Liberty Boys/Girls Part 2

The kids are preparing for the year end BBQ. They are really looking forward to the family BBQ for the Liberty Groups. Each family is making a provincial flag. My kid chose to make the Northwest Territories. The flags are being used to play a game, and to decorate the back yard for the BBQ. We love doing project together that strengthen our family ties, while combining a number of different school subjects. We used math to measure out the distance of the blue sides and to centre the shield, ect. This project is also an art project and social project. They are even learning how to get along, work in a group setting, and value others opinions. 

 

Liberty Girls/Boys

 This year M and B were part of some social groups that studied Canada through different works of literature. The girls picked books from the series Our Canadian Girls, and the boys focused on different historical points in Canadian History.

The groups were assigned a portion of a book/article to read,or video to watch, so they were ready for discussion in the next group meeting. Then the discussion was followed by an activity that was related in some way to the book/article/video. Usually about the moral, life lesson, or historical fact they had just read about.

The girls were on a buffalo hunt and cooking banick over a fire in these picture just like the little girl in their book.

Cha Cha Cha Chia

W was wondering if he could grow some Chia seeds, so we decide to do an experiment to find out. W got all the supplies need, and put his knowledge of plant needs to use. Here is what he did.

Purpose:
Find out if you can grow chia seeds.

Materials:
Chia seeds
Plastic sandwich bag
Paper towel or toilet paper
Clean Water
Suction Window hanger or tape

Procedure:
First you have to collect all needed materials. Then you can get the paper towel damp with some clean water. Place the chia seeds on the damp paper towel. Next, carefully transfer the seeds into the plastic bag. Hang the bag in a window that gets lots of sunlight and check it everyday to see what happens. Record what you see everyday in a science journal.

Observation:
The seed started to grow after the first day, and just kept getting bigger and bigger.

Day 2











Day 3

Day 5

Day 7

Conclusion:
Yes, you can grow chia seed, and you can even eat them too. They are nutritious as well.

Brown Sugar Vanilla Scrub

For Mother's Day this year we thought that we would try and make a gift. After searching the internet and Pinterest we decided on a Brown Sugar Vanilla Scrub. Not only was it very easy and quick to make, but it smelt divine and it worked great too.

4!

B wanted to build himself a marble golf course. Here is a sneak peak at the first hole.

Eatable Science

I love a good science experiment that you can eat when it is all done. This one falls under Classroom Chemistry. Nothing like a good old cornmeal muffin for breakfast, and oh yeah, learning about chemical changes ate the same time.

Cornmeal Muffins

Ingredients

3/4 Cup         Cornmeal

1 1/4 Cup      Milk

1 Cup            Flour

1/2 tsp           Salt

1                    Egg

1/4 Cup        Vegetable Oil

Directions

Mix cornmeal and milk together and let stand for 10 minutes.

Combined the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add the egg and oil to the milk mixture. Mix well.

Add the dry ingredients. Mix well.

Scoop into greased muffin tins. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 15-20 min

Make 12 muffins

Growing Up Fast!

Oh the things you think would be fun to do, until they become the things you are expected to do.  
B, getting a lesson on mowing the lawn. 

Rubber Bones-Science Fair

What happens to your bones when you don't get the proper nutrition? Well, they may become as soft as rubber as demonstrated by B's science experiment. In his Science Fair experiment he did some research on nutrition. Then he found an procedure to soften chicken bones. In the experiment he had to place a bone in a jar and cover it in vinegar. Next it was just a waiting game. Everyday he left the bone in the vinegar it got bendier. The calcium was slowly broken down. After about 2.5 weeks  he was able to bend the bone like a piece of rubber.

What is nutrition and why is it important?

It is how our bodies use the food that we eat. It is like the building blocks of our bodies. If we don’t get the right nutrients our bodies need they will get sick, and our bones can get week.

How do we get the right nutrients?

The Canadian Food Guide is one way to help you figure out what you need to eat, and how much.  It depends on your age and gender on what you should eat, but the most important food group we can consume is the fruit and vegetable. They can give us the widest variety of minerals and vitamins our bodies need to function properly.  

For example:

If you are a 35 year old woman you should aim to have:

• 7-8 vegetables and fruit
• 6-7 grain products
• 2 milk and alternatives
• 2 meat and alternatives
• 30 - 45 mL (2 to 3 Tbsp) of unsaturated oils and fats

Malnutrition

When our bodies don’t get the right balance of minerals and vitamins we can get sick and our bones can get weak. Just because we have enough food to eat doesn’t mean we are nourished. If we have weak bones they can break easily. If we fall down the chances of breaking a bone is greater if we are malnourished.  Malnourishment can come from eating the wrong foods, and the wrong amounts of food. 

Rubber Bones

In order to show what can happen to our bones if we done take care of them by eating the proper foods I have done an experiment that breaks down the calcium in bone.  

Procedure:

I placed a chicken bone in jar and poured enough vinegar in the jar to cover the bone.

Observation: 

After a few days the ends of the bone started to soften. After a few more days the entire bone was soft enough to bend.

Conclusion:

I learned that we need to be careful of the foods we put in our bodies, so we can keep them healthy and strong.

Why Wetlands? 

By 

Mr.B

What is wet, soggy, a great habitat, and worth protecting? Wetlands, thats what. Wetlands are wet, soggy, and a great habitat for animals and insects. Some species of animals like  the wood duck, can’t live without wetlands.                                                                                                   Wetlands are the area between land and water. Some wetlands hold water temporarily while others hold water permanently . There are different types of wetlands such as swamps, marshes and bogs. Antarctica is the one place on the planet where you will not find even one wetland.   

The Arctic has swamps , marshes and bogs. The Cost line has many different types of wetlands such as man grove forest, cost swamps and tidal marshes. Island regions have ponds, marshes, swaps, vernal pools and riparian systems. 

        Wetlands help humans as well as animals.  They have many functions such as preventing flooding, filtering water, and provide a buffet of food for the  animals that live there.  If we destroy the wetlands many species of animals may become endangered or extinct.  

I believe that wetlands are very important, and I hope you will  help protect them.  Not only do they benefit wild life, but mankind as well.

Kub Kar Time Again

It was his last year for Kub Kar racing. The last 2 years his cars have been fun for him to make and they have looked awesome, but didn't perform very well on the track. Our neighbour helped him cut it out this year. His "car" was in the shape of a skate board, and it did awesome on the track. He we one excited boy. He won lots of races and got 2nd place over all. 

Building a Community

Mr. W was learning about communities this year in Social Studies. After taking all he learned about communities and putting it all together, he made his own community. It looks like a beautiful place to live, and I would be excited to live there. It has all the amenities of the city, yet the feel of a small town. It has it all!

Turn Up the Music

My little dancers were wonderful this year. They have had so much fun learning the step and practicing for hours to get it just right. I have see their dances many, many times, but to see it performed in costumes and on stage with the rest of their class mates, makes it magical.