Revel Recap: Sept 1-4
Important Upcoming Dates:
Monday, September 7th: Labour Day (NO School)
Thursday September 17th 6:00-7:30pm: The Why: Revel 101 & Parent Contracts RSVP on Revel Rebels Band
Monday, September 28th - Terry Fox Run
Session 1 Exhibitions:
Tuesday, October 6th - Discovery Exhibition, 4:00-5:00
Wednesday, October 7th - Spark Exhibition, 4:00-5:00
Thursday, October 8th - Exploration Exhibition, 4:00-5:00
October 13th to 16th - Session Break Camp with Ms. Megan, registration and details will be posted on Band three weeks prior to camp.
Spark Studio
Mindfulness and Launch
Welcome, Spark Rebels! We had such a great week getting to know one another, having fun, and beginning to build our Studio community. On Tuesday, we kicked things off by introducing ourselves and creating a unique movement for the group to repeat. Spark Rebels then explored the Studio during a lively “Find Someone Who…” mingle, searching for friends who liked dogs, pizza, and more as they discovered shared interests. Next, everyone created a first day of school self portrait, adding details that showed how they see themselves and proudly practicing writing their names. On Wednesday, we played Freeze Dance: Get to Know Each Other Edition. Spark Rebels danced around the Studio, and each time the music paused, they found a new partner and shared a fun fact about themselves. Afterwards, learners paired up with a peer and took turns drawing portraits of one another. On Thursday, we started with a Would You Rather: Walk Edition. Spark Rebels were given a variety of Would You Rather questions and, based on their choice, walked to one side of the Studio or the other. Afterwards, we enjoyed our first mindfulness colouring session of the year, listening to relaxing music while completing our colouring pages.
Reader/Writer Workshop
In Reader/Writer this session, we will focus on identifying ways we can connect with characters in different stories. This week, we started with The Day the Crayons Quit. We explored the question, “What is one characteristic of each crayon?” For example, the red crayon felt like he worked harder than anyone else, while the purple crayon liked to keep things neat and colour inside the lines. Spark Rebels then created drawings of what they would look like if they were crayons. Our younger learners will focus on strengthening their identification, reading, and writing of vowel sounds before moving into consonants when they are ready. Our more experienced learners will work on sentence writing and paired reading using decodable texts.
Math Workshop
In the Spark Studio, Math Labs take place on Mondays, so we did not have one this week. During Session One, learners will spend time being introduced to and exploring our Montessori math materials. These materials are designed to make abstract concepts feel hands on and concrete. Learners can physically see and touch quantities, patterns, and operations, helping them build a deeper understanding rather than simply memorizing steps. These materials also encourage independence. Spark Rebels can choose tools that match their level and move forward when they are ready. Throughout the session and the year, each learner will work at their individual level. This might mean practicing numbers to 10, building confidence with addition and subtraction, or beginning to explore skip counting and multiplication. This hands on approach allows each learner to grow at their own pace while developing a strong foundation in mathematical thinking.
French
For this first session in French, our Spark Rebels will build a strong foundation of everyday French vocabulary and expressions. We will learn how to say the date, talk about the weather, and express different emotions. We will also learn and practise simple phrases for introducing ourselves and common expressions of politeness, such as “Bonjour,” “Au revoir,” “À bientôt,” “Merci,” and “S’il vous plaît.” Along the way, Spark Rebels will discover useful action words and simple verbs such as “dessiner” and “écrire,” as well as basic phrases they can use to communicate during French activities. Through songs, games, movement activities, and everyday Studio interactions, Spark Rebels will have plenty of opportunities to practise these expressions and become more comfortable using French independently.
Geography
This session in Geography, we are learning all about the continents! This week, Spark Rebels explored our continent puzzle map, identified how many continents there are, and discovered the name of the continent we live on. We will continue building on this understanding as the session progresses, introducing more geography tools and opportunities for hands on exploration.
Art
This week in Art, we explored abstract self portraits inspired by the vibrant and imaginative work of Pablo Picasso. Spark Rebels followed a guided drawing to spark ideas before creating their own unique interpretations. After sketching, they brought their portraits to life with bright, joyful colours. Each piece turned out wonderfully different, just like the artists who created them!
Quest
Welcome to Session One: Create the Culture! In the Spark Studio, our focus this session is connecting, getting to know one another, sharing about ourselves, and building the foundation of our Studio culture. Over the coming weeks, we will learn about one another’s friends and families, explore emotions, create vision boards filled with our dreams and goals, and work together to craft our Studio Promises.
