Nov 26 Class

1. Silent Reading (Someone gets the mobile lab)
2. Homework support time
3. Write in your duotangs for today's goal
4. Everyone goes onto webmail and confirms account activation for prezi.

1. Go to krss.sd57.bc.ca
2. Click on "Webmail" on the left hand menu 
3. Sign in using your school computer login
4. Find the email from Prezi.com and open it
5. Click on the link Prezi provides to verify your account. You will need this for Thursday.

5. Work on your research. You should be at least half way done your research and considering ways to create your product.

Aryana, Travis M, Justus, Alysha, Trinity, Brooklyn, Brandon, Ally, Tyler L. all have notes on what  you need to do. Your proposals need to be finished!

Round One of Exploration Projects

Here are some fantastic examples of exploration projects from the first cohort. I can't wait to see the ones to come!

This project on Twister and its role in popular culture had student volunteers learning about the history of the game while trying to balance on the student-modified board.

Don't mind the mess in the classroom, there is learning going on!

Check out the Prezi on DaVinci!


http://prezi.com/bytrfojcto-r/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

These cupcakes were delicious.

Sharks were an interesting area for research. This is only one part of the excellent presentation.

 Everyone learned more about Viking ships during this presentation and the detailed model was a nice touch.

 Scientific experiments using cream and cooking? Yum! We enjoyed our ice cream and pasta.

These posters were part of a detailed explanation of the importance of myths in preserving identity and transmitting culture. 

This is the megalodon poster and model. We were all thankful we didn't have to worry about these predators.

Great work everyone!

Beth Wilcox

Project: Elephants and Zebras

Here is the Powerpoint from today's presentation on Elephants and Zebras. Enjoy!

Rubric for Presentations

	Excellent	Very Good	Satisfactory	Min.  Acceptable
Plans and rehearses oral presentations	Clearly rehearsed and thoroughly planned	Planned and rehearsed presentation	Somewhat planned presentation	Reads presentation or is “winging it.”
Uses oral communication techniques (clarity, volume, eye contact, body language, engagement with topic and audience)	Speaks clearly, expressively, with appropriate volume. Frequent eye contact with audience members around the room. Body language shows good engagement.	Speaks clearly and with appropriate volume. Frequent eye contact. Body language shows some engagement.	Speaks clearly or with appropriate volume. Some eye contact.	Body language shows limited engagement. Speech unclear or quiet.

Project Time (Wednesday and Thursday)

Wednesday:

1. Silent reading
2. Tutorial- work on homework. If caught up, work on project research.

Overdue Chapter 3 & 4 Questions:

• Samia
• Ryan M
• Courtney
• Denae

• Aidan
• Gage
• Brittany
• Kayli
• Julia

3. Project Time: Your task is to find one good source for your research. It may be a website, book, youtube video etc. Please fill out the information on your "Exploration Project Source List". You should have two sources filled in completely by Friday.

4. Metacognition and Goals: Develop rubric for goal setting. 

Thursday:

1. Silent reading

2. Guided binder cleanup. Please bring all your binders and papers to class!

3. Project time: Finish up notes on first source. Work on finding second source and filling in notes sheet.  

Project Proposal Form: Due by Friday

Please fill out the following project proposal form:

Exploration Project Proposal

Name: _____________________________________

Curriculum Strand:

Topic I want to study:

What am I going to explore?  My guiding question:

What do I need to know to answer this question? My sub-questions:

Ideas for a product I am considering:

Research source I have found:

 Here is the example Beth did:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/twjmhey0hxikpd5/Beth%20Exploration%20Proposal.pdf

Exploration Project Launch!

Exploration Project Launch

Goals of Project Time

• You are the leader in your learning.
• Instead of getting all of your knowledge from the teacher, you learn how to build your own knowledge.
• You explore an area you are interested in.
• You meet various curriculum outcomes by completing check-ins, meeting deadlines, and completing tasks along the way.
• We work with peers and teach to edit our work and get make a professional product.
• You connect your learning to the world outside of school.
• We show off our work to the world!

