Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving
Communicate mathematical thinking in many ways
Explain and justify mathematical ideas and decisions
Represent mathematical ideas in concrete, pictorial, and symbolic forms
Content:
Visualize to explore mathematical concepts
Develop and use multiple strategies to engage in problem solving
Describe and compare 2D shapes in the environment
Identify 2D shapes as part of 3D objects
Core Competencies: Critical and Reflective Thinking
Profile 2: Develop and refine questions; create and carry out plans; gather, interpret, and synthesize information and evidence; and reflect to draw reasoned conclusions.
First Peoples Principles of Learning: Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
Learning involved:
Students demonstrate their current knowledge and understanding of numbers
Students deepen their understanding of 2D shapes by connecting them to real-life objects
For Remembrance Day, students participated in an art project using the Pointillism technique first developed in the late 1800’s by some famous painters. As a class community, we engaged in a discussion about peace and harmony. We then watched a video about the Pointillism technique and saw famous paintings by Georges Seurat and other painters who used this technique. We learned how to do the points using markers in order to creatively decide how to fill our doves with colour. They all turned out so different and were all beautiful. We also brainstormed what peace means as a group and then the students wrote what peace means to each of them.
Big Idea: People connect to the hearts and minds of others in a variety of places and times through the arts.
First Peoples Principles of Learning:
Learning involves patience and time.
Curricular Competencies:
Explore elements, processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, and techniques of the arts
Create artistic works collaboratively using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, experimentation, and purposeful play
Core Competency: Creative Thinking – Profile 2
I can use my imagination to get new ideas of my own, or build on other’s ideas, or combine other people’s ideas in new ways.
I can usually make my ideas work within the constraints of a given form, problem, or materials if I keep playing with them.
Content:
processes, materials, technologies, tools, and techniques to support arts activities
Learning involved:
Students learned that in a peaceful classroom, they can all work together to each create something beautiful.
Students learned the importance of following instructions.
Students developed processes and technical skills in art to refine artistic abilities.
Division 14 has been learning that we are all working towards different learning goals. There are things we all can’t do “yet”! One of the ways we have been addressing this is through literature. This story was about a giraffe named Gerald who believed he could not dance. Others believed the same. But a wise cricket helped Gerald to understand that he could dance once he found the music he loved and just tried his best. Here are our artistic representations of this story. First we learned how to do a directed drawing of our giraffe and made sure to show dancing movement in the arms and legs. We then used paint and learned how to blend white with blue a little at a time to make different shades. This created a moon that looked like it glowed. We also learned how to use the end of a paint brush to make our grass.
Big Idea: Inquiry through the arts creates opportunities for risk taking.
First Peoples Principles of Learning:
Learning takes patience and time (especially on this project which was made up of many different lessons)
Curricular Competencies:
Explore elements, processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, and techniques of the arts
Develop processes and technical skills in a variety of art forms to refine artistic abilities
Content:
elements of design: line, shape, texture, colour, form
principles of design: pattern, repetition, rhythm, colour and contrast
Core Competency: Creative Thinking
Creative growth requires patience, readiness to take risks, and willingness to try new approaches
Learning involved:
Students learned the significance of following step-by-step instructions, including drawing giraffe, creating the spots, and using a sharpie to outline it
Students learned how to blend colours to create different tints and colours using white and blue
Students learned how to create the glowing moon and layer paint to create the grass using the bottom end of the brush
Students reflected on the creative process through self assessment following the lesson
The self-assessment asked the following:
Did I create a giraffe that appears to have movement and is dancing?
Did I create tints of blue around the moon?
Did I use the scratching technique to make blades of grass?
Yesterday Division 14 took part in the Stagecoach Arts Umbrella workshop. The leader’s focus was on the 3 “C”‘s; communication, collaboration and connection. This was a drama lesson where most of our acting was using our bodies and our faces, rather than our words. All of the students were actively involved and had a great time becoming different humans, animals, objects and foods. Enjoy the pictures of our acting in action!
Curricular Competencies
Explore elements, processes, movements, and techniques of the arts
Create artistic works collaboratively and as an individual using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, and experimentation
Develop processes and technical skills in a variety of forms to refine artistic abilities
Express feelings, ideas, stories, observations, and experiences through creative works
Content
a variety of dramatic forms (e.g. tableau, improvisation, role-play)
personal and collective responsibility associated with creating, experiencing, or sharing in a safe learning environment
Big Ideas:
Inquiry through the arts creates opportunities for risk taking
Creative expression develops our unique identity and voice
Drama is a unique language for creating and communicating
Core Competencies:
I can describe and demonstrate pride in my positive qualities, characteristics, and/or skills
I contribute to group activities that make my classroom and school a better place
I can demonstrate respectful and inclusive behaviour with people I know
This is our first blog post for our class. Some of our blog posts will contain the Curricular and Core Competencies that have been covered in the lessons. Other posts will simply be a sharing of photos from a particular event or activity. To see a picture closer up, simply click on the image and it can be made larger. We do our best to take photos of all of the children, but sometimes:
the photos are blurry
we only chose a few photos to share
we only have enough time to take a couple of shots (teaching is a very busy job and we often forget to take photos, as we are too busy teaching)
The blog is available for parents as a vehicle to start conversations with your children. It is a way for you to know what is happening at school and the learning that is taking place so that you can then say to your child:
Tell me about this lesson/story/activity.
What did you learn from this story? activity? event?
What was your favourite part of this lesson?
Tell me what you feel most proud of in your work?
What was challenging about this lesson for you?
We will often attach a video of a story we shared so that you can “read” it together at home. This should spark more conversation between you and your child. Positive comments can be left by families for our classroom blog. I have signed up all parents for the blog using the emails from MyEd. If someone from your family wants the blog, but I did not sign them up, please have them send me a request to subscribe to the blog. Alternatively, if you do not wish to receive the blog moving forward, please unsubscribe.
On Thursday, September 26th, our class was a big part of the Truth and Reconciliation assembly at Gilmore. We were so happy that many of our families were there to watch! Wearing our orange shirts, many students shared their learnings from the story You Hold Me Up. We also created art in groups of 3 that represented a line from Chief Dan George’s famous poem, My Heart Soars. The teachers created a slideshow using the art from Div. 13 and 14, accompanied by Chief Dan George’s poem being sung by a Toronto choir. Students volunteered to share the land acknowledgement or read the poem for the assembly. All of the students bravely and confidently spoke into the microphone and did a fantastic job! Well done Div. 13 and 14!
My Heart Soars
The beauty of the trees,
the softness of the air,
the fragrance of the grass, speaks to me,
The summit of the mountains,
the thunder of the sky,
the rhythm of the sea, speaks to me.
The faintness of the stars,
the freshness of the morning,
the dewdrop on the flower, speaks to me.
The strength of the fire,
the taste of the salmon,
the trail of the sun,
and the life that never goes away,
they speak to me.
And my heart soars.
– Chief Dan George
Attached is a video of the story You Hold Me Up. Please share this story as a family and discuss the ways that your child is held up and holds others up.
Division 16 went crazy yesterday completing the Picasso art that we started back in June (but ran out of time to complete!) The students loved following his unique way of doing lopsided and different facing eyes and noses. They also loved doing things with their faces that made no sense! It was an awesome, creative, and super fun art lesson. The students really understood the task and went for it. The results were amazing! My final art lesson with your artistic children. I am going to miss these students so much! Best of luck in your new classrooms, Division 16.
