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The redesigned BC Curriculum has highlighted the skills and abilities that are keys to lifelong learning, as well as core aspects of a well-rounded citizen. In the library, we focus on these through the books we read, the discussions we have, and the learning activities we do.

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K-3
Valuing Diversity is an important part of this competency. Read about what the curriculum says about valuing diversity, then listen to the world-renowned author Mem Fox read Whoever You Are.
https://memfox.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/02-Whoever-You-Are-.mp3
"Students value diversity, defend human rights, advocate for issues, and interact ethically with others. They are inclusive in their language and behaviour and recognize that everyone has something to contribute. Their approach to inclusive relationships exemplifies commitment to developing positive communities."
https://memfox.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/02-Whoever-You-Are-.mp3

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Illustrated by Leslie Staub

Listen to Whoever You Are

Having trouble playing the audio above? Click here

The Story behind Whoever You Are

Every day all over Australia, children are laughing and crying, playing and learning, eating and sleeping. They may not look the same or speak the same language, but inside, they are just like you. This story weaves its way across cultures and generations, celebrating the bond that unites us all.

Age Group:

0-10

Publisher(s):

HMH (USA) | Hachette (Australia) | Scholastic (Australia) 1998

First Published:

1998

Copyright © 2022 Mem Fox. All rights reserved. Website designed by EneeDev

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Illustrated by Leslie Staub Listen to Whoever You Are Having trouble playing the audio above? Click here The Story behind Whoever You Are Every day all over Australia, children are laughing and crying, playing and learning, eating and sleeping. They may not look the same or speak the same language, but inside, they are just like you.

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Positive Personal and Cultural Identity: Activity

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Positive Personal and Cultural Identity: Activity

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K-7
Who are you? Identifying personal strengths and abilities is important so that we can understand that we are unique and that our contributions to our families and our communities are important. This mask-making activity will take some time, but I think you will enjoy thinking about how you can show who you are.

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Giving students opportunities to share their interests, explore their identities and self-assess their personal awareness are essential parts of the new British Columbia curriculum. We found a fun and engaging way for students to tackle these competencies this year.

Early in the year, our students worked to cover each others' faces in plaster strips. (You can purchase this at any art store, like Michaels.) It usually comes in large strips, so you'll need to cut them down ahead of time. Students just wet them with water and smooth on. Don't forget to coat the face in LOTS of Vaseline first so the mask comes off easily. We dimmed the lights and played some soothing music. The students were very kind and compassionate to one another. We heard things like:

"You're doing great! We are nearly finished."

"Do you want me to cover your nose first, or your mouth first?"

"Just take deep breaths, you're doing awesome."

It was a great strengthening activity for our growing community.

The masks sat in the cupboard, tucked away until January. We just had too much going on to tackle this job until then. In the end, I actually think this turned out well, because the students thought deeply for months about the pieces they were going to use to represent themselves. Once it was "go time" they had very little trouble stating what they were going to use and why.

This is my mask. I shared it with the students as an example of meeting the design element criteria, but also as an example of justifying choices. I wrote 5 different versions of my justification, with varying levels of description and attention to punctuation and spelling. Students had to debate the order from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Once determined, these were placed on a bulletin board in the room and used as a reference/self-assessment tool for the writing piece (more on that below) that accompanied their masks.

This mask belongs to one of my students. I love the soccer ball background and the fact that he was comfortable enough to add the flowers to honour the nickname his mother has for him.

Here are the masks all up in the hallway. You can see in this photo the writing pieces students did to accompany their masks. Students were to write to justify each piece placed on their mask. They had to state how it represented their unique personal or cultural identity. They were not able to say things like "I like to read, so I put on a book." It had to be much deeper than this and really connect to who they were. The majority of the students nailed this job!

One of my favourite pieces of writing. This child is so insightful. Although her mask is not as eyecatching as the designs of some others she was accurately able to justify each piece she selected and how it represents her personal and cultural identity.

Finally, students used the Positive Personal and Cultural Identity core competency to self assess. I gave them the profiles directly off of the Ministry site. I had a copy under the document camera and we discussed what the vocabulary meant. I was a bit nervous that it would be too wordy for my students, but it really wasn't. Even at grade 3 and 4 they were completely able to understand the profiles. We shared as a class some examples of each others' work that represented the profiles. Finally, students wrote a number in a circle at the top of their paper of the profile number where they felt their work best fit. I was so impressed with how accurately they did this. No one selected the top profile. It was a very powerful little activity!

Next year, I'll be sure to do this task again. I loved seeing the masks grace our hallway each day. Such a wonderful way to bring us all together and understand each other a little more.

Pin this post.

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Sharing Personal Identity Through Plaster Masks

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Giving students opportunities to share their interests, explore their identities and self-assess their personal awareness are essential parts of the new British Columbia curriculum. We found a fun and engaging way for students to tackle these competencies this year. Early in the year, our students worked to cover each others' faces in plaster strips.

