Being a French Immersion teacher, we use the language a lot in every subject I teach. Also, across my curriculum, I really try to develop my students' sense of empathy.
I often choose reading material that evokes emotion or empathy, for example, a Christmas story we always read that compares poor children to a rich boy who can't go to school because he is an invalid.
In Social Studies, we read articles (like children kidnapped to work as slaves on chocolate plantations in Africa) that really get them to think on how the choices they make in their daily lives can have a serious impact on others - like buying certain kinds of chocolate supports those who force children to work as slaves.
A different student has to present what's in the news every week, to keep abreast of what's happening around us locally and globally.
We end the year with students choosing to take age-appropriate action for a cause.
Just today a few students approached me and asked if we could do something to raise money for the people in Nepal. They had heard on CBC radio (grade 6 kids!) that there was a 2nd earthquake and that the government of Canada was matching donations.
We also do lighter things, like role-playing certain situations, in various themes, in Healthy Living.
I like Michelle Longley's comment on this:
Hi Mike,
I too, like to bring out the "active citizen" in my students. In Social Studies we created Public service announcements for a cause of their choice and then had a "People's choice awards" viewing of all of the finished PSA videos (they used IMovie). Then, we voted on first, second and third place. The first place winner got their classmates support in raising a minimum of $50 towards their cause.
When I teach a novel called Surviving Hitler-A Boy in the Nazi Camps, we learn about the true story of a 12 year old boy who has to survive the camp system. The first year I taught this unit, we actually contacted the "survivor" and used Skype to interview him. To this day, former students come back to visit me and still mention that experience.
Michelle
I often choose reading material that evokes emotion or empathy, for example, a Christmas story we always read that compares poor children to a rich boy who can't go to school because he is an invalid.
In Social Studies, we read articles (like children kidnapped to work as slaves on chocolate plantations in Africa) that really get them to think on how the choices they make in their daily lives can have a serious impact on others - like buying certain kinds of chocolate supports those who force children to work as slaves.
A different student has to present what's in the news every week, to keep abreast of what's happening around us locally and globally.
We end the year with students choosing to take age-appropriate action for a cause.
Just today a few students approached me and asked if we could do something to raise money for the people in Nepal. They had heard on CBC radio (grade 6 kids!) that there was a 2nd earthquake and that the government of Canada was matching donations.
We also do lighter things, like role-playing certain situations, in various themes, in Healthy Living.
I like Michelle Longley's comment on this:
Hi Mike,
I too, like to bring out the "active citizen" in my students. In Social Studies we created Public service announcements for a cause of their choice and then had a "People's choice awards" viewing of all of the finished PSA videos (they used IMovie). Then, we voted on first, second and third place. The first place winner got their classmates support in raising a minimum of $50 towards their cause.
When I teach a novel called Surviving Hitler-A Boy in the Nazi Camps, we learn about the true story of a 12 year old boy who has to survive the camp system. The first year I taught this unit, we actually contacted the "survivor" and used Skype to interview him. To this day, former students come back to visit me and still mention that experience.
Michelle