This week, our theme focused on sharing who we are and building connections within our Studio community. On Tuesday, we read Todd Parr’s Be Who You Are, a joyful reminder that everyone brings something unique and wonderful to our community. After the read aloud, we played That’s Me!, a lively game that helped Spark Rebels discover what they have in common. We wrapped up with an All About Me Coat of Arms activity, where learners illustrated themselves, their families, their friends, and their interests. It was a beautiful way to learn more about one another and celebrate the individuality each learner brings to the Studio. On Wednesday, we read I Like Myself! and shared one thing we appreciate about ourselves during our circle discussion. Afterwards, Spark Rebels played a team building game called Get On the Boat. We also completed a page in our Identity Booklets, answering the question, “What do you like most?” Learners illustrated their answers using a variety of stickers representing things they enjoy. Thursday, we read The Day You Begin, which opened the door to some thoughtful conversations about belonging and what makes each of us unique. Spark Rebels then paired up to learn more about one another. Each learner introduced their partner to the group, sharing their name and three fun facts. To finish our Quest for the week, we reflected on what we hope or dream of doing when we are older. Learners illustrated their ideas and added their drawings to their Identity Booklets, continuing to build a meaningful collection that celebrates who they are today and who they are becoming.
To end our week, we read The Proudest Blue and reflected on the beauty of confidence, identity, and celebrating who we are. Afterwards, the Sparks held a Studio Fashion Show, proudly showing off their favourite outfits. They were wonderfully brave! Striking fun poses, dancing down the runway, and expressing themselves with so much joy as music filled the room. It was a fun way to wrap up our week together!
Discovery Studio
Welcome back to the 26-27 school year, Rebels! We had such a wonderful first week back in the studios and started to set the tone for the school year through a series of team-building games and activities that helped us get to know one another.
Mindfulness and Launch
Each morning began with an opportunity for Rebels to connect intentionally, build community, and start the day together. We played a series of games and challenges including 4 Pics 1 Word, Rebel Wink Assassin, New York Times puzzles like Wordle and Connections (which we crushed!), and a team Puzzle Challenge. These moments may look like play—and they certainly are—but they also give Rebels a low-pressure way to laugh together, collaborate, take risks, and strengthen the relationships that make our studio feel like a community.
We also kicked off our weekly docuseries, Watch It Wednesday, with our first documentary: Disney Nature's Penguins! Rebels met Steve, an Adélie penguin who has reached the age when he must set out on his own, learning to fend for himself, find a mate, build a nest, and eventually care for baby penguins, all for the very first time. After watching our first clip, Rebels reflected on some big questions: What does it mean to be brand new at something? What can be hard about trying something for the first time? What helps us keep going when something feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable? It was a fitting conversation for the first week of school. Rebels made connections between Steve's journey and their own experiences, whether navigating new routines and expectations, joining Revel for the first time, or finding their place within a studio filled with new faces. Several Rebels opened up about what big changes can feel like and shared strategies that help them find confidence when things feel new. It was a wonderful reminder that courage doesn't always mean feeling completely ready; sometimes, it simply means being willing to begin. Thursday's Thank You for Sharing gave Rebels another opportunity to learn more about one another as they shared favourite memories and adventures from their summer vacations. By Friday, it was time to bring back an old studio favourite: the Boomwhackers! Rebels reunited with the colourful instruments and kicked off our morning by working together to play some new favourite songs, ending our first week with plenty of rhythm, laughter, and teamwork. Friday's Current Events period featured NASA’s September Puzzler, how sleep schedules can impact back to school routines, and a special upcoming Terry Fox presentation.
French
This session in French, Rebels will explore and review a variety of tools and strategies they can use to support their French learning. We will begin with some “French 101,” reviewing the basics learners need to communicate, understand instructions, and navigate French activities with greater confidence. Throughout the session, learners will practise using helpful language tools such as a dictionary and the Bescherelle to look up vocabulary, check spelling, and find the correct forms of verbs. We will also explore digital tools such as DeepL and Duolingo, learning how to use them as learning supports rather than simply relying on them to do the work for us. Along the way, Rebels will revisit and strengthen previously learned French through games, challenges, conversations, and interactive activities. Learners will also practise introducing themselves, talking about who they are, and sharing information about their interests, experiences, and everyday lives in French. As a final project, each Rebel will prepare and deliver a presentation about themselves in French, bringing together the vocabulary, language tools, and communication skills they have developed throughout the session.
Reader/Writer Workshop
This session Rebels will be working on three communication challenges: Curiosity Driven Questions, Peace Table Scripts and a Rebel Job Application. The goal of these communication challenges is to help Rebels understand that their words have power. Through purposeful writing and reflection, Rebels will learn to use their voices to repair, lead, and advocate when navigating conflict, applying for leadership roles, and making connections in the studio and around the school. Our Guiding Question for this Session is: How can we use our words to make a real difference?
