Embedded Files
Seeding for the Fall
Seeding for the Fall
Summary: It was time for spring planting and planting we did! Students started by exploring the actual structure of a seed and how that impacts they way it should be sown into the ground for it to germinate. They learned to read the package on a seed packet to understand how their plant should be best taken care of and will grow. The grade 5s were then given the opportunity to select what species of pumpkin they would like to grow. They set it in the ground and then were left to wait. All of the students have had the opportunity to grow things before so I told them they would not get any help from me, but after two school days and a weekend of the seeds sitting in dry soil I started asking them what else does a seed need to grow. They were so excited they forgot to water them! From then on they took care of them well, including learning to harden them off. The pumpkins will be planted in their gardens at home or in the school one. We also planted marigold and nasturiums so that even those without a garden at home can take a plant home to show off their growing skills.
Our class had the opportunity to also being the ones starting this year's "Pizza Plot" where we grow all the makings to make our own pizza. This includes planting wheat, canola, basil, tomato, peppers, and thyme. The plot even looks like a pizza. In the fall they will harvest and make their own flour and canola oil and use the ingredients to make a pizza truly from scratch!
Finally, within our planting we spoke about the needs of our pumpkins to actually produce the fruit: pollination. They remembered their bee school field trip quickly and we made a plan on how to attract more bees! We need more flowers. To limit the labour while gone for the summer, we created a low labour wildflower and pollinator garden!
Materials:
Pots
Soil
Seeds - wheat, canola, marigolds, pumpkin, wildflowers, pollinator mix, etc.
Curriculum Outcomes from Alberta Program of Studies:
Science
Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Plant transport systems include xylem and phloem.
Xylem and phloem in plants perform similar functions to the circulatory system in animals.
Xylem transports water and nutrients from the roots to the rest of the plant.
Phloem transports sugars from the leaves to the rest of the plant.
Earth Systems
Students analyze climate and connect it to weather conditions and agricultural practices.
Charter Outcomes:
Garden Project Outcomes (GP)
I can identify my plant (Science, Math, LA)
I can identify the basic needs of my plant (i.e. sunlight, water, nutrients, fertilizer)
I can identify natural cycles involved in the needs of my plant (water cycle, seasonal changes, etc.)
I can identify varieties of my crop (etc. heirlooms vs. GMO)
I can identify my crop’s use in society (PEW, Social, LA)
I can make recipes that use my crop (Math)
I can identify how my crop contributes to human health (nutritional needs)
I can identify the significance of my crop to different cultures
I can understand the inputs and outputs of my crop (financial and location of materials) (Math)
Environment and Land Stewardship Outcomes (ELS)
Land Stewardship & Conservation (PEW, Social, Science, LA)
I can understand the value of land (financial, cultural, health) (Math)
I can identify practices of sustainable agriculture (crop/grazing, rotations, natural fertilizers, non-chemical pest controls)
I can identify renewable and non renewable energy sources
I can identify negative and positive impacts of human agriculture on the environment
Living Systems - Anatomy Unit
Living Systems - Anatomy Unit
Summary: My favourite science unit of the year began with a bang! Students explored the body's living systems through all sorts of hands on activities. Listed below are just some of the things that we completed in this unit!
Respiratory system - Students went out and checked how their respiratory system works through a period of running challenges. Each time they checked how their breathing changed throughout. For the respiratory system we, of course, had bovine lungs and a trachea for students to see and hold. They started their steer living system transparencies. For each unit they add a notes page of the system and show its organ placement on a steer's body. Once they are finished they will have a complete steer that shows all the living system layers. They looked at cardiac arrest and what causes it.
Circulatory system - We explored how the circulatory system works through multiple heart rate challenges on humans and the barnyard animals. Students learned how to use a stethescope and check pulses. They learned how to check capillary refill to check an animal's blood flow in a standard health check. They worked in the classroom holding a cow and pig heart to compare their anatomy. Students added onto their steer living systems transparency by making a circulatory notes page that shows the organs and veins/arteries. We finished off by utilizing syringes and needles to learn intravenous injections and how the circulatory system passes medicine throughout the body.
Digestive system - The digestive layer to their steer transparency was completed as they explored the bovine pancreas and liver for the digestive system. Students then had a chance to make poop! This is always a gross favourite of the grade 5s. We focused on celiac disease for the impact to someone's life when the digestive system does not function the same.
Nervous system - We were so fortunate to receive a brain from McLanes Meats so students could see what a bovine brain looks like and how squishy it is in their bag. They tried out their response times and learned about some common illness or disorders that impact the nervous system including paralysis and epilepsy.
Skeletal system - Finally, we finished off with the skeleton and looking at a spinal cord. They tried making rubber eggs and seeing how calcium is needed to maintain a healthy skeletal system. This was the final system we were including in our steer transparency.
Wrap up - We created anatomy t-shirts in art for them to show how all the organs we have touched and learned about fit in our own bodies.
Materials:
Body Organs - liver, pancreas, stomach, brain, lungs, trachea, kidneys, heart, lungs, etc.
Clear sheet protecters - two per student
Steer outline sheet
Syringes
Needles
Hot dog buns
Food Colouring
Tights
Bowls and cups
Crackers and/or Bananas
Stethescopes
Anatomy Puzzles
Chalk
T-Shirts
Acrylic Paint markers and Sharpies
Curriculum Outcomes from Alberta Program of Studies:
Science:
Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions. '
Vital biological processes in complex organisms are carried out by biological systems that rely on each other.
Vital biological processes of complex organisms include
movement
nutrition
respiration
growth
reproduction
Humans and many other animals have internal biological systems that include the
digestive system
respiratory system
circulatory system
musculoskeletal system
The digestive system breaks down food and absorbs nutrients and includes the mouth, stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas.
The respiratory system exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide and includes the trachea, lungs, and diaphragm.
The circulatory system moves blood around the body and includes the heart and blood vessels.
The musculoskeletal system supports and moves the body and includes muscles and bones.
The digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems work together to supply oxygen and nutrients to the human body.
ART
Students will use media and techniques, with an emphasis on more indirect complex procedures and effects in drawing, painting, print making, sculpture, fabric arts, photography and technographic arts.
Charter Outcomes:
General Knowledge and Understandings Outcomes
I can identify how agriculture meets basic human needs
I can identify how agriculture impacts local, regional, and global economies and communities
I can describe how agriculture has impacted society over time (ie. technology, outputs and inputs, the agricultural revolution, artificial fertilizers)
Animal Outcomes (A) ** Students at NHCS will learn about all animals of our school farm
I can identify animals in our farmyard. (Science/LA)
I can describe characteristics and features of animals in our farmyard
I can label the body parts of animals in our farmyard
I can understand the health of animals in our farmyard (i.e nutrients, sickness, health maintenance, common diseases)
I understand the procedures for the care of animals in our farmyard (i.e castration, dehorning)
I can understand the life cycle ie. reproductive system of animals in our farmyard
I can identify equipment required to care for animals in our farmyard(cattle handling systems, tractors, hay equipment, etc) (LA, Science, PEW)
I can be safe around animals and equipment in our farmyard
Agriculture and Society Outcomes (AS)
I can describe characteristics of rural communities. (Social)
I can identify ways that agricultural products are part of and move through the economy
I can identify different careers related to the production and movement of agricultural products (i.e. farming, ranching, transportation, sales, producers of agricultural equipment, agricultural research, animal health care, etc.)
I can identify ways that simple machines contribute to society. (Science, Social, LA)
I can identify the use of simple machines in agriculture (hand tools)
I can explain the reasons why simple machines reduce human labor in agriculture
I can identify how skill using hand tools affects the amount of labor involved (PEW)
Perspective Lesson
Perspective Lesson
Summary
Students began this unit by heading out into the barnyard to make hypothesis on what an animals field of vision would be. This portion was done without much guidance and instead allowed the students to freely think about what they were seeing. When we followed up by actually researching what each barnyard animals field of vision was, students were blown away by how much an animal can actually see around them. This led into a natural discussion of predators vs. preys, monocular vs. binocular vision, and depth perception. We started speaking about environmental factors that would cause certain animals to have the field of vision they did and think about their behaviour as an indicator of their field of vision. We even went so far as to test some of the animals field of vision in the barnyard.
When discussing field of vision, it is a perfect time to talk about angles and degrees. Although we did not go in-depth students had a chance to start introducing angles and degrees while using images of their animals field of vision.
This barnyard lesson connected great with our current health unit on perspectives and life experiences. Students are analyzing how the way a person is raised will impact their viewpoint on the world around them, the same way a prey animal will have adapted to have different eyesight to increase their chances of survival. We looked specifically at urban vs. rural to understand why our school community members may have a different perspective on the world than those from more urban centers. Students had a chance to tie in our understanding of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit ways of knowing by using this as a moment to talk about the rules of seven generations. This also was brought into our Language Arts unit about holidays around the world and how environments create different perspectives and therefore different holidays.
