Category: Current News

Last Unit of 2021-22! Explain the World

Hello Everyone,

As we finish MACC Mall and our final e-portfolio, our unit on NEEDS and WANTS is coming to a close. MACC Mall is on June 8th, and Independent Project is on June 15th. Due to these two events, as well as all the other school activities happening in June, our last unit of the year will be shorter than the others. We will be doing this unit up until June 29th, our last day!

Unit Title:  Explain the World!

Unit Focus Statement:  Humans use their senses, creativity, and the arts to observe and to explain the natural world.

CONCEPT:  ORDER

CORE COMPETENCIES:  Creative Thinking & Communication Skills

Areas of Inquiry:

  • How the arts are used to explain our world
  • Our senses and how they are used to make observations
  • Oral and written storytelling
  • Indigenous stories
  • The relationship between the moon, sun, Earth, tides, seasons, and time
  • Forces and mathematics of space (You Do the Math Rockets)
  • How we would survive in space
  • Learning French through song and art

Independent Project Update: Preparing for Presentation

Hello Everyone!

To complete Independent Project, students need to do the following by end of day June 16th, Thursday:

  • BIBLIOGRAPHY:  Type bibliography of resources, in alphabetical order, following the instructions Ms. D sent in email. Ask for help if needed. Send to Ms. D for printing. Display this bibliography on your table during presentation.
  • NOTES:  Present your notes to Ms. D either by sending it to me electronically (sharing via One Drive) or showing it to Ms. D if it is in your journal.
  • PRIMARY RESEARCH:  Complete some form of primary research. Some students are still waiting for interviewees to respond. Please talk to Ms. D if you still need help.
  • PRESENTATION DAY:  Present something to the public using writing, visual presentation, and oral language skills. See below for options. Check with Ms. D for approval about how you will present.
  • SELF-EVALUATE on E-PORT:  After Independent Project, do a reflection about how it went. Include a picture. What were the key things you learned that were new? How did you manage your time? What would you do differently to manage your project next time? What did you like about your presentation? How did people respond to your topic and information you presented? How did you use the core competencies during the Independent Project process?
  • BLOG POSTING:  If you have anything to share electronically with the public, please send to Ms. D before June 15th for posting on the blog, on the Independent Project page. Send items via One Drive, sharing with Ms. D digitally.

Presentation Options for June 15th, 12-2 PM, Wednesday:

Get idea for presentation approved by Ms. D. Any handouts need to be delivered to Ms. D no later than June 13th, Monday, so I can photocopy enough for you to distribute. Students need to sign up ahead of time for computers and space they need for presentation day.

  • Poster, trifold, paper   (I have paper and poster paper to offer, but no trifolds)
  • Speech, Puppet Show, Skit
  • Model, Diorama, Sculpture
  • Interactive Game (example: Trivia Game with prizes — no candy/food please)
  • Cartoon
  • PowerPoint or Other Type of Slideshow (keep it short and on repeat at your station; use lots of pictures!)
  • Handouts – Zines, Crossword Puzzles, WordFinds, Key Points
  • Website or Online Game
  • Primary Research Experiments
  • Index Card with key points you want to share on it, so you can talk to visitors
  • Other ideas — I am open to your ideas as long as we can fit it in the room!

From Independent Project Students Will Be Able To:

  • Identify a topic of passion, demonstrating personal awareness about their interests, identity, and the subjects that engage them best.
  • Use critical-thinking and inquiry skills to ask a deeper set of questions about their topic to guide research.
  • Demonstrate critical-thinking, reading comprehension, research, and digital literacy skills to find, to choose, and to evaluate appropriate resources, including online websites and books.
  • Apply critical and creative thinking skills to choose a way to conduct primary research, such as an experiment, interview, or live observation of a place or experience.
  • Document their research using the two-column note-taking system.
  • Communicate their findings clearly through visual, oral, and written presentation skills.
  • Engage a public audience by using creative thinking about how their presentations can be interactive and interesting for visitors.

