My Invenson

My Invention Is..........

My Big Invention

If I was to be like Mr. Alexander Graham Bell I would invent a. . . Mini desk Vacuum. It would clean out dirt and dust. Also it would organize all the stuff In your desk. I would invent that because, personally I have an extremely horrific jungle inside of my desk. And believe me it is the utmost eratating thing to clean out. In conclusion to be like Mr. Bell that is what I would invent. By.k.B

Me & Mr. Bell and our visualizing activity

Me & Mr. Bell

Print Making for the first time!

Creatures and symbols from the Creature Department:

From There to Here & Regions of Canada Thinglink

From There to Here 

By: Laurel Croza & Matt James

This is a Silver Birch Express book that we read this year that led us on a journey through Canada! Our journey started with this book, when a little girl moved from Saskatchewan to Toronto. As we learned about differences between the rural geographic features and other key characteristics of Saskatchewan, and the urban features of Toronto. 

Our journey moved towards learning about the Regions of Canada, as part of our Social Studies unit. 

As we studied, and worked in groups together to focus on the different regions, we integrated Art and co-created a map of Canada in the x-ray style of Norval Morrisseau:

Next, we used technology to create slideshows that demonstrated our knowledge and understanding of the regions of Canada, we looked specifically at pictures to convey our understanding visually. We  then studied endangered animals and made connections with industries and regions of Canada. We asked questions to the Grade 9 class at North Collegiate. Students added audio or text, and created a thinglink.

https://www.thinglink.com/scene/651799658980442114


This thinglink has been shared on our classroom blog: http://educationcommons.net on Remind app for parents, and now on our Forest of Technology site!

These are the expectations we covered:

The following is a list of overall expectations we covered in our unit on the Regions of Canada:

Visual Arts – with Norval Morrisseau:

D3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of art forms, styles, and techniques from the past and present, and their sociocultural and historical contexts.

Social Studies:

• B1. Application: assess some key ways in which industrial development and the natural environment affect each other in two or more political and/or physical regions of Canada (FOCUS ON: Cause and Consequence; Interrelationships)
• B2. Inquiry: use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some issues and challenges associated with balancing human needs/wants and activities with environmental stewardship in one or more of the political and/or physical regions of Canada (FOCUS ON: Perspective)
• B3. Understanding Context: identify Canada’s political and physical regions, and describe their main characteristics and some significant activities that take place in them (FOCUS ON: Significance; Patterns and Trends)

Language:

Oral Communication:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;
2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes;
3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

Media Literacy

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;
2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning;
3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;

We also connected with the Grade 9 class at North Collegiate using Green Screen and Twitter: Here is our Storify!!!!

Writing:
3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

Reading:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;
Science & Technology – As we study our endangered animal and look at the interrelationships between the environment, physical features, animals, culture and industry of each Region of Canada.

1. analyse the effects of human activities on habitats and communities;
2. investigate the interdependence of plants and animals within specific habitats and communities; 3. demonstrate an understanding of habitats and communities and the relationships among the plants and animals that live in them.

Red Wolf by Jennifer Dance

This is a post written by one of the families in our Grade 4 class this year. Literacy is about sharing the text, emotions, and communicating about the books with those we care about. This family engaged very deeply with the Silver Birch books this year, have shared one of their experiences! Thank you Jennifer & Jordyn!

My daughter, Jordyn, and I read Jennifer Dance’s Red Wolf together. It was her first choice to read from the Forest Of Reading’s 2014/15 Silver Birch nominee list.  I must admit it was my first choice as well, having seen all the selections in the classroom.  

What an awesome book!  

Jennifer Dance has written a story that is compelling, not only because of the characters and storyline, but because it opens the door to some of the terrible history of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada.  

I want my daughter to grow up learning about--and from--the history of the people on whose land our ancestors settled. Red Wolf is written so that it draws the reader into the story and characters at hand, while at the same time allowing many opportunities for further discussion of the real stories, history and issues of Indigenous People.  

My daughter and I spent much time reading and then talking about and finding further understanding of the reality of the story.  The book is so skillfully written that it allowed my nine year old child to grasp the concept of how 5 year old Red Wolf was actually losing his own identity and sense of self because of the teaching and treatment he received at the residential school.  Many times since reading Red Wolf, Jordyn has made reference and connections back to the story in what she sees in everyday life and in exploring other historical stories.  

We were also able to connect with Jennifer Dance on Twitter, and after speaking with me, Ms. Dance took the time to personally email Jordyn and speak with her about Red Wolf.  That was extremely exciting for Jordyn!!  We can’t wait to read Jennifer Dance’s new book, Paint, that was released in February!!

Jennifer McLean