The students looked at the crime scene in the classroom at Ecole John Wilson Elementary School.
“Can you get a fingerprint from a cigarette?” a young voice chirped out.
Innisfail RCMP Const. Chris Lavery began to teach his small class of 10 students about the science behind forensic investigations as the students listened raptly.
Ecole John Wilson Elementary School held its Multiple Intelligence Day on April 3 for the entire school, encompassing 25 classrooms and scores of parent and community volunteers.
“We do this every year,” said Corinne Jewel, longtime organizer of the educational day. “To help children develop their natural intelligences, we offer a variety of optional topics they can learn about. We have art classes, drama classes, business options, board game rooms, Lego and Kinex centres, sock monster creating, math classes and computer based activities. There is something for every interest.”
Jewel was teaching her class the fine art of building birdhouses with materials her husband cut up for her students.
“We have to make sure the edges of the wood are smooth so the birds don't cut themselves,” she said to the students before demonstrating proper sanding technique.
Jewel went on to explain she works for about two months to organize volunteers, topics, sending out registrations to parents, and scheduling the sessions but she mostly enjoys watching the kids learn new skills.
Children around the school were absorbed in their chosen options.
Miranda Felice and her Grade 2 seven-year-old son, Aiden, played Guess Who in the board game room while around them games of checkers, cards, and Cranium went on.
“Days like this allow me to spend time at school with my son,” said Miranda, while she flipped down everyone with a moustache.
Her son Aiden smiled as he added, “This is fun.”
In the library, nine girls and one boy learned Yoga For Kids.
Grade 1 student Eva Scott said she liked learning new poses, adding her favourite was The Tree.
Eight-year-old Elizabeth Vickers tried turning her friend Gracie Kirchner into a frog in the Wand class.
In the Sock Monster room, children turned stockings into monsters complete with eyes, mouths, hairpieces, and stuffing. Seven-year-old Brodie Walters created a four-eye, two-mouth monsterpiece and enthusiastically showed it off to his classmates.
Teacher Charlotte Sparrow taught her small class of seven girls the delicate art of Pysanka, or Ukrainian Easter Eggs, as it is commonly known.
“We are doing two eggs,” said Sparrow. “The first one will be a practice one, and the second will be our best one.”
Her students applied layers of molten wax to the eggs carefully, and learned an appreciation of the craft of creating Pysanka.
“We even have a session we call Dragon's Den,” said Jewel. “A local bank is helping our kids write business plans for a fundraiser. Our budding business- minded kids have signed up for that session.”
Jewel added Multiple Intelligence Day helps kids strengthen their natural abilities regular schoolwork does not address and gives them the opportunity to try something different.
“It's always rewarding to see how our students respond to activities they sign up for,” said Jewel.
