Celebrating Christmas

Christmas holidays for me is to celebrate it -  to be with my family, be thankful, give presents but most of all celebrate Jesus’ birth.  We must give gifts to show how God gave us the gift of Jesus and Christmas just gives you an intense warm feeling in your heart when you can celebrate it with family and friends.

We know the reason we have to celebrate spirit of Christmas because of Jesus’ birthday and why we give gifts is because three wise men brought Jesus three gifts.  We have the star on our Christmas tree because the wise men followed the star to find Jesus.  This is the reason why the Christmas season is important to me and my family to celebrate.

It’s a wonderful holiday.  If you don’t like it don’t celebrate it.  For me this holiday of Christmas gives me more excitement because this is my very first time to celebrate not in my country.  I’m here in the cold country of Canada this season.

~sunny

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

What It’s Like To Be Bored

Boredom is something no one likes.  To me boredom is not knowing what to do during free time.  It seems to happen often to me because I get a lot of free time both at home and at school.  At home I get bored a lot because my parents leave me alone because my mom is busy with her salon work and my dad is busy with her accounting for the salon, I think.

At school when I get bored, I put my head down and think.  At home, I lie down on my bed and think and watch YouTube or I sleep, but mostly YouTube.

What do you do when you get bored?  Are you the same like me and watch videos and sleep or are you different and you like being bored?  Obviously you can do something different like going outside or playing with bubbles or doing something sciency because we're all different.  EVERYONE is different, remember that.

How do you survive boredom?  Do you like boredom or do you hate it? How much do you get bored in one day? Write what you think.

-Freenumkitty2008

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Halloween

Halloween is one of my favourite celebrations.  I think that it is about a celebration, and to get to have fun.  My favourite part of Halloween is that you get to dress up as whatever you want. You also get to go trick or treating and get lots of candy.

This year we can’t find a costume because everything that we want is sold out.  I wanted to be Uma from the movie Descendants 2.  She is a pirate with turquoise hair and a long blue dress.    We looked in almost every Value Village to see if we could buy the costume, but they are all either sold out or do not have the right size.

As a result, I am now going as Elsa from the movie, Frozen.  We found that costume but that’s just the back-up plan.

My favourite candy to receive on Halloween are chocolate bars, especially Coffee Crisp.  

I don't have any pets but I hear that people dress their pets up in a costume.  Do you like to dress up with your pets or maybe they come trick or treating with you?

What do you like about Halloween?  Do you celebrate Halloween? Do you have a favourite part of Halloween? Do you have a tradition?  Sometimes people listen to Halloween music.  Do you like to dress up?

~sillystar

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Student Council Surveys & One Million Dollars

Today the Grade 4 representatives of the Student Council surveyed all the Grade 4s on a couple of questions.  They wanted to know:

A.  What charity would the Grade 4s like to support?
B.  What fundraising activity should they use to raise money?

After a secret vote (heads down, hands up), the popular choices were a pet shelter charity and an ice cream sale to raise money.

There were a lot of choices provided for charities such as cancer, hospitals, homeless people, African missions and many more.  Thinking of activities to raise money was more difficult.  Most of them had to do with food sales.

Imagine if our school raised ONE MILLION DOLLARS for charity and we were able to spend it on anything we wanted, including charities.  What would you like to see?  Would you keep it all for the school or would you donate it all to charity?  Maybe you could give half away and spend the other half on new equipment for the school?

What would you do?

~The Big Ham
BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Nicknames & Chicken Nuggets

Have you ever been called a name that wasn't your actual name?  I don't mean name calling or teasing.  I mean being called by a nickname.  Maybe it was your name, just shortened such as "Eddie" even though your full name is Edward.  Maybe your parents called you "Baby" like my parents did because I was the youngest child. 

This year I have nicknamed my class "Chicken Nuggets."  There's no special reason I chose chicken nuggets other than the fact that I really like chicken nuggets.  I guess I could have called them "Bacon Bits" since I love those too.  I'm not so sure if they like it or not but I think it makes them feel sort of special in a way.  It's kind of like our very own little secret that no other class is aware of.  They are also pleading to be called the "The Little Hams" because I'm the Big Ham.  Last year I nicknamed the class "Snozzcumbers" after a food in the novel, The BFG. 

