September 25-29

 Learning Intentions

I can examine elements of fictional texts (Grade 6 ELAL)

I can recognize and appreciate how different social and cultural perspectives contributes to acceptance, inclusion, and the common good (Grade 6 Wellness)

I can examine how empathy toward others with different perspectives supports healthy relationships (Grade 6 Wellness)

I can understand how oral traditions can enhance relationships and preserve shared knowledge (Grade 6 ELAL)

In grade 6, we continue to deepen our understanding of fictional texts by examining the elements and characters in novels. Students have continued to explore their novels in our reading groups, where they read and engage in conversation with a teacher multiple times each week. In addition to these novels, we started a class read-aloud this week: The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill. Students learned about adventure mapping; a creative tool that allows them to reflect on the important events and characters in a text.

We engaged in a number of tasks and activities during Truth and Reconciliation week designed to gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous cultures, how understanding and appreciating different perspectives serves the common good, and the unfortunate consequences of discriminatory actions. 

Inuit Throat Singing

Metis Jig Dancing

First Nations Grass Dancing

We watched a video highlighting some Inuit, Metis, and First Nations people committed to reviving some important cultural traditions

Students created pieces of art to represent Canada's 

commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

The entire school community came together in the learning grounds 

to acknowledge the land with the Morning Cree song and the 

Children's Treaty 7 Land Acknowledgment.

September 18-22

Learning Intentions:

I can use a formula to calculate area of a triangle and area of a parallelogram (Grade 6 math)

I can recognize how historical events in Canada have influenced our democratic society (Grade 6 Social Studies)

We learned some new terminology in math over the past few weeks; parallelograms are four-sided shapes with two pairs of parallel lines. Congruent means exactly the same in shape and size, and area is the the amount of space a two dimensional shape takes up (like a footprint). We used manipulatives and explored area to find the formula for the area of a parallelogram: b X h, and the area of a triangle: (b x h)/2. Grade 6 students wrote their first quiz of the year in math this week! They will be bringing it home this week to share with you.

Solving Area Puzzles. These were tricky and the students had to work hard to find solutions!

         

Students used artistic creativity to show their understanding
of area of a parallelogram and area of a triangle. 

Ask your grade sixer about Treaty 7 week! We learned about when and where Treaty 7 was signed as well as the six Indigenous Nations who are part of Treaty 7. Students learned about the symbolism in the Treaty 7 Flag and the Metis Flag that we have on display in the front entrance of our school. We experimented with greetings in some Blackfoot languages and loved playing some traditional Blackfoot games. Ask your child about Line Tag and Coralling the Buffalo.

                                                        

We learned about Writing on Stone Provincial Park and experimented with
drawing some simple images to represent events that are important in our lives.
Imagine etching these images into sandstone 4000 years ago!

The Metis of Canada flag (above) and the Treaty 7 Flag (below)

We decorated paint stir sticks to create this game. To make it more age appropriate,
we made our sticks worth up to 12 points each.
The students cheered every time we gave them time to play this game this week!

       

September 11-15

 

Learning Intentions:

I can value the role of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in protecting individual and collective rights and Freedoms (Grade 6 Social Studies)

I can learn about Trees and Forests through the lens of Two-Eyed Seeing (Gr. 6 TRC Commitment)

I can describe and classify leaf shapes, leaf arrangements, branching patterns, and the overall form of a tree (Grade 6 Science)

In grade 6, we learned about The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We learned about the meaning of the 4 Fundamental Freedoms and 7 Rights. After reading about the Charter and getting a better understanding of how it protects the rights of Canadian citizens, students got into groups and chose a Right or Freedom to examine carefully. They read some texts and learned how to take jot notes about the important details. After this hard work, students started creating posters to display in the classroom and to remind everybody about this important document to Canadian Citizens.

As a class, we read All Creation Represented: A Child's Guide to the Medicine Wheel, by Joyce Perreault, and spent some time talking about our Spirit, Heart, Body, and Mind. After our trip to Fish Creek Park, we looked through some of the photos and students were thoughtful about which part of the Medicine Wheel they were in while learning about trees and leaves.