Over the
years, the students and teachers of Glendale school have been
working on innovative and exciting projects. The projects archived
here provide a starting point for further innovative projects to come.
School Year 2008 - 2009 |
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We have been investigating the notion of normalcy and how our
understanding of the world is filtered through our various experiential
lenses. We have searched for an understanding of how those perspectives
change through generational shifts and in the experiental development
of our lives. |
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The Grade 4 classes are looking into the question "What
do we really need?" Our work has centred around the idea
of food, or fuel. In this work, we have explored the social,
environmental and health issues and concerns around food in the
past, present and future. What are we eating and what does it
mean for our world? |
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Finding out about ourselves as Canadians is a rich starting
point for understanding other cultures. Grade Five and Six students
are exploring the questions, "What does our role in Afghanistan
tell us about ourselves as Canadians?" and, "What does
it mean to live well together?" |
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What can we do as students to bring us closer together as global
citizens? By understanding our own community, we can have a stronger
understanding of other communities. We started by looking at
our own learning community, learning about mathematics, patterns
and robotics. |
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The Kindergarten students have been exploring the moon. There
is so much to learn about the moon: from the scientific research
to how the moon appears in stories across cultures. The students
have been reaching for the moon! |
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The Grade one students have been exploring all aspects of childhood.
Check out what we've done so far on colours and robotics. Our
site will be changing regularly so be sure to check back frequently. |
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Music is such an important part every child's experience at
Glendale School. Students sing, move, dance and play instruments
to learn about the joy of making music in a supportive community
and about the techniques. The music program reaches out to support
the inquiry in the school. |
School Year 2007
- 2008
|
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What do caves, shadows, robots and rainbows have to do with Grade
1? This year, EVERYTHING! Click here to see what we've been up to in
Grade 1 in 2007/08! |
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Our inquiry into what lies beyond the shadows has engaged and encouraged
the Grade 5 students to look past the appearances and shadows of
what we perceive and to strive to understand the multiplicity of
things. |
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Look around... Do you notice how many people are recycling? Do you
see people turning off lights? Do you see anyone conserving water?
These simple decisions can change our ecological footprint. Is it
enough? What more must we do? Grade four students are learning about
and taking action to reduce the largest ecological footprint in Canada
- Calgary's. |
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Unbeknownst to where this question would lead them, the grade 6
students asked their teachers, ‘What is Time?’ From the
literal to the phenomenological, this inquiry continues to unfold. |
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How does one make manifest what cannot otherwise be seen? In Kindergarten
we are looking out of our new glass windows to see the world. In
our study of the world, we find reoccurring themes, reoccurring
types of people/characters and this knowledge better prepares us
in dealings with others. If we turn the lens inward, we will be
looking to better understand ourselves and others through the use
of Carl Jung's archetypes, mandellas, a mini portrait inquiry,
and so much more... As we learn more about what makes us unique,
we can better appreciate our differences and celebrate our many
special gifts. So now on closer look, “Do You See What I
See?”
|
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Glass is everywhere and used for many different purposes. How can
this one material be used for so many different things? How does
man manipulate this material to fit with all these different purposes?
The Grade 2’s will take a closer, in depth look at a material
we look through every day. How does glass affect the way we physically
see the world around us? |
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Our inquiry, ‘How does art tell a story?’, encompasses
many areas of the Grade Three curriculum. By looking at the lives
of artists, such as Emily Carr, Leonardo da Vinci, and Vincent van
Gogh, and studying the elements of Art composition, we are not only
focussing on the Fine Art strands of the curriculum but also developing
language skills and global awareness. The students discovered that
research suggests that the average person only looks at a piece of
art for less than thirty seconds. Understanding that our fast-paced
society leads to only viewing things superficially, the students
wanted to take the time and learn how to “slow down.” |
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Music is such an important part every child's experience at Glendale
School. Students sing, move, dance and play instruments to learn
about the joy of making music in a supportive community and about
the techniques and concepts important for students who wish to continue
their musical education in Jr. High. The music program reaches out
to support the inquiry in the school. |
School Year 2006-2007 |
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Imagine! Thirty-three new land masses have emerged from under
the depths of our existing oceans. Through the minds of children
we discover the true significance of Utopia and what it means to
achieve perfection. Step inside and take a ride to “Glentopia” -
a New World Order. The following is a continuation of the grade
6 “Remembering Our Future” inquiry. |
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In the Glendale music program students are learning about and experiencing
various aspects of music. Students are playing many different instruments,
singing songs, and are enjoying many musical elements. Check out
this website to see some of the things we are working on!
