Revel Recap: June 6 - 10, 2022
Spark Studio
Mindfulness
Monday morning began with high positive energy and fun stories from the weekend. The Sparks' curiosity peaked when they saw the new expandable ball in the studio, which we used for our Monday mindfulness, practising breathing in and out as the ball expanded and contracted. The Spark learners were very calm and focused during this activity. We are happy to have another tool we can use anytime we feel we might need it! We continued working on our drawing skills on Tuesday and Thursday, completing directed drawings of a watermelon and a popsicle. We tied yoga into our Quest theme on Wednesday by acting out the story, "Going on A Bear Hunt." Our Fridays start on a great track as we take time to reflect on things we are grateful for.
Quest
Lights, camera, action! This week's Quest theme was all about the theatre and drama! We started by watching a short video called "I Want to Be An Actor" that explained what it would be like to work in this profession. A couple of Sparks commented that they would like to become a famous actor one day! After learning a bit about acting, we were ready to dive into some dramatic exercises. Every day this week, we started our Quest using our imaginations and completing some vocal and body warm-ups. We worked on a Five Senses acting activity, where we imagined touching, tasting, hearing, seeing and smelling different things and acting it out. We imagined the floor as clouds, quicksand, sticky mud, etc. We played Freeze Dance, and when we froze, we had to imagine we were in various settings. Our vocal warm-ups included counting to ten and saying phrases in different voices such as using a high voice, a low voice, angrily, happily, quickly, sadly, excitedly, like a robot and of course, our studio favourite, like cats! We also repeated some tongue twisters.
After our warm-ups, we have been working hard on three different plays. Each Spark has a role in The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Little Pigs, or Goldilocks and the Three Little Bears. We have been practising our lines and actions and thinking about what kind of props or backgrounds we might want to display. We rehearsed our plays for the other Sparks and are already becoming more comfortable with our lines. We are so excited (and a little nervous!) to perform our plays at the Exhibition.
We read a few different books this week during Quest. Two were about acting and how it can feel to be on a stage. Stage Fright and Berenstain Bears Get Stage Fright feature characters who love acting and singing but are nervous about performing in front of a crowd. We talked about whether we have ever felt scared in front of a group, the feelings at the moment, and how it felt after we performed. In the books, we learned some good advice, such as taking deep breaths before and looking for someone you love to look at in the crowd. We read Louise, The Big Cheese, which taught us that every part is important in a play and that you can help your friend if they forget their lines. We also read The Gingerbread Man and stopped before the ending. Each Spark imagined their own new ending for the story and shared it with the group.
Core skills
Wow, the Sparks have been working so hard during our work periods, completing their goals, independently selecting challenging work and asking each other for help when needed. Way to go, Rebels! This week we reviewed our 3D shape names and then enjoyed playing hide and seek with the shapes. We also worked with our golden bead materials. We reviewed the units, tens, hundreds and thousands and worked together to make two different quantities using our beads and large number cards. We then added the two amounts together and found our answer. We talked about how addition is when you add two or more numbers to get a larger number. We were also interested to learn more about the lifecycle of a frog. We watched a video of a mother frog laying the eggs and discovered that the father watches over the eggs to protect them. We watched the eggs grow and develop for 14 days, and then they hatched as tadpoles. We were amazed to learn that their limbs develop internally and spring out when ready. They also absorb their tail into their body, which is so fascinating! We then labelled and coloured the parts of the frog. A few days this week ended with laughter as we watched baby animals doing funny and cute things! (Many Sparks are now hoping to add some new pets to their family!)
French
This week, we used our dollhouse poster to focus on naming each room in the house and describing our position inside. On Monday, the Sparks coloured each house room one by one and repeated the names. On Tuesday, we used photos of ourselves to play with a giant paper dollhouse drawn by Marianne. We made sentences such as “Je suis dans la salle de bain” and “Marianne est dans la cuisine.” It was lots of fun! On Wednesday, we read Bonne nuit, Peppa. Then, we looked at different home items and determined whether they belonged in the bedroom or the bathroom. Finally, on Thursday, we played a bedroom furniture-themed game of Chutes and Ladders. Each time a Spark landed on a tile, they said the item's name out loud.
Additional Highlights
We ended our week on a very exciting note, boarding a pirate ship! We were entertained, learned a lot about pirates, and had so much fun!
