Revel Recap: October 17 - 21, 2022
Welcome to Session 2!
After an incredible set of Exhibitions the week of October 3rd and an amazing Thanksgiving Break, the Rebels were rested and excited to begin Session 2!
Spark Studio
Mindfulness
We were happy to be back together in the Spark Studio this week and share all the fun activities we experienced over the break. We started our week by sharing the fun costumes we made for our turkeys. They were so creative and very well disguised! We then started our Monday mindfulness by trying out three different animal breathing exercises. We tried crab, giraffe and our studio favourite, puffer fish breaths! The Sparks liked to hold all of the air in their cheeks as they puffed them out before slowly exhaling. We also read new affirmations and chose ones to display for this session that will inspire and motivate us. On Tuesday, we listened to a tale from the "Stories" podcast about a snake named Scales who wants to win a hugging contest. Wednesday, we went on a yoga jungle adventure and Thursday, we showed off our artistic talents by completing a directed drawing of an elephant. For our Friday gratitude session, we started with The Thankful Book by Todd Parr before writing in our journals about someone that we are thankful for at school.
Quest
Welcome to Session Two, all about animals! We quickly learned that the Sparks already know SO much about this topic! (Special shout out to the Wild Kratts show!) We started by discussing, reading and listening to a song about how animals are different and can be divided into groups. We learned about the five main classifications; mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds, as well as information and examples for each. Which animal is your favourite, and which group is it from? We took a survey and then illustrated and wrote down our answers. Next, we were off on a write-the-room scavenger hunt! Hidden throughout the studio were pictures of animals we needed to locate and then jot down the animals' names. The Sparks showed great teamwork as they helped each other to find and write down the answers. On Tuesday, we began talking about an animal's home, which is called a habitat. We thought about how animals live in certain places for a reason. Could a rabbit live in the ocean? We talked about how in a habitat, an animal needs to be able to have food, water and shelter. We read a book and listened to a song to learn more about various habitats such as the desert, forest, ocean, polar, and freshwater. We then started our booklets which we completed throughout the week on six habitats and the animals that live there. Wow, the Sparks took their time and worked hard on this activity.
We read some interesting books this week! The Big Book of Big Animals taught us some pretty amazing facts. Did you know that the blue whale's mouth can hold enough water to fill 400 bathtubs?! The Sparks loved reading Actual Size, a book that illustrates the actual size of different animals. The learners loved putting their hands up to the pictures to compare sizes. Ask them just how big a giant squid's eye is, a giant anteater's tongue, or a gorilla's hand! To help us learn more about habitats, we read a book on Epic which showed us a variety of habitats, some unique facts and the animals that live there. We also read If Animals Built Your House, which talks about the different homes animals make and what they use as building materials.
We also started two fun projects this week. First, each Spark is working on an introductory sewing project where they will be making an animal. In the other activity, they have been split into groups and are completing a habitat diorama. They are working on creating a woodland forest, rainforest, ocean, arctic, wetlands, and desert scenes. They are so excited about these hands-on projects, and we can't wait for you to see them at Exhibition.
French
On Monday, we began working on our French manners, learning "please" and "thank you," and worked on an autumn colouring page as we conversed. On Tuesday, we completed a pumpkin craft where Sparks made different facial expressions on their pumpkins to help us review our emotions vocabulary. Wednesday, we played "What Time is it Mr. Wolf?" and the colour game and started playing "What are you wearing?" a game that allows the Sparks to move one step forward when they are wearing a particular colour or item of clothing. On Thursday, we did an art activity where we had to match the right clothes to the right season, and on Friday, we read The Dragon in the Wagon to learn about the different modes of transportation in French.
Math
During this week's math workshops, both, Group One and Group Two used our counting chains to work on skip counting. Group One completed the three counting chain (counting and writing), while Group Two practised their counting by 10's skills. Group One worked together to count to 30 and find the missing numbers from 1 to 30, while Group Two aimed to finish two Singapore Math book pages per day!
