Revel Recap: September 7 - 10, 2021
Welcome Back, Rebels! We had a wonderful first week and can’t wait to share it with you!
Spark Studio
It was such a wonderful and fun first week in the Spark Studio! All of the learners were so brave, sharing about themselves, getting to know each other, and becoming familiar with the routines and environment.
Mindfulness
This week we introduced some of the mindfulness morning activities we will be starting our days with this year. Tuesday and Thursday we listened to some relaxing music while colouring. On Wednesday, we were introduced to yoga by using our yoga spinner game. Each Rebel had a turn to come up, spin, and choose a card with a yoga pose on it. They would demonstrate the pose for the studio and then we would all give it a try. Bravo, Sparks for trying some really challenging poses! Friday we started our morning reading The Grateful Book which led us to ask, “What is gratitude?” We discussed how gratitude is noticing the good things in our lives that we appreciate. Using some examples from the book to help guide us, we brainstormed some things that we are thankful for in our lives. We took the time to decorate our gratitude journals and made our first entry! There were many things the Sparks talked about being grateful for including their family, the sun, the guides, Revel, vacations, rainbows, and frogs!
French
After a round of “Bonjours,” Spark Rebels showed Mme Marie how much French they already know! We practiced reciting the days of the week, numbers from 1 all the way to 20, and the alphabet song. Finally, on Thursday we read Tu as un oiseau sur la tête! by Mo Willems.
Quest
Our Quest theme for the first session is all about creating the culture in our studio. In order to get to know each other, we took time to introduce ourselves, talk about what we did this summer, and answer questions such as what our favourite colours and food are. We also played Identity Bingo which helped us to find out some fun information about the group. The Sparks also really enjoyed playing the game Get on the Boat. In this game, we asked questions such as “If you like summer more than winter, get on the boat!” and they would race to our “boat” (mat) in the gym. If they liked winter more, they would keep swimming. This game helped us to realize that many of us had a lot of the same likes and interests. The Rebels started taking turns calling out questions, which was a fun addition to the game!
Another focus during our Quest this session will be on our identity and answering the question “Who am I?” After reading the wonderful story, Be Who You Are we talked about how each one of us is unique and that we should embrace and celebrate our differences. We then used pastels to draw self-portraits and enjoyed creating some very special peg doll versions of ourselves. On Wednesday, we began to think about what we like the most. We used stickers to illustrate and answer this question. Thursday we read My Heart Fills with Happiness. We then thought about what fills our own hearts with happiness. The Sparks used watercolours to paint hearts and wrote down some beautiful responses of things that make them happy. They talked about going to the park, being with family, camping, nature, swimming, video games and school.
Additional Highlights
This week we spent a lot of time exploring and playing in our environment. Lego, MagnaTiles, and dramatic play with the kitchen, cash register, and dolls were all popular this week. The Sparks enjoyed playing in the gym, at the playground, and games in the field such as pool noodle tag, soccer, and “What Time is it Mr. Wolf?” We also saw some pretty impressive dance moves and laughed together while playing musical chairs and other movement-based songs. During our morning meetings, we also spent time discussing our COVID safety protocols and reviewing how and when we should wash our hands. We also talked about crossing the roads and park safety rules. Next week we will begin to discuss our studio contract and what ideas we have to help keep us safe and happy in the studio. A real highlight this week was a visit from our Reading Buddies! The Discovery Rebels joined us in the studio on Friday morning and all of the Sparks really loved hearing the stories they shared with us! During our final closing circle on Friday, we went around and each shared one thing we loved about our first week and it seems we all agreed we had an amazing start to the year.
It was an inspiring fresh beginning and we can’t wait for more adventures together!
Discovery Studio
Mindfulness
This week, Discovery Studio Rebels kicked off their first days back with a variety of mindful techniques, including two different types of yoga classes on Tuesday and Thursday morning focusing on movement timed with breath and intention setting. Wednesday and Friday's mindful periods allowed Rebels to explore mindfulness through zen doodles and colouring.