Sometimes nicknames are unkind or just plain hurtful.  For example, let's say you're not very tall.  Some people might call you "Shorty" or "Half Pint" or "Short Stuff."  Speaking from experience, these names don't bother me personally but I can see how it could affect others.

What do you think about nicknames?  Do you have one yourself or do your parents have one for you?  What are some other names that you think I could call students in Room 14?

~The Big Ham
BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

The Last Week of School

I love and have always loved the last week of school.  My favourite part of the last week of school is that it is almost over. But I also like that we get to celebrate the end.  I would never have thought that you would get to celebrate the last day of school because we go here to learn, not to party.  I am not sure why this happens.  At my old school we always had a little party with food and a water fight.  For this year, it does not matter if we have a party but I would gladly participate if we did.  

It is nice to get a break from learning at school.  We get two months holiday and I think that’s the perfect amount of time.

What do you think about celebrating the last week of school?  Do you think we should do more or less?  What’s your favourite part of the last week of school?

~icecreamlover

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

New Principal In September

Many students were surprised and sad when they heard that our current principal was leaving and wanted to know the reason.  For the last three years, Mr. Principal has been running our school and we wish him the best of luck in his new adventure.  He will be be keeping the same role of principal but at a different and more populated school.

A couple of weeks ago, students got a short glimpse of the new principal that will be starting at our school in the fall.  She told the kids that she was very excited to be coming to work in our building and that she was looking forward to getting to know all the students in the fall.

To teachers, getting a new principal is just one of the many things that occurs in this profession.  We go with the flow and learn to adapt to new styles and processes.  I wonder if students feel the same when they see a new principal.  They have been used to how Mr. Principal ran the school and how he dealt with incidents.  How will they react to a new person, especially a woman?  Will that change their behaviour?

What advice could you give to the new principal that would help her make our school run smoothly?

~The BIG HAM
BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

K-POP

Most of you probably knew I was going to write about this, considering you know who I am. If you don’t, well then, hello! I have chosen the topic of k-pop because, well, most of you don’t know what k-pop is. For your information, k-pop is just pop with a k in front of it (not really). And, I am taking it as my job to tell you about this wonderful thing! So, settle in! Grab some popcorn, and enjoy!

K-pop originated in South Korea, the year 1992, but recently got very popular with BTS becoming the first k-pop group so far to get to go to a western award show, the BBMAS. They even won an award! (My friend bawled her eyes out and cried herself to sleep because she was so happy). It has been getting quite popular lately. They do tend to incorporate English words into their songs names and into the music nowadays, such as "I Need U", "Signal", "Would U" and much more. This might be contributing to why they are getting bigger.

In Korea, they have a much different way of doing and managing activities/jobs. Their songs have choreography, but here, it is much more uncommon. They also have a thing called Hi-Touch, or in much simpler words, a fan meet. The fans get to talk to the idol for a few minutes, get a poster or notebook signed, then move on to the next member. They do this outside, in an arena, really, anywhere. Bands tend to do this more often, and bands are MUCH more common in Korea then they are in Canada or America. Although, sometimes the fans aren’t that nice to the idols if they don’t get what they want. There have been numerous videos of the idol getting physically hurt because a fan didn’t get their way. It is quite sad.

K-pop also has these three things called visuals, maknaes, and bias. Now, I’m not completely certain if we have it here in Canada or America, but from what I’ve seen, we don’t. Visuals, or, a visual, is the beauty of a group. I’m not saying the rest are ugly, but this one represents the group, aside from the leader. And there is only one of them! The bias is your favourite one in the group, (don’t ask why you can’t just say favourite, because I don’t know). You can have as many as you want! The maknae is just the youngest basically. There is the maknae line, which are all the youngest in the group, and then the hyung line, which are the oldest in the group. One quick thing, if you stan an idol, it means you support them and like the group/idol.

Every year, all the bands get together, no matter girl or boy, and have a get together-ish. Basically me saying they get forced to have physical activity such as races and other things. But I’m sure they enjoy each other's company, maybe? ANYWAYSSSSS. All the groups have to have physical activity once a year. They do races, wrestling, archery, acrobats, high jumping, basically, an idol’s version of sports day. Except, more intense! There are levels to  it. So, for example, if you win in the match you played for wrestling, you and your band/group would go to the next round. The semi-finals. And so on. At the end of the day, you go home with the prize of feeling good? Maybe? I don’t know, I’m not an idol. (Idol, as in singer)

Everyday, people ask me why I listen to music I don’t understand, or when they hear my music, they look at me funny. Maybe because I blast it and then dance and sing like a maniac in broken Korean-NAH. On a more serious note, does it honestly matter if I listen to Korean music and don’t understand it? Maybe it’s helping me to learn the language? (Which I am trying to do). I want to ask you one thing, do I really have to understand something to think it’s beautiful?

