Animal Migration Mini Project

In class, we have been studying migration of animals, including migration cues, and typical migration routes.

Each of you will choose one migratory animal to look at more closely.

You will use Book Creator on the iPads to make a short, creative book online to share your findings with us. This tool will give you one more option for presenting information as you think toward the end of the year and Independent Project.

While research can be done at home, the majority of the work on this project will be at school, so we need to use our time and project-management skills to stay on task during work periods!!

Step one: Do research on your animal and watch the Book Creator Tutorial on the iPads. Record your research using a T-Chart in your journal. See the questions below for what kinds of information you need to look for and share with us.

Step two: Make a storyboard of what you would like to share.

  • You can use your drawing book to make a layout of the pages you want to create in your Book Creator Book.
  • Your book can be about 10 pages — one page for a book cover, 8 pages of information and graphics, and one last page with a short bibliography of where your information came from.
  • Your book will need to have words and pictures to explain your animal and its migration.

Step three: Start making your pages using the Book Creator application on the iPads. If you are absent or know you will be away the next week, you can also create a free account at Bookcreator.com so you can work on your computer/laptop at home, or you can get the Book Creator application on a mobile device.

There may be a fee for the app on a mobile device, but using Book Creator on a laptop in a browser is free if you make an account with parent help. Talk to Ms. D if you have questions.

Step four:  Edit your book carefully by reviewing it yourself and asking a peer to look at it, as well.

Step five: Show your finished book to Ms. D — she will try to upload it to her shared library, or we can just view your book on the iPad. Our goal is to share these during our student led conferences in April.

As you research your migratory animal, please find out the answers to these questions:

  1. What is the name of your animal? Common name is fine.
  2. Where does your animal live? (Biome and habitat; specific location on map)
  3. What does your animal look like? What adaptations (features of its body) help it deal with the habitat and biome it lives in?
  4. Where does your animal travel to as it migrates?
  5. What is the migration route on a map? What biomes does it travel through?
  6. What does your animal need to survive? Food/habitat/conditions
  7. What cue causes your animal to migrate? What type of migration is it? (use the handouts from class if needed)
  8. How is your animal important to the ecosystems it lives in?
  9. Is your animal endangered and why? Are there any problems with human activity bothering the animal’s migration route?
  10. Any other really cool and interesting facts about your animal?

Criteria:

  • You are able to find specific migration information about your animal and to use the science vocabulary we have discussed to describe their migration.
  • You are able to create a clear presentation using a new digital tool, using simple graphics to communicate details about your animal.
  • You are able to use creative thinking and an organized layout as you design your presentation so your audience is engaged as they read the information.

Due Date:  April 16th at the latest, as we will present these during Student Led Conferences April 17 or 18.

Here are some websites on migratory animals you may find helpful or interesting! Many of these are on birds, but please see the Articles of Interest for other options, under the heading “Migration Unit.”

Earth Rangers Top Ten Most Amazing Animal Migrations

Nature Animal Migration

BBC Animal Migration Videos and Info

Cornell University Lab of Ornithology (study of birds — so any bird can be searched!)

NOVA Magnetic Field and Animal Migration

Scientific American Silent Skies: Billions of North American Birds Have Vanished

Audubon North America Has Lost More Than 1 in 4 Birds

Cornell Chronicle Nearly 30% of Birds in US Have Disappeared

Nature Canada How Climate Change is Impacting Birds

Mass Audubon Effects of Climate Change on Birds

Forbes Climate Change is Affecting Migration Timing of Birds

Cosmos Bird migratory patterns changing with climate

United Nations International Gathering on Birds to Discuss Migratory Species

Ted Ed Video on Bird Migration Dangers

Tiny House – Math, ADST, Identity Core Competency

Hello Everyone!

We started this project yesterday, and I passed out a packet to follow, but I wanted to put the details we have talked about down on the blog for parents to see, too.

We are building a TINY HOUSE MODEL as part of our combined MATH and ADST studies, and in connection with the IDENTITY core competency.

