Day 4 - School day

Hello friends!

Today was the third day at Guimarâes school and I started the day with a nice surprise during my breakfast. I tried the 'Pastel de nata' typical from here. You know how I like eating so...I repeat twice 🙈

Later, we went directly to the Primary school to see the fourth grade students. Susana came with us to show us the school where she studied when she was a child. How nice she is!!!

As soon as we arrived we sat at the table and all the children sat in front of us.

Children and I started by explaining why we were doing this project and the importance of water.

 

Then they asked us many questions such as why do we have to recycle

and we replied that we had to recycle to reuse everything and not pollute.

Later we asked them things and they told us that they had many garbage cans such as bins to recycle batteries, plastic, cardboard and a ‘compostela’. At the end we all took a photo.

Once we finished we walked to the other school. Upon arrival students have played a puzzle on a giant screen. Meanwhile, the others and I have opened their minds, creating lego figures, and playing with those robots that were already made, that worked with the sun, trough the solar panels.

Another interesting thing that we did today, and that I am going to tell you right now, is to watch and listen a presentation about water and the living beings that take place in in it, like plants, insects or animals made by two investigators of Laboratorio da Paisagem from Guimarâes.

The first thing that they told us was the amount of water there is on the Earth, and it was amazing! 70% of the Earth is water! Although, only 2,5% is sweet water, and 2% of it is frozen in the Antarctic. Did you know that?

Later, they presented for us the types of species of birds, like the ‘Guarda rio’ and the ‘Garza cinza’, insects like ‘alfaiate’ and ‘libelula anelada’, mammals such as ‘lontra’ or ‘toupeira de água’, fishes as for example the ‘barbo do norte’ and the ‘truta comun’ and finally, they talked about reptiles such as ‘lagarto de água’ and ‘Cobra de agua de colar’.

After that, we started to experiment. To do that we made two groups. In one of them we had to smell three bottles blindly and guess which one was pure and potable water. Then, we saw in one bottle there was dirty water (with land in it), in another there was water with soap, and the last one there was the water clean.

The other group saw some dead animals that used to live in or near water. We used the microscope to do so.

It’s the first time that I looked through it. I enjoyed it very much!

From this class, I received a present from a wonderful 'minina' called Matilda. She made a copy of me perfectly. Don't you think so? She also coloured the letters of my name in the colours of the Portuguese flag. I'm in love with it! 

After lunch, we attended the music class and we learned more about Portugal knowing what part the instruments are from. Although we have also seen Spanish instruments like the castanets, which were played by the teacher Paqui very well. Then, we played some Spanish songs using our hands and feet. It was very cool! Teachers danced while we played. After classes, we have the answers to these questions. Can you answer them? 

-Do you know how many archipielagos Portugal has?

-What is the best known instrument of Madeira?

-How do you write ñ in Portugal?

To end the day we had the Physical Education class with students from 6th, 7th and 8th grade at the gym. They had some traditional games prepared for us: jump the comb, pull the rope, pull hops, sacks race and bottle cap game. I played all..... the games and I got exhausted!

But a had energy for one more last game. We went outside and played a game called 'Maia'. I saw that you had two iron heavy circles and some sticks on the ground. It played in teams and you have to throw the circles to put the stick down or close to it to win points. I didn't win cause my arm and hand is small but I have a lot of fun!

Finally, we end this special day with a lovely dinner in the company of Susana and her family. We don't have words to thank them everything is doing for us. 

Muito obrigado!