Revel Recap: May 2 - 6, 2022

Spark Studio 

Mindfulness

Rainy days can bring a different energy into a room, so the Sparks have been practicing bringing their minds to a great space and embracing all types of weather throughout the week. To kick off the week, Sparks used realistic images to create a story. Their tale was about someone named Olivia who went for a walk to the coffee shop. On Tuesday, the Sparks spent five minutes working on their breathing. They sat with their legs crossed and stretched over to each side and took three breaths in and out to get ready to stretch their bodies. They focused on stretching the muscles we have been learning about in this session. On Wednesday, the Sparks did a workout they have been practising for Exhibition. Lots of squats and core exercises have been chosen, so get ready! Thursday, the Sparks worked on mindfulness colouring with relaxing music. To end the week, they listened to a story called, Happy, Healthy Ajay! By Stuart Murphy. It explained the importance of healthy foods and how it is beneficial to choose healthy foods to have energy. The Sparks then drew three pictures of foods for which they are grateful. They also labelled their foods into the correct food group! 

Quest

This week the Guides explained that our bodies are like car engines, and we need to fuel our bodies' tanks or charge ourselves as if we were electric cars. To do so, the Guides explained the importance of nutrition, spoke about how we gain energy, and introduced them to the different food groups and how each group's perks. An activity the Sparks worked on was sorting out a variety of foods into the correct column in the charts given to them. They worked so hard either by themselves or with others around them. The following day, the Sparks learned about the importance of vitamins and minerals. Their eyes lit up when they realized that they could get Vitamin D and C from foods! They then carried on to a scavenger hunt to find charts of vitamins A, B(plus complex), C, D, E & K with foods high in each vitamin. The Sparks were also told about each vitamin's benefits on their bodies.

Carbohydrates were introduced to the learners on Thursday. Knowing how active their bodies are, the Sparks agreed they could use a good source of carbohydrates to stay fuelled, so we made energy balls. Before preparing, the Guides had the Sparks complete races in the gym and pretended they were a car. They told the guides how much fuel they had left in them and spoke to one another about how they needed food to refill their tanks, especially proteins and carbohydrates! The Sparks talked about nutrition labels on food items they can find in their homes, school, and grocery store to end the week. Each Spark was given a nutrition label and had to present to the class which vitamins and nutrients were in the items. They also had to tell the Guides how the vitamins or nutrients affected their bodies. Lastly, a group of Sparks worked on buying healthy groceries to last them one week. They had a budget of $10.00 and another of $20.00. No one went over budget! 

French

This week, the Sparks read "Mon ami est triste" by Mo Willems, practiced counting strawberries up to 30 and prepared Mother's Day gifts. They also got to play ‘Quelle heure est-il, monsieur le loup?” in the gym with our new Guide, Marianne!

Additional Highlights 

With our previous weekend and part of our week being sunny, the Sparks are bringing the sunshine inside the studio. Last week they planted sunflower seeds, so the Sparks used loose parts to create sunflowers and painted paper flowers this week. 

As Mother's Day is approaching, the learners have been working on baking for their fun Friday gathering with the ones they love and who strongly impact their lives. We spoke about the importance of having people around us who care for our well-being and read a story called, All Kinds of Families by Suzanne Lang. The book explains the variety of families on our planet and how not everyone may celebrate Mother's Day. 

The learners have been working hard to prepare for the Exhibition, and they have been working out to get their minds and bodies ready. A fun story read this week in the studio was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The Sparks had a colouring and sorting the food group activity to go along with the book. On Friday, the Sparks enjoyed some extra time outside and spent time with their Discovery Reading Buddies. They had also enjoyed a game of Sight Word Bingo. The Sparks took turns reading the sight word and coming up with a sentence!

We can't wait for next week's topic, Mental Health. 

Discovery Studio

Mindfulness

The Rebels tracked their mindful activities this week using a Mindful Passport. Each day they recorded their choices, whether it was colouring, journaling, or reading. On Tuesday, we looked at the art of dot painting and connected techniques of this style to mandala patterns or Rangoli from Diwali. This art form inspired us to make cards for special people in our lives. On Wednesday, our Rebel Mindfulness Coach selected a self-compassion and kindness meditation for us to try, along with a kindness-themed colouring page. We practised visualizing someone we care for and sending them warm wishes, and then pictured ourselves in a mirror and sent friendly wishes to ourselves. Many Rebels opted to finish up artwork from earlier in the week or try a Sudoku puzzle on Thursday and Friday. 

