Revel Recap: Sept 29-Oct 3
Important Upcoming Dates
Session 1 Exhibitions:
Tuesday, October 7th - Discovery Exhibition, 4:15-5:30
Wednesday, October 8th - Spark Exhibition, 4:15-5:30
Thursday, October 9th - Exploration Exhibition, 4:15-5:30
Exploration & Launchpad Field Trip to Arbraska Laflèche - Friday, October 10th
Session Break Camp - October 14th to 17th (Registration is open on BAND. 2 spots remaining!)
Revel Pumpkin Run - Friday October 24th
Spark Studio
Mindfulness and Launch
After the weekend, the Sparks enjoy starting Monday mornings by sharing what they did. Many went to swimming lessons, hiked, or spent time with family. They then listened to the book Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, a story about how small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Afterwards, the Sparks shared ways they could show kindness in the studio, such as supporting each other during work periods, helping someone pack their bags, or opening containers for a friend at lunch. We read a card from our Mindful Games activity set called Three Things in Common, which focused on understanding others during disagreements. Sparks reflected on how they feel during conflicts and explored what they might have in common with others. They were so brave as they shared their thoughts and feelings. On Tuesday, we honoured The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We started by exploring what the learners already knew about this day and why we wear an orange shirt. They also shared their own ideas about what school should feel like for all learners. They used words like safe, fun, happy, full of love, toys, and friends. Next, the learners listened to a read-aloud of Sekweha the Superkid and His Cultural Cape by Leroy Fontaine. The story is about an “Indigenous boy raised by his grandparents in a First Nations community who moves to an urban city. As he faces new challenges, he begins to lose touch with his special superhero cape, a gift from his grandmother that symbolizes bravery and protection. Through the story, he regains his items and reconnects with his culture, realizing it always lives within him,” (Fontaine). Afterwards, learners created an art piece featuring an orange heart in the center of the page using oil pastels and a vibrant background using watercolours. On Wednesday, the Sparks kicked off the day with a fun, Mario-themed yoga sequence. Afterward, they enjoyed some giggles and thoughtful conversation prompts from Emma the Goose, especially her joke of the day: “Which is the cutest season? Awwwtumn!” This got lots of smiles! Emma also posed a silly question: “Would you rather jump into a pile of pumpkin guts or mashed potatoes?” The studio overwhelmingly chose pumpkin guts! On Thursday, the Boomwhacker instruments made their first appearance of the year! One learner explained the rules and how we use them. The Sparks practiced with a simple ascending and descending track to get the hang of it, and then asked to try a few of their favourite songs like “Can I Get a Chee Hoo” and “Soda Pop”. To wrap up the week, the Sparks worked on their gratitude journals. For their latest entry, they illustrated four friends they are thankful for.
Quest
This week’s Quest explored a variety of meaningful topics. On Tuesday, we started with a discussion about what it means to be a good friend. The Sparks shared many kind and thoughtful ideas, such as playing with others, helping clean up, comforting someone who is hurt, showing love and how to care for one another. We read I Am We: A Book of Community by Susan Verde, highlighting the importance of community. Afterward, the Sparks engaged in a series of social scenarios and reflected on how a good friend would respond in each situation. Each learner then wrote and illustrated their own ideas about how to be a good friend. Lastly, each Spark made a friendship bracelet and gave it to a friend in the studio! It was heartwarming to see the joy when a bracelet was received! On Wednesday, we read How Full Is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer. This story uses the idea of an invisible bucket to teach about the impact of actions. The Sparks shared what fills their bucket, like sitting with a friend at lunch, being helped when they’re hurt, or getting a hug from their mom. They also identified what takes away from their bucket, such as being excluded or when someone says something unkind. Each learner illustrated their ideas, and then we introduced an exciting new studio activity. Every time a guide observes a learner being a bucket filler, they will add a pom-pom to the studio jar. Once it’s full, the Sparks will earn a full morning of free time! On Thursday, we read The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi, an inspiring book that encourages children to embrace a growth mindset. It reminds us that even if we can’t do something yet, with effort and persistence, we can achieve our goals. After the story, we shared things we can’t do yet but hope to learn one day. Sparks dreamed big! From learning to read to flying planes, driving firetrucks, learning piano, surfing, and skateboarding. Keep dreaming, working hard, and believing in the power of yet, Sparks!
