Blog Archives

Friday

10/31/2014

Happy Halloween! It was so great to see the creativity in the costumes as well as have so many students come dressed up in their costumes. Learning was the focus this morning as we started a new unit in writing and practised place value using skittles in math. Prior to starting the afternoon party, we read more from the novel 'One For the Murphys'. It has been an incredible book for discussion with the students. Many connections have been made to the main character and her life situation. The day ended with games, food and dance offs; lots of laughter and fun before trick or treating tonight!

Homework
1) LA - a) Flying Bob review - Use your peer feedback to direct your revisions. Please print off a final copy for Monday morning. If you cannot print this off at home be sure to arrive early to school to do this. Also, please bring all the drafts you have completed for this - the writing book has draft one, your printed version that was used with your peer and the final one. Bring your peer feedback sheet as well. - due Monday
- b) Blog post for One for the Murphys. Please go to our global read aloud site (see sidebar under LA for the link) and click on your group to see this weekends post. - due Monday
2) Math - grade 7s - worksheet
- grade 6s - study your multiplication tables (lots of fun games on the internet to play to help with this. Links can be found under Math on the side bar as well)
3) French - calendar - due Tuesday
4) Survey - Please complete this survey to help the Christmas Bureau GIft Ideas

Comment: Share something memorable from your Halloween night. It could be about trick or treating, eating candy, hanging out with friends and family or anything you wish to share.

30 Comments

Thursday

10/30/2014

26 Comments

Mystery Skype number 5 today - we met a class of grade 7/8 students from Mineral Wells, Texas. Their greeting which included 'y'all' helped Division 1 determine they were most likely from Texas. But once the state was determined it was not easy to find their location. Students are definitely beginning to know where certain states and cities are located from our skype sessions.

(Sorry the post has come so late but weebly would not let me access the site after school).

Homework
1) Math - grade 7s - worksheet due Monday (for one class but not the other)
2) LA - Flying Bob review - final best version due on Monday. This must be printed off before class. Be sure to use the peer feedback given when you are revising.
3) French - calendar due Tuesday
4) Reading Notebooks - I only found 5 in my basket today for my response - all others need to be handed in tomorrow
5) Art for non band students - due tomorrow
6) Halloween party - be sure to bring your supplies if you have been assigned something to bring

Comment: What is something that went well today for you and your partner during peer feedback time? Explain.

26 Comments

Wednesday

10/29/2014

29 Comments

Lots of thinking and questioning today as I introduced the concept of Mindset to the students. We read an article that stated the brain is a muscle and the harder we work it the stronger it becomes. It was also discovered that if we do not work the neurons and pathways that have been created they become weaker with time. by working through those things that cause us to think hard and persevere our brains gets stronger and smarter.

Homework
1) Watch the video below on growth mindset. Research and share in the comments one person alive or dead who has/had a growth mindset. What did they overcome or what did they do to prove they have a growth mindset?
2) Read, read and read
3) French - October calendar - Tuesday
4) PE tomorrow
5) Halloween committees - check at home for what you will be contributing to your group

29 Comments

Tuesday

10/28/2014

28 Comments

The last two days the students of Division One have been sharing their Animotos they created. The learning intention for this assignment was for the students to create a meaningful visual representation of who they are. Approximately half have been shown and I have been extremely impressed with the choice and variety of photos/images used, as well as the originality of each. Getting a glimpse into who they are as people and what they most care about has been an eye opening experience.

Homework
1) Read, read and read

Comment: Being able to read graphs, diagrams and maps to gain information can take a lot of thought. After going over the questions today after you had a chance to work through them, what did you learn that most surprised you? Also, what is a strategy you need to use when looking at graphs/maps to make sure you understand what information is being given to you?