Launches

On Monday, the Rebels met with their squads to set SMART goals in Journey Tracker and start the week off with a bang! Another focus of the discussion was which of the three monsters (resistance, victimhood, and distraction) they would encounter this week and how they would defeat them. Many Rebels thought that victimhood would rear its head (e.g. "They're distracting me," or "Why won't anyone help me?") but shared how accountability and kindness would be good countermoves. Wednesday's Rebel-led launch was a Disney trivia Kahoot and the scores were tight - the Rebels know their movies! On Thursday, we had another Rebel-led launch, but this time the Kahoot was trivia about himself, an excellent opportunity to connect deeply! Friday's Rebel-led Current Events report included: a Chihuahua Yoda in honour of May the 4th (be with you), a baby Sumatran rhino from Indonesia, volunteers helping Ukrainian pets flee the war, and Who is Cuter: Toucan vs. Rig edition. Spoiler Alert - the Rebels say it's the toucan!

Math Lab

The Draw and Anchor Rebels continued to unpack procedural fluency this week, starting with a fantastic conversation about algorithms vs. strategies vs. models. They are beginning to think of algorithms as the rules of solving something, where strategies are similar, but in their words, you can "make up your own way." This week we focused on models as the drawings, diagrams, or tools we can use to show our strategies to each other when solving problems. Sharing and comparing this thinking helps us build up the flexible part of fluency and helps with reasoning and proving, too (the accuracy piece). As more Rebels develop and share solutions to the problem pack, we will start to consolidate on which solutions are the most efficient. 

Aim and Release also focused on illustrating their strategies this week, turning to fraction strips and snap cubes to model dividing fractions of pizza and Base Ten sketches to show the division of population data. 

Reader/Writer

This week learners wrote the remaining body paragraphs and tackled their conclusion for this session's five-paragraph essay. One of the most challenging parts was coming up with ways to connect back to their claim and rewording their thesis statements. Next week we will focus on how to cite our sources and work on editing our work.

Quest

This week, the first challenge in our engineering journey was that the Rebels had to design a compound machine: a combination of two simple machines, a lever and pulley, that would work to launch a projectile! On Tuesday, they started designing marble runs with the twist that their catapult machine from the day before had to launch the marble onto the run. Wednesday had the four teams merging into two larger Running Teams. We started with all Rebels meeting to establish special ROEs to help decision-making, leadership, and success. Next, they worked to combine their two marble runs from the day before and determine which launcher they would use to load their run. On Thursday, they reached the final challenge! Teams had to tweak their compound machine/marble run to complete a simple task inspired by this Rube Goldberg-esque page-turner! The Red/Blue team aimed to pull a door open, and the Yellow/Green team attempted to strike a keyboard and have a letter typed into a Google Doc. This turned out to be an excellent opportunity to discuss our Challenge and Panic zones, along with failure, as neither team's machine was able to function as designed. It was also an opportunity for the Rebel Physicists to practice isolating variables that they wanted to test. Both teams shared their progress and noticed that direction, angles, and power were significant in linking modules of their machine together. 

Civilizations

We have an extraordinary Giant Floor Map at Revel this week, so we hit pause on our story of the ancient world and immersed ourselves instead in the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. The Rebels started by investigating the legend cards in small groups and trying to piece together what the map was trying to teach us. As they walked the map's perimeter, they noticed the timeline of important events and inferred that we were trying to understand something about history. As they moved onto the map, they pointed out other symbols that showed the locations of First Nations and Inuit peoples and where different Métis settlements are located. We are excited to have the opportunity again next week to explore further and go deeper!

Physical Development

Our baseball group began with a warm-up on Monday before working on their ground ball fielding. We then split into two groups for a scrimmage. After only a couple of weeks, the hitting, fielding, and knowledge of baseball rules are already improving! The other Rebels had fun playing gym games with Mme. Marie and Mme. Marianne. Wednesday's Boot Camp featured two demanding strength/cardio/core circuits, and afterwards, the Rebels played team tic-tac-toe! The Track and Field Rebels created their relay teams and practiced for the upcoming meet.

French

Our focus in French class this week was mosaics such as those found in the mosques of Maghreb. We watched a video showing the different steps in mosaic production and used Nearpod's VR activity to explore a room in a Moroccan mosque! Rebels continued working on their reading comprehension of the Tunisian folk tale "L'histoire d'Ommi Sissi." To end the week, we made mosaic-inspired cards for Mother's Day! 

Additional Highlights

The Draw and Anchor Rebels wanted to learn more about their skin in our Body Talk on Friday. We watched a cool myth-buster video to get started. The Rebels were most interested in learning about their pores and how to keep them clean, non-comedogenic products (things that won't clog our pores), and what can happen if they get clogged (acne). 

Our 100 Green Light Challenge is well underway, with the Rebels earning another 20 green lights this week. This brings our total to 55 - keep practising, Rebels!

