We Are Colour Designers!

Today students were "colour designers" and created their own colour palettes like you would find in a paint store, using the colours they created last week.  This task took a lot of decision making.  They needed to select 4-6 harmonious colours from a large selection.  They had to determine which were the best shades, they needed to choose colours of different values and ones that weren't `too' similar. Then the students arranged them from lightest to darkest and gave them interesting names.  Students first brainstormed things, emotions, seasons and describing words that fit their chosen colour.  Many students felt that green and blue made them feel calm.  A lot of student felt red was an intense, exciting and sometimes angry colour (someone noted that that is probably why we name the "red zone" the way we do!) . Many children practiced using alliteration (both words starting with same letter....ie. Soothing Seas or Radical Ruby) and most added some descriptive words or action words.

This afternoon we explored how humans survive the colder, darker weather as winter approaches. Children brainstormed in small groups, we looked at pictures and we compared strategies of  Early People and Modern People in a T-chart. 

At home:  Talk with your child
Find out how your house is kept warm in winter.  Look at the furnace. How does the heat get distributed around the house?  Does it have insulation?  Do you weather proof the windows?  Do you have storm doors?  A fireplace?  Do you used different bedclothes and pjs in the winter?

How do you get food in winter?  Do you store garden food in a freezer?  Do you have cans and boxes of non-perishables?  Look in your fridge at produce.  See if any of your food comes from places that have warmer climates.  We predicted that people will find food like spinach, strawberries, bananas and oranges have labels that say product of California, Mexico or other warmer countries.  See if you have any food that is made here in a hydroponic factory. 

A possible conversation starter:

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/grow-calgary-donations-food-vegetables-women-s-shelter-hydroponic-gardening-1.3992329

This website talks about how Grow Calgary, an organization that helps people in need, by growing food.  Growing food here takes a lot of electricity to run the lamps, but saves the pollution created by transporting food long distances.  Have a discussion about how we get our food!