The Independent Project includes curricular competency skills found across the grade 4/5 curriculum, and connects with the goals of the MACC program.

We look forward to seeing you June 15th!

Projects and Updates April 25th!

Hello Everyone!

Here is a quick update of the projects we will be working on for this unit on “Getting Our Needs Met”! Projects meet our learning needs in socials, language arts, science, ADST, career education, and financial literacy, as well as the curricular and core competencies.

Element Superhero or Villain:  Please see the two handouts in your binder, given out on April 14th, about creating a superhero or villain based on your selected element from the periodic table. You will do research on the element’s properties, using the brainstorm handout. Then, you will incorporate those properties into a creative 8.5 x 11 illustration of your superhero/villain. Finally, you will write a 2 page creative story about your superhero/villain. Please see specific criteria on the two handouts. The picture is due Friday, April 29th. The rough draft of the story (before self and peer edit) is due on Friday, May 6th.

Personal Budget:  Each person has been given a job and salary in a pretend job. You will pretend you are starting out in this job, and that you will be living on your own and paying for your own expenses. We brainstormed in class the many expenses you will need to consider and research, so you can make a personal, monthly budget. Please keep into mind those unexpected expenses and savings. Make a spreadsheet in Excel to show your budget. We should be able to complete these by Monday, May 9th. Time will be given in class, and you can also access Excel from home as needed. You don’t need to use formulas, but if you know how to, you are welcome to set them up. The spreadsheet needs to be readable, aesthetic, and take into mind the variety of expenses required.

MACC MALL:  You and a partner will be creating your own business! More on this in class, as we brainstorm what is needed to run a business. You will use the design cycle considerations to make a product that will sell, and then actively try to make a profit, taking into consideration production costs. Our MACC Mall event will be held later in May, so more details to come soon.

Independent Project: Notes, bibliography, and primary research are due by May 31. Please make sure you have gone to the public library for book resources, and that you use the many books our librarian has pulled from District libraries (which must stay in the classroom) to do your research. If you are having trouble with primary research ideas, please come see me this week, so I can help you get on track. Ms. D will spend time in May going over again how to do the formal bibliography, and time will be given in class to work on independent project. That said, it is important everyone set aside time at home to do some, as well, so we stay on target for finishing by end of May.

Crystals and Peeps: As part of science, we will be doing some fun experiments in class, as we have time, over the next two weeks. Stay tuned!

EPIC Reading: Please do take time to read some of the geology and economics related books I highlighted in EPIC.

Earth School: Ted Ed has an Earth School series we will be talking about in class. You can also go online and see their series of videos, as we won’t have time to do them all in class! Just Google Earth School.

Daily Work/Handouts: As a reminder, please make sure you turn in your daily assignments from the last two weeks. This includes any editing practice, science learning handouts, or the math/economics practice.

Student Leds: We have a committee of students who will be making a welcome sign for the event, and we look forward to welcoming families on May 4th. Remember, May 4th and 5th are early dismissals at 2PM. Please see your planner for your confirmed time, or if you aren’t sure, check in with Ms. D before May 4th.

Thank you, and more to come soon!

Ms. D

Independent Project Update March 2022

Hello Everyone!

So, at this point on independent project:

  • Everyone has chosen a topic.
  • We discussed the Jar of Inquiry and everyone made questions using this model that will help drive their research.
  • Students have begun doing secondary research from websites, books, magazines, newspapers, and/or encyclopedias.
  • Everyone is taking notes using the two-column format discussed in class, either in their journals or online in MS Word.
  • Everyone is recording resources as they go, in their notes. Ms. D provided websites to refer to about bibliographies and resource notation in MS Teams.