We also had two Rebel birthdays this week, a visit from Ms. Jenna and Savannah, and the Mother's Day Tea on Friday! Lots of warm wishes, appreciation, and yummy treats were shared by all. We love you, Revel community!

Exploration Studio

ReconciliAction

We were fortunate to borrow the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada Giant Floor Map from the Canadian Geographic Society for the next two weeks! On Monday, Exploration became familiar with the legends and content illustrated on the map before learning more about the perspectives on Climate Change from the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples. 

Tuesday, we used the map to discuss our connection to the land and demographics. We began by thinking about what makes somewhere a place. We then looked at the 2016 Census Data to gain insight into the demographics, specifically Indigenous Peoples in Canada. We mapped out the data and discussed why it didn't feel complete or accurate for all populations. Rebels thought about census return rates, the history and current context around identifying as an Indigenous person, and other reasons that data may not be accurate. We then outlined the Metis Homeland in ropes and discussed how a lack of a land base affects the distribution for Metis across Canada. Lastly, we spoke about a special place to us and our personal connection to the land before identifying locations on the map with long-standing Indigenous ties, such as Agawa Pictograph Site, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, The Forks and more. 

Wednesday, we focused our study on Residential Schools. We began studying the distribution of residential schools and spoke about removing children far from their families and communities to destroy Indigenous cultures throughout Canada. We also utilized the timeline to further discuss the Residential School system from its beginning to the closure of the last school in 1996 and the continuing effects that remain to this day. 

Thursday, we further studied seasonal cycles and migration patterns. We began by placing the Inuit Place Names cards as a starting point to connect the seasonal cycles of the Earth. We then used the animal migration cards and ropes to map out the migratory routes of various animals on the map and discussed how they move in relation to the seasons. We also compared the Ecozones, Plant Hardiness Zones, Precipitation, and Forest Region cards and considered how these patterns might change over time and affect where and how people live.

We prepared our items to send in our Northern Birthday boxes on Friday. Some learners made the birthday banners and cards, while others made sure we had the cake, icing, and decorations ready for each teen as well as a few fun gifts. 

French

This week, Exploration Rebels learned about Malian singers Amadou and Mariam. They tested their listening skills with an online game in which they filled in the blanks in Amadou and Mariam's song "Beaux Dimanches." Next, they matched the names of cultural symbols of Mali to their descriptions before attempting a challenging reading comprehension about a traditional dyeing technique. 

Quest

Our learners began this week's Quest with a reflection on their performance individually and as a team. After reading an article on delegation, each group member wrote a SMART goal for each teammate and themselves to start this week's work session with intention. Rebels then had a crash course in thermodynamics with a review of conduction, convection, radiation, entropy, enthalpy, exothermic and endothermic reactions in preparation for this week's challenges. After learning about the 1986 Challenger explosion caused by a part that wasn't designed to handle the unusually cold conditions the day of the launch, Rebels completed a simulation measuring heat capacity. With their newfound knowledge of thermodynamics and chemical reactions, Rebels were issued two challenges. First, they needed to change the temperature of 5ml of water as much as possible in 5 minutes. The second task was raising or lowering the temperature by precisely 3 degrees. Once again, learners realized they needed to experiment through trial and error while also budgeting for their materials. Each team worked hard and earned more money for their next rocket challenge, launching a partially frozen rocket. Rebels spent Thursday and Friday attempting to heat their rocket using an external apparatus. The winning team(s) successfully launched their device in the shortest time with the lowest cost of materials! 

Next week, we'll review the concepts we've covered so far and learn about pH and reducing the environmental impacts of our rocket launches. 

Genre

This week learners wrote the remaining body paragraphs and tackled their conclusion for this session's five-paragraph essay. One of the most challenging parts was coming up with ways to connect back to their claim and rewording their thesis statements. Next week we will focus on how to cite our sources and work on editing our work.

Health

This week, we continued last week's discussion and learned about the different types of contraception. We also talked about evaluating our values regarding relationships, dating, and sexual behaviours while respecting the other points of view, with the concept of consent being a huge focus of our discussion.

Our baseball group began with a warm-up on Monday before working on their ground ball fielding. We then split into two groups for a scrimmage. After only a couple of weeks, the hitting, fielding, and knowledge of baseball rules are already improving! The other Rebels had fun playing gym games with Mme. Marie and Mme. Marianne. Wednesday's Boot Camp featured two demanding strength/cardio/core circuits, and afterwards, the Rebels played team tic-tac-toe! The Track and Field Rebels created their relay teams and practiced for the upcoming meet.

Additional Highlights

Many Rebels are finishing up their documentaries with two weeks left in the session! Two groups even took their filming out of the studio, visiting a coffee shop and a hockey store to get their shots!

