Revel Recap: June 24 - 28, 2024
Spark Studio
MINDFULNESS
Monday was a rainy morning, and we eased into our day with a guided visualization. The learners found a comfortable place to lie down and as we relaxed into our spot, we sent ourselves friendly wishes. We imagined ourselves happy, laughing, and doing something that we loved. Silently in our minds, we repeated affirmations such as I want to be happy. I want to be healthy and strong. I want to be safe. I hope to feel lots of love. Eventually, we pictured these feelings of happiness spreading throughout the world. We imagined a friend or family member to whom we wanted to send these friendly wishes. When the visualization was over, we sat up slowly, noticing how our bodies and minds were feeling and taking some breaths in and out. We discussed who we sent our wishes to and how we were feeling. Many Sparks shared that they felt calm, relaxed, happy, and peaceful. Tuesday's mindfulness game encouraged teamwork and staying focused in the present moment. The learners got into a circle and passed each other a small Dixie cup of water. They had to stay focused so they did not spill. They practiced looking at the cup and each other and moving slowly. Next, we challenged ourselves to pass the cup with our eyes closed! We discussed what types of things we must pay attention to if we can't talk or see each other. For example, the sound of clothing rustling, the feeling of the person sitting next to us moving, and the feeling of the cup in our hands. The learners showed great teamwork and concentration, and only one tiny drop of water was spilled! On Wednesday, the studio had a nervous, excited vibe as we were preparing for our Exhibition. We got some of our energy out with a 15-minute, full-body workout. On Thursday, we started the day with a challenging directed drawing of Cinderella, our main character of the week. We read the book On the First Day of Summer Vacation to end the week. The Sparks then completed a picture and wrote about what they thought the guides should do over the summer holidays. The Sparks suggested eating a lot of ice cream and going to the beach!
QUEST
At the beginning of the week, we utilized our Quest time for rehearsals. On Monday, the Sparks made last-minute adjustments to their performance, gathered all the props they needed, and provided feedback to each other. On Tuesday, the learners were excited to perform for the Discovery Rebels in the gym. On Wednesday, we headed to the University of Ottawa's Academic Hall for our big performance! Walking into the theatre was exhilarating, and the learners got right into a dress rehearsal on an actual stage for the first time. Next, they listened to Discovery Rebel's performances. The learners were so patient, and they were great audience members. The final show for our families was spectacular! Every singleSpark Rebel showed so much courage in getting up on stage in front of such a large crowd and delivering their performances. We are so proud of the show they put on, and we hope you enjoyed it! Thank you so much to our families for coming out to this year's final Exhibition; it was a very special day for our community!
MATH
Over the past few weeks, we have focused on non-standard measurement and measurement using tools such as rulers. This week's Math Lab was an exploration of the measurement of time. First, we looked at a clock and discussed how the small hand indicates the hour and the big hand shows the minutes. Then we listened to a Scratch Garden song, which taught us more about telling time on an analog and digital clock. Using our wooden clock, each Spark had a turn to make a time on the clock. Then, we practiced writing that time on a paper clock face. The Sparks have a good understanding of telling time to the hour. Next week, we will explore telling time to the half hour.
READERS’ WORKSHOP
This week we read our final mentor text for the year, Cinderella. After reading the classic version, we coloured in our title page and then completed the story map. The Sparks discussed and filled in the setting, characters, problem, and solution. Our readers have become very strong at identifying these characteristics of stories, and it would be great practice to continue asking them these questions over the summer when you are reading. Later in the week, we read a fractured fairytale version called Seriously, Cinderella is So Annoying. Afterwards, we discussed the differences between the two tales. The Sparks worked on completing their booklet by illustrating Cinderella's shoe versus their shoe and listing her characteristics. This concludes our reader-writer sessions for the year. We have enjoyed the variety of stories we read this year as a group, and the Sparks have shown much growth in their literacy skills!
ART
Art this week had a magical theme! In our story of the week, a fairy granted Cinderella wishes and used a magical wand.The Sparks were given a variety of materials, such as popsicle sticks, stickers, pipe cleaners, felt, and paper and were encouraged to use their imagination to create a unique wand. Each Spark had a lot of fun creating, and then many enjoyed casting some spells when they finished!
