E-Port #3 Systems Unit Check In

**Reminder: Everything asked here comes from your own thinking, notes in your journal, or items in your binder. Use those as your tools. It is a great opportunity to review what we have done!

Due:  Nov 1st, Wednesday (extra days because of Halloween!)

Title:  Systems Unit Check In

Questions:

What is the Universal Systems Model?

Give an example of one system you know other than the human body and talk about how it fits with the Universal Systems Model.

You eat a bowl of cheerios. Tell me the cheerios’ journey through your body in your own words to show me you know how digestion works.

Why is it important to the body to drink enough water, based on what we have discussed in class (not an answer from the internet)?

What is Go, Slow, Whoa? Name a food in each category.

What are 5 things you might look for or avoid as you choose food for your body systems and why?

What are the measures of central tendency?

Why do we collect data?

What can too much stress do to the body?

What do you do to reduce your stress?

What does exercise like yoga do for the body systems?

Why do we need sleep?

Why do we need to use soap to wash our hands?

 

E-Port #2: Science World AI & Gut Bacteria Workshop

Reminder! Use those notes in your journal to answer these questions, not the internet! And use sentences to answer. Due one week from today, October 17th, Tuesday.

Title:  Science World AI & Gut Bacteria Workshop

Questions:

  1.  What was the name of the language the AI Chatbot uses to communicate?
  2.  What are the challenges of programming a Chatbot?
  3.  How much bacteria is in your gut?
  4.  What are the conditions in our gut that this bacteria likes?
  5. What does anaerobe and aerobe mean?
  6.  What are four ways you can take care of your microbiome (the good gut bacteria)?
  7.  Name a bacteria that lives in our gut and three characteristics of it.
  8.  What are four things probiotics do for our gut?
  9.  What are three fermented foods that help with our gut and feed the good bacteria?
  10.  When should you take antibiotics?
  11.  Should a chatbot be designed to mimic a real person? When would this be okay and when would it not be okay?

Size of My Problem! Being Independent Thinkers!

Hello Everyone,

Today we had a discussion, which is also worth having at home, around social thinking and problem solving.

As we work toward finding the confidence to solve our own problems that come up during a school day, it is important to know the size of the problem. If I know the size of the problem, then I can know the size of my reaction!

First, we defined what is a Small, Medium, and Big Problem:

Small Problems are:

  • Unexpected situations. — For example, someone does an “unexpected behaviour” which we talked about before, or the schedule of the day changes.
  • Quickly fixed. — Generally, these problems have a quick solution if we are calm and think about it.
  • A GLITCH, no BIG DEAL! — This came up randomly and isn’t an all the time problem. You made a mistake, you didn’t read instructions, you can’t find something!
  • YOU FIX — Typically these problems can be fixed by YOU. You don’t need an adult to do it.

Medium Problems are:

  • Didn’t expect this at all! — The unexpected event is bigger and goes beyond a small change in the schedule.
  • Can be fixed, but may take time. — There might have been a conflict and we need to talk about everyone’s perspective as we solve the problem.
  • Fights, being mean. — While no one was physically hurt, there were mean things said, words exchanged, and it needs to be resolved so we can all work together well.
  • Losing something important — While you won’t melt from losing something, losing this item makes you feel upset as it was important to you and you really want to find it.
  • Make you and someone around you upset. — These problems usually involve more than one person.
  • ADULT + YOU FIX — Typically, you need an adult to work with you to solve this kind of problem, but you are involved in coming up with solutions.

Big Problems are:

  • Someone is hurt or sick. — Someone hit their head outside, someone is sick and needs assistance, or someone was in an argument that resulted in the two people getting physical and hurting one another.
  • Affects lots of people. — Usually, these problems are serious and definitely involve more than one person.
  • Complex and hard to solve. — These problems can be long-term and involve complex situations or emotions that need to be considered carefully to help find solutions.
  • Emergency! — There is a situation where everyone is in trouble, someone is being hurt, or we are having a natural disaster!
  • ADULT TO FIX! — Generally, these situations do require an adult to be your guide in addressing the problem or following emergency procedures.

In class, we discussed different situations and sorted them. You might try this at home!

