Coat of Arms and Family Tree: Due Friday June 14th

Dear Parents/Guardians,

As part of the Social Studies curriculum for Grade 5, students will be asked to look into their family background.  Our main objective is to help students realize that many Canadians came to Canada through immigration.  Also, it is our hope that students will gain some insight into their family identity.  The culminating activity will have students design a Coat of Arms.   Creating a coat of arms will help students weigh personal and family values and think how to symbolically and artistically represent them.

Note:   Please complete family tree to the best of your ability.  If a member of the family came from a country other than Canada, please specify.  If you know what region they came from (in a particular country) please specify.  In my experience, students are often extremely keen to learn about their ancestors and where their family came from.  If you know your family members immigrated, please share with your child. 

Based on the family tree, students will be given the opportunity to research what they have learned.  Any support or information that can be provided at home would be greatly appreciated.  For example:  there are numerous websites that give meanings or definitions based on your surname.

Design Your Own Coat of Arms -- Project

Objective: Students will create a personal coat of arms. They will include colours and objects that are symbolic of their heritage and personal identity. Students will write 1-2 paragraphs explaining their coat of arms and will be required to present this information (2-3 minutes) in front of the class.  A lot of time will be given in class and in the computer lab.  Any help that can be provided from home would be greatly appreciated.

Note:  Students can create their shield in any format they choose.  In class, a series of shield template will be provided and students can choose what they like.  That said, several students last year made their shields out of wood or fabric.

Rubric

Coat of Arms                   /6	Coat of Arms is colorful and full of symbols that represent the students heritage and personal identity.  The Coat of Arms is colorful, neat and it is evident that effort and planning was put into its production.
Paragraphs                / 6	Paragraphs are thoughtful and informative. They explain the symbolic significance of the Coat of Arms and follow proper paragraph formatting.
Presentation                / 6	Presentation is informative and student explains their Coat of Arms. The student engages and connects to the audience. The Student monitors their tone, volume, pace and expression when presenting to the audience.

Background and Historical Information:
Coats of Arms date to the early Middle Ages. In the early twelfth century, helmets and other armor began making it difficult to tell armed warriors apart. The solution was for each knight or soldier to paint something personal on their shield. These designs were important in battle, but they also functioned like team uniforms when knights met in tournaments. Over time, shield emblem designs became enduring symbols of their owners, and of their owners' families.

It became quite fashionable to have a "coat of arms", so people hired artists to design them. The designs weren't just used on shields. They were applied on tunics, saddle blankets, banners and tapestries. They were duplicated in sculpture and architectural features. They were used in signs and advertisements. They were carved into coins, jewelry (e.g. signet rings) and the personalized stamps for sealing letters.

Soon, Coats of Arms weren't just for soldiers! From about 1210 A.D., some priests are known to have had them. The first women known to have had their own coat of arms got them around 1220. Around 1230 towns and cities began having coats of arms. Tradesmen and even peasants started using coats of arms around 1250. In an era when few people could read or write, coats of arms made it easier for people to recognize each other's marks.

Before you design your own coat of arms, it'll be useful to look at a few traditional heraldic designs. Observe the traditional design elements. What do you think they symbolized for the people who chose to wear them? Below is a list of some elements you may want to include in your designs.  Also, a booklet with additional symbols and animals has been given to students in hard copy.

 The Language of Heraldry

Heraldic Colors:                                                    
Yellow or Gold - Generosity
White or Silver - Peace & Sincerity
Black - Constancy (& sometimes Grief)
Blue - Loyalty & Truthfulness
Red - Military Fortitude & Magnanimity
Green - Hope, Joy & sometimes Loyalty
Purple - Royal Majesty, Sovereignty & Justice

Heraldic Animals:
Bear - Protectiveness
Bee - Industriousness
Camel - Perseverance
Dog - Loyalty
Double Eagle & Eagle - Leadership & Decisiveness
Dragon - Defender of Treasure
Falcon or Hawk - Eagerness
Fox - Cleverness
Griffin (part eagle, part lion) - Bravery
Horse - Readiness to Serve
Lion - Courage
Pelican - Generosity & Devotion
Raven - Constancy
Snake - Ambition
Stag, Elk or Deer - Peace & HarmonTiger - Fierceness & Valor
Unicorn - Extreme courage
Wolf - Constant Vigilance

Note:  Students may wish to draw or print out a copy of the picture.  I realize that some students will find this part difficult and my overall objective is more concerned with the meaning of their symbol as opposed to their ability to draw.

Note:  Each symbol and colour has a meaning.  Students are to choose colours and symbols based on their meaning to themselves, not because they like the look of them.

Healdic Symbols:
Axe - Dutiful
Bridge - (signifies a governor or magistrate)
Crescent - Enlightenment
Crosses - Christian sentiments
Crown - Authority
Fire - Zeal
Flaming Heart - Passion
Fleur-de-lys (stylized Iris flower) - Purity (associated with France)
Hand - Horns & Antlers - Fortitude
Lightning - Decisiveness
Moon - Serenity
Oyster Shell - Traveler
Ring - Fidelity
Scepter - Justice
Star - Nobility
Sun - Glory
Sword - Warlike
Tower or Castle - Fortitude & Protectiveness
Faith, Sincerity & Justice
Heart - Sincerity

Humorous Story

Humorous stories are due Friday by 3pm.  Students will be given the afternoon on Friday to access the computer lab (only time I could get all week).  If students cannot finish their rough draft at home, please send to school on a flash drive or email to me at mblick@sd8.bc.ca as time will be provided.