Lastly, I will describe some of my favourite artists (As in all of them. Oh gosh) Ahhh, the one who started this mess, and the group my sister introduced me to, BTS! Or Bangtan, or Bangtan Sonyeondan, or Bulletproof Boy Scouts. The list goes on. This was the boy group I was talking about earlier! The one who won a award at the BBMAS! They are my favourite group ever, they write their own lyrics, challenge the laws of physics with their dances, and consist of seven members. :)

My second favourite at the moment is Twice. Yeah, kind of funny, you know, twice… two… second? Never mind… ANYWAYSSSS. Their songs are very catchy, great vocals, nine kind, pretty, and talented girls, they are one of the many idols I aspire to be like (along with BTS), I really look up to them.

Another one of my favourites before I go emo. Seventeen! No there are not 17 members, there are 13. Although, they were supposed to debut with 17, four of them left before they did. They are a wonderful band with a variety of personalities and characters considering how many members they have. They are over all, just a good boy group. :)

And another one! Blackpink! They are one of the newer girl group who just debuted in late 2016, with only four songs out. I love them nonetheless though! There are four members and they can all speak fluent English and Korean, but only one of them was actually born in Korea… BUT they all have Korean blood in them! Again, like BTS, they basically break the laws of gravity with their dancing! Seriously, it’s hard… They have very unique vocals and great rappers. Although they give off more of a bad girl image, they are very kind-hearted girls! :)

Got7! This is a 7 member boy group with great visuals, vocals, and rappers. They have so much attitude in them. They never give up and continue to try harder and harder everyday!:0 Well, I think I have just taught you everything you need to know to be a k-pop fan, I’ll leave you to it. Your favourite person,

~Diddley Squat

Don't You Ever Get Tired of Technology?

You know how every day we check that one device, whether it’s a phone, laptop, or any other electronic device? Don’t you ever get tired of the same old Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter? Don’t those things ever get old to you? Yeah, sometimes they can be fun, but then after a while they’re just plain boring! I mean, don’t you ever have one of those days that are just boring? And you think, hey! I’ll go on my device! And you can be on there from 30 minutes to 4 hours! But.. is it really fun? At the start, it can be really fun! But then, you start feeling tired, or you start getting headaches, and trust me, that’s not fun!

Here’s an example: It’s a beautiful day outside, and all of your friends are playing at the park, you could have a nice ride there, but there is your phone, or tablet sitting on the table. What do you choose? Go to the park and see your friends, or play on your device? I’m pretty sure it would be going to the park. And if you made a new friend and they had a phone, would you text to talk, or plan to go out somewhere to talk and have fun? Wouldn’t it be the second one? What does all this technology do to us?

I think we don’t have the same imagination anymore, and we don’t know how to talk any more. Or worse, we can’t spell words correctly because we have auto correct! I like to see friends, I like to play with friends, And I like to talk on the phone with them. Sure technology is fun sometimes, but not all the time, or every day. The motto in my house is “ Live in the moment, NOT on your electronic!”

-sillybrownie

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Camping

Finally, the warm weather is here (I think) which means it’s almost time to go camping.  I love to go camping for these three reasons: I love going to the beach, I like exploring the stores in the small towns, and I like sleeping in a tent. I'm not a big fan of the bugs.

Most of the time I get to take a friend with me.  Last year we went to the north part of Saskatchewan.  We get to sleep in a tent to ourselves and my dad gets the camper all to himself. My dad doesn't give us the chance to sleep in the camper but we don't mind because our tent is really big. You can fit six people in it.

We always bring our bikes so after supper we can go to the store for treats and go explore too.  Last year my dad bought a boat, so now we can go tubing or use the knee board we bought. I like to stay up late, sit by the the fire, and roast marshmallows.  

This year I hope we go to the same place because the lake is beautiful and the campsite is wonderful.

~kitkatsmitsmat

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Mythical Beasts

I love mythical beasts.  I got into them when my brother borrowed a book series called Beast Quest.  It’s one of my favourite book series.

