Category: General Update

Here is a review of the many things we did during term two, 2021-2022!

To tie the big ideas from our curriculum together into a larger, enduring understanding,
we studied all subjects through the lens of universal, conceptual themes.

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First, we focused on the concepts of CREATIVITY and CHANGE
in our unit Human Creations

Unit Focus Statement:  

We use creativity and knowledge together to make innovations that change our world.

Core Competency Focus:

Creative Thinking

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What is creativity?
(Core Competencies, Science, Career Education, ADST, Socials, Language Arts)

We used this unit to better understand the nature of creativity. What is it? Who has it and why? Can we cultivate it? Can it be taught? We did a variety of activities to explore creativity, such as reading a collection of picture books about imagination and ideas; doing theatre improvisation; creating Scratch programming and games as part of the Hour of Code week in December; and constructing maker art for the holidays out of mixed media such as wool and found objects.

Some activities were designed as “alternative uses” tests, which are often employed by researchers to test creativity. How many things can you make out of a small can of play doh in a short time period?

We read the book The Perfect Square, then everyone took a plain, boring piece of paper, and with only five cuts and folding, constructed new 3D creations from our imaginations.

We watched several TED talks about creativity, and we did shared, non-fiction readings from the Time Magazine: Creativity Issue to better understand the brain science behind creativity, and how people think creativity can be cultivated in our learning and daily lives.

We took on some creative-thinking challenges, such as building a bridge across a span with limited materials and time, or building towers to support a certain weight. Then, we discussed the skills you need for creative thinking, such as risk-taking, collaboration, being open minded to others’ ideas, saying YES instead of NO, and trying things many different ways!

As part of language arts, we also took time to do some quick-writes for creative writing, focusing on idea generation, risk-taking in writing, and sharing of personal ideas with others. Ms. D emphasized not censoring ideas and focusing more on getting things to paper when writing. We also talked about how GROUP THINK can be better than SOLO THINK for writing ideas, or for any project! Building upon someone else’s ideas is okay, and it is the way innovation happens!

 

We discussed the nature of PLAY and developing creative thinking skills. How do younger children feel and touch materials as they explore their potential uses? Why do younger children have a different attention span? Why does the way we play change as we get older?

 

 

How do we make work easier? With simple machines!
(Science, Math, and ADST)

Creativity is important to solve problems! We explored how humans have used experimentation and scientific knowledge to create simple machines that make work easier. To begin our discussion, a pile of weird tools from Ms. D’s and Mr. L’s eclectic collection, including some antiques, were put out on tables for students to explore and draw. Everyone had to guess what the tools are used for and how they work!

Then, we identified the main simple machines and did hands-on activities to experiment with them. Let’s lift Ms. D up with one student using a giant wood lever and fulcrum!

We had car races down inclined planes, doing math involving distance/time/rate, and discovering how speed is related to the height of the plane.

We lifted books up a plane using a Newton gauge, to show how less force is required when we add more distance, pulling books up a plane instead of lifting them directly.

We identified the steps of the design process, then created several devices using creative thinking and simple machines. First, we made marshmallow catapults, seeing who, with limited time and materials, could build a device that would successfully launch marshmallows the furthest across the classroom.

Then, we researched Rube Goldberg, who designed machines that were very complicated, but completed very easy tasks!  We created Rube Goldberg devices all over the classroom, using a variety of found materials, objects, and the design process.

Finally, we also learned about hydraulics, discovering how liquids, unlike other states of matter, can’t be compressed! Working collaboratively, we made cranes and other unique devices.

Human Innovations over Time — The concept of CHANGE
(Socials, Language Arts, Core Competencies)

Our creativity has led to many innovations that have changed our lives over time. What are those innovations? When did we start using simple machines? Has our use of technology been positive or negative? We had many discussions about the impact of technology, as well as the history of human creations. The book Backward Science gave us a better idea of what life was like before we had inventions like the toilet or the car!

We looked at early Indigenous innovations, as well, such as snow goggles, inukshuks, umiaks, burins, spindle whorls, and ulus. We learned what early tools were used for, which First Nations, Inuit, or Metis groups created them, and how the tools addressed people’s basic needs. We also had a virtual visit from the Museum of Anthropology, during which we learned about archeology, the process of discovering early belongings of the Musqueam peoples along the Lower Fraser River, and what these belongings could tell us about the early life of the Musqueam before the arrival of Europeans to the Lower Mainland.

We read the book Ingenious and were surprised how many important innovations originated in Canada! We identified technologies used in different areas of our lives, such as communication, health, transportation, and entertainment; then we evaluated each one for its positive and negative impacts on humans. Each student chose to research one area further, creating a timeline to illustrate how technologies have changed over time.

As we did research, we focused on how to evaluate online sites to ensure they are legitmate sources, how to ask questions about your topic first before starting the research process, and how to document notes in a two-column format in your own words, citing where you found the information.

We read the books Goodnight iPad and Nerdy Birdy Tweets to discuss how technology such as smartphones and social media can distract from other activities or relationships. What impact is technology having on children? Using MS Teams, we shared and read one another’s links to online resources, as we looked for proof about whether video games and technology have had a positive or negative impact on children.