|
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Fish in Schools has returned to Glendale for another year. We are
currently raising 104 active and healthy little rainbow trout. Ideas
are flowing in our grade three classrooms. We're really rock-in'
with good work and egging our little fishies on.
|
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The grade 4 students are exploring the adventurous world of numbers
with Robert, the main character in Hans Magnus Enzensberger's book The
Number Devil.
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Too often we rush through our lives, seeing but not truly taking
the time observe closely. What is beneath our feet? What world
of mystery awaits us when we pay attention to the things that are so
common and usual? With a magnifying glass, a surprise appears around
every corner and under every rock. Come with us on an exploration
of the normal and the usual... or so you thought!
|
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What happens when a city that was designed for 250,000 people has
to support a population explosion? How are lives affected when Calgary
reaches and passes 1,000,000 people? Traffic jams, emergency wait-times,
sewer and water concerns, recreation facility usage and a shortage
of service employees all change the quality of our lives. What about
those who have always found it difficult to find support in our city?
How has the increase in population changed their lives? What can we
do about it? |
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When you move to a new place, you need to decide what you are going
to take with you and what you are going to leave behind. This refers
to both physical items as well as traditions. These queries are guiding
the Grade 2’s studies throughout the year as we focus on the
different Canadian communities. In order to have a deeper understanding
of our present communities, we felt it necessary to look at the past.
This led us to the study of the Renaissance Era. |
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From pirates to waste, from superficial to something of value,
we have come a long way in realizing that what we treasure is something
that we hold close to our hearts and we cannot live without. We have
also recognized
that all treasures have a story and it is this story that keeps history alive.
|
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"Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it."
--George
Santayana
We are interested in looking at Utopia, can it be achieved and if
we could, would we want to create Utopia? We're looking at the civilizations
from Ancient Greece to modern day cities to answer our questions.
|
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The grade one students are exploring literature, storytelling,
mathematics, artwork, and robotics through the story of Alice in
Wonderland.
|
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Have you ever wondered how your environment affects how you relate
to the other living beings around you? By looking at endangered animals
in four distinct countries, the Grade Threes have begun
inquiring
about The Power of Place and how animals and humans lives
are interconnected through their shared environments.
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School Year 2005-2006 |
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 The
Grade 4 students presented What
Mark Do We Leave via video conference at the Smithsonian Folklife
Festival.
The grade 3 and 4 students have been looking at the marks that
we leave both on the earth and on each other. The grade 3's are
exploring pollution of rivers here and in the countries of Peru,
Tunisia, The Ukraine and India. The grade 3 and 4's together are
looking at ways to help make change here and globally. We are studying
Human Rights Issues such as child labour, poverty and overall quality
of life. |
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We started the school
year off involved in the Great
Canadian Shoreline Clean-up. We were assigned to Griffith
Woods. Students wondered if there was a Mr. Griffith?
