Structural Masterpieces

Working with Miss Suzanne (in L.T.T.A.) for the past four weeks was an amazing experience for the students.  As a Visual Artist, Suzanne was able to share her talent and enthusiasm with the children, while teaching them about the scientific principal of structures.  Learning Through the Arts is an amazing program that we are lucky to be a part of.  Thank you so much Miss Suzanne!

The students worked hard to create, sculpt and complete their animal structures.  Take a lot at their fantastic creations...

L.T.T.A. - Meeting Miss Suzanne

We were very excited to welcome our second Learning Through The Arts (L.T.T.A.) artist into our classroom today.  Earlier in the year, we learned about mapping, while dancing with Miss Louise.

This round of 4 L.T.T.A. visits will be led by visual artist Miss Suzanne.  We will be focusing on part of our Science curriculum - Objects, Materials and Everyday Structures, and exploring this topic through drawing, and creating sculptures

Miss Suzanne led the students in a discussion about structures, and focused on animal bodies as structures.

She taught the students some fundamentals of drawing - using different shapes - and demonstrated a few animal structures.

Next, she challenged the students to choose an animal, and sketch it themselves.

Check out these fantastic animals...

Miss Suzanne presented the students with a large assortment of materials.  They used these to begin making a sculpture of their chosen animal.  What a fantastic process to watch the students engaged in!

Sculptors at work...

The students need a little more time to complete this part of their project.  Check back at the end of the week to see what they've come up with so far.  We have 3 more visits with Miss Suzanne - we are excited to see how the projects develop each week.

Oldies but Goodies - Testing Our Birdfeeders

While Miss White was with us, she taught the students about Structures.  To help them consolidate all their learning, she gave the students an opportunity to build their own structure - a bird feeder.  After lots of hard work planning, designing and creating their bird feeders, we took them outside to test how well they would work to keep the bird feed dry.  Even though it was a cold, blustery afternoon, we bundled up, and had a great time testing out our structures.

Ontario Curriculum expectations this activity fulfilled include:

Science and Technology - Understanding Structures and Mechanisms

2.3  Investigate, through experimentation, the properties of various materials (e.g. the best materials for absorbing or repelling water)

2.4  Use technological problem-solving and knowledge acquired from previous investigations, to design, build and test a structure for a specific purpose (e.g. a tent,  a bird feeder)