Revel Recap: June 16 - 20, 2025

Spark Studio

Mindfulness and Launch 

Monday morning, the Sparks shared stories about their weekend. Many enjoyed time outdoors, swimming, visiting splash pads, and soaking up the sunshine! Following this, the Guides introduced the Sparks to the fantastic raffle baskets and gift cards donated by local businesses like Wheelhouse, Pure Yoga, Framework, and many more! These donations are part of our upcoming Exhibition Raffle, where the funds raised through ticket sales will go towards purchasing new gym equipment, outdoor equipment, and mindfulness materials. As a studio, we brainstormed what items would benefit our learning, and the learners came up with great ideas, including buckets and shovels, soft soccer balls, dodgeballs, pool noodles and even a foam low balance beam. We then shifted our minds and bodies to a challenging core workout featuring six exercises. After completing the workout, we reflected on the importance of being intentional with our movements, reminding ourselves not to rush through but to focus on form and control. To wrap up our Monday morning, each Spark voted on their favourite core exercise, and the top two were scissor kicks and T-planks. On Tuesday, we found the beat of the music! The Sparks used the Boomwhackers and played fun songs, including "We Will Rock You." On Wednesday, the Sparks completed an alphabet animal-themed yoga. Each letter presented a different animal and its pose! As for Thursday, the Sparks got into a HIIT workout. They did a warm-up, worked hard, and then did a cool-down. Gratitude Friday started with reading, I am Perfectly Designed. The book celebrates families and the special bond between parent and child, infused with the trademark warmth and wisdom that have established Karamo as a beloved public figure. At the end of the story, the Sparks shared about someone from their family they were grateful for and why.

Quest 

On Monday, the Sparks worked in groups to develop a "Roll the Dice Workout" activity. They were presented with an example that explored many new exercises. In pairs, they came up with their own six exercises for their own dice game! On Tuesday, we started in the gym, reviewing the importance of a warm-up and cool-down before a fitness session. We explored how warming up pumps nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to our muscles as it speeds up our heart rate and breathing. A good warm-up should last 5 to 10 minutes and work all major muscle groups. It's important to start slowly and then pick up the pace. Many warm-up routines focus on cardio and range-of-motion exercises, such as jumping jacks and lunges. As for a cool down, it's also important to cool down for 5 to 10 minutes to bring your heart rate down and prevent muscle cramps. An effective cool-down also incorporates stretching exercises to relax and lengthen muscles throughout your body and improve your range of motion. We also discussed that it's essential to do these things to prevent injuries and always listen to our bodies. We can also moderate any move to the best of our abilities to match what suits us! On Wednesday, Alex Mateas came in for a workshop! Alex is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played for the Ottawa Redblacks for five seasons! He started his workshop by introducing himself and answering many questions the Sparks had for him. He shared a presentation about himself and his journey, how he made it in the CFL, playing in front of thousands of people, and how it took him 25 years to find his passion. In the gym, he did a grand workout routine that encouraged all the learners to participate! Lots of laughing and cheering were done throughout the session. As Thursday approached, it was time to prepare for the big session finale, Exhibition! We reviewed which muscles we should focus on during the Exhibition workout. We chose glutes, arms, legs and core! Following this, everyone reviewed each other's exercises. The Guides brought in dumbbells and explained the safety around them. They shared that they can bring in 2 and 3-pound weights for the arm exercises. Next, it was time for some fun! Everyone went into the gym and played a fun game of "Hungry, Hungry, Hippo."  To end the week, we reviewed our Exhibition exercise routine. The Sparks will continue to master their exercises in proper form to protect their muscles and bodies.

Reader/Writer

We've wrapped up our book study of The Gruffalo! To conclude, we documented three key parts of the story: the mouse's walk through the forest, his clever descriptions of the Gruffalo, and the exciting moment when he finally meets the creature.

This week, we also explored the digraph "sh." Using our WASECA learning materials, we collaborated as a studio to come up with five "sh" words to write in our printing books. Learners contributed great words like shell, ship, and squash!

Throughout the week, Sparks also enjoyed reading Bob Books and working in their cursive writing booklets during independent work periods.

Art

As Exhibition is around the corner, we decided to make a frame where families can take photos. Each learner picked something to draw and designed the border of the frame. From pickleball and fruits/vegetables to running shoes, the frame turned out beautifully! The Sparks also took the time to paint the frame black and wrote Session 7 at the bottom. We can't wait to see the wonderful family photos!

