After our field trip today, students collaborated their ideas and shared things they learned at the Legislative Building!  Each group described a different story or the new information they learned during our visit.

Thanks again to the volunteer drivers who joined us for the day!

The Thomas Kelly Story

This is the current day 'Kelly House'.

"When the Legislative Building was being built, Thomas Kelly started stealing the materials because he was jealous.  He wanted to put them in his own house.  He didn't get caught for 2 years.  He stole 7 very large and obvious objects.  The pillars.  And he put them on the deck at the front of his house. And then he got caught.  He was supposed to pay $1 000 000 but he paid $30 000.  So he went to jail for 2 years.  Then he got sent to the U.S.A."

Mani and Toba

"The Legislative Building ordered two bronze bison when they were still working on the building.  It took a very long time to make.  The staff decided to put them on marble blocks through the skylight, because they would not fit through the door.  But once the bison statues arrived, the skylight was already filled in.  They decided to drag it through the dirt ground but they had already installed the marble.  They finally had a great plan.  They waited until the winter came and the river behind the building froze.  When it finally did, they cut ice blocks out and hoisted the bison on the ice.  They slid them to the marble platforms and waited for the ice to melt.  It finally did and they haven't moved since.  They are sitting there right now still and their names are Mani and Toba because they are in Manitoba."

Question Period

We received a seating plan during Question Period so we could identify those who were speaking.

"We listened to the Question Period at the Legislative Building.  A guy brought in the gold mace.   Everyone was shouting and clapping.  They were banging on their desks and arguing.  The speaker was trying to quiet people down.  The speaker was sitting in a big chair.  We were sitting higher than everybody else in big comfy seats next to a gold railing [in the balcony]."  Although it was hard to hear what everyone was saying, students were excited to see politics in action!

Fancy Clothes

Our classroom 'speaker' in his formal attire.

Students made very impressive ties to wear during the meeting.

"All the MLAs have to wear ties during meetings to look fancy and formal.  The speaker was wearing a white tie and a black hat with a black cloak."  

How a bill becomes a law

"A bill is a new idea that people want to become a law.  They have a bill number and title.  They have reasons why we need this law.  They also need to say how much money it will take.  Also, they have rules to enforce the law and a time when they want this [bill] to become a law."

"We learned how to fill out a bill in the Legislative Building and then make it into a law.  We put on our bill that we should have a skating rink at school and have a roller coaster on the roof of the school."  

Students discussing how to write up their bill.

Presenting the "$10 Act", whereby I give the students $10 for giving a
 correct answer (and then probably get 3 side jobs so I can afford to pay them!).

Presenting the "Rec. Room with Water Fountain Selection Act",

 that describes how schools should install water fountains with different drink options.