Creating Infographics

Using Canva

Several of my students really enjoy creating infographics for projects in Science and Social Studies that impart information in a creative way.

Using Canva

Students have used both Canva and Google Slides for these infographics. Canva has several templates that are available free to use, Google Slides is a way to create exactly what you want (including the size) without being tied into a template. Both work very well.

Using Google Slides

I love that each student has created an informative, visual representation of facts. These projects have all started out with research and because of the finite nature of the infographics, they have had to learn to prioritize what information is most important. A great skill to have! 

World Debt Clock Hyperdoc

I have done some form of this activity with several of my students and they have learned a lot about the debt in other countries as well as in Canada! We have explored the student's own solutions for the debt problem and extended this to a compare and contrast project of two or more countries culminating with an infographic. 

This gives Grade 9+ students the opportunity to work with real world statistics and do some critical thinking and research to extend those statistics into real world solutions. This activity encourages critical and creative thinking as well as statistical analysis. 

Here is the World Debt Clock Hyperdoc. It is in a Google Slides format but you can easily download as a PDF if you prefer. 

Blessings,
Natalie

Compare and Contrast Canadian Ecozones to Natural Resources

Physiographic features of Canada is part of the outcomes for BC Grade 9. One of the sample activities suggests comparing and contrasting physical features and natural resources in different regions of Canada. This is the project my student and I did to explore natural resources in Canada.

First, I created a block poster of a map of Canada (thanks Donna at Northwoods Press!) in order to have lots of room to explore the regions and the resources. I also went to www.clker.com and got clip art to represent our resources. You can find them in this PDF. 

We used the map above to explore our Ecozones. We then began to add natural resources, crops and Canadian mining to our map. 

As we added resources to the map, I was asking my student why they thought that the resource was located in that area. We researched what we couldn't answer from the obvious geographic features. 

They then did an essay on what they thought was the most promising resource in Canada.

This was a great way to explore ecozones and Canadian natural resources! 

Blessings,
Natalie

The Black Plague Interactive Lesson

My student and I had a wonderful time learning more about the Black Plague with these varied activities. 

First, we took a look at this infographic. It was very informative about many aspects of the Great Plague! We also explored this powerpoint for more information, especially about supposed cures. 

Next, we played this simulation about the spread of the plague. 

We used counters to keep track of the spread to each of the towns. Thanks to Homeschool Den this really brought home the spread of a contagious disease with little to stop it!

We then used this template to do a newspaper article based on the spread of the black plague in our towns from the simulation above. 

This lesson was interactive and interesting! Enjoy!! 

Blessings,
Natalie

The King John Decision Game

One of my students and I played this game to get a better understanding of the decisions that King John had to make. It helped us to understand:
1. King John's Reign and the problems that faced him.
2. Events leading up to the Magna Carta.
3. What it might be like to be a monarch and make decisions.

The King John Decision Game includes a Powerpoint, worksheet for the student and activity file with instructions for you. I had to create a page of crowns for the activity and instructions were included. I just used clip art from here.

This game was an exercise that included critical thinking, decision making, problem-solving and historical context. It could be used collaboratively as well. Thank you to Thinking History UK for this resource!

Blessings,
Natalie

Symbols of Canada - K-2 Hybrid Hyperdoc

I have been reading The Hyperdoc Handbook and learning about how to create Hyperdocs. 

I am so excited!! I have created a hybrid version of a Hyperdoc: Symbols of Canada for K-2. 
I have included projects that I have used with my own daughter and other students I tutor. Enjoy!! 
Blessings,
Natalie

Sweatshop Labour and Ethical Fashion Show Co-op

Our last Co-op was an awesome exploration the Asian Floor Wage, Ethical Fashion and Sweatshop Labour.

First I had the students watch this video and we talked about the floor wage and how that would affect each country depending on costs of living.  

We then as a large group compared statistics of the Asia Floor Wage and what a Living Wage is in a variety of countries and discussed the poorest paid countries. I used these statistics.

Together we looked at this political cartoon and discussed the implications of totally boycotting sweatshop labour: 

The students then got into groups of four to create a fashion show. They brought a variety of clothing with them. I adapted this idea for our Sweatshop Fashion Show: 

Here is the document that the groups used to create the commentary for their fashion show. They were to have one model with ethically responsible clothing and one model with non-ethically responsible clothing.