Math 

This week, we spent many hours reviewing material from the studio shelves. Many learners used the chalkboards to practice numbers, worked one-on-one with the guides and even used their Singapore math workbooks. On Tuesday, we spent our Math Lab outside playing games. Before we started, we practiced counting by 5s and 10s. There were two stations outside; one called ring toss, and the other one was bean bag toss. At the ring toss station, they had three rings and had to land their rings over one of the table legs. Each leg was labelled with a number 1, 5 or 20. The high score at the end of the Math Lab was 25! As for bean bag toss, they had to toss the bean bag into a Frisbee. Again, the frisbees were labelled with numbers, too! The Sparks worked together to add the numbers by skip-counting! 

French

This week, we reviewed weather vocabulary through engaging songs and activities. On Monday, we did a weather-themed colouring activity to reinforce our terminology. We played a round of Weather Bingo on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, we danced the Weather Conga Line, combining movement and learning. Lastly, we played a Seek-a-Boo game in the gym to strengthen our weather vocabulary interactively.

Additional Highlights

With the nicer weather this week, we spent much of our time outside! We brought out magnet tiles, Duplo blocks, and sports equipment to play with. We have also extended our recess time to spend more time at the park! 

So, it is true. Fred the worm was back in the studio! Fred the worm got himself capsized while boating and can't get to his lifesaver. The Sparks had to do their best to get Fred into his lifejacket and back in his boat, only using four paperclips. The challenge is that they cannot touch the cup, Fred the gummy worm, or the gummy lifejacket with their hands while also not letting him fall and drown, not get injured! 

Thank you to the learners for showing the group their favourite exercises for Show and Share this week! Learners demonstrated pushups, windmills, burpees, bridge pose, bubble volcano, and a studio favourite - scissor kicks!! 

Lastly, the Sparks enjoyed some Timbits and freezies from other learners to enjoy at the end of the week. 

Discovery Studio

Mindfulness and Launch

On Monday, Rebels gathered and discussed what they were most proud of from their year at Revel. Some were proud of moving up from the Spark Studio, others felt pride in their badges earned, and others described feeling proud of growth in certain areas, like their ability to read and write. Then, a learner led a Launch all about their cat named Pearl. We learned a lot about Pearl; she is 4 years old, a mix of a Siamese and a Bengal, and had several surgeries after swallowing a pipe cleaner! Luckily, Pearl is okay and a very happy cat. After Tuesday's mindfulness session, another learner organized an activity related to the topic of exclusion. What does it look like and sound like? Is this a problem in the studio, and if so, what are we going to do about it? On Wednesday, Rebels played the New York Times puzzle "Pips." They worked collaboratively to reach the hard level this week, but ran out of time. They improved this week by using clear language to describe where they want their dominoes to be placed. Next, a learner ran a Launch all about photography and their recent interest in taking pictures of the beautiful flowers blooming in their garden. They taught us the rule of thirds, the importance of good lighting, and more amazing tips for taking our best photos. On Thursday morning, the Rebels chose to go on an outdoor walk with Ms. Amy or do yoga in the gym with Ms Mel. For Launch, Ms Marianne introduced the Rebels to a series of sensory wall options. On Friday morning, a learner led the Rebels in a Boomwhackers rehearsal. Then, we reviewed current events, participated in a Pride quiz, and discussed whether we would buy an elaborate popcorn bucket.

Reader/Writer

This week in Reader/Writer, we are typing away to get our news articles finished. When complete, the Rebels need to edit their work to make sure it makes sense and has a catchy title. With any remaining time, they are creating word searches, comics, pictures, and more to enhance our newspaper, which the Aim and Release Rebels are compiling.

Math Lab

This week's Math Lab was spent at the horse races! Rebels played a game, rolling two standard dice and tallying how many times the sums 2-12 occurred to mimic a race with 12 horses. After five rounds, the Rebels were invited to switch their "bet" based on their chosen horse's progress. Some realized that Horse 1 would never move, correctly using the language of probability (aka IMPOSSIBLE). At the end of the races, Rebels reflected on the experimental results, and we discussed ways to make the game more fair for all horses. Ideas varied from using special Dungeons and Dragons dice, using only one die and reducing contestants to six horses, or changing the rules if you roll at least one "1," you can move Horse 1 forward. Some offered theories about which horse was most likely to win based on the experiment results, while others wanted to repeat the experiment before deciding. 

Civilizations

In Civilization this week, we learned how Napoleon Bonaparte became a powerful leader in France. After the French Revolution, the country was in trouble—there was no king, and many people were fighting for power. Napoleon was a smart and brave general from the island of Corsica. He won many battles for France and became very popular. Soon, he took control of the government and made himself the leader. In our discussion, we further explored how Napoleon rose to power and began to change France and Europe.