Math Lab
Buckle up, Rebels…it’s time for a Math Crash Course! This session, Rebels will jump into a series of diagnostic math challenges, games, and hands on activities designed to showcase what they already know about number sense and operations, while giving our Guides a clearer picture of where each learner is ready to grow. Along the way, we’ll establish the expectations and routines for Math Labs this year, investigate the difference between math toys and math tools, and even explore the surprising ways that math shows up in art. Throughout Math Lab, Rebels will also begin strengthening the seven mathematical processes that help us think and work like mathematicians: problem solving, reasoning and proving, reflecting, connecting, communicating, representing, and selecting tools and strategies. The goal isn’t just to find the right answer. It’s to build the confidence to explore a problem, choose a strategy, explain your thinking, learn from mistakes, and try again.
Civilizations
Welcome to the Middle Ages! This week, Rebels began a brand new journey through history with Story of the World, Volume 2: The Middle Ages! Before travelling back to the fall of the Roman Empire, we first had to figure out where we were going. Rebels explored the timeline of human history, beginning around 3300 BCE, when some of the earliest known writing systems emerged. We unpacked some of the acronyms historians use to organize time, including BC, BCE, AD, and CE, and practiced figuring out where different events belong on a historical timeline. Then, it was time to dive into our first chapter: The Fall of Rome. Rebels discovered just how enormous the Roman Empire had become, stretching across huge portions of Europe and beyond. We were also introduced to groups the Romans referred to as “Barbarians” and began considering an important historical question: Who gets to tell the story, and how might the words used to describe a group of people change depending on who is doing the telling? Finally, our history lesson became a debate about power. Is an empire stronger when one person holds the ultimate authority, or is a country stronger when power is shared among several people? What happens when one leader becomes too powerful, and what happens when no one person is truly in charge? As we journey through the Middle Ages, Rebels won’t just be learning about what happened. They’ll be challenged to investigate why it happened, consider different perspectives, and decide what the choices of the past can teach us about the world today.
Quest
Create the Culture 26–27: Building Our Crew! Discovery Studio Rebels had an incredible first week getting to know one another and beginning to build the connections that will shape our studio this year! We opened the week with a series of games, challenges, and activities focused on team building and connection before diving into one of our first big ideas: The Hero’s Journey. Rebels explored the different stages of a hero’s story and were introduced to one of Canada’s very own heroes, Terry Fox. Together, we examined Terry’s Marathon of Hope and connected his story to the Hero’s Journey. But we also asked some bigger questions. What actually makes someone a hero? Does a hero need to succeed at the goal they originally set out to accomplish? Is courage about being fearless, or choosing to keep going when something is difficult? Can an ordinary person become a hero through the choices they make? And perhaps most importantly, what can Terry Fox teach us about how we respond when the journey becomes harder than we expected? Those questions brought us right back to our own journeys at Revel.
Rebels explored what it means to be part of a self-governing community of learners and began discussing our Question of the Year and the role each of us plays in creating the kind of studio we want to belong to. Of course, building a strong community also means having some fun together! Rebels jumped into Speed Meeting, a team building challenge that paired them with both new and familiar faces and a deck of questions. Their mission was simple: find something you have in common! Rebels were surprised by just how many connections they discovered and loved uncovering some hilarious and unexpected facts about their teammates along the way. That sense of connection is at the heart of our Create the Culture Quest.
We know that strong teams aren’t built because everyone always agrees, gets everything right, or finds the work easy. They’re built when people trust one another enough to take risks. Connection gives us the confidence to get an answer wrong in front of each other, ask for help, try something we aren’t sure we can do, struggle together, and celebrate when someone finally breaks through. When Rebels know they have a crew behind them, failure becomes a little less scary and big goals feel a little more possible. Over the coming weeks, Rebels will continue exploring the programs, systems, traditions, and expectations that make Revel, Revel. They’ll take ownership of different pieces of our community and ultimately share what they’ve learned with families at our Session 1 Exhibition of Learning.
Create the Culture is so much more than setting the tone for a new school year. It’s about intentionally building the foundation that each Rebel will stand on as they embark on their own learning journey. We’re only one week in, and we can’t wait to see what this incredible crew becomes!
Additional Highlights
PE workshops got off to a wonderful start this week as Rebels chose between soccer, in anticipation of the upcoming tournaments in October, and neighbourhood walks to discover and get to know the lay of the land around Rebel! We got very lucky with a beautiful first week of weather, so all studios optimized their time outside every chance we got!
We also kicked off our Thursday Reading Buddies adventures with the Spark Rebels! Each Thursday during DEAR, Discovery Rebels will pair up with a Spark buddy to share a selection of stories, sometimes reading aloud to their buddy and other times encouraging our younger Rebels as they practice reading themselves. It was so sweet watching new connections form and old connections grow as Rebels settled in together, shared stories, and celebrated the joy of reading across our studios.