Launches
On Tuesday, Rebels were led through an introductory launch that allowed them to meet and greet each other with some discussion prompts and ice breaker activities. Rebels introduced themselves, discussed favourite hobbies and summer moments from this year, as well as how many years they have attended Revel. At Wednesday’s launch, Mme Marie introduced her “Trucs et astuces pour apprendre le français.” Every Wednesday morning, we will look at some tips and tricks to make learning French easier! This time, we discussed what may make French a difficult language to learn, and what learning methods we already know and use. On Thursday, Rebels explored the game of croquet after a kind and generous donation from a community neighbour during Wednesday afternoon’s recess. They brainstormed safety considerations for the equipment and now have the option to choose this activity for recess! On Friday, Rebels enjoyed their first Current Events launch of the year and discussed the upcoming Federal Election. Rebels shared what issues mattered to them most and if they were able to vote, reflected on what would persuade them to vote a specific way? Rebels checked out some hilarious animal photography, debated “Space Tourism” and placed some bets on whether or not Quebec’s Leylah Fernandez would win the US Open this weekend!
French
Bienvenue à l’école! After a round of quick introductions, Discovery Rebels teamed up to share their favourite colour, animal and hobby. We practiced saying “J’aime...Et toi?” and then we brainstormed different reasons for why we learn French: to work, to study, to travel and...to have fun! On Thursday, Rebels set up their Duolingo accounts in preparation for core skills and drew our personal working space, researched the vocabulary to describe it, and compared our likes and dislikes.
Reader/Writer
This week in Reader/Writer, Draw and Anchor Rebels kicked off their Session 1 goals with a writing survey that aimed to uncover their level of interest when it comes to writing. Rebels bravely shared their strengths and fears when it comes to reading and writing, and discussed what we would be working on in the upcoming weeks to help us earn our badge. Draw and Anchor Rebels created their first wacky “Ten Minute Tale” and those who felt comfortable shared their story with the group! Next week we look forward to exploring one of our new writing applications called The Night Zookeeper, and reading our first mentor text, What’s My Superpower? by Aviaq Johnston. Aim and Release Rebels will have their first Reader/Writer period on Monday next week, and we will outline the badge expectations and introduce our hero-themed novel study for the session.
Math Lab
In the first session, Rebels are focusing on cultivating a super-powerful Growth Mindset. The core belief is that EVERYONE can learn math. As we get deeper into core skills and weekly Math Lab challenges, Rebels will continue to reflect on their strengths and next steps as mathematicians, adding new skills and strategies to their portfolio.
This week, Aim and Release rose to their first challenge: what is your height worth? Would they rather have their height in quarters laid end-to-end or in nickels stacked flat? Great investigation so far into measurement, financial literacy, reasoning, and proving! Draw and Anchor will have their first Math Lab on Monday.
Civilizations
This week our Civ period was focused on more team building and bonding opportunities for Discovery Rebels, so we opted for some outdoor play over at the park on Tuesday afternoon. This year, Civilizations will focus on the Stories of the Ancient World as Rebels explore a variety of ancient periods from all across the globe. We will kick off our Civilizations period next week with a discussion on “The Earliest People,” the word “Indigenous,” and discuss how the story of the world began.
Quest
Our first Quest is all about uncovering the hero within you! This week in Quest, Rebels explored a variety of studio systems such as Rules of Engagement (ROE’s) and Studio Covenants. We read the story I Promise by Lebron James, and started drafting some of the promises we want to make to each other as we embark on our learning journey together this year. We covered a variety of safety protocols to ensure learners felt safe physically as well as emotionally. We watched the Pixar Short movie Float, to learn more about how people can be safe from physical and emotional harm and discussed how we can create a safe space for all of our Rebels. Our theme for this session in Quest is “The Hero in You,” and follows the Hero’s Journey. Rebels created their own Superhero aliases, and made a Superhero Trading Card that shows other Rebels what their strengths are, their “Kryptonites,” and more! Next week, Rebel Heroes will be joining their own League of Heroes and will begin creating their first team project for this session’s Exhibition! We can’t wait to see you all next week!
