April 2020 NewsletterApril 2020 Newsletter

Dates of Note May 12 - 14: University Experience Week for Grade 12 Classes May 18: Victoria Day (no classes)May 25: Term 4 Midterm DateMay 26: Term 4 Parent/Teacher Virtual InterviewsJune 1: Registration Deadline for September Full-Time Studies

Virtual Extra-Curricular Activities ScheduleOur virtual clubs have been connecting our community outside of the classroom throughout thistime of physical distancing. It's never too late to join. All the links to club Zoom meetings will beavailable on our Edsby homepage. Please contact the teacher running the club your interested inwith any questions. The schedule is below. Please note the addition of Art Club on Thursdays. Aspecial thank you to mom, Beth E., for leading this club!

Monday: Eco Club with Ms. Palumbo, 1:15pmTuesday: Student Council with Mrs. Pace, 1:15pmWednesday: Yoga with Ms. Palumbo, 1:15pmThursday: Model United Nations with Mr. Jay, 1:00pm;

Art Club with Beth, 1:00pm Friday: Yearbook Committee with Ms. Celaj, 12:30pm (Foundations students wishing to participate in Yearbook will be dismissed from class early on Fridays.)

Message from Student Council Message from Student Council We know how strange and difficult these last weeks have been. We know it sometimesfeels like everything has gone wrong, or like you don't even know what is happeninganymore. We know it has been a transition. But, it has also been an opportunity to see thebest of our school. From students supporting one another both in and out of classes, toour incredible teachers taking time to answer our questions every day after class, to theFoundations students inspiring us on social media, this pandemic has really brought outthe best in all of us. We've heard a lot of talk about "getting back to normal" in the last fewdays, and while we've never been more excited to get back on track, that excitement isn'tcoming from the idea of returning to "normal." We're excited because we can't wait to seethis enthusiasm, compassion, and spirit again at school, as we all bring everything we'velearnt from this experience back home. In the next few weeks, we'll be looking for ways tobring us all together, so we can keep the Blyth ET spirit alive. Until then, stay strong,Etobicoke!

Foundations class working together tocreate a GOOS (Good On One Side)

box for the school which wascompleted before March break.

~Blyth ET Student Council

Principal's Note Principal's Note This month's newsletter follows a different format than our traditional newsletters. As wemarked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, we chose to dedicate this month'snewsletter to sharing how faculty and students at Blyth ET are taking action to educateourselves on and fight climate crisis. In the contributions included this month, you will find that every course being taught thisterm at Blyth ET has incorporated themes and activities related to sustainabledevelopment. We believe that this is one way in which we can use our isolation timepositively - reflecting on our roles as responsible, global citizens who can foster positivechange for the Earth. Please read on to see what your student is learning in Term 4. A very special thank you to Ms. Palumbo who came up with this idea and conductedinterviews with each teacher to gather the information shared here. We hope you enjoy! ~Ms. Foley

Foundations, Gr.9, Ms. LewisMs. Lewis continues to provide opportunities forher Foundations class to practice literacy skillsby reading On Fire by Naomi Klein(https://naomiklein.org/on-fire/) whichaddresses the climate crisis.

Students will engage in discussion regarding various themes and political views presented inthe book.

As Foundations is largely about collaboration,Ms. Lewis will also highlight teamwork in thecontext of accomplishing eco-goals together.

Core French, Gr.9, Mlle. PalumboMlle. Palumbo's French class will incorporate scientific andtechnological advancements and the importance of art to thenatural world.

In addition, students will study Antoine de Saint-Exupéry'sfamous work, Le Petit Prince, which will further develop themesof human nature, life, loneliness, friendship, and love. It artfullycommunicates the importance of connection and respect forother beings - an important, timeless lesson.

Photo taken by Ms. Palumbo inMedellín, Colombia. Text translation:"My memory will indicate the step to

follow"

Physical Education,Gr.9, Ms. LewisIf you thought gym class wouldn't have any tiesto environmental education, Ms. Lewis is hereto teach you a thing or two!

Her classes will incorporate outdoor exercise to show the added benefits that being innature provides. Health lessons will focus onthe environmental impacts of food and lifestylechoices. Students will also explore how different sportingequipment is made (materials and processes)and how this can affect the environment.Attention will be drawn to the carbon footprint ofprofessional sporting leagues and possiblestrategies for change.

Lastly, preparing for emergency situations due to more frequent and severe naturaldisasters, in the face of the climate crisis, will be examined.