What to do for secondary research (we talked about ALL of this in class.):

  • Find resources for your research! We are actively doing research until mid-May.
  • Go to the public library. You may need to talk to the research librarian there or use the adult section of the library to get resources with enough detail on some of your topics.
  • Ms. Ho, our school librarian, has been ordering books from other school libraries, including the high schools. It will take time for them to come in to the classroom, and some topics are harder to supply than others. These books can’t go home, but you can take notes on them during class time. They are in the green bins.
  • Check out your own books on your topic from the Suncrest Library. We have library every Thursday.
  • Use an encyclopedia online to get information on your topic if possible. Ms. D provided you with the passwords to access this off of the Suncrest Library Website.
  • Find websites on your topic. Remember to think of all the synonyms of the words related to your topic as you do Google searches.
  • Use websites with appropriate endings — .edu, .gov, .org.  Avoid those with .com, and avoid websites with lots of ads.
  • Avoid blogs that give opinions rather than facts.
  • Avoid entertainment articles that have games, ads, or other distracting elements. If it is a reputable source of information, there will be less of this.
  • Use websites that have a specific author, and are not older than 2017 if possible, so information is recent.
  • Take notes in your journal, under the section for Independent Project, and using the chart. Remember to ask questions first, recording them on the left, and then record resources and answers on the right.
  • Use the Wonderings Wall/Jar of Inquiry question method discussed in class to ask deeper questions during the process of research.

What do I record for secondary resources, so I can make a bibliography for the project?

  • You need to do a bibliography by the end of May. Do not worry about making a formal one right now. Just make sure to record the information about the resource in your notes, so you can make a bibliography later.
  • For a BOOK:  Record the title, the author or editors, the publisher, where it was published, the copyright date, and the pages you used.
  • For a WEBSITE:  Record the name of the website, the name of the article you used, the date of the article, who wrote the article or the name of the person who made the website, the date you accessed the website.
  • For a MAGAZINE: Record the title of the magazine, the date of the magazine and issue number, the name of the article you read, the author, and the pages used.
  • For other resources, Ms. D provided websites and documents to help with this, so see MS Teams or ask her where they are if you can’t find them.

What to do for primary research:

  • This is required, so let Ms. D know what you are doing for primary research.
  • Primary research is due by end of May and will be included in your display for the project.
  • Primary research needs to be documented. Use photos, notes, a lab write up with scientific method, a journal entry, questions/answers, etc. If you don’t know what to do to document your primary research, please ask for help.

What are the types of primary research I could do?

  • Interview an expert on the topic. (Before you do an interview, write down your questions and ask Ms. D to review them with you. Record the person’s answers, their name, and the date of the interview. Remember what we did when we were doing immigration interviews this year.)
  • Observations at a location, or of someone doing something related to your topic. (It is a good idea to take both written observations, the dates you took the observations, and take some pictures to share later as part of your presentation.)
  • Lab experiment. (Use the scientific method to do a lab write up. Take pictures to document the process so you will have them for your presentation later. Write down the dates you conducted the experiment.)
  • Build something. (Document your design process with a draft drawing or plan, notes about how the process is going, and pictures so you have them for your presentation later. Record dates about when you did certain things in your notes.)
  • Do something. (Try something for the first time, document the experience, and take pictures so you have them for your presentation later. Record dates about when you did certain things in your notes.)

Next Steps?

  • Again, go to the library.
  • Let Ms. D know what your primary research is, so she can help if needed.
  • Record your resource information.
  • Let Ms. D know if you are having trouble finding resources.
  • Take lots of neat notes, as you will be required to show them to me.
  • Begin working on what your primary research is, as that can take lots of time..
  • We will talk about how to present (as there are lots of options) at the end of April, and focus on that from mid-May until our presentation date in third week of June.

Due Dates?

  • Secondary Research Notes — Due Wednesday, May 18th.
  • Primary Research — Due Tuesday, May 31st.
  • Bibliography – Due Tuesday, May 31st
  • Presentation Materials (Specific methods be talked about in April) – Due by approximately June 13th, Monday
  • Presentation to Community  — Approx. June 15th Wednesday, but may be changed depending on report card deadlines

Thank you, everyone, for all of the great work you are doing so far!

French Research Team Challenge

Hello My Adventurous Division 5 MACC Research Teams:

(ahem)

Ms. D and Suncrest Researchers are looking for one illustrious research team to send to France to study French culture. But, before we send a team, we need to know that this team can do some basic communication in French and is knowledgeable about some basic French culture.

