Hello Summer Holidays!

Yet another school year came to an end on Saturday, June 2nd at Cygnaeus School. The promotion ceremony for the sixth graders started with a polished Polonaise procession that began at the back of the gymnasium and proceeded to the stands in the front of the gym. Sadly, this blogger somehow managed to miss filming the entire procession by not properly pressing the “start” button. The student body sang the Jäähyväiset (Turvallista Matka) /Farewell (Have a Safe Journey) song to the sixth graders . The chorus of the song goes, “Turvallista matkaa me toivotamme näin, On aika purjeet nostaa ylöspäin, Turvallista matkaa aalloilla elämän, kanssa hyvän ystävän.” A rough translation would be, We hope you have a safe journey. It is time to raise the sails. Have a safe journey on the waves of life. May a good friend be with you. There were several sixth graders who were moved to wipe away a tear or two as they were serenaded.

The sixth grade music class sang a Finnish version of “My Favourite Things” from The Sound of Music.  English Class sixth grader Ananya read a poem she wrote about her memories of years at Cygnaeus School. Acting school head Jenni Saarinen made a short speech and announced the recipients of awards from fifth and sixth grade classes. Everyone sang what is for many, their favourite song, Suvivirsi/Hymn to Summer. The programme ended with the sixth graders receiving roses and walking along an aisle lined with second graders.

 

 

We wish all of the readers of our blog a joyous summer. School begins again on Wednesday, August 10th at 9 am.

“One benefit of summer is that each day we have more light to read by.” ~Jeanette Walls

Stipend Awards for the 2017-18 School Year

Today, on Friday the 1st of June, English Class teachers rewarded one pupil from each English Class grade level with a stipend of a gift certificate card to a local bookstore. The English Class Parents Association funds these stipends. Criteria for receiving a reward are overall good citizenship, that the pupil be positive, helpful, well mannered and is an overall good classmate. This year’s recipients are Roosa Joutsi from 6EN, Tiira Lampisuo from 5EN, Benjamin Aapa from 4EN, Kiira Saarinen from 3EN, Jenni Oksa from 2EN and Nelli Kukko from 1 EN. We heartily congratulate each and every one!

Evening School for the Third Graders

As if there hasn’t been enough going on, English Class third graders and their teacher, Ms. Kati, packed yet another activity into their busy, busy last week of school.  On Wednesday evening pupils spent several extra hours at school. They played some “Minute to Win it” games, they played outside and they ordered in pizza.

They also had a terrific time working with a partner building structures with spaghetti and marshmallows. School just doesn’t get much better than this! Ask any English Class third grader!

Adventures at the Pori Art Museum

On Tuesday of this week English Class third graders visited the Pori Art Museum, as did the English Class second graders earlier in the day. The guide at the art museum skillfully told the pupils about the exhibits. The pupils admired the large drawn on-site 13 x 2.5 m charcoal mural done by the Columbian artist, Marcos Ávila Forero. He used the charred barrels of wooden guns as his drawing medium for the museum’s white walls. The chldren also were in awe of the installation comprised of wooden pallets and sawdust. The pallets the artist sawed created a negative image of the cutout design in sawdust on the floor.

Pupils were able to explore the Open Storage exhibit and see how the museum keeps and accesses its art collection. The ceramic sculpture by Kerttu Horila, called Yllin kyllin / Enough and More, made the children think of an Astrid Lindgren book where the head of a home for the old and infirmed takes all the donated food for himself and then eats it all.

The video installations fascinated the children. Art and technology blend together. The artists use the electronic symbol as an artistic medium. The field trip ended with the pupils entering the Creative Zone of the museum where they created artwork of their own. It was a field trip that will stay with the pupils for a long time to come.

Recipe for a Perfect Class Trip

Take a heaping cup of sunshine. Blend with wonderfully warm temperatures. Mix together with a class of enthusiastic English Class first graders and a class of positive, energetic second graders. Make it all happen in a historical park along the rocky shores of the island of Reposaari under the watchful eyes of Ms. Tellervo, Ms. Leena and Ms. Male. Add a tasty lunch at a local gastropub and you will find yourself with a recipe for a perfectly perfect class trip!

On Wednesday of this week both the English Class first and second graders visited Linnakepuisto/ Pori Fortress Defense Park/Fort Park on the island of Reposaari. The children explored the bunkers and trenches of the fort and then they played on the rocky seashore. They enjoyed a delicious lunch of meatballs, chips and fresh carrot sticks a local gastropub. Eating out on the terrace was a treat that both children and adults enjoyed and appreciated greatly. It couldn’t have been a more enjoyable day!

Visit to Keski-porin kirkko / Pori Central Church

To wind up their religious classes for the school year, English Class second graders, together with English Class fourth graders, took a field trip to Keski-porin/Pori Central Church. It was quite an experience for the children to be able to explore the empty church close up. A sexton acted as a guide for the children and gave a short history of the Neo-Gothic brick built church with its unique wrought iron steeple. The children actively posed questions for their guide. Some of the questions were even challenging for the sexton to answer.

Then the second and fourth graders were allowed to go upstairs to see the recently acquired organ, among other things.  They also were able to visit the vestry or sacristy where the priest/pastor prepares for services, and where church clothing or vestments and articles of worship are kept.  The various vestments for different times of the year, along with the church safe, were of particular interest to the pupils.

Experiential Math Station: Ending on a Sweet Note

The last math station session of the school year for English Class first graders was quite special. Ms. Tellervo set up a candy factory packing department in the classroom. The first graders needed to count out and weigh the sweets. It was good practice in estimating. In the next lesson Ms. Tellervo acted as the candy shopkeeper. Pupils were given a certain amount of play money with which they could buy candy. When making purchases, the children had to figure out the amount of money they would receive as change. Far and away the very best bit was when the class could eat their sweets while watching a film.