Category: Social Studies

On February 15th to honour the anniversary of our flag students from Div 8 and 9 assisted Ms Carson with the ceremonial flag raising. The students also learned about the history of the Canadian flag and its symbolism, as well as the reasons for Flag Day.

During this lesson students acknowledged that we reside on the traditional ancestral shared territory of the Coast Salish Nations of Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish.  Students also learned that there are three main groups of Indigenous people in Canada: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

Before reading Little Bears Vision Quest written by Diane Silvey we also discussed the importance of stories and how they are an integral part of Indigenous culture. Students learned that stories are not just for entertainment but they are told to teach lessons and these lessons typically focus on ways to overcome a struggle, how to change attitude or behaviour and how to be the best person possible. In this particular story Little Bear learns to be kind, thoughtful and respectful toward others after being banished to a remote island.

After listening to the story students then created these bear paws to represent the qualities that make a good friend.

It is said that before globalization, these instruments could only be found in Africa and where African descendants lived. Therefore, the thumb piano or kalimba as we know it in the West, is a modernized version of its African ancestors.  Just like the xylophone, it is deeply rooted in the continent’s culture.

Many tribes, all across the continent, have developed their own unique thumb pianos over the centuries. Because the languages and cultures of these tribes vary so much, so do the names and traditions of their instruments.

Using wood, bobby pins and craft supplies Div 9 students along with other students of Twelfth Avenue Elementary created their very own versions of the African thumb piano.  Check it out.

After reading the book Do Unto Otters written by Laurie Keller students participated in a guided drawing lesson.  Then they prepared a kindness mural to remind everyone how important it is to treat others the way you want to be treated.

In honour of Remembrance Day, students were asked to consider what peace means to them and to other children from different parts of the world. They explored the concept of peace through different areas of the curriculum – visual arts, language arts, and social studies,  The main objective of the lesson was to help students understand that every child needs peace to live a full, healthy and happy life.

In Social Studies we have been discussing how individuals have rights and responsibilities as global citizens. Students examined the differences between rights and responsibilities and then worked in small groups to identify their responsibilities and how they are connected to the rights they have as individuals.