Good morning,

We had a successful first day back at school yesterday. Transitions are always challenging and sneakily exhausting but I think, with a few reminders, we found a bit of normal by the end of the day.

To discuss:

1. Morning Journal
2. Learning Opportunities

1. Morning Journal

Species of the Week: Black Bear

Yesterday after school, I headed out for my usual trail run. I made a split second decision to have my run on Mount Seymour since they have opened the gates for the public. On the drive up, I anticipated I may see a bear and right at the parking lot — guess who I see: a Black Bear! The little black lump in the picture — do you see it?

I ran a lot of scenarios through my head before and after seeing the bear. They have just recently come out of hibernation (as we saw with Coola and Grinder). What thoughts do you think are running through the bears mind? What kind of feelings? What physical needs?

Would you know what to do if you encountered a black bear? What do you think you would do? What would Ms. Daneshwand need if she is running alone in bear country on the top of a mountain with snow?

Please respond in the comments.

2. Learning Opportunities

To-do:
* : hand-in
(extension): optional

Priorities:
a.) Morning Journal*
b.) Literacy *
c.) Math

Extensions:
d.) Makers – Emotions (optional)
e.) Genius Hour (optional)

Priorities

a.) Morning Journal *

How was your weekend? Focus on feelings, experiences, and observations (the “inside story”).

b.) Literacy*

This week, we will focus on our emotional well-being. This is especially important during times of change or transition.

Adrienne Gear believes there are three main types of emotions – positive, negative, and anxious – each can be managed with different actions.  Depending on what the feeling you are experiencing, you can “KEEP IT! CALM IT! or COURAGE IT!”

• KEEP IT: When we experience positive feelings – excitement, joy, love, gratitude, peace – we want to KEEP those inside because they fill our hearts and make us feel good.
• CALM IT: When we experience negative feelings – anger, hurt, hate, frustration, disappointment – we need to CALM those feelings and practice deep breathing and mindful techniques.
• COURAGE IT: When we experience anxious feelings – fear, apprehension, nervous, or worried – we need to “COURAGE IT” (poor grammar, I know!) by finding courage to overcome the feelings.

Tuesday
Part 2 – CALM IT – Explore negative feelings and actions: anger, frustration, hurt, disappointment.

Listen to the following book:

Sometimes I’m Bombaloo – Rachel Vail

Please complete the second column on the Keep It Calm It Courage It Template.

What connections do you make? What strategies do you or can you use to calm down?

c.) Math

Please continue your math program.
Khan Academy, IXL, worksheets, etc.

If you would like support/guidance on a math program, please contact me

Extensions (optional)

d.) Makers

Create an emotions structure.

Refer to this planning sheet: Makers – emotions

1. Plan 1
   Using the three main emotional categories (Keep it, Calm it, Courage it), plan what each of these emotions may look like if they were a physical structure.
   Keep it (positive feelings) – ex. calm, content, excited, happy, curious — For me this would look like sitting at the beach or in the forest. Colours I may include in my structure would be yellow and green (everyone’s will be different).
   Calm it (negative feelings) – ex. angry, frustrated, confused, sad — For me, this would look like a big, dark pit. Colours may include black or red. I may want to include a lot of spirals or angry, jagged lines.
   Courage it (anxious feelings)
   Courage it (anxious feelings) – ex. worried, concerned, intimidated, afraid — For me this may be standing at a cliff’s edge, or at the top of a roller coaster. Colours I would include would be very mixed!
2. Plan 2
   How will you turn these emotional categories into a physical structure? This may be a house with three rooms, a three-headed monster, a robot with different categories, a theme park with parts focusing on each category.
3.  Create
4. Test/Fix
5. Share

e.) Genius Hour (optional)

Continue your Genius Hour project. You may want to focus on your “weird animal” this week.  This is an ongoing project. If you have completed it or are just starting, here is the planning sheet to start a new inquiry: Genius Hour Planning Sheet

Follow these steps:
Brainstorm – what topics interest you? Write down topics that interest you (e.g. birds, palm trees, global warming, Jupiter, etc…). Select one to focus on this week.

Question – What deep questions do you wish to explore on your topic? (e.g. how do birds fly?)

Research – How are you going to find answers to your questions? With limited variety of resources, it will likely be online or an interview with an “expert” on the topic (perhaps family/friends).

Present – How are you going to share your knowledge? Please come up with a a way to briefly present your project. This may be through a speech, slideshow, poster, poem, comic, video, song, etc.

Share – Practice your presentation and share — either to me, family/friends, to the class during Sharing Circle.

Please follow the following planning sheet to guide you through your planning and  research.

Have a good day,

Ms. Daneshwand