Guest Blogger: Hannah

As an extension to learning, each student will have a chance to write a short blog post for this class blog! Here is Hannah's contribution!

Totally Random: Carina

In which I pull a name at random and ask: what do you want on the blog?

Carina wants you to enjoy 1D's Best Song Ever!

Tech Buddies!

Our class is becoming tech buddies with Mrs. Nitert's Grade 3/4's!

The students in our class know quite a bit about tech and media. Now they are able to share their knowledge. In the new year, we will be doing some collaborative projects with Mrs. Nitert's class.

To start, my class is going to make sure all the Gr. 3/4 students have their google log ins set up.

Then they are going to answer this online SURVEY together....so we can get a good understanding of their interests and likes/dislikes!

More projects to come in the new year! Stay tuned!

*survey now closed*

Totally Random: Blake

In which I pull a name at random and ask: what do you want on the blog?

Blake wants you to consider this message.

Guest Blogger: Chase

As an extension to learning, each student will have a chance to write a short blog post for this class blog! Here is Chase's contribution!

The best video game in the world is Pokemon because it has awesome designs for every Pokemon. I hear people say “only the 1st generation is the best” or “the new Pokemon designs suck.” Whereas I disagree, I think that every Pokemon is unique in its own way. Although some are stronger than others making them overused, but that's just life, there will be the strong and the weak. But just because one is stronger than the other, or looks cooler than the other, doesn't it make it worthless.

Also, Pokemon has a terrific story. It’s all about bonding with your Pokemon and friendship, and using them in battle and displaying the friendship  and trust you have in one another. and i know this sounds silly because it’s just a game, but to me, I like to pretend that i am a Pokemon trainer while playing the game, beating the gym leaders, catching rare Pokemon.

Lastly, the music in Pokemon is fantastic! Such beautifully crafted songs really make me feel part of the adventure! The music is so outstanding I even went to a symphony that only played Pokemon songs!

I hope one day, Pokemon won’t be fiction anymore, that science will be able to make Pokemon and release them into the wild  for me, to catch them all and continue my quest of being the best pokemon trainer in the world!

Totally Random: Maya

In which I pull a name at random and ask: what do you want on the blog?

Maya wants you to enjoy 1D's song: Perfect.

Wii Math: Mean, Median, Mode, Range Practice

I heard about this lesson via Twitter many years ago (in 2010, to be exact) so to my mind this is an oldie (but a goodie).

Basically, we use the Wii game Mario Kart to generate data for analysis.

It's a fun way to get many data points fast.

We play 4 players for 10 (or more) games (so each student plays twice, approx.), tracking the ranking for each player.

Then we use the data for mean, median, mode, range practice...and analyze the data for any patterns or conclusion we might make about it.

Today, we played the game and generated our data points, which is the first step.

In the past, I've spoken quite a bit about the potential of video games for learning in the classroom. In 2011, I did a research project on using Mario Kart to promote student engagement in the classroom, for which I was interviewed by CBC Radio. I also used the Wii in a Social Skills program, which was published as a journal article.

Click here to learn more about my research project.

Click here to listen to the radio interview.

Click here to read the journal article.

Time to Pick A New Class Book! *Revised*

We have finished our class read aloud, a book I chose: Running to Extremes.

It is now time to pick another book, to start in January!

This time, students have provided reading suggestions. I've also provided a few. Here they are!

We are eventually going to vote via survey and analyze the data to determine our next class read. (We will create the survey together via google forms, to show how it is done...coming soon!)

Here are the choices! *drum roll please*

#1 Between Heaven and Earth 

From ericwalters.net

DJ thinks of himself as a leader – always out in front, always in charge and able to accomplish anything.  So when he goes to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and scatter his grandfather’s ashes, he is sure it won’t be that difficult – how hard is a bit of hiking?  But DJ finds that it will take everything he’s got to make it to the top – and he’s going to need help.

#2 Animal Farm

It is about a group of animals who rebel against the humans from the farm they live on and run it themselves with hopes of being equal, free, and happy. In the end, however, the new rule becomes a cruel tyranny of its own led by the pigs. Written during World War II and published in 1945, it was not well received at first, but is widely accepted as a classic today. (from wikipedia)

#3 Pendragon: The Merchant of Death

Bobby Pendragon is a seemingly normal fourteen-year-old boy. He has a family, a home, and even Marley, his beloved dog. But there is something very special about Bobby. He is going to save the world. - (From djmachale books)

#4 Coraline

When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.

But there's another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Coraline will have to fight with all her wits and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life. (from Neil Gaiman's site)

#5 The Graveyard Book

After his family are killed, Bod is brought up in a graveyard by ghosts – an array of century-spanning characters who care for him, impart wisdom and even teach body-fading skills. But Bod sometimes goes beyond the graveyard into the world of the living – and here his life is under threat from the sinister man Jack, who has pursued him since he was a baby.

