As part of our year long study of the reserve Mrs. Feherty came up with the idea of making bird feeders. With hard work and the use of corn syrup the students made some feeders using cookie cutters.
During the months of November and December the students in 2 O’C studied the community of Iqaluit. We came to appreciate how this community is shaped by its past, where it is located and how this community survives its harsh climate.
We started with 2 book studies: A Walk on the Tundra and A Walk on the Shoreline both written by Rebecca Hainaut. Both story books convey the traditional uses of various plants and animals on the tundra and Arctic shoreline. I included a few short videos and Inuit art to deepen our understanding of arctic animals and how they are hunted.
At the same time the students started to create a piece of art which would become an information card. My idea was for the students to share their learning with students from another class using their art piece as a reference point. As a class we developed a rubric deciding what kind of information would be considered a proficient understanding of Iqaluit and what would be considered an exemplary understanding.
The students created beautiful pieces of art and were able to share their understanding of Iqaluit with students from grade 1, Mr. Wityshyn and siblings from other grades.
As much as possible, every Wednesday morning the class heads out to the reserve to notice what they notice. Mrs. Feherty and myself intend to study the reserve for the entire year. Every Lesson has a specific purpose and we end with story telling linked to nature and the reserve.
This past Wednesday, we were looking closely at the Douglas Fir and its distinctive pine cone. After telling the Legend of the Mouse and the Douglas Fir Tree, we went on a treasure hunt to find this proud tree and to our surprise we found more than one. Enjoy pictures and video from our Wednesday morning treasure hunts.
During the month of November the class has been counting collections. One of the best ways for students to think about quantities is to associate numbers to real things. As a part of this unit the grade 2 teachers designed a problem based task. The students were asked to estimate and count the number of seeds in a pumpkin.
A story by Margaret McNamara guided our inquiry. In the story the class learns that ‘small things can have a lot going on inside.’ Ask your child why certain pumpkins might have more seeds inside. Thank you for all the pumpkin donations and the wonderful parents who assisted with the counting and clean up!