Re-energized and GO GO GROW!!!

Re-energized from a long Thanksgiving weekend, students returned to a switch in block order and a 'WHIR' of activities!

In Science, our beans were given some TLC in the Fuller residence over the long weekend, as the students were concerned that 3 days would be too long without water.  One of our grade 8 students, Jeena, googled the scientific name for our bean and we made out NYB (name your bean) chart - aka Phaseolus Vulgaris.  GROW LITTLE BEANS!!!!

In preparation for our BASES MARKET, the students will be earning paper money that can be traded for plastic replicas of actual moey and then go SHOPPING for items from the treasure box.  We hung a money line in the classroom and the students made money bags and clothes-pinned them to the line.  We look forward to the grand opening of our BASES market, sometime in November.

Students are getting EXCITED for the upcoming trip to the pumpkin patch on October 20.  We will be visiting the Apple Barn in Abbotsford and learning about apples and pumpkins.  We will be returning with a pumpin each so they can carve them the following week.  We are in the initial stages of planning for Halloween in the BASES room.

And of course students have a multitude of projects and academic work on the go!  Learning about measurement, our daily fast 5, a continents quiz, current events, journaling (and posing for the camera) are all part of a hard days work in B104.  As per usual - BASES is BUZZING!

Postcards, Plants, Acronyms, Synonyms, Homonyms and other Goodies

We're well into October and have fun with fall in the BASES classroom.

We've started doing a FAST 5 - our quick brain awakener in the morning.  This keeps our Math facts 'sharp' with 5 quick measurement and money questions.  Keeping with our Postcards and geography unit, we are learning about the 7 continents, memorizing by using an acronym (the first letter of each continent name).  The students created the acronym 'After Auntie Ate Nuggets, Squirrels Arrived Elephants.'  In other words, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, North America, South America, Asia, Europe.

And speaking our Postcards - our first two have arrived.  One from Germany and one from Finland!  We were excited to put these up and start our collection and learn about these exciting countries.  We've also sent off a few more - Melanie and Caitlin were kind enough to walk them out to the mailbox for us.

We are keeping a close eye on our beans - which are now planted in soil - and are starting to see green.

Did you know that we have been at school for 22 days already?  The students have decided that Mr. Hayes, Mr. Whitham's and Mr. Ranu's guestimation of where our number line will be at 100 days won't even be in the ballpark (Shhh....don't tell them).

We are also beginning a unit on 'Words are Wonderful.'  We have been learning about synonyms and homonyms.  Three of our students, Jasmine, Jeena and Janelle, delivered a coloful note to our vice-principal, Mr. Whitham, with a slew of synonms for his favorite word, 'STELLAR.'  These included outstanding, heavenly, fantastic, delightful, joyous, amazing and fabulous.

In keeping with our synonym theme, we collected words for our BLOG word - buzz - and came up with whir, hum, whiz, murmur and drone.  We also started "catch up" time on Fridays symbolized by the similar sounding "ketchup" bottle on the door!

Also, the students created a Thanksgiving Bulletin Board with typed copies of their journal writing about what they were thankful for.  Our peer tutor Jennelle also taught them how to make hand turkeys.

And as much as the BASES kids are thankful, we as the BASES teaching staff are thankful to - for our wonderful SEAs, supportive administration, collaborative colleagues and amazing kids with whom we work each and every day.

Wishing a HAPPY THANKSGIVING to ALL our BASES students, their families and to ALL our subscribes who follow our blog.