Literacy
All the learners were working on various literacy activities this week. The Waseca Reading drawers, story writing, spelling with the large moveable alphabet, and sorting our alphabet phonetic tubs are a few activities you could see the learners working on throughout the day. This week there we introduced a new game called "Boo." There was a tray with sight words and another with letters of the alphabet. The objective was to read the word or say the letter sound on your chosen card. You keep the card if you know the word/letter. However, hidden in the deck is the word "Boo," and if you pick it up, you must put back all the cards you have been collecting!
This week's story workshop was centred around our theme of animals and habitats. The Sparks worked with their diorama partners to collect loose parts and animals for their habitat. With the story elements in mind, they used their imaginations to create an account using the habitat as their setting. There was so much rich dialogue and exciting storylines. Some groups enjoyed the creative process, while others volunteered to share some very polished stories!
Geography
Geography this week took us to the beautiful country of Australia. We started by looking at the globe and finding it on the map. We also noticed all the other countries surrounding Australia, which is why we call the continent Oceania. We then saw some famous landmarks and learned about the weather and activities, and some of our favourite animals found here. Many Sparks remarked that they would like to visit Australia to see the kangaroos and koalas. Next, we worked on colouring the map of Australia while listening to some traditional didgeridoo music.
Art
For art this week, we used Air-Dry modelling clay and our imaginations to invent and create a brand-new animal. After making our animals, we drew the habitat it lives in on cardstock, placed our animal on it, and gave it a name. We love seeing all the different ideas and creativity the Sparks have!
Discovery Studio
Mindfulness
The first Monday of the new session was buzzing with excited energy, and many Rebels wanted to share highlights from their time away. We then looked at various affirmations and used Post-it notes to capture how we felt on Mantra Monday. Some thought they wanted to focus on their kindness, others on hard work, and others on internal validation like, "I am enough." Talk-it-out Tuesday featured a 5-4-3-2-1 grounding chat with prompts for Rebels to discuss. Rebels met with their squads to discuss five things they could see, four things they could feel, three things they could hear, two things they could smell and one thing they could taste. We met with our squads on Wednesday morning to work on puzzles while listening to classical music. For Thankful Thursday, the Rebels decorated leaves for our gratitude tree. On Feel-Good Friday, we related our moods to animal pictures, did a few animal-themed yoga poses and had a dance party!
Launch
One of the promises or covenants that the Rebels requested Ms. Mel make to the studio was to offer group challenges each session. For the launch on Monday, this first team challenge presented was that every 100 points earned for the Caribou Math Contest (read more under Additional Highlights) is a threshold to a team reward. The Rebels came up with many ideas for group rewards, such as screen time on Fun Friday, a movie screening with Timbits, or a field trip! Tuesday's launch was meant to inspire and equip; the Rebels voted in artwork from Session 1 Civ to annotate our studio's historical timeline and review important dates from our Story of the Ancient World read-aloud so far. We completed a past Caribou Test as a studio on Wednesday morning before officially kicking off the contest! Thursday morning, we discussed all of the fantastic Rebel-run clubs that have been popping up and other needs and opportunities for the Rebels to show leadership and connect with each other. Friday's Current Events report featured wildlife photography of the year and a CBC Kids News update on the Emergencies Act inquiry.
Reader/Writer
Welcome to the Rock, Rebels! This session will focus on building our repertoire of reading strategies and developing our descriptive writing skills.
Rebel Readers: Rebels reviewed the four key CAFE strategies launched last session during this week's read-aloud of Fatty Legs. They practiced stopping to ask who and what or for Ms. Mel to back up and re-read to ensure they understood the story. They also cross-checked the illustrations with what they were hearing to develop accuracy. Rebels also paused to highlight new and interesting words like schooner. Additionally, the Rebels signed up for their choice of Book Clubs that will run during Wednesday and Thursday DEAR each week, and in week six, they will meet with their club to discuss their chosen story and celebrate together. The options are between Amari and the Great Game or Fatty Legs.
Warrior Writers: the Warriors were shown four images of rock samples and had to use the power of observation to match up three short written descriptions. They then had to write their own for whichever piece they determined was missing a description. They noticed how including more detail helped make more accurate identifications. During Friday's wrap-up, the Warriors engaged in their first Ten Minute Tale journal challenge and had to include as many key words in their draft as possible!
