Category: Science

Fraser Health will commence the School Immunization Program for this year’s Grade 6 students on Thursday, November 21st.  Please return the Fraser Health consent forms if you haven’t already done so.

If you have any additions questions or concers, please contact your Public Health Representative at (604) 918-7605.

In our latest buddy session Rachel, Sasha, Cyrus, and Joe read-aloud, the inspiring book “I Have a Right to Save My Planet.” This engaging story empowered everyone to recognize their role in protecting the environment and highlighted the importance of sustainability, conservation, and community action.

Following the read-aloud, we transitioned into a fun Scrabble word play activity, where students formed words related to the themes of the book, such as “earth,” “reuse,” “green,” and “future.” This not only reinforced the vocabulary but also sparked lively discussions about environmental responsibility and how we can all contribute to a healthier planet.

This read-aloud and word play encouraged students to think critically about their impact on the world and inspired them to take action. Together, we are planting the seeds for a more sustainable future, one word and one action at a time!

In today’s fast-paced digital world, understanding digital literacy is more important than ever. Our recent Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies (ADST) lesson aimed to equip students with essential skills to navigate digital content responsibly. The photos accompanying this blog post showcase students engaged in a dynamic lesson focused on digital literacy, where they learned about the design process, co-regulation, metacognition, and self-assessment.

As students learned about the design process, they embarked on a comprehensive design journey that began with a clear understanding of the setting (the digital/online world). By identifying societal issues related to digital literacy, they laid the groundwork for meaningful inquiry. During the design process they followed these structured ADST phases:

1. Understand Setting: Understanding the context and identifying challenges related to digital literacy.

2. Defining: Narrowing down specific sub-problems, such as cyberbullying and data privacy.

3. Ideation: Brainstorming multiple solutions to tackle these challenges.

4. Evaluating: screening their ideas against requirements, constraints, and design values.

5. Prototyping: Creating models and simulations of their best ideas.

6. Testing: Gathering peer feedback and refining their designs.

7. Making: Making of their final product.

8.  Sharing: Presenting their solutions and the explaining how they solve the problem.

As part of this journey, students also determined their group’s design values (ex: safety, fun, equity, identity, environmental sustainability, etc). These core values guided their decision-making and were woven into their design solutions, ensuring that their creations not only addressed the problems at hand but also resonated with their groups core values.

Students were also asked to incorporate metacognitive and emotional regulation strategies into their learning and preplan which strategies they thought would be helpful at various stages of the design process. Students reflected on their thought processes, assessing how they approached challenges and adjusted their strategies based on feedback. Techniques such as self-monitoring, goal-setting, encouragement, and talk aloud strategies helped them navigate their learning journeys with intention.

Additionally, emotional regulation strategies played a significant role in managing the ups and downs of the design process. Students learned to recognize their emotional responses (excitement, frustration, confusion, etc)—and developed coping mechanisms to co-regulate and stay focused and productive. This combination of metacognitive awareness and emotional intelligence is essential for fostering a growth mindset and is crucial for collaboration.

Working in groups provided students with opportunities for co-regulation, where they supported each other’s learning. Structured peer feedback sessions not only enhanced their designs but also strengthened their communication skills. This collaborative environment encouraged them to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and learn from one another, reinforcing the importance of teamwork in problem-solving.

Furthermore a variety of  assessment methods were used to gauge student understanding and growth:

– Visual Embedded Self-Assessment: Students reflected on their learning experiences by capturing photo evidence of their learning. They also used stickers to identify which capacities and skills they were applying throughout the process while also tracking their emotions and identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

– Wooden Capacities Bar Graph: students also created visual representations of their growth in different capacities (technology, creativity, collaboration, regulation) to accompany their visual timelines. This allowed them to easily see which capacities they were developing more of and identify areas for growth.

– Peer Feedback: Structured opportunities for students to give and receive feedback helped them articulate their thoughts, see different perspectives, and helped them refine their ideas.

– Teacher Observations: Ongoing check-ins allowed me to provide targeted feedback, ensuring that students were progressing and staying on track. Conferences with the students also helped me analyze their thinking and ask probing questions to extend their thinking, helping them think more critically about the project

Through these assessments, students learned to self-assess and provide evidence of their own learning, which is vital for their development in digital literacy and beyond.

To end this project students shared their final design solutions and received more feedback. All groups created engaging presentations that not only highlighted their prototypes but also detailed the design process and the rationale behind their decisions. This experience allowed them to communicate their newfound knowledge effectively, showcasing their understanding of digital literacy concepts such as data privacy, online behavior, and the impact of screen time.

Hopefully this unit empowered students and will continue to help them navigate the complexities of the digital landscape so that they can make informed decisions and engage responsibly with technology beyond this project.

Parents are encouraged to engage with their children about these topics at home. Discuss online behaviors, the importance of a positive digital footprint, and strategies for discerning credible information. Together, we can foster a generation of responsible digital citizens!

Looking ahead, I am thrilled to announce that our next project will center around sustainability and sustainable infrastructure in our community. This will provide students with an opportunity to explore pressing environmental issues and design innovative solutions that positively impact their surroundings.

Stay tuned for more updates on our students’ learning adventures and insights into their upcoming projects!

Burnaby School District’s Code of Conduct has been established to maintain a safe, caring and healthy learning environment.

It is the shared responsibility of students, staff, parents/guardians and the broader community, to demonstrate positive conduct while attending any school or District related activity, at any location.

