Sep 24th, 2012 – Native Canadian Centre Visit

YMCA Academy English and Humanities, Experiential Learning, Native Studies

The World Religion and Current Aboriginal Issues in Canada classes opened the new school year by attending an event at the Native Canadian Center of Toronto.  We listened to resident teacher and member of the Ojibway tribe Don Jabokwoam share his extensive knowledge of history as well as his personal life experiences.  We are very grateful to Don and the Native Canadian Center for supporting our learning of Aboriginal history, spirituality and culture and we look forward to collaborating again in the future!

Jun 5th, 2012 – Jackson Pollock Paintings

YMCA Academy Arts, Student Spotlight

The casual onlooker might have assumed a group of hazardous materials experts were surveying the park outside the Central Y for dangerous goods, but a closer look would have revealed the grade 11 visual arts class engaging in a painting lesson borrowed from the great abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock.  Students dripped, poured, splattered and threw paint at their canvases to create non-representational works that break the rules of conventional, image-based art.

May. 11th, 2012 – HPW3C, Preschoolers & Arctic

YMCA Academy Community, English and Humanities, Experiential Learning, Student Spotlight

The YMCA Academy HPW3C (Living and Working with children) students had another wonderful visit from the preschool group.

This week the theme was THE ARCTIC. The group worked on readings about Arctic animals, Drawings and a collage of an Arctic food chain and games like: “Simon says” and “What time is it Mr.Wolf”.

Thanks to all for another wonderful morning.

Apr. 12th, 2012 – Comtech class visits Sinking Ship

YMCA Academy Experiential Learning, Technology

On Wednesday April 11th, the students of the grade 11 Communications Technology class visited Sinking Ship Entertainment, a Toronto-based production company who creates children’s and preschool television and media. Students had the opportunity to learn about augmented reality and iPad app creation, CG animation, 3-D video shooting and editing, writing for television, and sound editing. Students also tried animating dinosaurs and recorded audio to be used in an episode of the ‘Dino Dan’ series. Many thanks to Sinking Ship for hosting us!

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

Visit the Sinking Ship Entertainment Website

Apr. 3rd, 2012 – The pre-schoolers are coming

YMCA Academy English and Humanities, Experiential Learning

The Academy’s Living and Working with Children (HPW3C) course will be hosting the FDC’s pre-school group at the Academy every Thursday starting this week. Be ready for the sound of little feet and laughter. Students in the course have been learning about children’s role in society and their growth and development which will serve them well when they are developing activities for our hosting sessions.

Some activities on the horizon:

  • Seed planting for greening of  the play space
  • Animal Bags
  • Smart-board shapes
  • Marching Band
  • Making Silly Putty
  • Dinosaur Stomp

We have also committed to assisting the school-age group on a field trip to see REAL dinosaur bones at the ROM. If you’d like to volunteer – please send an email to our volunteer coordinator Kaili Glennon.