French
This week, the Rebels are learning about the months of the year in French. Les mois de l'année - alain le lait (French months of the year) We practiced the months of the year song and did a craft where we had to color the months and put them in the correct order. Group 2 went one step further and practiced writing out the months of the year, learning that French months are not capitalized.
Art
This week in our art workshop, we were inspired by the beautiful changes happening all around us as Autumn settles in. We read a book called Leaves by David Stein. This story is about a young bear experiencing the changing seasons for the first time. He is surprised when the leaves start falling off the trees! For our art activity, each learner colored the trunk and branches of a tree using brown tones. Then, using their fingerprints, the Sparks add red, yellow, and orange leaves on the trees, ground and floating in the air. The end result was a beautiful forest full of colourful trees!
Reader/Writer Workshops
Group 1 continued to work on their printing books, alphabet booklet while some learners continued to practice the alphabet and printing their name. As a group we played a game called “Hot and Cold,”. The guide placed a variety of letters around the studio. When a letter was found, they had to say the letter and its sound! Rebels in Group 2, continued practicing their spelling skills by focusing on words with the short "i" sound, such as fin, sit, spin, trip, lift, gift, milk, and swim. This week they also really enjoyed playing Zingo Word Builder, an interactive game that helps learners practice phonics, spelling, and word recognition. In this game, players use a tile dispenser to reveal letter tiles, and race to complete CVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) words by filling in the missing letters. Learners also continued daily guided reading and complete various reading and writing activities during work periods.
Math Workshops
Group 1 enjoyed using the sand paper numbers and matching the right amount of counting cubes to each number drawn. Rebels played a game, Blast off Numerical Order 1-20. Throughout work periods Group 1 one took advantage of many of the Montessori math materials in the Spark Studio, especially the number spindle box! Lastly, part of Group 1 was introduced to addition within 10. Group 2 continued building on their understanding of addition through more hands-on activities. We began by reviewing what addition means (combining two or more numbers to find a total). Learners then worked in pairs on a Roll-the-Dice Addition activity. Each partner rolled a die, wrote down their two numbers, and then found the sum. Afterwards, the Sparks revisited their addition booklets from last week. They completed the next two pages, focusing on the addition tables of 6 and 7. This time, we challenged ourselves to solve the equations without using Montessori materials. Instead, we talked about an important math tool we always carry with us, our fingers! Learners practiced using their fingers to help them count and determine the correct sums.
Geography
“Spark Air, flight number 1234, boarding at Gate 3 to Mexico, your flight is beginning to board. Please have your boarding pass and passport open and ready to go!”. From passengers, to pilots and flight attendants, the Sparks show great interest in learning through travel role play! When boarding the plane, Rebels were asked, “Why do you think we’re going to Mexico this week?” Some learners guessed that they were going for a wedding, maybe to check out a resort or because their parents told them they had to go! Rebels listened to a new continent song that included the names of different oceans. They continued to practice naming the seven continents and shared fun facts about some of the places they listed. Questions about weather in different places around the world were brought up frequently and we got a chance to discuss different types of natural disasters that happen on different continents and the countries within it.
Additional Highlights
A special birthday shout-out to a Spark learner who we celebrated this week. We enjoyed cupcakes, some singing and learned what they want to get up to for their next year!
