Welcome to Session 6!
Important Upcoming Dates
Exploration Field Trip to the Canadian Museum of History - Thursday, April 16th
Guardian Book Club: The Gardener and the Carpenter by Alison Gopnik - Thursday, April 16th
Exploration Field Trip to the Diefenbunker - Thursday, April 30th
Session 6 Exhibitions
Discovery Exhibition - Tuesday May 12th, 4:00-5:00pm
Spark Exhibition - Wednesday May 13th, 4:00-5:00pm
*Due to the Overnight Trip there will not be an Exploration Exhibition this session
Sessional Break & “All Our Favourite Things!” Camp with Ms. Jenna - Tuesday, May 19th to Friday, May 22nd
Spark Studio
Quest
Get ready Sparks…we’re about to launch into an exciting journey beyond our world! In our upcoming session, we’ll be reaching for the stars as we explore the wonders of space! We will be learning about the Earth, Sun, and Moon, as well as diving into the solar system, astronauts, space travel, the International Space Station, and even stars and galaxies. It’s going to be an engaging, curiosity-filled adventure as we discover what lies beyond our planet.
Math Lab & Reader Writer Workshops
In Math Labs, both groups will be focusing on graphing and building their skills in organizing and interpreting data. In Reader/Writer Group One, learners will focus on expanding their sight word recognition and continue progressing through their Explode the Code lessons. Group Two will begin exploring creative writing using story prompts. We will also focus on clear handwriting, proper punctuation, and accurate spelling. All learners will continue to work toward their individual weekly reading goals to support fluency and confidence.
French
In French this session, learners are exploring vocabulary related to the house and everyday objects. They are discovering the different rooms in a house and learning to name familiar items such as brosse à dents (toothbrush), frigo (refrigerator), and porte (door).
Additional Highlights
Free Choice Show and Tell will also be returning on Fridays! Learners are welcome to bring one toy of their choice, as long as it fits inside their bin. As the weather improves, we will also be spending more time outdoors. Please remember to send your learner with weather-appropriate gear such as a hat and sunscreen, and ensure their bin includes a change of clothes.
We’re looking forward to an out-of-this-world session!
Discovery Studio
The Chess Quest
This session, Discovery Rebels will step into the world of chess, an ancient game of strategy, patience, and critical thinking. Through daily gameplay (both in person and online using ChessKid.com as one of our tools this session), puzzles, and collaborative challenges, learners will explore how every move tells a story and how every decision carries consequences. Rebels will learn to think ahead, anticipate outcomes, and adapt their strategies based on new information. They will practice perseverance through wins and losses, developing resilience and a growth mindset as they refine their skills over time.
Whether playing against another Rebel, solving a tactical puzzle, or analyzing famous games, learners will be challenged to think deeply, communicate clearly, and reflect on their choices. Chess will become more than just a game, it will become a tool for building focus, strategy, critical thinking and mastery in motion!
Reader/Writer: Every Move Matters
Welcome to Reader/Writer Session 6: Every Move Matters. In this workshop, Rebels will explore how strategy, perseverance, and reflection shape both stories and real life. Through our novel study, My Name Is Tani… and I Believe in Miracles (Young Readers Edition), learners will think deeply about the choices characters make and how those choices impact outcomes. Rebels will practice making predictions, analyzing decisions, and connecting lessons from the story to their own lives (just like in chess, where every move counts). Rebels will come together twice a week for read aloud and utilize workshops for writing challenges, comprehension questions, “Everyday Edits” and personal reflections of the story. Rebels will continue to strengthen their ability to communicate their thinking clearly and with purpose.
Math Lab: Error Analysis
This session, Discovery Rebels will step into the role of mathematicians by investigating one of the most powerful tools for learning: mistakes. Through the lens of error analysis, learners will explore the difference between computational errors (simple miscalculations) and conceptual errors (misunderstandings of mathematical ideas), building a deeper awareness of how and why mistakes happen. Rebels will analyze sample problems, uncover hidden errors, and justify their thinking using precise mathematical language. They will revisit core concepts (operations, number relationships, variables, and equations) while asking: What went wrong here? Why does it matter? How can we fix it?
Throughout the session, learners will engage in problem-solving challenges, partner discussions, and reflective thinking routines that emphasize reasoning over speed. By shifting the focus from getting the “right answer” to understanding the process, Rebels will strengthen their critical thinking, develop mathematical resilience, and build confidence in tackling complex problems. In Math Lab, mistakes aren’t something to avoid—they’re something to investigate, learn from, and ultimately leverage for growth.
French
This session, Rebels are taking part in an engaging mystery inspired by the game Clue. Throughout the session, they explore the names of rooms in a house while building their vocabulary related to everyday objects, such as furniture and common household items. As the story unfolds, learners follow clues, meet different characters, and work together to solve the mystery. Along the way, they practice asking and answering simple questions in French, describing where things are, and using new words in complete sentences. We are also focusing on the verbs être and avoir, using simple structures such as j’ai un ___, je suis dans ___, and tu as ___.
