On Friday, June 6th the Grade One and Grade Two classes went to the Vancouver Children’s Festival at Granville Island to watch Splash’N Boots live in concert. They had us all singing, dancing and laughing during the fun-filled show. After the show, the students spent the afternoon exploring the various activities at Sutcliffe Park. It was a fabulous afternoon shared with friends in the warmth of the sun.
On June 15th, the Grade Six class of ICS went to visit the Vancouver Art Gallery to look at the Picasso Exhibit. I asked some classmates what they thought about his work . . . One person said that Picasso “puts his emotion onto canvas.” Others said things like “He has a very unique style that no other artist bothers to use.” I personally think that Picasso’s work is unique and fun to look at, but I wouldn’t like to actually own one. Another question I had for classmates was “Why do you think Picasso was inspired by African masks and statues?” Almost all of the responses were like this one, “Because they had different shapes and forms that Picasso seemed to like.”
At the end of the exhibit, we were all able to recognize that Picasso was an extraordinary painter with an extreme set of skills. Having the chance to look at his work was an amazing opportunity. At the end of the day, after seeing many Picasso paintings, I asked around the class to see which one was most appreciated. People said Guernica because it showed the emotions of all the villagers who lived in Guernica.
Written by a Grade Six Student
On Wednesday, May 25th, the ICS staff and students held a tea for the parents of our school community. The tea was to show our great appreciation for our parents who contribute so much to our little blue school, we wouldn’t be able to do all the great things we do in our school and parish community without them. The parents were treated with tea, coffee, and yummy pastries baked by the staff and served by the Grade Seven students. Throughout the tea, each grade performed for the group of parents with a song, a poem, or another fun way to show gratitude. There was also a slideshow with pictures of school events and other school privileges that the parents of Immaculate Conception School students make possible. Our school is very grateful for the great contribution that the parents make, we hope that they enjoyed the tea and that they feel appreciated.
On Wednesday, May 18th, our school community came together to pray a living rosary.
A living rosary, is like a rosary but instead of using beads, we use a chain of people who have formed a circle. Each person represents a prayer or a mystery. There are five decades in the rosary, each containing an Our Father, a Glory Be and ten Hail Marys. This living rosary is very special because we want to celebrate Mary. May is the month of Mary and Mary is the patron saint of Immaculate Conception School.
Written by a Grade Six Student
This Spring, the Kindergarten students witnessed the process of metamorphosis in butterflies! It was very exciting to watch as our tiny caterpillars grew into larger ones, and then changed into chrysalides.
We eagerly waited for the butterflies to emerge from these chrysalides! The transformation was magical for our student and teacher scientists. Along with Father Paul, a Grade 6 student documenter and two expert parent-gardeners, we released 24 butterflies in Father’s garden and prayed for safety in their travels.
Throughout the process, we posed many questions and posted these on our Wonder Wall. Some of these questions were:
• What do caterpillars eat?
• How much do caterpillars eat?
• Why do caterpillars shed?
• Do some butterflies have pink and purple on their wings?
• How does the caterpillar change into a butterfly?
• Why does the caterpillar turn into a chrysalis?
To find the answers to our questions, we read stories, engaged in learning activities, asked experts and enlisted the help of our Grade Four buddies. What an amazing learning experience!
On Thursday, May 12th, the ICS track team took part in a track meet at Swangard Stadium hosted by St. Joseph’s School. We participated in a number of events: the 800 metre, 100 metre, girls, boys and mixed 4×100 metre relays, long jump and shotput.
There was also 60 metre race for grades 3, 4 and 5, as well as a 200 metre, 400 metre and medley relay for grades 6 and 7. We did very well, especially in the 800 metre race. It was lots of fun and a chance to be outside, running, jumping and throwing. I know everyone looks forward to our next track meet on Thursday, May 19th at Vancouver College.