Beast Quest is about a kingdom that is in trouble by an evil wizard casting spells on beasts that are supposed to help the land, but the spell makes them bad.  It has been awhile since I’ve read the first book but I think a boy has to become a knight (or something like that).  There are six beasts he needs to free, and someone will help him, but you have to read the book to find out.  You can find them at the Edmonton Public Library or at the Strathcona County library.

My favourite mythical beast is the dragon.  I don’t have a favourite type of dragon, so I read lots of dragon books.  Actually, I am only on one series and on the second book.  The series is called Wings of Fire.

I only know a few mythical beasts.  Here is a list:

- Dragon (obviously)

- Sea serpent

- Cyclops

- Abominable Snowman

- Phoenix

- Unicorn and Pegasus.

What is your favorite mythical beast?  Why? What types

of mythical beast do you know?

-puppydoggy84

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Nature

Nature is one of my favourite things.  It is just amazing how little things work.  Most people destroy forests and nature for factories, homes, commercial and lots more.  The good thing is that some people try to bring back the nature. I disagree with how people try to cut down lots of trees.  

Just think about it!   How human body works, how atoms make up everything, how even how the smallest germ can be so harmful and dangerous for a human body that is millions times bigger then the germ itself!  

It is fascinating how the Earth was created!  How a little seedling grows into a giant full grown tree. The tree lives for thousands of years! Sadly people chop down lots of trees. The good news about chopping down trees is that now people would have to pay to cut down some trees, and I totally agree with that.  

I had watched a movie once that is about a human body on Nature of Things.  I was speechless the whole time of how amazing the human body works.  One of the things I really need to tell you is that in your ear drum you have the smallest bone there!

It is even smaller than a grain of rice! (It is the Malleus, the  Incus, and the Stapes).  Without it you would not be able to hear.  Another amazing thing I learned in the movie is that you learn about one thousand words in a year!  There was a girl that knew more than fifteen languages!

Now I’m going to talk about organic foods.   My family tries to buy organic foods, uh well, only my mom.  My dad does not like to buy not all organic food because it is too expensive. We try to stay as healthy as possible.  We don’t only buy organic food, but we also grow our goods in the garden. My back yard is mostly a garden,  and I’m happy with that because I get to help my mom in the garden.  It is a good workout.  And I remember that when it is like plus thirty, I would spray myself with cold water, or go to the nearest spray park in bare feet. We even use our own composter! To not waste any food we just drop it into the compost, and it composts for a year, and it is perfect!   My mom tells me not to put wood or pine needles into the compost because in the wood and needles there is acid which is not good for the plants.  She puts compost that she buys into flowers, but not the plants that we eat because it can be harmful for our body.  With the help of our compost, the tomatoes are bigger than an adult's head, the cucumbers are fatter than a 550 page book,  there are more raspberries and the raspberries bushes grow all over the place,  and the pumpkins grow bigger then my globe!  In our yard we grow strawberries, radish, flowers, mint, catnip, sunflowers, apple trees, trees, corn, carrots,dill, onions, garlic, cabbage, zucchini, black currant, and as I listed before. (tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberry, and pumpkin).

What are you thoughts on nature?

~birdynumnum#1256

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK      

Basketball

Basketball is my favourite sport of all time.  I love basketball because I love scoring goals, playing other games such as Horse, being on defence and practicing with my brother, lay-ups and stealing the ball.  I want to get better at throwing free throws and three pointers and in general, just better at the sport.  I also want to play with new people.  

I have a basketball, but it’s really small.  I would like to own a regular size basketball but my older brother has one.

My brother is a skilled player in basketball.  He trains with his friends after school to get better.  He hopes to make it to his high school basketball team. I hope he does it but the coach pick a bad player instead of him.  I guess that player was in that school for a long time or that was his son or that kid is important.  I think my brother was way better than the kid that got picked.

What do you think about basketball?

~soldierboy

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

My Bearded Dragon

A bearded dragon is the coolest pet you can have.  You may be thinking is a bearded dragon really a dragon but it is actually a lizard.  They are called bearded dragons because when they see predators, they flare out their beards to make them look bigger.

My bearded dragon’s name is Elsa.  Yes, the same Elsa from the Disney movie, Frozen.  My cousin, who is four, named her Elsa because Frozen is her favorite movie.  She is beige and brown and she always blends in with my couch.  Not very many people call her cute but I think she is.  