All members of the school community have an obligation to:

• Support learning
• Promote safety
• Respect property, environment, personal space and privacy
• Model courtesy, compassion and respect

All students are expected to comply with appropriate use of personal digital devices and restrictions – which may vary by the student’s age and developmental stage – including:

• At elementary schools, personal digital devices (cellphones and smartwatches with cellular connectivity) will be safely stored, on silent mode, and out of sight during the school day, including non-instructional time such as recess and lunch.
• At secondary schools, personal digital devices will be safely stored, on silent mode, and out of sight during instructional time.
• At all grade levels, exceptions to restrictions apply when the classroom teacher gives permission to use personal digital devices for educational activities, and/or when students require personal digital devices for learning accessibility and/or medical purposes under school staff supervision.
• At all grade levels, expectations for conduct and use of technology as outlined in the District Technologies & Information Systems Student Acceptable Use Agreement also apply.

All members of the school community must refrain from engaging in any in-person or digital communication or behaviour that is considered to be:

• Interfering with the learning and working of others
• Bullying, harassing, intimidating, retaliating, discriminating or violent
• Unsafe or illegal including the possession, use or distribution of illegal or restricted substances, or the possession of weapons or replicas

All members of the school community are expected to comply with the purpose and spirit of the BC Human Rights Code, including not engaging in discriminatory conduct on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age.

Every effort will be made to support individuals and to determine the root causes of behaviour. If the safety or educational program of others is compromised, or if there is an ongoing failure to meet the expectations of the Code of Conduct, a range of consequences will follow. Whenever possible, incidents will be resolved by discussion, mediation and restitution.

All members of the Burnaby School District community have the right to be treated fairly and consistently, and should know and understand this Code of Conduct.

The students had a fantastic day today exploring the intertidal zone at Barnet Marine Park. They were able to discover a wide variety of fascinating species and learn about their unique adaptations. From the scuttling crabs to the slithering eels, the students were in awe of the diverse marine life they encountered. They marveled at the resilience of the sea stars, the tenacity of the barnacles, and the clever camouflage of the periwinkles. They were also intrigued by the mysterious sea cucumber, the tasty mussels and clams, and the colorful seaweed. They even spotted a few delicate jellyfish washed ashore and seagulls breaking open clams. Overall, it was a fun and educational day filled with exciting discoveries and valuable lessons about the incredible creatures that call the intertidal zone home.

Aubrey is excited to be participating in Jump Rope for Heart again this year during our Fun Day on Friday, May 31. All proceeds go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. To donate:

https://jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca/44543

Thanks for your support of this worthy cause! There will also be an early dismissal at 12:30 pm.

Sincerely,

Lisa Hartman
Principal

Thank you everyone who participated in the Regional Heritage Fair at Burnaby Village Museum on May 10 and 11th. I am pleased to announce the following award recipients:

Award related to a topic on New Westminster History – How did the Great Depression Affect Canadian History? – By: Arielle Fok

Award related to a topic relevant to Burnaby History – Immigration in Canada by Zack Kolb & Owen Kai

Award based on a topic focusing on Indigenous Culture and Practice – Indigenous Art and Cultural Traditions – Marlowe Cote and Breton DeCoste

Award related to veteran’s history – How did World War II affect Canada and how does it impact us now? – Emma Jozic and Aika Mo (Vivian)

Award based on labour history and social justice – How did the Chinese Communities in Canada affect / influence Canada’s Development? – Andrea Chiu and Jasmine Chan

Visitor’s Choice Award – What was Canada’s Role in WWI – Isidoro Vitiello & Nakita D.

Visitor’s Choice Award – La Bousculade de Calgary (The Calgary Stampede) – Billy Gray

Visitor’s Choice Award – Insulin – Moana Baek

And then the big announcement!!!  Two projects from Aubrey Elementary were chosen to go on to the Provincial Heritage Fair – as Provincial Fair Delegates!

Provincial Fair Delegate – Elsie MacGill By: Maya Tuan

Provincial Fair Delegate – The Invention of the Light Bulb By: Marcus Hui.

Wow, congratulations everyone! You did a great job representing Aubrey and did an even better job research and discussing these historical topics. Well done!

Dear Families of Division 3,

On Wednesday May 1st, our school will be having an early dismissal at 2 pm to accommodate student-led conferences.  Please note that only the Grade 6 students will dismiss at 2:00 pm. The Grade 7 students will be attending a play at Alpha and will only return to school at 3:00 pm. Due to this schedule our conferences will be held from 3:00-5:00 pm. Families are invited to join their child for a 15-20 minute student led conference where your child will present some of their learning. If you are unable to attend in person, please sign up for a home conference and students will conduct their student-led conference at home.

At the time of the conference, 6 other families will be meeting with their child in the classroom. Students will conduct their own conferences with their families. I will be there to offer clarification or assistance if needed, however, this time is not a time for us to meet or discuss concerns or questions you may have about your child’s academic or social emotional needs. These conferences are an opportunity for your child to showcase their learning and discuss with you goals and next steps. Parents are encouraged to provide constructive feedback and discuss ways they can provide support.

Below is a link where you can sign up for a time that works for you to attend your child’s conference. Please keep in mind there are only 6 slots available for each timeframe. If for any reason you are unable to attend in person you may also select to have your child hold their conference at home.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0944AAAE23ABFBC61-signup

If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out. It’s always exciting when students get the opportunity to share what they’ve been learning and set goals for where they are going next. I look forward to seeing you all in person as you celebrate your child’s achievements.

Regards,

Ms. Smith