Who was he and why did he have a park named after him? Knowing
that students needed to know the geography of this great province
(the grade 4’s) and country (the grade 5’s) we thought – aha,
we’ll ask them “What’s
In A Name?” |
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Glendale School went to Griffith Woods in September
2005 to help refresh a local ecological space which had been impacted
by the spring floods. There were many activities that children
were involved in during that day. By picking up one piece of litter,
one class suddenly discovered they were part of an international
GPS game!
|
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Throughout history, our knowledge of the world seems to always
sit inside the concept of "2". The Grade 2's have been exploring the dualities
of me and you, chaos and serenity, truth and imagination, past
and future, home and away and the consequences from our good and
bad choices. Environmental literacy and the power of story has
been a major focus in our work. Join us in our year long exploration! |
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The
Grade 3 students have once again taken the position of foster
parents of 100 rainbow trout. During our study of lifecycles
we will raise these trout from eyed egg stage to alevin to fingerlings. |
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At the beginning of the school year the grade 6 students, along with
the rest of Glendale School, participated in the Great
Canadian Shoreline Clean Up. Shortly after, Hurricane
Katrina roared into existence having
huge impact
on the
environment. Our students were so concerned about the impact of
natural disasters that this developed into our inquiry: Against
the Stars which originates from Latin: dis- (to move
away from) + astro (star, from astrum). |
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The grade 6 students were asked to pilot a web site on Responsible
Citizenship Through Safety Education, focusing on graffiti. What better
way to study levels of government, particularly local government?
We spent several months looking at the many viewpoints around the
topic of graffiti. Is it an art? Is it a crime? Or is the truth somewhere
in between? |
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Just as plants express themselves with flowers, so do people
express themselves through art. The Kindergarten students have tackled
the large questions including what is the relationship between people
and plants, why is art a part of human existence and how are plants
made known to us through the arts? Join us on our journey of discovery
regarding this topic as we acquire knowledge on this subject. |
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Grade One students have begun an inquiry centering on PERSPECTIVE.
Using the art of photography
and exploring what can be captured through a lens, we are comparing
what we see with what others see and pondering why people
look at the world around them differently. Coming soon... |
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Our water study began with a visit to the Glenbow Museum. We were
fascinated that there was a link with what is happening upstream
with what happens downstream. Many questions developed about the
many aspects of the Bow River. The study involved researching topics
of interest, exploring artwork that tied in light and shadow, plants,
and water, as well as constructing robots that could work around
the Bow River. We learned many interesting facts through our study. |
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Who would have thought that the interests, and information shared
from our pen pals in Dubai would lead to such an exploration in a
Calgary classroom? Our class has been pen pals with a group of students
at the Dubai American Academy since September 2004. It has been through
this correspondence that we have all become quite intrigued with
the current water developments in Dubai, namely The Palm Islands,
The World Islands, The Burj, and the Hydropolis Hotel. |
School
Year 2004-2005 |
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Even
though the understanding of time still eludes our grasp, time impacts
everything we do. From the dawn of civilization, humans have struggled
to understand the nature of the universe. People throughout the
ages have formulated ideas of time and have created measuring devices
to account for the passage of time.
The Grade 3 classes embarked on an inquiry to examine their
understanding of the concept of time and how it is connected to
Math, Science, and Language Arts.
|
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Have
you ever wondered what it takes to be the best in the world?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk in the footsteps
of your hero? Do you have a hero? From Terry Fox to Wayne Gretzky…from
Nadia Comaneci to Jonathan Dockman…explore the attributes
of these and many more. You’ll come to understand that
we all have many powerful attributes within ourselves; it’s
what we decide to do with them that sets us apart from the ordinary. |
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It
has been a busy year in the Kindergarten classroom. Our math
inquiry led us into our storytelling work. During our work with
storytelling the Kindergarten children created their own stories,
acted it out and used photodraw to illustrate their work. The
kindergarten children have been enthusiastic learners and are
excited about sharing their work with you. |
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Imagine
a place where crossed eyes and slanted foreheads are considered
beautiful. Where a ball game would determine if you lived or died.
And where humans were sacrificed on a regular basis. The Grade Two
students at Glendale School are exploring the mysteries of the Maya.