Additional Highlights: Team Building & Bonding
Rebels had an awesome week of team building and bonding activities to help strengthen the relationships in our studio. We played a variety of different versions of the game “Ten Second Objects” in small groups to exercise our teamwork and communication skills. Rebels enjoyed “Wall Decisions,” where we asked a variety of opinion-based questions to the team and they ran to different walls in the gym that reflected how they felt. They were excited to learn that team members felt the same way as they did, and in some cases, minds were opened when they learned about a Rebel’s perspective that was different from their own! Discovery Rebels also hosted our first Reading Buddies with the Spark Studio on Friday as a part of their sessional leadership goals! Rebels got acquainted with some of our Spark Studio friends, read them some stories and look forward to planning some fun activities for them in the weeks to come!
Exploration Studio
Mindfulness
We spent a lot of time building our mindfulness practice this week so that each learner can self-direct how they spend their mindfulness time in the future. We mainly used guided prompts for our first week, where we practised visualizations and breathing, while many learners also took part in the yoga classes run by Ms. Jenna. Next week, we are going to practise the art of journaling before the learners take control of their daily mindfulness sessions.
Launches
Launches are how we start our day here at Revel, coming together for a discussion, activity, or introduction to a learning tool. Mostly learner-run in the future, launches this week were guide-led until the learners have a good sense of what makes a quality launch that will equip, inspire, or connect. This week we dove into a few different topics. On Wednesday, we read The Giving Tree and discussed who the people in our lives are that care for us unconditionally, and how we can give to one another. On Thursday, we did a sorting activity to prepare us for Quest where the learners sorted election topics into levels of importance. Friday we introduced the topic of the Hero’s Journey, where the learners identified where they are personally on their learning journey.
French
Exploration Rebels had their first French class of the year this week! We began with a few games to introduce ourselves and some of our interests. Rebels teamed up according to their ages, favourite colour, favourite animal, and hobbies and practiced making sentences with “J’aime… Et toi?”
Math Lab
Some learners love math, while others find it an anxiety-inducing subject. Math Lab is Revel’s way of showing all of our learners that there is no such thing as a “math person” and that there are many different ways to solve a problem. For our first session of the year, we started with a discussion of our Math Lab norms. Rebels agreed that they want to use quiet thumbs instead of shouting out the answer, they don’t want to be “cold-called,” they will do their best to keep their self-talk positive, and that as a group we will prize slow, deep thinking over speed. After our discussion, we brainstormed the projects and challenges that we’d like to take on this year and agreed that authentic hands-on tasks were our favourite. The rest of the class was spent solving puzzles or playing math games that worked on our math facts and spatial intelligence.
Documentary
This year, the learners will be working on a year-long (37 week, 740 hour) project where they are going to make a documentary. For our first class, we were introduced to the different styles by watching snippets of 8 different documentaries. During each one we paused to discuss and reflect on how certain stories are told and information is presented. The learners were then encouraged to think about what they would like to make their documentary about.
Quest
To give the Rebels an introduction to Quest, we are completing a two-week Election Mini-Quest! Culminating with a school-wide vote next Friday, the learners will be preparing themselves and the school for the vote in many different ways. So far we have been introduced to the different parties, learned about the voting compass that aligns your position on policy with a political party, and discussed how we decide who we vote for.
Launchpad
This week in Launchpad we focused on creating the studio culture needed to have a productive and life-changing year. Learners discussed their covenants, studio set-up, and helped to create the schedule for the session. We then went over the Launchpad graduation requirements, created a badge plan, and mapped out their goals for the year. As a group, we also completed the Team Canvas exercise where we shared our personal goals, strengths, needs, and weaknesses in order to better understand how to support and hold one other accountable.
