Thursday, 23 May 2013

School Uniforms: A Grade 5 assignment (Assessment and Evaluation)


School Uniforms?      

What are the pros and cons of having a school uniform?

Should school uniforms be mandatory in all elementary schools in Ontario?

CONGRATULATIONS! You have been selected to sit as a member of a parliamentary advisory committee on school uniforms. The committee has been asked to address two key questions:

Would you like to wear a uniform to school?

Should school uniforms be mandatory for elementary students?

As one of the members of the committee you have been asked to represent one of the following: the Parent Association, Student, School Principal, or a Member of Parliament (can be 1 or 2). Leave a space to make it easier to read.

Your task is to create a Bill to be considered by the Ontario provincial legislature. In developing the Bill you must determine whether school uniforms should be mandatory for all students in Ontario. In your submission you must create reasons to support your chosen position. You will report your results as a group with each member of the group stating their arguments for the position he/she holds (E.g. Member of Parliament).

The task has four (4) parts (See instructions for details):

  1. Research as a group using the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages of having a school uniform
  2. Take a position based on the results of your research
  3. Design the Bill. Remember a Bill is an outline presented to a legislature, but not passed and made law
  4. As a group develop three (3) questions that will be used would to support why your bill should become law. 
  5. Individually, reflect on your contributions to the group and how it helped you to succeed in developing a bill.

READ INSTRUCTIONS 1-4 BEFPRE BEGINNING THIS ACTIVITY

MATERIALS
  • 4-5 CUE CARDS (ONE PER GROUP MEMBER)
  • 4-5 SHEETS OF 8 ½ X 11
  • 1 SHEET OF CHART (PER GROUP)
  • MARKERS
  • PENCILS
  • ERASERS
(The attached rubric will also help guide you.)
 
INSTRUCTIONS

 

DESIGN THE BILL: Develop your Bill based on the following information:













  1. Create a name card include your first name, title and what your role on the committee
2.         a.    Using the T-Chart (attached) write ‘school uniforms’ at the top of the page.
b.    Next, write the words ‘pros and cons’ on either the left or right side of the T.
c.    Remember: Keep in mind when you are creating the bill a) pros are for the bill b) cons against the bill
d.    Write pros and cons from different perspective. Contribute four (4) pros and four (4) cons. Take turns after stating your perspective.
e.    Once complete, examine the pros and cons. Does one outweigh the other? 
f.     Take a position for or against school uniforms.

  1. Check-in: Submit your proposal for approval before moving forward.

  1. Develop five (5) arguments to support your position.

  1. Check-in: Submit your arguments before moving forward.

  1. Construct your Bill with your recommendation. Your Bill must be properly formatted according to the following:

                       I.        On one page
                     II.        Have a title
                    III.        Have an appropriate graphic
                   IV.        One strongly worded statement supporting the position taken
                    V.        Your five  (5) arguments (reasons) highlighted

  1. Check-in: Submit your Bill for approval before continuing.

  1. Identify three (3) questions that might be asked in the legislature my members of parliament about your position.

  1. You will need to propose your Bill to the legislature (the class).
Be prepared to answer three (3) questions from the legislature.

  1.  Submit your Bill and your work materials.


Self-Reflection

How did your group make sure everyone’s point of view was considered?








What questions did you ask when assembling the law included as a resource?







How did you feel about your role in the group activity?




 
 



Wednesday, 24 April 2013

New resources added!

Be sure to check out our resources page to view new links to different website filled with activities and lesson plans.

Saturday, 26 January 2013

Mass and Capacity Activity Centres



Capacity & Mass Activity Centres

Activity A
Capacity—Lentils

1.     Estimate the capacity of all the containers (Record your estimate.)
2.     Carefully pour the lentils into one of the containers.
3.     Carefully pour the lentils from the container into a measuring container.
4.     Record your results.
5.     Repeat until you have measured the capacity of each container.
6.     Write the capacities in order from least to greatest.

Activity B
Mass—light items

1.     Assemble the scale.
2.     Estimate the mass (weight) of a pig.  (Record your estimate.)
3.     Use the balance scale to find the weight in grams.  Place the pig on one side and a weight on the other side.  Record your results.
4.     Choose 2 other small items to estimate and weigh in the same way.

Activity C
Capacity—Water

1.     Estimate the capacity of all the containers.  (Record your estimate.)
2.     Fill up the container with water from the tap.  Stop where you see the tape.
3.     Carefully pour the water from a container into a measuring container.
4.     Record your results.
5.     Repeat until all containers are measured.
6.     Write all of the capacities in order from least to greatest.

Problem Solving D
Mass—Grizzly Bear

The average mass of a grizzly bear is about 360 kg.  About how many grade 3 children together have the mass of  a grizzly bear.  (1 kg = about 2 pounds)
Show your thinking.

Problem Solving E
Capacity--Making Juice 

Jan needs to add 5L of water to her frozen juice.  The can for adding the water only holds ¼ of a litre.  How many cans of water does Jan need to make the juice?
Show your thinking.

Bonus:  Jan has $4.  Each can of frozen juice cost $1.15.  If Jan used 3 cans of frozen juice would she have enough money?  Would she get any change?
Show your thinking.

Problem Solving F
Capacity—Pool Party

Raj has 12 friends coming for a pool party.  He thinks 2 glasses of pop will be enough for each guest.  How many litres of pop should he buy?
Show your thinking.

Bonus:  Raj has $10.  A 2L bottle of pop costs $1.49.  Will he have enough money to buy the pop he needs?  Will he get any change?
Show your thinking.

Extra Activity

Mass--Beans

Hold a bean (or more) in your hand.  About how many do you think it would make 1 kilogram?  (Record your estimate.)
Make a plan and carry it out to check your estimate.
Record the steps you will take to do this.

Other Activity

Capacity—Popcorn

Make a container using paper that you believe will hold 1 litre of popcorn.
You may use paper, scissors, tape/glue and a ruler.
Think about how many centicubes would make up 1 litre.  Think about how much popcorn would fill a litre.

When you have made your container.  Try to fill it with 1 litre of popcorn.  Put the popcorn back and make a new container that is closer to 1 litre.  Fill the container with 1 litre of popcorn again.  Now you may eat the popcorn.

Saturday, 19 January 2013

Scaredy Squirrel is back! (A procedural writing graphic organizer)



Use pictures, words and your own ideas to help show the sequence
  • What are the different steps that you would have to take to ensure that it was successful?
  • In partners work out the retelling of Scaredy Squirrel at night for you to include. What would you write? What steps would you take? How would you retell it?
  • Be sure to use pictures to help show the sequence that you would take.
Retell the story think about what Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of and what he he did to change that.

Brainstorm ideas (below)
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Draw how the story would look like once you retell Scaredy Squirrel at night
 


Tuesday, 8 January 2013

Tip of the Day for Jan 8th, 2013

Consider these steps when attempting to find out the perimeter of an object