Revel Recap: March 21 - 25, 2022
Spark Studio
Mindfulness
What a lovely first week of spring in the Spark Studio! The learners have been such a delight, bringing so much positivity. To start our week of mindfulness, the Sparks once again used their beautiful imaginations to create a story entitled The Animals Adventure. Due to the engagement, we even added a Part 2 on Tuesday. Let's just say, the story is one of a kind! Throughout the week, learners have been working hard on colouring and designing their sign for their business, The Nature Shop. It has been such a fun piece to work on during our mindfulness mornings as everyone works so well together. Yoga this week was led by Cosmic Kids and focused on the spring season. To end the week, we read a poem called "Flower," which spoke about the human characteristics of a bud. Lastly, we wrote in our gratitude journals about why we are grateful for the spring season.
French
C'est le printemps! The Sparks learned a new song called "1, 2, 3, nous irons aux bois" which allowed us to practice counting up to 12. We also learned a new word: "cerise," which means cherry. On Tuesday, we counted cherries up to 15, and by the end of the week we learned how to count to 20! We also drew a beautiful tiger with Didou and Yoko's help on Thursday.
Quest
The conversations, debates and decisions made during this week's Quest were awesome! The Sparks worked together to come up with the pricing of their products. We talked about making a profit and having to pay back the "loan" we were given to purchase the items. The Sparks created posters to present the prices of their products and will be placing them at the tables during Exhibition. On Wednesday, we worked on making our price tags and talked about 3-D shapes! The learners each had assigned tags to make and designed their price tags with the price and their slogan. They were given scenarios to roleplay at the end of the week to practice they were selling their products in real life. They also worked on counting money to be ready to provide a service to their families. They worked on communication skills, confidence, and patience. From all of their hard work this week, they are one step closer to opening their business.
Additional Highlights
At the beginning of the week, the Sparks spoke about their exciting weekend. They shared many stories about their celebration of a Rebel's birthday at Fun Haven and how they are excited for another Rebel's birthday party on Friday! On Monday, they enjoyed PE by using the gym to play hockey, use the parachute, exercise and play small group games directed by their guides. The Sparks also worked on a spring craft by painting flowers and using paper rolls as their pots. Tuesday, in the studio, the Sparks worked really hard on the product they will be selling during the Exhibition. The Spark's are so excited to finally show off their hard work and sell everything they made!! A lot of thought and dedication has been put into their work. We read Saving your Pennies and Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms. The Sparks have briefly worked on the provinces and territories during their work periods, and everyone knows that most of us live in Ontario.
To connect with the other Rebels in our school, we joined in on reading buddies and the Snackdemonium! The Sparks enjoyed spending time with the other Rebels and always looked forward to their time together. The Sparks and guides agreed that journeying to the park would be fun this week. Little did they know, this adventure would turn into a muddy walk through the field. To end the week, the Sparks also shared something special from home with the others in the studio in this week's Show and Tell!
Discovery Studio
Mindfulness
This week during our Monday gratitude practise, the Rebels chose the affirmations, "I win - work hard," "I am honest," "I am loved, I am special," and "My mistakes help me grow." They were grateful for hockey games and family time and shared highlights such as seeing each other at FunHaven for another Rebel's birthday party! On Tuesday, the yogi Rebels participated in a short Mountain pose and Chair pose flow before resting in Savasana for 9 minutes. Oddly enough, this felt shorter for some than our relaxations last week! Wednesday morning, our Rebel Mindfulness Coach led the studio through a lovely yoga practise based on the feedback from her peers. On Thursday, the yogis meditated for 11 minutes, and we went for 13 minutes on Friday! Next week we will rest in Savasana for the entire mindfulness period.
Launches
As we are currently interviewing candidates for our French Guide position for next year, we had the Rebels brainstorm what made a great guide, followed by what qualities we look for in potential Rebels. On Tuesday, after the March Mammal Madness recap, Rebels played two quick rounds of "Tu préfères ça…Ou ça?" They had to pick between being a witch or a fairy and eating a worm or a slug. Beurk! Wednesday's Rebel-led launch was another fun Kahoot! We got to test our presenter's knowledge, based on his favourites and interests. On Thursday, we watched the recaps of the North American bracket of March Mammal Madness and then discussed a new responsibility that the Rebels wanted to take on. Many have volunteered to be "Rebel Reminders" who will help nudge each other when 3 minutes are remaining before a new lab or workshop (including a mini clean-up). Friday's Rebel-led Current Events report featured: the incredible selling price of the first-ever Marvel comic, a cool statue-less statue in honour of International Women's Day from earlier this month, and Who is Cuter: Dog vs. Blob-Fish edition.
