Collaboration is Delicious!

We just finished group science projects.  During research time in the classroom, students would often appear to be unfocused and not get a lot accomplished.  Moreover, some students complained about members of the group being silly and not contributing.  I thought, "Ugh!"  My first attempt at small group inquiry was not a success.

To help students assume individual accountability, I implemented the collaboration lesson, "Making and Using a Work Plan," from Comprehension and Collaboration by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Smokey Daniels.  

Students were given the task of baking and decorating a cake.  After organizing themselves into groups, students were provided with a  Work Plan Form.  On the form students identifed the group members, their task, who was responsible for brining certain materials and doing specific tasks, and what help they would need from the teacher.  Students were required to sign the form as a sign of commitment.  

The next day, students followed the work plan to bake and decorate a cake a small group.  They collaborated exceptionally well, had fun, and enjoyed a tasty treat!  

I can't wait to have students use the work plan form to help them with their next small group inquiry!

Global Read Aloud

Our class has been particpating in the Global Read Aloud.  It is a global literacy initiative founded by Pernille Ripp.  It has connected more than 2 000 000 students in 60 different countries.  Pernille's goal is to have one book to connect the world.

For six weeks, our class read Pax by Sara Pennypacker.  It is the story of a twelve year old boy who is forced to abandon his domesticated fox when his father decides to join the approaching war.  Students enjoyed the story and liked how the chapters alternated between the perspectives of the boy and the fox.

Using Edmondo, our class made a connection with Mrs. Ballard's grade 5 class in Texas.  We used Google Hangouts to meet and discuss the book with each other on several occasions.

Our class using Google Hangouts to discuss Pax with Mrs. Ballard's class in Texas.

We also used #GRA16, #PaxSlowChat, and #GRAPax on Twitter to regularly communicate with others.  

Students would sometimes reply to questions posed by another class using a Padlet and we would tweet the Padlet.  It provided an authentic audience for the students.

The Global Read Aloud was a great experience and we can't wait to find out which books will be featured next year.

Campfire

We have begun to have campfires in our classroom.  Campfires are sharing circles.  

Sharing circles are a part of the oral tradition of the Anishinaabe.  Usually a talking stick is used in the circle when meetings take place or decisions need to be made.  A talking stick gives the speaker courage to speak the truth and the power to speak from the heart.  When a person is holding the talking stick, he/she speaks from the heart without interruption.  Other people in the circle listen respectfully to the speaker.  Everyone in the circle gets a chance to hold the talking stick and share his/her thoughts and feelings.  If somone chooses not to speak, he or she passes the stick to the next person until the stick has been passed to everyone participating.

In our classroom, we have adapted the sharing circle into a campfire with brags and drags. When I say, "Campfire", the students arrange themselves into a circle.  Sitting in a circle helps to build a sense of community.  We use a rock instead of a a talking stick to pass around the circle.  Students are only allowed to talk when he/she is holding the rock, otherwise they are listening.  Everyone is encouraged to share, but has the right to "pass".  Students share 2 pieces of information (2 brags, 2 drags, or 1 brag and 1 drag).  Brags are good things things that are happening to us and drags are not very happy things.  The rock is passed in a clockwise direction or as the sun rises and sets as is the custom in the Anishinaabe tradition.

Campfires or Sharing Circles are helpful in building positive relationships with students.  It allows me find out how each student is doing.  I might learn about an exciting hockey game played the night before or an upcoming trip.  I may also learn about things that are bothering students, such as a sick pet or a disagreement with a sibling.  Students also have the opportunity to learn more about me when I share.  Most of my brags and drags involve my two daughters.  The students seem to be more kind when the discover I have had a bad morning because my family slept in and my kids missed the bus.

Infusing Indigenous Perspectives into Mathematics and Science

Thanks to ETFO, Joanne and I were able to travel to Toronto to attend a conference on Infusing Aboriginal Perspectives into Science and Mathematics.  Over the course of two days, we had the opportunity to learn from other educators, try science and math activities, and review resources to help bring Indigenous culture into our classrooms.

Beading is a great way to teach patterning and algebra to elementary students.  It was an engaging, yet sometimes frustrating, activity with opportunities for rich learning.  Planning out the design in advance proved challenging for many of the teachers at the conference.  I personally went through three planning sheets before I finally decided on my pattern!

We also explored some flight concepts, through the design of a blunt-tipped arrow.  I'm sure anyone who has taught grade 6 in Ontario has done some hands on building of paper planes...this activity was a way to explore Indigenous culture and cover the Science and Tech curriculum at the same time!  I think one way to make this experience more authentic would be to include an exploration of traditional materials and tools for arrow building (with safety in mind, of course).  What type of wood/branches would work best? What tools would Indigenous people have used to shape their arrows? What types of feathers would they have used, depending on where they lived?  The learning potential is unlimited!

Overall, it was a fun experience...Thanks, ETFO!

Comprehension and Collaboration

In an effort to meet curriculum expectations, encourage curiosity and questions, and include everyone I want to incorporate inquiry circles into the classroom.  Inquiry circles help students learn about the world and provide them with some choice in the matter.  

To encourage students to become thoughtful readers, thinkers, communicators, and researchers, I am teaching specific lessons in comprehension, collaboration, and inquiry.  The lessons were from Comprehension and Collaboration: Inquiry Circles for Curiosity, Engagement, and Understanding by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey "Smokey" Daniels.

Examples of Comprehension Lessons:

• Activate and Build Background Knowledge
• Listen to Your Inner Voice
• Think and Wonder About Images
• Use TExt and Visual Features to Gain Information
• Signal Words and Phrases and Their Purposes

Examples of Collaboration Lessons:

• Turn and Talk
• Active Listening in Pairs
• Creating Group Ground Rules
• Making and Using a Work Plan
• Where Do You Stand?

