Update February 26th — End of Migration Unit

Hello Everyone!

Thank you to all of the parents who came with us on the snow adventure field trip to Britannia Mines! We couldn’t do it without your support. We also want to thank the Suncrest PAC and Britannia Mines, as both provided financial help for us to do the trip.

The field trip marked the beginning of a new unit, but before we move on, we have some projects to finish!

  • Monday we have a unit quiz, which will be done online.
  • Everyone has memorized their character speech and will turn it in to Ms. D. We will finish costumes and props and then present our speeches as a group.
  • We are making a puppet pals presentation on a migratory animal. If your storyboard is complete, you can move on to making the presentation Monday.
  • We are working on our tiny house for math. If your rough draft is done, you can get the materials to start building the house on Monday!
  • We will spend time working on a French dialogue this week to say aloud with a partner.

Then, we will move on to our next units on Getting Our Needs and Wants Met!

Unit Focus Statement:  Humans create a variety of systems and tools to get their needs and wants met.

Areas of Inquiry:

  • Understanding Needs versus Wants
  • Systems we create to get our needs and wants met
  • Government systems 
  • Our use and management of natural resources (renewable/non-renewable)
  • How we use scientific information to get our needs and wants met (Identifying Rocks and Minerals, Geology, Geography, Chemistry, Elements)
  • Basics of economics and trade here and around the world
  • Math: Where’s the Money? Financial Literacy, Division, Excel, Spreadsheets
  • French: Using French language to talk about what we have or don’t have
  • Core Competency Focus: Critical Thinking

I look forward to posting some new pictures from our last two units in coming posts!

Also, please note:

Division 5 does not have student led conferences this week. We will have our conferences on April 11th between 3-7PM. I will send home a letter after the break to sign up for specific times. Please mark the date. Thank you!

Even though we do not have student led conferences this week, students are still having an early dismissal at 2PM Wednesday February 28th, and a late start of 9:55 AM on Thursday March 1st.

Thank you,

Ms. D

 

Unit Wrapping Up, Project Deadlines!

Project Work & Deadlines:

  • ​Unit:  We are finishing our migration unit. A unit quiz is on Monday. All unit work needs to be turned in next week for those who have missing assignments. Our next unit will be posted on the blog, and we are starting with the excitement of a field trip this Friday!
  • Math: We are working on building a tiny house model! Rough drafts are done by end of day today, and I will hand out final materials to build on Monday. If anyone is not done with their rough draft, make sure it is all done for Monday so you can get started. Final house due Friday March 2nd. We have a short math quiz on Friday, with review happening about multiplication, area, etc. during the week.
  • Science: By end of day today, research on a migratory animal is complete. You have started storyboards on long paper to make a Puppet Pals presentation about the animal. Finish the storyboard for Monday so you can start with the tech part!
  • History Character Presentation: Students have completed their character speeches. Print a copy for me AND ALSO Please turn them in to me using this link. By Monday, speeches are memorized. Gather props and costumes at home and presentations will happen late next week on Thursday/Friday.
  • French: Today we had time to review vocabulary for creating a short dialogue between a person and a customs officer. This will be written and presented (not memorized) over the next week.
  • Debates:​ If you haven’t debated yet, you will soon as we are finishing up our round one debates! If you have debated, make sure you filled out a debate rubric for your performance AND turned in your evidence for Ms. D to see. Print a copy of your speech for me AND ALSO All debate speeches can be submitted via this link.
  • Book Fair Next Week: Don’t forget to fill out a ballot for the book fair! It makes us eligible for the draw for $50 worth of books! 

Migration, Climate Change, Adaptation, and Evolution Discussion

Hello Everyone,

As we continue to talk about the animals you have chosen, the biomes they live in, and their migration routes, we will discuss the following questions:

  1. How are animal migratory routes impacted by human activity and climate change?
  2. What kind of adaptations does the animal have to survive in their biome and to get the food they need?
  3. What is evolution and how is it different from adaptation?

I have posted some new videos to consider as you think about this, below. Also, there are some videos about human migration routes and refugees, two things we have talked about in class. Spend 20 minutes reviewing these at home and then post a question for us. You will have some time in class to view these videos and to discuss these topics with peers, as well. Make sure you have earbuds or headphones to use in class. 

Climate Change, Animal Adaptations, Animal Migration:

YouTube DW Climate Change and Animals

YouTube TedEd Can Animals Adapt to Climate Change?

YouTube National Audubon Society Climate Change and Birds

YouTube DW How Does Climate Change Affect Animals?

