Monday, 21 January 2013

Tout Your Feelings

Students:We will be watching some more clips from That's What I Am. This clip shows Stanley standing up for his friend.

b.a.STAR: Advocacy [Online video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDOI5sm3vXU&list=PL7DF5B4EECEDE8E93

By using http://www.tout.com, Tout your reaction to the video using critical thinking. Use #mrellison and tweet to me @MrREllison.


Parents:
This will meet Language Arts Curriculum expectations for Grade 5 Oral Communication page 95:

2.3 communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner, presenting ideas, opinions, and information in a readily understandable form.

and Media Literacy page 103:
1.3 express opinions about ideas, issues, and/or experiences presented in media texts, and give evidence from the texts to support their opinions

That's What I Am Bullying Example 1

Students:
This week we will be viewing clips daily from the movie That's What I Am. These clips can be found at http://www.beastaralliance.org/videos#top or http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBeASTARAlliance.

Here is the first clip:



Some questions to think about:
How do you think Stanley (the boy who was sprayed) felt after this incident?
What would you have felt like?
What was Andy's (the narrator who watched) role in this?
Could Andy have done anything?
Who could Stanley or Andy have gone to?



 b.a.STAR: Bullying Example 1 [Online video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVcJknydelM&feature=player_embedded

Parents:
This works towards Health and Physical Education Grade 5 Part C page 143:
C1.1 identify people (e.g., parents, guardians, neighbours, teachers, crossing guards, police, older students, coaches, elders) and supportive services (e.g., help lines, 9-1-1, Telehealth, public health units, student services) that can assist with injury prevention, emergencies, bullying, and abusive and
violent situations.

These questions open students up to empathizing with Stanley and Andy allowing them to imagine themselves in this situation needing to seek out help.

Tout

Throughout the year I will be using Tout. Tout is a short video response, similar to Twitter, lasting 20 seconds. I will also be encouraging you as students to Tout to each other and to myself in responses. These can and will be used for the Oral Communication and Media Literacy portions of Language Arts as well as other various subjects. 

"Tout Logo" [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.tout.com/

Tout can be found at http://www.tout.com/

Mr. Ellison

Be a STAR Program

Be a STAR is a curricular based unit on anti-bullying designed by the WWE and its partners. Yes, that's right World Wrestling Entertainment.

Be a STAR -Show Tolerance And Respect.

Many of you have been bullied, some have even bullied. You may feel alone, but many other people in this world have been bullied too, even WWE superstars and divas.

This website is listed at http://www.beastaralliance.org/.
QRCode
Here you can take the Be a STAR pledge.

There are youtube videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBeASTARAlliance
that you can watch.

For parents
The program is designed for students in grades 7-8, but can be managed to teach 4s, 5s and 6s and although the curriculum expectations are designed to meet USA standards, I am working on converting these to the Ontario curriculum.
The program is designed to meet Language Arts and Health and Physical Education expectations, but can be used for Social Studies as well.
The program is designed around the movie That's What I Am, which focuses on the protagonist Andy (played by Chase Ellison, no relation) who is making choices on how to stand up to bullies for himself and for friends.

That's What I Am Poster [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.traileraddict.com/content/samuel-goldwyn-films/thats_what_i_am.jpg

In class we will watch clips from this film to build discussion on positive characteristics to create a safe environment for themselves and their peers.

Some other great links for you outside of the Be a STAR program that help stop bullying:

http://www.stopbullying.gov/
- This is from the United States but still delivers the same message.

http://www.stopabully.ca/ - A Canadian site offering great resources, videos and more.

http://www.pinkshirtday.ca/ - You may have heard of this day. This is a way to be active in putting an end to bullying.

http://kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/home.aspx - Kids Help Phone is here to listen to anything that might be troubling you.

Mr. Ellison

Welcome students and parents of room 182

Hello students and parents,

I'm Mr. Ellison and I will be your teacher for the coming year. Allow me to tell you a little bit about myself. I believe that  children are the future, I understand this seems cliché, but in believing this I in turn believe  that we as educators shape that future. I find it my personal mission to make you as students or your children the best women and men you can grow to be.
I myself wear many hats. I am a teacher, Scouts Canada leader, lifeguard and lifeguard trainer, actor, musician and pro-wrestler. All of these roles can reach out to children and I firmly believe in the WWE's mission against bullying called Be a STAR which I will inform you of later on. 

Mr. Ellison.