Ms. Braat's Fantastic Fives

June 8-12 Learning Outcomes Physical Education and Wellness Students apply movement skills, strategies, and tactics while participating in physical activities and games. Students create, modify, and adapt activities and games to achieve specific goals and improve participation. What Did Students Do? Over the past few weeks, students have been working collaboratively in small groups to design their own original gym games. This exciting project challenged students to combine creativity, teamwork, communication, and physical activity as they developed games that others could learn and enjoy. Each group began by brainstorming ideas and discussing what makes a game fun, fair, and engaging. Students were encouraged to draw inspiration from games they already knew, while adding their own unique twists to create something new. They worked together to plan the rules, determine equipment needs, create scoring systems, and think carefully about how all players could participate safely and success...

  June 1-5 Learning Outcomes Physical Education and Wellness Students develop and apply skills, concepts, and strategies in a variety of physical activities What Did Students Do? This week in Physical Education, our Grade 5 students have been exploring gymnastics through a variety of individual and partner balance activities. Students learned how to create strong, controlled body positions while focusing on balance, stability, and body awareness. Working independently, students practiced a range of single balances, challenging themselves to maintain control and demonstrate proper form. They also worked with partners to create balanced poses that required communication, cooperation, and trust. Students discussed how to safely support one another while creating creative and effective balance shapes. Throughout these activities, students demonstrated perseverance as they practiced new skills and refined their movements. It was wonderful to see students encouraging one another, workin...

  May 25-29 Learning Outcomes Science  Students investigate the internal systems of organisms and explain how they support vital biological processes. What Did Students Do? This week, our classroom was buzzing with excitement as students participated in a hands-on science experience with Teacher’s Pet! Through a variety of interactive stations, students explored how different biological systems work together to support life in humans, animals, and plants. The program encouraged students to think like scientists as they investigated important body systems, examined detailed models, participated in movement-based activities, and made connections between the structures and functions of living organisms. One of the highlights of the day was the opportunity to rotate through several engaging learning stations. Students explored the digestive, musculoskeletal, circulatory, and respiratory systems through collaborative games and hands-on investigations. They also learned about transp...

May 18-22 Learning Outcomes Mathematics Students investigate symmetry as a geometric property.   What Did Students Do? This week in our Grade 5 classroom, students have been learning about symmetry and asymmetry in math and art. We discussed how symmetrical objects can be divided into matching halves, while asymmetrical objects do not have equal sides or matching parts. To help students better understand these concepts, we took our learning outside and participated in an exploration activity around the school grounds. Students searched for examples of both symmetry and asymmetry in nature and the environment around them. They observed objects such as leaves, playground structures, rocks, and trees, discussing whether each example showed balanced symmetry or irregular asymmetry. This hands-on activity encouraged students to look more closely at the world around them and apply their classroom learning in a real-world setting. It was wonderful to see students working collaborativel...

May 11-15 Learning Outcomes Social Studies  Students examine government and social systems in ancient civilizations and empires.   What Did Students Do? This week in our Grade 5 social studies class, students explored the history and importance of the Silk Road through a variety of interactive learning stations. As students rotated around the room, they discovered how the Silk Road connected different civilizations through trade, travel, culture, and the exchange of ideas. Each station focused on a different aspect of the Silk Road, allowing students to learn about goods that were traded, the challenges travelers faced, important routes, and how cultures influenced one another along the journey. Through reading activities, images, maps, and discussion, students worked collaboratively to build their understanding of how the Silk Road helped shape societies across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. This stations activity encouraged curiosity, teamwork, and critical thinking as ...