form a human chain to transfer all of the boxes to the container in the parking lot ready for pick up.  This is always a highlight for the students each year.  Christmas carols play in the auditorium as the boxes move up the line. There is much excitement!  Below are some photos of the day.

First Nation Research Project

This month the students in 5G worked on a collaborative First Nations research and art project.  Each group wrote a report about a different group of Canada's First Peoples including the Northwest Coast, the Plateau, the Subarctic, the Arctic, the Plains, the Eastern Woodlands Hunters and the Eastern Woodlands Farmers First Nations groups.  In the report the students covered topics such as the landscape of the region, the food they ate, hunting and fishing, transportation, housing, clothing and art.  Some groups also looked at social roles and government of the groups along with games.

After researching and reporting, the groups then created murals that were 2 metres in length.  Their inspiration came from the artist Diego Rivera, a Mexican artist, who painted the Allegory of California .  The student murals are shown below.

Eastern Woodlands Farmers First Nations Group

Northwest Coast First Nations Group

Plateau First Nations Group

Eastern Woodlands Hunters First Nations Group

Plains First Nations Group

Arctic First Nations Group

Subarctic First Nations Group

Oil Pastel Poppies

With November being the month of remembrance, the class created oil pastel poppies in the likeness of Georgia O'Keeffe.  Below you will see a few of the student projects.

Math Patterns Using Kaeru - Origami Jumping Frogs

This week the students worked with patterns in numbers using origami jumping frogs.

For the first pattern, each student jumped his/her frog twice along a metre tape to determine a jump sequence.  The jump sequence was then repeated to create a pattern and plotted on a number line. Using the number line and mathematical equations, each student was then to determine how many times the jump sequence would repeat in 200 cm and in 500 cm.  It looked like this.

For the second pattern, each student launched his/her frog off of a lily pad to land on a 100 chart. Using the number on which the frog landed, the students were then to calculate, using a specified pattern, how many more jumps the frog would need to make to get to 100.  For example, if the frog landed on 65, the equation for the number of jumps the frog needed to complete to get to 100 would look like this:  (3x10) + 5 = 35 jumps.  And to check the answer:  100 - 65 = 35.  The launch pad looked like this.

Study Strategies

Today the class talked about different strategies they might use to study for an upcoming test.  A mind map was created to show all of the different strategies that were discussed.  The students took photos of the mind map that was quickly drawn on the board.  Here is a good copy of the mind map created using https://bubbl.us.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Thanksgiving Writing and Art

With this month having been the time that we celebrate how thankful we are for all that God has given us, the 5G class worked on two projects based on the theme of thankfulness.

The first project was an art project.  A still life with a fall theme was set up in the classroom.  It looked like this.

The students then were to draw and apply colour, shading and texture using chalk pastels.  These are a few of the student projects.

The second project that we worked on was a poetry assignment.  For this assignment, the students were given a number of verses on the theme of thanksgiving from throughout the Bible.  The students were then to write phrases inspired by the verses and come up with a phrase that would repeat throughout their own poems.  The repeated phrase became the title of the poem and the phrases were arranged into verses.  There were wonderful results from this assignment.  The following are a couple of poems written by students.

I Will give thanks to the LORD for He is AMAZING

Every time I think of my friends I thank you

I enter your house and it makes me feel good

I thank the LORD for he is good; his love goes on forever

Honour and praise is what the LORD deserves

Give thanks to the LORD for he is AMAZING

I don’t want to be quiet because I am thankful

I am strong because of the LORD; he protects, helps me and makes me happy

I will tell my friends and family to praise God

God you are so good and I thank you all the time

Give thanks to the LORD for he is AMAZING

When you go to church thank God, when you are in church praise him

Grow strong in the LORD, always be thankful

You can’t get in trouble for being thankful

In all things give glory, Give thanks to the one who lives forever.

Give thanks to the LORD for he is AMAZING

Always Give thanks

We should give thanks to God for he brought Jesus

We should always give thanks, even for food

God loves us so we should give thanks

Give thanks to the LORD for he is AMAZING!

Written by Preston

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD!!

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD.

He gives us all that we need for each day.

We give thanks before meals and for the food.

He never lets us down,

His goodness goes on forever.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD.

We should always be thankful,

God helps us when we are in need.

We need to tell everyone how He has helped us,

He leads us to victory over evil.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD.

We sing songs to God of thanks,

And praise Him in all circumstances.

He gives us strength,

And helps us in times of trouble.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD.

We thank God for each other,

For friends and the joy they bring us.

Tell people about all the things God has done.

Grow in the Lord and be thankful.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD.

We thank God for Jesus,

Because we will see him in heaven.

We worship God always because His kingdom will last forever.

Give thanks to God that we know Him.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD

All living things and people give glory to God,

He lives forever and ever.

All believers give thanks to God,

When we go to church we praise You.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD.

Give thanks to God when presenting requests.

Talk to God with thanksgiving.

Give thanks when having communion,

Praise Him that He is here with us.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD.

God is our God and we praise him,

Because of His righteousness.

We will tell of all the good things He does.

Give thanks for God’s love, it lasts forever.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD!!

Written by Micah

OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS

I thank God for the joy that His presence gives me

The peace of God is in my heart

I sing praises to His name

OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS

God is a consuming fire.

I worship Him with with awe in my heart

I will thank Him forever

OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS

I thank God for my friends

I thank Him among many people

I tell people of the wonderful things that He has done for me

OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS

Written by Ben

Moonsticks and Poems

The 5G class have been enjoying creating Moonstick Poems in the likeness of the book written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by John Sandford called Moonstick The Seasons of the Sioux.  The students were challenged to use words that help their readers see, hear, feel, taste and smell what they were describing.

http://www.amazon.com/Moonstick-The-Seasons-Sioux/dp/B00F7MJSHM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381865516&sr=8-2&keywords=moonstick+the+seasons+of+the+sioux

The following are a few samples written by students in 5G.

Moonstick Poem

By Yulin

Moon of the Bright Sun

Under the light moon,

fireflies dance about,

Like stars in the night.

At daylight we check

and tend to our garden.

Vegetables planted in spring

are big and ripe now.

Dandelions, once yellow,

White now, seeds blowing.

As evening sets,

Soon fall will come.

Moon of the Plentiful Harvest

As the air grows crisp,

so will the leaves.

Ripe corn and fruit grow big

and juicy in the cool breeze.

Pumpkins grow from small and green

to big and orange.

We pick the vegetables

Before the seasons change again.

Moon of the Fresh Fallen Snow

As our house is covered in a blanket of white,

animals are occupied all winter.

Deer and rabbits scrounge for food,

sticking their noses in the soft, powdered snow.

While bears and skunks sleep all winter,

They've eaten a lot and can last until spring.

As the trees and garden stand bare,

soon they will be filled in the spring.

As the seasons shift, things will change once again,

back to spring and the cycle begins again.

Moonstick Poem

By Elim

Moon of the Bare Trees

I feel the crisp, cold wind blowing against my cheeks.

I see bare trees all around me.

Wind is blowing the leaves off.

And I see a flock of geese over my head.

When I walk across the grass,

It crackles under my feet.

I remember when it was green.

Now I see the leaves on the ground,

and wind is blowing on my face.

Moonstick Poem

By Nicole

Moon of the Bright Orange Pumpkins

The numerous crows caw like an earthquake

at the sight of ripening crops,

so we must pick them

before they are feasted on

by uninvited thieves.

During the night the straw man

guards the fields in the moonlight,

pitchfork tall and sharp in his hand.

The women work for many days

preparing a large feast for all to eat.

The animals are fat, and it is time to collect the turkey.

He runs fast, but not fast enough.

He will make a good meal.

The pumpkins and berries have been picked

and it is time to make the pies!

Cherry pie, raspberry pie, rhubarb pie,

so many, but the best is the pumpkin pie.

The feast is ready, the table is set.

It is time to eat.

But first, we give thanks

for all the great food 

and all the great things in life.

The students also crafted their own Moonsticks.  See them below!

Estimation Investigation

After reading the book Great Estimations by Bruce Goldstone, the class undertook an investigation to estimate the number of items in a given group.  Using strategies described in the book and adding some of their own ingenuity, the students worked in groups to determine a logical estimate.

Image from:  http://www.amazon.com/Great-Estimations-Bruce-Goldstone/dp/031260887X

The pictures show some of the strategies that the students used.

In the marshmallow example, this group counted how many marshmallows would fit into a 100ml beaker.  They then used the visual of that number to estimate the total number of marshmallows.

In the chocolate sprinkles example, this group counted out 10 chocolate sprinkles and then used the visual of what 10 looked like to estimate the total number of chocolate sprinkles.

In the popcorn example, this group used the bag to contain the popcorn in a single layer in a square.  They then counted how many popcorn kernels there were along the length and how many there were along the width and they multiplied to determine their estimate.

In the centimetre cubes example, this group counted out 10 cubes and used that visual to determine an estimated number of the total number of centimetre cubes.

In the rice example, this group determined what a thousand would look like.  They then cut a piece of paper the shape of the size of 1000 pieces of rice and proceeded to cover the paper over and over again while counting how many 1000's there were in total to determine their estimate.

In the Rice Krispies example, this group measured out rectangles of Rice Krispies, estimated the number of Rice Krispies in a rectangle and then counted the total number of rectangles to determine their estimate.