Connect Charter School
Principal’s Message: Dr. Phil Butterfield
EXPO Week at Connect
Report cards and student-led conferences are complete; spring break is just
around the corner…what better time to set in motion an introduction of place-based
learning activities as an preview of the EXPO program? Teachers organized
activities this week that demonstrate the essence of EXPO by connecting student’s
learning in the classroom to real world applications that also reinforced our role
within our community.
Many of the activities focused on our relationships with the First Nations,
Metis, and Inuit cultures, specifically the Tsuu’ Tina community with whom we share
so much space in the Weaselhead Natural Environment Area and the land to the
west of 37th St. In fact, we must always acknowledge and remain mindful that our
school is situated on Treaty 7 land. We will continue to nurture our relationship with
the Tsuu’ Tina Schools to ensure our students expand their understanding of First
Nations culture and community through continued opportunities for interaction.
The week culminated with the first annual Connect pow wow, organized by
Ms. Emin and Ms. Fox, a student teacher from Mount Royal University. The energy
of the dancers and drummers in the gym was contagious and built up to an
interactive group dance that involved all the students in the gym. The pow wow was
a fitting and remarkable end to EXPO week as it gave us all a chance to reflect on
our place within the community and how we may shift from being a consumer to
being a contributor within our society. The remainder of this special Spring Break
Spectrum is a photo journal of some of the activities undertaken during EXPO week.
Thank you to all who attended the EXPO parent information session on
Wednesday evening, and to our Parent Advisory Committee for organizing the
materials and fielding questions following the presentation. More information on
planning for EXPO, and how parents can become involved and support the
program, will be sent in a separate email.
Many thanks to all of you for your support of Connect Charter school and we
look forward to a dynamic third term of exemplary learning, teaching, and leading.
Daisy is the April Flower
Connect Charter School- Bringing Learning to a Whole New Experience
By Vanessa Mattson, U of C Student Teacher
April
Calendar
As we introduced place-based learning into our classrooms this month,
students were given the opportunity to experience it first hand in a Grade 8
Science classroom. Ms. Mattson is one of our pre-service teachers at Connect
Charter and has been leading her Grade 8’s through the Mechanical Systems
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Calendar is available
through this link:
http://connectcharter.ca/a
nnual-calendars/#
unit. Students learned about mechanical devices and how they serve a purpose
in society. In order to contribute back to our community, the Grade 8’s built
launching devices using the engineering design process to launch indigenous
seed bombs into Clem’s Garden. Introducing indigenous plant species is
important because they are acclimatized to our weather and soil conditions and
require little to no maintenance. Throughout this process, students were able to
explore the different components of a mechanical device and its function and
how it can be used for multiple purposes. Students went through the design
process and reflected on their experiences in an online journal.
In the first stage of the project, students built Popsicle stick models of a
variety of different launching devices, determining the efficiency and
effectiveness of each. The second stage of the project required students to
choose what Popsicle stick launching device they wanted to design, build and
test on a much larger scale. Students measured and cut their materials in the
woodshop and started building their launching devices. The Grade 8’s then
headed out into the field and tested their launching devices with tennis balls
before launching their seed bombs into Clem’s Garden.
This project would not have been possible without the generosity from
David Carman, Ed Bereznicki, Richard Maron for their building expertise, Cathy
Kurio for educating students on the importance of indigenous species, and Wild
About Flowers for providing the indigenous seeds for the seed bombs. Thankyou to everyone who dedicated their time and efforts, it is much appreciated.
March 20-23 was
EXPO week at Connect
Charter School.
This edition of the
Spectrum is a special
edition that highlights
activities during the Expo
week.
Expo Week: Grade 4
Hearing from one of our grade 4 parents about Calgary’s water filtration systems!
An afternoon spent exploring the Weaselhead in grade 4! Magic spots
Observing light & shadow in grade 4! Measuring our shadows at different times of day.
Expo Week: Grade 5
Telus Spark Centre
Expo Highlights by Grade 5 Students
Describe how an EXPO week activity connected to the learning we have done in class.
When the First Nations came to show and tell us about their life and tradition it was coming from actual native
people, whereas when we are in the classroom we don't usually get a chance to do that. So because of EXPO
week we got the chance of learning in a different way.
In Telus spark I learned more by doing the activities for electricity we don't just have to watch a video we can
actually do the activity. For the traditional dances we could see the real thing for humanities and we learned
more information from the people who came to present. For north glenmore park it helped calm down and
listen to nature and help focus on the sounds and what we see.
Expo week helped introduce placed based education. The pow wow helped in our understanding about First
Nations. It helped us experience the life and challenges of First Nations people.
It was amazing to see the way of the Inuit/First Nations life right there in front us instead of talking and
watching videos. All of the field trips show what we are learning in a different way of what we are learning in
class. The EXPO to Telus Spark showed that electricity is important in what we do to make are way in life.
