If you’re in Grade 4, read on!
By now you have identified a question about your animal that you would like to research more in-depth. These are the sources you should use:
Some of your questions are very challenging, and you might not find an answer right away. Don’t get frustrated if that happens! Not getting the answer easily or immediately just means that you’ve asked a very good question, so you should be proud of yourself!
Attention Grade 4! Please go to these links to start exploring the topic of adaptation:
BBC: Adaptations
What is an ecosystem?
In idle moments, Ms. Walker’s mind often wonders to the circulation statistics. What books are the most popular? What are the boys reading these days?
Usually, it’s no surprise: graphic novels reign supreme – right now Sisters by Raina Telgemeier is the most-circulated book in the library by a long shot.
When it comes to popular fiction titles, it’s usually the big series that come out on top: Wimpy Kid, Warriors, Ranger’s Apprentice et al.
But check this out! Top fiction book since September here at St. George’s?
Why yes, that’s a book by the late great John Bellairs, illustrated by the incomparably creepy Edward Gorey!
This isn’t a random occurence: it’s the Grade 4 read aloud. And it’s probably the best read aloud ever. It’s scary. It’s funny. There are magic stained glass windows and secret passageways and a hookah shaped like a Spanish Galleon. It’s pretty impressive that a relatively unknown book published in 1973 is beating the likes of the Wimpy Kid. Take that, Greg Heffley!
(And for what it’s worth, in this librarian’s opinion, Lewis Barnavelt is WAAAAY wimpier than Greg Heffley.)
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Filed under Authors, Book Review, Grade 4, Titles, Uncategorized
Today has been a busy day in the Library!
Right off the bat we welcomed the Grade 1 classes to participate in a follow up “chalk talk” in their Guided Inquiry unit on communities. Last week, they looked at photos that boys had taken from their windows, and using the board markers (and supposedly without talking…) they jotted down ideas and questions about each scene. Today they looked at eight different window scenes, ranging all the way from South Africa to the Yukon! The boys then returned to class and discussed the similarities and differences among all the windows.
This is what a Chalk Talk looks like in action:
After the Grade 1s left, we ushered in the Grade 4 classes, also to begin a Guided Inquiry unit on environmental adaptation. Today was our “open” session, where (we hope!) we stimulated the students’ curiosity and gave a good hook into the topic.
We began the session by having the students view this panoramic picture of Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta from Google Maps. The boys, in partners, jotted down anything they saw on mini whiteboards. We then asked them what the picture made them think about, and finally if there was anything they wondered about the picture.
We then ventured outside armed with iPads to take snapshots of our local environment, which we then discussed using the same “see-think-wonder” protocol.
By this time it was lunch! Despite it being a beautiful crisp and clear day, the library was very busy with lots of boys opting to work with groups or read independently.
The day ended with a couple of classes – Grade 3 and Grade 4 – who enjoyed this week’s activity centre: sewing cards!
It was so busy, poor Ms. Walker forgot to post the weekly haiku, so here you go:
Awakened at midnight
by the sound of the water jar
cracking from the ice
~ Basho
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Filed under Grade 1, Grade 4, Haikuesday, Photos, Uncategorized
If you were unable to attend Friday’s screening of the Grade 4 and 5 Carbon Footprint PSAs, fear not! Here is the full video of everyone’s Public Service Announcements!
The Grade 4 classes have been learning about the European exploration of Canada in Social Studies, and to cap off the unit, each boy will choose an explorer of interest and create an “Explorer Trading Card” to show what makes their explorer special or important.
The explorers we’ll be exploring (ha!) are:
If you’re in Grade 4, here are the sites to use for your research:
The Canadian Encyclopedia – This should be your first stop, and you will probably find everything you want to learn about your explorer here!
If you still have questions, or want to learn more, try Canadian Explorers, although there is not as much information about some explorers. Lastly, you can try World Book Online and Encyclopedia Britannica. However, as these are American sites, they might not have as complete information as the Canadian Encyclopedia.
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Filed under Grade 4
#EarthWeek2015 was a success! The school was full of natural light, there was minimal garbage and Green Shirt Day was inspiring. We had a record number of students walking, biking and carpooling to school. Thank you for your support🙂
