Used Book Sale in Support of Southern Ontario Animal Rescue

It's been a while since anything was last posted here. We've been extremely busy and the time has flown by. So much has happened and every time I planned to sit down and write a post I found myself interrupted. So now sitting in the quiet of my living room I have found the time to report on our goings on.

Today we held a used book sale in the library. The sale was arranged by a group of grade 6 students who wished to raise money for SOAR, which is an animal rescue association. The students, with the help of their teacher, Mrs. Camarda made announcements about the upcoming sale and also collected used books. Mrs. Camarda and I picked a date for the sale and we helped the students make signs and set up the books for sale. I helped to supervise the students while Mrs. Camarda made a schedule for classes to visit the library. The money and sales were handled solely by the students. Mrs. Camarda and I were simply there to assist. The kids did a fantastic job with the sale. They were very responsible they set up the books and also cleaned up after the sale was complete. They were an excellent set of workers.

In all the students raised 83$ for SOAR. They were very proud of themselves and we were extremely excited to see them work so independently on something that has such a positive effect. Well done kids!!

Shattered, by Eric Walters - The Culminating task!!!

I have recently begun collaborating with one of our grade 8 teachers on the unit design and culminating task for her novel study unit on the novel Shattered, by Eric Walters. Mrs. Naidu approached me a short while ago to discuss the design of her novel study. We discussed what she hoped to achieve with students as well as her main goals in using this particular novel. We worked on designing different comprehension activities for students to discuss and complete in class.

Here's the book trailer.

Mrs. Naidu wanted students to learn about social issues, to analyze a novel and discuss the themes presented within the novel. We found some graphic organizers that would assist the students in analyzing the novel and then we planned the culminating task.

A culminating task is an activity that wraps up the particular unit and requires students to utilize the skills they were taught as they read the novel. A culminating task should require students to think critically about themes and information and then display what they have learned for the teacher and their peers. Essentially, it is the grand finale of learning.

For the culminating task, we wanted to design a task where students had to think about social issues, charity organizations and then discuss these charities. We asked students to find and research a particular charity. They were asked to learn about the mission statement, volunteer opportunities and how the charity delivered its services to the public. Students were then asked to discuss and explain the charity utilizing the iPad  Students could choose from a variety of apps including educreations and explain a website. They were to record their opinions and thoughts about their selected charity.

Students were able to complete their research of the charity in one class and are currently working on writing out their thoughts on the charity and developing a script before they begin recording, filming, etc. their final presentation on the iPad.

I'll be back with more info later. :))))))

Dare Arts and Aboriginal Schools

Dare Arts And the Dare to Draw Program

This year R.H. Lagerquist students participated in the Dare to Draw program. The program is aimed at teaching students social awareness and giving them an opportunity to help others out through art. 

Dare Arts has paired with Aboriginal schools in northern Ontario in the hopes of raising awareness about the condition of these schools. Here's a description of the program borrowed from their website.

In the ‘DARE to Draw Attention’ program, children are dared to create original darearts cards in their schools to draw attention to serious issues affecting children. The kids choose their medium - from paint, pencil crayons, pastels to a variety of other mediums. They then sell their cards at a suggested donation of $5 each. Schools are given the option to sell the cards themselves, holding onto $2 per card to help support their own activities, or to return the cards to darearts to be sold to individuals and corporations.

We have displayed and sold our cards during open house night and also during parent/teacher interview night. I've taken some photos of our cards and the display boards students made. Students are very excited about the project and have been very enthusiastic about getting their parents to purchase their artwork and make then into real artists who sell their work. Thanks to everyone who bought cards I will let you know when the large display happens with all the other schools here in Ontario.

Canadian Geographic recently covered the school and housing crisis facing nothern reserves.