Over the next two weeks, each of the four teams in our classroom will work together to learn French items from my scavenger hunt challenge. On Thursday-Friday, March 10-11, we will test the research teams to see which one is the most qualified to go to France!

You need to know:

  1.  French-speaking countries (where French is an official language)
  2.  10 French foods (in French)
  3.   Basic Conversation (Hi, How Are You, I am fine/bad/good, what is your name, my name is, and bye)
  4.   Numbers 1-20 in French
  5.   Body parts in French (from French-games.net)
  6.   Basic colours in French (from French-games.net)
  7.   Basic conversation about the weather (what is the weather, it is…)

No, you can’t use your notes!

There is not a mark for this activity. Just so you know. And, we will celebrate everyone’s progress, with the top team being sent to France (or getting something that is French oriented to reward them for their team efforts!)

Bonne Chance!

and

Have fun learning!

Independent Project Begins! Topics Decided by January 19th

Hello Everyone!

In term three, one of the major things we focus on is an independent research project. We end the year by doing a formal presentation of our findings.

But right now, we are in term two. While I will provide more specific information on the entire project later, right now we just need to decide on our topics!

So, by January 19th, I would like to know your topic. Please read and respond to the post about brainstorming topic ideas under GENIUS HOUR IP in MS Teams.

How do you choose a topic for IP or Independent Project?

  1. Make sure the topic is something you are really passionate about. Do not choose a topic just because an adult suggested it, and do not choose a topic because you are trying to do something similar to your friends. It has to be something you want to know about! (Otherwise, this process is not fun at all.)
  2. Topics need to be something you are not already an expert on. Or, if it is something you have studied before, you need to come up with new questions about the topic.
  3. Topics need to be deep and take time to explore, but they also need to be specific so you have some direction. For example, I am not going to study “how do lights work” as that will not take very long to do, and I can probably use one resource to answer that question. But, I am also not going to study “plants” – this is too big of a topic and could be about anything! A good example would be “how electricity use affects the environment” or “what we can learn from indigenous knowledge about plants”
  4. Brainstorm several options before settling on one. Discuss with Ms. D. Let’s talk together about your topic. Have more than one option just in case.
  5. Can you answer this topic using only one resource, or will you need to use more than one? A measure of a good topic is that you will need to use more than just GOOGLE to figure it out. You will need to look at book resources, maybe do some interviews of experts, or perhaps do an experiment and document it.
  6. Make sure the topic is at your level. Some topics are far too complex, and we won’t be able to find resources that will help you (at least not at your reading level, and not within the Burnaby Libraries.) So, please listen to Ms. D’s guidance when I say, let’s find a way to make it age appropriate for you.
  7. Do not do a topic you have done as a previous Genius Hour or Independent Project topic.  If you want to continue research from a previous project, then let’s talk about how this project will be different and answer NEW questions you have about that topic of interest. Maybe try to be open minded to doing something new so you expand your knowledge!
  8. You can choose to expand on something we have talked about in class. If you want to do genetics, for example, even though we have been talking about it in class, then that is great! This is a good opportunity to expand on unit topics.

Okay, that is all for now. In class we will talk about this some more. Time to start brainstorming!

Ms. D

Remote Learning Schedule ***only if needed for school functional closures***

Hello Everyone —

As Promised, here is our daily schedule for Remote Learning. Please see my previous post that explains more.

