I have been having the most fun imaginable in the past month or so since I introduced Sport Stacking to Clyde River. As a recent arrival at the school cup stacking has been a great tool for connecting with the kids. This is a sport for kids (and adults) of every age. It doesn't require athletic prowess, or language (most kids here speak a limited amount of English) and it certainly breaks down cultural barriers. Our wheelchair-bound student can stack with one hand. Sport stacking started in the 1980's in (where else?) California. A very simple premise (stacking and unstacking plastic cups) with lots of complicated twists - the number of cups used, the sequence they are stacked in, competitive timing - and lots of fun. There are tournaments all over the world. So, also a great way for remote kids to connect with other kids in the world. Crystal (grade 7) has really take an interest in this and she has been working with her kids on a really neat rhythm circle using the cups. The sport has all kinds of benefits (hand-eye coordination, using both right and left brain, engaging at-risk kids in a fun activity they can share with adults). This is a K-12 school and all grades have gone absolutely CRAZY over it. All over the community I hear them calling out "Deborah, can we play speed stacks?" We are going to have to order lots more equipment. One of our local RCMP officers dropped by a couple of times and had a great time stacking with the kids. On Friday we launched a positive participation program which began with an assembly and school-wide Sport Stacking competition. Kids got to choose which staff member they wanted to challenge. It was such a great event. Everybody left smiling and laughing, and of course the kids got the best timing score. I have never seen that many kids of so many different ages so engaged. We are planning tournaments in the school and it would be great if other Nunavut schools would let us know if they are already Sport Stacking or if we could help them get started. As I write this there are high school students practicing in my class (which has become Sport Stack Central). By the way, it is a noisy sport.
Grade 3 challenge
Grade 4 building a pyramid which they will attempt to systematically down-stack.
Grade 7 (Andy from this class was the fastest stacker at our school-wide challenge)
On another note, I received two calls about polar bears in the community over the weekend. On Saturday morning it was a warning call from the vice-principal telling me that a bear had been spotted close to my house. On Sunday afternoon the principal called to tell me that there was a bear near the oil tanks and that there were hunters in the area so it was safe to go look. So, five teachers armed with cameras arrived, only to find that the hunters had chased the bear way with skidoos. It is dark in the morning when I go to school so I am sticking close to the houses as I walk.
No polar bear to photograph on Sunday, but used the telephoto lens for this instead. Late afternoon sunset behind the mountains.
No polar bear to photograph on Sunday, but used the telephoto lens for this instead. Late afternoon sunset behind the mountains.
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