Discovery Studio
Mindfulness and Launch
On Monday, we met in the gym for a yoga flow! Rebels gathered on their mats and were invited to tune into their breathing, in through their noses and out through their mouths, and then follow along with some simple poses to stretch our legs and side body. We also tried tree pose to challenge our balance and ended with an invitation to whisper some empowering mantras like, “I am strong, I am brave, I am awesome…” For launch, we began discussions that would continue into the week about Orange Shirt Day and watched a short clip from CBC Kids News explaining the history of the day. Tuesday morning brought some mindful colouring and an impactful read-aloud at launch called I Am Not A Number about one family’s experience with the residential schooling system. After the story, Rebels tried to make sense of it, asking questions and sharing thoughts like, “how many people did this happen to?” or “there was a residential school that only closed in the 1990s?” They’re also hoping to read more stories like this one, especially ones written by Phyllis Webstad who started Orange Shirt Day based on her experiences with residential schooling. Wednesday’s NYT puzzles proved challenging, with Rebels trying for a high score on Spelling Bee and then solving the daily Wordle on their fifth attempt. The Squad Chickens saw new trial squads and leadership checking in with each other about how this week’s goals are going and they ensured Rebels are tracking their goals for points on Journey Tracker. Thursday morning we met for our Thank You For Sharing routine and Rebels discussed whether they would rather oversleep for a week or not sleep at all for four days. For Launch, Rebels participated in an important discussion about the “Three Monsters,”: The Monster of Distraction, The Monster of Resistance and The Monster of Victimhood. What do these monsters mean? How can they impact our journey towards growth and achievement? Rebels discussed examples of each monster, relating through lived experiences and how each Rebel has already faced one or more of these monsters this session. What do these monsters look or sound like around the studio? Sometimes they may sound like “I can’t do this,” or “Take another body break, I can do this later!” or even “I’ll save my hardest goals for last again this week because they frustrate me,”. Rebels focused on one specific monster this morning and that was the Monster of Distraction. They agreed this monster was most commonly around during Core Skills when learners were chatting instead of working, or asking each other to take body breaks at the same time. What can we do to help us overcome our internal struggles with these monsters? Rebels discussed a few coping strategies and will continue this discussion next week, focusing on the Monsters of Resistance and Victimhood next. Friday’s Boomwhacker session left the Rebels feeling pumped up to start the day and lead us into Current Events featuring the announcement of Taylor Swift’s new album, Fat Bear Week Contestants and voting pages, as well as a look back on the spectacular life of Jane Goodall, a true hero to all living creatures who passed away this week.
Reader/Writer
This week in Reader Writer, Rebels discussed all things “excellence” at Revel. As we venture into our final weeks of Session 1, we are selecting and elevating the work we feel most proud of to display at Exhibition. In Reader/Writer workshops, that means going through our work from this Session and selecting one out of the three communication challenges (Curious Conversations, Feedback Sandwiches and Conflict Resolution scripts) to create an “Excellent Copy” for Exhibition next week. Rebels in both Draw/Anchor and Aim/Release created word walls of excellence, discussed what it meant for work to be excellent and reviewed what Revel’s standards of excellence are. Is it better than your previous work? How does it compare to a world class example? Is this your personal best? Is it ready for a public exhibition? After setting the bar for excellence, Rebels selected a challenge from this session and got to work on elevating their written piece to the best of their ability They are excited to showcase their work for you all next week!
Math Lab
Our Crash Course is nearly complete! This week’s theme was: Seven Processes. What’s neat is that Rebels likely already use, perhaps without realizing it, all seven. Specifically, we looked at a picture of a bunch of carrots next to four creatures and used this as a basis to discuss recipes for problem-solving, communicating, selecting tools and strategies, reasoning and proving, representing, connecting and reflecting mathematical ideas and solutions. For example, from only this picture, Rebels inferred all kinds of scenarios from repeated addition to division, and had multiple ways to show this like using markers and arranging them in equal piles, or making an organized sketch, and even writing equations like 14 / 4 = 3 R 2. On Tuesday with Group 2, Rebels then worked on a series of challenges related to colour block “paintings” and fractions. Looking at one of these visuals, Rebels devised all kinds of approaches to determine how much of the art a certain colour was as well as ways to convince and represent this for their peers. On Thursday with Group 1 we played an “I Spy ½” puzzle game! Looking at black and white grids, Rebels tried to outline sections of the puzzle that represent half. Then their partner tries to find a different area showing half. They repeat this, covering as much of the board as possible. To raise the stakes, Rebels played on a larger and more complex grid, and the ultimate challenge was to find representations of half that were not square or rectangular.
