September 30th is a day for Truth and Reconciliation, where we can learn and reflect upon the history of residential schools in our country. This important day is strongly connected to our social studies curriculum. This week we focused on the learning outcome; recognize how stories of people and events provide multiple perspectives on past events. We used a variety of picture books as a springboard for rich conversations about Alberta's Indigenous people and their experiences. In recognition of the day, we gathered outside as a school and created a whole school art piece.
Despite the rain, the grade fours had a fantastic time on our field trip to Heritage Park. It was wonderful to experience all of our learning in Social Studies first hand. We sheltered from the rain in a tipi, felt beaver pelts as we learned about the fur trade and rode a train like the ones that helped to make settlement in the West possible. Seeing the first settler homes, the "soddies", homes that housed families with sixteen children and sandstone buildings helped the students to better understand what life was like for early settlers. Most are happy that they are able to go to a school with hundreds of students and one grade per classroom rather than a one room schoolhouse of the past!
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