Relocating!!!

Hello anyone who is listening!

I have decided to move my Creative Cranium to the Calgary Science School's Connect! blog in the spirit of increased collaboration!

As a member of the CSS learning community, and given my new research project focusing on the power of collaboration to transform teaching and learning; I know that moving to Connect! will increase my audience and my chances of becoming engaged in meaningful collaboration.

So, change the dial to Connect! and follow me on Twitter to stay in the know.

This is one Creative - Collaborative - Cranium saying "See you soon!"

:)

Ivy!

The Craziness In My Brain...

For starters, I want to say thank you to anyone who cares enough to read the musings of a teacher with a need to think-out-loud.  It means a lot to not just be talking alone in the dark!

Along that note - I LOVE MY JOB! I have ben having a great time, developing great teaching and learning experiences, and growing with every minute.  While it is extremely overwhelming at times, I feel like I am submerged in a culture where I am free to explore new ideas and really live my passion - education on the edge.  On the edge of what? Everything! The freedom to take risks in an effort to provide engaging and authentic education rocks!  

That being said, I am struggling with trying to know how to deliver the CONTENT, while still keeping with the framework for exemplary teaching and learning.  Today my teaching partner and I combined our classes (for a grand total of 50 students), and in the library they experienced a (brace yourself) LECTURE. It was not your typical lecture, there were videos and a dramatization challenge, but I walked away feeling like I did not support the students well enough before jumping into the Charter of Rights & Freedoms and it's relation to the Indian Act...  I decided to jump into it so that they will be prepared to consider such things next week when we are in Bamfield BC - but am wondering if it was the right choice, and if I will be able to backpedal a bit to make sure that we don't superficially cover something so important.  

But - Bamfield! On Sunday we (4 teachers, 6 parents, 2 administrators, and 94 students) are going to the Bamfield Marine Science Center for a week long field trip!  We will be doing all kinds of science during the day (for the Science 9 Biodiversity unit), and diving into some Humanities in the evening.  I am excited to challenge the kids to let themselves be inspired by their beautiful surroundings and amazing experiences.  Stay posted for pics and more!

I have so much more to say - other online platforms that have found their way into my classroom, upcoming projects, there's too much!  (Posting more regularly may solve this dilemma!)

Thanks again, talk to you soon.

:)

Google +, Penzu, Issuu and More

Hello!  Well, with school in full swing I am so excited about the things that are going to be happening in the grade 9 humanities classrooms at CSS!  My teaching partner and I are totally on the same wavelength, and have too many ideas to fit into one school year (as you may have seen in older posts...).

This week and next we will be introducing 3 web services to the kids.

1. Google +: the next thing in social networking sites.  Students will be using Google+ to share their journal entries, Free Reading Challenge novel reviews, current event 'Sparks', Googledocs, and more.  This site will be the main hub for all things humanities 9 this year.

2. Penzu: an online journal.  Students will be able to write privately, and only share what they want to.  Their entries will be everything from novel responses, current event responses, thoughts on topics in health and service learning, and more.  The fact that they do not have to share everything is what has drawn us to this service.

3. Issuu: an online publication service.  Students are able to publish their work in an interactive, online format that is available to anyone.  This will really allow students to share their work with more people than just their classmates, and enable them to truly respond to each others work.

That's it for now! Stay posted for more details on how these services work out in class!

ttyl  :)

Innovation & Collaboration

Well, with day two over, and the students coming in the morning, I am as ready as I am ever going to be :)
After spending two days with my team and really beginning to understand what collaboration is at CSS, I am more encouraged than ever.  The flexibility that is required is a challenge, but planning time and having grade level teams means that you are never going to be floundering by yourself.  I have completely enjoyed meeting everyone that I will have the extreme privilege to work with, and know that we are going to have an amazing year!

But, with the kids coming tomorrow I am understandably nervous!  I want to focus on my excitement and passion for what CSS is doing, but think I am still a little in shock that I even have this job, or moved to Calgary!  So, with less than 12 hours to go until 600 students descend on CSS and the year officially begins, I need to realize my new reality and focus!

I cannot wait to begin sharing more of the teaching and learning that is going on in my classroom, and less of my personal thoughts!  Please bear with me, if you are listening :)

ttyl

More Planning Brain Waves

I know that I have taught both English and Social 9 before, but I feel like this year is going to present an unlimited number of opportunities to really engage students in authentic learning.  After our staff retreat today, I truly feel like I am in the right place and am going to have a great (but also greatly challenging) year! 

Here are some more ideas that I have rolling around in my brain...

Dragon's Den Performance Task
-I did this project with my 9s last year, to culminate our unit on consumerism and marketing.  I am so excited that my teaching partners are interested in doing this once more, and cannot wait to see how we can jazz it up!  Some thoughts we have had include: trying to get a real dragon (or some other expert) to come in and assist in judging the student's pitches; having multiple people on the panel evaluting pitches; giving students free reign to decide what they are going to bring into the den, and how they are going to try and get the dragons to invest.  I think that in order to tie this somehow to the CBL "Making Sustainable Food Choices" project, I would like to challenge the students by declaring this a 'eco-friendly' edition of Dragon's Den - I cannot wait to see what they think could improve our world.