Civilizations
This week’s chapter was the Rebels’ favourite so far this year: all about the Old Kingdom of Egypt! We mapped the location of the Great Pyramid and Sphinx west of the Nile River and heard about how these incredible structures were built about 5000 years ago. We were shocked to learn that they were constructed using only ramps, ropes and human strength (despite some stones weighing three tons)! Rebels were captivated by the details around the mummification process and heard how pharaoh Cheop’s body was meticulously treated and prepared for the afterlife by priests based on their beliefs at the time. We had a lot of fun using Google Maps “street view” to see images of the Great Pyramid and Sphinx today and Rebels sustained a great Socratic discussion about whether or not the best place for jewels and treasure was the graves of kings and pharaohs?
French
This week, we continued practicing our airport dialogues in preparation for Exhibition. Both groups had the opportunity to be creative by writing their own airport script. They also added the finishing touches to their passport and suitcase so that we’ll be ready for our big airport role-play next week.
Quest
Quest kicked off with some exciting end-of-session reflection activities as we head into Exhibition prep. As many of the team were away for the soccer jamboree on Monday afternoon, Rebels who were able to attend the Quest workshop got a head start on our final project of the session, “What It Means to Be a Rebel.” This project will be a short film that will be displayed for families at Exhibition next week. Since the beginning of our school year, Rebels have been hard at work navigating new systems, school routines, creating contracts for our studio and figuring out what kind of Rebel they are and hope to be. What does it mean to you to be a Revel Rebel? What is the best part about being a Rebel? What is the hardest part of being a Rebel? Our team reflected on these questions and came up with 1-3 sentences as a response that they will rehearse and then film in an “interview-style” mini documentary. Tuesday and Wednesday, Rebels spent time practicing their reflection responses with teammates and then recorded their responses for the short film. Thursday, Rebels finalized their contracts and jumped into the role of event planners as they designed floor plans of what Exhibition will look like, where certain displays should be, what decor will be needed, where will food/drinks be served, where guests should sit, etc. As we head into our final week of the session, Rebels talked about the likelihood of being in our panic zone with the pressure around a first Exhibition experience. They spent some time talking to and coaching each other about their own lived experiences in past Exhibitions, what it feels like to have your work on display for the public, and what it feels like if/when you don’t have work on display. What happens if other Rebels have work on display and I don’t? What should I do if I don’t have something finished before the Exhibition deadline? We’ll continue these discussions into next week as we wrap up Week 6, submit for badges and start thinking about Session 2!
Additional Highlights
The soccer jamborees were so much fun this week! Exploration and Discovery Rebels had an amazing time getting the opportunity to face off in some friendly competition against other private schools in Ottawa. Thank you to all who came out to support our Revel Rebels and a big congratulations to both the Early and Upper Elementary teams for giving it their all out on the pitch this week!
It has been an incredibly busy start to the school year and our Rebels have accomplished so much! As we head into the final week of Session 1, please keep an eye out for posts on BAND about the upcoming Exhibition, a pizza party lunch, donut celebrations and even a sneak peek into our Quest theme for Session 2! There is so much to look forward to and we can’t wait to celebrate our Rebels next week.
