Division 5 read the book Some Things Are Scary by Florence Parry Heide. The author explores the different things that can feel scary. Scary things aren’t just ghosts, or zombies, or monsters. They can be the everyday worries and “what ifs?”. Some of these scary things are imagined, but many are rooted in the reality of loneliness, loss, or the unknown.
You can check it out here:
Recently, Division 5 has been learning about the physical, social, and emotional changes that happen during puberty. Many students view these changes with apprehension and even fear (and the last page of the book especially resonated with us!) Change is always a theme at the end of the school year, as some people are moving on to other adventures: moving schools or houses, siblings who are moving to high school, and even just looking ahead to a new grade, teacher, and classroom in September. Change can be exciting, though! We can hold multiple feelings at once: sadness for what we might be leaving behind, and excitement for what is to come.
Inspired by Some Things Are Scary, students worked in groups to share our own ideas about what scares us. Some groups used a placemat strategy where everyone wrote at once, and some groups decided to write a list with one recorder.
We found we had so many in common! We also learned about things that scare some but not others, and that’s okay! We all have different experiences that inform our perceptions of the world. We can learn to be brave in the face of our fears, be resilient coming out the other side, and we can find supports when we need help getting through challenging thoughts or situations.
Here are some close-ups of the ideas:
After discussion, students wrote about what scares them by practicing a structured paragraph. I really enjoyed listening to the students’ conversations, and sharing my own experiences with scary things. I appreciate the students’ vulnerability to share their fears, and the respect they showed each other. I look forward to reading their paragraphs!
In Division 5, we have been discussing actionable ways to contribute to reconciliation in Canada. The goal of reconciliation is to rebuild and maintain a respectful relationship with Indigenous peoples. It is an ongoing process that requires active awareness and effort from non-Indigenous people across Canada. This week, each student wrote about an act of reconciliation they will pursue on an orange heart. The hearts are posted on the window near out classroom.
As part of our media literacy studies, and in preparation for Earth Day next week, students in Division 5 have been discussing the concept of “greenwashing.”