Foundations, Gr.10, Ms. PalumboThe focus of Foundations in Term 4 isenvironmentalism, continuing with our study ofOn Fire by Naomi Klein.

Students will lead 30 minute virtual classsessions on an assigned chapter, and willfacilitate an interactive activity done togethervirtually or offline at home.

During our final units this year, World Culturesand Current Events and Leadership, studentswill explore what make our world so interesting.They will be completing a photo and cookingchallenge, and a video news broadcast.Students will continue to learn how essentialteamwork and leadership is in a world thatrequires many solutions.

Canadian History Since WW1Gr.10, Mr. JayMr. Jay always keeps students on their toes! This term, students will learn about theenvironment in modern history (1945 to theformation of the UN). Learning both what has

changed and what has not. Climate change is not a new subject (it has been at the policylevel since 1997, but not viewed as a priority). Given his unique background in counter-terrorism law, Mr. Jay will integrate discussions

on international security threats and their connections to climate change. This will includetopics such as the economy, global warming, and the Paris Climate Accord. How are social, cultural, and economic factors all connected to the history we are formingright now and how are humans affecting the environment in the process? Mr. Jay will leadstudents through an inquiry to find answers!

Introduction to Business,Gr.10, Mr. JayIn this course students will come to understandthe fundamentals of business: what it is andhow it is built. Mr. Jay will incorporate business ethics andcorporate social responsibility related toenvironmental factors such as renewableenergy and green manufacturing. How do businesses structure themselves to make environmental concerns a priority whilestill making a profit? What about employee rights? What are they doing not only for theiremployees but for society? Strategies to promote ethical, environmentally-friendlybusiness models will be explored.

Introduction to Anthropology,Psychology, and Sociology,Gr. 11, Mr. CulbertDifferent cultures have different standards andnorms related to the environment as well asways in which it influences citizens. Mr. Culbert will guide the exploration of a rangeof world cultures and their responses todifferent events, and issues, such as howeconomic resources are used. The threesub-disciplines studied in this course offer threedifferent perspectives. The Anthropocene Project(https://theanthropocene.org) is one that will be

used to highlight the real-life applications of theories that will be examined and givestudents the chance to engage in analytical thinking.

English, Gr.11, Ms. BrissettThe overriding theme of the literary worksstudied in this course is isolation (trèsappropriate, no?). Ms. Brissett will guidestudents through the reading and analysis ofShakespeare's Othello and The Road (adystopian novel) by Cormak McCarthy. There are a number of elements in the novel,Ms. Brissett will connect to current events andthe environmental impact of isolation andCOVID-19. She will make sure that it isn't all doom and gloom by also accenting the silverlinings that we can find through time for reflection and quiet. Students will learn of the

interconnectedness of everything, and how staying home has a direct impact on theenvironment. The power of nature, its impact on humans, and the respect it commands willbe of focus. Power relations between people will also be examined; who has the privilegeto deal with this forced isolation, who does not, and why?

Marketing, Gr.11, Ms. CelajIf you allow it, you could be bombarded bymedia all day - especially right now with theamount of time we're spending in front ofscreens. This course will explore strategies thatmarketing campaigns use to influence people'sdecision-making and purchasing.

Students will also examine ethical issues that arise for companies related to their environmental practices. Ms. Celaj will incorporate geography into the course as it istightly interwoven with marketing. For example, they'll take a look at how international tradeand exports come into play in marketing.

Communications Technology,Gr.11/12, Ms. CelajAs its title implies, this course will involve thestudy of technology, but it will also consider theenvironment and how technological advancescan be both beneficial and harmful. The media has such a large influence on ourdecision-making, and therefore, how the worldruns. Students will create projects that captureviewers using various technologies. A unit on environment and society will seestudents investigating the costs and benefits

related to resource usage, energy demand, waste disposal, air and water pollution andappropriate ways to use technology and dispose of it.

Challenge & Change in Society,Gr. 12, Mr. CulbertThis course explores world issues in a Canadiancontext. Students will explore connectionsbetween individual Canadian lives and the broaderCanadian social policy before extending theirexploration to other countries. A diversity of issues facing Canadians will be examined in-depth including COVID-19;students will reflect on health care and education systems here and around the world asthey assess the efficacy of different responses. As always, Mr. Culbert will keep thingsrelevant by incorporating current issues and news in the mix, as they occur throughout thecourse.

World History Since theFifteenth Century, Gr.12, Ms. Brissett

The overriding theme explored in this course ispower and colonization (and decolonization) inthe 1900s. Students will unpack imperialism and itsimpacts on today's world, particularly onthe environment and nature. The following bigquestions will form students path to discovery:whose story is told and whose isn't? W hat arethe consequences of that today?