YouTube Basics About Animal Adaptations

YouTube Cornell University Naturalist Outreach Program Winter Adaptations

YouTube Animal Adaptations Overview PowerPoint

YouTube The Economist Warming Oceans and Marine Species Migration

YouTube Cornell University Naturalist Outreach Program Bird Feeding Adaptations

YouTube Cornell University Naturalist Outreach Program Bird Migration

YouTube KQED Quest The Great Migration (birds)

YouTube TedEd Bird Migration, A Perilous Journey

YouTube TedEd The Survival of the Sea Turtle

YouTube Cornell Naturalist Outreach Program Insect Evolution

YouTube Ted Ed Myths and Truths About Evolution (Which is not adaptation!)

Human Migration and Refugees:

YouTube TedEd What Does It Mean to be a Refugee?

YouTube The European Refugee Crisis from Syrian War

YouTube Cool Map of Early Human Migration

International Organization for World Migration Migration Interactive Map

YouTube History of Immigration to Canada (we watched this in class)

YouTube 2016 Census History of Immigration Facts  (we watched this in class)

YouTube Great Review of Push Pull Factors for Immigration (we talked about all of this in class)

YouTube PowToon Review of Types of Immigration (we talked about all of this in class)

YouTube Curriculum Canada Fur Trade in Canada

 

 

Puppet Pals Migratory Animal Project!

Hello Everyone!

As you research your migratory animal and create a presentation on Puppet Pals to show your knowledge, please find out the answers to these questions:

  1. What is the name of your animal? Common name, scientific name, family/genus/class if you know about this.
  2. What does your animal look like? What adaptations (features of its body) help it deal with the habitat and biome it lives in?
  3. Where does your animal live? (Biome and habitat; specific location on map)
  4. Where does your animal travel to as it migrates? What is the migration route? What biomes does it travel through and to? What direction does it go on the map? (Good idea to get a map out and chart the route, as you will need to put the route in your presentation and up on our large, class map.)
  5. What does your animal need to survive? Food/habitat/conditions
  6. What cue causes your animal to migrate? What type of migration is it? (use vocabulary from handouts and discussions in class)
  7. What is the life cycle of your animal?
  8. How is your animal important to the ecosystems it lives in?
  9. Is your animal endangered and why? Are there any problems with human activity bothering the animal’s migration route?
  10. Any other really cool and interesting facts about your animal?

Here is a basic Puppet Pals Instructional Video to get you started thinking about this technology tool if you haven’t used it already.

Here are some websites on migratory animals you may find helpful or interesting!

Earth Rangers Top Ten Most Amazing Animal Migrations

Nature Animal Migration

BBC Animal Migration Videos and Info

Cornell University Lab of Ornithology (study of birds — so any bird can be searched!)

NOVA Magnetic Field and Animal Migration

 

 

Tonight’s Work Tuesday February 13th

Hello Everyone!

Tonight, please work on:

  • 15 minutes writing your character speech
  • 15 minutes of French (see websites below)
  • Brainstorm tiny house ideas (we will work on rough draft in class tomorrow)
  • Get your unit quiz signed and bring in your field trip notice
  • Finish Skyscrapers part 3 if not done (1 and 2 should have already gone into the inbox and were returned to you)
  • Library tomorrow!!!!
  • CARIBOU TEST ON THURSDAY so study online if interested!

For French, we are creating dialogues! We will be pretending to be a customs agent in a French-speaking country and a visitor to the country. You will use a variety of the phrases included on the websites below.

BBC Primary French has a section called All About Me

Rocket Languages has a section called Forms in French

Right now, all you need to do is review and practice the phrases. Write the phrases and new vocabulary in French and English in your journal as you practice. We will continue this in class.

Debates continue tomorrow! Make sure you practice your speeches if you think you will be going tomorrow.

Valentine’s Day gathering in the afternoon tomorrow! If you want to send Valentines to everyone and need a list of names, you can look at the E-Ports page or email Ms. D directly for a list.

Make sure you checked the board in class for any missing work. All immigration handouts should have been turned in, so check the blue binder!

In Math, we will continue with Skyscrapers, but I have also given out Wonders of the World part 2 as an extra challenge. We will mark Skyscrapers part 3 tomorrow.

Have a great night!

 

 

Animal Migration Cues February 5th

Hello Everyone!

For science today, we talked about how animals receive migration cues that tell them when it is time to travel. There are external cues (photoperiod, shifting seasons, food/water availability) and internal cues (fat reserves, circadian rhythms).

Please watch the following videos to find out the external or internal cues for each animal. Record your answers on the handout so we can discuss! All videos are created by National Geographic and are available on YouTube. A couple have ads, so just wait patiently, as they are short.

Wildebeest Migration

Red Crab Migration

Monarch Butterfly Migration

National Geographic Animals Migration Videos Collection

If you want to learn more about animal migration, here are some other videos to watch at home. This may help you to choose an animal that migrates, as everyone will be making a Puppet Pal presentation on one!

