So, you know how last week we watched a video of group discussion in action and then used that to co-create criteria for our own reading group discussions? Well this past week it was discussion time for us! We brainstormed our own ideas (about a recent novel study) first and then met with our group to discuss. Each of us had a device to record our conversations so that we could listen to and reflect on the discussion afterwards. That was more powerful than expected! Some of us listened to our recording several times, enjoying hearing our voices and reflecting on ideas shared. But how did those conversations go? We knew that there were strengths (we all shared) and stretches (some of us spoke too much, some not enough). To dig a little deeper on how the conversations went, we did a self-assessment. This week’s self-assessment is a new style for us, so our teacher modelled how to use it. As a class we listened to a volunteer student’s recorded discussions and then our teacher took us through how to use this style of self-assessment. When it came time for us to reflect on our own, we knew what was expected so our self-assessments were thoughtful and accurate. We also set some goals to work on to better meet criteria next time. It’s been a busy past few weeks finishing up and sharing our Science Fair projects. A few of us patiently waited for our investigations to finish while others were busy recording data on tables or drawing conclusions from their findings. It was great to see lots of collaboration when we faced challenges (including dried up plants or burnt out light bulbs) during our experiments. We did a great job persevering when the experiment didn’t go our way or results weren’t what we expected. While wandering around the classroom watching students put finishing touches on their experiments, I overheard student discussions about chemical reactions and the impact of physical activity on your heart rate. That was a clear reminder to me that inquiry-based activities are not only motivating and engaging for kids, but they also involve important critical thinking skills! The final part of our Science Fair was to share our learning – first with our peers and then with the school. We co-created the criteria for our presentations by brainstorming what makes a good oral presentation and then voting on which criteria we wanted to include. We loved sharing our projects with other classes in the school, staff and students. That was a big highlight of the week for many of us. Over the past few weeks we’ve been learning a bit about photography. Have you ever heard of the rule of thirds? The rule of thirds is one of the first techniques beginner photographers learn about because it helps create stronger images. It’s is a basic composition technique that involves positioning the focal point off-centre. We’ve gotten really good at it! We also learned how to include line (an element of design) and texture (principle of design) in our photos. After learning about the rule of thirds, line and texture, we took our devices outside and captured some great shots that we shared with classmates. With Ramadan about to begin, it was a great opportunity to learn more about the most holy month in the Muslim calendar. We read a picture book called My First Ramadan and learned about fasting during daylight hours, the importance of prayer, reflection and helping those in need. Doing good deeds for others is also important during Ramadan, so we each chose a simple one to focus on during the month. We each wrote our good deed on a strip of paper that we chained together and hung from our ceiling. 30 days of good deeds. 😊 Ramadan Mubarak!
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March 2020
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