Reader/Writer
Rebels began their Reader/Writer session this week with the game "Boom Chicka Boom!" Each learner took turns leading the game, varying their accent, volume, and intonation while we mimicked them. We then took our notes from last week's session to write our elevator pitches for our Shark Tank Exhibition. Many Rebels even began seeking feedback from other learners to improve their word choice and make their speech more engaging.
We also continued our read alouds, Tuesday reading the Start-Up Squad, and on Thursday Billy Sure, Kid Entrepreneur.
French
This week in French class, Rebels worked on setting prices for the items in their clothing store. Afterwards, they filled out the blanks in a dialogue between a salesperson and a customer before recording themselves on Flipgrid. In this week's Nearpod, we learned some vocabulary around money and making payments. We also played "J'ai…Qui a?" and beat our record!
Math Lab
Draw and Anchor Rebels worked as cashiers on Monday, using skip counting and doubling skills to develop receipts based on their selling price list (wholesale + markup) that they created last week. Some also shared their own unique mental addition strategies. For example, if each box of waffles costs $2.90 but the customer buys two of them, one Rebel says that "2 plus 2 is 4 dollars. Then, take 10 cents from one 90 to make 5 dollars, and then you have 80 left on the other 90. So, $5.80 altogether." We also held a congress on place value, nicknaming the tenths and hundredths columns after the decimal as "TT" and "HT." At the guided station, we worked together to practise the steps of the addition algorithm, including regrouping.
Aim and Release explored the formula for compound interest this week, and, in doing so, they needed to revisit and strengthen their understanding of the order of operations. We took notes on the formula A=P(1+r)t, where A is the accumulated money based on P, the principal amount, at an interest rate, r, over t, time. We considered how this formula has similar variables from the simple interest calculation that we practised last week (P, r and t). The Rebels had to use brackets, implied multiplication, and exponents when finding compound interest. We worked together to evaluate the expression in the correct order one step at a time. Next week, we will compare simple and compound investments.
Civilizations
Should a leader's legacy be based more on what they did when times were good or when times were bad? This week, the Rebels had an in-depth discussion about the Punic Wars, particularly the battles that involved Roman general Claudius Pulcher and Carthaginian general Hannibal. Through these examples, the Rebels considered if there should be a place for faith and religion in battle and if it relates or not to mindset and triumph vs. defeat. Many saw the training of Hannibal's war elephants as an impressive military feat, while others considered how the Romans solved a most remarkable puzzle when they copied and utilized a wrecked Carthaginian ship to build their navy.
Quest
This week was all about balancing costs and risks. On Monday, the Rebels re-enacted the story of "Sally the Seller," where a young entrepreneur discovers sunk costs, variable costs, fixed-period costs, and some equations they can use involving revenue and contribution to determine profits. The Rebels modelled the story where Sally endeavours to start a wooden frame business, involving trips to the hardware store and outdoor market, using play money to funnel Sally's money into the different categories of expenses and incoming money. On Tuesday, we worked through a webinar together to explore the concept of breaking even. On Wednesday, the Rebels broke down their variable expenses for the snack mix to find a baseline variable cost per serving. They then outlined their fixed-period costs, like renting a mixing bowl. The Rebels perfected their ideal snack mix recipe on Thursday and prepped their 15 servings for sale at the SNACKDEMONIUM.
Physical Development
On Monday, the Rebels played kickball, went for a hike, or played dodgeball in the gym after five Rebel-led stretches. Wednesday, the Rebels had the option to go for an outdoor hike or play Sabakiball. Now that we understand the game well, the Rebels are focusing on collaborative team play skills like communication, team formation and territory coverage. They adjust the game's rules to ensure fair play and have the most fun: this week, minimize handoffs and keep a bubble space.