They have been learning about the Maya writing and math systems,
Maya beauty and daily life and how and why the Maya abandoned their
beautiful cities two thousand years ago. |
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Join
the Grade 5 and 6 classes for their latest Robotics Challenge! Can
they get to the window in time? Can they find and repair the smashed
wall? Enter and see! |
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Have
you ever wondered about the secrets of preserving the past and the
present? How is our world today connected to the mysteries of ancient
civilizations? The Grade One students at Glendale School are exploring
the world and secrets of Ancient Egypt. They are discovering how
stories, myths, mathematics, ways of life, knowledge and rituals
have been passed down through generations and kept alive. |
School Year 2003-2004 |
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The
grade 2 students were sent on a voyage. It began by listening
to a storyteller spin a tale about Grace O'Mally. There was then
a slide show of grandparents sailing from the Florida Keys into
the Carribean. This interest in boats and voyages led into a
closer study of the scientific principles of boats and bouyancy. |
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Glendale
is one of 3 C.B.E. schools participating a provincial education
program conducted by the Bow Habitiat Station at Sam Livingston
Fish Hatchery. Over the course of 4 to 5 months our students
will monitor the development and growth of 100 rainbow trout;
from egg to fry in a school aquarium. Look at our FinS page to
see how our 100 foster fry are doing. We've named (almost) every
one.
(Note: This site has been updated and extended in
2004-2005.) |
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A
story comes to life in more ways than one. The grade 4/5 and
5/6 classes began their journey by reading the story of Frankenstein.
Soon, conversation was flying – Do scientists have moral
obligations? Who controls scientific knowledge? Is making a human
okay? Just because we can, does it mean we should?
Students
soon began an anatomy investigation, holding debates around current
moral issues, and decided to make a movie. “Everything
in moderation Frankenstein. Nothing in moderation Clerval.” |
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Our
inquiry into building and robotics began at the beginning of
the school year when we were looking at what makes a good story
with our Kindergartens, Grade Ones and Twos. As we began Our
Journey we found that the kids were intrigued by Greek myths.
When our students heard the story of Icarus and Daedalus in the
story Wings they decided to become inventors themselves.
This is a continuation of Our Journey Into
the Unknown. |
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The
grade six students have been looking at a variety of human rights
issues. They have found at least two sides to every story to
investigate the "grey" area between different opinions. |
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The Stories of "Winnie the Pooh" have engaged children all over
the world since they were first published in 1929. The reasons for
this popularity are many. It has a universal charm, while teaching
many of life's lessons. Bears and Teddy Bears have a lasting attraction
in the hearts of children and adults alike. Our school being located
in Calgary, Canada is very close to the Rockies, which is a natural
habitat for bears (Grizzlies and Black Bears). We are not that far
from the Polar Bears, as well. |
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"One
day, once upon a time, a long time ago there were people who
needed stories. There was nothing to learn..."
The Kindergarden storytelling festival started with the story of
Anansy. She must find the Mask of Adventure, Mask of Truthfulness
and the Mask of Dreams and Imagination. There are some wild and
scary Kindergarden stories here for you to read.
|
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In
our busy, high tech life in 21st century Calgary, why would anybody
be interested in learning about the Middle Ages? Well, we have
some ideas. Did you know that if you learn about life in a medieval
castle, you can learn many things about why we live the way we
do today? Do you know that it took people in England hundreds
and hundreds of years to learn to read and write? Today, we expect
every 7 year old to be well on the way. In King Arthur's time,
hardly anyone, including all the knights and King Arthur himself,
knew the secrets of a written language. |
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Kindergarten
2003/2004
After
hearing and falling in love with the Native Legend Swift
Runner and the Monster Bear, the Kindergarten students explored
topics such as storytelling, symbols, and Native American Culture. |
School Year 2002-2003 |
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At
Glendale we include art as a part of our every-day inquiry work.
For example, when the grade six students were studying trees
and forests, we looked at how the Group of Seven masters painted
the forests of Western Canada. |
The only thing on Grendel's mother's mind is... REVENGE! |
The
Grade 1/2 A class has been working on a storytelling inquiry
since January. We have read lots of amazing and interesting stories,
including stories about dragons and about King Arthur. We had
the opportunity to listen to some professional storytellers too.