Written by a Grade Seven Student
Last week, we harvested our lettuce to make salad. We shared our salads with the school. We harvested arugula, head lettuce, carrots, kale, basil, pea shoots, and kohlrabi for our salads. The classes thought our salad was amazing!
Many students asked for seconds and one student asked for our dressing recipe. One girl said she didn’t like salad before she tried ours, but now she does now.
We also learned about bolting. Bolting is when the plant gets too hot or too dry and it thinks it might die, so it makes seeds. Sometimes bolting makes the vegetable taste different.
We had a fun time in the garden and making salads. We are really grateful to our garden buddies who volunteer to garden with us.
Written by Grade Four Students
In April we traveled to see the Benedictine Monks at Westminster Abbey. We learned that monks teach the high school kids how to train to become monks as well as seminarians. We also learned that Benedictine monks were the only order of monks that existed in the Middle Ages. Our class also took part in the prayer service. At the prayer service, we listened to a very spiritual hymn. Inside the church were beautiful stained glass windows, which our class drew. Afterwards, to stretch our legs out, we took a walk through the forest, which led to a sunny field where we could look down and see the Fraser River. We started to walk back, and saw a statue of our Immaculate Mary. We also walked to the church to see the old graveyard. Our class picked flowers and laid them on the gravestones. Our class had a wonderful time at Westminster Abbey.
Written by a Grade Five Student
Several weeks ago, at ICS, visitors from Science World and the Planetarium came to teach us a little bit about science and astronomy.
For the first part of the Science World show, there was a demonstration with a little box which had a long tube connected to it. The Science World scientists lit a match, then they asked for a volunteer to blow into the tube. And when the volunteer did, the little flame became a huge, orange, fireball for a brief moment! This taught us how fire needed oxygen to work.
Another favourite part of the show was when the scientists showed us a small metal pole with a globe attached to the top, also made out of metal. Next, one of the scientists brought out a metal rod and put it close to the sphere; we could hear the static electricity buzzing! The scientists told us that the static electricity was trying to escape the metal globe.
The scientists asked for six volunteers to link hands with one on the end holding a metal pole. Then they asked for one more to put his hand on the sphere. While the person’s hand was on it, you could see her hair sticking up in all sorts of directions!
Next the scientist asked the person on the end of the chain to link hands with the person holding the metal globe. What we saw then was very cool! The static electricity started traveling through all six people to escape the person holding the metal globe because there was another metal pole the static wanted to escape.
We walked into the gym… The first thing we saw was a black dome sitting in the middle of the room. Stephan, from the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, had come to talk to us about space and constellations. We then entered the dark dome, we looked up saw the night sky in Vancouver! Then, he should us a star called Polaris, also known as the North Star.
After that, he also showed us how to find different constellations after finding Polaris. He also told us that even though the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper are well known constellations, they aren’t official constellations because they are part of two bigger constellations the Big Bear and the Little Bear. He then put up pictures of planets in the inner Solar System, those planets were Mercury, Mars, Earth and Venus. After taking a good look at the different planets we took our spaceship ride back to Earth.
For more information on Science World and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, you can visit their web sites: www.scienceworld.ca, www.spacecentre.ca.
Written by a Grade Six Student
After many months of preparation, the Grade Two class received their First Holy Communion on Sunday May 1st. Everyone was excited about receiving this special gift from Jesus. Here’s what a few students had to say about their Holy day.
“I felt very happy on my first Communion Day. The church was full of peace.”
“I felt really joyful on my first Communion Day.”
“I liked setting the table with Alexander, Samantha and Nadia. I felt special”
“I enjoyed being a reader at Mass. It was fun.” “It was a lovely day. I got to receive the Body of Christ and I felt grateful.”
“It was very nice to have my first Holy Communion. I felt special because Jesus was inside me for the first time”
3745 West 28th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6S 1S5
Canada
Tel. 604.224.5012
Fax 604.224.3721
office@icschoolvancouver.com