French
During our class on Tuesday, we drew our house while identifying all the different rooms in French. Then on Thursday, we completed an activity where we had to divide the objects we typically find in a home into the correct rooms. Our French cooking workshop was fun and delicious, as we baked chocolate cookies!
Math Lab
This session is all about measurement, and on Monday, the Rebels had their first Three Act Task of the year! Rebels watched a short clip of someone pouring liquid from a serving jug into a cup and had to build a problem around it: how many cups would the two jugs fill? They had to make three estimates: one too low, one too high, and one just right. In the second act, they got more information which helped them revise their first estimates and develop reasoning around why they made the adjustments they did. We then looked into other examples of liquids and their containers, discussing the capacity and units we use to measure liquids. During Congress on Friday, we introduced the idea of formal vs. informal language in the Math Lab, like "times" vs. "multiply." To end the week, we had to work in teams to guess how many beads were in a jar, using a series of clues to narrow down our original estimate to the most appropriate number (e.g. you say this number when you skip count by 5s but not by 2s).
Civilizations
To anchor our learning from the last session, we added three Rebel artworks to our studio timeline: a portrait of each Julius and Augustus Caesar and a unique drawing of Julius Caesar sailing ships towards Britain with the Roman Army. During the read-aloud this week, the Rebels listened to the story of Abraham, the Israelites and the migration and diaspora of Jews throughout the ancient world. They shared their opinions on concepts like retaliation and justice during their Socratic discussion and mapped the route from Haran to Canaan, noting major physical features like the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
Quest
Welcome to the Geology Rocks Quest, Rebels - pun intended! On Monday, we reviewed the quest map and discussed the Exhibition so that the Rebel Geologists would know what was at stake in this session. In just six short weeks, they will host a silent precious gem auction as a part of the Revel Geoscience Conference. On Monday, their first set of challenges focused on getting to know the earth's layers and the continents of the world. They will complete this Quest with their squads and, therefore also had to select a team name and symbol. On Tuesday, they looked into the three main types of rocks using different sources to define each, focusing on how they form, what is special about them and listing some examples. Wednesday, they had to complete a diagram to show the rock cycle, building on their understanding of how the different rock types form.
***Elective Honours opportunity: each week on Thursday, if the Rebels have completed their Quest work, they have the opportunity to pursue a personal passion project. In the first weeks, they need to pick a project that they can sustain from week to week and for which they can showcase growth, learning, and failure (aka the Hero's Journey) during the final week's Show and Tell.
Additional Highlights
Congratulations, Rebels! During this first round of the Caribou Math contest, the studio collectively earned 129 points for their correct solutions! As such, they earned screen time during Fun Friday this week and will get a small treat next week. They are only 71 points away from the next threshold and will have another opportunity in November to complete their next test.
Many Rebels have started advertising clubs they lead during Activity Break and Recess. Watching them inspire and teach each other new things, playing and building deeper relationships as they go, is awesome! So far, we have an Irish dancing club, art club, pogo club, manhunt club, and unicorn club… a little something for everyone!
Exploration Studio
Mindfulness
In this session, we introduced and will use the SAVERS (Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading and Scribing) method for three of our five mindfulness sessions each week. On Monday, we discussed “S” for silence or meditation and completed a silent breathing exercise (inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four). We then reviewed “A” affirmations before taking our time to come up with an “I am…” phrase for every letter of the alphabet. Tuesday, we had a great stretch in yoga with Ms. Mel which many of our learners realized they desperately needed. On Wednesday, we continued learning about the SAVERS method with “V” for visualization and “E” for exercise. The Rebels had the opportunity to colour, work on diamond dot paintings, build with Lego, or complete Rubik’s Cube flags on Thursday. Lastly, on Friday, we read “R,” an excerpt from Brene Brown’s Atlas of the Heart on being calm and content. We ended with a few minutes of “S” scribing or journaling to end our mindfulness session.
