Flying Solo

George's Marvellous Medicine

The Phantom Tollbooth

Word Nerd

The literacy group reading, Word Nerd present their favourite scene.

Literacy Group Discussions

Over the course of three literacy blocks, students participate in literacy group activities.  By the end of the week, after all four rotations are complete, each group will have spent at least 45 minutes at a particular rotational center.  Three of the rotational centers change depending on where the class is in their unit of inquiry, and at what stage the whole class is in for the present writing unit.

A constant however is the literacy group discussion.  Mr. Chan spends approximately 45 minutes with each group, quietly moderating and assessing students' comprehension of a text in addition to a battery of reading and speaking skills.  At this point in the year, students have picked up the routine and expectations of literacy group discussions, so kids are able to focus more on the content and presentation of their discussion group roles.

In 5DC, we are actively pushing ourselves to do things differently.  We would like to become highly creative individuals by the end of the year.  In meeting this goal, students are constantly being challenged to be aware of what they are used to doing (the way they would most naturally do something), and take a step to completing a targeted task differently.  Students are beginning to separate the content from the actual process of presenting from one another.  It is the presentation part of these literacy group discussions that we are targeting for heightened levels of creativity.

The Customers literacy discussion group talk about George's Marvellous Medicine, by Roald Dahl.

Persuasive Essay

In class we were making a thing that we said a frisbee was a opinion and we needed 3 people to hold it up strong! 1 person wouldn't work because there wouldn't be stuck hard enough and it could fall of easily 2 people would make it stronger but 3 would do just the trick it would be fine. Conni was the opinion, Carsen, Hai Rin and Ami were the people that hold them up strong! Vitya, Amy, Chiemy and Miya were the ones that hold the one on top of them strong just like a building! Eg: If a building was very tall and there was a broken pillar at the bottom it would all fall down and since there is more to hold at the bottom because it is all leaning on it it would be heavier and fall so every part has there own use!! -Alex P

This photo represents persuasive essays because your opinion that you’re trying to persuade is at the top (Connie) then to hold up your opinion you have your reasons (Carsen, Hae Rin, Ami) then to support your reasons to persuade on your opinion you have statistics, facts, examples and quotes (Vitya, Amy, Chiemi, Miya). Then you have a pretty strong persuasion and support for your opinion. The pyramid of persuasion!!! -Miya

Connie is opinion. (Kiva is a great organization to work with)And under the connie is reasons.(Employees of Kiva are happy, you can get your money back, Kiva helps people who are in need.)Under the reasons are fact, statistic, example, quote. They are backing the reasons. And 3 reasons backing opinion too. -Hanse

Class Full of Thinkers

In our literacy block this morning, we started looking at the art of persuasion in the form of text.  It all started off with a topic in which many of us have strong opinions.  I asked, "cats or dogs?"  "What are two reasons why you prefer one over the other.

At first, only a few students wanted to share their opinions, then before I knew it, I found myself reiterating that other students needed a chance to share their opinions before rebuttals could be expressed.

Then, students went out and were tasked with the hypothetical question, "In your opinion, which animal would be most suitable as a class pet?"

5DC students had 20 minutes to think and write.  For me, this was my chance to look at the different ways students organized their persuasive arguments, and the different strategies students were using to support their opinions.

Students got up and had a chance to read the opinions of others and see how others organized their writing.

What came afterwards was what impressed me most.  Students then began asking questions that would be able to guide their future persuasive writings.  Here are some of the questions that they came up with.

Is electricity really necessary?
Can we not use money?
Should we cut trees down?
Should we mine out all of the metals, crystals and stones from the eath?
Do we really need the internet?
Is Google an unethical company?
Is war necessary?
Do we need electronic gadgets?
Is Petrol necessary?
Is division necessary in life?
Do we need brains in this day of technology?
Does technology need to develop?
Do we need paper?
Do we need ink?

So, instead of writing essays about colours, seasons, and countries, students in 5DC have proven that they can ask questions that are relevant in their own lives.