At Dewey School of Dewing we believe that children learn best while doing. That being said, we encourage hands on approaches to learning, and give space for students to follow their passions, work collaboratively with one another, and utilize the natural environment around us. Located here in beautiful British Columbia (BC), our teachers are trained to incorporate the Big Ideas and Core Competencies from the BC Curriculum. Professional Development Days are catered towards better teaching our staff how to work with the BC curriculum; how to dissect concepts and shift content in ways to allow space for inquiry.

Here at Dewey School of Dewing we value social interactions. In fact, one of our philosophy’s states that “Social interactions are key to learning.” We put these words into action by scaffolding student learning and preparing lessons that encourage group inquiry based projects. We have found that when students are put in situations that push them outside their comfort zones, they are able to dive deeper into content and concepts.

To us the curriculum is just a starting point, we believe that the sky is the limit for students, and if they are scaffolded correctly by our teachers and administrators, we can bring students higher academically than ever before.

COURSE CONTENT

Math:

  • Grade 6: Students are expected to know small to large numbers, facts to 100, order of operations, factors and multiples, improper fractions, ratios, percents, decimals, patterns, one-step equations, perimeters, area, angles, triangles, transformations, line graphs, single-outcome probability, and financial literacy
  • Grade 7: Students are expected to know facts to 100, operations with integers, operations with decimals, relationships, discrete linear relations, two-step equations, circumference, volume, Cartesian coordinates, transformations, circle graphs, experimental probability and financial literacy.
  • Grade 8: Students are expected to know perfect squares and cubes, square and cube roots, percents, proportional reasoning, fractions, discrete linear relations, expressions, two-step equations, surface area and volume, Pythagorean theorem, 3D objects, central tendency, theoretical probability and financial literacy.
  • Grade 8 Outdoor Garden Creation Lesson Plan: In this lesson, Grade 8 students applied their mathematical knowledge to plan and design an outdoor garden space. Through hands-on activities, students utilized concepts such as perfect squares and cubes, percents, proportions, and measurements to sketch garden layouts, calculate area and volume, and budget for materials. By integrating mathematical principles with real-world applications, students developed critical thinking skills and gained practical experience in planning and financial literacy. This interdisciplinary approach fostered creativity, problem-solving, and environmental stewardship, empowering students to create sustainable outdoor spaces that promote well-being and community engagement.

Literacy:

  • Grade 6: Students are expected to know story/text forms, functions, genres, reading strategies, oral language strategies, metacognitive strategies, writing processes, features of oral language, paragraphing, language varieties, sentence structure and grammar, conventions, and presentation techniques.
  • Grade 7: Students are expected to know story/text forms, functions, genres, text features, literary elements, literary devices, reading strategies, oral language strategies, metacognitive strategies, writing processes, features of oral language, paragraphing, language varieties, syntax and sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation techniques.
  • Grade 8: Students are expected to know story/text forms, functions, and genres, text features, literary elements, literary devices, elements of visual/graphic text, relevance, accuracy, reliability, reading strategies, oral language strategies, metacognitive strategies, writing processes, features of oral language, multi-paragraphing, language usage and context, elements of style, syntax and sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation techniques.
  • Grade 7 Outdoor Literacy Lesson: Students delved into story/text forms and literary elements through interactive exploration. Venturing outside, students took on a scavenger hunt to identify various text features and literary devices in their surrounding environment, such as signs, posters, and natural landmarks. Working collaboratively, they analyzed the purpose and effectiveness of these elements in conveying information and evoking emotions. Through hands-on activities and discussions, students practiced reading and oral language strategies while applying certain skills to reflect on their understanding. This outdoor adventure not only deepened their comprehension of story forms and literary techniques but also fostered a sense of curiosity and engagement with the world around them.

Arts:

  • In grades 6, 7, and 8, students will engage in artistic exploration and expression, developing their creative abilities in various ways. They will learn to intentionally select and apply artistic elements, materials, and techniques, using their imagination and inquiry to guide their artistic process. Both individual and collaborative projects, including outdoor activities, will allow students to explore ideas and concepts inspired by play and experimentation. Through their art, students will also delve into the connections between identity, culture, society, and belonging, gaining a deeper understanding of personal, social, cultural, historical, and environmental contexts.
  • Grade 8 Outdoor Arts Lesson: Students explored the process of making natural paint using materials found in the environment. The lesson began with a nature walk field trip to collect natural items such as berries, flowers, leaves, and soil. Back in the outdoor classroom area, students learned about the history of natural pigments and how they were used by ancient civilizations. They then experimented with different techniques to extract colours from the gathered materials, such as crushing berries to create red, grinding leaves for green, and mixing soil for brown. Students documented their process and observations in their art journals, reflecting on the significance of using natural materials in art. Finally, they used their homemade natural paints to create artwork inspired by nature, such as landscape paintings or abstract designs. Through this hands-on activity, students not only learned about the science behind natural pigments but also deepened their connection to the environment and explored their creativity in art

