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Middle Years Portfolio

Grade 7

This Slideshow is intended to be done progressively, throughout the school year, and aligned to Grade 7 IPP tasks, with activities for students to document and reflect on their career and life planning throughout this school year.

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Minds-On

Let’s say you have a backpack and you could fill it up with everything that represents your middle school experiences.

Reflect:

What are some of the things you would put in your backpack?

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Learning Objectives

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2

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Describe who you are as a person and as a learner with a Middle Year Portfolio, showcasing your uniqueness, skills, interests, learning style and experiences.

Reflect on your strengths, interests, and values to help you make informed decisions about your education journey.

Apply learning and skills to influence decisions and actions in various aspects of your life.

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What are portfolios?

What is a portfolio??

What would you put in a Middle Years Portfolio?

Why do you need a portfolio?

How could you use a portfolio?

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Portfolios

  • A collection of your work gathered over time
  • Upload multimedia content, demonstrating your learning, skills and growth in a variety of ways (audio, video, written, image, link)
  • Develop and reflect on your learning, skills and strengths
  • Share and communicate your learning journey with teachers, parents and other students

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Why use portfolios?

  • Take ownership of your work, progress and growth!
  • Demonstrate and communicate your learning your way!
  • Gain life skills to prepare for your career!

What do you notice between these two drawings? What are the differences?

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Why use portfolios?

By using portfolios, you will start/continue your learning journey (left) and you will continue to grow and progress (right).

By creating and utilizing portfolios, you will document, reflect and showcase your growth and progress from now until the end of your elementary journey and beyond.

This will set you up for a successful transition to high school and to your future!

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Middle Years Portfolio

Portfolios are a great way to document, organize and share your learning/career exploration, reflect on what you learned and see how much you’ve grown during a school year.

  • Why do you think it's important to create a portfolio to capture your learning?
  • What are some ideas of artifacts that you want to share in your portfolios?

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Middle Years Portfolio Checklist

  • Complete the Learning style survey and add the results and your reflection to your Middle Years Portfolio
  • Add 2 goals and tasks to each of them (Be sure to review them throughout the year.)
  • Add 1 reflection
  • Add 2 interests
  • Add 1 favorited occupation that interests you
  • Add 1 media box highlighting 1 skill you want to showcase
  • Add 1 resume

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Middle Years Portfolio Activity

Task: Creating a Middle Years Portfolio

From the left-hand navigation menu go to Home > Portfolios > Add portfolio > Title your portfolio “Middle Years Portfolio” > Add description (optional)

Evidence of Learning can be captured with various media options - giving you the ability to demonstrate your learning in a variety of ways!

Be sure to reflect and add your tasks, goals, projects, assignments, and activities as you complete them, and select items that demonstrate where you are, what you're proud of, and what you'd like to showcase to others.

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Who Am I survey Activity

Task: Complete the Learning Styles survey to learn more about yourself!

  • Select Who Am I from the navigation menu on the left hand side of your screen.
  • Complete the Learning Styles survey.
  • Upload your survey results by clicking Home > Portfolios > Select your “Middle Years Portfolio” > Add from myBlueprint
  • Write a brief reflection by clicking Add Reflection:
  • Did you learn something new about yourself?
  • Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
  • What study tips did you learn?

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Hobbies and Interests Activity

Task: Add a journal entry and list your social activities, hobbies and at least 2 personal interests to show others a glimpse into your personality.

Do you play any sports in your spare time? Are you a big reader?

A list of your hobbies and interests gives other more information about you and also shows areas of your life where you've gained experiences such as teamwork and commitment.

  • In your myBlueprint account, add a Journal showcasing at least 2 personal interests.
  • From the left-hand navigation menu go to Home > Portfolio > Select your “Middle Years

Portfolio” > +Add Box > Add Journal (remember you can add text, audio or video for your post!)

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Goal setting

Achieving your goals takes meaningful planning and effort.

1- Watch this video:

2- Reflect: What did you learn watching this video? How can this help you achieve your own goals?

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Goal setting

What is a goal?

A goal is a desired outcome that will make a difference in your life as a result of achieving it. There are many types of goals, including academic, extracurricular, community, education, career, and learning skills goals.

What is goal setting?