We’ve had Elsa for three years and she is three or four years old.  She loves green salads and strawberries but her favorite meal is mega worms.  Mega worms are thick blue worms which we buy from the pet store.  

Elsa also loves swimming in our bathtub.  She won’t eat unless she has gone swimming first.  After she is done in the tub, she is really active.  Elsa does not like being in her cage so she stays on my older brother’s bed.  She loves getting pet under the chin.  Elsa also likes getting pet on her back but not as much.

Would you choose a reptile as a pet?  What are some pet names that are suitable for a bearded dragon?  

~freakymcgee

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Spring Break

How was your spring break?  Mine was fabulous!  I did a ton of activities.

On Tuesday I had a choice between going to the Waterpark at West Edmonton Mall, or going to see the new Power Rangers movie.  I picked the movie because I knew that I would get to go swimming later, just not at the West Edmonton Mall.  Instead I would go to Clareview Recreation Center.  What would you have chosen?

When I was thinking about it I decided to flip a coin, heads for Waterpark or tails for movie and swimming later.  This was a super hard decision to make.  If you are like me I hate picking things.  It’s like I’m scared of making the wrong choice so I say you do it.  Thinking carefully I thought, If I go to the movies I can also go swimming.  In that case I picked the movies.  

When we got there we unpacked all the treats and drinks we bought from Dollarama.  Screwing the lid off the pop, it exploded and SPLASH!   We were soaked!  It just started spraying and spraying like we were doing a funny movie.  Two teenagers behind us were laughing so hard.  I got to admit it was pretty funny.

The Power Rangers was amazing.  It is about five teenagers who fight evil people.  The yellow character was the craziest one and he fell in love with the purple one.  My favourite Power Ranger is the red one because he is the leader.  I recommend this movie because there was lots of action.

~nonameman

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Soccer

I love soccer!  It is my favourite sport because it you can spend time with people and get lots of exercise.  I play for U-10 Storm as a striker.  This position is great because it allows the player to score many goals and help the wingers.  

I play both indoor and outdoor soccer.  I like outdoor soccer better because of the technical aspects such as the corner kick and the throw-ins.  Being outdoors is more satisfying for me.  

My favourite players are Zidane, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  Zidane plays for Real Madrid and Ibrahimovic plays for Manchester United.  I like those players because Zidane is a legend and Zlatan is a crazy good player.   Lots of people say Lionel Messi is best but others say Ronaldo's better, like me.

Professional soccer is divided into leagues.  My favourite leagues are Liga League and Premier league because they have my two favourite teams. My two favourite soccer clubs are Manchester United and Real Madrid because they have my favourite players and they both have really good players.  

If you became a player of soccer in real life what would you rate your skill level from one (poor) to five (excellent)?  Mine would be a two on my less dominant foot and four on skills.

At recess my team plays a 4-2-2 formation which means there are four defenders, two midfielders and two strikers.  We play this formation because it is the most used one in soccer.

What do you think about soccer?  Do you follow professional soccer and which teams are your favourite?  Describe your soccer skills.

~Bob the Unicorn

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Cats

I love cats!  They are my favorite type of animal because they are adorable.  One behaviour I like about them is that they cuddle with you.  I always pretend to be sad so that the cat will come and cuddle with me.  

I used to have two cats that lived with us in our old house, but sadly we moved out of that house and now we don’t have them anymore.  Their names were Basely and Jack.  They were both female and one was black and white and the other one had greyish-beige fur.  Even though the cats belonged to us, my mother did not want them anymore so she gave them to our downstairs neighbours.  I did not agree with that decision because I loved those cats.  They were my companions and they licked me a lot.

I would like eighty cats because they are the cutest things in the whole world.

I don’t just like cats, I also like dogs.  For example, my mom has this for the breed of our dog -  kinghoresal.  His real name is Apollo.

~Markiplier

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Ski Day

I love when our school goes on a field trip to Snow Valley for our annual ski day.  Unfortunately, we just heard that our trip has been cancelled because it will be too cold to go.  I am really disappointed because I was looking forward to it and because my father was coming.  It has been postponed for two weeks.  Hopefully, there is still snow and that it will be warmer.

Last year on Ski Day I had a really fun time.  I liked the food there and the hill.  The lunch buffet was great because there was good food but not much variety.  We only got to go through the buffet line once but it was fine because I took enough food the first time.