Learners have also taken on various leadership opportunities this session. A few Rebels have come together to start planning next fall's overnight trip, while others are working on field trip planning, team building closings, and Rebel Olympics preparations!

Launchpad

WorkspaceSky Pilot

The learners had their last Socratic discussion with the teens from California and Texas this week. Our leader was from a small town in Texas and led a very intriguing conversation about gun control. Learners also had fun animating characters, developing their Spanish conversational skills, and honing their governance system in Minecraft.

Rocket Science

Our learners began this week's Quest with a reflection on their performance individually and as a team. After reading an article on delegation, each group member wrote a SMART goal for each teammate and themselves to start this week's work session with intention. Rebels then had a crash course in thermodynamics with a review of conduction, convection, radiation, entropy, enthalpy, exothermic and endothermic reactions in preparation for this week's challenges. After learning about the 1986 Challenger explosion caused by a part that wasn't designed to handle the unusually cold conditions the day of the launch, Rebels completed a simulation measuring heat capacity. With their newfound knowledge of thermodynamics and chemical reactions, Rebels were issued two challenges. First, they needed to change the temperature of 5ml of water as much as possible in 5 minutes. The second task was raising or lowering the temperature by precisely 3 degrees. Once again, learners realized they needed to experiment through trial and error while also budgeting for their materials. Each team worked hard and earned more money for their next rocket challenge, launching a partially frozen rocket. Rebels spent Thursday and Friday attempting to heat their rocket using an external apparatus. The winning team(s) successfully launched their device in the shortest time with the lowest cost of materials! 

Next week, we'll review the concepts we've covered so far and learn about pH and reducing the environmental impacts of our rocket launches. 

Canadian History

While there were growing tensions after World War II, leaders worldwide began planning ways to prevent future conflicts. Launchpad learned about the United Nations, the writing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund. We also read about the Korean Conflict, the Suez Crisis, and Lester Pearson's Nobel Peace Prize. Learners then completed a historical inquiry activity where they had to evaluate and draw conclusions about how Canada-US relations may have been affected had Canada decided to remain neutral during the Cold War. Rebels ended their week creating new entries for our timeline, using events between 1962 and 1980, including the adoption of the Maple Leaf flag in 1965, the October Crisis, and the Montreal Olympics.

World-Building

One Rebel completed a considerable section of their race Masterlist this week, and they only have four more to go! Once completed, they will begin detailing the finer points of their cultures to add even more depth to their guide. 

Additional Highlights

With the Ottawa Children's Business Fair only a week away, our learner coordinating the event has been busy emailing the young entrepreneurs, ordering signage, and ensuring we have enough mentors in place. Way to go!

Potential Discussion Ideas or Questions to Ask your Rebel: 

• Spark:

  • What do carbohydrates do for you?

  • Can you tell me about Vitamin C and D?

  • French: What was your favourite activity this week?

• Discovery:

  • What ROEs did your team use to ensure success with so many Rebels working together? How did it go?

  • Who is the greater hero: the scientist who discovers something (like Isaac Newton and gravity), or the one who uses discoveries to innovate and make something new (like Elon Musk, who, with his company Space X, designs, builds, and tests rockets and spacecraft)?

  • French: What were your reactions to the mosaic creation process? Which steps looked the most fun to you?

• Exploration:

  • What do you find more challenging getting your rocket to launch, budgeting for supplies, or coming up with a solution as a team?

  • Who is the greater hero: the scientist who discovers something (like Isaac Newton and gravity), or the one who uses discoveries to innovate and make something new (like Elon Musk, who, with his company Space X, designs, builds, and tests rockets and spacecraft)?

  • With two weeks left in the session, how are you feeling about your progress in core skills? Is there anything you can do to increase your focus and intentionality?

  • What leadership opportunity did you choose to take on?

  • French : What strategies did you use to answer the questions in this week's reading comprehension about the making of bogolan? Were those strategies successful? How would you go about it next time?

• Launchpad:

  • What do you want to accomplish with your World Building by the end of this school year?

  • Time to secure a job or apprenticeship if you haven’t! Where would you like to apply in the next few weeks?

  • Do you have any ideas for how we can continue to build relationships with other Launchpad teens from around the world?
    

Dates of Interest

• Ottawa Children's Business Fair - Sunday, May 15th 10:00 am - 1:00 pm at the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne!!!

• Session 6 Exhibitions

  • Spark: Wednesday, May 18th at 4:15 pm

  • Discovery: Tuesday, May 17th at 4:30 pm

  • Exploration: Thursday, May 19th at 4:30 pm

  • Launchpad: Thursday, May 19th at 4:30 pm