Month: April 2013

grade9, humanities, research-and-innovation, technology1 Comment

Student Insights into the Educational Potential of the Flipped Classroom

Deirdre Bailey

David Scott and Jason Publack ~ Grade 9 Humanities Over the last few years there has been increasing talk within educational circles around the potential of the flipped classroom to enhance learning. Historically, and this is confirmed by a great deal of research, classrooms have been places where students spend a great deal of their time listening to teachers talk. Whether teachers are lecturing or explaining a particular concept, this has meant students have relatively limited class time to apply the concepts or ideas they learn from the lecture and must therefore do this at home for homework. This has … Continue reading Student Insights into the Educational Potential of the Flipped Classroom

professional_development2 Comments

Cross Authority Teacher Planning Institutes

Deirdre Bailey

We started the school year looking for new ways to collaborate beyond the walls of our building. We investigated the opportunity with the Rocky View School Division. Acknowledging that collaboration is more than linking people through curriculum, Darrell Lonsberry, and Dan McWilliam met with Josh Hill from RVSD and identified 3 stages or levels of collaboration for a Cross Authority AISI project.  As described by Ivy Waite, “Collaboration is more than just sharing ideas, but the process of working together to achieve a common goal. True collaboration is a process in which two or more people co-conceive, design, execute and reflect upon teaching … Continue reading Cross Authority Teacher Planning Institutes

assessment, community_post, physicaleducation2 Comments

Inquiry in PE

Deirdre Bailey

Student Teachers Josh Stanley and Matthew Maccagno with Tammy Berry and Dean Schmeichel ~Physical Education grade 4-9 What could an inquiry unit in PE look like? At CSS, we challenged all 600 students from grade 4 to grade 9 to explore the question, “To what extent does training affect performance?” Each student was given the opportunity to choose a sport or activity that they were interested in, and then create a plan to improve a specific skill in that sport or activity. How the students chose to use their time over the course of the unit was entirely up to … Continue reading Inquiry in PE

community_post, grade4, science2 Comments

On Light, Shadows and Experience

Deirdre Bailey

Deirdre Bailey and Jenna Callaghan We began a recent investigation into Light and Shadows in Grade 4 by posing the question “What is Light?” to our students. Before beginning the conversation, we reminded students that the world is not nearly as concrete or easily-understood as over-simplified statements of “fact” might often imply. We talked about how scientists are by nature inquisitive, always open to possibility and a reinvention of old ideas. We suggested that throughout our inquiry, they too might have the potential to share a completely new perspective, contribute to making new discoveries and either support or disprove current thoughts. With … Continue reading On Light, Shadows and Experience

community_post, grade5, science, technology2 Comments

Grade 5 Electricity Collaboration

Deirdre Bailey

Kathryn Desrochers ~ Grade 5 Math/Science Student Teacher University of Lethbridge Just before spring break, our grade 5 students (and teachers) had an opportunity to learn from an expert. Emily Marasco is a University of Calgary student working on her Graduate Degree in Electrical Engineering. As part of her Master’s research, Emily has gone around to various schools conducting a set of electricity modules for project based learning. This turned out to be a wonderful partnership, in which Emily could conduct her research with 100 willing students and our school community benefited from her expertise, enthusiasm and hands on approach. … Continue reading Grade 5 Electricity Collaboration

assessment, grade7, humanities1 Comment

Family Artifact Inquiry- Grade 7

Deirdre Bailey

Rick Fawcett and Jared McKenzie~ Grade 7 Humanities. This project was designed as a way to share the personal connection the students have to Canadian history and to engage them in the process of curating a historical narrative of their own family’s history. Inquiry Stage #1: Choose an Artifact – Is there some thing in your home that you have always wondered about? – The goal is to choose an artifact that has a rich history and means a great deal to you and your family. – It should have a story and you should have access to that story. … Continue reading Family Artifact Inquiry- Grade 7