Last year I almost fell off the chair lift because I was trying to touch the pole.  I'm not sure if that many people have gotten hurt there.  I’ve never gotten hurt for some reason.  I think it's fun because my parents don't take me that much because they only go to the hills that are close to my house.  Last year I lost five dollars at the hill and I never found it.

I snowboard but I also know how to ski. And I think snowboarding is better because It is harder and more fun.  I’m probably better at skiing because I have been doing it for longer.  I’ve snowboarded for three years and it is fun.  I will probably stay snowboarding.  I have skied for about five years and now I have probably forgotten how to.

~BillNyetheScienceGuy

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Technology

Technology is one of my most favourite things in the whole world.  Technology is not just about electronics, it’s also things that make your life way easier. Well, that’s what my teacher said to us in Social Studies.  Phones and other electronics are part of it too!

I’m guessing everyone has tons of technology.  For example,  do you use spoons, forks, plates, bowls, pencils and lots more other things that make your life simpler?

I use technology all the time, especially my phone. I used to play and use my computer but my dad started using it everyday, so I moved onto my phone instead.

The apps I usually play or use are Roblox, Minecraft, Musically, Youtube, Instagram and Facebook.  My favourite apps are Roblox and Youtube because Roblox has lots of great games and Youtube is where I watch wonderful videos all the time.

Technology is like my best friend because I love it so much and I use it all the time.  

Sadly, electronics cannot be brought or be played in our school because people that think it’s funny to steal other people’s belongings.   It ruined it for the people that didn’t do anything, which is ridiculous!  

I think I might be a lazy person because I always play on my phone and relax on the couch and just watch T.V. all the time instead of having a good workout.

My brother and I play video games also.  We always do it every weekend. Instead, we should probably play outside.

What do you think about electronics? Is it one of your favourite things to do? What are your favourite apps or games?

~tsumtsum

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Cup Stacking

Have you heard about cup stacking?  It is a sport that uses speed and coordination.  There are 12 cups that need to be stacked in particular combinations as fast as you can.

I love cup stacking!  I first learned it in class in Grade 5. The next day I asked my dad if he could get me them for Christmas, he said maybe. For Christmas I got a set of 12 from Amazon.  I got blue cups with a mat and a timer. For my birthday I got 12 more sparkly orange cups.  They are now my favourite to stack with.

There are three common combinations that need to be stacked.  They are the 3-3-3, the 3-6-3 and the cycle.  There is a particular order and method that needs to followed.  My record for the 3-3-3 is 3.6 seconds.  My record for the 3-6-3 is 5.4 seconds.  Last but not least, my record for the cycle is 8.7 seconds.  My favourite round to do is the cycle and my least favourite one is the 3-3-3 because it is too simple for me.  The 3-3-3 is three cups with two on the bottom and one on top - 3 stacks of 3.

In my class I am the fastest at the 3-6-3 because no one else in the class knows how to do the cycle. We haven’t learned the cycle in class yet. The only other person in the class who knows how is kitkatsmitsmat because I taught her how to do it at our sleep-over.

Do you like cup stacking?  Do you have or want a set of your own?

~purple tacos

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Valentine's Day Cards

Valentine's Day is fast approaching.  In fact, it is a week from today.  Many students have asked whether we are setting aside some time to have a Valentine's Day party as this is what they have been used to in the past.  Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, we will not be setting aside a specific time to throw a party.

Others have inquired as to whether they can hand out Valentine's Day cards.  Students are allowed to give Valentine's to their classmates and friends, should they wish to do so.  Inevitably, the next question that arises is whether it is necessary to hand out to all the students in the class.

On this topic, I take the same stance that I have maintained throughout my years of teaching.  If you feel that everybody in your class needs to get a Valentine, then feel free to do so.  However, I have never said you have to give to everyone in your class.  I feel that you are now old enough to make your own decisions in that regard.  Think of it like this:  if you throw a birthday party, are you going to invite everyone in the class?  Do you play with all your classmates all the time during recesses?

Some say that it is mean to leave someone out, especially for something little like a Valentine's Day sentiment.  Here's the other side to that statement:  if you don't get one from anybody, what might that say about you as a person?  You might have to take a look at yourself and your own behaviour if people are choosing not to give you something.

Luckily, there are many kind-hearted souls out there who always focus on the good in everybody.