Exploration Studio
Mindfulness and Launch
This week in Mindfulness and Launch, we explored the importance of starting our day with intention and how mindfulness can help us feel more present, focused, and ready to learn. Rebels experienced mindfulness in different ways, including a guided “Under the Stars” meditation, a mindful walk through the forest and up the hill, and time for journaling and reflection.
During Launch, we watched a video about the importance of connection and meaningful relationships and learned about interesting current events led by one of our Exploration Rebels - way to show some great leadership! We also shared ideas about how we can continue to make our morning Launch a meaningful and engaging part of our Studio community.
civilizations
This session, Rebels are exploring culture and the many visible and invisible elements that shape who we are and how we experience the world. This week, we introduced the Cultural Iceberg, looking beyond the food, traditions, language, and celebrations we can easily see to explore the deeper values, beliefs, expectations, and ways of communicating that exist below the surface.
Rebels made connections to Canadian culture and began thinking about the culture we want to intentionally create within our own Studio. Over the coming weeks, each learner will choose a country they are curious about, dive deeper into its culture, and share their discoveries with the rest of the Studio through a short project.
Reader/Writer Workshops
This session, Rebels will explore creative writing as a way to discover and communicate who they are. We began by questioning what actually counts as creative writing, which sparked rich discussions about the many ways creativity and voice can show up through words. Each Rebel received their own writing notebook, where they will experiment with different forms of creative writing over the coming weeks. This week, Rebels challenged themselves to describe who they are in just six words and chose a creative writing medium they are curious to explore further. Through writing, experimenting, and sharing, Rebels will develop their voices, creativity, and confidence as communicators while discovering that there is no single way to be a writer.
French
This first session in French, Exploration Rebels will revisit the French they already know and build a strong set of tools to help them feel more confident using French throughout the year. We will review basic verbs, everyday vocabulary, common expressions, and polite phrases that learners can use to communicate with others. As part of this work, Rebels will create a French reference poster that brings together key vocabulary, verbs, expressions, and useful French language. They will also build their own personalized French help book, where they can collect the words, expressions, and tools that are most useful to them. Both resources will become ongoing references that Rebels can use and add to as their French develops.
Quest: From Me to We - Building Our Rebel Crew
Our first week was about more than getting to know one another. It was about beginning to understand who we are as learners and how we show up for our community. Through speed interviews, a spaghetti tower challenge, trivia, and collaborative activities, Rebels practised skills that will matter throughout the year, including communication, teamwork, problem solving, adaptability, courage, and taking initiative. Strong teams are not built because everyone agrees or gets everything right. They are built when people trust one another enough to take risks, ask for help, share an idea, make mistakes, try something difficult, and celebrate each other’s growth. When Rebels know they have a crew behind them, failure becomes less scary and big goals feel more possible.
We also launched our first Quest, From Me to We, by exploring a big question:
What should school actually prepare us for?
Rebels designed their “perfect school,” reimagining how learners could learn and identifying the skills young people need to thrive in school, life, and the future. We also introduced the Hero’s Journey as a way of understanding that meaningful learning includes challenge, uncertainty, mistakes, support, and growth. Over the coming weeks, Rebels will continue exploring what makes Revel, Revel while developing self awareness, ownership, collaboration, resilience, and leadership. They will not simply learn about our Studio culture. They will help create it, ultimately sharing their learning at our Session 1 Exhibition. Create the Culture is about building the foundation for our journey from ME to WE and asking one important question: Who will we become?
Questions to Ask Your Learner(s):
Spark Studio
Who did you play with this week? Did you learn anything new about them? Who was your partner when you introduced them and shared three fun facts about them?
What do you like about yourself?
What was your favourite part of the week? What was hard this week?
What did you draw in your gratitude journal this week?
Discovery Studio
Tell me about your favourite teambuilding game you played with the studio this week? (Four Corners, Octopus, Speed Meeting, Man Hunt/Capture the Flag, the Parachute Stalkers game, the Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, or Family Feud)
What does your crew need from you this year, and what do you need from your crew when things get hard?
Can you tell me something you learned about someone else in your studio this week?
How does Terry Fox’s story connect to the Hero’s Journey?
Is a civilization stronger with one powerful leader or when power is shared? Why?
Are you able to show me your 26-27 Goal Tracker?
a. New Rebels: Can you walk me through how some of it works?
b. Returning Rebels: What’s new/changed? What stayed the same?
Exploration Studio
What is something you learned about yourself as a learner this week? Was there a moment that surprised or challenged you?
You talked about the Cultural Iceberg this week. What is something about culture that exists “below the surface”? What country or culture are you curious to learn more about?
If you could redesign one thing about school to better prepare students for life and the future, what would you change and why?
What does being a “Rebel” mean to you so far? What is one skill or quality you want to develop this session?