A goal requires effort and focus to achieve it. To help keep track of your progression towards a goal, you need to set a timeframe and an action plan. An action plan consists of specific tasks or steps that you will follow to achieve your end goal.

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Goal setting

REFLECT…

  • What goals do you set for yourself outside of school? How do you achieve these?
  • Why do you think that goal setting is important in your personal life?
  • Why do you think goal setting is important when it comes to academics?
  • What makes a goal meaningful?
  • What motivates you to reach your goals?
  • What obstacles can get in the way of following-through with your goals?
  • How can you document goal progress?
  • How do you celebrate goal completion?

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Goal setting example

Learn how setting goals for yourself will help you stay motivated and focused!

  • Watch this video for a 2-minute demonstration on how to create a goal.
  • Create SMART goals with these tips: SMART Goals

Here is an

example of a goal.

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Goal Setting Activity

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Task: Reflect on your progress and future, and set goals which allows you to identify your aspirations and create a roadmap to achieve them.

From the navigation menu on the left-hand side of your screen, select Home > Goals > +Add Goal

Add ONE (1) Other Goal (short term) and include an Action Plan with tasks for how you intend to achieve it. This can be about anything else in your life that you would like to improve on

Goal Tip! Click on ‘Need Help’ and look at different goal examples.

3

Add ONE (1) Academic Goal (short term) and include an Action Plan with tasks for how you intend to achieve it. This can be around Learning Skills or to improve on a specific subject area.

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Self-Awareness

What is self-awareness?

How do you know if you are self-aware?

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Understanding Self-Awareness: How to Develop It

Self-awareness is the conscious knowledge of your own character, feelings, motives, and desires. It involves understanding your strengths and weaknesses, recognizing how your behavior affects others, and being mindful of your thoughts and emotions.

Tips to develop self-awareness:

Regularly reflect on your thoughts and behaviors.

Analyze past experiences and learn from them.

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Reflect and Self-Awareness Activity

  • In your myBlueprint account, add a Journal entry reflecting on at least 3 of the questions below.
  • From the left-hand navigation menu go to Home > Portfolio > Select your “Middle Years Portfolio” >

+Add Box > Add Journal (remember you can add text, audio or video for your post!)

Reflecting on Elementary School and looking ahead

  • What were some of the highlights of your time in elementary school?
  • If you could sum up your elementary school experience in one word, what would that word be?
  • What was your biggest challenge in elementary school?
  • What was your biggest achievement in elementary school?
  • What are you most excited about as you prepare to transition to high school?

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Review your Goals Activity

Task: Review goals set in November

  • Check off the completed boxes in your ‘tasks’ and / or reflect… how are they going? Completed? Do changes need to be made to the tasks?
  • Optional: Set one new Short term goal and add one medium term goal that you would like to accomplish before the end of the school year

Why is it important to review goals?

  • to practice self-assessment and reflection
  • to develop or improve on time management and organization skills

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What is Experiential Learning ?

Experiential learning is the process of learning by doing or reflecting on real-world experiences you may have had. Through experiences, you can apply your learning to classroom activities and real-world situations.

Source: https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/cooperative-education-2018.pdf

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What is the experiential learning cycle ?

The Experiential Learning Cycle

Phase

Guiding Question

Description

Participate

What?

You are immersed in an experience, acknowledging what you are doing, what you are thinking, and what you are feeling during the experience.

Reflect

So what?

You think about your experience, guided by reflective questions and prompts, and identify what you learned as a result of the experience – about yourself, other people, the world, your opportunities, or the topic of study.

Apply

Now what?

You describe how your learning stimulates further inquiry: how it has influenced – or may influence – your decisions, opinions, goals, and plans; and what you might do differently if you have a similar experience in future.

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Skills and Abilities

Which talents do you think you were born with, and which ones did you have to practice a lot to get good at?

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Skills and Abilities

Understanding the difference between skills and abilities to support your self-awareness in understanding the process of learning a new skill.

Skills

Abilities

  • Learned behavior
  • Possible to teach, test, and measure
  • Developed and improved with training or through experience

Examples: communication, collaboration, problem-solving

  • Natural or innate
  • Can be difficult to teach, test, or measure
  • Acquired without formal teaching

Examples: physical coordination, memory

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Skills and Abilities Activity

Read about Sam’s storytelling talent here.

What are some of Sam’s natural abilities and some of his acquired skills?