Discovery Studio
Mindfulness
The focus of our mindful activities this week was movement! On Monday, the Rebels added poses and actions along with their affirmations. In yoga this week, we took our Ship's Ahoy yoga game to the gym and added a plank pose and squats to the routine. Wednesday's Rebel-led workshop involved colouring personal pizzas and listening to soothing meditation music.
Launches
To start the week strong, Rebels met with their squads to continue their discussion of intentionality. Should Core Skills be silent? When collaborating, what is the difference between rescuing and coaching? The Discovery Rebels and visiting Sparks agreed that a quiet work environment is important but that helping each other is too (and that giving answers is not helping and takes away learning). On Tuesday, the Rebels followed along with Mme Marie's read-aloud of Petit Paul by Ashley Spires, a book about an unconventional pirate. Wednesday's launch was Rebel-led and featured a pirate-themed TED-Ed riddle that tested the Rebel's logic, introducing them to game theory and the concept of a "Nash equilibrium." Awesome problem-solving, Rebels! Thursday's launch was all about setting SMART goals and how we can use Journey Tracker to set goals for each day in advance, making a longer-range plan for the week. Friday's Rebel-led Current Events report included: the discovery of a Roman sculpture in Texas, a cinnamon bun fundraiser to save a sick cat, and Who Is Cuter: Baby Pig or Baby Bunny edition.
Reader/Writer
Warrior Writers: On Monday, the Rebels worked on another rapid-write, trying to write for a full fifteen minutes. They had the option to continue working on their piece from last week or to start a new entry based on the choice board. We discussed the idea of a short and varied writing portfolio vs. serial writing or writing in chapters or episodes. Next week, we will bring back our ARMS and CUPS checklists to revise and edit the piece we want to share at the Writer's Café. We will also up the ante and aim to write for 20 minutes, uninterrupted, increasing stamina a little bit every time we set out to write!
Rebel Readers: Next, we read a short biography of Robert Louis Stevenson and picked out the facts from his life that were the most interesting or inspiring. Then, we worked on our actor bios to display at Exhibition, exploring the difference between the first and third-person voice when we write.
Math Lab
This week's KnowledgeHook Gameshow featured questions about location, grids and coordinates. We explored the different ways that someone can indicate location using examples like letter-number systems seen in an atlas or a game of Battleship. Some Rebels were ready to try using x-y coordinate systems, and we carefully examined how mixing up the order of the numbers results in a very different location. We all agreed that precision is key no matter what method you use! Next, the Rebels began their latest task for the upcoming Math Carnival. They had to select and set up a grid system to map out the booths that will be set up in the studio. Using the carpet "tiles" as a starting point, they had to measure the perimeter and area of the space and then map out their booth locations.
French
On Tuesday, Discovery Rebels reviewed the vocabulary from last week's vocabulary research activity. Then, we played "Bâbord-Tribord" in the gym. The goal of the game is to follow the instructions to run between the left side of the ship (bâbord) and the right side of the vessel (tribord) while performing gestures when certain vocabulary words are called out. For example, when the word "canon" was said, Rebels pretended to be a ball shooting out of a cannon! For our second class of the week, on Thursday, Rebels solved riddles in a super fun treasure hunt organized by Marianne!
Quest
On Monday, the Pirate Rebels started with a list of pirate vocabulary from our script to gain more and more understanding of their lines and the meaning they are trying to convey. On Tuesday, we looked at typical articles of clothing and accessories that a pirate (or pirate stereotype) might wear. Wednesday's focus was on props. Which ones have we already started to use, and which ones are missing? This led us to revisit our debate on ticket prices and what our estimated budget should be.
In rehearsals this week, we concentrated on hitting marks or "blocking" and ensuring we were not turned away from the audience while speaking. Another goal has been to reduce the time between cues and implement props successfully. As all the moving parts come together, the Rebels have been given the additional challenge of trying to memorize their lines. Rather than looking for perfection, we discussed the idea that a deep understanding of the plot and each scene's breakdown will help us improvise in the moment and move through one exchange to the next (rather than knowing our script verbatim).
Physical Development
Half of the learners worked on their passing in basketball before playing another scrimmage on Monday. Other learners played Octopus and dodgeball in the gym. On Wednesday, the Rebels headed outdoors to play Sabakiball with Kaitlin and Mel.
Civilizations
Our POWER Project is officially underway! This week the Rebels had to lock in their topic selection, choosing any of the ancient civilizations we have studied so far this year (or others they are interested in). We considered a selection of relevant books from our library and practiced finding the information we needed from them to properly cite one as a consulted source: author, title, publisher and date. Next week, the Rebels will have the entire period to gather information about their chosen society's power structures (or lack of power). We will also start to think about the format for our presentations.