With each assignment, students need to include their:

• Story Map
• Humorous Story Checklist (to enusre they have included all the necessary components)
• Humorous Story
• Humorous Criteria Sheet.  Once stories are complete, students will be put into groups and asked to mark stories based on the established criteria.  Students will then allowed to make further changes before submitting them to the teacher.

Reminder:  Students are always allowed to receive feedback from their teacher at all times in the process.

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Humorous Story Checklist:

Name:____________             Date:_______________

The checklist below will help you to ensure that you are completing the assignment to the best of your ability.  Please ensure that you have attached this sheet to your rough copy and have checked each box before you submit.

Humorous Story Musts:

□  Includes all the characteristics of a story:  problem, solution, characters, setting, beginning, middle and end

□  Organize their key events on their Story Maps

□  Keep dialogue short and realistic

□  Dialogue needs to move the story ahead

□  Starting point of their story is unusual

□  Details give warnings of problems ahead during the story

□  Ending has a twist or surprise.

Punctuation and Grammar:

□  Used quotation marks properly.  Each time there is a new speaker you have started a new paragraph.

□  Used capitals and periods for each sentence.

□  Six words you have used from a thesaurus:

____________        _____________      ____________       

____________        _____________   _____________

□  Sentences Make Sense.  I have proofread my work.

Student Signature:________________

Humorous Story Writing -- Criteria Student Name:     ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Story Characteristics	Includes all the characteristics of a story and is well thought out. Includes a problem, solution, characters, setting, beginning, middle and end.	Includes all the characteristics of a story. Includes a problem, solution, characters, setting, beginning, middle and end.	Includes most of the characteristics of a story. It may not be clear that all characteristics are present. Includes a problem, solution, characters, setting, beginning, middle and end.	Does not include the neccessary characteristics to make a meaningful story.
Story Map	Details are placed in a logical order and the way they are presented effectively keeps their story on track.  Everything in their planning sheet is found in their story.	Details are placed in a logical order, but the way in which they are presented makes it difficult to follow.  Students may add details not included in their planning sheet.	Some details are not in a logical or expected order, and this distracts the reader.   Story map is incomplete and/or the story does not follow their story map.	Many details are not in a logical or expected order. There is little sense that the writing is organized.
Dialogue	Uses lots description to help the reader visualize a scene, but let’s the dialogue do most of the talking. Keep dialogue short and meaningful.	Uses some description to help the reader visualize a scene, but let's the dialogue do some of the talking. Keeps dialogue short.	Uses a little description to help the reader visualize a scene. Dialogue may be longer at times.	Uses no description to help the reader visualize a scene and there is no dialogue present.
Premise or Starting Point of Story is Unusual	Starting point or premise of the story is used with a high degree of effectiveness and effectively engages the reader.	Starting point or premise of the story is used with a considerable effectiveness and somewhat engages the reader.	Starting point or premise of the story is used with a some effectiveness and struggles to engage the reader.	The starting point or premise of the story is not present.
Identifies details that warn of surprises ahead	With a high degree of effectiveness, the story gives strong warnings of surprises ahead.	With considerable effectiveness, gives some warnings of surprises ahead.	With some effectiveness, gives a couple of warnings of surprises ahead.	Gives no warning of surprises ahead.
Ending has a twist or surprise	Clearly explains that the ending has a twist or surprise that the reader does not predict.	The ending has a twist or surprise that the reader could somewhat predict.	The ending has a twist or surprise that the reader could predict.	Has no twist or surprise in the ending of the story.
Grammar & Spelling (Conventions)	Writer makes  in 1-5 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Writer makes 5-10 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Writer makes 10-15 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Writer makes more than 15 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.
Checklist	Used the writing checklist in its entirety to complete story. Handed checklist in with story complete.	For the most part the student used the checklist to complete their story. Handed checklist in with the story and is mostly complete.	Student somewhat used the checklist to complete their assignment. Handed checklist in with story, with pieces not done correctly.	Student did not use checklist to complete assignment. No che cklist handed in.

Canadian Government and Immigration

Our class will be starting a unit on the basics of Canadian Government and the process surrouding immigration in Canada.  For our Federal Government, we will be focussing on:

• The definition of democracy
• How Federal elections run in Canada
• The different branches of the Federal Government
• The House of Commons
• Senate
• Cabinet
• What the Prime Minister does
• Touch upon the Constitution Act of 1982
• The different years each province or territory entered Confederation.  Here, we will review the impacts of the CPR and how it led to the development of our country.

For our section on immigration, we will focus on the different steps to become a Canadian citizen.

In addition, our class will be doing a graphic novel called The Arrival by Shaun Tan.  Thanks to Google for the image.

The Arrival is a migrant story told as a series of wordless images that might seem to come from a long forgotten time. A man leaves his wife and child in an impoverished town, seeking better prospects in an unknown country on the other side of a vast ocean. He eventually finds himself in a bewildering city of foreign customs, peculiar animals, curious floating objects and indecipherable languages. With nothing more than a suitcase and a handful of currency, the immigrant must find a place to live, food to eat and some kind of gainful employment. He is helped along the way by sympathetic strangers, each carrying their own unspoken history: stories of struggle and survival in a world of incomprehensible violence, upheaval and hope.
Overall, there will be two projects and one test.  The test will cover the basic aspects of government and immigration.  The two projects will involve creating a poster to entice new immigrants to come to Canada.  The second project will involve making a Family Shield and a Family Tree.  This particular project will be accompanied with a list of criteria and students may need support from home.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Thanks,

Mr. Blick
ARES -Grade 5