In class, we discussed tiny houses, looked at pictures, talked about why people build them, and considered different designs. Then, each person was given a planning packet to begin drafting their own tiny house scale model.

As part of math, we are using the TINY HOUSE to practice scale and proportionate thinking. We will also be practicing communication around area, perimeter, and measurement.

As part of IDENTITY, our concept of study for our recent unit, we are exploring what kind of personal space we would invent for ourselves. This will be a great communication of our personal preferences and needs, through the designing of a living space.

Finally, as part of ADST, we will practice creative-thinking and building using a variety of tools to produce a scale model, while using the design process of envisioning our idea, drafting a plan, making our model, revising it as we go, and presenting a final product.

Steps for Creating the Model:

  1. PLAN:  Read through the Tiny House Booklet and make a plan on the design page. Use the list of items on that page to help you think about what a tiny house needs. You are welcome to look at Tiny House ideas on the internet, as there are so many TV shows on YouTube about them!
  2. MAKE:  Ms. D will provide you with cardstock grid paper for the floor, roof, and walls of your tiny house. The building of our Tiny House will happen in class. You may use coloured pencils, markers, clear tape, glue, extra cardstock, pipe cleaners, and other building supplies to help create your space.
  3. BE AWARE OF SCALE: We discussed in class having an idea of how big your person is that is moving in the house. This will help you design things, so that your couch isn’t made for a giant! Also, we compared the grid squares to the size of our classroom, so that we would know how high to make doors and windows. Be aware that all of your items in the house need to “make sense” in terms of size and relationship to one another.
  4. CREATE 3D FURNITURE: Ms. D has a handout with sample furniture already on it, or you can create your own. Make the furniture, light fixtures, garden items, etc. as 3D as you can. You can draw some things on the walls, though, such as art or in-set shelves that are not sticking out into the space.
  5. BE CREATIVE:  Make sure you add colour! What does the outside look like? Will you have a roof patio? A garden? An interesting pathway? You decide!
  6. PRESENT:  When you finish, we will present to one another, sharing our creativity, in our TINY HOUSE TOWN! I will ask you to write about your design experience, as well as the math involved, in a final e-port reflection.

CRITERIA:

  • I can envision a creative tiny house space, including elements that represent my identity and personal preferences.
  • I can use the design process to draft ideas, build, revise, and produce a tiny house model.
  • I can work with alternative materials successfully to create a 3D model of a space.
  • I can use proportionate thinking to design a space that makes sense in terms of the related size of furniture, door, window, and other items.
  • I can use a grid plan, as well as a sense of area, to plan out a tiny house.
  • I can use design elements and creative thinking (colour, 3D construction, line, texture, interesting items included) to make an interesting and aesthetic house model.
  • I can explain the design process and my math thinking successfully through a written reflection.
  • I can use materials responsibly, not wasting cardstock and other classroom supplies as I build.

DUE DATE:  No later than April 17th, Wednesday morning

BUILDING HAPPENS IN CLASS — SO MS. D CAN SEE YOUR PROCESS. Thank you!!

Overview MACC Division 5 Term Two: November – February, 2023-2024

Here is a review of the many things we did Term Two 2023-2024!

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.


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


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 playdoh 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 also talked about how GROUP THINK can be better than SOLO THINK for any project. Building upon someone else’s ideas is okay, and it is the way innovation happens!

As part of language arts, and in connection with our school goals around writing, we also took time to do daily, creative quick-writes during our recalibrate time to focus our energy for the day. The emphasis was on increasing written output, idea generation strategies, and using more complex vocabulary. We discussed the difference between 5 cent, 10 cent, and 25 cent words. More interesting vocabulary means our writing is worth more! We also discussed not self-censoring — meaning, just get the thoughts to paper in a first draft and don’t worry so much about perfection! All ideas are good!

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? We did some primary research about this by teaching our younger buddies how to do marble roller coasters like we did earlier this year, then observing them to see how their play and experimentation differed from our own.