We wrapped up this two month lesson by dissecting cow eyeballs. Students got to actually see, touch, and explore the anatomy that creates vision and perspective in a physical sense.
Resources:
Barnyard animals
Field of vision sheets x 2 per a student
protractor
Eyeball
scalpel
pie tray
gloves
Curriculum Outcomes:
Math
identify angles
Health
How can a variety of life experiences influence resilience and perseverance?
Students reflect and relate life experiences to perseverance and well-being.
Life experiences can inform: strengths, preferences, beliefs, attitudes, decision making, virtues
Life experiences are the effects or influences of an event or subject on an individual.
Life experiences can result in: acquisition of knowledge or skills; development of personal strengths and potential; application of learning to produce favourable outcomes
Social Studies
Students will evaluate ideas, information and positions from multiple perspectives
Language Arts
Students analyze information, contexts, and perspectives using a variety of comprehension strategies.
Perspectives include attitudes, beliefs, or ways of thinking about events or information.
Perspectives are influenced by cultures, experiences, and interests.
Charter Outcomes:
I can identify animals in our farmyard. (Science/LA)
I can describe characteristics and features of animals in our farmyard
I can understand the difference between domesticated and wild animals (Social)
I can label the body parts of animals in our farmyard
I understand the procedures for the care of animals in our farmyard
1. I can be safe around animals and equipment in our farmyard
Environment and Land Stewardship Outcomes (ELS)
Land Stewardship & Conservation (PEW, Social, Science, LA)
I can identify negative and positive impacts of human agriculture on the environment
Agriculture and Society Outcomes (AS)
I can describe characteristics of rural communities. (Social)
I can identify ways that agricultural products are part of and move through the economy
I can identify different careers related to the production and movement of agricultural products (i.e. farming, ranching, transportation, sales, producers of agricultural equipment, agricultural research, animal health care, etc.)
First Nations, Metis and Inuit Outcomes (FNMI)
Importance of plants and animals (Social, LA, Science, PEW)
I can understand FNMI attitudes towards their keystone plants and animals (family attitudes, using the entire animal, etc.)
2. Conservation and Land Stewardship (Social, LA, Science, PEW)
I can identify FNMI practices that apply to sustainable agriculture
Charter Method:
1. Experiential Learning
6. Independent student research projects
7. Tiered Lesson Planning
8. Learning Journals
9. Sensory, graphic & interactive scaffold learning
10. Teacher-centered instruction
11. Hybrid style of learning
12. STEM
Bernoulli's Birds
Bernoulli's Birds
Summary: Students have been exploring flight in many different ways this year. We have many birds in our barnyard but yet none are able to sustain flight. The grade 5s were tasked with understanding why the birds are unable to actually fly using terminology such as lift, thrust, drag, angle of attack, propulsion, adaptations and more.
Students began by drawing airfoils, role playing as air molecules and exploring in class experiments to learn the six properties of air. We balanced balloons, exploded cans, floated ping pong balls and more. They also conducted experiments to learn about other fluids with similar properties including buoyancy experiments with water, dish soap, and oil.
We headed to the barnyard to clip chicken flight feathers and learned about the process of chicken domestication as well as the different feather types and angle of attacks on our barnyard birds.
They then started on airplane trials to put the four forces of flight to actual action. Students were asked to manipulate their airplanes in different ways and try new designs to create the best airplane or make their airplane perform different maneuvers.
Students were able to conduct a research project utilizing the Chromebooks and their art abilities on a flying creature of their choice. They looked at how animals are able to achieve lift and thrust as well as how flying creatures have adapted for better flight skills. They finished off with a beautiful drawing that can be revealed in their booklets by opening it in a certain way. The grade 5s were over the moon about being able to share their projects in a class presentation!
We were fortunate enough to expand our learning beyond the classroom with a field trip to the Alberta Aviation Museum to wrap up our exploration. Students had a chance to explore hands on how engines work, the history of an airplane, and more. They took the opportunity to step into the cockpit and fly virtual flight simulators with the goal of landing a plane in Banff National Park.
Materials:
Paper
Bernoulli's Birds project Sheet
Foldable flying creatures
Flight simulators
Paper airplane models
Chromebooks
Blowdryer
Ping pong balls
Meter Stick
Balloons
Curriculum Outcomes from Alberta Program of Studies:
Arts:
Drawing
Continue to explore ways of using drawing materials.
Use drawing tools to make a variety of lines extending beyond previous levels into illusion.
Use drawing tools to make a variety of shapes and structures extending beyond previous levels to exploring and enclosing forms, active and passive forms, concave, convex forms, concentric and branching structures.