Exploration Studio
Mindfulness & Launch
We began our week discussing stress management and finding healthy ways to handle stress to keep our body and mind in balance when life gets tough. We talked about identifying stressors, using healthy coping mechanisms, the importance of time management and relaxation techniques, setting boundaries, and utilizing our support system. Rebels then journaled about how they respond to stressful events, the activities and habits that help them relax, and where they could set boundaries to reduce stress. We then (re)introduced Selfless Leadership badges. Throughout the year, learners are asked to earn at least two badges that demonstrate commitment to helping the community and creating good habits and leadership skills. We went over the requirements for the Heart of a Hero, Running Partner, and Socratic Leader badges and ensured that everyone understood that earning them helps buy their way into the Late Night Hang at the end of the year. Tuesday, we completed our Building Critical Thinking lesson, and on Wednesday, learners finished their puzzle piece art piece from last week. While the air was a bit chillier than it had been, Rebels enjoyed their walk in the sunshine on Thursday morning, observing additional changes that come with the change of the season. We began the last day of the week with our learner-led morning. We completed the NYT Wordle and the Connections puzzle before our Current Events crew reported on the link between acetaminophen and autism claims, a bear in a grocery store, and a falling satellite spotting.
Reading Challenge, Paragraph of the Week and Grammar
Before reading this week's story, "Searching the Desert for the Genie's Lamp," we learned the difference between denotation and connotation. We reviewed how some words are associated with positive, neutral, or negative connotations, for example: clique vs. group, or brilliant, intelligent, and egg-head. Rebels then used the story and associated questions to demonstrate their understanding.
Rebels tackled their first argumentative paragraph this week as they had to argue for or against the proposition that social media has a more positive than negative impact on society. They were asked to focus on one aspect, ensuring they had an introductory sentence, supporting evidence, and a concluding sentence. After writing their draft on Monday, learners integrated a fact or statistic in their own words on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they improved their paragraph by adding at least one sentence that uses pathos (an appeal made to a reader's emotions), and on Technical Thursday, they re-read their paragraph to ensure they didn't have any comma splices. Lastly, on Friday, they submitted their typed or handwritten final copy.
They're, their, and there were this week's grammar focus. While many of our learners are very familiar with the differences, it was great to practice using all three appropriately and improving our editing skills as we fixed various paragraphs.
Reader/Writer Workshop & The Hobbit
To solidify our understanding of last week's readings from The Hobbit, Rebels used their Reader/Writer workshop to complete Chapter 7 and 8 comprehension questions, Chapter 8 free write, and Chapters 5 - 8 vocabulary handout. After reviewing each as a whole group, we met to complete a chapter 5 - 8 Kahoot! Rebels crushed the quiz, demonstrating a strong understanding of the text. We then began reading Chapter 9 on Monday, finishing it on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we worked on the Chapter 9 questions before reading the first half of Chapter 10. We finished reading Chapter 10 on Thursday and worked on the free write and the questions before reviewing our work and beginning Chapter 11 on Friday!
Quest
This week is about teamwork, dealing with frustration, and meeting deadlines, all while creating Rube Goldberg machines! A popsicle stick pull decided teams, and after watching a few examples of excellence, the Rebels met with their teams to create a contract and determine their machine's goal. They brainstormed at least five stages and quickly realized that the 45-second minimum time constraint would be more difficult than they thought. After submitting their blueprint, groups gathered their materials and built their machines on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Plans changed as various ideas failed or new ideas fell into place. We can't wait to see the final product next week!
Math Lab
Rebels used their time in Math Lab on Wednesday to finish their "Favourite/Lucky Number" project. Those who completed their final copy began to work on the YouCubed Four 4s challenge, where, using exactly four 4s, they had to write equations that equal each integer from 0 to 20. How many can you come up with?
French
This week, the Rebels practiced politeness in customer service. The Rebels identified polite expressions in each text and reflected on what makes an exchange with a customer more respectful. They also completed their commercial, making sure to include the five key parts of a successful advertisement.