Additional Highlights
Friday's SNACKDEMONIUM was a huge success! The BIA teams from Quest sold snack mix to the rest of the school. Still, they had to manage their costs and risks. Their challenge was not simply making the most revenue but turning the highest profit by managing fees for materials and rentals and setting the right selling price based on their variable cost per serving. Customers were asked to invest their change in the advertised businesses, and two of the three BIAs turned a profit (with one coming up short by just $3.50). Well done!
Aim and Release participated in the second round of Body Talks this Friday, focusing on puberty-related questions about hygiene and managing things like acne and body odour. We discussed that all of these things affect people on a different timeline and to a different degree, but wanted to know about habits that might generally help, such as washing our face regularly (especially after wearing make-up or sunscreen) or choosing to use a deodorant or antiperspirant. We looked at the pros and cons, such as blocking odour or blocking glands and wondered about the overall benefits or impacts. Some were curious about the concept of cold water being therapeutic and how there may be benefits for skin and even stress tolerance from having a cold shower. We also spoke about the emotions that might come along with experiencing changes associated with puberty at a different rate from our peers (sooner or later). Rebels agreed that anxiety and fear might come up in both instances and that talking about our feelings with people we trust is important.
Exploration Studio
Launches
At Monday's launch, the Rebels watched a french-language video about the symbols found in Indigenous clothing and their meanings. We talked about how we pick clothes that "feel like us" and what kind of clothes we generally like to wear. Most of the launches in the week were occupied with the dealings of March Mammal Madness, where the learners see whether the bracket they selected correctly predicted the outcome of the battles. We have been able to squeeze in a few mini-launches if the videos end early enough. We made a plan for an optional Book Club, reading The Giver, and also planned a visit to the video production company next door. We also have squeezed some games, like Back in the Bowl and Wax Museum, to connect as a studio. On Friday, we talked about Earth Hour and how since 98% of Ontario's electric power doesn't emit carbon (nuclear and hydro), turning off the lights produces a mindsight of conservation but does not reduce our carbon footprint.
Mindfulness
In mindfulness this week, we connected our learning from health, where we learned about the body's different systems and connected them to stress. We started by reviewing all the body systems and then talked about the different ways they are related. The cardiovascular system pumps the oxygen the respiratory system produces, the nervous system tells our muscular system to move, which is supported by the skeletal system, and so on. We then talked about which systems are impacted when we are stressed. The cardiovascular system pumps blood more quickly, our respiratory system takes short and shallow breaths, our muscular system tenses up, and our endocrine system sends cortisol to the brain, which causes our mind to race. After reviewing the theoretical aspect of stress, we practised an exercise to release the tension in our body by connecting our skeletal and respiratory systems. The exercise proceeds as follows: on an inhale, contract all of the muscles in a certain area of your body, and on the exhale, release your hold. We started at the head and worked our way down to the toes, taking 5 minutes in total.
Math Lab
What's it Worth? This week's Math Lab discussed network, influence, initial capital, and percentage of ownership. Rebels evaluated two offers ($20,000 in exchange for 25% of the company or $15,000 for 15%) to determine which offer they would choose. After deciding their answer and reasoning for the first scenario, they had to apply their skills to solve a second simulation. They received three offers from the Sharks on Shark Tank and explained why they chose an offer, especially if it was the exact valuation of an offer they turned down. The Problem of the Week focused on Simple Interest. Rebels had to use the formula I = P x r x t to determine which bank would give them the most interest with a deposit of $5,000 but varying rates and time frames.
French
This week in French class, Rebels worked on setting prices for the items in their clothing store. Afterwards, they filled out the blanks in a dialogue between a salesperson and a customer before recording themselves on Flipgrid. In this week's Nearpod, we learned some vocabulary around money and making payments. We also played "J'ai…Qui a?" and beat our record!
Quest
This week learners turned their business ideas into reality. Each learner had a different focus for their week, some perfecting their product, while others focused on packaging or marketing. We reviewed common forms of marketing by big and small companies, thinking of ways the learners could incorporate these strategies into their own business. We watched some egregious product placement and reviewed some forms of marketing often overlooked, such as partnering. Partnering is when two seemingly unrelated brands combine, like when they place an image of a superhero on a bag of chips. Two of our Rebel businesses (ice cream and cookies) liked this idea so much they decided to partner together to make ice cream cookie sandwiches.
