Treaty Simulation

Yesterday, we spent most of the day taking part in a treaty simulation. I put a line of tape down the centre of the room, and told students that one half of the room no longer existed. I divided the students into two groups, blue and red. Then, I gave students the following scenario (in French):

You are two separate nations who need to share this one half of the classroom. You need to share the space and also all of the materials in the room. You must decide with your group on a fair way to share the space and the materials. Make sure you consider how you can decide, how you can share resources, how much each person or nation can get, and for how long they should certain resources.

You will choose one person from your group to record your points on a large piece of paper. If your group does not agree, you must find a way to make the final decision. Then, you will exchange with the other group. When you exchange and read the other group's proposition, you will change, add, or remove details as needed until your group can agree with the other nation's proposition. Choose one representative to present the changes. The other group will listen, and then either agree to or dispute your changes to the agreement.

At this point, I stopped the dialogue and asked the students how they were feeling. The excitement with which they had at first greeted the task was replaced for many of them by less pleasant sentiments. Most responded "angry," "frustrated," "sad/upset," etc. A few were even on the verge of tears over the agreement, much to my chagrin. I asked them to consider that we were only trying to divide up part of our class for one day. Imagine trying to divide your homes, the land, a whole region.

I guided students through the rest of the process. On a new piece of paper, we wrote out the points that both groups agreed to accept, and then the groups chose a "chief" to come forward and sign the treaty.

I have attached a link with video of the students' discussions. The password is the same as it has been all year. I was so proud of how hard they worked and of how seriously they took the challenge. What a great group of students! I am a lucky teacher!

http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/mmehamilton/library/Treaty%20Simulation%20June%2019

School Swim

Friday, June 21 is our annual school swim at George Ward. As I am new to Victoria this year, I am sure that many of you will know even better than I do what that will look like! Here are a few notes about what I know:

-Parents/Caregivers are very welcome to join us for part or all of the day; however, we will not have space on the school bus, nor will we be able to pay for their admission to the pool.

-We will be outside, so students need to be well-prepared for the weather. I would suggest that each student comes prepared with sunscreen, hats, jackets/sweaters, and insect repellent.

-Students not wishing to swim for all or part of the time are welcome to bring a frisbee, a ball, or a book. Please do not bring valuables that you do not want lost or stolen, including personal electronic devices.
 
-The concession will be open and accessible to students; however, please ensure that your child brings a healthy lunch with snacks and a water bottle, as healthy choices may be limited and the line long at the concession.

-If possible, please also $2 with your child to cover the cost of the bus to the pool. Thank you for your help!

Please let me know if you have any questions about the trip. Hope to see you there!

La langue Michif

We are studying the Metis people in preparation for our trip to Batoche.
 
We found a few helpful websites to teach us about their language, Michif.
 
Audio Recordings of Michif Greetings and Common Phrases

The Three Varieties of Michif

Photobucket Albums

Here are some of our latest class photos. We had a pretty exciting encounter on Friday, so view the photos to see who we met!

Diefenbaker Field Trip Photos

Readers' Theatre Photos
 
Destination: Conservation Club Photos 

The albums are password protected, so please check your emails for the password.

La maison d'etre ou DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP

Our grammar and spelling work this week has focused on the verbs etre and avoir, or to be and to have. Students will write a short quiz tomorrow to show their understanding of whether to use the verb avoir or etre for certain expressions or phrases. Here is a picture that students can use to help them to remember what verbs go with être in the passé composé (past tense).

 

Summer Activities at Wanuskewin

Our school division's First Nations, Metis, and Inuit unit forwarded some information about exciting summer opportunities. I would like to share with you the information about some activities that will take place at Wanuskewin this summer. I hope that some of you have time to visit the site this summer!

Dream Catchers

As your students may tell you, we attempted to make dream catchers today. It was a bit complicated, but it was also a lot of fun! We were for the most part successful, although a few students may need to work on them again tomorrow.

We talked about the significance of dream catchers as a symbol of certain First Nations cultures. Tomorrow we will discuss some of our classmates' beliefs about the importance of dreams, and talk about where our beliefs differ or connect.

In case you are at a loss for a fun summer craft, here is a link to the website where I found the activity. The directions are directions pretty straight-forward. Happy crafting!

http://naturalkidsteam.com/wordpress/2010/07/making-dream-catchers-muddyfeet/