Use models to make drawings with increasing accuracy.
Use drawing to add details, textures, create pattern or suggest volume including hatching and cross-hatching, shading, dotting.
Make serial drawings to simulate movement.
Indicate perspective in drawings.
Science:
Energy - Flight: Students investigate and compare how forces affect living things and objects in water and air.
Thrust and drag are opposing forces.
Lift and weight are opposing forces.
Thrust is a force that can act in the direction of movement.
Drag is a force that can act in opposition to the direction of movement.
Lift is an upward force that acts to overcome the weight of a living thing or an object and hold it in the air.
Weight is a force that is caused by gravity and that acts on a living thing or an object in a downward direction.
Forces can affect the flight of living things and objects in various ways, including
speed
horizontal and vertical movement
altitude
straight and level flight
Traditional technologies developed by diverse cultures that reflect understanding of forces that affect flight include the
bow and arrow
slingshot
fishing spear
Charter Outcomes:
Animal Outcomes (A)
I can identify animals in our farmyard. (Science/LA)
I can describe characteristics and features of animals in our farmyard
I can understand the difference between domesticated and wild animals (Social)
I can label the body parts of animals in our farmyard
I understand the procedures for the care of animals in our farmyard (i.e castration, dehorning)
I can identify animals in our farmyard roles in society (LA, Social, PEW)
I can identify human uses of animals in our farmyard ie. different cultures (i.e. eggs, milk, feathers, meat, wool)
I can identify the costs associated with caring for animals in our farmyard (Math)
I can identify equipment required to care for animals in our farmyard(cattle handling systems, tractors, hay equipment, etc) (LA, Science, PEW)
I can be safe around animals and equipment in our farmyard
Agriculture and Society Outcomes (AS)
I can identify different careers related to the production and movement of agricultural products (i.e. farming, ranching, transportation, sales, producers of agricultural equipment, agricultural research, animal health care, etc.)
Unbeetable Harvest Project
Unbeetable Harvest Project
Summary: Students were responsible for harvesting the beets that we planted last spring in grade 4. We chose to use these beets for two different projects/lessons. The first thing we used the beets for was creating natural dyes and paints. Students headed out into the trees to see if we could make any other colours as well. They sorted, boiled, and stored the homemade paints/dyes to create artwork later. We used the beet and purple cabbage dyes to create monochromatic paintings using an understanding of layering to create depth and a beautiful scene.
The second way we used the beets was to can pickled beets. Students went in small groups to the kitchen to peel, cook, and can the beets. Of course, they were able to try the cooked beets as well to see if they enjoyed the beets. We are now not so patiently waiting to have a pickled beet trial day to taste the fruits of their labor from spring to fall to now!
Materials:
Beets
natural products (leaves, flower petals, etc.)
Pots
Canning Supplies (large pot, cans, etc.)
Paint brushes and pallets
8.5 x11 cardstock paper
Curriculum Outcomes from Alberta Program of Studies:
Arts:
Painting
Continue to strive for more sophistication in brush skills by using techniques learned in earlier years.
Continue to paint, using experimental methods including without a brush.
Mix and use colour tones to achieve perspective.
Use washes under and over painted images to indicate colour value from light to dark, and simulate depth of field.
Science:
Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Climate and weather events may influence agricultural practices by affecting components
Conservation agriculture is a sustainable practice that responds to local climate and weather events.
Conservation agriculture practices are adapted to the requirements of plants and animals farmed.
Agricultural practices involve monitoring and responding to climate or weather events.
Sustainable harvesting practices support the maintenance of stable plant or animal populations over time
Math:
Students add and subtract fractions with common denominators.
Students interpret improper fractions.
Health:
Eating a variety of foods provides a balanced range of nutrients.
Charter Outcomes:
Garden Project Outcomes (GP)
I can identify my plant (Science, Math, LA)
I can identify the basic needs of my plant (i.e. sunlight, water, nutrients, fertilizer)
I can identify natural cycles involved in the needs of my plant (water cycle, seasonal changes, etc.)
I can describe the basic needs of my plant (Science, Math, LA)
I can plant and harvest my own crop (PEW)
I can understand the environmental impacts to crop growth (drought, flooding, pests, etc.) (Social)
I can identify equipment required to care for my crop
I can identify my crop’s use in society (PEW, Social, LA)
I can make recipes that use my crop (Math)
I can identify how my crop contributes to human health
I can demonstrate food safety practices
I can identify the significance of my crop to different cultures
I can identify where to get seeds and materials for growing a crop
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