I’m excited to give you some more information on what your students should be expecting during ESA’s first FLOW week (January 19 – January 23). Our teachers offer interesting and engaging classes at all times of the year, but they are often limited by time in what they can do. So, next week, we’re trying an experimental schedule to allow more time for each class to try something new. The classes will follow their regular order, but times will be different. Each class will have one 100 minute period through the week. I have listed a summary of some of the activities below as well as a schedule for the week. On Wednesday, we will have a special schedule for a late start and to accommodate the Student Council fundraising event, The Inside Ride (to raise money to fight children’s cancer).
Some of the events may have an evaluation as part of the class (for example, there will be a biology lab), but there is no expectation that the students will have to do significant preparation or study for the activities.
All students are expected to attend all their classes during FLOW week.
Some highlights:
English and Library
The Canadian Festival of Authors
Over the FLOW week, we will be hosting 12 authors who will be delivering 19 workshops to our English classes. Our visiting authors will include Anthony deSa, Eric Walters, Megan Crewe, Catherine Bush, Sharon McKay, Lesley Livingston, Kean Soo, Marina Nemat, Richard Scrimger, Cary Fagan, and Michelle Berry. There is limited space, but if a community member/parent would like to attend a session, please contact Enid Wray, our Librarian, for more information at enid.wray@tdsb.on.ca.
Film
The Film department is going to continue its emphasis on developing creativity and a sense of community by having the students create 6 cross-grade Films over the course of the week. Much of the pre-production will be handled in the beginning of the week by the grade 9s and 10s with the 11s and 12s handling the actual production and post-production work. The films will be screened at lunch during the following week.
Phys Ed
Focus on Fitness and Health
All short classes will work on teaching students about concussions (avoidance, care of, etc). Longer classes will have the students running their paces in extended fitness sessions.
GLE
Confidence Boosting Experience
Teachers will be working with GLE classes to celebrate students’ strengths.
Dance
Guest artists will be visiting and working with students for all classes.
Canadian and World Studies/Social Sciences/Humanities/Business
Business Studies & Law — Collaborative Offering: Guest speaker on entrepreneurship (Jan. 19, Per. 1), guest speaker on the lean startup machine (Jan. 20, Per. 2), and screening of Make a Pitch (Jan. 21)
Canadian and World Issues: A Geographic Analysis & Economics — Collaborative Offering: Collaborative workshop on the economics and sustainability of food, inspired by the work of Michael Pollan (Jan. 19 & 20, Per. 2 and Per. 6)
Canadian History: Owing to the large number of students in CHC2D/P, along with space constraints, various activities are planned. These include an interactive learning symposium about the Underground Railroad, offered in anticipation of the special Gr. 10 assembly on this topic in February (Jan. 19-23); a visit by Andrew Gregg, a film maker/ESA parent, who is going to discuss his work in Afghanistan (Jan. 19, Per. 5), and speak on Social Justice/Afghanistan veterans (Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd).
Civics: Social justice guest speakers and workshop (Jan. 19-23)
Families in Canadian Society: Mental health symposium and creating resources for family wellness (Jan. 19-21, Per. Per. 5)
Geography: Filmmaker Andrew Nisker, director of The Dark Side of the Chew, on the environmental costs of gum, with film screening, debrief, and discussion with filmmaker (date of speaker TBA. but screening and symposia on Jan. 19-23) — Note: Due to the large number of students in CGW1D/P, the content will be delivered across all sections, but the guest speaker is not able to attend each day. The CGW1D/P team intends to share resources, thus ensuring access to this subject matter.
Introduction to Anthro, Psych, and Soc: Mental health symposium and creating a magazine about mental health supports (Jan. 19-21, Per. 2, 4,6, and 8)
Philosophy: Symposium hosted by Dr. Crichlow, a York U professor and ESA parent, who will be discussing the role of art as philosophical practice and source of social critique (Jan. 20, Per. 2 and follow up session in Per. 6)
The West and the World: A focus on effective post-secondary transitions and study skills with guest speaker Amanda Santos (Jan. 22nd & 23rd, Period 3 and 7)
Music
Grade 9 and 10 – Doug Friesen from the Board is coming in to do a SOUNDSCAPE/Contemporary composition set of activities.
Grade 11/12 Strings – Performance master classes
Grade 11/12 Band – Conducting Workshops
Music Theatre
All grades will have joint vocal classes and dance workshops on Fosse and Robbins.
Math
All math classes will be using the FLOW week to review and reflect on the material that has been covered in the course to date (similar to what we would have done in preparation for Mid-Term Exams in previous years). Following the FLOW week, courses will be holding an in- class hour long Mid-Term Test on the Monday or Tuesday after FLOW.
The Grade 9 classes will be placing a special emphasis on EQAO prep and we will be using the “long periods” to do some “student generated exemplar” activities to help prepare them to do better on the Open Response Questions as well as have them work through specific strategies for doing Multiple Choice Questions during the “short periods.”
Science
All grades will be performing a series of creative labs and/or activities which review major concepts and processes of the course to date.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts students will be hosting a series of Guest Artists through the week.
FLOW Schedule
Mon, Jan 19 Tues, Jan 20
Day 2A Day 1A
8:48 – 10:33 Period 5 8:48 – 10:33 Period 1
10:40 –12:20 Period 6 10:40 –12:20 Period 2
12:20 – 1:20 LUNCH 2:20 – 1:20 LUNCH
1:20 –2:10 Period 7 1:20 –2:10 Period 3
2:20 – 3:10 Period 8 2:20 – 3:10 Period 4
Wednesday, January 21
Day 2A
9:45 – 10:45 Period 5
10:55 – 11:50 Period 6
11:50 – 1:10 LUNCH
1:10 – 2:05 Period 7
2:15 – 3:10 Period 8
Schedule B
Thurs, Jan 22 Fri, Jan 23
Day 1A Day 2A
8:48 – 9:43 Period 1 8:48 – 9:43 Period 5
9:50 –10:40 Period 2 9:50 –10:40 Period 6
10:40 – 11:40 LUNCH 10:40 – 11:40 LUNCH
11:40 –1:20 Period 3 11:40 –1:20 Period 7
1:30 – 3:10 Period 4 1:30 – 3:10 Period 8