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Summer Fun at the Lake

3/12/2018

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Many summer days were spent at Sasamat Lake. We hiked, swam, played games and saw lots of cool bugs and plants.
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Summertime Shenanigans

3/12/2018

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The kids at Block 8 kicked off the summer with a fantastic afternoon hanging out with an Aboriginal Youth Group at the Port Moody Art Centre. They learned lots of new games and tricks and topped off the day with a kids-against-grown-ups Tug of War!
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What Causes Bridges to Collapse?

4/11/2017

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Learning Which Shapes are Strong

​A lesson in engineering.  Using popsicle sticks and glue, teams designed and built bridges that were entered in the APEG BC (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC) competition at Douglas College over the weekend.  

​The students learned that triangles are stronger than other shapes, and that challenging your design is the way to make advancements in the design.  
Each bridge was loaded with a rig that measured the number of newtons of pressure that could be applied to the bridge deck before collapsing.  Students then had feedback on how their design could have been stronger.  

​Tips included narrowing the width of the bridge, changing the orientation of the sticks on the bridge deck, mounting the bridge decks through the triangle of the truss, and using more glue!!

Sampling of Bridges at the Competition

Lessons
  • Engineering is a process, where you build things then see how much they can sustain.  
  • Destroying your creation is part of engineering, as you measure how much it withstands, and learn from it, in the process of destroying it.

  • In general, the sides of our bridges were very strong.  The triangle design was good. The bridge decks were the points of failure.
  • Some factors that break structures are weight, moisture, temperature, wind, gravity ...
  • In this case, we applied direct pressure to the bridges to see each one's 'point of failure'.  This is the spot with the greatest weakness toward the pressure.
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For the Love of Music!

11/21/2016

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On Friday afternoons, we focus on music.  Miss Cindy, a BC certified music teacher who is known for her innovative techniques of combining games and stories to teach children music, leads the charge. Cindy has her ARCT from the Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music and uses Orff and Kodaly methodologies combined with folk songs to engage and inspire the children.

Miss Cindy brings a wide variety of instruments from xylophones to gongs, guiros to glockenspiels. The children learn to appreciate and respect the instruments and treat them not as toys, but as mediums for expression and learning. Basic theory and principles are taught through rhythm while the children are encouraged to create their own sounds, songs and musical games. 


Through the music program, the children are exposed to different cultures and sounds; they gain confidence and control while learning to work not only as a team but also in positions of leadership. 
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A Pro D day at Mossom Creek Hatchery

11/21/2016

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The children of Block 8 Academy spent a beautiful, chilly November afternoon at the Mossom Creek Hatchery in Port Moody. There, they were given an extensive (but fun!) educational tour of the facility while they learned about the lifecycle of various species of salmon.  

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​They also got their hands dirty digging up and learning about the creepy, crawly, creatures that live in our own backyards.
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Super Spooky Halloween Fun!

11/6/2016

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Here are a few pictures from our super spooky Halloween fun! The children had fun playing team-building games, learning new Halloween songs and creating fun monster art! 
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An Artsy Afternoon

11/4/2016

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One of our favourite features of Block 8 Academy is having an in-house art gallery for the children to explore. During the month of October the Port Moody Art Centre Art Gallery hosted the "Art 4 Life" exhibit.
From the Art Centre Website: "This multimedia exhibition features work by professional visual, performing and literary artists. It is designed to teach, inspire and engage young people, as well as raising opportunities for active participation, discussion, cultural awareness and lessons on art appreciation. The benefits of an arts education affect every area of life and we want it to be a lifelong journey."
The children of Block 8  were invited by the gallery director for a private tour of the Art 4 Life exhibition. During the tour, the children were shown paintings, puppets, collages and many more fun and interesting  works of art created by adults and youth. 


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​One of the highlights of the exhibit was from Coquitlam artist, Ahmad Reza. Ahmad and his family fled from the Taliban in Afghanistan in the late 1990s and he now uses a canvases and oil paints to express a message of hope.
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The children then had an opportunity to experience some interactive pieces and show off their own ideas and artistry. They were also invited to choose which piece they found the most inspiring. 

Sneak Peak!

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​The children of the Block 8 Academy Entrepreneurship Program have been working very hard on their own art projects!
​Stay tuned for more exciting details! 



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An afternoon of compassion

10/17/2016

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On Monday, October 17th, Block 8 Academy checked out the Compassion Experience in Burnaby. The Compassion Experience is a traveling exhibition that profiles the lives of children living in extreme poverty.

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​The Compassion Experience is an immersive exhibit that allowed the children to experience other cultures. As they walked through the exhibit they learned of Yannely and Jonathan who are both from the Dominican Republic. They saw and heard how extreme poverty, sickness and poor education could stifle their dreams.

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​The children of Block 8 then learned how those children used their strength and creativity to change their lives and the lives of their communities for the better. It was an eye opening and inspiring experience!

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A New School Year - New Friendships

9/15/2016

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Tag You're It!  (Monday night Outdoor Science)

9/12/2016

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The day started off with a fun game of 'tail tag'
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Then onto Kyle Park, where Miss Cindy leads a nature lesson on native plants - ones found right in your own backyard! 
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And then a scavenger hunt looking for things in nature ... a blooming flower, something shiny, a beautiful bug, something gross (most found slugs), a rockin’rock, a lovely looking leaf...

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    This blog tracks recent highlights from Block 8 Academy.  It includes events that occurred during care time as well as special events attended by students and their families. 

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  • Home
  • Daycare
  • School Age Care
    • Info & Calendar
    • Hours & Info >
      • Academy Hours
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  • Entrepreneurs
  • Block 8 Children's Society
  • Facility Rentals
  • We're Hiring!