This Week At School

This week at school...

-  We had a truth and reconciliation day.  It started off with an assembly with multiple speakers (one being Phyllis Webstad the author and main character in Phyllis' Orange Shirt).  Then we had a couple of other sessions throughout the day.  In one of those sessions we played a game where students had to try to collect rights that people have.  There were 7 in total that they were looking for and they started off with some (some may have had 5 of the same right, others had nothing to start with, and others had 12 to start with).  So they had to trade to get their other rights BUT they weren't allowed to talk or they would have to sit out for a minute.  Then we had a discussion about how frustrating it was for those that weren't given enough rights to begin with, how we obtained the rights we were missing (some people stole them from other people if they left them on tables) and yet how easy the game was for others.  We then related it all back to residential schools and how even still not everyone has their rights being met.  It was a real eye opener and if possible very much worth a play with your students on (or around) September 30th.

I was in a classroom that I hadn't been in yet... ever of grade 3/4 students.  Since February was I Love to Read month they were having a "battle of the books" so I read them one and we watched a video of "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish"... they voted for the One Fish Two Fish book.

We watched a Bill Nye video when I was a science teacher (yes, they sang along... some with their own lyrics)

I spent the day teaching middle years basic French.



Wednesday this week was also Pink Shirt Day - a day to talk about bullying and how it impacks those around us.  If you didn't do anything for Pink Shirt Day it is never too late so here is a link to some things that I've done with my students in the past.

Losing Sleep

Every so often I see something on social media about teaching that catches my eye, usually because one of two reasons:

1)  It's so true

2)  It is definitely not true at all

Today we speak the truth

How many of us have lost sleep because we are teachers?

Be it marking, preparing, or worrying... we too lose sleep!

City Skyline Art Idea

I found this lovely picture in an art room I was in recently:

Middle Years City Skyline Art Idea

Now, I couldn't find the lesson online but it seems pretty straight forward

1)  Paint the background in some kind of gradient

2) Draw out a city skyline on a piece of paper and then cut it out

3)  Trace skyline onto black construction paper, cut out, and glue onto painted paper

4)  Create shadows in the water

The teacher also had some things the students had to include with their structures

I think these are some good criteria... that way you don't have someone doing a bunch of rectangles or houses and it makes it look more interesting.

When trying to find a lesson online to go with this I found loads of other city skyline art ideas (seriously, there are TONS out there).  So if you are interested in a slightly different version of this - they are out there!

If you are interested in reading some of my other art related posts here are a few:

What if I had Animal Teeth?

Winter Art Ideas

Halloween/Fall Art Ideas

Remembrance Day Art Ideas

Dutch Tulip Fields

This Week At School

This week at school was pretty swell.

I had a late start/early day off one day this week... which is kind of nice (because I get to sleep in a bit and get things done before my husband gets home) but kind of sucks because when all was said and done I ended up getting paid for less than a half day.

I had an afternoon with a couple of pretty easy ELA classes.

Then I was in kindergarten and found this

no nose picking!

And a giant Pet Palace.

It's hard to see but in this first picture there are even xrays of different animals inside the Pet Palace (I think it was like a vet)

I loved all the misspelled signs!

And that was my week!

I pretty much already have all of next week prebooked (which is nice).