FRENCH
On Monday, we continued practicing the song Le roi, la reine et le petit prince (The King, the Queen and the Little Prince) and on Tuesday, we listened to an episode of Le facteur de l'espace (the letter carrier in space). Thursday, we played the letter carrier game in the gym, where Madame Marianne said words in French, and the Rebels had to find the right picture and put it in the correct category!
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
We have many fun activities planned for next week. Please see BAND for more information. As we will be spending extra time outside, please ensure your learner has sunscreen, a hat, a water bottle, and a change of clothes each day. On Wednesday, July 3, they will need their bathing suit and towel for our Raven Park wading pool visit. We are so excited to celebrate the end of a remarkable year together!
Discovery Studio
MINDFULNESS and LAUNCHES
Our last Monday of the school year allowed Rebels to take time to sit with big emotions about the week ahead as they manifested positive outcomes for the Talent Show Exhibition, the upcoming Screen Fun Friday, and more! Monday's Launch was inspiring, as we watched an audition from 11-year-old Tyler on America's Got Talent, as he took the stage to perform a song on his violin and share his experience from his Hero's Journey with cancer and bullies at school. Rebels were presented with one question before we watched the video, "What about Tyler's audition is the most inspiring part? His violin performance? His introductory speech and backstory? His presentation skills?" After most were brought to happy tears, we shared what we thought was the most inspiring part and why. Some Rebels even considered adding some of what Tyler brought to the stage into their performance on Wednesday. Tuesday's Mindfulness was a "Choose Your OwnMindful Adventure," with Rebels opting to complete their Monday Manifestations, work on Zen Doodles, or assemble floor puzzles. Tuesday's Launch welcomed a visiting Rebel and then focused on genius ideas and decision-making for next year: will we start with squads or triads? Will we have a Civilizations Honours badge option? What jobs should be added to Studio Maintenance? On Wonder Wednesday, the Rebels completed all three New York Times puzzles: the Daily Wordle, Connections, and Mini crossword! Then, Rebels came together with the Sparks to watch a virutal tour of the Academic Hall Theatre at uOttawa and discuss expectations for our visit. On Thursday morning, Rebels discussed the following: if you could have the talent of any of your friends, what would it be and why? For Launch, we continued discussing ideas for the fall and took orders for Friday's pizza lunch. On Feel Good Friday, we tried a "Guess that Song" activity with the Boomwhackers and then had Current Events! The week's report featured a history of the Stanley Cup, a review of what pronouns are in connection to Pride Month, and a strategy to have a successful YouTube channel (explained by Mr. Beast).
READER/WRITER
For our final Reader/Writer workshop period this year, Rebels wrapped up loose ends and closed final loops on their "Show Your Growth Speeches." The entire team took the first half of the workshop to make final edits, go over any last minute changes and work on timing and presentation skills with a small feedback circle before coming together as a whole studio to listen to what their teammates had written about. In Quest, we've only seen some of the speeches before Rebel rehearsals, so this was the first time many Rebels heard each other's stories of personal growth that they plan to share with family and friends on Wednesday. It was by far the most inspiring and meaningful feedback circle we've had to date. Rebels took turns reading their speeches to the studio and shared such incredibly vulnerable stories and moments that meant the most to their growth this year. Tying everything together with how their growth relates to their Hero's Journey, we have no doubt these speeches will be a massive hit at Academic Hall on Wednesday afternoon. Rebels - it was such a pleasure watching you grow your literacy skills over the past seven sessions. You should be so proud of your final written assignment of the school year and even more proud of the confidence you've developed in your reading and writing skills.
QUEST
Lights, cameras, ACTION! It was the Discovery and Spark Studio Exhibition this week at the University of Ottawa's Academic Hall! Rebels put on an incredible "Show Your Growth" Talent Show, accompanied by the Spark's fantastic five-minute fairytale plays and fabulous French song performances. The Discovery Rebels planned, organized and executed this Exhibition in its entirety - from the design of the tickets to the event posters, designing and writing the programs, working at the ticket booth and as ushers to escort guests to the theatre, helping write Band posts and communications to our community about the event, managing their costumes, props, speeches, as well as running their own auditions and rehearsals leading up to the big show. Rebels, we can say that without a doubt, this was one of your most successful events to date! As a learner-driven community, these Rebels seized the opportunity to make this show their own, and we are so proud of each of you who contributed to this event. Thank you again to our community of families and friends for coming to support the Rebels for their final Exhibition of the school year! Congratulations again to both Spark and Discovery Rebels - You did it!!!