Here is the main information that they used to assess their fashions. 

I think that this session helped our students to look at clothing in a different way. Hopefully, they learned more about the fashion industry and the idea of living wages and floor wages. 

They certainly learned those companies that have changed their practices over the past 10 years. They also learned about those companies who have full disclosure and who have signed either the FLA - (Fair Labour Associations) guidelines or the ETI - (Ethical Trading Initiative).

First People's Stereotyping Co-op

We had an amazing Co-op on First People's Stereotyping. My goal was to challenge our students to be aware of the stereotyping of Indigenous people in Canada and North America. Our students are so much more aware of this than I remember being as a youth. It is amazing how one generation can make such a difference in thoughts and actions. This is a touchy area, as I am not Aboriginal and can't really put myself in an Aboriginal person's shoes fully. I have tried my best to make this Co-op challenging to our students and any assumptions - hopefully I have honoured First People's in Canada! 

http://www.sfu.ca/ipinch/outputs/blog/appropriation-month-first-nation-totem-poles/

Start with sayings - go into groups and look at the sayings - what do they mean and why are they offensive?  

Here is the form we used. 
Here was some background information I was able to tell the students after:

Perspectives by KC Adams -  this was an amazing display! - I asked the students (having only seen the first picture - and not the wording) to create a profile for their picture. Who is this person? Where do they live? What is their situation? Create a back story for your photo…

Share backstories with the group and then compare them to the real story

Here is the form we used. 

http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/native.htm

Your media image - why do you think it is offensive? What is it stereotyping about First People’s? Discuss as a group and present. This was a wonderful exercise. The students were truly offended by these images. 

Here are some of the images:
#1
#2
#3
#4

We then had great discussions as a large group about these 4 videos. 

Watch video #1 Wab Kine - Rant.  - What point stood out for you?

Watch video about How Hollywood has portrayed First Peoples - What did you think?

Peter Pan - why is this video offensive?

Pocahontas - why is this video offensive?

I think by the end of this day our students had been challenged to look at their language, assumptions, the things they found humor in and those things they found offensive - or not! It was a great day!

Blessings, Natalie

Craigdarroch Castle - Field Trips in British Columbia

We are so blessed on Vancouver Island to have so many field trip opportunities for our students. Our Co-op purchased the Pass it Around Victoria passes for our students to take in a wide range of field trips this year.

Our first stop was Craigdarroch Castle. For $15.00 they were able to provide us with an excellent docent that really made the castle come alive, including all of the history and context of the time frame. We learned a great deal about the Dunsmuirs themselves, but also about Victoria in the late 1800's and even about what was happening in the world at the time the Dunsmuirs lived there. 

This gave perspective to our students and our parents, of the Victorian time frame, and that Victoria, BC was part of that era. The fact that they had servants and servant's quarters, put things in perspective. The fashion, the amenities and the overall building of the castle all brought this time frame into a more tangible era for us all.

There was much irony in the whole building of Craigdarroch and our docent really helped us to understand that irony. His explanations about the Dunsmuir family were very interesting!

If you are wanting to visit Craigdarroch I advise having a docent and enjoying a tour, I truly makes the castle come alive! Blessings, Natalie

BC Legislature

It was great visiting the BC Legislature last week. I hadn’t been on the tour for many years and I appreciated getting a reminder of the history of BC and of our government. Francis Rattenbury certainly designed beautiful buildings and the Parliament buildings are no exception. 

The docent who led us through the Legislature was very knowledgeable and gave us several art lessons from the intricacies of the coat of arms to the beautiful stained glass in the waiting room. She pointed out the architecture and really made the building “come alive”. 

She also explained to us about the Legislature, how it runs what we would see when we went into the question period. We had the opportunity to see government in action.
Being in the gallery really helped us to see what a regular day in government looked like, I heard more children come out and say, I am not going to ever be a politician, but Elizabeth found it interesting.