Examples of Inquiry Lessons:

• Model with Research Alouds
• Install a Wonder Wall Question Board
• Create Research Notebooks
• Dealing with Digital Distractions

Harvey and Daniels emphasize that the lessons should be taught repeatedly at every grade level and different subject areas.  

Students practice the collaboration lesson, Turn and Talk.

Inquiry in the 7/8 Classroom

In September, I posed the question, "Who do you think is the greatest Canadian, and why?"  Students explored notable Canadians and presented the information in a variety of ways.  It was our first foray into "Inquiry" or "Project-based" Learning.  What a learning experience it was!

Our first step was to look at Digital Citizenship.  Students investigated the concept of digital footprints, and how to stay safe online.  We also discussed fair use/fair dealing and how to credit someone when we use parts of their work.  Then the real inquiry began...

"Is Beyonce Canadian?", "The only Canadian I can think of is Terry Fox" and "I can't find anyone to do my project on!" were some of the refrains heard during the first few weeks of school.  But fortunately, we have technology.  And technology opens up a whole new world of resources.  For example, we decided to tweet out our question to some Canadian figures.

Wab Kinew, Canadian author and activist, responded to the question, "Who do you think is the greatest Canadian?" with the answer "Murray Sinclair".  This led to a discussion about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its impact on Canada.  We also tweeted the leaders of the Federal Liberal, Conservative, NDP and Green Parties, to see if they could enlighten us.  We're still awaiting a response. :)

But in spite of all of the positive learning we experienced, we also discovered that inquiry-based learning is hard work!  It requires organization, internal motivation and a desire to keep going even when it gets boring challenging.  We've also learned that sometimes when a project is too open-ended, it can be confusing.  Most importantly, we've discovered that effective inquiry-based projects have a driving question.  Behind this driving question are a series of simpler, "thin" questions that help us to answer the "thick" driving question.

This challenge, incorporating inquiry, indigenous perspectives, and technology into the classroom is going to be a journey worth taking!

Standing Rock

Students read an article about the Dakota Access Pipeline on www.timeforkids.com.  They discovered that the pipeline would transport oil from North Dakota to Illinois.  The Standing Rock Sioux object to the pipeline because they fear that a spill would contaminate their water supply and the pipeline traverses a burial ground.  

The students began to ask questions about the protest at Standing Rock.  We invited Linda Roy to visit our classroom to talk about her experience visiting Standing Rock.  Being a talented photographer, Linda was able to share her story through amazing photos like the ones included below.

Photo by Linda Roy

Photo by Linda Roy

Photo by Linda Roy

Photo by Linda Roy

Photography

What students see in life is very different than an adult's perspective.  To help students share their creativity through photograpy I invited Linda Roy, the owner and talented operator of Ireva Photography based in Wikwemkoong, to provide students with a workshop featuring the use of the iPad as a digital camera.  

Linda Roy, Owner and Operator of Ireva Photography

 Linda Roy shared her knowledge of compostion.  Students were given tips regarding the rule of thirds, balancing elements, leading lines, symmetry and patterns, viewpoint, background, depth, framing, and getting close up.  Her most important tip was to experiment with their composition.  Students had an opportunity for hands-on practice with guidance from Linda.  

Students share their favourite photos.

Fall Harvest

Fall is the season when the Anishinabek traditionally prepared for the long winter ahead.  A wide variety of techniques have been used and shared from one generation to the next.  The 7th Annual Fall Harvest hosted by Kenjgewin Teg provided an excellent opportunity for students to begin to develop an understanding of Anishnabek culture and traditions.  

At the Fall Harvest students learned about:

• harvesting wild game
• trapping bits and tips
• preserving fruits and vegetables
• fish harvesting
• jams and jellies
• male and female drumming
• apple harvesting
• traditional teachings with Elders and/or community members

Most students agreed that the best part of the day was the traditional food samples!

Ready, Set, Go!

I wanted to create a classroom that would provide students with a choice in what kind of learning space works best for them.  I also wanted them to be able to work collaboratively, communicate, and engage in critical thinking.

Flexible Seating 

I tried to provide a variety of seating options. I have used chairs, yoga mats, pillows, exercise balls, stools, and a carpet.

Teacher Station

I noticed that my teacher desk took up a lot of space in the classroom.  Therefore, I removed my desk and set up a teacher workspace in the back corner of the classroom.  It allowed me to move the furniture around and provided more space for students to work.

Flexible Tables

The tables in my classrom are big, round or rectangular, to encourage collaborative work.  They also come in different heights - some allow students to stand, others are traditional height, and some are low to the floor.

It is likely that the classroom space will evolve as I get to know the students and their individual learning needs.

Welcome to our TLLP Blog!

Hello, fellow educators and people who clicked on this link by mistake!  Welcome to our TLLP blog, documenting our journey to become true 21st century educators.  We have several goals for our project, including learning how to incorporate technology in a way that deepens students' understanding of concepts, broadens the scope of their audience, and allows them to express their learning in new and unique ways!  We are also going to learn how to incorporate inquiry-based learning into our classrooms.  Finally, we are going to dedicate time to including Indigenous knowledge and culture in our day to day class happenings.

We come to this project with some experience in inquiry and technology.  Allison enjoys Special Education and values 21st century learning competencies, such as collaboration, communication and critical thinking.  She has some comfort with GAFE tools, such as Classroom, Forms and Drive.  Joanne is moving to grade 5/6 after several years teaching Kindergarten with an inquiry focus.  We are hoping that our combined skill sets will help to make this TLLP a success!

Please follow us on our journey!