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K-7
ADST (Applied Design, Skills, and Technology) helps us learn how to think like a designer, and to solve problems through exploration and play.  In the library we have used LEGO and Keva planks, but we have also used paper, and even rocks!
Try using scrap paper that you have at home to make one of the paper structures below.

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You don't have to have a complicated supply list for an engineering challenge. Nor, do you have to create something something spectacular and life-changing. Simple is best.

Kids learn from taking items from their everyday life and using them in new ways to do simple things. It helps them understand the world around them and how things work.

For this engineering challenge, we just used paper and scotch tape. You've probably got those supplies right now. Give your kids a stack of paper and a roll of tape along with a simple task. Let them figure it out.
Related post: 50+ STEAM Activities
I'm betting you will have as many answers to your challenge as you have children, and then some. Some children will fly through this engineering challenge while others will need trial and error. Both are great. As long as they meet the challenge, there are no wrong answers.

Paper Engineering Challenges

1. Build a structure that will hold a book 6 inches off the ground.

2. Build a structure that will hold and egg 2 feet off the ground.

3. Build a bridge from table to table (6 inches apart or so) that matchbox cars and cross.

4. Build the highest, free-standing structure you can build with just one sheet of 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper

5. Make paper airplanes and see which design flies the farthest.

What other paper engineering challenges have you tried?

This is part of the 5 Days of Engineering Challenges series, which is part of the iHomeschool Network Homeschool Hopscotch. Visit them all!

1. Paper Structures

2. Foil And Straw Boats

3. Straw Rocket Launch

4. Build An Aircraft

5. Build A Wind Car

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Paper Structures Engineering Challenge - The Homeschool Scientist

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For this engineering challenge, we just used paper and scotch tape. You've probably got those supplies right now. Give your kids a stack of paper and a roll of tape along with a simple task. Let them figure it out.

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Personal Awareness and responsibility: Activity

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Personal Awareness and responsibility: Activity

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K-4
It's important to learn how to identify your emotions and to manage stress. Often in school, we take a moment to take some breaths, just to feel calmer, so that we can learn better.

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Breathe With Me - Guided Breathing Meditation for Kids

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K-7
You can come up with new ideas! Try learning how to draw the Mandalorian from Art for Kids Hub (or anything else you are interested in!), and then create your own directed drawing. Teach someone else to draw something step by step.

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K-7
It is so important to be a good communicator. But what if you couldn't use your voice? Check out some videos to learn sign language, starting with this video below. Signlanguage101.com has many more videos. Try learning how to say I love you in sign language, and then say it to someone important in your life.

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About the Personal Awareness and Responsibility Competency

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About the Personal Awareness and Responsibility Competency

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"People who are personally aware and responsible demonstrate self-respect, persevere in difficult situations, and exercise responsibility. They understand that there are consequences for their decisions and actions. A personally aware and responsible individual takes steps to ensure their well-being, sets goals and monitors progress, regulates emotions and manages stress, and recognizes and advocates for their own rights."
For more information, visit https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies/personal-and-social/personal-awareness-and-responsibility

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About the Positive Personal and Cultural Identity Competency

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About the Positive Personal and Cultural Identity Competency

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"People who have a positive personal and cultural identity value their personal and cultural narratives and understand how these shape their identity. They exhibit a sense of self-worth, self-awareness, and positive identity to become confident individuals who take satisfaction in who they are and what they can do. They contribute to their own well-being and to the well-being of their family, community, and society."
For more information, visit https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies/personal-and-social/positive-personal-and-cultural-identity

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About the Social Responsibility Competency

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About the Social Responsibility Competency

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"Social Awareness and Responsibility involves the awareness, understanding, and appreciation of connections among people, including between people and the natural environment. Social Awareness and Responsibility focuses on interacting with others and the natural world in respectful and caring ways."
For more information, visit https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies/personal-and-social/social-awareness-and-responsibility

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"Through their communication, students acquire, develop and transform ideas and information, and make connections with others to share their ideas, express their individuality, further their learning, and get things done. The communication competency is fundamental to finding satisfaction, purpose and joy."
The Communication Competency encompasses both Communicating and Collaborating

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"People who think creatively are curious and open-minded, have a sense of wonder and joy in learning, demonstrate a willingness to think divergently, and are comfortable with complexity. A creative thinker reflects on existing ideas and concepts; uses imagination, inventiveness, resourcefulness, and flexibility; and is willing to take risks to go beyond existing knowledge."
For more information, visit https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies/thinking

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"People who think critically and reflectively are analytical and investigative, willing to question and challenge their own thoughts, ideas, and assumptions and challenge those of others. They reflect on the information they receive through observation, experience, and other forms of communication to solve problems, design products, understand events, and address issues. A critical thinker uses their ideas, experiences, and reflections to set goals, make judgments, and refine their thinking."
For more information, visit https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies/thinking