Community and Collaboration

Ms. Barrie’s class of grade 5/6 students from Captain John Palliser explored the inquiry of Community and Collaboration during their week at Healthy Living School at Vivo for HealthierGenerations.  Throughout the week, students spoke to many experts about what is in a community and how do partners collaborate to create a healthy community.

These students created metaphors of Community and Collaboration to demonstrate their learning.  On Thursday afternoon they held a showcase in the lobby of Vivo to show their magnificent pieces of art and to describe their metaphors.

Students sharing their community metaphor to Vivo's CEO, Sue Scott

Students unveil their video metaphor to Jennifer Gray

How is community like a layered cake?  Munch on that . . . 

Blog Contributed by Leigh Delong, site coordinator for Healthy Living School

How do we connect?

We love big questions, and thinking of our interconnected world.  Today, what does it look like to connect with experts when going beyond classroom walls?

This week there have been two examples of classes taking their questions up in ways that weren't available to us not so long ago.

Learners at Healthy Living School at Vivo had a class question they weren't quite able to ask face-to-face so they asked it in a different way:

Great questions! I would have to say: put family first, eat healthy, stay active and help others. #yyc #community https://t.co/sfMjtk0WSC

— CGYFireFighters (@CGYFireFighters) November 26, 2015

Learners at Aero Space School at the Aero Space Museum had a similar experience.  Looking at "unseen forces" they weren't quite sure how to interpret some symbolism on artifacts that were grabbing learners' attention:

@ShelleyWL Hello Alliah. Bird is an eagle, representing space shuttle. Sun represents life (my crew performed many life science experiments)

— Robert Thirsk (@RobertThirsk) November 25,

Do you have an example of how you're able to connect and question differently today because of the learning tools available to us now?

West Springs School Hosts Healthy Living Expo

Grade 4 students at West Springs School began their school year immersed in the ideas of healthy living and habits of mind in preparation for their week at Campus Calgary Healthy Living School at Vivo.  Their innovative teachers Becky Jackson, Lori Braun and Andrew Lawson created a year of inquiry around Art Costa’s 16 Habits of Mind.  Through these, students began to investigate the habits of successful people and in turn became experts on identifying these within themselves and others.

Their weeks at Campus Calgary Healthy Living School matched students with experts to uncover the curriculum. They participated in active breaks with activities that included yoga, DancePlay, swimming and Zumba. Students became advocates for bringing the effect of these back to their school, their family and community. Students also worked alongside experts at Vivo such as Search and Rescue members, a community Police Officer, National Sport School athletes and Panther Physiotherapy Clinic to gain further evidence of the importance of healthy habits.

One class was invited to represent their school and share their generational voice at the Leadership Roundtable 2.0 hosted by Vivo, Mount Royal University and The City of Calgary.  The adult change makers at this event valued and appreciated their expertise and knowledge sharing.  A truly collaborative initiative, student voice was a powerful addition to this event.

The following day, all three classes celebrated with a Healthy Living Expo at West Springs School.  All classes, parents and community were invited to attend to interact with the students and their informational and interactive displays.  The learning continues through the year as students expand on their ways of knowing and application of healthy living choices.