  • What is the problem?
  • Is it a Small, Medium, or Big sized problem?
  • What is your reaction to the problem?
  • Did the reaction MATCH the size of the problem?
  • Who helped you solve the problem?
  • Was it a problem you could have solved on your own, even though you asked the teacher or your parent for help?

All questions are good, but try to do some independent thinking, too!  In class, if you have lost something, forgot your journal, can’t remember the instructions, are feeling frustrated you don’t know something, need supplies, have technology that isn’t working, were not listening and didn’t hear instructions, or were absent and are trying to catch up, then know — these are all small problems. And YOU can do things to solve them yourself before asking for adult assistance:

  • Take three breaths in and out through your nose at your chair. Or, go do it out on the porch to get some fresh air. Get a quick drink of water. Recalibrate and reset if you are not feeling calm enough to solve the situation yourself.
  • Ask a peer for help.
  • Use your eyes, ears, and the body language you see in class (social cues) to pick up on information to make decisions or to find out things on your own.
  • Tell yourself, “This is a small problem, I will breathe and stay calm and find a solution on my own.”
  • Read the board,the GROUP PLAN schedule, the white posters showing the steps you need to take each morning, the signs on the building supply boxes, and other visual cues to figure out where things are or what you need to be doing.
  • Say to yourself, “Technology sometimes glitches, and I will ask a partner to help, then try another device if my iPad or laptop is not charged up.”
  • Read the instructions a second or third time — maybe you went too fast. We are great readers, but sometimes we go so fast we are poor absorbers of information.
  • Watch your peers. What are they doing right now? Do you need to be doing that, too? Social cues!
  • Ask yourself if what you are doing is SAFE and FRIENDLY?
  • Tell yourself, “It is okay to not know this. I just haven’t learned it yet.” Be okay with sometimes not knowing.
  • Tell yourself, “I will try this even if I make a mistake. It is okay if I make mistakes. Making mistakes is learning!”

Thank you,

Ms. D

Nutrition Poster Mini Assignment!

Hello Everyone!

We have been having excellent discussions about NUTRITION!

 

 

We have talked about:

  • The key food groups you need for balanced nutrition,
  • How what we eat can affect our brain health,
  • The role of fat, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in our body’s systems,
  • How to read a nutrition label to make healthy food choices, and
  • How our gut acts like a second brain and has a microbiome that is important to our overall health.

Here are some videos you can watch that we watched in class:

Now, we are helping one another do some further research. Rather than investigate ALL of the nutrients out there, each of us is taking on the research for one. We will then produce a poster to share our information with one another. You can do research using the Internet, as well as some books found in class.

For the research, students need to take notes and to find out the following:

  • What is the nutrient?
  • Where would I find the nutrient? (In which foods?)
  • Why do we need this nutrient? Do we absolutely need this nutrient?
  • How much of this nutrient do we need?
  • What is the nutrient used for in the human body?

After finding out the answers to these questions, students will produce a mini poster. The poster will be done on blank 8.5 x 11 paper, which Ms. D will provide, and it needs to have the following:

  • A big title in the middle or at the top, which has the name of the nutrient.
  • Bubbles on the poster with key facts about the nutrient.
  • Some illustrations to help us better understand the nutrient.
  • An aesthetic presentation — coloured pictures, fine-lined words (which were done in pencil first), straight lines (use a ruler), and a nice layout (not too crowded on the page and using up the whole space.)
  • Readable information. If neatness is a concern, one option is to create the words with MS Word and then cut them out to put on the poster.

This mini poster is not meant to be a long project, just a mini research opportunity while we continue working on other interesting things about the human body! I look forward to you sharing your information so everyone can learn about all the different vitamins and minerals our bodies need.

Poster is due no later than Friday, October 27th.

E-Port #1: Making Goals

Hello Everyone,

Here is our first e-port assignment. Remember our discussion in class and the example I showed you:

  • Please use full sentences to answer questions,
  • Include a small picture,
  • Include a title,
  • Cut and paste the questions from here into your entry so your parents and I can see what you are answering,
  • Don’t write a novel but provide enough detail to answer the questions,
  • Never cut and paste from the Internet,
  • Do it yourself, not with parent help to type and write,
  • Use a dictionary to look up words if needed (online or paper dictionary),
  • Save as you go so you don’t lose your work, and
  • Have it done after one week from the time it is assigned. Use class time as much as possible for this, but you can work on it in the 30-40 minute time limit at home.

