Category: Term 1

October 6th is World Cerebral Palsy Day

As part of our novel study, we have been learning about cerebral palsy. The protagonist in the book Out of my Mind, Melody Brooks, is a young girl with cerebral palsy. For some people, having cerebral palsy can impact their mobility, muscular function, and speech.

On October 6th, many people observed World Cerebral Palsy Day which aims to raise awareness around this condition. Did you know that it is estimated that over 760,000 people globally have cerebral palsy?

Check out the video below to watch a video where children interview Carolyn, an authour and activist with cerebral palsy:

Please note: while the children in the video have been given permission to ask questions about Carolyn’s medical history, we should always be mindful to not ask people with disabilities about their diagnoses. While some people may feel comfortable sharing, many may not, so we want to be respectful!

Lifespans and Lifetimes:

What do you think are the longest living species on Earth? You might be surprised to learn that humans have much shorter lifespans than many other animals! We began discussing the shortest, and longest, average lifespans for different organisms. We also brainstormed what factors, such as access to food and a safe environment, could influence or change the lifespan of people and animals.

Feel free to click the link below to learn about some of the longest living creatures (that we know about):

Lifespans and Lifetimes

We looked at a local example of long-living species… the white sturgeon! These massive fish often swim the Fraser River, and can live to be over 100 years old! However, their species has often been threatened by humans (environmental, overfishing, etc.). Now, many people are working together to try and protect these sturgeon, so that they might live into the next century and beyond!

TALE OF A GREAT WHITE FISH |Maggie de Vries

 

Reminders for this week:

Hi, Grade 7s!

A few important reminders for this week:

-Band practice continues on Wednesday and Friday every week. Please remember to bring your instrument, and practice at home!

-We have an early dismissal at 2:00PM on Thursday October 3rd

-Welcoming Conversations are continuing tomorrow. I am excited to check in with your parents, guardians, and important adults, and brag about all of your great qualities!

See you tomorrow!

-Ms. Ward

Our First Novel Study: Out of My Mind

We have officially begun our first novel study… Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper! This realistic-fiction book follows Melody, a child with cerebral palsy who is non-verbal. Despite her many interests, talents, and skills, Melody is unable to communicate her thoughts and feelings to those around her due to a lack of assistive technology.

 

Out of My Mind

Lochdale’s speech-language therapist, Ms. Filippelli, came in to our class to teach us about different forms of communication. We began to learn about how assistive technology, such as communication or “core” boards, can create a ‘voice’ for those who are non-speaking. We discussed why some people may not use verbal communication, or may be more comfortable with communicating in other ways.

Feel free to watch the video below for an interview with Ben, who is a non-speaking person who uses assistive technology. In the video, he explains how using an iPad or ‘core board’ helps him to feel less ‘trapped’ inside his head.

Please note: the video contains a brief mention of people protesting against gun violence.

Important Reminders:

Hello, Div. 2!

A few important reminders as we head into the weekend:

-please return your green hoodie order forms ASAP!

-no band tomorrow as we have an assembly in the morning (Friday)

-Orange Shirt Day will be observed tomorrow (Friday)

-Welcoming Conversation sign-up links were sent out this week

-no school Monday as we will be taking part in Truth & Reconciliation

Thanks everyone!

 

-Ms. Ward

Accessibility in Schools:

Our class has been discussing how schools have changed in the past 100 years, and how they might look 100 years in the future. We have been brainstorming how schools can increase and improve student engagement and success. One factor that we are examining is how accessible a school is. Accessibility means that all students and staff, regardless of their strengths or challenges, have equitable access to resources and equal chance at being successful. One key way to support everyone, especially those with diverse needs and disabilities, is to understand Assistive Technology (AT).  AT can help folks with disabilities perform everyday tasks with increased independence, can help with social connections, and can support their success at work and at school.

Today, we explored how accessible our own school is for people who use mobility devices. This could be someone who uses assistive technology such as a wheelchair, someone using a walker, or someone using crutches. Feel free to click the link below for our PowerPoint of key terms:

Accessibility in Focus

We also listened to a TED talk by Jane Velkovski, a young activist who speaks up about the importance of AT. We learned that while 1 billion people need AT, over 90% of people do not have regular access to AT. You can watch this TED talk below:

Some questions to consider at home:

-what examples of Assistive Technology (AT) have you seen?

-what are some ways we can make schools more accessible to folks who use mobility devices?

-what can be done, on a local and global level, for the 9 out of ever 10 people who do not have regular access to AT?

School Lunch Programs: Pros and Cons

Have you ever attended a school with a Lunch program? In class today, we discussed the possible positive and negatives of school-wide Lunch programs. We learned about a young photojournalist named Martha, who began a blog called Never Seconds in 2009 to document what she (and her friends) were being served for lunch every day. You can access her the archive of her blog here: https://neverseconds.blogspot.com/

Never Seconds :: LocalFoody Blog

Image description: a slice of pizza, a muffin, a small amount of corn, and an unidentified fried item (fish stick?) are placed sloppily on a lunch tray.

We discussed how, for many people, a school Lunch or Breakfast program may be their only access to a consistent, nutritionally balanced meal for a variety of reasons (food insecurity, affordability, time constraints, etc.). Our concerns, however, were that many of the meals being served to Martha (and to many students across the world) were not nutritionally-balanced, were unappetizing, and were not a correct serving size.

What are your experiences with a school Lunch program? Do you think that all schools should have them?

Feel free to watch the video below, of how an amazing crew of “Lunch ladies” feed over 400 students a day at a middle school in New York City:

 

Welcome, Grade 7s!

Greetings to our Grade 7 class of 2024/2025!

It has already been a very busy first few days of school in our new classroom community. We have been hard at work getting to know each other, adapting to new routines, and considering the roles/responsibilities of Grade 7s.

I am excited to get to know everyone, as both individuals and as a class!

I am looking forward to introducing (or re-introducing) myself to the wonderful parents/guardians/families that are supporting our Grade 7 students during our Welcoming Conversations in October (more information to follow).

In the meantime, I have created a quick survey that I ask be filled in by the parents/guardians of our Grade 7s. This survey was also sent home on a pink form with our school supply list for the year. The survey can be found here: Grade 7 parent guardian survey

Please check out our class blog frequently for reminders, upcoming due dates, and videos/resources we learned about in class!

Best wishes,

Ms. Ward

 

 

Muhammad Ali: Setting Goals + Achieving Greatness

Muhammad Ali: A Champion Is Born | Cavalier House Books

Image description: a hand holding a copy of the picture book Muhammad Ali: A Champion is Born by Gene Barretta

This week, we discussed the importance of considering what goals we might want to achieve in our lives. We read about how Muhammad Ali was inspired to begin his boxing career from an experience he had as a 12 year old child. Despite the mockery, prejudice, and injustice that he faced, Muhammad Ali trained and persevered and achieved so much in his lifetime! He was crowned the heavyweight champion of the world an astonishing 3 times, medaled in the Olympics, and, perhaps most importantly, was known as the “People’s Champion” because of his commitment to speaking out against injustice.

Take a look at the short memorial video, below, commemorating Muhammad Ali’s lifetime: