December Innovation Highlights: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador
Highlights from Nova Scotia
Building Magic: Grade 1 Students Create Cozy Fairy Houses for Winter
As everyone knows, once autumn arrives, wood fairies begin to think about where they will spend the winter. The Grade 1 students at Cobequid Consolidated Elementary discussed how they might help the fairies, who could be quite tired after their seasonal work. They decided the best way to help was to build houses for them!
A proper location was chosen, and luckily, the woods behind the school turned out to be perfect. In fact, there was evidence of old houses and some fairy tunnels in the woods. Knowing that the fairies would only want natural materials for their houses – and that fairy houses should only be made from items already fallen on the ground – the students began by designing and planning their fairy homes, ensuring they would be suitable for their tiny inhabitants.
Equipped with bags, the students gathered twigs, leaves, acorns, and other natural items, carefully selecting the best pieces for their fairy homes. Once they had collected enough materials, they set to work in the woods, choosing the perfect locations for their creations.
With great care and creativity, the students constructed the little homes that will provide the fairies with cozy winter shelters. These new homes will undoubtedly save the local fairies a lot of work, allowing them to rest and enjoy the winter season.
The project not only helped the fairies but also taught the students valuable lessons about nature, creativity, and teamwork. The woods behind Cobequid Consolidated Elementary School are now dotted with enchanting fairy houses, ready to welcome their magical residents.
Highlights from Newfoundland & Labrador
Approximately one hundred and sixty students and teachers from across Newfoundland and Labrador gathered at St. Paul’s Intermediate in Gander, NL, for the Provincial Student Leadership Conference. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the conference and was the first held since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The weekend was filled with guest presenters and organized learning sessions for both teachers and students, and Brilliant Labs was honoured to lead a session. Bobbie Keeping-Sibley facilitated several engaging workshops for the participants.
The theme of the event was “Ready for Takeoff.” For the students, one session, “Steering with Servos,” involved coding micro:bits and connecting servo motors to b.Boards. The activity allowed students to create a system where tilting left activated the left motor, and tilting right activated the right motor. This idea was inspired by Brett MacDonald, a fellow Brilliant Labs teammate.
Another student activity was “Lights On/Off Landing Strip,” where participants coded micro:bits and connected neopixels to create lights that automatically turned on in the dark and off in the light.
For the teachers, there was a “Taste of Technology” session that introduced them to micro:bits, b.Boards, and coding project ideas, demonstrating how easily curriculum outcomes can be achieved using these technologies.
Highlights from New Brunswick
Students in Bev Keenan’s Digital Production class are gaining unique opportunities through her programming to engage in real-world, hands-on experiences. She has established a partnership with the Riverview Arts Center, where her students will assist with marketing and media. Additionally, they will collaborate with the Riverview High School yearbook team and sports teams, gaining valuable training in photography and videography.