The Alice Project
-I stumbled across this project while exploring various edu-blogs, and would LOVE to adapt it to use with my 9s.  I am thinking about using Nancy Farmer's "House of the Scorpion" for a full class novel study, and think that it shows definite potential for this kind of 'higher level' novel exploration.  Check it out, and thank you to the creator!

Lessons That Change Writers
-This book by Nancy Atwell (one of my favourite ELA teacher researchers), she explores a variety of lessons designed to (obviously) change how our students are writing.  I am really looking forward to continuing the focus that CSS is carrying over from last year on student writing, and think that this book is an awesome starting point to engage students in meaningful writing.  Stay posted for more on this wavelength!

Planning Extravaganza

In my last post I mentioned the freight train that I saw coming towards me with the impending first day...  I am pleased to report however, that this school is structured to support teachers!  We all have curriculum partners who teach the same thing as us, and planning is completely collaborative.  The time that teachers are given to work together during most school days is so different from my 40 minute prep period I spent solo last year.  After feeling like an island, I am so excited to feel like a province, one of many!

So, what have we been up to?  I must admit that we have had so many ideas it is time to get them out and sifted through...  Enjoy :)

Identity Poetry Anthology
-Students will be exploring the idea of identity over 3 weeks, and demonstrating their understandings in a poetry anthology!  Lessons include my "My Name" activity, available here. 
-This will cover (or UNcover, as I have been informed is the preferred lingo!) primarily English Language Arts outcomes, some will come from Social Studies as students consider their national and political identities. 

Your Story is My Story (SS9 SLOs: 9.1.6, 9.1.7, 9.1.8+)
-Knowledge of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the collective rights that groups have in Canada will enable students to assess, critically, legislative attempts to address emerging issues of immigration.  
-Part One: students will divide into two groups (immigrants, and government officials) and hold a mock-immigration hearing.  Students will research their roles and all of the neccesary requirements for both sides of the process.  Groups will need to determine what considerations each of the involved parties must take in account during the immigration process - from a variety of perspectives.
-Part Two: "Canada: Your Story is My Story" Students will have the opportunity to interview actual recent immigrants to Canada in order to gain a real world understanding of the immigration process.  Check out more details on this project at the Calgary Science School.

Free Reading Reviews & Recommendations
-In order to encourage free reading amongst our students, while holding them accountable, we have decided to establish a Reading wiki where students can share their novel reviews as they complete their free reading selections.  Students are expected to read 5 novels, and write 5 reviews, in the first trimester.  At the end of this time students can choose their best review to be submitted for marks.  In order to provide students with an audience and maintain the tradition of collaborative learning communities, students will be expected to choose from their peers references and reviews.  I would love to have students also be expected to comment on a couple of reviews.

Journals
-Classic, but with a twist!  These Digital Journals (platform to be determined) will give students a place to engage in creative writing, reflect on their learning, sketch, write various forms, talk to the texts that they are reading, record video or audio entries, share videos and more, and - more!  Rubrics are in the works.

Challenge Based Learning Project: Making Sustainable Food Choices
-How can we change the world through what and how we consume?  Check out some details from the last CBL at the Calgary Science School.

That's it for this post for now.  Stay tuned :)

Freight Train is Coming!!!

Well, after sending out over 70 applications I am so pleased to have found a new school community! I will be working at the Calgary Science School, and could not be more excited.

Now more than ever, I am determined to design authentic and engaging learning activities that will really challenge my gifted and highly motivated students. With classes beginning on the 17th of August, I am in full-steam-ahead planning mode!

I feel extremely fortunate to be heading into a school with a 1:1 student: laptop ratio, and know that this will open up countless doors in my classroom. So, as I plan and discover, please keep an eye on Creative Craniums! This blog will soon be shared with students, parents and colleagues alike - so I must keep it up!!!

Let's see how it goes, and wish me luck as the freight train of a first day quickly approaches!

ttyl :)

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Last night I finished reading The Hunger Games Trilogy, and I need to share how great it is!

My students have been telling me all year to read the three books, and while it was slow going (what teacher has time to read books for pleasure?), they have made it onto my favourites list! 

I think that all three of the books privdde countless teaching opportunities, I definitely think that they contain mature content.  I have heard of some teachers using the first book in their grade 9 Englsih courses, and I cannot imagine how that would be okay...

But, if you want to talk about issues surrounding government control, revolution, rebellion, hegemony, persecution, social injustice, love, friendship, breaking the law, consequentialism, and more - then these books could take you there!

While I have not used them explicitly in my teaching practice yet, they do have a place in my classroom library - though I do monitor who takes them home.

If you have not read them yet, you NEED to!!!!  To Suzanne Collins: thanks for creating such a fantastic collection!

:)

Crazy Cool Classrooms.....

Since it has been a very unsuccesful blogging year for me, I thought it was about time for me to share what I have been up to during this extremely busy first year of teaching...  As I said once before, my assignment was to teach Social Studies, English Language Arts, Art, Drama and Leadership, from grades 9-12.  I had one grade 9 class of 14 students, and one grade 10-11 split with 9 students.  All of my grade 12 students were outreach students, and so I helped them through their distance learning modules.  What a crazy adventure!  The students have made my year, and I could not love them any more than I do.  So, with the background in place, here are some highlights from our year together.

