Buster the Bus visited the students of St. Andrew School on the afternoon of Friday October 12th. With the help of Consortium staff, Buster taught the children bus safety rules. Pictured with Buster are Jaida and Kayshia from the JK class.
Author: admin
“Cell” the Idea of 3D Modeling at St. Anne
Student engagement is a primary focus for the staff at St. Anne Catholic School in Hanmer. Recently, students in Grade 8 have been focusing on the components of plant and animal cells in science class. They have noticed that there are major similarities and differences between the two types of cells through the creation of 3D models. One of the similarities includes the nucleus, the brain of the cell. Students also noticed some differences, such as the cell wall of the plant. Students soon realized that cells function differently because they come in various different types. “Making plant and animal cells helped me understand what was actually in them, because I was physically creating a 3D model,” said Isaac Oliveira, a Grade 8 student at St. Anne Catholic School. Now, students use technology to describe their understanding of the 3D models. They use Screen Chomp to help with their descriptions and to demonstrate their understanding.
It Takes the St. Anne Community to Make Stone Soup
Students in Grades 7 and 8 at St. Anne Catholic School in Hanmer experienced first hand what it was like to come together as a village. For the past four days, students have had the opportunity to listen to different variations of “The Stone Soup” story. They also brought donations of food forward to create their own stone soup. Students worked together preparing all of the necessary ingredients, and learned that working together as a community has its own rewards. “Even though we shed a few tears while cutting onions, it was still fun working my fellow classmates,” said Stephanie Fortier, a Grade 7 student at St. Anne Catholic School. Students enjoyed their delicious stone soup on Friday, October 5th, 2012. The general consensus was that working together to provide for one another was a rewarding experience that everyone will cherish for a long time.
Setting Their Limits High
The largest school canned food drive in the city kicked off on October 15 at St. Charles College in Sudbury. Students at the school have one week to canvas neighbourhoods and collect 60 thousand non-perishable food items for the Sudbury Food Bank.
The drive started twenty-seven years ago. Principal Patty Mardero says, “When the weather gets cooler, the Sudbury Food Bank relies on our helping hand. That time has come and it is time for us to deliver.”
Last year, the school surpassed its goal and collected 120-thousand cans. This was the largest single donation in the history of the Sudbury Food Bank.
Even with the forecast looking dismal this week, students were urged to forge ahead and get out into their neighbourhoods to collect cans.
The high school is also supported by its feeder schools. Each year, students at St. Bernadette, St. Raphael, Pius XII, St. Andrew, St. David and St Paul and St. John take up the cause.
M.M.A. Gets Into the Books with Teen Read Week
As part of the first ever Sudbury Teen Read Week, Marymount Academy students in teacher Allison Cameron’s English class got to visit the Sudbury Public Library to take part in the official launch of the event. Along with two other secondary school classes, the Marymount students were welcomed by event coordinator Pierre Dubuc, the Child and Teen Programmer for the Greater Sudbury Library.
Teen Read Week is a literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association that began in New York. This is Sudbury’s first event and its focus is to encourage teens to regularly read books just for fun so that reading recreationally becomes a habit.
As part of the official launch, the students were encouraged to attain a library card if they didn’t already have one and learn more about the services and products offered at the library including books, e-books, dvd’s etc. Also on hand were representatives from several community organizations to talk to students about their connection to the library and literacy including Laurentian University, Cambrian College, College Boreal and the Student Action Center for Youth (S.A.C.Y.).
Cameron was excited for her class to be invited to the Teen Read Week Launch and encouraged all of her students to sign up for a library card if they didn’t already have one. “What a great opportunity for our students to see what amazing books are available to them,” Cameron stated. “This event is a great way to engage our students through recreational reading – it doesn’t just have to be about assignments and school work. Teen Read Week emphasizes the importance of reading books just for fun, and I am sure that my students will respond enthusiastically!”
Events are planned for the remainder of the week at several of the Sudbury library locations including a “Walking Dead Project Runway” competition on Thursday at the newly renovated South End Library. For more information on all of these events, visit the Greater Sudbury Library website at www.sudburylibraries.ca.
World Smile Day Celebrated at Pius XII
Students at Pius XII school celebrated World Smile Day on October 5th, 2012. On this day, people are called around the world to be thoughtful of others and use the power of a smile and a kind act to make a small difference in the world we live in. At Pius XII school, the hallways and classrooms were filled with smiles and ‘Caught in the Act of Kindness’.
Surpassing Science Expectations Across a Nation
Students at Marymount Academy had a very unique opportunity on Friday, October 12, 2012. Classes from four different grades took part in what could be the world’s largest science lesson. Students from a grade 7, 8, 10 and 12 science class took part in the attempt at a world record for the largest practical science lesson with the hopes of inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records. Alongside thousands of other Canadians, different groups took part in this activity across Canada as the official launch of National Science and Technology Week 2012 through Science.gc.ca.
Following strict guidelines, students had to sign in, and the entire activity was documented with time-stamped video and pictures to ensure the group was following the outlined rules. After a brief video introduction from Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, the students watched another short clip that demonstrated the two different experiments – “the Kissing Balloons” and “the Water Mister”. Using simple materials such as balloons, string, plastic cups and water provided at each table, the students then worked together in groups to perform both experiments and document their findings. Working in the school’s cafeteria, giggles and laughter could be heard throughout as each student worked through their part of the experiment. Marymount science teacher Lise Callahan was the organizer for the event and made sure she followed all outlined instructions for her students to be included in this monumentous event. “It seemed pretty simple at first,” Callahan remarked. “Just sign up the students and provide the materials… however, I quickly realized that it was a much more involved process. We have to ensure that everything is done properly to be included in the world record attempt. The students have been quite excited leading up to this event and we are thrilled to be a part of it! At Marymount Academy, we have really outstanding students and knew that their level of enthusiasm for this project would be really high. I am proud of our school for participating and can’t wait to see if we do actually set the record!” All of the participants have to have their results sent by October 19 and would find out soon after if their attempt was successful for inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Thanksgiving at Pius XII
Pius XII, Grade 1 students celebrated and learned about Thanksgiving as classroom teacher, Judy Bowes, taught the students about the importance of giving thanks, not just on Thanksgiving holiday, but on everyday. The students celebrated beginning with a procession, displaying artwork and dancing the ‘Circle of Friends’. Prior to celebrating with a healthy feast of cheese, crackers, fruit and vegetables, students expressed prayers of thanks – especially Mrs. Bowes for “letting us have a fun time celebrating Thanksgiving”.
Thanksgiving at St. Andrew
On October 5, 2012, the students, staff and parents of St. Andrew school were led in a beautiful Thanksgiving prayer service by the grade 2 class and their teacher Mrs. Vervega. Every child in the class participated in some way to enhance this service. All were left with a warm feeling of gratitude and thanksgiving for all the wonderful gifts God has bestowed on us. St. Andrew School community wish parents, students and staff a blessed Thanksgiving.