 

We also did some self-reflection about how we have CHANGED over time, too! We read the book Once Upon A time There Was and Will Be So Much More, then brainstormed how we have changed since being a baby. After, we imagined what we would be doing next year, in ten years, and in fifty years!

 

Finally, each student did a PowerPoint presentation on the innovation or invention they believed was the most impactful on human lives. This allowed everyone to practice creating aesthetic presentations, giving and receiving constructive feedback, and research documentation skills.

Math is a Creative Tool for Innovation!  (Math and Critical-Thinking Strategies)

How can we approach multi-digit multiplication with creative thinking? Why do we use multiplication, and what is it? Using Carole Fullerton’s Multiplicative Thinking, we played games to learn about multiples, factors, prime factor trees, squared numbers, exponents, and math properties (distributive, associative, and commutative.) We experimented with many different ways of solving 2 by 2 multiplication problems, such as the window, the FOIL method, mental math, and the traditional column approach.

As we completed our science activities, we also used multiplication, division, and some algebraic thinking to solve problems related to measuring WORK in newtons or determining the RATE of speed of an object. We talked about mathematical/science measurement terms such as weight, mass, distance, and rate during our hands-on activities.

Using You Do the Math: Skyscrapers, we looked at the combination of math knowledge needed to build new things such as skyscrapers! This included understanding geometric solids, measurement, reading tables, plotting coordinates, area, and perimeter. We did problem solving involving basic fractions and decimals, and some students did surface area or algebraic challenges. This work continued into our next unit on migration.

 

Creativity in the Arts and ADST!
(Fine Arts, ADST, Core Competencies)

As we came closer to Winter Break, the class decided to have a Winter Theme for the classroom. So, we focused our creative thinking skills on making stuff to help decorate and to give as gifts during the holidays. We also participated in the HOUR OF CODE, a celebration of coding all over the world!

We worked with new materials and we learned new methods of creation, such as wool felting, paper folding, watercolour techniques, and acrylic landscape painting on wood.  Hopefully everyone enjoyed seeing the results at home!

         

In January, when we came back from Winter Break, we learned all about SCRAPPY CIRCUITS, which is about making electricity creations with dollar store materials! We discussed how a circuit is made, how electrons travel in the circuit, and how batteries work. Then, we used our creative thinking to put together our own circuits with cardboard, LEDs, foil, and binder clips! Some students loved it so much they chose to continue playing with it at free choice or at home!

Caring for our Community!  (Core Compentencies)

I was proud of Division 5, as they led two activities that helped our school community, and the greater Lower Mainland community, too! Our class organized the FOOD BANK Drive, which meant advertising the event, collecting donations from each class, carefully packing them into boxes, and helping load them up when the Food Bank came to collect them. Division 5’s efforts help raise over $3,000 for the Food Bank in both canned items and monetary donations!

 

Right before Winter Break, Division 5 wrote a holiday song for Suncrest staff, decorated a cart, and then went door to door in the school delivering coffee, tea, and cheer to each teacher as a way to thank them for their work. We received a lot of amazing emails of thank you in response. Great job, Division 5!

 

 

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For our SECOND UNIT in TERM TWO,
we focused on the concepts of EXPLORATION and IDENTITY
in our unit On the Move!

Unit focus statement:  

Migration is a response to challenges, risks, survival, and a natural need to explore.

Core Competency Focus:

Positive Personal and Cultural Identity

**Please note, we will be finishing this unit up until Spring Break,
and so we will be adding to this entry with photos as student work is completed,
and report cards will reflect only what we are able to finish before February 25th.

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How am I an explorer?
(Core Competency of Positive Personal and Cultural Identity)

What does it mean to be an explorer? What would you feel and do? We unpacked the meaning of exploration and realized it does not only apply to ancient explorers who crossed the seas. It can apply to us and involve risk-taking, or careful, methodical observation for art, science, and research. It can also mean making an effort to explore one’s identity and culture.

Through exercises in the book How to be An Explorer of the World, we will continue to hone our observation and noticing skills, particularly through explorations outside. We are also reading many picture books to facilitate discussions about our own identity, culture, and acceptance of others’ identities.

Migration — Humans
(Socials, Science, Language Arts, Core Competencies)

Why do people move from place to place? What is your own migration story? Students asked their parents for information about their family tree and charted the migration path of past generations coming to Canada.

Using the book Human Migration and Why We Live Where We Live, among other book and online resources, we discussed the many push and pull factors that cause people to move as they seek a better quality of life. We talked about how some people move all the time because of a “restless gene” that just makes them seek novelty and something new!

Each student is doing some GEOGRAPHY studies to learn about the different countries in each continent and expand their international mindedness about the world. It allowed is to also talk about where certain languages have come from in the world, which parts of the world were explored by who, and which countries are FRENCH speaking. Ms. D has a large map in the classroom with quality of life data on each country, and this allowed us to have discussions about why people move from one place to another as an immigrant or refugee.

Using a TON of great books from the District Library, we did a group inquiry about “How did we get here?” How did we all come to be in Canada? What were the reasons people came here? Who was here first? We made a timeline on the board and listed the many reasons people came, such as trade, land, gold, and escaping war.

 

Each student chose a historical figure to represent from this timeline, and each student presented a monologue as part of our “Wax Museum of History!”