Wednesday, we were visited by Deagan's sister Hannah, an entrepreneur with a side business making handmade crocheted and macrame decor. Hannah is a full-time chartered accountant but loves to keep busy, so she started her business Hannmade three years ago. After sharing her journey, the learners asked Hannah 30 minutes worth of questions, including several that have arisen over the past two weeks. Hannah's business is relatively small, and she shared that she made $3,500 last year, which seems very achievable for many learners. Hannah also engages in a new form of marketing and sales, selling most of her work over Instagram and Facebook marketplace.
Health/Sex Ed
Building on the bodies the learners drew last week, we played a sorting game for the different systems of the human body. The learners were given 21 body parts and 21 functions which they had to match and place on the correct part of the body. It was interesting to see the learners use thinking strategies like the process of elimination to help make the matches. By the end of the 40 minutes, all groups had completed the activity with some help from a few lifelines.
Additional Highlights
Last week, the learners voted to bring back Flex Days, which allow them to create their own schedule for the day, prioritize the work they feel is most important, and allow flexibility of when and how long they work on each part of the day. We have a rule that the learners must get outside, read for 30 minutes, and have 30 minutes off tech. After launch, the learners made plans for the day that they conveyed to an accountability partner, and then the day was theirs. Most learners keep the normal progression of the day (core skills, documentary, lunch, recess, DEAR, Quest) but enjoy the freedom of making small changes. However, a few learners completely change their day, allowing us to reimagine our current schedule.
Launchpad
WorkspaceSky Pilot and Independent Projects
Rebels took part in a Minecraft Community Council, put themselves out there in their Spanish Conversational group, built an online dorm room, explored templates in Notion, and worked on creating customized characters in Photoshop and Character Animation software. They also met for a Socratic discussion focused on ownership of urban chickens with teens from California and Texas. As our discussion highlighted the contrasting rights of the chicken owners and their neighbours, the learners also made connections to protests where the rights of one group inhibit the rights of others. One of our learners also continued their research and design of dresses and planted seeds for our hydroponic garden during their independent project time.
Shakespeare Study
We completed the choral reading of Much Ado About Nothing this week, finishing both Act 4 and Act 5! We were all disappointed that we finished the play, especially as we felt like we had our character's personalities and voices down! After each scene, we discussed the character's motives, symbolism, and recurring themes. On Friday, the Launchpad Rebels played a few games of Guess Who? using the characters from the play and instead of physical descriptors, questions had to be about relationships, personality, status, and views. We will begin watching the film version on Monday before learners complete a final project.
Harvard edX Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science
Launchpad Rebels spent their Chemistry periods writing and getting feedback on their final lab reports. Writing in the third person and past tense was awkward for the learners at first, but they got the hang of the writing style and submitted it for final feedback before submitting it online.
Canadian History
We learned more about Canada's role and contributions in World War II this week. We read more about the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the Battle of Britain, and the attack on Pearl Harbour. Next week we'll further study the last years of the war and debate whether weapons of mass destruction are ever justified.
Additional Highlights
To go along with their Science and Cooking course, Launchpad Rebels must write a restaurant review. This week we visited Di Noodle, where the Rebels took in the atmosphere, customer service, and of course, the tastiness of the food in preparation to write up their review. It was a fun afternoon out of the studios eating some delicious Bahn Mi and Pho!
Potential Discussion Ideas or Questions to Ask your Rebel:
Spark:
What are you grateful for about spring?
Can you share some of the prices for the products in your business?
What province do we live in?
French: Which animal did you draw in French class? What is it called in French? Can you tell me what colours this animal is?
Discovery:
How will you manage the different costs of your business for Quest?
Next week, what materials can you bring to school to work on your products for sale or booth decorations for Exhibition?
French: What are some of the differences between the way we write and say prices in French and in English?
Reader/Writer: Would you like to practice your elevator pitch with me?
Exploration:
What progress did you make on your business this week?
How did the return of Flex Days go for the studio?
French: What are some of the differences between the way we write and say prices in French and in English?
Launchpad:
What is your biggest priority for the week ahead; submitting your lab report, writing your restaurant review, or core skills?
How are your feeling about your Literature and Communication badge progress at this point in the year?
Dates of Interest
Session 5 Exhibitions
Exploration Studio: Tuesday, April 5th at 4:30 pm
Spark Studio: Wednesday, April 6th at 4:15 pm
Discovery Studio: Thursday, April 7th at 4:30 pm