Additional Highlights
The Rebels had an adventurous Friday, heading out to Gatineau for a tour of Pirate Life! We boarded the ship and met a host of colourful characters like Castaway Cass and Pirate Aquamarine. We had to pass three challenges to get the pirate treasure: indeed, we proved we were true of heart, clear of mind, and had a strong will! There was lots of time for water cannons, sea shanties and a little dance party here and there too.
As promised, the Discovery Rebels also enjoyed their movie reward for their dedicated fact fluency practice over the last several weeks. The sing-along continued as they watched Encanto. Thank you for an entertaining end to the week, Rebels!
Exploration Studio
Mindfulness, Launches, & Closings
This week, Rebels took time to complete a free write or free draw period during mindfulness. Some chose to write about what they were grateful, others became calmer after writing down their action list and priorities for the week, while others used an art form to illustrate their thoughts. Monday, we held a Socratic discussion on privacy and convenience. After hearing that some companies are experimenting with embedding microchips in people's hands, enabling people to pay for items quickly, gain security access, etc., they were asked if it was something they would consider. What are the benefits of this technology? What are the risks? On Tuesday, we discussed paparazzi and ethics. What rights should we have to privacy in public vs. in our homes? Should those whose pictures are taken get a portion of the payment for the image? Rebels all felt that people should have privacy; however, they believed that for things to change, there should be stricter laws, and people need to stop purchasing the images and magazines that support paparazzi. Marianne led our French Launch on Wednesday, and on Thursday, we listened to a portion of a podcast on how expectations dramatically impact performance. Friday, a Rebel led a thoughtful discussion based on an ethical dilemma. Our closings included team building games, including Rebel Fun Facts, the “Small Things” a Rebel-led exercise in gratitude, Telephone, and Town Hall.
French
We've received letters from our French penpals! On Monday, the Rebels took some time to write back to their friends in France. Then, we played "Nord-Sud" in the gym to practice our first ten vocabulary words. Next week we'll be changing it up with some new words. On Wednesday, we introduced a new system to push ourselves to speak French as much as possible. Each Rebel begins the class with a ribbon, which gets taken away if they speak English. The Rebels worked in small teams to make camping props such as a campfire, smores, and flashlight while practicing their speaking skills. The results were impressive, with only a handful of Rebels losing their ribbon!
Music
We began this week by learning how to play a couple of songs as an entire studio. After clapping the rhythm of "Frere Jacques" and "Old MacDonald," we played both songs until we felt comfortable. Groups then split to go work on their team performances. Friday, we again began by learning "Day-O," and the Rebels were excited to hear how much better they got with reading notes and staying on the beat after playing the song for a second time. Teams again used the remainder of the period to work on their piece, with a couple of groups making significant progress and another choosing to start from scratch, choosing a new song to perform.
Quest
This week in Quest, Rebels worked on their research for their Museum Exhibit. One of the components of their display is a map, so learners had to think about what portion of the world they should show to help their audience better understand their topic. Should it illustrate the whole world, regional, city, or stadium map? They then located or drew a map, labelling the critical locations from their timeline. Learners also worked on either researching or creating three artifacts that give insight into the person's life, the event that occurred, or the civilization at the time chosen. The Rebels are creating a wide array of artifacts, including pieces of music, Rookie cards, a model airplane, jerseys, shields, and more!
Etiquette
Manners matter! In this week's etiquette lesson, we reviewed Table Manners 101: Basic Dining Etiquette. Rebels learned the importance of posture, how to handle various situations that can arise during a meal, and how to properly hold utensils. We then reviewed setting a basic, casual, and formal table. Rebels were challenged to practice at home and send Erin a picture for a Rebel Buck bonus!
Physical Development
Half of the learners worked on their passing in basketball before playing another scrimmage on Monday. Other learners played Octopus and dodgeball in the gym. On Wednesday, the Rebels headed outdoors to play Sabakiball with Kaitlin and Mel.
Additional Highlights
Unfortunately for the Exploration Studio, their team Studio Maintenance challenge wasn't as successful as they had hoped, and they had to spin the Wheel of Doom. Consequently, the studio will need to clean out and organize our sports closet at the beginning of next week.
