Assignment Info – Page 4 – MS. DETERRA'S MAKER STUDIO

E-Port #5 HIVE ART

November 14, 2023 Ms. D

This is an easy e-port just to do a quick reflection on your HIVE Art project from class.

TITLE: HIVE Art

Question:

In a paragraph, please explain the sections of your HIVE art. You were asked to represent eight things you believe help you to thrive as a person, providing you with strength. Please tell me what they were and why? One sentence per section of the HIVE is required, so minimum 8 sentences. You may do more if you wish, but do not have any more than 16 total sentences, please.

**Please make sure to include a clear photo of your HIVE art project.

Diseases PowerPoint Project!

November 2, 2023 Ms. D

Hello Everyone!

We have been talking together about germs and pathogens, and what we can do to keep the body healthy!

To further explore this area, with a partner, students will create a PowerPoint presentation together.

First, do some research on a disease of their choice. Research is due by Tuesday, November 7th. Here are the guidelines for choosing and researching a disease:

It needs to be a common communicable or non-communicable disease. We are not doing disorders or conditions.
Your choice needs to be approved by Ms. D before starting research.
The disease needs to be one that you would be more likely to get due to personal choices (nutrition, hygiene, exercise, etc.) so you can talk about how not to get the disease by making healthy choices we have discussed in class.
Please look on the Articles of Interest on the blog for website suggestions, or use legitimate websites per our discussion in class.
If you can’t understand an online article, and it has vocabulary words you can’t understand on your own, then use a different article at your reading level.
If you have questions about whether a website is safe, please ask Ms. D.
Keep notes in your journal using our note taking chart method.
No formal bibliography is needed for this presentation, but I would like you to record where you found your notes in your journal.

What do you need to find out about the disease? Each of these things can be one slide in your PowerPoint presentation, for 10 slides maximum and total PowerPoint due November 14th, Tuesday:

Slide 1 — Introduction: Name of the Disease, and your name as author
Slide 2 — What is it? Does it have more than one name?
Slide 3 — How long have we known about this disease? Who discovered it?
Slide 4 — What causes it? Is there a specific virus, bacteria, or pathogen that is involved? What does the pathogen look like under the microscope if one is involved?
Slide 5 — What are the symptoms of the disease? How would I know I have it? What tests would have to be done to find out?
Slide 6 — Who usually has the disease?
Slide 7 — What treatments or cure are there for this disease?
Slide 8 — How can I prevent getting this disease? What specific lifestyle or personal choices will help?
Slide 9 — Summary Slide, 5 key points or takeaways you want everyone to remember.
Slide 10 — Concluding Slide, “Are there any questions?”

We will use PowerPoint to do this project and to Present:

For many grade fours, this is a new presentation method, and your goal is to learn how to create a slide with a picture, title, and bullet points. We will practice in class.

For grade fives who were with me last year, the focus this year is to make your slideshows more aesthetic and effective. We will focus on how to use fonts, colours, pictures, and organization to make them more effective!

We will then present our PowerPoints to the class using a short script. Script and presentations due November 16th.

Here are the evaluation criteria for this assignment:

Please do 10 slides for your presentation as described above.
Share the responsibility with your partner.
Each of you can do either the intro or the last slide.
Split up the other 8 slides between you.
One person creates the PowerPoint and then shares between you on One Drive.
Don’t edit any slide that isn’t your own to do. If you have input on your partner’s slides, make sure you talk to them first.
Use one of the set themes in PowerPoint for all of your slides.
Make sure the font you use for titles and bullet points is an appropriate size for presentation AND stays the same type for all slides.
Use bullets and shortened phrases to present information, not paragraphs. Do not use too much text.
Put a picture on each slide. Pictures need to be related to what you are talking about, not silly pictures, smiley faces, or cartoons.
Do not use pictures that have copyright marks on them. If you don’t know how to tell, you can ask Ms. D.
Do not use emojis. At all.
Avoid using really bright colours such as red, yellow, or bright blue for text.
Keep text in dark, easy to read colours.
Don’t use a black, red, or orange background, as this can be hard to look at.
Don’t have a last slide that says, “Bye!” or “Thank you for watching!” It can say “Are there any questions?” and have a picture related to your presentation.
Make a script for your PowerPoint with what you would like to say for each slide. Don’t just repeat your bullet points. Add information here.
Limit your whole presentation to 5 minutes or less.
Practice in front of someone. It does not need to be memorized, but it does need to be well practiced.