Exploration Studio
Quest
Oh, Canada! Over the next five weeks, we will dive into Canadian history, focusing on the 1600s to 1900s. We will learn about Indigenous governance, cultures, and societies pre-contact, early interactions between Indigenous peoples and Europeans, as well as the fur trade and its consequences. We will then learn about the divide between French and English Canada, the political and social tensions in Upper and Lower Canada, and the regional identities and reform movements. After taking the opportunity to build our own colony, Rebels will learn about the War of 1812 from multiple perspectives. We will then turn our attention to rebellion and resistance, including Pontiac's Rebellion, the War of 1837, Métis resistance, Louis Riel, and Indigenous resistance to colonial policies. Before ending our history study, we will learn about the steps to Confederation, the key figures and regional compromises, political, economic, and social changes in post-Confederation Canada, and whose voices were represented or excluded during Confederation.
Before visiting Parliament in May, Rebels will compare and contrast the "Great Law of Peace" written by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Blackfoot Confederacy's governance system, and examine their similarities to the "English Bill of Rights" and the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen." We will then step into the world of Canadian democracy and become a Member of Parliament in a simulation where we will create, debate, and vote on a bill.
Rebels will go to the Canadian Museum of History in Week 1 to take part in the Indigenous Peoples guided tour, outdoor and architecture self-guided tours, the History of Canada workshop, and, of course, explore the Children's Museum. In Week 3, learners will take a giant leap forward in history to learn about the Cold War before heading to the Diefenbunker Museum to tour and participate in their Continuity of Government workshop.
Not only will we learn about Canadian history, but Rebels will also study geography! We will learn about Canada's physiographic regions and natural resources, the influence of geography on settlement patterns and regional identities, and the settlement and land-use patterns of different groups. Rebels will develop their map analysis and inquiry skills as they create maps illustrating a timeline of Canadian settlement and the regions of Canada. They will also play an interactive "You Choose" settlement game and participate in a mapping relay race using longitude and latitude and a series of clues.
Lastly, before leaving on our overnight "Tourists in Ottawa" trip (May 13th - 15th), Rebels will study some of the symbols, architecture, sculptures, and art we will be seeing on our adventure! (Full itinerary to be sent shortly.)
Math Lab: Probability
Casino, anyone?! In this Math Lab session, learners will solve various probability problems using appropriate tools and strategies, including Venn and tree diagrams. They will also determine and compare the theoretical and experimental probabilities of multiple independent and dependent events. Through a variety of lessons and hands-on experiments, we are excited to further develop our probability skills!
Reader/Writer: Short Story Boot Camp
Short fiction is often dense with meaning and is carefully crafted to fit a lot of emotion, symbolism, characterization, and other literary elements into a short time, while also delivering a strong message and riveting emotions! Over the next five weeks, Rebels will read and annotate several short stories to practice identifying literary devices and improve their difficult reading comprehension skills, while also being exposed to writers they may see again in future classes. Each Rebel will also be assigned one short story to fully analyze and present their findings to the studio at the end of the session.
French
This session extends beyond the studio, with learners engaging in field trips that bring their learning into real-world contexts. During our time together, we will continue exploring the theme from last session: Why do people speak French in Canada? Rebels will deepen their understanding by examining key moments in history and exploring laws created to protect the French language. Through discussions, activities, and meaningful connections to their experiences, they will continue developing their ability to express ideas and share their opinions in French.
Big History: The Modern Age
In Big History, we will think about the positive and negative impacts of interconnection and acceleration. Around 500 years ago, people lived in four distinct world zones. Our only sources of energy were the Sun, human, and animal power. Understatement alert: A lot has changed since then! This session, we will learn more about Threshold 6: The Modern Age by diving into the Four World Zones Connect, the Industrial Revolution, Acceleration, and Globalization.
Additional Highlights
In Mindfulness and Launch, we will continue our Becoming a Critical Thinker lessons, as well as dive further into logical fallacies, including Burden of Proof Fallacy, False Dilemmas, Tu Quoque, Appeal to Nature, and Hasty Generalizations. We will use our Wednesday art time to dive into photography, learning about the fundamentals of composition, lighting, depth of field and editing, all while Rebels learn to share stories, ideas, and their point of view with the world. (We can't wait to show you their work in Session 7!) Due to Rebel request, our walks on Thursdays will return to the extended 30-minute adventure, and Fridays will continue to be our puzzle and Current Events morning. We will also learn about the Seven Sacred Teachings, residential schools, immigration waves, discriminatory policies, and contributions of immigrant communities to Canadian society, while also playing a series of review and probability-based games during Launches and Closings.
Our group, who read A Midsummer Night's Dream last session, have chosen to perform Act 3, Scene 1 at the Session 7 Exhibition. We will begin rehearsing the scene while designing props, setting, and costumes.