Civilizations
A "Socratic Smackdown" refers to a structured discussion, often based on a text or topic, where learners engage in a debate or debate-like exchange. It's a form of Socratic Seminar that incorporates elements of competition and gamification, aiming to encourage critical thinking and argumentation skills. Now that Rebels are familiar with Claim Testers, we worked to develop our skills in identifying main points and arguments, supporting claims with evidence, and engaging in respectful debate. On Tuesday, we brainstormed a list of debate topics and then each Rebel chose one they would like to research and discuss on Thursday. Learners chose human cloning, social media age and use restrictions, and bringing back extinct species. After gathering their notes, learners agreed on the discussion strategies they wanted to focus on and then participated in their first Socratic Smackdown of the year! While one group debated, providing evidence and asking probing questions, the rest of the learners tracked their points and gave feedback. Groups then switched and repeated the process. At the end of the class, the two groups who were able to debate completed a reflection handout while our remaining group prepped for their debate, which will occur next Tuesday.
Becoming a Critical Thinker
Tuesday, we tackled Lesson 5: Itch to Fit (Using Context and Discernment to Problem-Solve). After reading about the "itch-to-fit" pattern of learning, we examined the famous poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll to recognize how our minds make meaning. Learners worked through the poem stanza by stanza, highlighting any unfamiliar words. They then recognized their impression of the words and substituted an English word for Carroll's invented language. They also identified the grammatical role the terms played in the stanza based on their definitions and how the sounds of the invented words impacted the definitions they gave them. They finished by journaling how our subjectivity plays a role in how we read any text and that our impressions form our interpretations, shaping our opinions and beliefs.
Additional Highlights
Several of our learners went out of their way to help the greater community this week! Realizing that one of the swings at Raven Park had been thrown up and tangled, making it unusable, a group worked throughout their PE class to try to fix the problem! On Friday, during Elective, a group cleaned up another garbage bag from Carlington Hill, way to go!
Launchpad Studio
People-powered research, Advanced Functions, deep book reading, band, personal fitness, and American Sign Language; it was a busy week in the Launchpad Studio!
This week in AP Chemistry, learners finished the second lab of the course on Mole Ratios, which included ratio calculations, determining the limited reagent in each compound, balancing chemical equations based on the product, and designing and completing a similar experiment with different reactants. They also read an article on Pb using aerosol mass and answered questions about isotopes and mass spectrometry.
In our learner's Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices course, they met with their mentor to map out their passion project, which involves filming while they bike. They also continued reading Jonny Appleseed.
In preparation for their university tours in two weeks, one learner began gathering all of their supporting documents and evidence for their mastery transcript, completing their final SAT prep, and working on their applications. Next week, they will publish their transcript and practice their interview skills for their meetings with admissions counsellors.
Potential Discussion Ideas or Questions to Ask Your Rebel:
Spark Studio
What is something you do not know how to do YET, but would like to learn someday?
What is bucket filling? How can you fill someone else’s bucket? What fills your bucket? What dips from your bucket?
How can you be a good friend in the studio? Can you share with me a time someone has been kind to you in the studio?
Who did you make a friendship bracelet for?
French: Which month just started? Can you name it in French? (octobre)
Discovery Studio
What is CRA in the Math Lab? What is your favourite way to show your thinking? Least favourite?
Agree or disagree: The best place for ancient Egyptian jewels and gold was the graves of pharaohs.
What is “excellence” at Revel Academy? Describe an example of an excellent piece of work that we might see at Exhibition?
How are you feeling about Exhibition next week? What part of “Create the Culture” are you most excited to show guests?
French: What was your airport dialogue about in French?
Exploration Studio
How did your Rube Goldberg team work together? What do you need to do to complete the project successfully?
Would you support bringing back animals who are extinct? Why or why not?
What is the hardest part about being your age?
Are you attempting the Problem of the Week? If not, what is holding you back?
French: What are the five important parts of your commercial? Did your commercial show all the 5 parts?
Launchpad Studio
What values are most important to you?
What strategies are you using to study for AP Chemistry?
As we move futher into the school year, do you feel your schedule is working for you?