These field trips aren't just fun but the teach us.
In humanities class we are learning about Canada's history. The First Nations were a big part of Canada's
history and now I know more about them like some of their dances.
For example we learnt about electricity then we got hands on learning with it, and then when we thought that
we where already had the best learning ever we went to the science center and learnt more them we knew
before and improved the knowledge that we already had.
This term in humanities we have been learning about the immigrants who came to Canada and about the First
Nations way of life. When the First Nations people came to our school they told us about pow wows and if an
eagle feather from your dress falls off the whole ceremony ends, you need an elder to give you it back but you
must give the elder something in return. This was a great learning opportunity.
I like that extends our learning and goes deeper into the subjects that we have gone over in class, but it also
expands our range of subjects and exposes us to the real world.
Describe the most memorable part of EXPO week. Why will you remember it?
Probably the powwow because all the dancing and colourful outfits, I think I will remember this for a long time
I thought that expo was really fun because we had HANDS ON LEARNING. So that means we did not need to
sit in a class and do nothing. We got to actually test it out and do hands on learning.
The most memorable place during expo week was magic spots and I will remember it because it was the most
calm part of the week.
My most memorable moment was the Pow Wow, because it was amazing to see the people from Treaty 7
dance in all sorts of ways, and seeing the teachers hoop dance was so fun.
Probably when we learned about the residential schools for First Nations, because now I can understand that
they had to get through some hard challenges, and now I kind of view them differently.
I will most remember seeing a POW WOW in real life because that would be a chance I will probably not get in
the future. It was really cool to see what happens and what they do, when you are actually there watching
them, which was really neat.
The north glenmore park one was very memorable because the feeling of Canada in the woods and in the
silence felt so peaceful in a way that was unforgettable.
A really memorable part of expo week was learning about the residential schools. It is memorable because it
was really interesting to me.
I think I will remember the last day the most because it was more packed than the others and it also personally
introduced us to a new culture that we can continue to foster as a newer generation.
What is the most important thing you learned during EXPO week?
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Learning outside of the classroom is better than learning inside the classroom.
That everyone has had different ways of life and different challenges.
I learned many things, but it was really good to know about what types of plants the First Nations used
and what they did.
That everyone's culture is different and that it is important to be different.
I think most important part of expo week was getting to learn differently outside of the classroom.
Mostly about how First Nations lived their life back then and what traditions they had. I think that EXPO
week makes it a better learning experience for all of us.
That we are not the only culture and that other cultures are fun and neat too.
I learned that electricity can travel in different ways without any wires.
Something that could have improved EXPO week for me is...
Nothing really, this week was the most best week in the whole school year for me (despite spirt week). I'm
looking forward for the school year ahead.
I don't think you needed to change a thing. It was an excellent experience.
Everything was great considering that this was the first one ever and that I've never had this kind of experience
before.
Thank you to Tara Nelson, CTV News anchor, who spoke with Grade 6 students about journalism and
the importance of the media.
Expo Week: Grade 6
Flight and aerodynamics
Lacrosse with the Calgary Roughnecks
Grade 6 students had a great time learning how to play lacrosse with Bobby, a Rough Necks player,
from ELEV8 Lacrosse. This supported our study of the Iroquois and the importance that lacrosse plays
in their culture.
Expo Week: Grade 7
Cross conservation Area - installing wildlife cameras
PVA Guest performers: ‘Leaving Thomas’ and ‘Scott Henderson’
Expo Week: Grade 8
Mrs. Kathy Curio, former teacher and City of Calgary Garden Award recipient was gracious enough
to teach us about the role of indigenous plant species in our community to help our local
ecosystem while warning us of some of the dangers of invasive species.
A photo of three types of seeds used in our seed
bombs - all of these species are indigenous to
the Calgary region, and now all are planted in
Clem’s Garden. Keep your eyes open in the
early Summer to see these sprout
If you have never made seed bombs before,
these students know the recipe - some clay, soil,
water and of course seeds!
Learning can be messy, but we have gloves.
It’s all in the name of science, and building
environmentally sustainable ecosystems.
Pre-Service teacher Ms. Mattson looks on as she sees
the hard work of her students pay off as they launch
their seed bombs into Clem’s Garden.
Student readies, aims and fires her test load (tennis
ball) to verify the distance needed to project her
seed bomb.
Student both proud and working hard to make some
modifications after her first round of testing
Grade 8s attending a presentation from a molecular biologist
Grade 8 Students Mentoring Grade 4
Grade 8s collaborating with Grade 4s by listening to their created stories about indigenous peoples
down at the Weaselhead
Expo Week: Grade 9
Grade 9 presentation with federal Liberal candidate Scott Forsyth.
Spotted On our venture into the Weaselhead with the 9's on Wednesday
‘Connect Pow Wow’