On November 25th, the Grade 1-2’s invited their parents in to participate in a
simulated tour through the rainforest, which was set up in our classroom. The kids
created models of all the animals we studied in our unit, and helped me create
a rainforest canopy, and river in our room. We strategically placed the animals,
turned off the lights (rainforests are dark), and played a rainforest soundtrack to
help with the simulation. The kids carried flashlights while touring their parents
around the room. Afterwards, they were asked to sit down with their parents and
go through a “King of the Rainforest” Questionnaire (which was really a study
guide).

In small groups, students were to create a piece of art out of
recycled materials. Students were given creative freedom to design, plan,
and build their projects.

Observe, illustrate, and analyze living organisms within local
ecosystems as part of interconnected food webs, populations, and
communities
Analyze how ecosystems change in response to natural and human
influences, and propose actions to reduce the impact of human behavior on a
specific ecosystem

The Resiliency Thought Bubbles project provides an opportunity for students to
demonstrate their knowledge of Microsoft Word. The assignment requires students to
use critical thinking and creativity in writing their own original idea that demonstrates
both Fixed Mindset and Resiliency. Students were shown a series of videos that
demonstrate the meaning of Resiliency then challenged to use critical thinking when
they wrote their own examples. Finally, I selected one student example from each of my
six PAA Multimedia classes and created a bulletin board display; the display includes a
Brain illustration that was a collaborative and creative endeavor between a grade ten
student and a grade twelve student.

To work collaboratively in small groups and as a whole class, to compose a list of leveled questions to ask Austin.
Students will use Bloom’s Taxonomy Flip Chart for Critical Thinking to assist in leveling questions.
-Come up with 3 questions that you could ask, based on what we have studied in our rocks and minerals unit.
-Write down the level of question you believe it is.
-In groups of 3, use your flip charts to discuss each of your questions from Step 1.
-You must agree on what level you are going classify each question as.
-After leveling questions, take your sheets to the charts posted at the front of the room. Put a checkmark under the level of question that you designated each as. (9 checkmarks/group)

Make learning come to life! Participating in hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Challenges can provide students with opportunities to develop new skills and understandings related to their preferred life/career choices. These challenges help students build 21st Century Skills while exploring potential occupations of interest. Students will be able to reflect on what areas best fit their interest, skills, values, etc. as they work to create the life they want to live.

During this assignment the students have a choice of a final project to
demonstrate their understanding of sound. The student may choose to:
• create a musical instrument out of recycled materials which plays at least
3 different pitches
• use materials to create sound effects to enhance a poem or story
While doing this assignment the students enhance their critical thinking and
creativity skills as they use what they know to solve a problem to create
something new. The live theatre presentation section of this assignment and the
rubric were borrow from the Sun West Distance Learning course for Grade 4
Science.

The semitruck and trailer is what I would call a simple project. This is a project that student
could make in their 1st year of IA in grade 7 or 8, (I have had grade 12 students make the truck
and A or B-train.) When the students are making their project they are demonstrating to me that they have understood and follow the safety for each of the machines available using. In Mr.
Kurulak’s class you must watch the safety presentation/demo for each machine, and then write a safety exam for that machine earning at least an 80% on the 1st try, if the student does not pass it on the 1st try they must get 100% correct on any rewrites, whatever Mark they get on their 1st exam is what I count towards their report card marks, as I’m assuming at that point I am expecting you know that information.

Summary
For my artifact, I incorporated the multiple intelligences and creativity in the
post-assignments for The Secret Lives of Sgt. John Wilson. Before reading the novel, I
had students take the multiple intelligences test
at http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/ind
ex.htm After this, students had a better understanding of their strengths in the
different intelligences. From here, I introduced some of the projects to the students
and I got input from them about possible projects that we could do which would fit
under the various intelligences. I made it mandatory that students choose three
projects, each from a different intelligence. I suggested that they choose assignments
from the categories in which they scored highly on the multiple intelligences test, but
I left the final decision up to them which assignments they would ultimately choose. I
made sure to give students the assignment details before reading the novel, so in that
way they were able to read with a purpose, keeping the requirements of the
assignment in mind.

Summary: Our goal was to have the Grade 5 students build a Rube Goldberg
structure using at least 3 simple machines. The task chosen was to break a balloon
but the task could be changed.

Summary – Students embark on a scavenger hunt at their school and in their community, searching for real world examples of the 6 simple machines and how they exert force on an object to put it in motion.

Task: Each group of partners will use their Ipads to find objects in their school that start with the sound ch. See the example from your teacher.
This project fosters creativity by having students find their own pictures to represent a chosen sound. Students will creatively represent these sounds using the Shadow Puppet App. In addition they will make up silly sentences using their chosen sound and record these as part of their presentation.

How we personalized it? What needed to be changed and why?
We went to Loreburn to experience their personalized math program first hand and loved it. On the return drive home to Eaton, we decided to make the commitment to personalize math for our students.
We made this decision because we noticed that students were not engaged and their attitudes towards math were negative; math was either “too difficult”, “too easy”, or they were just
going through the motions. We found that students had gaps in both their math knowledge
and skills and that the gaps were in a variety of places. In order to fill those gaps in a
meaningful way, as well as for students to continue their math journey by earning their
knowledge, we chose implement a personalized or blended learning approach.

During the unit of Native Studies students were introduced to First Nation's Talking Circles. Students were introduced to the concept of a talking circle and proceeded to collaborate with one another to determine the rules and protocols that will be used during their talking circle.

Activity Description During my 21stCE meeting with Carole Butcher, I was introduced to Padlet and I immediately saw an application for it in my primary level classroom which is k-3. Although the way we are using it may not be how Padlet is intended to be used, it works great the activity we’ve named Snack Words! Every day before snack time in the morning, each student takes a turn at the Smart Board finding and moving a word they know. They touch and slide the words from one side of the board to the other. After they have had their turn with the Snack Words board, they are allowed to get their snack. I use my discretion about which words they should be able to read and ask them to choose more than one if the word they’ve chosen is too easy for them.

I adapted an assignment designed for younger students to fit my class and the use of technology. Students were put into groups and given an iPad. I put up the QR Codes listed at the bottom of this page around the gym in 3 separate groups for the types of dance covered. The groups then had to scan their QR Codes and work collaboratively together to create an original dance piece. After presenting their choreography to the class they were to then teach their peers the basic steps of the dance style they learned.

Make learning come to life! Engaging in Virtual Reality Exploration can transport students to spaces/places they have not had an opportunity to visit in person. As well, these experiences can help expand their awareness and understanding of our world. Engaging in Virtual Reality Explorations appeals to certain learning styles.

In my leadership unit in grade 9 health my students spent time reflecting on how
healthy decisions are important for a healthy future. In an effort to have students
dream positively for their futures, and really focus on the importance of healthy life
choices, I had them create vision boards. Students were encouraged to dream about
their visions for their futures and create a canvas that would display these future
visions. We talked a lot about how leaders spend time planning for the future they
want to have, and create visions and goals for getting to where they want to be in
life.

Assess one’s self-awareness (i.e., one’s ability to perceive own emotions and tendencies) and self-management (i.e., ability to stay flexible and positively direct personal behaviour) for the purpose of enhancing well- being of self and others.

Summary: This year I developed 21st Century Competencies through Critical Thinking, Creativity and Collaboration using the Grade 6 Science outcomes on the Diversity of Living Things and PAA Woodworking. The students prepared a poster on a bird of their choice, they gave an oral presentation on their bird, they drew sketches of a bird house, constructed and painted their houses.