We had a visit from the MLA who is from his riding in Kelowna. It was great to have Norm Letnick visit us as Heritage Christian Online School is certainly part of his centre of influence. He also shared with the students that he is the current Minister of Agriculture for BC. He handed out cards and let us know that the students could contact him with any concerns.
Experiencing the Legislature and question period really put into perspective that governing is happening each day they are in session and that it takes real representatives who have the people’s best interests at heart to govern in a responsible way. 
We had just been reading about representative and responsible government and I think this really deepened that understanding.
Blessings! Natalie

Movies as Literature - Gods and Generals

This morning was our next Movies as Literature session and we were discussing Gods and Generals which is about the US Civil War. This was a 6 hour mini-series which some of the students watched. We watched the movie version that was a little over 2 hours. Anyway that you watched it, it was very heavy! 
I wouldn't say that it was our student's favourite, but there was lots to discuss!
There were quotes and poetry within the movie so it was great for the students to look at these elements of literature. There were many verses as well as biblical application. Many situations in the movie, I felt, led to moral dilemmas, exploring irony and lots of critical thinking. These students really were able to really think about the implications of their opinions and how it applied to today.
I continue to be challenged by this group of students! 
Here are the questions for Gods and Generals for you to use with your Movies as Literature class.

Movies as Literature - Amazing Grace

We had another great session in our Movies as Literature class. I think that though slavery was a topic these students knew about, many didn't have the emotional connection to the plight of the slaves until they studied this movie. 
I think that learning about William Wilberforce was inspiring, not only because of his fight for abolition, but also his fight with his illness, with his addiction to laudanum and his fight to be the man that God was calling him to be.
This was a great movie for discussion! Here are the questions that we used.
Blessings!!
Natalie

Immigration - A great start to our Co-op year!

Our first Co-op this year started a new chapter with the addition of Biblical Hermeneutics. For the first hour of the morning we had the benefit of a wonderful pastor teaching our children about Hermeneutics. It is pretty deep first thing for these teens but it will be such a great addition to our day!

This Co-op centered around Immigration in Canada. Each of the students told a story about how their ancestors came to Canada.  For this session the students were asked to be prepared to answer:
Who had come? (how many generations ago?)
Why had they come?
Where had they come from?

The students ended up hearing immigration stories from many different generations, countries and reasons for coming to Canada. I think this was such a visual representation of diversity in this relatively small sample of BC. 

After lunch, the students learned about Picasso and started on their Picasso-like self portrait collages. As always our art instructor sets up the lesson with the life of the artist and facts about the art that our students will be creating. There is always a lively lesson with one so gifted in art and drama!

Then the students "went to town"! Such a great lesson and lots of opportunity for creativity!!
After art it was off to the ball diamond for a great game of softball to finish off a full, but very fun day!! 
Blessings!!

Industrial Revolution Co-op

We had a wonderful Industrial Revolution co-op for our final social studies co-op of 2013/14. For the next four months we will be addressing Grade 9 BC science outcomes. This is the first time we have done science in this co-op and I am so looking forward to it! We have some very talented moms that teach in our co-op and we can look forward to some great lessons ahead!!

Back to the Industrial Revolution…

Our mom had the students take a look at the Factory Acts and see if there was any benefit to the workers in each of the Acts. 

She gave the students a printout with the Acts and they interpreted them based on the following criteria.

Ages and Hours Worked

Changes in Working Conditions

Other Changes

After they discussed if the changes were beneficial or not to the workers with each act. Our mom then challenged the students about working conditions around the world today. 

She then set up a debate for or against child labour. The group that was for child labour had a much more challenging task, as these students have a great sense of social justice. I have seen their compassion and heart many times through our co-ops! It was great to see these students engaging in a debate. I hope that we will have many more of these in the future.

This co-op was a perfect tie in to our North and South study and really enhanced our study of the Industrial Revolution. What a blessing to have talented teachers and engaged students!!

The students then had a break and in the afternoon had an art study on portraits with our Art/Drama mom…

Here is her synopsis:

“On Monday we talked about how art changed during this time period. There was more realism, more perspective, more mood, light and shadow, and more portraits. We talked about the first thing you notice in a portrait (eyes), and how to draw them correctly. The kids chose either charcoal or pencil and we drew eyes first. Next we drew full portraits and I gave the kids some measurements by which to check if the facial features were in correct location.”

These students have been so blessed to get such great art/drama instruction each month in this class. There are so many skills our students are learning! I am always amazed!!

Then it was off to the gym with our PE dad who taught our students more skills in floor hockey. 

After the session, he led the students through a devotion and then it was time to be off…

Co-op days are a long day, but it is always bittersweet when they are over!! 

Blessings,

Natalie