Details of the Exploration Project

• You are given a list of socials and science curriculum outcomes.
• You will pick one you want to explore.
• You will come up with one focused way to explore the outcome.
• You will meet English outcomes by keeping a journal where you reflect on your learning and set goals.
• There will be check-ins for things like proposals and drafts that will be marked.
• You will present your project with an oral presentation and during a public presentation time with other Grade 8 students

Every Student Will...

• meet some English outcomes,
• meet 1 outcome from the list of socials or science options,
• use technology at various points along the way and to publish your work,
• create something (a "product"),
• teach others about what you learned so they understand that aspect of the learning goal,
• give an oral presentation explaining your findings at the end.

Options for Science and Social Outcomes to Explore

Remember, you are to come up with a specific, focused way to explore the topic found in the outcome. You are not giving a generalized overview. 

Socials

You may choose to focus on the years 500-1600 or explore modern instances of the learning outcomes)

1.  Describe how societies preserve identity, transmit culture, and adapt to change

Some ways you might explore this outcome could be,

a.      Look at worship centres in Prince George and explore how they are connected to ideas of culture and identity in our community.

b.      Explore a religion(s) between 500-1600 and report on how religion transmitted culture and adapted to change.

c.       Explore the evolution of art in a culture and connect it to change or identity.

d.      Look at the traditions of Aboriginal peoples in this area and how they preserve their culture.

e.       Explore family traditions and their role in preserving identity and transmitting culture.

f.       Look  at what happened to a society at a moment of change (ex. the First Nations of Prince George with Fort George Park, dam building and First Nations in BC, the effect of missionaries on Aboriginal cultures, how Aboriginal peoples are rebuilding following residential schools).

2.      Demonstrate an understanding of the tension between individual rights and the responsibilities of citizens

            Some ways you might explore this outcome could be,

a.       Explore the difference between rights and responsibilities in a certain culture or context.

b.       Look at how rights are treated in a variety of societies.

c.       Examine the relationship between an individual(s) and the power structure at a certain point in history.

d.      Explore different political systems.

e.       Explore how people can and do use their rights.

f.       Explore a protest movement.

g.      Examine the Charter of Rights and/or the Quebec Charter.

h.      Profile the rights of a person in a specific time.

i.        Explore what it was like to be a person in a specific time.

j.        Profile a leader in rights movement.

k.      Become active in rights movement.

3.      Describe the impact of technological innovation and science on political, social and economic structures.

      Some ways you might explore this outcome could be,

a.       Look at an important technology, such as the printing press.

b.      Study past navigation systems and how they changed the world.

c.       Look at the invention of Viking ships and what they led to.

4.      Compare the changing nature of labour in rural and urban environments.

a.      Look at how rural and urban communities adapt to changing work options.

b.   Explore how job changes affected the structure of a society.  

Science

These are only some examples of the ways you can explore these curriculum outcomes. 

            1.      Demonstrate ethical, responsible, cooperative behaviour.

                   a.       Look at the ethics of certain scientific issues

            2.      Describe the relationship between scientific principles and technology.

                                      a. Explore the science behind how does ___________ work?                                         

      3. Perform experiments using the scientific method.
              a. Develop an experiment where you apply the scientific method.
      4. Represent and interpret information in graphic form.
              a. Research an important topic and find a way to present it meaningfully in graphic form.
       5. Demonstrate scientific literacy.

1. Become familiar with an issue in the news and present various sides. 

               

Do something awesome!

Discover your passion.

Explore your interest in projects.

Activity

 In a small group, use books, computers, and each other as resources to brainstorm as many possible interesting topics someone could explore under each curriculum organizer. Try to get thinking about specifics.  Write all your ideas on sticky notes and put them under the relevant curriculum outcome. 

Handout: Thinking about exploration topics.