-by Dave Scott, Grade 8 Humanities This post is part of a four-part series exploring the curricular potential of digital textbooks or what I am calling “Integrated Inquiry Resources.” Read the first blog here for an introduction to the ideas that informed this project as well as the inquiry resource itself. And then a second… Continue reading Student Responses to a Digital Textbook Continued
Over the last week the media has been awash in news stories surrounding Apple’s unveiling of their new iBooks 2 application for the iPad. This free App provides a user-friendly platform allowing anyone with an Apple computer to create their own digital textbook specifically tailored to the educational needs of both their students and their… Continue reading Student Responses to a Digital Textbook
by Dave Scott What follows is post number two of a four part series on the curricular potential of digital textbooks. These posts are the result of an action research study I have been involved in as part of a research initiative at Calgary Science School to encourage innovation and reflective practice within an inquiry-based… Continue reading Digital Textbook Inquiry Tasks for the Renaissance
-by Lisa Nelson, Grade 7 Math/Science Teaching a group of grade 7s who have used 1:1 Macbook laptops for the past three years and are now part of a 1:1 iPad initiative has been somewhat challenging. The students were slightly discouraged by the limitations of the iPad at the beginning of the school year. It… Continue reading Geology and the iPad
By Ivy Waite Student engagement captivates me. Why is it that certain elements of our culture are able to draw in our students so easily, while others are often ignored? How can teachers take advantage of those things that captivate to engage our students in the classroom? We can – if we are willing to… Continue reading Student Engagement Captivates Me
by Deirdre Bailey and Amy Park It began with a conversation on how best to develop deep understanding of biological cycles. When we considered simply slicing fruit and vegetables in half and leaving them out in the open to observe the resulting changes, we never anticipated the smells, the new life, or the learning that… Continue reading Students into Scientists
by Tammy Berry, PE Specialist Mr. Schmeichel and I are in the process of working on improving on our reporting process by conducting verbal interviews with specific grades of Physical Education students every term. Our focus questions are as follows: 1) How does an Interview / Conversation (recorded and shared) based Term Assessment allow the… Continue reading Verbal Assessments in Physical Education
by Kevin Sonico Mr. Cheng and I are conducting a research project in our classrooms on how using the model method or strategy in math improve students’ problem-solving skills. Effectiveness of the method will be measured in the increased ability of students to solve word problems and enhanced confidence to communicate their thinking and… Continue reading Using the Model Method in Math Problem-solving
by Kevin Sonico After studying about different organelles that are present in cells and looking at examples of organisms under the microscope, students in Grade 8 explored the life cycle and life strategies of a unicellular and multicellular organisms. Through their research, students compared and contrasted these two different types of organisms. Students brainstormed on… Continue reading The "Better" Life Strategy
-by Jody Pereverzoff, Grade 7 Humanities Students in grade 7 Humanities are currently completing an assignment called 8 Events Leading to Confederation, adapted from the website http://historicalthinking.ca/. Historical Significance Unit Inquiry Question: What event is the most significant event in Canada pre-confederation?This unit opened with a discussion on the difference between ‘the past’ and ‘history’.… Continue reading Determining Historical Significance
