Green Our Homes With Green Industries

Rein Tammemagi Beyond the Classroom, Experiential Learning, Science and Math No Comments

 

When Green Industries had to make the shift to online learning, it was a bit of a bummer, as it meant we weren’t going to be able to do all of the hands-on learning and field trips that we had planned. But I like to look at the opportunities that situations like this can present us. Now that we had to learn at home, why not use this opportunity to improve our homes with the help of luxury acreage home design sydney, indoors and out, by greening them!

Students Green Their Homes With Green IndustriesWe began by learning all about the benefits that immersing ourselves in nature can have, and how adding a few plants into our living spaces, and participating in gardening can improve our mental health in trying times. We practiced propagating plants from ones that we already had growing in our home as well as growing our own food from kitchen scraps, getting artsy while making plant labels from upcycled materials found around the house, and preparing garden beds outdoors.

 

Now that it is warm and sunny out, the students are moving their growing from the indoors to the outdoors, and we are continuing the greening process from the comfort of our own yards!

The Art of Procrastination

Brydie Smith Community, Student Spotlight No Comments

 

As adults, we are all too aware of the struggles of procrastination. We are tempted by the pull of instant gratification, making it easier to choose the small, easy or fun task(s) first. It is much more satisfying to see the results of a quick tidy up rather than be content in knowing you have scrubbed every surface in a full spring-clean, especially when you would rather be BBQing, reading, or spending time with your loved ones. I sense some of our students are currently trying to manage similar struggles regarding their school work. In fact, one of our middle schoolers showed me this interesting TEDtalk that she stumbled upon, ironically while she was procrastinating. It is much easier for us to tell our children/students the importance of paying attention to school and staying current with their coursework, than it is for them to avoid the distractions of working from home.

With the YMCA Academy online classes taking place in the morning, students essentially have the whole afternoon to try to manage their time wisely for completing any additional or outstanding assignments. There is of course the 1pm-2pm help session available, and students can book time with staff to work 1:1 on assignments. Below, I have also compiled some tips that may help avoid distractions and procrastination for other parts of their day:

  • Turn off notifications on devices
    This may be a challenge for some students, but setting their devices to “Do Not Disturb”, Airplane Mode or turning off notifications can be a huge benefit to their attention span during class times/additional work sessions.
  • Leaving devices in another room
    Even with notifications turned off, it can be tempting to check for messages or scroll through social media sites. Leaving your cell phone or tablet, etc, in another room (or across the same room) can make it easier to ignore the urges to check a device.
  • Pomodoro Technique
    This is a technique that is designed to break large tasks down into smaller ones. It essentially requires 25 minutes of focused work, with a 5 minute break, repeated four times until you take an extended 20 minute break. This is a long time to expect most of our students to sit and focus, however this same concept can be used in smaller time frames.
  • Set a deadline/timeframe
    This transition into online learning has understandably been a challenge for many students. Setting a deadline or timeframe for school work each day can help students avoid feeling overwhelmed with course content.
  • Create a schedule
    Creating and using a schedule can be a great way for your child to learn how to manage and prioritize their time, a skill that will help them throughout their lives. We are happy to assist any student with making a schedule that suits their needs.

This is a generic list of tips and tools available, and may not be suited to each student. As always, we are happy to work with students who are struggling and have many supports in place to assist all of our students. If you have any concerns about your student, please feel free to contact us!

Geography: The Great Human Odyssey

Brandon Stewart Beyond the Classroom, English and Humanities No Comments

 

Students in the Middle School Geography Course have taken on the job of considering early human history through the lens of Human Geography. By building on previous lessons about the spheres of the earth, Students had the opportunity to view episodes of CBC’s The Nature of Things documentary, “The Great Human Odyssey.”

Episode One taught the Middle School Students about the “evolution of adaptability” in homo sapiens. The climate throughout history has been volatile, resulting in the extinction of countless species. Climate has also affected where and when our ancestors were able to settle the earth.

This episode also features two case studies. Students explored how the San People (often called the Bushmen) in South Africa survive in the extreme climate of the Kalahari desert. They also learned about the expert breath-hold divers of Badjoa peoples of Tawi Tawi.

Students discussed the origins of humans in the continent of Africa, how early people survived drastic climate change, and how symbolic thought and art-making gives us an understanding of ancient quality of life.

By using new online tools, from video-conferencing, to Jamboard, students are building on their ability to navigate online course delivery, while exploring exciting ideas about the past, and our relationship with the world we inhabit.

A Smorgasbord of Fun

Zareh Demirdji Beyond the Classroom, Community No Comments

 

Week three of Board Game Club saw staff and students playing two new games and revisiting a game from last week. The first game we played was Patently Stupid where players are given odd challenges and must come up with creative inventions to solve the problem. Come up with the best idea, and you could be given enough money to produce your product. The second game was Trivia Murder Party, a deadly quiz show where you match wits with a trivia obsessed host. Players answer questions correctly in each round or else face off against one another in devious mini games to make it back into the next round. Lastly, we spent the majority of our time playing trivia challenges on Kahoot, which was such a blast last week, we couldn’t resist playing some more.

Wellness Wednesday: Fitness Club

John Cuthbert Beyond the Classroom, Community, Healthy Living No Comments

 

Each Wellness Wednesday at 11, students join the Fitness Club video call ready to move, sweat and be well.

Fitness Club (also affectionately referred to as the Temple of Swole – a far-cry from the Fortress of Swole-itude frequented by Superman) provides an opportunity for students and staff alike to meet up online for some group fitness goodness. After joining the video chat, teachers Reinman and John guide participants through a whole-body exercise routine designed to improve mobility, endurance and strength.

Each session has its own unique exercise routine, which emphasizes proper workout structure and technique while keeping things fresh and fun. Participants begin with a dynamic warm-up to ready their bodies for the specific exercises in that session. Next, the crew ramps things up with technique instruction and a high intensity interval training (HIIT) set of 10 calisthenics exercises. The group closes the session with a cool-down that aids recovery for whatever the future holds (whether it’s tomorrow’s exercise session or Cooking Club).