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 :)