What are your thoughts about Valentine's Day?  Does everybody need to get a card?  Are you making a statement if you only give a card out to certain people?

~The BIG HAM
SUBSTITUTE BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Friendship

I love all of my friends, especially tsum tsum.  She is my best friend, and the first time I met her I thought that she was the perfect friend.  She made me happy when I am sad.  I make her happy when she’s sad.  We always have fights but we’re still best friends.

The first time I met her I wanted to be her friend, and I did not know that she was a Filipino.  That made me happy because at least I have one classmate that is a Filipino.  I met my friend, thing1, and I asked her if she was a Filipino, and she said that she is too.  That made me more happy so then me and tsumtsum became really close friends.

Since its almost tsumtsum’s birthday I really want to give her the best gift ever but I don't know if I will but I hope so.  

Tsumtsum became my best friend and I did not know that it would turn out like that but actually thing1 and I became friends too.

Do you have any best friends and if you do you are lucky to have a friend like her or him.

~puppylover

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Sleeping

One of my favourite activities is sleeping.  I sleep at any time of the day.  I don’t have a set bedtime but I sleep until I have to get up at 6:45 a.m.

The reason I like sleeping is because you do not have to do chores or do anything.  You also do not have to listen to your mom and dad.  Sleeping is also fun because you have dreams but for me I don’t even get dreams.  I also like sleeping because then for once in my day I get to relax.

I also do not like sleeping because then you cannot play video games and you cannot eat food.  I also do not like sleeping because then I can’t beat up my brother and sister for fun.  I also don’t like sitting on my bed because it feels like a rock.

Here is the last thing why I like sleeping because then I don’t get in trouble and I get to stay up three hours later so I can watch a movie.

-thedumbcow

BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Birthday Celebrations at School

So far this year our class has had about ten birthdays.  For about six of them, parents have sent their child with a treat for the class, usually cupcakes or cake.  Most of the students really appreciate this kind gesture that allows them to celebrate with their classmates.

I remember when I was a student in Grades 4 or 5, that I never celebrated my birthday at school because it always fell around the Thanksgiving holiday.  We were usually on a break and I don't remember getting acknowledged for even having a birthday at school.  I don't remember students actually being allowed to bring treats when it was their birthday.  Me, being someone who is pretty low-key - that is, I don't usually like being singled out, didn't mind that nobody knew when it was my birthday.  

It seems like now, having a small celebration in class is normal, or even expected.  There really is no written rule about how students want to celebrate their birthdays when it falls on a school day.  Some parents email me ahead of time and ask if it is okay to have a treat and other students just bring something on that day.  There are also some students that do not bring anything at all, and that's okay too.

What are your thoughts about in-school birthday celebrations?  Do you just like to get treats, no matter what the occasion?

How about the students whose birthdays fall during summer break?  Do you feel sorry for them that they do not get a chance to celebrate in school?

~The BIG HAM

MAKE-UP BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

Indoor Recesses

The Edmonton Public School Board has a policy where outdoor recess is cancelled when there is inclement weather.  Here is the Board policy as stated on their website:

RECESS IN BAD WEATHER

Recess is an important break from the regular school routine, and gives students a chance to get fresh air and exercise. Schools will continue to have morning and afternoon recess breaks, even in bad weather so students should dress appropriately.

Students will only be kept inside during recess if:

• it is raining heavily,
• temperatures drop to -23 degrees Celsius

For a couple of weeks in December and through the first few days of this week, students have had to stay indoors yet again, because the windchill is greater than -23 degrees Celsius.

A lot of students enjoy staying inside for recess for a number of reasons.  Some say it is tedious to get your winter gear on, some just do not like going outside and others do not have the proper winter gear to stay warm.  

Although I admit that it is cold outside if one is not dressed properly, I also think that elementary students need the fresh air.  Like our school secretary always says, by the time you get your winter gear on, it is really only five to eight minutes outside.  If I could, I would take my class out for some fresh air, even during really cold weather.

It looks like the school board cancels recess when it is raining heavily, also.  Although I understand that kids will get wet and it is uncomfortable to be in wet clothes, keep in mind that our previous principal used to say that the kids won't dissolve because they are not made of sugar.

What are your thoughts on indoor recesses?  Do you think the school board should change their policies?

~The BIG HAM
BLOGGER OF THE WEEK