**Please note: This is only used if we have a functional closure or everyone goes to remote learning. The school will inform you if this is the case. In the meantime, if you are absent, you can check MS Teams for brief updates as they are available. We have gone over this in class as of January 10th.**

During Remote Learning, please do the following:

  1.  Have a dedicated space in your house for virtual learning.
  2.  Try to keep a regular routine that is the same each day, following our schedule, just like you did for in-person learning, as this is healthier for you instead of sleeping in or spending the day on video games!
  3.  Check the blog and School Email once daily.
  4.  Check MS Teams 3 times daily.
  5.  Participate in Whole Class Meetings. Every morning on Teams, plus one optional read aloud session at 1PM.
  6.  Participate in Small Group Meetings. You won’t do this every day, because I only meet with 5-6 students at a time. So, check blog and your TEAMS calendar for weekly, rotating schedule.
  7.  Follow the schedule below when not in a meeting. Do assignments on TEAMS; check TEAMS channels for things to see, do, or to comment on; and if done with both of those, go to Optional Learning Activities and do an activity of your choice. You can switch around schedule blocks as you want, for example, if you want to do MAKER in the morning instead of the afternoon, or FITNESS with your parents in the evening. As long as you make time for each category, each day.
  8.  Don’t spend the whole day in front of the screen. Do some activities without a computer and make an effort to connect with one another. 🙂

Here is our DAILY SCHEDULE, EVERY DAY OF REMOTE LEARNING:

I suggest printing this post and putting it up somewhere in your learning space.
Each week of remote learning, I will make one blog and MS Teams post about the week and re-post this schedule for you.

8:45 – 9:00 AM

SET UP
Get yourself ready to learn, Log in, Check Mail

9:00 – 9:30 AM

MORNING MEETING
Join us on Teams, Whole Class, Link in Your Teams Calendar.
Time for Discussion, Class Game, Seeing One Another!

9:30 – 10:00 AM

UNIT/LA/MATH Independent Time
Look at Teams Assignments, Participate in Team Channels, Do Projects,
Email Ms. D Questions

Use Optional Activity List for Ideas if finished with required assignments.

10:00 – 10:30 AM

FITNESS Independent Time
You can do your own fitness routine, look for ideas on MS Teams                                      Fitness Channel, or use an idea on the Blog’s Optional Activity List.

But, be active for 30 minutes! If you can’t do it at this time, you are welcome to do it later in the day. The schedule blocks are flexible.

10:30 – 10:45 AM

BREAK/SNACK
Open time to stretch and get food, just like at school.

10:45 – 11:30 AM

UNIT/LA/MATH Time
Look at MS Teams Assignments and Channels, Do Projects

OR

Small Group Meeting with Ms. D
Discuss Unit/LA/Math Topics in groups of 5-6 students.
See Blog/Teams Calendar for Schedule and Link to Join

11:30 – 12:00 PM

SERVICE/CONNECTION TIME
Ideas for this are on MS Teams Service/Connections Channel or
the Blog’s Optional Activity List.

Connect socially with someone, help out at home, or do a fun activity of choice.

If you can’t do it at this time, you are welcome to do it later in the day. The schedule blocks are flexible.

12:00 – 1:00 PM

LUNCH
Ms. D unavailable via email and TEAMS, but available any other time from 9-3.

1:00 – 1:30 PM

AFTERNOON READ ALOUD
Teams Meeting Whole Class for teacher read aloud – OPTIONAL
Link to join in Teams Calendar

OR

INDIE READING
Ms. D will dismiss at some point for independent reading, so have something to read!
Use EPIC or other ideas from the Optional Activity Page on the Blog.

1:30 – 2:15 PM

MAKER TIME

Making things — crafting, art, offline things!
Ideas on MS Teams Assignments or Optional Activities on Blog

If you can’t do it at this time, you are welcome to do it later in the day. The schedule blocks are flexible.

2:15 – 3:00 PM

GENIUS HOUR TIME
Work on Independent Project Research. Check Assignments for Project Steps. Check Teams Channel for Ideas, as well.

or

Small Group Meeting with Ms. D
Discuss Independent Project Ideas, Connect with Classmates
Check Blog/Teams for Schedule. Link to Join in Teams Calendar.

If you can’t do it at this time, you are welcome to do it later in the day. The schedule blocks are flexible.

Please Read: Preparing for Absences, Closures, or Remote Learning

Hello Everyone,

Before we return on January 10th, I would like you to know about a few updates. Please return to the blog for any additional information which may come up.