I look forward to seeing your presentations!

E-Port #3 Systems Unit Check In

October 24, 2023 Ms. D

**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 #1: Making Goals

October 12, 2023 Ms. D

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:

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)
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)
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

October 5, 2023 Ms. D

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

September 28, 2023 Ms. D

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:

Addresses and dates (Make up the address — use something funny)
An opening/greeting with a colon
No indents
A first paragraph introducing yourself, who you are, and what you are asking of the Human Body Corporation
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.
A final paragraph summing up what you have said and thanking the Human Body Corporation for being gracious about reading your letter.
A closing (Respectfully, With respect, Sincerely)
A signature

The Human Body Corporation looks forward to hearing your case!

Ms. D

E-Portfolios and How They Work

September 26, 2023 Ms. D

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

Nature Space ADST Project

May 31, 2023 Ms. D

Hello Everyone,

Our time outdoors during this unit has resulted in some discussions about how walking is great for your physical and mental health and how being in nature makes us feel relaxed and calm.

Let’s give some ideas to the school about what it could look like! Invent a natural space you would enjoy spending time in during your breaks. What natural elements would you include? Get creative! Remember, this is not a playground, so no playground equipment. Think trees, rocks, natural space, garden, etc.

Try to include math in the way you design your elements! Can angles, perfect circles, and/or Fibonacci play a role in your design? How will your elements work with the surrounding natural space rather than against it?

Try to include some of the indigenous plants, trees, and shrubs we will talk about in class in your space!

Here are the steps for the project with a partner!

Make an individual brainstorm plan (knowing you will need to adjust your ideas once you are with a partner). Look at the websites below for ideas.
Measure the actual space. We will be basing it off of the space beyond the swings in the upper intermediate playground area.
Compare ideas with multiple classmates to further develop your ideas.
Choose a partner you feel you can work with, and who has similar ideas (not your best friend — a classmate who can compliment your ideas.) If you are unable to get matched up, Ms. D will help. You may not work with a partner you have done things with before this year.
On grid paper, begin to plan out a space together. Each block is equal to 2 feet.
Start thinking with your partner about what the scale will be for the box I will provide for your project model. Set the scale and tell Ms. D.
Brainstorm what materials you may need. I have lots of things including pieces of wood, sand, clay, paint, and more, but maybe you want something specific from outdoors or from home?
Write a quick explanation on your e-port for me by June 15th about what your plan is and why you are doing it the way you are.
Create the model! Go crazy!
Write a reflection about your model on your e-port. What went well in your design process? What would you change for next time? How did it go working with a partner? Do you think this model represents a natural space someone could actually build? Is it doable? Due by June 27th.

Here are the criteria, which will be put into a rubric for your thinking!

Show an appropriate sense of scale when creating elements in your natural space. (applied math)
Include only natural elements and have a variety of different types of things to make the space interesting.
Use indigenous plants, trees, and shrubs, and tell us which ones.
Include math patterns we discussed during this unit in your design, as well as angles, shapes, equidistant measurement, balanced thinking,
Show thinking, through the model and your reflection, about creating a realistic space that will allow all ages to relax and enjoy the natural elements you included.
Use a variety of materials to represent your natural elements.
Show evidence in your reflection of your design process, including ways you would improve the process for next time, how you worked with materials, and how you worked with your partner.
Create a model that communicates your ideas clearly through specific, neat features, and clear sections
Provide a written explanation that further details your thinking and design process.

The written explanation for your project is due by June 15th. The model and reflection is due June 27th.

Websites As Food For Thought:

Oberlander Landscapes in Vancouver

Nine Buildings Inspired by Nature – BBC

Mathematics Garden Design

Pictures of Math in Garden of Versailles

Parc Guell Math – Gaudi

Geometry of Gaudi

The Mathematics of Play, Video

Mathematical Art of MC Escher

MC Escher Math Gallery

Nature and Architecture