Self Taught Speed Calculator

After working on our STEAM activities our class realized they needed a speed calculator to track and translate the speed of an object

Biodiversity Book: Call to Action

Students have been learning about a number of different environmental issues and have been becoming strong ambassadors for this earth. Their studies have taken them from the depths of the seas to flying high with the birds. They have become poignant activists for issues such as deforestation to oil spills.
As part of our Language we have been looking at text features and the elements of a short story. Students used looked at Elements of a Story such as Plot & Conflict. All the stories and picture books the students created had very touching themes and messages. The themes were woven into their stories giving the reader a deeper meaning and understanding of the book. After creating a Success Criteria for the pictures books based on our learning students used the rubric to help them evaluate their books before handing them in.

Albion Hills: Environmental Leadership

Each year certain schools are invited to participate in the Outdoor Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow Program. This year my class visited Albion Hills learned about biodiversity and the importance of environmentalism.
Students learned survival skills in the forest by building shelters and building a fire to brew hot chocolate. They also studied green house gas emissions through fun activities. Finally, I am very proud to say that while students were on this 3 day trip, they achieved zero food waste -students left zero food uneaten. This was an extremely hard task, but the students embraced the challenge and won!

STEM Challenges

Challenges inspire students to think creatively and reflect on their strategies. Having students build the tallest tower out of spaghetti and marshmallows or the most buoyant raft out of 10 sheets of paper allow students think critically. They need to make a plan, test out their ideas and revise their work.
We are constantly pleading with students to double check their work. Rich challenges sparks students interest and help motivate them to work better. Students are able to apply a theory to real world examples. Students can be hands on and get immediate feedback if they are successful or still require help.
I am a huge believer that we are not teaching students to memorize mindless facts or preparing the for the weekly test. We are inspiring students to be live long learners, researchers, problem solvers, critiquers of knowledge, skeptics, innovators, critical thinkers, team players, presenters and individuals that disrupt the status quo (Be the Change). If students can walk away from my class understanding the learning skills and the Four C's (Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking & Creativity). The result of a test will not matter in 10 years, but the ability to collaborate well, gather information (not memorize a worksheet) and critically respond to information will help students for the rest of their life.

Below are some resources to support challenges in the class:

Curiosity Machine

10 Team Building Critical Thinking Questions

DIY.org

Engineering in Elementary

Instructables

Bridges, Towers & Flying Devices

Here is a follow up post to show the fantastic work done by the grade 5 (Butler's Big City Build) and 6 (Butler's Flight Toy Build Off) students on their Science projects. Grade 5s were answering the question how can structures be built to minimize damages from natural disasters. Here are a few creative solutions. The grade 6 students were building toy models for flying devices.

Butler's Toy Build Off Grade 6 Science Flight Project

Creative Thinking skills and Persistence are two of the hardest lessons, but also two of the most important for us to teach them. We must give students the opportunity to reflect and revise. The project will not only assess the final product, but the knowledge construction and problem solving during class time.
Answering, what you learned should not be exclusively science focused -we are multi focused.

Click here to print

Science Projects Grade 5 Butler's Big City Build

The latest round of Science projects are here!
How can we prepare students the future? It is our responsibility to ow students there are more jobs out there than mathematicians, gym teachers & scientists. Give students real problems, bring in real professionals using skype and have them feel they are contributing to solving real world problems.
This latest project is inspired by the natural disasters plaguing the world and how to find ways to avoid the catastrophic fall out of the events.
Click here to print off the form

Student Work

Science Projects

Science Projects

The students have been working very hard on their projects and this Friday they finally presented all their hard work. It was an ambitious project with a lot of new knowledge construction, but the students did a fantastic job. Great work!
Again, a big Thanks for Paramedic Eladio for coming in to help as a guest judge for the presentations. He provided great feedback for the students... and brought lots of cool stickers, crafts, etc.

Royal Canadian Agricultural Winter Fair & Fight Bullying Contest

This past Thursday The grade 5 and 6 classes attended "The Royal Canadian Agricultural Winter Fair". The kids took knowledge from the Science program and made connections to the real world. The grade 6 students saw first hand the affects of biodiversity and the impact farms have on the world. From observing livestock to different foods students eyes were opened to many real life examples of what they had been studying. 

I also had a great encounter with the one and only Captain America. Cap shares my passion to stop bullying and make this world a better place for everyone. Marvel has teamed up with The Royal Canadian Winter Fair to put on a contest. Students are asked to submit a story illustrating how to make this world a better place for all people. See more details.

Dr Butler's Diagnostic & Butler's Biodiversity Blog

Here we go.
Project sheets went home today and are expected back and signed ASAP.
Please remember to start collecting information and resources to bring. Class time is for work, not research.
Reminder: Parents, as much as you love your children and want them to get A's on everything, it is time to let them fly a little on their own. This project will be done predominantly in class.

Please click here for the projects:

Dr Butler's Diagnostic

Butler's Biodiversity Book/Blog

Project Time:

It's Project Time!

First Science Project of the Year. That first project is always exciting and a little nerve wracking... even for the teacher. You never know how it will turn out. You create the guidelines and then let the students go. The best description of good project work someone once told me was, "It's fluid". You have to let it seattle into whatever shape it will. If we control it too much as teachers we are limiting what the students get out of the project. The lessons learned it a project should far exceed the curriculum goals; we are not teaching students to become books or some vessel to hold information. We want students to synthesize information, but also create new knowledge and critically assess what they are reading. We DO want students to argue and disagree with their groups, because that is real life and we are preparing them to handle disagreements responsibly. Students need to extend what they are reading and make connections. They need to organize their information, not just sorting it into the teachers graphic organizer. Students want real world problems and to understand how this impacts the world; what is the purpose behind what they are doing.

And we as teachers need to step back and trust that students will make mistakes, but if hey are engaged that they will go back and correct their mistakes. They will challenge themselves and each other. As a teacher it's hard to step back and more importantly to know how far back to step. We must still conference with students and give feedback, but that also means allowing for students to go back and revise. Why does every mistake need to result in a C or a D? Who hasn't made a mistake at work? Fear of failure results in just more failure than if we just tried. Let kids play and explore the content, but be there to support them and guide them back when they get too far off the path.

This was my passion filled rant on projects and if I failed and made a million grammatical errors, I'll go back and hit edit later.