Quest

We are passionately creating, problem-solving and iterating our carnival games. The Rebels spent this week testing, painting, and making any final adjustments before being marked as complete. We have a huge list of additional ideas that are going to be completed once the Rebels finish their first game.

French

This week, we sang a lot to prepare for Exhibition! The learners were very enthusiastic, and together, we chose the three songs that both groups will perform at the event: Il était un petit navire, Je veux by Zaz, and La symphonie des éclairs by Zaho de Sagazan.

Physical Development

On Tuesday, three learners ran Zombie tag in the gym and Mme. Marianne took other learners on a hike. Two learners ran Cross Canada in the gym on Thursday, while Mme. Marianne ran Freeze Dance in the main entry space.

Exploration Studio

Mindfulness & Launch

During Monday's Free Choice Mindfulness, learners worked on puzzles, tried to solve the Problem of the Week, and went outside for some fresh air. Afterward, our Launch focused on working under pressure. Some people claim they thrive under such pressure. They feel focused and energized—like they're on a mission; for them, pressure is a spark that brings out their best. However, others argue that pressure causes their minds to go blank, their hands to shake, and everything to feel harder. They prefer calm, steady moments where they can think clearly and take their time. Do you work better under pressure, or do you perform more effectively in a stress-free environment? After watching an amazing Hail Mary touchdown clip, the Rebels discussed how they feel when they have a team counting on them vs. when it is only about their own success. Learners had different strategies for coping with the pressure and stress, including creating a plan, changing their scenery or asking others for help, which were their top three. Rebels went for a walk on Tuesday morning before watching an incredible instrumental performance from renowned beatboxer Tom Thum. On Wednesday, we tackled healthy vs. unhealthy relationships (see Health section). For Thursday's yoga, we were invited to try the lion's breath and then moved through a sun salutation flow, including some new changes to the routine, such as weaving in chair pose and volcano pose. After collaborating on a series of New York Times puzzles, we learned about inflation, the Stanley Cup winners, Summer McIntosh's amazing performances, the G7 Summit, and Eid al-Adha in our Current Events presentation.

French

This week, we listened to three songs from three French-speaking countries to discuss accents. The Rebels learned that although pronunciation may vary when spoken, written French remains mostly the same. We also learned the lyrics to Ô Canada in French at the Rebels' request. We explored the differences between the original French version and the English translation, as well as the origins of the anthem. Then, the Rebels completed a reading comprehension exercise based on a text explaining the history and meaning of the song.

Health

On Tuesday, Rebels learned more about the reproductive cycle. We began with an activity to assess what we already knew and work to clear up any misconceptions. After a slide show that helped to provide some general definitions for key terms related to human reproduction, we used 28 cards that each represented one day of the cycle, starting with menstruation as Day 1. After going day-by-day through the average cycle, we demonstrated when a person was most likely to become pregnant if sperm and egg united. We briefly brought up birth control, which we will talk more in-depth about next week, and reminded everyone that cycles are unique and may not follow a 28-day pattern.

With the last few minutes remaining, we reviewed the role of texting in relationships and, with the help of a scenario, worked through how to communicate more effectively. Rebels felt that a face-to-face or even phone call was better when serious talk needed to happen. 

Wednesday morning, we turned our attention to healthy vs. unhealthy relationships. Learners were given a card with a scenario and discussed whether they thought it described a healthy or an unhealthy relationship. Once decided, they wrote down why they felt the way they did and then posted their paper on the unhealthy to healthy continuum where they felt it belonged. We then reviewed everyone's posts and discussed whether we agreed or disagreed with any placements. We also considered which relationships had a power dynamic, where one person had more power than the other. Learners recognized that power can come in different forms. Sometimes, people realize there's a power difference and are okay with it, and other times, a power difference can lead to really unhealthy or even abusive relationships. Lastly, learners took one of the cards from the board and wrote how they could change it so that it could be placed under the Healthy Relationship sign. 

Quest

This week's theme was all about song lyrics and poetry. On Monday and Tuesday, Rebels worked their way through the Song Lyrics bracket. This collection of eight songs was selected based on its use of poetic devices and then seeded based on each song's stream count reported on Spotify. Rebels eliminated songs until they had two remaining and then went deeper into the "Examine a Song" challenge. Listening multiple times and focusing on the lyrics, Rebels looked for literal and figurative meanings, tried to describe the tone and attitude of their selected songs, and tried to put any perceived messages or shifts into their own words. On Wednesday and Thursday, Rebels turned their attention to reading and writing poetry with the ultimate goal of reciting at least one poem aloud (whether written by them or discovered). We looked at how famous writers like Shakespeare create rhythm and pattern through syllables or "iambs," in particular the classic da-dum da-dum da-dum da-dum da-dum of iambic pentameter. The final step of the week was to explore how trust and comfort have evolved this session through all of the challenges and to curate a list of performances that we can present for next week's LIVE Exhibition. 