CIVILIZATIONS
Rebels submitted for their year-long Civilizations badge in our final class of the year! Earning this badge demonstrates a mastery of Socratic oral communication skills (listening and speaking), spatial skills, and an evolving understanding of historical significance.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
On Tuesday, the dress rehearsal for Quest ran a bit late. We took what time we had left for P.E. and headed for free play at the park or the field! Rebels enjoyed playing tag, soccer, and basketball and had fun on the playground. On Thursday, the Rebels chose between kickball or free play at the park.
FRENCH
This week, we finished singing all our songs and then concentrated on practicing our Exhibition song Tout le bonheur du monde! We hope you enjoyed our performance!
Additional Highlights
Yearbooks arrived this week, and it was so much fun to watch the Rebels flip through the pages and reminisce about all of the amazing memories they've made this year. Thanks again to our incredible Yearbook Committee for putting together this special keepsake!
Exploration Studio
Graduation Ceremony
On Monday afternoon, we celebrated nine of our learners who will be moving on to high school in the fall! It was a lovely ceremony honouring these incredible humans and their journey at Revel. We are so excited for their next steps and hope that they know Revel will always be a home away from home for them!
MINDFULNESS AND LAUNCH
On Monday morning, Rebels took time to create their Summer Bucket List in anticipation of their time off in a couple of weeks. We discussed how the items didn't need to be exciting, expensive, or take a lot of time; the purpose was to make the most of their summer. Eating watermelon, going to Calypso, spending time at a cottage, and getting ice cream with friends were at the top of many lists. Learners then made an Eisenhower Matrix with the remaining action items they wanted to accomplish before the end of the school year. Tuesday morning's mindful movement was very slow and low impact: we did some neck hygiene, dropping each ear to the same shoulder and breathing deeply. We stayed seated most of our practice, stretching our legs and moving through a series of spinal twists, only to recline at the end and stretch out both hamstrings.
Upon their return to the studio, Rebels discussed Free Speech. Rebels said that this freedom is for citizens to express thoughts and ideas without fear of censorship or interference from the government. However, there are some limitations, such as hate speech, libel, and harmful threats, and there are potential consequences regardless. Learners then imagined that they were the CEO of a social media network. Is it ok for them to decide who speaks or writes on the platform because they started and run the company, or is it unacceptable for any individual to be able to restrict the speech of so many people? After debating the importance of neutrality and what should happen if a social media company is found to be politically biased, learners discussed how some artists, musicians, and comedians share graphic or racist content that is threatening in nature but face no legal implications because it is considered free speech; however, non-artists sharing similar content have faced the consequences because it is regarded as a threat. Should regulation and enforcement for artists and non-artists be different? Wednesday morning, Rebels finished their pinatas, created structures with KEVA planks, built race tracks, and painted with their morning mindfulness time. Thursday's mindful movements included another round of Elimination Island Yoga! Rebels increased their yoga flows with eight poses this week and challenged each other to memorize the other teams' sequences. We then enjoyed a learner-led Blooket on animals before beginning Core Skills. Friday's Mindful Puzzles ultimately stumped the team this week, with The Mini being a real brain teaser! However, Rebels solved Wordle in three guesses, the Mindful Connections in 4 guesses, and were very close to completing Letterboxed before running out of time.
QUEST
Rebels began this week thinking about their Artist Statements. If they struggled to write, they focused on the "why" and the "how" behind their work. Once they had ideas flowing, they used a checklist to try and describe their Hero's Journey as an artist, any significant theme in the content of a piece of their art or their body of work as a collection, and/or any major influences, artists or movements they were drawn to this session. Tuesday and Wednesday, we finalized decisions about how we'd display our work and used our precious remaining time to complete pieces and curate which ones each artist wanted to exhibit. Thursday was the Vernissage Exhibition! Rebels set up their art on display in the gym, along with four interactive stations, so they could invite their guests, friends and families to make art, too. We had some amazing still-life pieces, dynamic gesture drawings, Mobius strip sketches, fabulous collages, and mini sculptures. There are a lot of artists in our community!