Science:

  • Grade 6 and 7: Students are expected to know organisms have evolved over time, survival needs, natural selection, elements and compounds are pure substances, crystalline structure, chemical changes, electricity, fossil records, geological time, First Peoples knowledge of changes in biodiversity over time, evidence of climate change over geological time and the impacts of humans.
  • Grade 8: Students are expected to know characteristics of life, cell theory and types of cells, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, the relationship of microorganisms with living things, kinetic molecular theory, atomic theory and models, protons, neutrons and quarks, electrons and leptons, types and effects of electromagnetic radiation, light properties, behaviours and ways of sensing, plate tectonic movement, major geological events of local significance, First Peoples knowledge of local geological formations, significant local geological events, and layers of Earth.
  • Grade 6 Outdoor Science Lesson: Students engaged in purposeful play and utilized the natural environment as their classroom. Students participated in a nature walk where they identified different elements such as trees, plants, and animals. Through hands-on exploration and observation, students learned about the environment around them, and enhanced their understanding of organisms, habitats, survival needs, natural selection, and impacts of humans. This lesson also provided opportunities to connect student learning to the world around them.

Social Studies:

  • Grade 6: Students are expected to know the urbanization and migration of people, global poverty and inequality issues, including class structure and gender, roles of individuals, governmental organizations, different systems of government, economic policies, and resource management, including effects on indigenous peoples, globalization and economic interdependence, international cooperation and responses to global issues, regional and international conflict, media technologies and coverage of current events.
  • Grade 7: Students are expected to know anthropological origins of humans, human responses to particular geographic challenges and opportunities, including climates, landforms, and natural resources, features and characteristics of civilizations and factors that lead to their rise and fall, origins, core beliefs, narratives, practices, and influences of religions, scientific, philosophical, and technological developments, interactions and exchanges between past civilizations and cultures, including conflict, peace, trade, expansion and migration, social, political, legal, governmental, and economic systems and structures.
  • Grade 8: Students are expected to know social, political, and economic systems and structures, including those of at least one Indigenous civilization, scientific and technological innovations, philosophical and cultural shifts, interactions and exchanges of resources, ideas, arts, and culture between and around different civilizations, exploration, expansion, and colonization, and changes in population and living standards
  • Grade 7 Social Studies Inquiry Project: For this project, small groups of students each chose a specific scientific, philosophical, or technological development to study in depth. Within a week, groups were expected to learn all they could on the history of their chosen development and prepare an oral presentation of their learning for the rest of the class. Groups were given plenty of in-class time including regular check-ins with the teacher who acted as a help and guide as needed, in some cases offering further ideas to pursue and resources to try, in other cases recommending a narrowing of focus depending on group needs. After oral presentations, all students worked together to produce a giant, physical and colourful integrated timeline of these various historical developments—a timeline that included multiple, newly-established inter-topic connections—that was displayed along the central school corridor as a way of sharing this class’s learning with the wider school community.

Physical and Health Education:

  • Grade 6: Students are expected to know proper technique for fundamental movement skills, movement concepts, and strategies, monitor and adjust physical exertion levels.
  • Grade 7: Students are expected to know, and be able to demonstrate all fundamental movement skills, and be able to understand and practice cross-country skills.
  • Grade 8: Students are expected to know, perform and explain the steps of cross-country activities, and understand the importance of healthy living. Healthy living and its parts (activity, eating, relationships).
  • Grade 6 Physical and Health Education Lesson: Students were presented with a hybrid indoor-outdoor obstacle course to complete in groups of 4 or 5. The obstacle course explicitly incorporated various fundamental movement skills as well as group problem-solving skills and included stations for monitoring physical exertion levels and jotting down reflections. The lesson ended with the teacher facilitating a group reflection on the activity—strategies used, communication methods adopted, triumphs as well as difficulties, and connections with and lessons applicable to broader life experience and well-being.