Creativity for the community

Posted on 20 May, 2020 by milloyd

Update for May 21

Some ideas are coming in, but it seems worthwhile to spend some more time thinking about ways we might help spread the #CovidKindness message. And more time should allow us to explore more creativity in our game-creating, poetry-writing activities. So spend some more time on the story , related questions and activities linked to this post, and keep sending me your thoughts, drafts, designs, questions and work in-progress.

Among our activities this week are several that invite kids to explore something creatively: whether that’s using a growing understanding of the basics of probability to help with designing a game; experimenting with rhythm & word-play to create poetic lines; using an app to create a line of music; or practising good old-fashioned pencil drawings. It is nice to get to create something new (even while learning a few lessons or refining a familiar skill along the way).

I think that was what held my attention as I opened and read through this article from CBC Kids News about some interesting creative outlets some kids have come up with. (I’ve seen lemonade stands, before but a JOKE stand‽ Count me in!)

Through their own ideas and with their own skills (and a little supportive encouragement from those nearby), they’ve created their own ways to give back to people in their families and communities, filling a fair few buckets along the way (and no doubt doing some powerful and practical learning in the process).

I hope you enjoy reading their stories and carrying on with some of your own creations. (See this week’s activities for some follow-up on the story.) Maybe we can put together some of what we’re working on to share with our school community (or even just with each other). What do you think?

A long weekend; a long walk; & a dose of good will

Posted on 19 May, 2020 by milloyd

Victoria Day 2020 has now come and gone. Hopefully you had a chance to have a little more time with family members who are often busy or to make a call to others farther away. I hope you got to have a special meal or play a game, and I invite you to share a Victoria Day Weekend Update in a comment if you like.

For our weekly class meeting this morning, we will try playing a game together online (despite being physically apart). That will mean that before our 10:30 meeting, students will want to download the file I’ve made for each of you and left in your individual folders online. Check here if you need help finding it (and don’t worry, I’ll take a moment make sure everyone is set) before we start to play. We may be staying local and still staying apart, but there are still all sorts of things we can do together (including our other work in-progress, found on this updated list of current activities).

The MS Walk in 2020 will be done independently all at once all over MetroVancouver

I spent much of the weekend getting myself prepared for the annual Walk for Multiple Sclerosis, in which I take part every year. It is usually a large gathering in a great festive atmosphere. This year will be a little different with everyone doing their walking on their own or in their own family groups. We’ll still all be together in spirit and in action. What really astounds me though, is the way my supporters are still coming through for this event. Not only are they sending me encouraging messages or declaring their intent to go out walking themselves (as I have invited everyone to do), but in much greater numbers than I expected given the pressures most people are facing these days, a large number of people are also deciding to give.

What I take away from that is reassurance. Despite the news, events and trends that sometimes make think about how bad things can be, there is still a lot of good will out there along with plenty of people willing to act on it! Let’s all try to keep being our better selves.

What would you do if you could read minds?

Posted on 14 May, 2020 by milloyd

Update for Friday, May 15th

Many interesting thoughts & opinions about what folks think about whether being able to read minds would be a good power to have and what people might do with that power have been shared in conversation elsewhere. I’m updating this post rather than starting a new one so we can finish gathering more of your ideas here. Please leave a reply to add your thoughts to the comments (or add to your previous comment). Students may want to return to this to add a comment after listening to part 2 of the story and doing some reflection (the links and other updates will be in the updated list of this week’s assigned activities).

Enjoy Victoria Day.

We’ve started the short story, ‘Sevety-Six Dollars and Forty-Nine Cents’ by Kwame Alexander, and Monk seems thinks he can hear what people are thinking.

If it’s true
(and maybe it is)
Monk’s a mind-reader!

Would YOU want the power to read others’ thoughts? What would you do with it? Leave your responses as a comment, but make sure you’ve listened to the introduction and part 1 of the story (see our this week’s assigned activities for the links). Then spend some more time today making more progress on those projects. I’ll be glad to see everyone for our class circle Thursday afternoon.

What makes someone interesting?

Posted on 13 May, 2020 by milloyd

We are going to look at another interesting short story. Before listening to the introduction to the story below, please complete this pre-reading questionnaire. After submitting your responses, go on to listen to the introduction (as read by the story’s author).

When you’ve finished, please respond to the reflection questions here.

Then please revisit our list of assigned activities for this week to check your progress on ongoing projects and look for a new task for your designing skills. You’ll also find a link to the next part of the story.

May 12, bi-weekly meeting (& maybe mindreading?)

Posted on 12 May, 2020 by milloyd

With the arrival of our regular Tuesday class circle/meeting, I hope everyone will find time this morning to complete this little questionnaire before we begin. I’ll have a new story to talk about and some further thoughts on using the verses you are writing as well as some other ways to use your creativity.

I did also mention something about mindreading in the title of this short post. Well, if you’re a mind reader, you’ll already know what I mean. If not, you’ll need to wait for the meeting! See you soon!

If you are among those who still need to spend some time on a math or literacy game from yesterday and send me some reflection notes on what you thought or how it went, links to the games and other notes about latest and ongoing projects can be found here.

Play on

Posted on 11 May, 2020 by milloyd

I hope you enjoyed our sunny weekend. Many people had to be satisfied with honouring their mothers from a distance. Whether via online video, the telephone, a card in the mail or a hug at home, I hope you found an opportunity to pay tribute to the mothers and grandmothers in your life. (Maybe you even read them a poem or wrote one of your own!) I would love to read your comments on anything notable about your Mother’s Day weekend (perhaps you’d even share some poetry‽)

Our Mondays always started with Purposeful Play, so I’d like us to spend Monday trying out some games. Choose from the games found through the links below, and whatever you choose, tell how it went or how you did; what you liked (or didn’t) & what was challenging (or wasn’t). Even perhaps include a screenshot.

Choose from 23 online games here

More that 30 other games (including classics like Yahtzee, Dominoes, Snakes & Ladders and more).

Play Snakes and Ladders Dice Online Play Parchisi Dice Game Online Play Draw Dominoes Game Online

These links and other notes about latest and ongoing projects can be found here. I will be looking forward to sharing something new at our regular Tuesday online class circle. In the mean time, play on!

Growing Awareness

learning about others and ourselves

Category Archives: by Mr Milloy