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 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 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 read the book Ingenious and were surprised how many important innovations originated in Canada! We learned how many other inventions have been inspired by creations from First Peoples of Canada by looking at the book Indigenous Ingenuity.

Then, we identified technologies used in different areas of our lives, such as communication, medical technology, electronics, 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. We watched The Story of Plastics to learn about the impact of the invention of plastic on both us and the environment. As we read about the invention of the printing press, we reflected on how much technology has changed us and the way we do things.

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 researching while using reliable resources.


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.

Using You Do the Math: Skyscraperswe 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. Stay tuned for pictures of our work making Tiny Houses for ADST and Math, applying what we learned in term two!

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 learned new methods of creation, such as wool felting, collage, and acrylic landscape painting on wood.  Hopefully everyone enjoyed seeing the results at home!

            


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 29th.


How am I an explorer?
(Career Education, Social Thinking, 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 as the weather improves. 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 Competency of Positive Personal & Cultural Identity, French)


Why do people move from place to place? What is your own migration story? How did we all get here in Canada?

Students started by asking their parents for information about their family tree and the journey their family took to arrive here. We charted all of our migration paths on a large map for all to see. Through this, we had great discussions about the diverse backgrounds and cultural beliefs in the classroom. Even though we are all different, we found we had many things in common! For example, we all have traditions to mark important events, certain ways of doing things in the home, and objects and practices that are important to us. Thank you, Division 5, for our respectful and interesting discussions!

Our next step was to look closely at the Indigenous or First Peoples of Canada, whose history on these lands is much, much longer than ours. How did they come here? What are the main Indigenous groups of Canada? How many Indigenous groups existed here for such a long time before European explorers and other settlers arrived? Each student did research on groups they were less familiar with, like the Algonquin, Dene, Cree, and Iroquois First Nations communities. Then, we did more in-depth work to learn more about the Coast Salish groups, on whose unceded territories we live, work, learn, and play. Thank you, Division 5, for your respectful conversations about land acknowledgements and why we do them.

Using the book Human Migration on EPIC, Why We Live Where We Live, and many other resources, we discussed the many push and pull factors that cause humans to move from place to place. 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. Each student chose a French-speaking country to research further and produced a colourful poster to inform the class of their findings.

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? 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 “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?

We're Not from HereTo better understand what it is like to be a refugee or immigrant, we also read aloud the book We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey. It is a science fiction story that imagines what might happen if the Earth were uninhabitable, and we all had to immigrate to another planet. Would we be accepted? What would it be like to live in such a different place? What would it be like to be called the “alien”? Students used elements of Reading Power by Adrienne Gear to visualize details, make personal connections, and think more deeply while reading.


Migration – Animals and Getting Outside

(Science, Socials, Language Arts, ADST, PHE)

Humans aren’t the only ones moving around!  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 also visited the beautiful 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 pintail ducks, chickadees, saw-whet owls, and red-winged blackbirds, among other species.

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

Our walk at Reifel Bird Sanctuary and around the school, listening for birds 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 other outdoor team-oriented games, such as kickball and ultimate frisbee, which required us to use our social-thinking skills!

Independent Project Beginnings – Asking Deeper Questions
(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.

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.

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. Pictures to come as we keep working on these projects before break!

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

E-Port Machines PowerPoint Reflection

Hello Everyone,

To save paper, please do your reflection on your Machines PowerPoint presentation on your e-portfolio. When you are done, I will post your mark and any feedback. Thank you!

Title:  Machines PowerPoint Reflection

Questions:

Please post a picture of the machine/innovation/technology you discussed.

What do you think you did well on the PowerPoint creation? What would you do for next time?

What do you think you did well on in terms of research? What would you do for next time?

How do you think you did on public speaking? What do you still want to work on?

E-Port Reifel Bird Sanctuary Visit

I hope you enjoyed our trip to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary! If you were there, please do an e-port on our visit.

Title:  Reifel Bird Sanctuary Visit

Questions:

Please post a picture of your favourite bird from the visit. You can find pictures online. Perhaps use the Cornell Bird Website I suggested in another post, if you need it!