Additionally, students will examine how the Industrial Revolution and agriculture hasimpacted the environment and led to present day society. Anti-racism, feminism, socialclass, gender, environmentalism - are themes that will challenge students' thinking andbring out the historian in everyone.

Biology, Gr.12, Ms. TompkinsThis course studies population ecology - both inhumans and the plant and animal kingdom as awhole. Students will become familiar withpopulation dynamics in an ecosystem andkeystone species. They will relate agricultureand food sustainability to diet from a scientificperspective and determine how it affects us at a cellular level. Students will also learn about molecular genetics, DNA replication, and what couldpotentially interrupt it. Ms. Tomkins will relate this to UV rays and the harmful effects of thethinning of the ozone layer. Environmental safety will be further examined by investigatingissues relating to the harmful effects of technologies on human health at the DNA level andsocial issues that tie in. She will make sure to integrate current events as well, such as howair quality has been affected by COVID-19. Ms. Tompkins will challenge studentsto understand problems and develop real solutions.

Chemistry, Gr.12, Ms. TompkinsThis course looks at chemistry through a new lens:a blend between quantum physics and chemistry.What does that even mean? Well, it will addressquestions such as why the universe functions theway it does, why atoms are working at avery specific level, and how our world functions atthe atomic level.

The final unit has a very practical application and a strong environmental connection:batteries, their disposal, hazardous waste disposal in general, and lithium mining; whatreally is most sustainable? Students will complete labs and other investigations to findanswers.

Physics, Gr.12, Ms. DuongThis course considers the impact oftechnological applications in society and theenvironment, and how various concepts workand benefit us. Students will create and conduct a walkaboutenergy audit at home. Technological advancesof certain countries will be explored, namely

Singapore and Japan in the areas oftransportation and waste management.Geoengineering and its controversialadvantages and disadvantages will also beexplored, in addition to renewable resources ofenergy and how to transform them into 100%usable energy (zero wasted energy). The costs and implications of technology in ourcommunity will be considered, such as windturbines on Toronto's Lakeshore.

Guidance Corner Guidance Corner During these unprecedented times, it is so important to focus on our mental and physical well-being. With all that is happening in our world right now, this may seem like a difficult task. Theadapted article below shows us how we can use the environment to help us Nurture ourselveswith Nature. Ecotherapy is based on the idea that people are connected to and impacted by the naturalenvironment. ECOTHERAPY ACTIVITIES AND TECHNIQUES

Nature meditation: This meditation takes place in a natural setting, such as a park, and issometimes done as a group therapy. Members of the group may identify something innature which attracts them and then spend a few minutes contemplating how this aspect ofnature relates to them and what they can learn from it. For example, an elderly personstruggling with feelings of worthlessness might develop greater self-respect aftermeditating on how the older trees in a forest provide shelter for birds and shade foryounger plants. Horticultural therapy: The use of plants and garden-related activities can be used topromote well-being. Activities may include digging soil, planting seedlings, weeding gardenbeds, and trimming leaves. This type of intervention may be recommended in cases ofstress, burnout, and substance abuse, as well as in cases of social isolation among theelderly.Animal-assisted therapy: In animal-assisted therapy, one or more animals is introducedinto the healing process. Some studies have demonstrated that petting or playing with adog, for example, reduces aggression and agitation in some populations.Physical exercise in a natural environment: This can include activities such as walking,jogging, cycling, or doing yoga in a park. These types of activities foster increasedawareness of the natural world and are sometimes recommended for reducing stress,anxiety, depression, and anger.Involvement in conservation activities: The act of restoring or conserving the naturalenvironment can assist in creating a sense of purpose and hopefulness. Since this activityis usually done in groups, it may also help foster a sense of belonging and connectednesswhile simultaneously improving one's mood.

Click on the link below to read the entire article.https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/econature-therapy ~Mrs. Pace

Blyth ET Eco Initiatives Update: We recently heard from EcoSchools Canada regardingour certification. We are officially certified for the 2019-20 school year!

This certification recognizes our achievement andparticipation in the EcoSchools program, despite theimpediments to our progress related to not being in ourbuilding. We will maintain our current level ofcertification as we begin the 2020/21 school year andpick up right where we left off. The Eco Club will continue to meet over Term 4 tocontinue some of our initiatives virtually and plan for

next year. Great work Blyth ET! I'm so proud of our community! Pura vida, Ms. Palumbo