We heard "Beowulf"
and some African folk stories. We decided as a class to create
our own stories. We decided to showcase the stories we wrote by:
acting out the stories, telling the stories, creating books. |
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Every
picture tells a story. Graphs tell a math story in pictures.
Young children need to learn about the concept of graphing but
this is sometimes challenging. In our inquiry we wondered if
we could facilitate this learning and make it engaging by using
various technologies. For the students this inquiry is to answer
the important questions:
- What
are graphs?
- Why
are graphs important?
|
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It's
2003 - The 21st Century. Why on earth would we want to look at
a civilization that is 5000 years old? The current war in Iraq
gives us some clues as to why it is important to study history.
We
take some aspects of our life for granted: democracy, trial by
jury, the importance and rights of the individual, rational thought,
public debate, scientific inquiry, writing, sports...It is tempting
to think that everyone in the world should think, and act, the
way we do. But our world view was shaped by Greek culture and
values. When we understand the roots of our own thinking, it
is easier to understand that cultures like Iraq have their own
deep roots in Arab culture. |
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Our
Journey Into the Unknown
Have
you ever imagined monsters under the bed? If so, you are not
that different from the early Greek explorers. To them, the unknown
was full of monsters and strange dangers like crushing rocks
that would trap unwary sailors.
|
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Homesteading
Students
are researching and recreating imaginative journals to document
a possible journey a young immigrant child may have taken from
their homeland to Canada West. They have been reading historical
fiction in order to understand how fact can be woven into stories
to create a realistic setting. Students have attempted to include
facts about the voyage across the Atlantic, the immigration process,
colonist cars and covered wagons. They will continue this journal
as they simulate life, for the first year, on a homestead. |
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For
all of man's history, humans have wondered are we the only ones
in the universe? Mars has been the object of speculation for
centuries as to whether life exists there. Mars is similar enough
to Earth in many ways. It has systems of air, water, ice and
geology that interact to produce an environment in which life
could possibly survive. It has captured the human imagination
for centuries and this has led to the creation of mythology and
science fiction stories. These events offer an excellent opportunity
for students to inquire into a variety of questions and to tie
into many curriculum areas. |
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The
summer of 2003 was devastating in western North America due to
a series of massive forest fires. The Grade 4/5, 5/6 and 6 classes
have undertaken an inquiry into the far-reaching implications
of these forest fires. Join us as we look at both the negative
and positive aspects of forest fires in our world. |
School Year 2001-2002 |
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In
the spring of 2002, a class of spirited ten-year-olds informed
their teachers they wanted to make a movie of Tolkien’s
classic tale of Hobbit Bilbo Baggins. Shot in the Canadian Rocky
Mountains, as well as on Calgary community and school locations,
the story closely follows the unexpected adventure of Bilbo and
parallels the
journey of discovery the students made through the making of
the film. This site chronicles their journey and invites you
to think about the power of inquiry to change the world. |
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Glendale School successfully held their first ever math fair
May 16, 2002. The whole school was involved as parents and guests
journeyed through the school exploring the world of mathematics
through intriguing games and puzzles. Visit the puzzles and problems
page to try some of the puzzles and problems that were presented
at the math fair. Also be sure to visit the photo album from
the math fair to see math in action. |
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Robotics
education offers a rich opportunity for students to engage in
problem solving and cooperative learning. Although robotics is
not mandated by the curriculum it integrates many specific learning
expectations and objectives, especially in the areas of math,
science and technology. Working with robotics materials, students
have the opportunity to develop authentic experiences with pre-engineering
concepts and a meaningful understanding of how technology works. |
School Year 2000-2001 |
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Arthur
was a legendary British King who is featured in medieval romances,
along with the knights of the famous Round Table of Camelot.
A unit of study was designed around this theme of Camelot and
you are invited to join us in our learning journey.
|
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"We
painted bottles with clouds because in Science we were leaning
about clouds. In art class we painted surrealism paintings of
daytime skies and nighttime landscapes,"
says Sydney M., a grade five student. |