Please name as many birds as you can remember from the trip.

What was your favourite part of the trip and why?

What is taxonomy? The biologist Dani explained this in the museum. You can look it up if you need to.

What are zygodactyl feet (hint, from an owl)?

Which kind of owl did we see while we were there? Why are they hard to find?

What are coots like? What makes them unique?

What is a secondary cavity nester (hint:woodpecker and chickadee, and Dani showed us in the museum)?

Tell me three other things you learned while you were at the Sanctuary about birds and their habitat.

Animal Migration

Hello Everyone!

For science today, we are talking about how animals receive migration cues that tell them when it is time to travel. There are external cues (photoperiod, shifting seasons, food/water availability) and internal cues (fat reserves, circadian rhythms).

Please watch the following videos to find out the external or internal cues for each animal. Record your answers on the handout so we can discuss! All videos are created by National Geographic and are available on YouTube. A couple have ads, so just wait patiently, as they are short.

Wildebeest Migration

Red Crab Migration

Monarch Butterfly Migration

Sockeye Salmon Migration

Sperm Whale Migration

National Geographic Animals Migration Videos Collection

If you want to learn more about animal migration, here are some other videos to watch at home. This may help you to choose an animal that migrates, as everyone will be making a Puppet Pal presentation on one!

National Geographic The Greatest Animal Migration (43 minutes)

National Geographic Masters of Migration: Sandhill Cranes  (2:16)

National Geographic Epic Migrations in Yellowstone (2:35)

National Geographic Tundra Swans Migration (3:03)

The Atlantic Revealing Patterns of Migration in Motion

All About Birds Watch Migrations of 188 Birds

The Economist 1843 Out in the Blue Migration Patterns of Animals in Ocean

National Geographic See What Birds Are Going Extinct

Globe and Mail Study Shows Human Activity Affecting Animal Migration

Nature Animals Worldwide Stick Closer to Home Because of Human Activity

YouTube Global Animal Movements Based on Movebank

National Geographic Half of All Species Are Moving and We Are Feeling It  (April 2017)

Not enough? Then, put in the search terms “National Geographic Migration” plus the name of an animal you are interested in into YouTube’s search bar to see if National Geographic has a video for you on that animal.

Enjoy!

Ms. D

Indigenous Peoples of Burnaby, Learning More

Hello Everyone,

We have had great discussions to answer a big question: How did we all get here?

We looked at our own personal histories, to see how our families came to be in Canada. Then, we focused on the larger human migration story and how all humans traveled the Earth to settle in different areas over time. We also looked closely at the First Peoples of Canada, who have been here and continue to be here, since thousands of years before other immigrants arrived from around the world.

We discussed how there are three main groups of Indigenous Peoples of Canada, the Inuit, First Nations, and Metis. Then, we looked at the broader tapestry of groups throughout Canada. Each student helped with our understanding by reading about two First Nations groups and looking carefully at what they call themselves, how to pronounce it, what language they speak, and what they believe.

Before we move forward looking at the rest of our history, from European contact and beyond, let’s take a moment to honour, to acknowledge, and to learn about the First Nations groups of the Coast Salish Peoples who live and who have a long history on their unceded territories, in the land we know as Burnaby.

Each student will work in a small group to find out information on one of the four First Nations groups in Burnaby — the Musqueam, the Squamish, the Tsleil-Waututh, and the Kwikwetlem. Click on the links for each name to learn more.

They will find out:

  1.  How do we pronounce the group’s name and language? Teach us.
  2.  Where does this group live now, and where did they spend time in the past in relation to Burnaby?
  3.  What is the history of this group?
  4.  What is unique about this group that could be shared with everyone?

Then this is what we will do:

The sharing will be done in class. Each person in the collaborative team can help with a different part of the project.

Write the facts you would like to share on an index card. Then, practice with your group sharing these facts aloud.

After all the sharing is done, Ms. D will ask everyone in the class some questions based on the presentations in an e-port. So, it is important all students take notes will the sharing is going on, so they can answer the questions.