Identify people you know with abilities that come naturally to them and people who have worked hard to develop their skills.

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Skills and Abilities Activity

Task: Using media, show and describe a skill you learned from an experience where you applied the experiential learning cycle (see slides 9 and 10 for the meaning of the experiential learning cycle).

  • In your myBlueprint account, add a Media entry by clicking Home > Portfolios > Middle Years Portfolio +Add Box > Add Media
  • Select which media you would like to add (a relevant image, video file or record a live video or audio describing your experience). �
  • Add a title and description elaborating on your experience. Click Post to add to your portfolio.

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What is a Resume?

  • A resume (or “CV” Curriculum Vitae) is a formal document that provides an overview of your professional qualifications, including your relevant work experience, skills, education, and notable accomplishments.
  • Usually paired with a cover letter, a resume helps you demonstrate your abilities and convince employers you’re qualified and hireable.
  • The spelling of resume originates from French, and means “summary.”

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Resume Activity

Task: Reflect on elements that you can add to your resume. Think about what skills/experience you would I like to have on your resume? What experiences/skills could be added to your resume?

Before making your resume, it is a good idea to start thinking about some of your skills, traits, experiences, and interests.

List 4 positive qualities or skills about yourself:

Choose an experience you had in the past and answer the following questions:

1.

2.

3.

4.

  1. What kind of experience was it?

  • Where was your experience? (location/organization company):

  1. When did you start and finish this experience? (Month/Year – Month/Year):

  1. What was your role or position?

  • What did you do there? (Begin with an action verb, i.e., Served customers in a polite manner)

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Resume Activity

Task: Reflect on elements that you can add to your resume.

Think about what skills/experience you would I like to have on your resume?

  • In your myBlueprint account, create a resume by clicking Home > Work > Resumes + Create Resume
  • Give your resume a title and click Save.
  • Complete each section of the resume (e.g., Contact Information, Objective, Education, Work Experience, Extra-Curricular, Volunteer Experience, Skills, and Abilities, etc.) and add at least ONE (1) experience where applicable.
  • When ready, click Preview Resume at the bottom right of your screen. Click Change Design to make updates to the resume design.
  • Add your resume to your Middle Years Portfolio by clicking Add to a Portfolio.

Visit the Guides section to access the resume guide.

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Occupations, Careers and Jobs

Understanding new terms as you prepare for your future.

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Occupations, Careers and Jobs (continued)

Vocabulary

Definition & Examples

Job

A paid or unpaid position in an organization, company, store etc. with specific duties and responsibilities.

Examples: chef at East Side Mario’s, customer service representative, financial analyst, mechanic at Mazda dealership

Occupation

A person's principal work or business, as a means of earning a living.

Examples: marine biologist, plumber, engineer, nurse, teacher, real estate agent, musician

Career

Career is a concept that involves the work roles that you have fulfilled and your life experiences. Everything we experience while we work takes place under the umbrella of our career. Careers are unique to each person and are dynamic, unfolding throughout our lives.

Examples: Healthcare, Education, Sales

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Occupations, Careers and Jobs Activity

Task: Research occupations using myBlueprint, and reflect on your favorite occupations.

  • In your myBlueprint account, click Work on the left hand side navigation menu and select Occupations.
  • Use the Filter Options and/or Keyword Search to start looking for occupations. Click Search when ready.
  • Favourite 1 Occupations by clicking on the heart icon in the top corner of the occupation that you would like to favourite.
  • Add the occupation to a portfolio (Home > Portfolios > Middle Years Portfolio > +Add Box > Add from myBlueprint > Favourites)

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Occupations, Careers and Jobs Activity (continued)

Reflect by answering the questions below (click Add Reflection at the bottom of your occupation box in your portfolio):

    • What interests you most about this occupation?
    • What are some of the main duties for someone in this occupation?
    • What are some skills and abilities required for this occupation?
    • Which of the required skills and abilities do you already have?
    • Which skills or abilities would you need to learn?
    • What is the required education or training for this occupation?

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Checklist review

Task: Review the Middle Year Portfolio checklist (slide 10)

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Middle Years Portfolio -

Grade 7: Self-Assessment

Visit this link to complete your self-assessment!

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Great work completing your Middle Years Portfolio!

You can revisit and add to your portfolio next year (and thereafter)!

Have a great summer!