Math Lab
Welcome to Math Lab, Rebels - let’s grooooow! In this session we will focus on developing growth mindsets, lab community norms, and the right attitude towards Mathematics - all while engaging with our lab squads on challenging problems. This week the Rebels got into their squads and assigned roles, either Director, Weed Whacker, Time Keeper or Congress Representative. While each Rebel is individually responsible for capturing their thinking in their journal, they also have to show up for their team, ensure they have all needed materials, stay on topic, meet schedule milestones, and share their problem-solving process during congress. The norms are still under construction, but the brainstorming focused on what respect looks and sounds like in the lab, what type of language we should use and avoid, what tools are appropriate to use and when, and expectations for work shown in their journals. For the main event, teams chose from a slide deck of five problems which had them thinking about cube nets, an algebra mobile problem string, a flower planting pattern, or area and fractions. The Rebels made diagrams and models and worked well together to get to congress on time. At the congress, the Rebels completed one final Instant Team Challenge with their squads, having to estimate how many paperclips there were in an image with only one minute to view it!
French
On Monday, we played a question balloon game to answer 100 of the most asked questions in job interviews. The Rebels are becoming more and more comfortable conversing in French, with many pushing themselves past the fear of making a mistake! Wednesday, we translated the ten most common interview questions to interview each other in the coming weeks. In our French Workshop, we began spray painting the images on our mural! We can’t wait to see it all come together by the end of the session!
Reader/Writer
In Session 2, we are utilizing a series of exciting short stories to analyze literary elements. We began by learning a few devices this week during our launches, including; theme, story arcs, antagonists, protagonists, antiheroes, and foil characters. We also discussed point of view, narration, tone vs. mood, and rhetoric (ethos, pathos, and logos). We then introduced our sessional Reader/Writer project before the learners chose one of the short stories as their focus from the list. Next week will begin our analysis with a sample story before breaking off to annotate, analyze, and begin presentations for the story we were assigned.
Civilizations - Rules without Rulers
We began our Session 2 Civilization class with a group simulation! In teams of four, Rebels were asked to imagine that they and 150 friends and family went to begin a new society. Taking into account five human necessities (water, food, shelter, security, and medicine), they needed to make a series of decisions. What would they name their country? Where would it be located on a given map? What would their currency be and what would their flag look like? What would their focus be on for the first couple of years of settlement; stabilizing resources, investing in security to avoid attacks, training settlers, etc. It was then time to decide how decisions would be made and how power would be delegated moving forward. Using a series of questions, groups identified whether their society prioritized A. strength and power resulting in a clan, kingdom, or empire, B. trade and elections leading to democracies, republics, or constitutional democracies, or C. choice and expertise leading to start-up nations, cloud governance or holacracy. With their government in place, groups had to deal with a series of scenarios, keeping their decision-making process at the forefront. One group finished the simulation quite quickly, with one leader who made all the decisions. In contrast, those in democracies could not finish in the allotted time due to the extensive debate!
Quest
We began our Quest with an exercise in investing psychology. After choosing a stock based on a graph, we looked at it one year later, two years later, and three years later, noting our fears or optimism based on the new chart and trend. The Quest aims and the Exhibition plan were introduced before we took the Money Type Quiz to see the current role that money plays in our lives. We then carefully read and reflected on the accuracy of our results. On Tuesday, we watched a short biography on Warren Buffet before learning about various types of investments and their potential risks and rewards. We looked at stocks, bonds, mutual funds, GICs, and savings accounts and discussed which we felt were the riskiest and the least risky, and based on a table, force ranked the options from 1 - 5 based on the best and worst types of investments. After reading Sahlman’s Three Rules of Valuations, we discussed our financial fears and dreams and what mattered most to our futures and personal investment strategy for the next twenty to thirty years.
