Trying Something New: Students Become the Experts
Over the course of the last few years I have been trying to figure out different ways to teach and engage students on the topic of Confederation. I know, I know, it is a fascinating topic! But an...
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Developing a Framework for Inclusion Within Math 8
This year I have the opportunity to work with Pam Rutten in her Math 8 class. The focus of this co-teaching is to attempt to provide access to the curriculum for all learners with a specific focus on...
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Tell Me What You're Really Thinking… The "Ticket" Out
When a lesson comes to an end, and students gather up their things and head on out the door, there are days when I ask myself, Did they really get the lesson? What happened there? The hectic nature of...
View ArticleA Steaming Styrofoam Cup of Social Studies
Socials 11 is hard. It is course crammed with material and can at sometimes seem like a labyrinth. Like the famed labyrinth, there is also a minotaur waiting in the tunnel; the minotaur is of course,...
View ArticleProfessional Learning - Making Connections
I have recently become a “twitterer”… and I am amazed at how that one small step has opened up a new world to me. I pick up my ipad when I am too tired to do anything else, and the next thing I know...
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You are the Reason We are Here!
I love to go visit classrooms and see what teachers are doing. Just before Spring Break I was in Lindsay Guza’s grade 7 classroom. I loved the message on the door. Her philosophy was very evident to...
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Tableaus and Technology: A New Twist On An Old Idea
Tableaus are something I've been using with Lit Circle units for a while. The idea comes from Faye Brownlie's book "Grand Conversations" (an awesome resource if you want to try Lit Circles in class)....
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I Fought The Law and the Law Won
Often with teaching, there are great opportunities available to partner up with community groups who love to work with schools. However, with the busy schedules that we have, it can be difficult to...
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Play-Doh Sim City
As an introduction to the Geography of Ancient Rome, we first discussed the game Sim City. I asked students what they needed to put in their cities to make them flourish. Then, in groups, I had them...
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The WALLS have EYES, EARS, and INFLUENCE
I've spent a fair amount of time in Skaha Lake Middle School recently and also visited Columbia Elementary and am always interested on what is on the walls. Last year, I taught in a room now occupied...
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BC's Economy: Agriculture
Social Studies 10: Wild Goose Winery One of the focuses during Social Studies 10 is on British Columbia's economy and the major sectors that make up BC's economy. For our look at agriculture we...
View ArticleElementary & Middle School Highlights
Here are some of the 2013-2014 highlights collected this year from our Elementary and Middle School teachers.
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Atomic Play-Doh (Science 10)
I tried a different activity with students in Science 10 the other day using Play-Doh. Instead of having the students go through the traditional method of learning nuclear fission/fusion with sketches...
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Creating for an Authentic Audience
Last week the Penticton Art Gallery hosted an opening night for an exhibit of work produced by local high school students. The Princess Margaret selection from Brad Gibson's art classes included 3...
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Stop Motion In History 12
A colleague introduced me to a free app (Stop Motion-Animation Maker Pro) that allows students to create video-esque 'flip books' using white boards, markers, and either a tablet or smart phone. Their...
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Keeping the Virtues Alive - Character Education
Kent and I wanted some way to review the good character traits we had worked on with our classes this winter. We continued with the ‘Sticking with Good Character’ board, where each student was...
View ArticleHighlights from Princess Margaret
With the end of another school year comes the chance to compile some of the great work being done by the teachers and students at Princess Margaret Secondary. With 27 members in the group it was...
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Socratic Dialogue with Back Channel (Grade 12)
My colleague Trevor returned from the ASCD conference with a strategy for teaching Socratic dialogue with an added element of a "backchannel" so more students would be involved. The idea is that in a...
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Scavenger Hunt For Notes
I decided to try something different for the Short Stories unit in English 8. The goal was to learn the important vocabulary for the unit. Instead of having the students copy out the definitions from...
View ArticleMy First Year in Through A Different Lens (Elementary)
I am a new teacher that joined TADL because I have seen the type of teachers that participate in the group, and am familiar with the kind of lessons they create. I want to create those kinds of...
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