TITLE:  Making Goals for Myself 2023-24

Questions:

  1. What are your core competency goals this year? Pick two to talk about and give examples of what you want to work on and why. (communicating, collaborating, critical and reflective thinking, creative thinking, personal awareness and responsibility, positive personal and cultural identity, social awareness and responsibility)
  2. What are your curricular competency goals this year?  Pick two to talk about and give examples of what you want to work on and why. (Researching, Presenting Information, Questioning, Analyzing, Planning, Problem Solving)
  3.  What is a content area of the curriculum you would like to work on this year? Pick no more than two and explain what you want to work on and why.  (Math, Science, Socials, Language Arts, Physical and Health Education, Career Education, ADST, French, Fine Art, Music)

 

Doing Research and Taking Notes

Hello Everyone!  We went over some of these things today in class, as we start our research on HBC. I am posting them here so you have it as a reference.

When we take notes for a project, here are some tips!

  • Record your notes in your journal.
  • Write down the resource you are using first, then write notes.
  • Make sure you know what information you are looking for before you start.
  • Read the instructions for the project to make sure you are asking the right questions about the thing you are researching.
  • Use a T-Chart OR organize your notes by question. On one side of the T chart, write down the question. On the other side, write down the answers you find.
  • Don’t copy down everything you read. Only write down key points! Do write down enough so you can remember what you read.
  • Use your own words to summarize what you read, rather than copying.
  • Keep your notes neat so you can find them and use them for your project later!

When you find resources for your research, here are some tips!

  • Use information that is more recent. For books, in the last 15 years, and for websites in the last five years are general guidelines you could use.
  • Use books first if you can. They have well-research and well-presented information.
  • In books, use non-fiction features to help you get to the info more quickly (index, table of contents, headings, captions)
  • Use websites that are REPUTABLE, where you know the information is true. Avoid .com endings, and look for endings such as .edu, .gov, and .org that represent better websites.
  • When you go to find a website, start by using websites suggested by Ms. D on the Articles of Interest or during class. After that, you can use Google to search.
  • When searching on Google, remember to think of synonyms for what you are searching for.
  • When you get Google search results, be careful not to use results that say AD next to them, as those are ads. Also, don’t use the first website that is there — scroll down a bit to see what you find, and only use websites with reputable endings.
  • Avoid wiki websites as those are group edited and not always reputable.
  • If you get stuck, as for help! Be a good communicator!
  • If a website doesn’t have what you want, don’t spend much time on it. There are many other websites out there.
  • Don’t get distracted by videos — stick with reading rather than just going to YouTube and watching videos.

How do you record a resource?

For a book:

  • Title of the book
  • Name of the author or group that wrote the book
  • Name of the publisher
  • Where was it published
  • Copyright date

For a website:

  • Title of the Website
  • Name of the article in quotes
  • Name of the author (look at top and bottom of the article, or in the About Us section of the website)
  • Date of the article (look at the top and bottom of the article — sometimes it will just say ‘last updated on….’ and that is okay to record for the date.)
  • Date you were at that website (websites change all the time.)

Good luck researching!

Ms. D

Human Body Corporation Project

Division 5 students have been doing a great job investigating the human body through hands-on body stations, reading, watching videos, and class discussion. We have lots of great questions already about how the system of the body works!

We have been discussing the Universal Systems Model and how every system has an INPUT, PROCESS, OUTPUT, and FEEDBACK. We are identifying the many INPUTS our human body system needs to work correctly, such as sleep, exercise, good nutrition, and balance. We will continue these discussions over the next few weeks.

Part of taking care of the human body SYSTEM is making good decisions. We are talking about what we have control over in terms of personal choices that will help us grow, learn, and feel better each day. If you want to make a good decision, how do you do it? Maybe you have to consider the DATA, to find out if the input into the system is a good one. Or, perhaps you need to find out if a certain OUTPUT/OUTCOME is more likely based on your investigations. This is all connected to our math discussions about data and probability!

If you missed these recent videos shown in class, here you go!

Real Science Circulatory and Respiratory System

Ted Ed How Does the Heart Pump Blood

YouTube The Blood Flow Song

Ted Ed How the Digestive System Works

There are more in the Articles of Interest section of the blog and on Kidshealth.org.