Reader/Writer

This week, in Reader/Writer, we worked on the introduction and conclusions of our Hero Essay—those who finished drafting their five paragraphs worked on editing. The Rebels were given a template to use as inspiration. Next week will be the last Reader/Writer session of the year, so Rebels must submit their final draft to earn their badge.

Math Lab 

This week's lab featured a series of increasingly complex probability scenarios, moving from the warm-up task to mild, medium and spicy problems. Rebels broke into small teams to use organized lists or tree diagrams to help them reason and justify thinking about how probable a specific outcome would be using fractions, decimals, and percentages (including converting between them when needed). For example, how do you know you have found all the combinations or permutations? What do we do when two independent events happen at the same time? How do we calculate the probability of an event given the outcome of another?

Exploration Graduation

On Thursday, we celebrated our three learners who will move on to high school next fall! After decorating the studio, we welcomed their families and enjoyed a few speeches before taking pictures, eating cake, and enjoying each other's company. Best of luck and remember, once a Rebel, ALWAYS a Rebel!

Launchpad Studio

Cooking for Highjinx, completing math courses, writing final essays, and closing loops on several year-end projects kept the Launchpad Rebels busy this week.

Challenge and Change

This week in Challenge and Change, our learner discussed the nature of gender: origins, evolution, and speculations on what form it will take in the future. Navigating the complexities of gender through feminist and postmodernist lenses, they interrogate how humans have constructed stable social categories like gender. In their seminal 1990 work Gender Trouble, Judith Butler argues that gender is not something we are so much as we do — perhaps, to an extent, it is something we undo as well.

Wheel Pottery

This week, our learners completed their trimming and began to choose their finishing options. Next week is their final class, and they'll get to pick up the pieces they have completed shortly thereafter.

Global Leadership - Marine Conservation Trip

One learner spent time prepping for her upcoming departure for Costa Rica. There, she will work with various marine conservation and research organizations in three different locations over three weeks. When she is not working, she will have the opportunity to hike, go on a bioluminescence tour, snorkel, visit a volcano, and enjoy additional cultural activities! We hope she has an incredible adventure!

Additional Highlights

As Friday was one of our learners' last days of school for the year, we celebrated by going to Mazarine for brunch and then visiting the Canadian Museum of Nature. Learners visited the world premiere of The Man Who Planted Trees: An Immersive Tale. This limited-time, made-in-Canada exhibition is an awe-inspiring ode to the importance of trees designed to spark curiosity, wonder and hope. They especially enjoyed the interactive portions of the exhibit. We also visited the Butterflies in Flight exhibition and enjoyed watching the gorgeous insects soaring around the enclosure. Luckily, there was still enough time to explore their favourite areas, including the Fossil and the Water galleries.

Potential Discussion Ideas or Questions to Ask Your Rebel:

Spark Studio

• As a family, could you plan a workout together (warm up, workout, cool down)

• What is the importance of a warm-up and cool-down? 

• What are the major muscle groups? 

• Who is Alex Mateas? What was your favourite part of his visit?

Discovery Studio

• What are you most proud of from your year at Revel?

• How would you redesign the "horse races" from this week's Math Lab to make it more fair?

• Will your game be ready in time for the Exhibition?

Exploration Studio

• What strategies are the best when you are under pressure/stressed?

  • Taking deep breaths

  • Positive self-talk

  • Ask others for help

  • Creating a plan for how to move forward 

  • Only focus on the one thing you need to finish and nothing else

  • Something else?

• What poems did you write or discover this week?

• Which song was your ultimate champion from the Song Lyrics Bracket? Why did you select it?

Launchpad Studio

• What restaurant had the best shakshuka?

• As the year comes to an end, what are you most proud of accomplishing?
  

Important Upcoming Dates

• Session 7 Exhibitions

  • Discovery - Tuesday, June 24th

  • Spark - Wednesday, June 25th

  • Exploration - Thursday, June 26th

• Canada Day (No School) - Tuesday, July 1st

• Revel Olympics- Wednesday, July 2nd

• Raven Park Wading Pool, Pinatas, and Mr. Sundae's Ice Cream Truck visit - Thursday, July 3rd

• Last Day of School- Friday, July 4th