This collection of pictures showcases just a sample of the activities that the students of Sprucewood are involved with. These activities are completed as resource-based learning opportunities, prepared by the teacher and teacher-librarian.

These pictures will be updated on a regular basis. Great job everyone!

Resource Areas Throughout our School...

Computer Room

This room is a Windows-based network, with 34 Win11 Think Center units. Most teaching is conducted through the Google Platform. Work completed in this room reflects specific curriculum objectives and theme-related ideas for project-based learning.

Makerspace-Learning Commons

This room houses a wide range of resources and supports everything that we can tinker and make. As well, a large collection of fiction and non-fiction titles can be found here.

Green Room

This room is our audio-visual suite. Here we use tele-a-prompters and green screens to create videos. In the second portion of the room, we use an editing suite to make our video cuts into a production.

On-Going Projects...

Fall Writing

Ms. Hayden's class has written and illustrated their fall writing piece for a few weeks. Beginning with an in-depth look at figurative language and a nature walk to accompany it, the students individually wrote their pieces. After they processed their writing and peer-edited it by sharing, the students illustrated key points throughout the story, with their unique artistic talents. After all this was finalized, we created a library in Book Creator and began creating our books. With individual audio recordings embedded, illustrated graphics, and personalized layouts, the students have their library of amazing fall writing pieces, produced by THEM!

Food Chain

The grade 4 classes have been studying food chains. We used this opportunity to teach them design through Google Slides. Here we focused on TWO things: text and pictures. Each student was shown how to create text boxes and insert supporting graphics. Together we completed a modelled Food Chain and once the students were comfortable with the objectives, they were given a challenge to create their own.

Adopt-a-Monster

Ms. Boones' class has been working very diligently on their Adopt-A-Monster activity. From descriptive writing, and illustrating, modelling with clay and WeVideo productions, the class completed an Adoption process for their favorite monster. Today they shared a "Monster" cake and viewed their video product. Well done class!

Extreme Weather

In the grade 5 science curriculum, the students learn about various weather systems, focusing on the science behind low-pressure systems and how moist and unstable air masses can be produced. To cover this objective, we took a closer look at various extreme weather conditions and asked the students to do an infographic on the selected system.

Check out this project...

In this assignment, the students in Ms. Rowsell's grade 5 group completed a study on native birds in our area. The class was provided with a collection of unfinished birdfeeders. From there, their art classes evolved into a think tank in which groups were allowed to explore and eventually paint their design. In the computer room, our groups collaborated to research various species of birds native to our area. From here, we designed infographics and mounted them on wooden displays next to our birdhouses. These birdfeeders are being fastened to trees in our school's nature trail. This is where this component was born. The children have created a detailed website for each infographic. On the trail, access to this website will be provided through QR codes. Enjoy!

Book of the Week

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess (Book 19)

In Hot Mess, book 19 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series from #1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney, Greg Heffley is in for a particularly awkward summer with his whole family.

When the Heffleys agree to spend summer break with both Mum's and Dad's relatives at the same time, they have to figure out how to be in two places at once. With Greg caught in the middle, can the Heffleys pull off the ultimate scheme? Or will their vacation turn into a hilarious hot mess?

This sidesplittingly relatable summer story is the funniest Wimpy Kid book yet!

Referenced from Chapters

Author of the Week

Jeff Kinney

Jeff Kinney was born in 1971 in Maryland and attended the University of Maryland in the early 1990s. It was there that Jeff ran a comic strip called “Igdoof” in the campus newspaper. He knew he wanted to be a cartoonist.

However, Jeff was not successful getting his comic strip syndicated after college, and in 1998 he started writing down ideas for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which he hoped to turn into a book. Jeff worked on the book for six years before publishing ...

App/Extension of the week

OrbitNote

Teachers can easily convert printed text into a PDF with our one-click OCR scanning technology. OrbitNote then takes care of everything else, ensuring that students have access to the tools they need, such as text to speech, highlighting, vocabulary support and everything they need to succeed - across all class content.