Health Checklist: Please be vigilant and do the health checklist each day. Omicron is very contagious, and we need to be careful about monitoring our symptoms, even minor ones. As getting testing can be difficult, we have to assume any symptoms may be something beyond a cold, so use the checklist every day. I will be also doing a health check at the door. Students who have symptoms will be sent home.

Masks and Distancing:  Please look for masks that properly fit around the nose and mouth, with a good seal. If you are able to get a K95 or similar layered mask, even that is better than a simple cloth mask, per information from the Ministry of Health and the BCCDC. Please review at home that the only time masks can be off in the classroom is when eating is happening. It is important to also maintain distance and to not touch others, even outside.

Classroom Seating:  We will be doing assigned seats now, with seating spaced apart as best as we can given the size of our room.

Backpacks:  Backpacks will hold supplies, journal, and binder. Try to avoid having any other items, as the backpack will be stored on the back of each student’s chair. Lighten the load as much as possible. Lunches and water bottles will be stored in the cloakroom, separate from the backpack.

Cloakroom:  In the mornings, we will be going into the cloakroom two at a time, to prevent crowding. This may mean you need to wait outside a bit longer until it is your turn to come in.

Snacks and Lunches:  The only time masks can be off in the classroom is when eating is happening. We will do water breaks outside. Please discuss at home the importance of not talking and of staying in assigned seating during these eating times. Eating will be inside, as there isn’t supervision outside for students. If anyone decides they need to eat off site during lunch, please email me with the specific plan so I can advise the office and know where all students are during lunch.

Ventilation:  All windows will be open, regardless of cold. Please wear layers. It is not possible to wear your outdoor coat or shoes at your desk, as you get papers and the floor wet on messier days, so please wear warm layers under heavier coats or rain jackets.

Short Absences Due to Illness:  If you are sick, please don’t worry about doing any work. Focus on getting well. If it is a short absence, I can catch you up when you return. Please email me about absences. Thank you!

Longer Absences Due to Illness or Isolation:  If you are away for longer, due to isolation, etc., please note there isn’t a virtual option while you are away if the class is in session, in person. So, if you are away and able to do work at home, I will catch you up when you return, and you can:

  1. Check the classroom blog for new projects or announcements,
  2.  Check MS Teams once to see if anything is posted, and/or
  3.  Email me to see if there is anything you can work on.

MS Teams: We will use TEAMS mainly if we are forced to go to remote learning or because of a school closure. Thus, you don’t need to keep checking MS TEAMS unless you are 1. Absent (Please see information about absences above), or 2. Directed to do it by the teacher.

What would happen during remote learning if we are directed to do it?

We would do the following:

