More Flashmob pictures

 Well my attempt to get the video to play didn't work so here are some pictures of how it all began...

Flashmob at Metrotown

Well you finally did it, many of you, a flashmob!  Now if only I could get my camera straight-I got some on video so maybe I will figure out how to upload but I am going to put some of the pictures up now.  You did a great job... Here's a picture of the dancers.  I have to go out so that I will post more pictures later...

Favorite Places to be at Trudeau

Pritha, Julie, Jane on the swings

 I asked you today to pick some of your favorite places to be at Trudeau and write and/or draw about it.  Here are some pictures...

Sahil and Gavin outside the gym

Komalpreet, Gurneet, Manpreet, Anjana in the library

Christian, Gurick, Sukhman at the basketball hoop

Sanman, Joban, Steven and Simran outside the gym on the railing

Meili and Sadie in the field

Neil and Harjot on the hill

Laura and Zyaleanna under a tree

Sangham, Nehmat, Teejay, and William under a tree (the latter three were actually in the tree!

Printing with Van's Dad

See Gurick here is a picture of you on the blog!

Watching the process intently!

We had a great afternoon learning about print making with Van's dad, Mr. Law.  First you picked images and then made designs on lino squares and then used a roller to put ink on them and then rolled them through this machine.  Later we moved on to acetate but I didn't seem to have my camera handy!

Another picture of Gurick?

Waiting patiently!

Now let's see what happened!

You really have to press firmly!

Look what we produced!

Let's go for the rainbow effect!

a couple of weeks behind I think...

A week ago Friday I went to the Vancouver School Board's Mentoring Celebration.  This is a program that Meili and Simran participated in this year.  They each had a mentor who worked with them on their writing.  I had hoped that perhaps they would get Melanie Jackson (that's who is with them) but that didn't work out but it was fun to get together with her at the event.
You heard some of Meili's story at the Young Writers' Festival here and I am sure Simran would be happy to share her collectio of short stories with you.

Of course this week was one we won't forget for a number of reasons (the Canucks lost in Game 7 and then the terrible riot downtown).  You all did some great writing about that.  Probably though a highlight for many of you was Sports Day Friday.  It was fine until I got soaking wet but that is another story ( and note Harjot was not at fault... as he was my legitimate partner in the balloon toss).  Here are a couple of photos from that day.

One busy week

Wednesday was Volunteer Day and of course Division One had lots of Students' Council members helping and we even had students performing!

I was there at recess and took a few pictures.  Thursday was the district track meet and nine of our students were there in the rain.  They did really well and we are proud of all of you who braved the elements.  Sorry, not being there I don't have any pictures!!

 Those students here had a good day because I basically didn't do any teaching so that the day was spent working on various projects and since so many students were away, we had free rein in the computer lab and they also got an extra PE period.

Friday was the culmination of Bike to School week and we had a great breakfast for all those who biked to school.  Unfortunately, not sure all our volunteers knew they were welcome as well.  Division One did what they do best all week, volunteering.  You were parking bikes, getting entries for the raffle, blowing up tires etc.

Volunteering continued as we helped Ms. Harrison's class get their Writers' Festival entries typed up.

Life is always a little crazy in June.  Next week I am looking forward to seeing your special projects on "Big Steps" and you will be busy helping to run our first annual Writers' Festival.  Never a dull moment (not too many at Trudeau).  Savour these-your last month at your elementary school before you take the big step to high school.

Visitors from Uganda

Yesterday we really enjoyed our special visitors.  A few months ago Dr. Honey Halpern visited our class to tell us about her working visit to The Stand Tall Education School in Kampala, Uganda.  That inspired you to have a bake sale and a raffle to raise money for the school.  Yesterday Nicole Schoela, the President and founder of the school visited us.  An added bonus was they were joined by Sam and Doris Andema, who are graduate students at UBC and educators in Uganda. 



Sam and Doris told us about education generally in Uganda and we were shocked by how difficult it is to get into secondary school and then into university.  We were also amazed by the crowded conditions in Ugandan schools and even at the university level.  Doris and Sam thought that Stand Tall For Education School can be a model for other schools in their country. 

Nicole told us that she first volunteered at a school that to us looked quite terrible but Doris and Sam thought was very good by Ugandan standards.  Nicole vowed to build a really good school in Uganda that would be free to students and more like a Canadian school but suited to Uganda.  We loved seeing how the children are learning to take care of chickens and learning to sew and do art as well as the regular school subjects.  Anyway you are all writing great reports on the visit so I won't go on.  Doris and Sam were also very happy to visit a Canadian school and Sadie and Gaven, as our class presidents, gave them a tour that they really enjoyed.  I know many of you are even more committed to helping in Uganda now.   One day I think many of you will work and help in places that will need your skills!