Grade 5 Engineering Challenge

This year the Grade 5 students are working together to participate in the Engineering Challenge.  The goal of the Engineering Challenge is for students in Grades 5-7 to design, build and test an engineering prototype.  The activity the Grade 5's will be undertaking is the challenge of constructing a mechanically powered launcher (MPL), also known as a catapult!  Our budding engineers will be required to launch a ping pong ball into (or as close as possible to), a target set at three distances from the catapult.

This challenge complements our Grade 5 Science and Technology curriculum in that it addresses the Forces Acting on Structures and the Conservation of Energy and Resources units.  Students will be working in groups and will be required to communicate their design plans, and explain their design choices.  They will also continue to develop the skills of working collaboratively and effectively in small groups to solve a practical problem.

The students will be working on their catapults entirely during class time.  Parents can help and support their children by reminding them to look around the house for materials that they may be able to use to create their catapults.  The following is a list of objects that may and may not be used to construct a catapult.  

Construction Materials

INCLUDED:

• paper, cardboard, newspaper
• string, yarn, rope, fabric
• glue, play dough, tape
• popsicle sticks, tongue depressors, toothpicks, skewers, chopsticks, dowels
• wooden pencils
• plastics, styrofoam, rubber
• CDs
• spools (wooden, plastic)
• bottle caps (plastic)
• paint, decorations
• straws, rubber bands
• paper clips
• sand and Play-Doh

EXCLUDED:

• glass
• metal (except paper clips)
• mousetraps
• lumber/wood (except popsicle sticks, tongue depressors, toothpicks, skewers, chopsticks, pencils, spools, dowels)
• construction kits (Lego, Meccano, K’nex, etc.)
• batteries
• water

I have asked the students today to begin looking at home for items to be used to build their catapults.  The construction of the catapults cannot happen until the design plans are approved by our parent volunteer / Engineer, as such I don't expect the construction of the catapults to begin until after this week. 

Happy Hunting!  

As always, should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school, or in your child's agenda.  I may also be reached by email at angela.reed@ocdsb.ca

Your partner in education, 

Angela.

Class updates!

We have had a busy January so far!

In Science and Social Studies, the Grade 4's have been busy learning about Canada and, recently, the physical regions of Canada.  The Grade 5's continue to work on learning about the human body and the different systems that make up our bodies. 

In French / Media Studies we are discussing how to make a good advertising poster and using that knowledge to create a public service poster encouraging people to eat healthy and exercise in order to build and maintain strong, healthy bones.  We have also created some colourful posters advertising our next spirit day, which will be on February 14th  -  Wear Red, White and Pink Day, for Valentine's Day.

In Gym, we wrapped up our Volleyball Unit before Christmas and have begun our unit in Basketball.

Exciting News for our budding Engineers and Scientists!!  We will begin working next week on the Engineering Challenge.  This year the students are designing, building and testing catapults.  The accuracy of the catapults will then be put to the test against other Grade 5 teams from Stittsville Public and Richmond Public. 

With regards to homework, we will go back to working on our Journal de Lecture homework the week of February 4th.  The next Journal de Lecture will be due on Friday, February 8th.

Finally, you will notice every Friday a Rubric will be coming home, stapled into your child's agenda.  The rubric will be a visual reminder for the students as to how much French they are speaking in class.  It is not an evaluation of the quality of French that I hear when the students speak in class, but is an idea of the quantity of French that I hear when the students are working in groups, playing in Gym, asking one another questions, and speaking with their French teachers.  We know that in order to improve in our French communication, we need to speak the language as much as possible.  The rubrics serve as a reminder for the students to speak French in class - it will help improve their fluency, vocabulary and their confidence! 

Please initial or sign the rubric in the agenda each Friday to acknowledge that you have seen it.

Have a great weekend!
Angela.