1.  Social 20 Differentiated French Revolution Project
In order to learn about the birth of nationalism, my students completed a differentiated French Rev performance task project.  It was differentiated in that they were able to choose the form that their product would take.  To introduce the Revoluton we watched the History Channel's French Rev documentary (available for free on YouTube in 9 parts).  While the documentary is gory, it perfectly covers all of the main events of the Rev in a memorable and entertaining way.  The choices that the students had to choose from were:
a. Powerpoint: the old standby, one group chose this route and quickly wished that they had been more brave in their product selection...  I think they got bored!
b. Story Vine: a creative way to retell a story using symbols to represent main events, one  student compelted this task and did a fantastic job - the heads of Barbie and Ken to represent
Marie and Louie were my fav!  (Check out the link for a PDF from Marlene McKay all about Story Vines.)
c. Film Version: three students chose to complete this task, and the result was a 27 minute long
video rendition of the event.  It was epic!  The Bastille made of mats from the gym, and then
bombed with dodgeballs definitely took the cake!  Also, using balloons to represent the heads of
those who went to the guillotine (which was our paper cutter) made for great entertainment. 
While it did take them almost 2 weeks to complete this project, it was well worth the time
invested.  The students said that this was their favourite school project ever - and I doubt that
they will ever forget the Rev!

2. Art 10/20 Challenge: The Tallest Towers
Our first art period was spent completing this challenge! (I have to give credit to my superintendent for giving me this idea!)  It helped to break the ice with the students, made for some great photo ops, and helped me to get to know them in a fun and exciting way.  I split the students into two groups, and issued a challenge: build the tallest tower, using only scrap paper, masking tape, and staples - and they only had 5 minutes.  It was crazy!  The winning group's tower was over 8 feet tall!  It did make a mess, and there was a lot of yelling during the whole process, but it sure was a blast!

3. English Language Arts Journalling Assignment: "My Island"
My grade nine students were a quiet bunch at the start of the year...  They had no idea what to think of me, and I am sure that they are still convinced that I am 90% nuts!  But, I wanted to have them open up their imaginations and create something that could be all theirs.  This task also lent itself to other writing assignments throughout the term, and even an art project.  I had the kids turn to a blank page in their journals, and wlked them through the task in a voice like a therapist would use when taking you on a visualization journey.  I asked them things like: "Imagine your had your very own island - what shape would it be?" and "When you walk about your island, what kind of landscapes do you encouter?",  and so on...  By the end of the journey, their islands had distinct geographic features, unique seasons, creatures, human populations, and more.  It was incredible how engaged they were througout the whole task. 
Later in the term, they revisited their islands when they made them the settings of a graphic novel project (soon to be mentioned!).  It was TOO COOL!

4. Social 10: Learning About Cultural Exchange

Ta Moko Being Exchanged

When we talked about cultural exchange in my social 10 class, the textbook referred to the Maori art of Ta Moko as an example.  A sacred cultural practice of tattooing, Ta Moko has been exchanged between cultures and can today be seen on oridinary people (and even runway models) as well as on the Maori.  I decided to extend this part of the unit, because my students seemed very interested in the practice (and what teenager doesn't want to watch a video of a man being tattooed traditionally - with the bone toothed comb and stick)?  So, they took some notes on cultural exchnge, watched a video on Ta Moko (including people being tattooed with Ta Moko designs in both the traditional and modern ways), and then designed their own Ta Moko tattoos armed with explanations of the meanings behind different patterns.  It was so cool to see them actually appropriating cultural traditions in the classroom - and they LOVED it!   

Brian Jungen

However, I still felt like they could have a stronger understanding of cultural exchange, and this is where Brian Jungen's art came into play.  If you are not familiar with his unique belnd of Nike basketball shoes and traditional west coast Haida art, google him to find out more!  We viewed a ton of his work, and the kids brainstormed ways that they could blend traditional and new art forms to create something new.  It was fun and memorable, and they ALL used Jungen as an example of cultural exchange on their exams.  FUN!!!  Below is one example of Jungen's work...  It helped that all of my boys are basketball fanatics and really liked seeing high tops turned into something crazy like this. 

Wow, that is one LOOONG post, and we are still in the first month of school!  Watch for more info on what has kept me so busy, and my students so engaged, during the 2010-2011 school year.

:)




Oh My, Will I Ever Get This Right???

One thing that I have learned this year is that regular projects, things that require daily attention (like this blog) are very very hard for me to keep up...  That being said, I am not willing to give up yet!  I think that the few posts from my first year of teaching will communicate the main thing that I have learned this year so far: teaching is BUSY!!!  And, I take on too much... Drama, Speed Stacking Club, Student Council, AISI and ATA!!!  Bah!!!  This will definitely not happen next year and hopefully I will be able to keep up with my blog.

For now, let's hope that it is not another 5 months before I think to write again.

I don't think anyone is listening, but if you are, I'll (hopefully) talk to you later!