Now, we will work on the Human Body Corporation!

In class we will work on practicing effective paragraphs, as well as why and how you would write a business letter. We will write samples together to prepare for doing our first project with a rubric — Human Body Corporation!

Each person will choose an organ to represent in the human body.

As a body organ, we will pretend you are an employee of the Human Body Corporation.

Due to recent cost increases, the Human Body Corporation needs to fire workers.  Uh oh! You might lose your job! You need to write a letter to the Human Body Corporation explaining why you are very important to the human body and should not be fired!

In your letter, you need to describe to the Corporation the following characteristics of your organ:

  • Tell what the name of your organ is and where you are located
  • Identify what systems of the body you work with
  • Describe how you work with these systems
  • List the other organs that work with you in your system
  • Describe your main functions or jobs as a Human Body organ
  • Tell the Corporation how you perform those functions or jobs
  • Tell the Corporation why you are important and why they should not fire you
  • Explain what might happen to the Human Body Corporation if they fired you

Do some further research on your organ. In your JOURNAL, make a new page called “Human Body Corporation Notes.” Write down a bullet point from the list above, and then take some notes in your own words from what you read online or in the books you can find in class.

Next step, you will draft your letter. You will need to use a proper BUSINESS LETTER format to write your letter.

Edit the letter carefully and then have a peer do an edit. Do not let the peer fix the mistakes – that is your job. I am looking for careful use of capitalization and punctuation, complete sentences, and sentences that have a variety of starts to them (instead of all I am this, or I do that.) Try to begin using conjunctions to connect ideas (and, but, however, or), and transition words and phrases (furthermore, next, in this case, etc.)

Then, finally, you will type a finished final draft to turn in to Ms. D, and you will read your letter to the Human Body Corporation (the rest of the class.)

Work on this project will mostly be done in class.

You may use the book or online resources in the classroom to find out information that supports your position AND include this evidence in your letter.

Remember, we showed you a business letter sample in class, and it had specific parts to include:

  1.  Addresses and dates  (Make up the address — use something funny)
  2.  An opening/greeting with a colon
  3.  No indents
  4.  A first paragraph introducing yourself, who you are, and what you are asking of the Human Body Corporation
  5.  A second paragraph really pleading your case about why you are important. If you need two paragraphs for this, it is okay. Remember to avoid big blobs of text. The Human Body Corporation is busy and likes to read its information in quick, easy-to-digest parts.
  6.  A final paragraph summing up what you have said and thanking the Human Body Corporation for being gracious about reading your letter.
  7.  A closing (Respectfully, With respect, Sincerely)
  8.  A signature

The Human Body Corporation looks forward to hearing your case!

Ms. D

Managing School Work at Home – Some Tips from Ms. D

 

Hello Parents!

Before I post details of our first project together, I would like to talk about how and when projects can be worked on at home.

You may have noticed blue binders and journals are not going home every day. They eventually will go home, but I really want students to focus on using their time well in class and on being independent with their work.

I want to see what they can do on their own during the given class time.

If students need catch up time, then that is why I have asked everyone to make sure there are 30-40 minutes set aside for catch up at home.

So, before I hand out the first project, here are some tips to follow:

  • Students are to work on assignments and projects mainly at school.
  • If they do a project ALL at home on the first night it is assigned, this leads to boredom in school, as time will be given to work on the project. As a result of boredom, unexpected behaviours that impact our classroom community can occur. It can also lead to you pulling your hair out at home as they do the entire assignment, as they will be over tired. It is the end of the day — time to rest, not time to do a whole project.
  • If they need catch up time for a project beyond class time, or they are doing some extra research at home, we will put this in their planner so you know.
  • Limit catch up time at home to the 30-40 minutes you have put aside in the schedule for each night.
  • Set a visual timer if necessary to limit the time, as many students at this age do not have a good sense of time and need to get a sense of how long they are spending on things.
  • The only reason to use more than 40 minutes would be if your child was absent, is not using their class time well, or is having fun researching something on their own. If they want to look something up, that’s great! BUT, I encourage you to limit the total time on a computer to no more than one hour because otherwise it can become obsessive (or they end up taking breaks playing games….)
  • When the time is up, ask them to pack their things in a backpack. Check to make sure they have everything they brought home – planner, journal, binder. They need help sometimes doing this as they begin the intermediate grades. The time spent on building a routine now will help them be more independent later on.
  • For students who want to work longer, as they often do, ask them what would Ms. D say about that? What do the body systems need as INPUTS to work correctly? SLEEP, REST, BALANCE, and PLAY! Have a calm discussion about what they know about how these things are important to the body.
  • When possible, encourage your child to do calm things the hour before bed. Avoid technology, listen to music, play with lego or hands-on things just for fun, have a conversation together, or read something quietly.
  • If they are worried about the next day, try some breathing activities together, or read them something funny to distract them. This can lead to better sleep and better learning for your child the next day.
  • If your child has a question about their work while at home, or had a conflict with another student in a group project that is troubling them, try not to engage in answering it, fixing it, or writing me an email explaining the whole situation. Try as hard as you can not to react too much. Say, “I hear you, that is a great question. Maybe ask Ms. D tomorrow about that.” Or, “I hear you, that sounds frustrating. I know you can be a good communicator to Ms. D tomorrow to explain what you need. Ms. D helps people in class, right? I bet she will also help you with this.” Be calm, acknowledge the emotion they are feeling, and then offer the solution to ask the question tomorrow. Then continue your bedtime routine.
  • Encourage your child to do their own communicating and fixing as much as you can, even though it is sometimes out of their comfort zone. Doing the work in class allows for them to seek me out as a guide for their questions, rather than perseverating on things at home in unhealthy ways.
  • Of course offer help to your child if they ask you questions about spelling, grammar, or facts. But, encourage them to do the looking for information rather than you giving the information to them.
  • Encourage them to do the writing and editing themselves. Avoid sitting down and editing the whole writing with them. Say instead, “I encourage you to go back and edit for capitalization and punctuation.” Or, “Here is a dictionary or technology tool to check spelling if you need it.” Get them to fix their own writing — try not to fix it for them or they will come to rely on that help and not really process their own writing errors.
  • When they finish a project or assignment, they will get feedback. Encourage then to self-reflect on how it went. Ask, “So, what do you think went well?” and then, “What do you think is one thing you would really like to work on for the next project?” You will see these reflections in e-port entries and on the rubrics marking their projects. Have a calm discussion and get them to do most of the talking. 🙂

No, the process won’t be smooth. It is normal for grade four and five students to have difficulty with organization and time management — even more normal for advanced learners to have difficulty with this!

As parents and teachers, all we can do is just keep gently guiding them forward. Try to stay calm, because none of it is worth the stress. Remember, in these early grades we are practicing these skills. Marks at this grade level are not going to be visible on the transcript they submit to university.

As someone who has seen all of this as a teacher for 22 years, and as the parent of two older children, it is very likely our efforts as a team will pay off in higher grades and help them have the tools to manage school and activities in healthy ways.

I wish you all a healthy year as we manage the balance of school and home life. 🙂

Thanks,

Ms. D

E-Portfolios and How They Work

Hello!

Soon, each student will be given their e-portfolio!

What is an e-portfolio?

It is like a mini version of the blog you are reading, created using WordPress. On the e-portfolio, students will post pictures, reflections, and answers to assessment questions, which will allow us all to give them feedback about how they are doing.

Who can access the e-portfolio?

The e-portfolio access point is on the blog, but requires a password, which I will send in e-mail to everyone. Each student’s e-port is only accessible by the teacher, student, principal, and parents. It is not public, nor is it accessible by other students. Parents use their own access user ID and password, and students are advised to keep their passwords private.

How often will students put something on the e-portfolio?

Typically there will be something once per week, but it depends on what we are doing and whether we have a long or short week.

Where do we find the questions for e-portfolios?

Students will find the questions on this blog. That way if they are absent, they can still find them.

When are e-portfolios due?

I tell students to try and finish the e-portfolio entry by one week from the time it is assigned.

When I go to assess entries, if I find one is not done, I will go ahead and publish it in its incomplete version, so parents and the student can see there is one not finished. If a student were to have many entries not complete, I will also email home. E-portfolios are an important part of assessment, so please make sure they do get done.

