Adventures, creativity and confidence! Monday/Thursday We've been building dams, cable cars, walls and pulleys to explore Engineering in PBL. I loved how well the students worked together, problem-solved and connected to the real world. We lifted a 5lb weight, single cinder block, double cinder block, post pounder... and Levi! In Reading and Math we looked… Continue reading Nov 21
Author: zomacreative
While I have always looked towards teaching for my profession, it was the two years as I spent in Japan an ESL teacher that convinced me I had found my calling. I enjoy the challenges we face in the classroom—the variety of learning styles, the creative versus the scientific mind—and see the day-to-day impact that teachers have on students’ lives.
In my own classroom I try to create a sense of excitement and adventure. I strongly advocate for Multiple Intelligence as a central pedagogy.
November 4
Happy November! Monday/Thursday This week the students presented their amazing work and innovations during our PBL Dragon Den themed Presentation of Learning. I was very impressed with their clear speaking voices and excellent descriptions of their "products," especially their enthusiasm about why "they love their product and so will you." I was especially amazed at… Continue reading November 4
October 21
MONDAY/THURSDAY This week we learned all about electrical circuits in PBL. Students designed the cover of their Operation Game, with sloths, kittens, giraffes and robots. Next we covered the inside with tinfoil, attached a battery, LED light, wire and tweezers and had a game! We also looked at different types of robots and electricity activities… Continue reading October 21
October 5
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Monday PBL: This week we wrapped up our Early Man unit with an amazing Presentation of Learning, complete with cave art, story-telling around the "fire" and looming. I was so impressed with the kids recollection of Malsow's Hierarchy and how we worked through each stage to creativity! On Thursday we started… Continue reading October 5
Sept 30
This week we look our PBL unit to the next level, with science experiments! We watched clips of "Ice Age Deathtrap" (Nova) and stopped to perform a few experiments: What exactly is one cubic meter of soil? How do geological timelines work when looking at soil levels What is a mastodon? How did the mastodon… Continue reading Sept 30
Sept 25
Autumn is here! Monday: While exploring the taming of Man's Best Friend in PBL, students realized that making masks of their most revered animal really was a form of prestige. We made incredible masks and looked at cultures around the world and the times of prestige masks they created! In Reading, we worked on our… Continue reading Sept 25
Sept 16
Welcome to a new "unschool" year at Zoma Creative! We have started the year with so many adventures and creative projects, new friends, and even a new "cozy room" next to the classroom. Students are busy designing our Naturescape, which is going to be just one more incredible addition to our creative space! Here's what… Continue reading Sept 16
May 20
We've had a whirlwind last two weeks, with our incredible Maker Faire Fundraiser, followed by an out and about action-packed week. (May 14-18), PBL Students prepared for the Maker Faire by setting up a See it, Try it, Buy it table for their friends (Monday). We looked at the set up of each station, as… Continue reading May 20
May 4
This week we prepared for the Maker Faire by creating "kits" that our friends could try for themselves. This involved a lot of problem-solving, team work, and- of course- creativity! We have such an incredible assortment of talent. Each student/team will host a "Creation Station" on May 12th, where they teach people how to make… Continue reading May 4
April 21
On Monday PBL students jumped into their Maker Faire planning and exploration last week, choosing topics and exploration centres for the event. Today we started a felt plushies project. At first we learned how to scale up the pattern (1cm=1 inch) on grid paper. We call this style of scaling up "Pirate's Cove" because the… Continue reading April 21