FRENCH
This week was the Semi-Finals and Finals of our French Jeopardy game, in which the Rebels took on the big competition. A whole year's worth of lessons were reviewed, and the lucky winners won a lunch from Kim's!
READER/WRITER
Rebels spent the final Reader/Writer workshop of the year working towards completing their Artist Biographies in time for badge submissions and closing the loops on other end-of-year items. Many incredible biographies were submitted this week, with some making the deadline for display at the incredible Vernissage Exhibition on Thursday evening. Rebels covered many artists from different periods and places around the world. We learned about Basquiat, Jackson Pollock, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Lady Aiko, Joshua Johnson, Ellsworth Kelly, Paul Cezanne, Vincent Van Gogh, Banksy, Claude Monet, The Group of Seven, Edgar Degas and Keith Allen Haring. Rebels, it has been an incredible session and school year! You have accomplished a variety of written works, starting with writing your own fantasy myths, creating informational travel brochures, building a studio cookbook for an expository writing piece, taking a deep dive into historical non-fiction with the Salem Witch Trials, developing debate speeches and studying the McCarthy Trials to complete a comparative essay for the two events and closing the year with biographies. I hope you are as proud of yourselves as we are of you! Congratulations on another year filled with hard work and perseverance! For our teammates moving on to their next journey, I have no doubt you will impress your future guides and educators with all the skills you've honed this year. For those returning in September, I look forward to our next workshop together in the fall!
MATH LAB
This week's problem-solving was a throwback to Session 2's financial literacy theme! Rebels were given a complex dilemma involving a six-person family (two adults and four children) travelling domestically in the United States for the winter holidays on a tight budget. Specifically, Rebels had to decide whether or not the family should fly or drive from Boise, Idaho, to Gilbert, Arizona. They were given several critical constraints like overall budget, vacation time for the working parent, and family priorities. Then, they had to work with their team to sift through flight prices and schedules, airline policies, highway routes, hotel bookings and pricing, as well as fuel economy and gasoline prices for the family's Honda Odyssey.
Late Night Hang-Out
On Friday night, Exploration and Launchpad Rebels were invited to stay at the school for dinner, video games, glow-in-the-dark fun outside, signing yearbooks, card games, trivia, and movies. The Rebels were surprised to discover that they had spent 14 hours at the school and would have stayed longer if they could! This is an amazing group of teens, and it has been a fun year watching them learn, grow, and discover more about the people they are and want to become.
Launchpad Studio
This was a strange week in the Launchpad Studio as learners headed off to camps and jobs or spent time preparing projects and attaching evidence to their Mastery Transcript. They completed their Poetry Analysis pieces for the Exhibition at the Vernissage, worked on building their PC, and completed their independent coursework. We hope that they all take some time this summer to relax and gear up for a great year ahead!
Potential Discussion Ideas or Questions to Ask Your Rebel:
Spark Studio
What were the happy places/thoughts you imagined when you did the visualization exercise? To whom did you send your friendly wishes?
Which was your favourite book study this year? (We Don't Eat Our Classmates, Sneezy the Snowman, Creepy Carrots, Diary of a Worm, one of the Fairytales?)
What do you think your guides should do over the summer holidays?
French: Do you know all the lyrics to the song "Le roi, la reine et le petit prince"?
Discovery Studio
French: Which songs did you choose for your French badge? How did it go?
What was your favourite part about Exhibition at Academic Hall this year?
With your final week of school coming up, what has been your favourite session this year? What kinds of themes would you like to see in the upcoming school year?
Exploration Studio
French: How does the competition work in French? Where does your team stand?
R/W: Which artist did you enjoy learning most about this session? Why?
Math Lab: How realistic was the budget in this week's challenge? Can we visit family in another province during the holidays (with gifts, meals and all transport costs covered) for under $1500?
Quest: What are you most proud of as an artist after your first vernissage event?
Important Upcoming Dates
Canada Day: No School - Monday, July 1st
Rebel Olympics - Tuesday, July 2nd
Swimming, Summer Birthday Celebration, and Ice Cream Truck - Wednesday, July 3rd
Discovery and Spark visit to the Raven Park pool - Please send your learner with a hat, sunscreen, towel and swimsuit for the park today if they have permission to play in the wading pool!
Bouncy Castle Party - Thursday, July 4th
Exploration visit to Raven Park pool
Last Day of School - Friday, July 5th