In groups, Rebels then researched a list of fifteen investments to determine if they were high or low-risk, including; gold, hedge funds, growth stocks, real estate, cryptocurrency, ETFs, and cash. On Wednesday, we learned about discretionary savings before tackling the first portion of the “Number” challenge. How much money would you need to amass to not worry about money for the rest of your life? Rebels began attempting to calculate how much they expected to earn and spend based on their current professional aspirations, where they hoped to live, and other life goals. Using a Google Sheet, they listed potential rent or mortgage expenses, monthly food costs, utilities, vacations, cars, student loans, and, if they wanted kids, how much it usually costs to raise them annually! They also had to research the typical salary for the job they are currently thinking of pursuing and think about whether they would have a second income either from a side hustle or partner with a job. While the Rebels recognized that their plan was not 100% accurate and would likely change significantly in the coming years, many were shocked by the expenses and how much money they would hope to have to feel financially secure. On Thursday, we discussed the difference between saving and investing and reviewed the differences between stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and cash. The rest of our Quest period was used to catch up on previous challenges and play Cashflow! Exploration Families, you are challenged to play Cashflow together over the next six weeks!
Additional Highlights
On Tuesday, 11 learners travelled to Wesley Clover Park for the OISAA Spooky Sprint Cross-Country event! All the Rebels ran with heart, with two learners placing first and second in their 2.5 km race! Way to go!
Several learners also took part in the first of six Caribou Math contests! The next will occur in November, and we will continue practicing during our Wednesday Math Club sessions.
Launchpad
In Session 2, Launchpad Rebels will tackle investing, novel writing, governance, apprenticeships, and literary analysis on top of their math, French, Spanish and deep reads!
Investing
Does talking about money excite you or make you uneasy? Do you see money as scarce or easy to earn? Is money a precious commodity that must be hoarded or meant to make life more fun? We began our Quest with an exercise in investing psychology. After choosing a stock based on a graph, we looked at it one year later, two years later, and three years later, noting our fears or optimism based on the new chart and trend. The Quest aims and the Exhibition plan were introduced before we took the Money Type Quiz to see the role that money plays in our lives. We then carefully read and reflected on the accuracy of our results. On Tuesday, we watched a short biography on Warren Buffet before learning about various types of investments and their potential risks and rewards. On Tuesday, learners began writing their Money Manifesto. They were asked to start their money autobiography and write about how they learned about money from their parents, whether they had an allowance, what they like and don't like to spend money on, their first memories of spending and losing money, and how they feel about others have more or less than they do. They were then tasked with reflecting on their answers and identifying any repeating themes or questions they had about finances and their future investment strategy. After reading Sahlman's Three Rules of Valuations, we discussed our financial fears and dreams and what mattered most to our futures and personal investment strategy for the next twenty to thirty years. Rebels then researched a list of fifteen investments to determine if they were high or low-risk, including; gold, hedge funds, growth stocks, real estate, cryptocurrency, ETFs, and cash. They also learned about, chose, and ranked their favourite three investment strategies from a list of seventeen. On Wednesday, we learned about discretionary savings before tackling the first portion of the "Number" challenge. How much money would you need to amass to not worry about money for the rest of your life? Rebels began attempting to calculate how much they expected to earn and spend based on their current professional aspirations, where they hoped to live, and other life goals. Using a Google Sheet, they listed potential rent or mortgage expenses, monthly food costs, utilities, vacations, cars, student loans, and, if they wanted kids, how much it usually costs to raise them annually! They also had to research the typical salary for the job they are currently thinking of pursuing and think about whether they would have a second income either from a side hustle or partner with a job. Rebels will compare their view of money to a historical financial hero or villain in their manifesto. Therefore, learners each picked a few to research to learn more about their philosophy and draw connections with evidence. On Thursday, it was time to pay Cashflow, catch up on any unfinished challenges, and send an email home asking a parent if they would spend thirty minutes this weekend talking about money so they could better understand their views on investing.
Apprenticeship
This week our learners began the Connected Futures online program and reviewed the importance of having mentors and how to build social support and social capital.