Quest
The first Quest of the year is all about creating and building habits. Using the book Tiny Habits, as a base, Rebels chose at least one habit that they would like to build into their daily routine. This week, we learned about the Maui Habit, the anatomy of tiny habits, and the Fogg Behaviour model while we identified our personal prompts and motivation. At our Town Hall debrief, Rebels felt good about their progress and are looking forward to further building their tiny habits into a life-changing routine.
World Building
This year we will be using world-building as a way to further explore story arcs, cartography, governance, character development, and entrepreneurship! Launchpad Rebels were given a World Building workbook full of thought-provoking questions to guide them through the creation of their world. They also had their first meeting with William who will be coming in each week to be a sounding board and give feedback.
Additional HighlightS
Each day we went for a walk to get to know the companies and resources in the neighbourhood. We discovered many gems that we’re hoping to utilize for apprenticeships, jobs, and resources throughout the year. Using the Spark Path cards, Rebels also identified careers that they are currently interested in as the first step for our apprenticeship search.
Potential Discussion Ideas or Questions to Ask your Rebel:
Spark: Can you tell us about one person you met this week in the studio? Do you remember a fun fact about them? (Their favourite food, show, do they have a pet, favourite colour, etc.)
Spark: Can you share with us the first entry in your gratitude journal?
Spark: What was your favourite part of this week?
Spark French: What are some French words that you used this week?
Discovery (Aim and Release):
What is “The Hero’s Journey” and how does it relate to you being at Revel?
What units of measurement would help you measure your height?
What unit conversions might be needed?
Discovery (Draw & Anchor):
What is a wacky “Ten Minute Tale” and what did you write about this week?
What was your favourite core skill that you worked on this week?
What was one of the promises you made for the Studio Covenants?
Discovery French: What tool(s) did you use to find the vocabulary to describe your working space?
Exploration: What project are you working on for the Election Quest?
Exploration French: What are you hoping to learn in French class this year?
Launchpad: What course or goal are you most excited to complete this year?
Launchpad: What are a few of the careers, professions, or apprenticeship options that you came up with this week?
Dates and events of Interest
IOWA Testing - Each fall Rebels take part in a standardized test that helps us to identify areas that we would like to focus on in our learning design and find ways to help challenge and support each learner. Testing is not mandatory and if you would rather your learner not take the test, please let us know!
Discovery Studio: Week 3 (September 20 - 24)
Exploration Studio: Week 4 (September 27 - October 1)
Launchpad Studio: Week 5 (October 4 - October 7)
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - September 30th - Remember to wear an orange shirt if possible!
October Camp (October 12 - 15) - For those who are interested or need care during the October break, a camp will be provided by Little Medical School. https://www.littlemedicalschool.com/ottawa/events/ (Password: Revel1550)
9-12 year-olds: Sports Medicine and Nutrition
During this camp, Revel Academy students will explore the fields of Nutrition and Sports medicine. They will learn how to adopt a healthy lifestyle of a balanced diet and physical activity.
In the morning sessions, students will explore the roles of an athletic trainer and orthopedic surgeon and learn how to diagnose and treat common sports injuries such as sprains, strains, and athlete’s feet. These future healthcare professionals will explore the famous Tommy John (arm & elbow) surgery and make models of a hand, joint, and tendon.
In the afternoon sessions, these future dietitians will learn about healthy eating habits, the food pyramid, and global foods. Students will create tasty recipes and snack combinations.
4-8 year-olds: Equine Camp
Children and horses have a unique and special bond. Now students can learn all about horses and their care from the newest Little Medical School Equine program. After adopting and naming their horse, students will learn practical information includes a brief overview of horses (breeds, categories, names), the ideal horse farm, and many other basics. Moreover, students will learn anatomy and how to maintain a healthy horse and horse nutrition. Students will also learn about preparing their horses to ride and much more.