Through this, we will support our goals around reconciliation, learning more about the Indigenous history of our area, and making connection with the rich history that has existed on these territories for thousands of years.

I look forward to hearing your presentations! More on this in class, so everyone understands what they need to do. 🙂

Due Date for Presentations:  February 27th

Migration Story Monologue!

Hello Everyone,

In class, we created a timeline on the board of many events that brought people to Canada, going back to 14,000 – 75,000 years ago when First Peoples first came into Canada and going through history until now.

We asked the big question, “How did we get here?” To answer that, we discussed the many reasons people were drawn to Canada, such as searching for passage to other lands, seeking new resources and land, the fur trade, escaping war, creating the railway, the gold rush, and seeking new opportunities.

It is a complicated history! Even though Canada is a young country, we have a longer history of how we came to be here that ties in with our unit discussions about people’s need to explore. It also tells us a lot about the Canadian identity, as we have many groups of people who have come to Canada and contribute their cultures to the country we live in.

First, here are some more videos to explore if you want, some of which we have already watched in class:

YouTube TedEd What Does It Mean to be a Refugee?

YouTube Cool Map of Early Human Migration

2022 UN World Migration Report

YouTube 2016 Census History of Immigration Facts

YouTube Great Review of Push Pull Factors for Immigration

YouTube PowToon Review of Types of Immigration

YouTube Curriculum Canada Fur Trade in Canada

Next, let’s each take on one character from Canada’s story, do more research, and then present a monologue to the class as that character!

  1.  Pick an individual from Canadian history that we have discussed and get it approved by Ms. D. We each want to do someone different. You don’t have to have a famous person, you could create a person from a specific time period — a Chinese immigrant who is working on the railway in Canada, a person who came over for the fur trade, a farmer coming for new lands, etc.
  2.  Do research on that individual, so you know what their story would be. What is the time period you live in? Who are you and where did you come from? What was the journey to Canada like? What were the challenges on the journey? What were the challenges when you arrived? What happened when you got here? Tell us some details that give us information about the push and pull factors of why the person is in Canada.
  3.  Write a short script of one minute. Write the script in the first person as if you are the person yourself. Give yourself a specific name, even if you make it up. Use I statements! Pretend you are in that time period, not telling us a speech about a historical figure. Tell us a story of how you came to Canada. Put the script on cue cards, practice it a lot, almost memorize the script so you can do more acting than reading. You will be presenting it as if you were that character! We will do this as a museum of characters, and only present to our classmates, so it is less nerve wracking!  🙂
  4.  Create a costume and props to help tell the story! You will need something to wear and some props to represent the story you are telling!
  5.  Ms. D Help: There are books in the classroom to help with research, and as I know which characters we are interested in, I will post links on this blog entry to help if we need them. Please ask after you have taken time to find some info of your own.

Criteria:

  • Your presentation is one minute long and is written in the first person.
  • Your presentation contains solid evidence of having researched the time period or individual you are representing. We learn some facts about when this person was alive, what their challenges were, and how push/pull factors were involved in their immigration story.
  • You made an effort to memorize your script and have it written on cue cards to help you.
  • You have a costume and at least one prop to help tell your story.
  • You are able to use volume, enunciation, pace, and expression so your audience is interested in your story and can understand you clearly.

Due Date:  Presentations will be made March 7th.

E-Port on Migration

Hello! New e-port to check in!

Title:  Migration Check In

Questions:

What is quality of life (think about the map we looked at and refer to your journal!)?

What is the gene called that makes people want to explore?

What are push and pull factors? Name five of each.

What does it mean to be a citizen of a country?

What is a refugee?

What does the word nomadic mean? Are we still nomadic? Why not?

What is the Quilt of Belonging and what does it represent about Canada?

What are the three main groups of Indigenous Peoples of Canada?

Why do we do a land acknowledgement?

Name two groups of First Nations you learned about in class.

What are the different types of animal migration?

How do animals know it is time to migrate?

What questions do you have about migration, now that we have been talking about this topic for two weeks?

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