National Geographic The Greatest Animal Migration (43 minutes)

National Geographic Masters of Migration: Sandhill Cranes  (2:16)

National Geographic Epic Migrations in Yellowstone (2:35)

National Geographic Tundra Swans Migration (3:03)

The Atlantic Revealing Patterns of Migration in Motion

All About Birds Watch Migrations of 188 Birds

The Economist 1843 Out in the Blue Migration Patterns of Animals in Ocean

National Geographic See What Birds Are Going Extinct

Globe and Mail Study Shows Human Activity Affecting Animal Migration

Nature Animals Worldwide Stick Closer to Home Because of Human Activity

YouTube Global Animal Movements Based on Movebank

National Geographic Half of All Species Are Moving and We Are Feeling It  (April 2017)

Not enough? Then, put in the search terms “National Geographic Migration” plus the name of an animal you are interested in into YouTube’s search bar to see if National Geographic has a video for you on that animal.

Enjoy!

Ms. D

Quilt of Belonging for ART

Hello Everyone,

Remember from our discussions last week that we will be doing our own Quilt of Belonging squares for art. We will begin designing them tomorrow during art.

If you were not here for my explanation of the Quilt of Belonging, please see their website.

On the website, you can find a documentary about the Quilt, pictures of the Quilt, and a description of the project.

The Quilt of Belonging is a project designed to create a work of art that represents each of the many cultures that make up the Peoples of Canada. Each culture is represented, even if there are only a few people from that culture. Each culture’s square on the quilt has symbols and artwork to represent the things that are important to the culture.

Please think about your own culture and have a discussion at home with your parents. How will you represent your culture on your own square for our class Quilt of Belonging? To get started, you might think about:

  1. What country’s culture does your family identify with most? Is it a mix of cultures? Does the culture come from great-great-great grandparents?
  2. What does the flag look like from that culture? What colours and symbols would you find on it?
  3. What is the country’s official flower?
  4. What landmarks or famous buildings are in that country?
  5. What religion or belief structure do you have at home? How is that a part of your life? What symbols might represent these beliefs?
  6. What kinds of foods does your family like to eat? What symbols might represent that?
  7. What activities do you like to do as a family? What symbols would represent that?
  8. What kinds of artwork do you find in your house? Does it come from any particular culture?
  9. Do you have any special traditions or holidays in your family? Do you have any traditional clothing you wear during celebrations? Do you do anything special during these traditions? What objects would represent the things you do with your family?

When you make your quilt square, please fill it with symbols and artistic representations. While a flag is okay, it would be more interesting to see interesting colours, patterns, objects of interest, and important symbols. If you have more than one culture you would like to represent because your family celebrates a mixture of backgrounds, that is great! Find a way to combine them on your square. Talk about this at home first and then we will make it in class. You may use a variety of cut paper materials, oil pastel, glued objects, sequins, etc. as long as all items added lie flat on the paper and will stay attached. We will also be paying attention to symmetry and composition as we create our squares, and to help with this, please think about what your border on your square will look like.

Thank you,

Ms. D

Additional Websites to Help Make Your Character – Check it out!

Travel back in time and imagine YOU are actually the character from Canadian history! Who are you? What is your name? How old are you? What will you wear? Where are you from?

Here are some additional websites to help. If you have an explorer, you likely have information on my previous blog post of websites found here. Please also use the books provided in class to find out about life in the time period you are investigating. If you are having trouble finding information, please be a risk-taker and a good communicator – ASK Ms. D for help and we will find you something!

BBC History What Was it Like on Captain Vancouver’s Ship (and ships in 18th century)

Ties That Bind Chinese History Building CPR and Chinese Head Tax

CPR History of the CPR

Driving the Nation Faces of the CPR

Library and Archives Canada Explorers of the Pacific Coast (Vancouver/Cook)

PBS Henry Hudson Video

YouTube Henry Hudson Video

Historica Canada Russian Canadian Immigrants

CM Mennonites in Canada (which includes Russian Immigrants)

Historica Canada Mennonites

MHSC Mennonites in Canada (Russian)

CBC Beginning Again: The Growing Quest to Understand Syrian Refugee Experiences

CBC Unable to Find Work Syrian Refugees Reluctantly Turn to Social Assistance

Globe and Mail Syrian Exodus to Canada, One Year Later

Scientific American First Americans Lived on Land Bridge for Thousands of Years (Beringia)

The Beginnings of the Fur Trade

HBC Heritage Life of a Voyageur (Montreal Men during fur trade)

All About Fur The Country That Built the Fur Trade

Pier 21 Canada Exhibits

Immigration Stories Blog Immigrant Stories (First one is an immigrant story from Colombia)

Hope this helps!

Ms. D