Students also looked at 10 different case studies of people trying to come into Canada and made decisions about which 5 would get to come in. This is part of an ongoing conversation about immigration policy in Canada and how the government makes decisions about who it lets in to the country. What is the difference between a permanent resident and a citizen? Is it required to speak English or French? Students paired up with one another to create their own country, with its own immigration policy, and new life to offer potential immigrants!

To better understand what it is like to be a refugee or immigrant, each student read a different historical fiction novel, such as Escape from Aleppo, Refugee, or Homes. As they read, they were asked to record new vocabulary, and to specifically find out more information about the cultural identities of the characters. What was their place of origin? Where were they traveling to and why? Did they have a specific ethnic or religious background?

The emphasis was on understanding that reading a novel with a real story behind it may require extra research, making connections with true facts of history. Each student then had the option of presenting their reading comprehension with a diorama, poster, or piece of art, accompanied by three paragraphs of writing to explain their work.

Migration – Animals and Getting Outside
(Science, Socials, Language Arts, ADST, PHE)

Humans aren’t the only ones moving around! We watched the BBC presentation Planet Earth: Pole to Pole, which has amazing footage of animal migrations, moving between different biomes of the world. Using National Geographic resources, we looked at the migration routes of the red crab, the wildebeest, whales, and monarch butterflies. We discussed the different reasons animals migrate, as well as the many internal or external cues animals use to know when it is time to move.

We were fortunate to have a virtual trip from the local Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC), who taught us about the many jobs birds have in our ecosystem, as well as the banding that researchers do at Colony Farm in Coquitlam to track migratory birds. The paths of these birds can tell us a lot about climate change and the state of the environment.

We also had our first in-person field trip in two years to Reifel Bird Sanctuary!!  This is one of the local, protected estuaries where you can find migratory animals this time of year. We learned about local bird species, the essential things animals need to survive, and why the estuary is a popular stop on migration routes. Many of us fed birds for the first time, and we saw sandhill cranes, saw whet owls, and red-wing blackbirds, among other species.

Each student then chose a migratory animal to research further and created a Puppet Pal presentation about their findings using the iPad. We will be presenting these to one another after spring break.

We also conducted a Citizen Science activity on February 18th, the Backyard Bird Count! Everyone was surprised how many different species we could see right around the school, such as red-wing blackbirds, chickadees, a bald eagle, song sparrows, starlings, crows, gulls, and robins!

These walks and explorations outside were a part of our physical and health education, as we focused on getting outside, breathing fresh air, and learning to make mindful observations for both science and our own mental health.

This was in combination with outdoor games of speed ball, running fitness, and indoor gym games to stay active and focused during the school day. Ms. D also allows students to regularly use the break board, as we learn about how to better approach academic work and project management through movement breaks!

Independent Project Beginnings – Questions and Primary Research
(Socials, Science, Language Arts)

Each year, Division 5 students take on a passion topic of their choice to research, which leads to presentations to the community in mid-June. In January, everyone chose a topic and brainstormed questions to begin their research. Ms. D taught everyone about how to ask deeper questions using the Jar of Inquiry Model. After a beginning list of questions was created, students began their initial research.

Ms. Ho, our librarian, will be working with Ms. D to provide as many books as we can to support the chosen topics. It is also important students visit their local, public library and begin to look for resources. Students were also shown how to access our library online resources to get started, as well.

It is required to do both secondary (web/books/videos) and primary (hands on/experiment/observations/interviews/surveys) research for the project. So, Ms. D talked about the various options. We also learned how to do primary research through interviews of parents from Division 5 about their immigration experiences, practicing active listening, how to ask effective questions, and how to document responses.

Art, Identity, and Quilt of Belonging
(Socials, Fine Arts, Core Competencies)

First, we brainstormed what makes up an IDENTITY? How do we know what our identity is? What represents our identity? This meant thinking more deeply about cultural, gender, and individual versus family identity, and we had a great discussion about how it is a journey discovering everything about yourself!

We read the book Quilt of Belonging and learned about the quilt that was made to represent the multicultural nature of Canada, with a square for each nation or ethnic identity that has come to Canada and contributed to the fabric of who we are as a whole group. Each student then created their own identity square to make a class quilt, which will be displayed after break.

 

In addition, we continued some fine arts learning in terms of colour, line, and the use of paints and pastels, to make beautiful Banyan Tree paintings. This meant learning about a tree that doesn’t exist here, but can be found in several other countries. The students did some amazing, colourful art!

 

 

Tiny House Revolution!
(Identity,  Math, Applied Design, Career Education)

People are choosing to live in less space, so their impact is less on the world. How does a living space represent you and your beliefs about what is essential? What choices would you make?  Using our ongoing work with multiplication, measurement, geometry, and proportionate reasoning that we began during unit two, as well as the design process, students created tiny house models, then discussed the area and perimeter, as well as the personal choices they made for their final creations.

Students were finishing Skyscraper math from our last unit, and some also chose to do extra math challenges, whether reading articles on math topics in class, or doing extra math problems in real-world math in books available through EPIC online.

 

Overall, term two has been rich with learning experiences, and this overview is only a snapshot! We look forward to term three, with two new units and our independent project presentations in June!

Hello Everyone!

