Session 6 - Here We Come!
Ready to hear what the Rebels will be tackling in Session 6?!
Spark Studio
We look forward to warmer days and a lot of outside time as we begin our Botany and Entomology Quest! We will explore four main areas; insects, trees, flowers, and birds. As we tailor the Quest to follow the learners' interests, we have included them in the planning by asking what they want to know about these topics. Together they brainstormed some wonderful questions, which will act as an excellent jumping-off point as we dive deeper into our learning!
We will also start a new game for Show and Tell this session. Each Friday, we will ask a few learners to bring in two items from home that rhyme. It would be great if the items were in a non-see-through bag. They will share one object with the group, and we will use our rhyming skills to try and guess the other thing. We anticipate this will be a fun game, but rhyming is an important phonological awareness skill!
For this French session, we will learn the prepositions of place: sous, sur, à gauche, à droite, etc. and how to ask questions in French using games of Seek and Find, Guess Who? and treasure hunts. We will also focus on the session's theme of nature and botany.
We are also excited for another round of Mystery Reader guests and are so excited about our field trip to the Ottawa Children's Festival! During this session, we will also connect with families through family meetings. The sign-up will be posted on Band shortly.
Discovery Studio
Session 6 brings the Musical Theatre Quest Part 2, where Rebels will be auditioning, directing, scheduling, marketing, rehearsing, and budgeting, all to put on their own stage production and at least break even between their expenses and revenue! Building on the knowledge and skills gained last session in Quest, Reader/Writer and Math Lab, Rebels will aim to fully immerse their audience in dynamic storytelling on stage through the seamless use of lighting, sound, set design, props and costumes. They must also budget accordingly to recover all equipment rentals and operating costs through ticket sales!
For Civ, the Rebels will select one civilization from the Middle Ages (roughly 500-1500 CE) to research and work with a peer to prepare a tri-fold project. By the end of the year, Discovery Rebels will have created a Middle Ages Museum to showcase their collective knowledge of significant events and important locations around the world during this time.
The Reader/Writer workshops will focus on revising and editing skills, pushing the Rebels to publish their most excellent writing through a series of short writing assignments.
Math Labs in Session 6 will spiral learning from several mathematical strands in a session-long project putting the Rebel in charge of running a business, with additional independent activities to further develop procedural fluency with more sophisticated operations (multiplication and division).
In this French session, we will practice describing people and animals (small, big, blue-eyed, brown, green, feathered, scaled, furry) and answer questions using the vocabulary we have learned throughout the year. Our workshops will be all about gardening!
Exploration Studio
Apprenticeships, Drones, and AI, oh my!
In this session, we will begin our Apprenticeship Preparation course, focusing on identifying potential paths, researching options, writing professional emails, and working on interview skills before our Apprenticeship Living Library event.
Our Math Labs in Session 6 will continue to follow the Three Act Task story arc, relying on the curiosity, determination, and critical thinking shared between the Rebels. Each lab activity will cultivate a deeper conceptual understanding of mathematics through the following: an emphasis up-front on "risky" estimates to encourage reasonableness of solutions, math talk time with small peer groups to foster a variety of approaches to mathematical modelling as well as seeking more information that is missing and needed to move forward, and ending with the consolidation of essential skills, opportunities to develop procedural fluency and reflect using error analysis.
In this session in French, we will focus on reading and listening to current events and understanding vocabulary. Rebels will be encouraged to debate topical issues and give their opinions in French. At the Rebels' request, we will also launch our French Book Club, where the learners can choose from a selection of levelled books to read until the end of the year. They will then receive weekly comprehension and vocabulary questions. Lastly, we will be working on carpentry in our French workshops!!!
In our Rules without Rulers course, Rebels will complete their Model Parliament Simulation before learning about new forms of government, such as Start-Up Nations, Cloud Governance, and Holacracies.
Technology is adapting and changing our lives every single day. From how we interact with others to how we work, learn and think - technology is inevitably a growing or already big part of our lives - and isn't going away. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT are quickly changing and challenging the world of education, especially regarding writing. In this session, Rebels will explore ChatGPT and AI Apps through a series of workshops and how it impacts the literacy world.
At the heart of this session's Quest is problem-solving, learning new programming languages, and applying those skills to program drones. Through Socratic discussions, simulations, and hands-on learning, Rebels will learn to code their drones to fly assigned missions and explore a project of their choice, such as exploring mathematical concepts, completing an advanced Python course, or designing a choreographed drone dance! The exhibition is sure to be one not to miss!
Launchpad Studio
As we near the end of the year, Launchpad will take part in its last biology course, Genetics! With the help of exciting simulations, hands-on activities, and ethical debates, we will learn about the foundations of genetic processes, Mendelian and Non-Mendelian genetics and the moral decisions that will affect our futures.
Rebels will also use drones to work on an express coding course and debate the pros and cons of Artificial Intelligence throughout this session.
In our Rules without Rulers course, Rebels will complete their Model Parliament Simulation before learning about new forms of government, such as Start-Up Nations, Cloud Governance, and Holacracies. Launchpad Rebels will also be responsible for added research in preparation for weekly discussions.
Lastly, but probably most importantly, Launchpad learners will continue pursuing their interests while running the Ottawa Children’s Business Fair, getting ready for their Duke of Edinburgh International Award Adventurous Journey, beginning their next apprenticeship search, and cooking for those who visit Highjinx each Friday!
After-School Enrichment Programming
Check out our After-School Enrichment Programming for Sessions 6 and 7. Please let Erin know which days you are interested in attending!