Sunday, March 29, 2015

My Grade 3 class on CBC TV 6pm news!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/dalhousie-elementary-students-asked-how-to-solve-shaganappi-bridge-problem-1.2988382







Dalhousie Elementary students asked how to solve Shaganappi bridge problem

Flawed $5.9M pedestrian bridge has been sitting on the side of the road since January

CBC News Posted: Mar 10, 2015 7:53 AM MT Last Updated: Mar 10, 2015 11:25 AM MT

City officials say the case of the pesky pedestrian bridge whose span didn't join up properly with its supports has been solved.
While trying to install the bridge over Shaganappi Trail, engineers discovered the pieces were 11 cm shy of aligning. The bridge has been sitting on the side of the road since January.
On Tuesday city officials announced the alignment issue had been fixed and that the bridge will be put in place on Saturday night. 
In the meantime, Dalhousie Elementary teacher Steve Tober had turned the conundrum into a real-world lesson for his Grade 3 students. He assigned them to come up with their own engineering solutions to the problem.
"It's in their community, they see this sitting there all the time. The more connections we can make to their lives, the more meaningful the learning is to them," Tober said.
Breanna Vickovic and her team added a block of styrofoam in order to make the bridge and supports fit together.
"I think it's going really well and we are going to make good progress," she said.
Tayte Bilton and her group believe the solution is to add more metal to either side of the bridge.
"To fix the bridge we should add 11 cm to the metal part of the bridge, so instead of adding 11 cm to one side, cause it would be lopsided, we add 5 cm to one and 6 cm to the other so then it won't be as lopsided," she said.
But some of the kids, like Marcos Figuearo, question whether a bridge is even necessary.
"Why would they build a bridge when there's a crosswalk nearby?" he said.
He believes the $5.9 million could have been better spent.
"We could make a school for another million," he said. "You could also build houses for the homeless."
Figuearo's team suggested just designing a new sidewalk up to the crosswalk.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Carla's 2nd day skiing

Who needs lessons?  Just set them free and look what they can do on their own.  OK...with a few pointers  from dad.  (That's Ramon with her)

Ski bums


Carla Goose and her first day on skis.  She rode the magic carpet about 10 times and then wanted to go up the chairlift.....and never looked back....parallel turns by the end of the day!  This is Canada Olympic Park.  $20 for a lift ticket is a great bargain and no need to drive out to the mountains.


Proud brother.  He now has someone to ski with.  He'd skied twice already and I was thinking of waiting until next year for Carla.  Ramon has now been 5 times and Carla 3.

Great form....knees over toes, arms forward

Big half pipe on the right and ski jumps ahead.....we stayed away from that side of the hill!




Ramon heading down the steepest bit

More great form!  That's my girl!

Nap time


On her second day a week later, they were going up the high speed quad on their own.





Calgary Hitmen vs Red Deer Rebels at the empty Saddledome.

Ramon riding trails on Nose Hill Park.


Chef Carla.  She loves Brussel sprouts


What's this?

Seeing more of these Little Free Libraries popping up around Calgary.  Great idea!

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Carla's music concert at Thorncliff school.  Front row, second from RHS

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Life with kids....

yum.  We love Pho


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Carla skating at Olympic Plaza



Flowers for Grandma Lori

Puzzle time with Grandma Lori





Ramon 4th by a hair

1st what else?  In Vernon BC





Watching their pizza cook

Veggie pepperoni

Canada Olympic Park.  Ramon's 2nd day skiing...a the end of the day he was going up the high speed quad on his own.

Should be skiing the mountains in the background.

COP ....a pimple of a hill....good enuf for Ramon at this stage.


Down the half pipe


Skating at Bowness Lagoon.





Girls playing in the mud.  Debbie and Maria.  Fish Creek XC





Ramon kicking at the finish.






February in Cowtown