Civilizations - Rules without Rulers
We began our Session 2 Civilization class with a group simulation! In teams of four, Rebels were asked to imagine that they and 150 friends and family went to begin a new society. Taking into account five human necessities (water, food, shelter, security, and medicine), they needed to make a series of decisions. What would they name their country? Where would it be located on a given map? What would their currency be and what would their flag look like? What would their focus be on for the first couple of years of settlement; stabilizing resources, investing in security to avoid attacks, training settlers, etc. It was then time to decide how decisions would be made and how power would be delegated moving forward. Using a series of questions, groups identified whether their society prioritized A. strength and power resulting in a clan, kingdom, or empire, B. trade and elections leading to democracies, republics, or constitutional democracies, or C. choice and expertise leading to start-up nations, cloud governance or holacracy. With their government in place, groups had to deal with a series of scenarios, keeping their decision-making process at the forefront. One group finished the simulation quite quickly, with one leader who made all the decisions. In contrast, those in democracies could not finish in the allotted time due to the extensive debate!
Communication and Literature
In Session 2, we are utilizing a series of exciting short stories to analyze literary elements. We began by learning a few devices this week during our launches, including; theme, story arcs, antagonists, protagonists, antiheroes, and foil characters. We also discussed point of view, narration, tone vs. mood, and rhetoric (ethos, pathos, and logos). We then introduced the expectations for project presentations and the comparative essay before the learners chose two of the short stories from the list. Next week will begin our analysis with a sample story before breaking off to annotate, analyze, and begin presentations for the story we were assigned.
Learners also began their 2022 NaNoWriMo experience! Learners started by putting their Inner Editors in containment for October and November, only releasing them in December when it is time to edit our novels. Rebels then reviewed critical elements of a great story before brainstorming potential places, things, and ideas that make them feel excited, inspired, or curious. Narrowing it down to three, learners began developing possible novel themes. Lastly, Rebels thought about flat vs. complex characters and ways to make their protagonists interesting enough for the audience to buy into their authenticity and still root for them.
Science
Our Launchpad learners completed their Chemistry review this week in preparation for their final test next week! You've got this, Rebels!
French
We continued reading our French novel, ANAN and answered the corresponding vocabulary questions. We also agreed to make a discussion badge for our Book Club and Debate Club and a writing badge for the workbook portion!
Spanish
This week in Spanish, our vocabulary centred on geography, while our grammar focused on gender and number with "hay." Culturally we studied Honduras, and our learner is even more excited for their future exchange in Central America.
Additional Highlights
On Thursday, the Launchpad visited PetSmart to help get the aquariums set up that we received due to a Pets in the Classroom grant. After picking up the necessary supplies, they researched other potential pet options and debated the pros and cons of pet ownership. It was a miracle that a rat, guinea pit, lizard, hermit crab, and tarantula didn't return to the studios with us!
Launchpad also took time this week to start the seedlings for the Garden Tower! Mainly herbs and kale were the big winners for this first cycle.
Potential Discussion Ideas or Questions to Ask your Rebel:
Spark
What does an animal need in its habitat?
What is your favourite animal? Which animal group does it belong to? What habitat does it live in?
What is the largest animal in the world?
Discovery
Did you try the Caribou Math Contest? Why or why not? If so, how did it go?
Which Book Club did you join for this session's Reader/Writer badge?
What would you like to do for your Elective project this session?
Exploration
What form of government did your group decide on in Civilizations?
Would you rather invest in a GIC or in a bond? Why? What are the similarities and the differences?
How did your group collaborate during Math Lab?
Launchpad
Let’s sit down and complete that parent investment assignment!
Do you have an idea you are excited to write about for NaNoWriMo? Are the characters already forming in your mind or is it more of a loose plan right now?
What would have been different about the decisions made had you been working alone to design your society in Civilizations?
Dates of Interest
Association of Bright Children’s Gifted 101 - Monday, October 24th at 7:00 pm at Revel Academy
Rebel/Grown-Up/Guide Meetings for Spark and Discovery: before and after school time slots will be offered for Nov 1st-11th, and the sign-up will be done via BAND starting Monday, October 24th.
Exploration IOWA Testing - Monday, October 24th to Friday, October 28th
Valleyview Farm Field Trip - Friday, October 28th from 10 am - 1 pm
Discovery Studio IOWA Testing Dates - Wednesday, November 2nd through Tuesday, November 8th, 2022