As you recall, we had an interim report card for term one in November 2021. That report card covered term one activities from our first unit on SYSTEMS.

On March 10th, you will be receiving a new report card for term two, which is in the full My Education report card format. The term two report card will cover two units, one on CREATIVITY/CHANGE, and the second on EXPLORATION/IDENTITY.

Here is a review of the many things we did during TERM ONE 2021. Stay tuned for a follow up post of what we did during term two!

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To tie the big ideas from our curriculum together into a larger, enduring understanding,
we studied all subjects through the lens of a universal, conceptual theme.

For term one we focused on the concept of SYSTEMS
in our unit BODY WORKS. 

Unit focus statement:  

Our personal choices play a role
in how the interconnected system of the human body works.

Core Competency Focus:

Personal Awareness and Responsibility
Critical Thinking

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What is the SYSTEM for a great learning community!
(Core Competencies, Socials, Science, PHE)

We spent the first two weeks creating the foundation of a great learning community!  We worked in small teams to design marble roller coasters all over the classroom, discussing both science concepts and what great collaboration looks like during projects.

            

To get to know one another, we also created Six Word Memoir pictures, to communicate some of our interests, strengths, or thoughts to our new classmates. We also did a variety of games, and collaborative math challenges and puzzles. We learned how to have class meetings to voice our preferences, concerns, and ideas about classroom activities.

To start our unit, we brainstormed what makes a classroom SYSTEM work well, relating it to the UNIVERSAL SYSTEMS MODEL, an important part of our unit discussions. What do we want to get out of our learning? (output) What do we need to put in to our learning experiences to accomplish our desired output? (input/process)

To better understand this, we analyzed other systems we know, such as our community and ecosystems. Then, we identified what our classroom needs to contribute to a successful system. Students brainstormed essential agreements and values, which we refer to every day in our work together.

Throughout the term, we focused on the core competencies of personal awareness and critical thinking, which were embedded into each activity and lesson for the unit.

THE HUMAN BODY SYSTEMS!
(Science, Socials,  Math, Inquiry Processes, LA)

What do you already know about human anatomy? We created life-sized drawings of classmates to identify the inside parts we already knew from our many body systems. We already knew quite a bit, but we needed some more specific information.

So, we did independent investigation stations! We gathered facts from non-fiction books and online resources like Kids Health, and completed fun experiments on lung capacity, heart rate, and digestive system length.

We then pretended the Human Body Corporation was having money problems, needed to make budget cuts, and planned to fire one of the many organs in the body! After learning about paragraphs and business letter format, each student chose an organ to research further and wrote a letter to the Corporation with detailed reasons their organ should not be fired!

We did experiments to expand our knowledge of germs and how they are spread, and about how blood typing works! Students learned to use the scientific method, to gather data through careful observations, and to analyze results using math and critical-thinking skills.

We discussed genetic traits and extracted strawberry DNA, a process which allowed us to learn the role soap plays in bursting the cell membranes of pathogens. Then, we had discussions about herd immunity, vaccines, epistemology (the diagnosis of diseases), and communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Our lab on “patient zero” allowed us to see how germs are spread quickly in a group! Finally, we tested 24 sites in the school and grew germ colonies in homemade petri dishes. We made careful observations, analyzed our data, and then determined the probability of having touched a bacteria, yeast, mold, or fungus in different locations.

During all experiments, we used critical-thinking to ask questions and make conclusions, and we used personal awareness to work with others collaboratively and safely.

Students also learned how to use advanced microscopes from our secondary schools, as we looked at samples of organ tissue, bacterias, and other small microbes! We became more aware of measurement and scale in terms of just how small a virus or bacteria can be!

 

At the end of the unit, each student chose a disease to investigate further, with the purpose of learning how to take research notes and to find information that would help them diagnose some mystery diseases presented by Ms. D.

SYSTEMS and Applied Design Opportunities!
(ADST, Technology, Math)

To connect with our unit, we looked at the system of coding and if/then statements used in a program like SCRATCH through Science World’s virtual technology workshops. Each student learned how to do basic coding statements on SCRATCH, and then they created interactive greeting cards around Halloween themes. We continued our work on these after the workshop, and our knowledge of SCRATCH helped us during the December Hour of Code activities.

What helps the body system work well?
(Socials, Science, PHE-Health, Career Education, Language Arts):

To make our SYSTEM of the human body function effectively, we need to be aware of the INPUTS we put into our body such as food. Students looked at informational graphs, watched TED talks, and listened to a variety of perspectives about good health to learn how to make positive food and environmental choices.

This included exploring the Indigenous Health and Wellness Model to discuss holistic aspects of health, such as the relationship between good health and your connection with family and community.

We explored mindful eating, which means having presence while eating and becoming aware of the eating experience. Students brought in snacks and analyzed ingredients lists and food labels to better understand the nutritional value of processed foods. We sorted foods into categories of GO, SLOW, and WHOA to better understand how much of certain foods we can have based on their nutritional content.

We also studied the impact of vitamins and minerals on the body. Each student chose and conducted research about a vitamin or mineral and its impact on the body. They then created informational posters with facts to share with their classmates.

GREEN Vancouver did a virtual trip with us to explain how air quality contributes to our health. We looked at how pollution can contribute to cardiovascular issues, how it impacts the ecosystem we live in, and our role is in reducing that pollution.