Can a student get help for answering e-portfolio questions?

Students can use their journals and blue binders to answer questions. They are not to use the internet, nor are they to receive any help from parents at home. Parents CAN answer questions about spelling or grammar, of course, but they shouldn’t be writing the answers by dictation for students or editing the material for them prior to posting. Both parents and teacher can give feedback, though, in the comments, after the entry is posted, about how they can improve either their content or communication skills.

Students are not to cut and paste from websites, nor use any other digital tools, to create or to copy content.

The questions are often personal in nature, so I am really asking students to do their own thinking about the connections they are making with the curriculum.

I also collect writing samples in class so I can see how their writing in person matches with what they are producing online, so it is best if they do not cut and paste or get writing help.

How does a student get feedback?

Both teacher and parents can give feedback by making a comment directly on the e-portfolio. It is important it is STRENGTH-BASED FEEDBACK. Start with what you notice is done well, and then choose one to two things maximum to comment on that they could develop for next time. This may include things like language arts writing skills or organization of their response.

When the teacher provides feedback, you will see a reference to the PROFICIENCY SCALE.

Take into mind e-portfolio entries in our class function for assesment of multiple things at the same time, given the integrated nature of subjects. For example, on a single entry, I may be able to look at understandings of socials and science, while also looking at language arts sentence structure.

How should answers be given?

Answers need to be in complete sentences or paragraphs as appropriate. If it asks for a list, then give a list, otherwise, please use complete sentences.

How long should answers be?

Answers need to answer the question. But, more writing does not equal higher quality. I will read whatever they post, but they do not need to write a novel! They also need to be aware of their time. Set aside the 30-40 minutes after school each day to catch up, and use the time wisely when given in class. Focus on giving the answer, not on writing a long story. I will provide examples in class of what I mean, so they can see what I mean before we start.

When will this begin?

Soon! I plan to get e-portfolios out to students by end of week, and then parents will receive their passwords at some point over the next two weeks, as I have to go in to each of the 24 e-ports individually to set that up, and it takes time.

Stay tuned for more information!

Ms. D

 

Healthy Systems Mean Choosing Healthy Inputs!

Hello Everyone!

As part of this unit, we have been unpacking the deeper concept of SYSTEMS. To do this, we are using the Universal Systems Model.

We identified what each part of the model means, and we looked at a variety of systems, such as our solar system, the government system, and the food delivery system (like a grocery store).

It has also been helpful when looking at the system involved in creating a classroom community, such as Division 5. If the OUTPUT we want is a healthy classroom community, friendships, and positive feelings every day, then what kinds of INPUTS do we all need to commit to providing to our community? What do we need? Some things we have been highlighting as important as INPUTS are:

  • Having awareness about personal space
  • Communicating our needs, and doing it in kind, mature ways
  • Following the expected behaviours
  • Working with the GROUP PLAN rather than just our SOLO (me, me, me) PLAN
  • Contributing to discussion, projects, and classroom clean up
  • Being aware of school rules for safety of everyone
  • Using the H.E.A.R. strategy to truly listen with our bodies and minds
  • Taking turns to talk and not being an “interrupting chicken”
  • Using our words rather than yelling or using physical ways to communicate

Of course, our main focus this unit is learning about human body systems. What personal choices do we make every day that impact and are INPUTS to the SYSTEM of the human body? How will we know if we have made the correct personal choices? Which choices do we have control over, and which ones do we not have control over? How do we give FEEDBACK to others when we aren’t getting what we need? How does the body give us FEEDBACK to let us know we need to change our INPUTS?

We are emphasizing these healthy INPUTS as we go along:

  • Managing ourselves – our time, our supplies, our space
  • Cultivating healthy relationships with classmates
  • Choosing healthy foods
  • Getting enough sleep (students this age need 10-12 hours a night)
  • Having balance between our activities, academics, and down time such as play
  • Paying attention to appropriate hygiene
  • Wearing the correct clothing to protect ourselves from the elements
  • Finding ways to calm ourselves and understanding how this helps (arts, mindfulness techniques, play time, fresh air, being outside)
  • Getting exercise in a variety of ways (dance, running, yoga)
  • Making goals and taking time to reflect on them

I look forward to talking with Division 5 more about this in the coming weeks!

Ms. D

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