  1.  Check the Class Blog:  Ms. D will post general information about remote learning and a schedule for you to follow each day from 9AM to 3PM on the class blog. The schedule will include online meetings and independent time for:
    1.  Unit/Literacy/Numeracy Time:  Online Discussions, Small Group Meetings, MS Teams Channel Questions and Challenges, Unit Learning Tasks
    2.  Indie Reading Time: Student independent reading and/or teacher read aloud
    3.  Fitness Time:  A regular fitness routine of student design, which we will talk about as a class.
    4.  Service/Connection Time:  Specific time to do a helpful task at home, connect with family or siblings, participate in Fun Stuff Challenges on MS Teams, or writing fellow classmates as penpals in email.
    5.  Maker Time:  Crafting, art, creative tasks
    6.  Genius Hour Time:  Independent Project Research Work
  2.  Attendance:  Attendance will be taken by participating in the day’s online meetings, as well as checking in on MS Teams. I use the application Insight to track whether or not each student has visited and/or contributed to MS Teams. I will follow up via email or phone if students are not attending. If a student is sick, please send a quick email, so I know all is okay! Holidays such as Family Day and Professional Development Days are still recognized, and on those days we will not have any online activity.
  3.  Have a Learning Space Ready:  Students will need a computer with video capacity, headphones or earbuds with a microphone, desk space, and regular learning supplies. This includes their journal, binder, pencil, pencil crayons, markers, a glue stick, scissors, calculator, and a math set. It is also helpful to have a device that can take and upload pictures.
  4. Some tips for online learning video participation?
    1. Have a neutral background behind you,
    2. Make sure enough light is on your face so we can see you,
    3. Have a private space for video calls (without siblings and parents in the background watching or listening if possible),
    4. Know where volume and video settings on the computer are before participating, and make sure your microphone works, and
    5. Do a video practice before joining us, to make sure the child’s entire face is visible in the screen, and that they know how to join the call.
  5.  Student Email and MS Teams: Make sure your child knows how to access their email at home using Microsoft Outlook from the O-365 Microsoft School Applications. They have all practiced doing this at school. They will want to check in to MS Teams and their Email three times a day. Please encourage them to not over check or spend the entire time 9-3 online.
  6.  Some Live Learning As a Whole Class: During regular times, we will meet as a whole group, live, on MS Teams. To participate, students will go to their calendars in MS Teams and click on the meeting time for that day. Students need to join with their video and microphones off to start. We will not be online together all day, every day, because it is hard to manage 24 people online in this way, and being online all day is not effective learning.
  7.  Some Live Learning As a Small Group:  I will do small groups of four on a rotational basis, with a weekly schedule posted on the blog, and with times and links posted in each student’s MS Teams Calendar. This will allow me to have more of a conversation with specific students to discuss unit questions or to check in to see how they are doing.
  8.  Some Independent Learning:  Students may be directed to do specific independent tasks for the day, following the schedule provided on the blog. Directions will be provided in MS Teams.
  9.  E-Portfolio:  We would continue to use our E-Portfolios for assessment, and e-port questions will be posted using MS Teams, so everyone has access to them.

More information will come as it is needed. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me!

Ms. D

New Unit! Our Human Creations

Hello Everyone!

Now that we have finished our first unit on SYSTEMS, we are moving on to discussing the concepts of CREATIVITY and CHANGE!

UNIT TITLE:  Our Human Creations, Running Mid-November to Mid-January

CONCEPT:  Change and Creativity

Unit Focus Statement: We use creativity and knowledge together to make innovations that change our world.

An Inquiry Into:

  • Our learning and use of creative thinking or creativity
  • The design process and being a “maker”
  • The impact of technology on humans over time
  • Scientific forces and mathematical thinking behind our creations
  • How innovations make change
  • Change in our lives, perspectives, thinking, and abilities
  • Indigenous technologies and their connection to us
  • How we can share our creative thinking with one another and the community

Some of the Specific Topics Covered In:

Subject to change or additions as we go, as needed!

Science: Simple machines, Work, Center of Gravity, Technology, Early Indigenous Tools, Deciding which machine has had the greatest benefit/use, making catapults, creating hydraulic devices, Rube Goldberg devices
Socials:  Technology and Society — Positive and Negative Impacts, History of Technology, Timelines, Critical Thinking About Our Technology Use, Creation of a Timeline, Debate on Impact of Video Game Use on Children
Math:  Deeper Conversations around multiplication and division, Use of scientific formulas from physics around work and rate/distance/time, Basic Variables/Algebra, Area/Perimeter, Tiny House Creation, Math Used in Creating Buildings/Skyscrapers through the book “You Do the Math: Skyscrapers”
Language Arts: Creative Writing, Careful editing, use of non-fiction features in books to do research, organizing notes for research, using key words for internet searches
Applied Design: Design Process steps used in the creation of catapults, “Perfect Square” structures, as well as discussions around how creative thinking can be learned or measured.
French: Selection of one French-speaking country other than France and looking at history of how it came to have French-speaking peoples. Use of French Games. net for French Vocabulary on Greetings and Other Basics
Arts:  Maker Projects, Spindle Whorls and Coast Salish Art Forms, Creative-Thinking Challenges, and continued talk about elements and principles of art.
Physical Education and Health: Brainstorming together creative options for cooperative play on the playground. Creating our own games for outside play to share.

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