We played a variety of active games in the gym, and we had discussions about how to monitor your heart rate, as well as the value of daily exercise.

Mental Health & Self-Expression
(Socials/Science/PHE/Career Ed/Art/LA):

Students explored the connection between our mental health and physical health. We discussed brain structure and how emotion impacts higher thinking, so we can better understand how we self-regulate in times of stress.

We learned the function of the main parts, including the amygdala, pre-frontal cortex, and hippocampus.  We had great discussion about how it is hard to make rational decisions when one is emotional, so it is important to find self-regulation strategies to calm the brain before taking action.

We tried many self-regulation strategies in class, including daily mindful breathing, outdoor breaks, practicing gratitude, taking mindful walks, and using the break board to take a moment during longer work periods.

We watched the TED talk “How to Make Stress Your Friend” and discussed how not all stress is bad. We learned that managing stress and being connected with your community contributes to long life.

Part of mental health is building connections with others. We practiced this in many ways, such as class meetings, free choice times, playing games, organizing classroom decorations for holidays, and doing Suncrest activities together such as the Pumpkin Patch!

  

 

How creativity connects with with mental health and personal awareness!
(Fine Arts, Core Competencies, PHE-Health)

Creativity is an important tool for mental health, and we had many conversations in the classroom about the positive feelings we have when making something!

We created beautiful poppy paintings for Remembrance Day, applying elements and principles of art such as colour, emphasis, and negative space.

 

We also created HIVE art, using mixed media to represent people, places, and things that bring us strength and help us thrive.

     

 

Gathering and Communicating Data
(Math, Language Arts):

 

We played many probability games, read the entertaining book It’s Possible, discussed the language referring to probability, and through experiments discovered the difference between experimental and theoretical probability. This involved discussion of basic fractions, decimals, and how to find percentages.

 

We applied this math to our germ lab to express the probability of touching pathogens in locations throughout the school. This is an example of how math knowledge can help us make personal choices that impact our health in positive ways.

We used the NY Times Learning Network to look at different types of graphs about nutrition, climate change, and blood sugar levels. We practiced two questions to increase our critical thinking and observation skills, “What do you notice?” and “What do you wonder?” We identified essential parts of a graph and how graphs communicate data.

We practiced gathering data, whether about ourselves, genetic traits, or class preferences. We learned to analyze data using measures of central tendency such as mean, median, mode, and range, then applied these skills as we pretended to be consultants analyzing Skittles packages for a fair distribution of colours.

Students ended the unit creating their own graphs about something they could analyze in our classroom or school community.

There are SYSTEMS to communicating, finding, and documenting information!  (Language Arts, Socials, Science)

Throughout all subjects, we used language arts curricular competencies to analyze news articles and non-fiction resources, to communicate information in graphics and speeches, and to do research on diseases or nutrition.

We read a variety of articles from Kids Health, learned to take research notes by identifying key ideas, identified criteria for finding appropriate resources online, and discussed ways to better present our ideas in clear, organized, and/or persuasive ways.

We learned about personal and business letter formats, and we discussed how to make a strong, organized paragraph. We strengthened our writing by adding creative vocabulary and looking for ways to express ideas in ways that inspire others.

We talked about what makes an effective speech, and how to be a respectful active listener in the audience. We also discussed how to ask more interesting questions using the inquiry wall prompts, and how to add detail to our e-portfolios to better communicate ideas and our learning.

We also looked at the SYSTEM or CODE behind all human languages, and began the process of creating one of our own for fun!

 

French:

We practiced some basic French with one another using songs, conversation with peers, and games of Simon Says. Students were encouraged to learn some basic vocabulary on parts of the body. Students with French fluency were encouraged to read French articles in magazines we have in the classroom, and to write information about them in their journals.

Putting Learning Together in a Creative Way!
(ADST, Science, Socials, Math, PHE, Language Arts, Core Competencies)

We ended the term synthesizing our knowledge of SYSTEMS and showing our understanding of how personal choices impact the human body through the creation of a fun game to play with peers.They included questions from all of the subject areas we discussed as part of this unit on SYSTEMS and PERSONAL AWARENESS.

Students had a lot of fun using applied design skills to create unique and interactive games!

Overall, it was an amazing term! Students completed self-reflections and made goals for term two!

        

Here is a review of the many things we did during term three!

To tie the big ideas from our curriculum together into a larger, enduring understanding,
we studied subject areas through the lens of universal, conceptual themes.

In mid-February, we began focusing on the concept of POWER
in the unit
COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY!

Our unit focus statement: Being an educated citizen requires reflection and critical thinking about how we communicate and receive information.

What is media and how can we gain personal POWER by being educated about it?
(Socials/Career Education/Language Arts/Critical Thinking/Communication/ADST)

We identified a variety of media forms and looked closely at how their construction, content, advertisements, and reading level were related to their potential audience and purpose. We discussed what it means to be media literate, started taking greater notice of how much time we were spending with media, and discovered how it is present everywhere in our lives. All of this is an important part of being a CRITICAL THINKER and a responsible consumer of media.

We compared the outside appearance of cereal packages, looking at how companies market products to children with bright colours, cool characters, games, and other gimmicks. Then we made some sample cereal boxes of our own!