Launchpad
Photography
We began our photography sessions this week, contemplating inspiration and with both learners agreeing that inspiration comes from taking action vs. using their natural creativity. After researching five techniques to find inspiration when we are stuck, Rebels were tasked with writing five words for five different categories (colour, setting, prop, wardrobe, and theme). Once complete, they had to pick one word from each category and use them to create a photograph. We then learned about ISO, a setting that will help brighten or darken a photograph. As you increase your ISO number, your photos will grow progressively brighter. For that reason, ISO can help capture images in darker environments; however, raising the ISO has consequences such as grain, also known as noise. To experiment with ISO, learners took at least eight pictures with different ISO settings. One of our "Click Challenges" this week was to highlight shadows. Learners took a picture of a shadow using a low ISO and then again using a high ISO to compare and record the differences they found.
To become better at our craft, we took time to look deeper at those who have mastered the art of photography. Rebels viewed the work of Steve McCurry, Albert Watson, Ansel Adams, Philippe Halsman, and Annie Leibovitz before choosing one artist to research further and write a critique of their portfolio.
Our next technical session focused on aperture and depth of field. Learners found a location, area or subject with an extensive focus range. They then set up their camera where multiple static subjects exist in the foreground, midground and background and, beginning with the lowest F-stop, took a picture and then moved up 1-2 full stops for every image. The goal was to capture seven images with nothing changing but the aperture. Learners continued their study using their aperture settings to take three photographs with a shallow depth of field (blurry background) and three with a deep depth of field (clear, defined background).
Pottery
This week we had our last wheel class at the Hintonburg Pottery Studio. We had time to trim our bowls, learn about finishing, and pick our glazes. Reflecting on our experience, the learners thoroughly enjoyed the class and would love to take another wheel class or try hand-building in the future. A huge thank you to our instructors, Trish and Joanna!
Blogging
Is there an image you have laughed at every time you see it, or have you shared a picture multiple times because you hope others find it funny?This week our learners wrote a photo critique based on a humorous picture of their choice. While writing, learners were asked to think about how they could build their blog audience while also establishing a voice.
Canadian History
This week, Launchpad learners read about how concerns about separatism contributed to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's determination to patriate Canada's Constitution to amend the British North America Act (1876). We also discussed the purpose of the notwithstanding clause and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The rest of the week was spent reading about Mulroney's time as Prime Minister, the continued Constitution debate, the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords, and the 1995 Quebec Referendum. We also reviewed learnings from our Indigenous Canada course regarding the legacy of Residential Schools, discussions about self-government, the Algonquin Land Claim, Nunavut, and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.
Potential Discussion Ideas or Questions to Ask your Rebel:
Spark:
Which play will you be performing? What character are you playing? How are you feeling about performing it at the Exhibition?
Can you show us one of your vocal or body drama warm-ups?
French: How do you say "bedroom" in French? How do you say, "I am in the bedroom"? What are some items you can find in the bedroom?
Discovery:
R/W - Is there one writing style or genre that you enjoy more than the rest, or do you want to expand your horizons as a writer and try many types?
CIV - Which ancient civilization did you choose to research, and what have you learned so far about their power?
With only four weeks left in the session, what are your top two or three priorities for Core Skills?
French: What are some pirate-themed words you've learned this week? How did your team work together to solve the treasure hunt riddles?
Exploration:
Why is good posture important?
Which are you currently struggling with most: distraction, resistance, or victimhood? What could you do to overcome the challenge?
French: Which props were you working on making this week? How did you feel about our first time trying the ribbon challenge?
Launchpad:
Is privacy a right? Do people have privacy when in public places? Do individuals own the right to their likeness?
Are you finding your style as a photographer, or are you focusing more on the technical side for now?
Dates of Interest
Donuts with Dad: Friday, June 17
Parent Book Club: Wednesday, June 22nd on Zoom (link to be sent)
Session 7 Exhibitions:
Exploration Studio: Tuesday, June 28 at 4:30 pm
Spark Studio: Wednesday, June 29 at 4:15 pm
Discovery Studio: Thursday, June 30 at 4:30 pm
Launchpad Studio: Wednesday, July 6 - 4:15 pm
Field Trips
Exploration - War Museum - Wednesday, June 22nd 10:30 am - 2:00 pm
Launchpad
Bus and walking tour of Ottawa: Thursday, June 16
Upper Canada Village: Thursday, June, 23
Tour of Gatineau and Chelsea, including Pink Lake and Mackenzie King Estate
Session 7 Traditions
Rebel Olympics - Tuesday, July 5
Exploration Studio Graduation - Wednesday, July 6
Ice Cream Truck!!! - Wednesday, July 6
Summer Birthday Party - Thursday, July 7