#6 Cinder

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future. from amazon.ca 

#7 Ungifted

Donovan is definitely skilled . . . at getting into trouble. And when one of his thoughtless pranks accidentally destroys the school gym during the Big Game, with the superintendent watching, he knows he's in for it. Suspension at best, maybe expulsion. Either way, a lawsuit and paying for damages. But through a strange chain of events, his name gets put on the list for the local school for gifted students: the Academy for Scholastic Distinction. Donovan knows he's not a genius, but he can't miss this chance to escape.

Now, he has to figure out a way to stay at ASD ― and fit in with the kids there. And who knows, maybe his real gift will come to light . . .

#8 Wonder

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. 

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.  from amazon.ca

Vote HERE

Discovering 'Growth Mindset' Through Narratives

Every day we have 20 minutes of personal reading time. Students spend this time reading material of their own choosing (typically, a novel).

We then do an activity (either reading or writing focused) that they can apply to their personal reading.

Sometimes it's a CASI type question (ie: is it a good title? explain why or why not or what is the main idea/theme?).

And sometimes it's a CASI related question (ie: write the scene from an alternative point of view).

And sometimes it's writing related (ie: which writing trait is the author uses effectively or ineffectively? give an example).

One other area we are starting to explore within these narratives is the concept of Growth Mindset.

For example, we just completed our class read aloud: Running To Extremes.

In this biography Ray Zahab, a Canadian ultra-marathon runner, explains how he got into the sport, and also the many many challenges (mental and physical) he faced while racing in the Yukon, Sahara and the Amazon (and elsewhere).

There are numerous times when he wanted to give up...but didn't. Or made mistakes...which he then adapted to or changed for the better next time around.

The concept of Growth Mindset is all through out this book!

Of course, a narrative doesn't need to be about ultra marathon racing to illustrate the growth mindset.

Many narrative plots involve an obstacle that needs to be overcome...Characters often face challenges and conflicts that require a shift in perspective and self-understanding... This is true in novels (written narratives) and film (visual narratives). (And we will continue to study both).

Looking at main characters and plots through the lens of 'growth mindset' is a great way to connect personally to the concept.

We will continue to look at how Growth Mindset effects the characters in narratives and in that way, develop our own understanding of how this method of thinking might impact our own lives.

PS. For more about Canadian ultra-marathon runner Ray Zahab, click here

Totally Random: Mady

In which I pull a name at random and ask: what do you want on the blog?

Mady wants to remind you that hockey is awesome!

Travel Ad for a Fictional Setting

The theme for our current media maker cycle project is 'travel'.

I decided, given all of our work on narratives, that we would pick a famous fictional setting as our 'exotic locale'.

Some students need to finish this project at home.

We studied a few travel commercials to determine what exactly comprises a travel ad.

Based on that, we came up with this task:

• create a short, minimum 30 second travel commercial for a famous FICTION setting that includes
• images
• text or voice over that gives 3 reasons to travel there
• a slogan
• a (fake) www site 'for more information'
• music and or sound effects, as the program/app allows

Those of you that need to complete this at home, please email me your imovies: jujohnson@scdsb.on.ca

Reminder: due date December 3.

Several completed ads are currently available for your viewing pleasure on our class youtube page!

They are also starting to be posted on individual student blogs so their Learning Hubs can see them and comment. More to be added soon!

Anti-Bullying Message/Slam Poetry

Mrs. Czarnota, our teacher-librarian, showed this video to our class on Tuesday.

I thought I would post it on our class blog. I believe it affected many students. I'm also going to put in the side bar links so we can reference it at any time.

Mrs. Czarnota says she will be revisiting slam poetry later in the year. :)

Guest Teacher: Mrs. Boate Helps Us Get Creative in Math!

Mrs. Boate is the Innovation Resource Teacher for Numeracy K-8 with the SCDSB.

I invited her to join our class so she might demonstrate a creative and inquisitive approach to math concepts.

Math is typically an area that is seen as procedural, methodical and 'by the book'.

When most people think of math class in school, they think of following a set of pre-ordained steps, finding out the answer, and practicing questions over and over.

And yet...that does not have to be the case!

Our topic today was an introduction to graphing and data management.

To get our 'minds on' this new topic, and to access previous knowledge, Mrs. Boate posted a bar graph that had just bars and asked: what could this be about? Student brainstormed ideas, recalling previous graphs and survey subjects.

Then she asked: what is missing? Students remembered that graphs needs labels and scales and titles.

We then checked out this awesome site: Graphing Stories 

We looked at the Costa Rica swing video--but not past the point where we saw the swing portrayed as a graph because we wanted the students to try graphing it themselves.

Students had to creatively interpret the real life scenario into a mathematical (graphical) representation of their own devising.

This brought forth some interesting discussion on estimation of height, the shape the graph might take, marking the time for lowest point & highest point, etc.

We then compared student graphs to the graph in the video.

We will definitely be using this site again to explore graphing scenarios!

Mrs. Boate will be joining out class again in December for more graphing fun.

Thank you for visiting our class, Mrs. Boate!