We looked at media advertisements to see what kinds of gimmicks were being used to make us want to buy products. We played games on the Canadian Media Smarts Literacy 101 website together to practice recognizing gimmicks in both print ads and commercials. To show our understandings, we created our own products to sell in a live commercial! We had a wide range of interesting things to sell, complete with catchy brand names, jingles, and slogans to appeal to the consumer.

We became more aware of how to search for information online, avoiding commercial websites and looking for reliable sources not full of advertisements or false information. We discussed digital citizenship, learning how online games and social media collect personal information about us while we are having fun online. We played the game Data Defenders to practice NOT giving our information away, keeping our identities safe.

We also learned about what media reports look and sound like. Theresa Lalonde, a production manager for the CBC and teacher of journalism at BCIT, did a virtual visit with us to explain what it is like to work in journalism, and how journalists have POWER through their ability to deliver important information to the public that can help citizens be informed, make good decisions, and be able to advocate for themselves.

As part of language arts, we learned how a news article is written, and we watched television news broadcasts to see what tone and format is used to deliver information through visual media.

We participated in an editors meeting, in which each of us chose a Suncrest-related topic to report on, either in print or broadcast media, for the Suncrest Sun News. There were interesting reports on nature around Suncrest, the problems with pencil waste at school, school design, cloakroom space, the new daycare building, Literacy Week activities, and more!

How do we communicate scientific ideas and discoveries?
The POWER of careful observation and documentation!
(Science, Language Arts, Critical Thinking, Communication)

Over the course of this unit, we participated in a wide variety of fun experiments, so we could discuss and apply the scientific method, critical thinking, excellent documentation, and careful observation. We talked about the POWER of careful documentation for communicating and developing scientific ideas, especially if you want to prove your discoveries and further your research.

Through an exciting lab in which we changed one substance into another, making limestone, we had the opportunity to discuss physical versus chemical change; acids and bases; natural substances such as turmeric which serve as pH indicators; endothermic and exothermic reactions; and how chemical symbols are used to represent a chemical reaction. Plus we made a bag blow up with gas and it was very exciting!!

We also talked about density and how temperature affects chemical reactions as we built our own mini lava lamps with water bottles, food colouring, oil, water, and Alka Seltzer. Everyone enjoyed making mini LED light spinners, as we experimented with the Lorentz force and making electric circuits.

There were more experiments, but the important part is that each one was documented with the scientific method. How do you make a good question to start your research? How do you document observations? How do you write a conclusion with more questions to drive future research?

Each student then chose an experiment of their own to do and to document. Many chose to do something related to the primary research required for their independent projects. We shared some of the experiments in class, as well as on our e-portfolios.

            

How are numbers used to communicate ideas in media?
(Math, Critical Thinking, Social Studies)

Numbers and data are often thrown into media reports to communicate ideas, and as consumers of media, we need to be critical thinkers about what those numbers mean. It often requires a stronger understanding of what is called proportional reasoning.

We analyzed news articles on a variety of topics to see how math, particularly graphs, fractions, decimals, and percentages, are used to communicate ideas.  If you see numbers, does that mean the information you see is automatically FACT and not someone’s OPINION?

Continuing our work with Carole Fullerton’s Proportional Reasoning, as well as other math resources and games such as SKITTLES MATH, we went deeper into fractions, decimals, and percentages. We were also encouraged to “use the numbers” when making our own news reports, using data to back up our reporting.

Communication, collaboration, and personal awareness give us POWER to make change in our lives: (Communication, PE and Health, Fine Arts)

We continued to have our class meetings, which were important opportunities to express ideas and solve problems. One example is how we independently planned our own class Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, and Spring decorations, including crafting a lovely cherry blossom tree for all to enjoy.

We also talked about breathing and mindfulness, taking time to discuss how to find balance, take breaks, and be aware of our mental health. This involved walks outside and active run-around time outdoors.

 

As part of Literacy Week and our discussions about how mindfulness and gratitude help our health, we created the ABCs of Life, an alphabet of beautiful watercolour pictures with advice about how to live the best life.

To help us better understand how our bodies can communicate ideas, we also did movement and drama lessons about how to create different characters or ideas with our bodies. We explored how the body communicates so much beyond words. We found “neutral” positions in our bodies, and then we gradually added layers of movement. We moved at different levels, high, medium, and low. We led with different parts of our bodies. We walked and moved in different kinds of lines like wavy, zig zag, and straight.

We also explored shape and form through sculpture in art. We went over the history of sculpture and how it, too, is a form of media, communicating a message. Each person then created their own sculpture out of steel wire, masking tape, newspaper, and bronze acrylic paint. It was a longer project, but the result was well worth it, as our Museum of Sculptures shows!

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In April, we began focusing on the concept of CONNECTION
in our unit
THE NATURE CONNECTION. 

Unit focus statement:
Human beings impact and rely upon the balance of nature’s interdependent systems. 

Unpacking the concept of CONNECTION — What does it mean?
(Science, Socials, Social Responsibility)

What does connection mean, and where do we see it? We began with class discussions around what we connect to personally, how we are connected to the community, and how we are connected to the world.

How are we connected to our natural environment? First we talked about what we can find in our natural environment and had fun deciding what is abiotic and biotic. IS a virus alive or not?? At the end of the day, some of this is still up for debate!

We watched Planet Earth: Pole to Pole, and discussed the variety of biomes, ecosystems, and amazing organisms that exist across the planet. Each student was given a card with an organism within our local ecosystems, and after doing quick research, placed it within the food web and cycles of our world. Further reading was done on how parts of nature are connected through food chains, as well as the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water cycles.

Making connections to tell the story of life!
(Science, Critical Thinking)

To better understand how organisms in our ecosystems are connected, we investigated taxonomy. Scientists use taxonomy to classify life according to specific features, adaptations, reproductive and survival behaviours, and appearance.

Before we looked at the official chart, we did our own hands-on sorting, and small groups were given piles of pictures of animals and organisms to organize into specific groups according to characteristics. We had lots of great debate! Then we had an opportunity to learn about the classification system, picking an animal and learning about their kingdom, phylum, family, class, genus, and official Latin species name.

 

How do we become more connected to and observant of the nature around us?
(Science, Socials, Critical Thinking, Fine Arts, Physical Health Education)

As we looked at how we are connected to other organisms, we developed a better understanding of place and the nature directly around us. Through the Burnaby-New West Walking Challenge and SFU Walking Curriculum, we took regular walks outside, during which we used the Walking Curriculum, a series of activities designed to help us become more observant, mindful, and thoughtful about what we are seeing and experiencing while we walk. We all walked a lot of minutes, recording time from school and at home with our families!

We discussed how this mindfulness and being outside was helping improve both our physical and mental health! These exercises also helped us practice being super-observers to help with science investigations in the future.

We also connected with nature by growing seedlings of radishes and spinach and getting our hands messy in the dirt! We experimented with growing beans through aquaponics, and it was amazing some of the beans grew without any soil at all! These activities gave us a taste of mindful, fun activities connected to nature that can bring us calm and well being.

We used loupes to look carefully at natural specimens and plants. We talked about how to observe shape and line quality first when trying to carefully draw specimens, and we did several still-life, up-close drawings to record outside findings.

We learned Indigenous names and uses for local plants and trees, identified invasive plants that are not part of the ecosystem, and discussed local animals and habitats. We played the Phylo Card Game, which helped us learn how the health of organisms is connected to available habitat and human actions. We watched episodes of David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things, and particularly enjoyed learning about the important role fungi have played in the development of our planet!

Finally, we talked about extinct, endangered, and protected organisms in B.C. Everyone chose a unique organism from BC they didn’t know anything about, then researched its biome, ecosystem, habitat, taxonomy, adaptations, behaviours, and connection to First Peoples stories and art. We presented our findings in a five paragraph essay, as well as through a beautiful piece of art inspired by the works of Oregon artist Sue Coccia.

 

Becoming Aware of Traditional Indigenous Ecological Knowledge:
(Socials, Science, Indigenous Education)

As we developed observation skills that help with scientific investigations, we also asked, “What is science?” We discussed the difference between western science and the traditional ecological knowledge of First Peoples. Ms. D read some of Braiding Sweetgrass, which opened a discussion on what is really biotic? In western science we classify things into abiotic and biotic; whereas in Indigenous cultures, many abiotic forms are alive, given each form plays a specific role in the ecosystem and was placed there for a reason. We also read My Elders Tell Me, a great story about how a group of First Nations children learned skills for daily survival and respect for the environment directly from their elders. We watched videos and read about how First Peoples are working in partnership with scientists to manage local waterways, and how Indigenous knowledge provides careful observations from years and years of living on the land. We learned about clam gardens and how First Peoples managed marine food systems, so we can better protect food sources today. Overall, we had great discussions about our connection to the land and the value of traditional knowledge!

How are our actions connected to the health of the environment?
(Social Studies, Science, Social Responsibility, Personal Awareness)

Part of being better connected to nature is better understanding our role in keeping the environment we depend upon healthy! We had a variety of amazing virtual field trips this unit to help us get out in the community and to discuss social responsibility to our planet.

First, we had a virtual trip to the beautiful GVRD Lower Seymour Watershed, learning about the water cycle, where our water comes from, and how the ecosystem of the mountains plays a role in providing us with such clean water.

In another virtual presentation from the GREEN Organization in Vancouver, we learned how we can conserve and protect our precious natural resource of water!

The GREEN organization came back a second time to talk with us about how much stuff we use, and what we can do to reduce our consumption of stuff to reduce our impact on the environment, to prevent waste going to the landfill, and to ensure we conserve our natural resources.

We had a virtual presentation from The O.W.L. Sanctuary in Delta, who shared how pollution, rodenticides, and housing development are impacting local ecosystems and birds of prey. We visited with some raptors and discussed how we can help protect these amazing creatures!

Through the Stanley Park Ecology Society we learned about cute river otters! After the presentation, we better understood the difference between river and sea otters, as well as how river otters are an important species for our ecosystem that can be seen throughout the Salish Sea.

We enjoyed hearing from the Bamfield Science Centre research education team in our session on Sensational Seaweeds and Oceanography! They gave us a taste of the research they do on ocean health, the tools they use to collect data, and the many species of green, red, and brown seaweed you can find on the Pacific coast. It was amazing to see pictures of the open ocean from the west side of Vancouver Island near Uclulet.

