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Hour of Code & Computer Science Education Week

Hour of Code takes place during Computer Science Education Week, which is this week!

Some smaller versions of our now-grade 7s! This photo is from when I visited UHE a few years ago to teach some coding, back when I held a district position.

The idea behind Hour of Code is get everyone participating in a coding activity at some point throughout the week. Students have all different levels of experience with coding, and it has become part of our B.C. curriculum. While we understand that not all students will grow up to become programmers, learning coding and computational thinking in school helps demystify the powers that drive our everyday technologies, broadens participation in the field of computer science, and nurtures problem solving skills. It is essentially a new literacy needed as our children grow up and navigate the world.

Thinking about coding and modern technologies is especially interesting as we also examine and think about prehistoric technologies early modern humans used to survive, thrive, and observe their world.  Division 3 has been looking at some of the earliest cave art found in Spain, France, and Argentina. This week, students are combining found natural materials to create tools that could be used for painting–then we will test if they work! Keep an eye out for some of our process and finished pieces!

I have positioned some coding links on our Hour of Code page. Feel free to check them out!

 

Examining Artifacts

Today Division 3 was learning about archeological processes and how scientists determine information about the past based on artifacts. In pairs, they examined several artifacts illustrated in the text. They speculated about what the artifacts were, what they were made of, and who may have made or used them, and then had to justify their ideas.

We also looked at this more contemporary artifact. Students were stumped!

The Best Caterpillar in the World?

Division 3 has been learning about how living things adapt and evolve to be successful in specific environments–meaning they can meet their survival needs. Living things need food, water, air, space, strategies for successful reproduction, and a way to stay safe from predators in order to continue thriving in an ecosystem.

Mimicry is one way that some animals protect themselves from predators. Yesterday we watched a video about the amazing Hawks Moth Caterpillar.  Watch how this prey animal turns into (what looks like) a predatory one to scare away its own predator!

Division 3 has had the opportunity to work with the Inquiry Beaty Box, borrowed from the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at UBC. We have been carefully observing and making sketches of the specimens, and then analyzing and hypothesizing about how some of the various structures or characteristics of the organism benefit its survival in relation to where it lives.

Nature is truly amazing!

Division 3 — what was a structure or a characteristic of your specimen that contributed to its survival success in its particular ecosystem? Can you think of another example from outside of the Beaty Box?

Stack Up!

Between November 15-17, speed stackers from around the world participate in the Stack Up event. Each class participating is registered as part of the official worldwide count–the record for the most people stacking was 638,503 in 2019! I wonder if we will beat it this year?

For our stacking day, we did a few different activities including making a horizontal snake, setting some new cycle stacking records, and a competition for working together as a team to make big triangle stacks (I am amazed they didn’t come tumbling down while they were being built!)

 

Here’s a time lapse of one group downstacking their whole stack! They came up with an efficient system where they grabbed a cup, circled around, stacked their cups, and came around again. Great team work!

How many cups do you think were in their stack?

 

 

In Flanders Fields – Remembrance Day Assembly

As mentioned in the previous post, Division 3 arranged and recited the poem “In Flanders Fields” during UHE’s Remembrance Day assembly. They performed in front of the whole school, and should be commended for their effort and focus during this assembly. As some of the eldest students in our school community, they led by example and helped set the appropriate tone for our gathering.

Chorale Reading

In preparation for the Remembrance Day assembly, Division 3 has been working on a dramatic chorale reading of John McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Fields.

Chorale reading requires all performers to develop a “stage voice” where they must speak clearly and audibly. This process also provides an opportunity for some creativity with how we share the words. We discussed how to vary volume, pitch, tone, and speed, and how we could emphasize certain parts of the poem by having everyone, a small group, or just one performer speaking at a time.

Performer and director notes can be messy! Taking notes while reviewing and practicing a script helps us understand our cues and reminds us where we need to emphasize or pause. When we rehearse in an intentional way, we can run on auto-pilot for the performance!

To start off, we worked in three groups: each group examining one verse, and deciding on how it could be read for maximum effect using some various chorale reading strategies. Each small group shared their “rough” cut, and the rest of the students discussed what was most effective.

Then, as a whole group, we took ideas from each small working group and started developing our whole-class performance. After many rehearsals and feedback, we are ready to perform! Practice makes progress, and while we may not be “perfect,” Division 3 should be very proud of the work they’ve put in to perform this powerful piece.

Success Isn’t Linear

Today we watched a video of Yoann Bourgeois, a French aerobatic dancer, performing his piece entitled Success Isn’t Linear. As he ascends the staircase, he repeatedly falls off, bouncing off a trampoline, and alighting again on the staircase. We can see him reaching as he climbs, and despite multiple falls, he continues working his way to the top. In addition to the carefully choreographed movements, how does the music add to the overall feeling of the piece?

In what ways does this concept of Success Isn’t Linear relate to the First Peoples’ Learning Principle that “learning takes patience and time?”

Rose Hip Tea

Yesterday Division 3 had our first Roots2Grow session of the year. We helped prune back plants and bushes, picked oregano, harvested corn, and planted garlic. We also got to take home some dried oregano and lavender from our school garden.

While we were harvesting, we noticed that the rose hips were out and ready to be picked and so we harvested some. Indigenous communities have long used rose hips to stay healthy through the winter months. Rose hips are packed with vitamin C (good for your immune system), vitamin A (for cardiovascular health), and zinc (also for immunity). They are also a source of calcium, magnesium, and iron which benefit our cardiovascular and bone health.

Today we used the rose hips to make a tea with freshly gathered mint, and honey. Have a look in the forest around you–you can make your own tea at home, too! Some people add lemon juice or ginger to their rose hip tea as well. Our rose hip tea was quite weak as we were trying to make a big batch with a limited supply of rose hips.

Division 3–what did you think of your first experience with rose hip tea? Will you try making it again? What will you add to your version?

The Size of a Problem

In our Zones discussions, we talked about how our feelings about a problem can affect our perception of the situation. Sometimes our emotions can feel so “big” that they limit us from seeing possible solutions. Frustration, anger, and despair can block us from moving forward.

Check out this video of two people with a problem. Is the problem as big as they perceive it to be?

Division 3 — What are some strategies you use to control your emotions so you are better equipped for facing a problem?

 

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