More Than a Barrel of Monkeys

(Original Post: October 14, 2019)

My jungle bulletin board was missing something.

Monkeys.

So, I asked the Grade 4/5 teacher, Queen Troll, if she would be willing to make monkeys with her art class for my library. I showed her a picture of Kerri & Lindsay's "Teacher Bits and Bobs" paper bag monkeys and she said they would be done by the end of the first week of school.

On Friday, I entered the library to find this waiting for me.

It was like a scene out of WWII movie.

The carnage of monkeys was unnerving.

And...

There wasn't just one class-worth of monkeys. Oh, no. Queen Troll had all four art classes make monkeys.

I had to find homes for 80+ monkeys.

It turned out to be a humorous adventure as I spent the next three hours spreading monkeys around the school!

They spilled over into the office and upstairs in the Amazon Pod open area.

So many monkeys!

Design Thinking: Fairytale Furniture Company

(Original Post: October 14., 2019)

Library Collaboration with Division 7 is AMAZING!

Instead of a teacher prep block, Library Time is now a collaboration block with the wonderful Miss D and her class!

We've been weaving fairytales (books and oral retellings) into ADST activities as we focus our efforts on design thinking and creating with empathy in mind.

The Three Little Pigs Cousins

Now that the three little pigs live together in the brick house, life has become little crowded. It's about to get even cozier with the pigs' cousin, rubber ducky, coming for a sleepover!

The students designed bunk beds that met the special sleeping needs of the pigs and the duck:

Pig #1: Rolls around a lot

Pig #2: Sleep Apnea (resulting in loud snoring)

Pig #3: Talks in his sleep

Ducky: Only used to sleeping alone

Miss D used the magic of the red clown classes and transformed into Inspector Clouseau, the little pigs' furniture agent. Each student had one minute to explain the bunk bed design to the inspector, highlighting the special features of their design.

The pigs were very impressed by the bunk bed creations and spread the word to their friends in Fairytale Land. Inspector Clouseau suggested that the students start a furniture company to help the citizens of Fairytale Land. The students eagerly agreed and have begun to create their company's logo.

Amazon Plant Adaptations: Part 2

(Original Post: March 14, 2020)

​I thoroughly enjoyed learning alongside the Grade 4 and 5 students as they inquired about plant adaptations in Term 1.

My first post included our work on Venus fly traps and the lianas that took over the tree in the intermediate shared area.

The students added writing pieces to the bulletin board after our sessions in the library.

After exploring adaptations caused by lack of sunlight and nutrient-rich soil, we moved onto water and seed dispersal adaptations.

Lilies and Mushrooms

We watched a few videos about the water lilies and then worked in small groups to make the water lilies and pads.

Video links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPR8kxTyG9Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igkjcuw_n_U

Each group member made a specific part of the plant adaptation:

• Red and white lilies (construction paper, markers and brass fasteners - demonstrating the phases of the lily’s life cycle)

• Lily pads (construction paper - including a 3D rim and spikes on the underbelly)

• Beetles (clay - using library books about beetles as guides)

• Seed pods (clay and coffee filters) *students joked that the seed pods looked like wontons!

Once again we examined a few videos about puffball fungi before making our own.

Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyPPoqgzA2A&list=PL6t7h1ENmkkIXAkm0DK7O1PqA4AFbWPy5&index=9&t=0s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m-Wkn-xJnM&list=PL6t7h1ENmkkIXAkm0DK7O1PqA4AFbWPy5&index=10&t=0s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOKSBXUW1jE&list=PL6t7h1ENmkkIXAkm0DK7O1PqA4AFbWPy5&index=11&t=0s

The mushrooms were constructed by:

• Covering a Styrofoam ball with modelling clay (leaving an opening for the spores to escape)

• Hot gluing a cotton ball in the opening (simulating the release of spores)

• Hot gluing a pinch of chia seeds atop of the cotton ball (simulating actually seeds)

We used the tree stump props from the drama studio as bases for the mushrooms. The students made extra bright and beautiful mushrooms for fun to add to the display.