Finally, we talked about global warming and climate change, listening to the inspirational Bill Nye explain the science and the possible problems that will occur. We read articles and watched videos about desertification, pollution, and other human-made disasters in the environment. Everyone had an opportunity to also read about how people are solving these problems, through the Orca Footprints book series on topics such as ocean health, landfills, future agriculture, and green transportation, as well as other resources from our libraries.

Finding Reading Connections & Using Literary Devices
(Language Arts, Fine Arts, Critical Thinking and Questioning)

Ms. D read The Skeleton Tree, while everyone followed along and took notes in “readminders” designed to collect thoughts about new vocabulary, key details, connections, or questions while reading. This involved metacognition — becoming aware of how we think so we can improve our critical thinking! The book tells the story of two boys stranded on the Alaska coast and how they survive.

We created comprehension questions of greater depth using Question and Response (QAR), and students explained this in their e-port entries about the book. It was an exciting tale that connected well to our unit!

We also explored how to use figurative language, literary devices, and different poetry formats to express our feelings about CONNECTION to nature. We did writing exercises from the book Rip the Page to further develop our descriptive vocabulary, and to help us with written output and creative thinking. We learned about alliteration, personification, metaphor, and similes, as well as poetic forms such as haikus, hexaduads, couplets, tankas, and free verse. After we researched a BC organism, we wrote one poem from its point of view, anthropomorphizing the natural life around our home. Everyone displayed their poems in a creative ZINE, which is a small, reproducible magazine made to share ideas with others!

Connection Between Nature and Math!
(Math, Art, Science, Applied Design)

Our main focus was geometry and math related to patterns in nature. Ms. D read sections of books about nature and math, such as The Language of the Universe. During our ventures outside, we looked for examples of these patterns in the nature around us. We discussed Fibonacci, the Golden Mean, and Fractals found in plants, wave patterns, our bodies, and bee genetics!

We had a great time discovering pentominoes, which are shapes formed by combining five 2D cubes together. We worked together to see how many different combinations of cubes we could make that would form unique pentominoes, and there are 12! We had to use the math concepts of rotation, translation, and reflection to ensure we did not have congruent shapes and had indeed created something new. We played several fun games to work with visual-spatial patterns!

Students also completed activities about measurement, area, perimeter, shape classification, volume, angles, multiplication, division, fractions, and decimals through applied math problems about nature in the books Animal Math and Planet Earth Math, as well as Geometry and Measurement for Intermediate Grades.

We also watched a video series called Doodling in Math Class about nature math, and made our own, portable “angle-a-trons” for 137.5 degrees to try outside on plants, confirming leaves grow in specific, consistent angle patterns to maximize light exposure.

Others enjoyed artistic parts of math, using compasses and protractors to create complicated patterns from This is Not a Math Book.

We found a lot of symmetry in nature, and we created careful drawings of butterflies, using pastel and watercolor to make balanced compositions. We also had an opportunity to make mandala dot art rocks, which was a practice in patience, perseverance, and mindful art.

Some students took on extra challenges such as Applied Math in Oceans and Space, from the EPIC website, or doing area challenges in the book Area Mazes 2.

Finally, we used our discussion of geometry and measurement to create scale models of objects so we would understand how to make a scale model for applied design.

We imagined what the empty grass space in the intermediate playground could be like. Using nature math, knowledge of indigenous plants, and our outside observations during the unit, we made scale models of a proposed nature space for relaxing, learning, and taking a break outdoors. Students were asked to incorporate mathematics and unique natural elements into the design. Thank you everyone for your creative results!

 

French Weather Conversation!
(Core French, Drama, Language Arts, Creative Thinking)

We integrated conversations about the outdoors into our French learning, as well, by focusing on communicating the weather. Everyone chose a partner, learned basic weather phrases, and then created a crazy dialogue with costumes to represent the weather in front of the class.

Independent Project!
(Socials, Science, Critical Thinking, Career Education, and Personal Awareness)

By February, most students had selected topics for independent study. They were allowed to select any topic as long as it was something they sincerely cared about!

During each project this year, we worked on the specific curricular competencies and skills to help with a successful independent inquiry.

These skills can be found in almost every aspect of the curriculum, including career education, social studies, language arts, science, fine arts, and applied design. Here is a quick summary:

• Understanding passions and making a commitment to pursue a personal interest
• Project management, goal setting, and meeting deadlines
• Self-management as they monitor their time during open work periods
• Asking questions that further an inquiry, including open and closed questions
• Documenting and organizing research through notes and a bibliography
• Searching online effectively, including finding reliable and safe resources
• Using critical thinking to analyze resources and summarize findings
• Communicating findings in writing and through public speaking
• Applying creative thinking by sharing results through a variety of media

We had a wide variety of topics including things like hummingbirds, arduino, autism, stars, galaxies, carbon footprint, the Grand Canyon, bird evolution, future transportation, the circulatory system, and more! As we finish, the digital versions of their projects will be posted on the Independent Projects tab of the class blog’s main menu.

We hope this provides you a snapshot of all the great learning Division 5 did in term three! Please see individual e-portfolios for more information and photos of individual projects and thinking about the units!