28 Comments

Monday - National Library Day

10/27/2014

31 Comments

A big thank you to all of you (parents and grandparents) that were able to rearrange your schedules to join us for reading this morning. It was wonderful to see parents reading alongside or sharing reading with your child. I loved the feel of the class as we started our day.
In the novel One for the Murphys there has been numerous references to the musical WIcked. Read about the musical 'Wicked', and watch the video below. Leave a detailed comment about your thoughts on the show.
Wicked' (the musical) summary:
Elphaba (The future Wicked Witch of the West) is born green and shunned from society. She meets the ever-popular and pink Glinda (The Good Witch of the North) at college. Elphaba has a knack for magic, so the headmistress of the college sends her and Glinda to the Emerald City to help the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. However, the wizard is not so wonderul and is segregating the talking animals in Oz from the rest of society. Elphaba is enraged because she can identify with the animals--so she speaks out against the wizard and defies him. Glinda remains "good" because she doesn't have the courage to defy the wizard. Elphaba is "good" just thought of as "wicked" because of propoganda from the wizard. In the end, Elphaba escapes...she isn't actually melted, but Glinda has been affected and becomes a less shallow and better person.
Defying Gravity

31 Comments

Thursday

10/23/2014

35 Comments

Mystery Skype with Brookfield, Connecticut.

Division 1 made another new connection through Mystery SKype. This time we went to the very east coast of the USA to Brookfield, Connecticut. The students are excited to figure out where these students live and are hoping to connect with schools in Canada and other countries such as Mexico and Columbia.
In Language Arts created their first google doc of the year to type up their Flying Bob review. The next step is to use the self assessment sheet to check their writing to see which criteria has been met and which needed work. After this has been students students will make the necessary revisions prior to their peers given them feedback. So much learning within one small writing assignment.

Homework
1) LA - Flying Bob - type on google doc
- self assess using assessment sheet (remember to show with highlighting what you have in your piece to confirm the Got It)
- revise and ready for peer feedback on Tuesday
2) LA - One For the Murphys - Blog - respond to the new post on the OFTM site - Website Link
3) Math - Grade 7s - complete worksheet 1.6/1.7 and chapter self test; unit test on Tuesday
- Grade 6s - unit test on Tuesday
4) Socials - complete the Canada map - Monday

Important Date: National Library Day - family members invited to join us for reading on Monday morning. Come at the bell!

Comments: From the current book you are reading, what is one lesson you have learned? The book I am currently reading, The Forgotten Garden, I have learned that it is important to let those things that happened in the past not affect the future. All the sorrow and sadness can be remembered but must not control how we live our lives. What lesson(s) have you learned?
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35 Comments

Wednesday

10/22/2014

25 Comments

Think We team at We Day 2014.

Some of the Grade 6/7 students attended We Day in Vancouver today. This event brings together students from around the province who are wanting to make a difference in the world. The day highlights performers, athletes, and regular people who have made it their mission to bring change to the world. It is always an amazing day to be inspired.

Homework
1) Math - grade 7s - unit test on Tuesday, Oct. 28
- complete page on common factors and
GCFs
- grade 6s - what was assigned
2) LA- complete the written review for Flying Bob - Thursday
3) Animoto - due Thursday
4) Band and PE tomorrow.
5) Skype first thing tomorrow morning.

Parents - Upcoming Event: Monday is National School Library Day. We would love to have parents, grandparents, or older siblings come join us for reading time in the morning. This might be reading side by side or reading the same book together. We start our days by reading so this is a great opportunity for you to come join us. We tend to sit on the floor, on bean bag chairs, and pillows to read so if you have anything that you might want to bring along to sit on you would be more than welcome. I am excited to see our class absolutely filled with family members to share in this love of reading we are developing in Division 1!

Comments: Today you had a chance to receive peer feedback on your animotos. How did the process of the feedback go? Was it beneficial (meaning that it helped you) and if so explain how it helped? Or, was the feedback not helpful? Why? What should your partner have done to give you better feedback?

25 Comments

Tuesday

10/21/2014

26 Comments

Image prompt for this week's 100 word challenge.

Today was the last day to work in class on your Animotos. We will be sharing these on Thursday. Peer feedback is an important step in the learning process. When we are given a chance to improve what we are doing through constructive feedback, we learn what we could do better. This process is also valuable for the peer giving the feedback as learning to use criteria to guide the process and developing the skills to help others move their learning forward helps our own learning.

Homework

1) Math - grade 7s - unit test on Tuesday, Oct. 28
- complete page on common factors and
GCFs
- grade 6s - what was assigned
2) LA- complete the written review for Flying Bob - Thursday
3) French - quiz on Wednesday
4) Animoto - due Thursday

***Be ready for Mystery Skype Thursday morning. If you are assigned a job please be at school for 8:30 so that you are set up and ready to go.

Comment: It has been about three weeks since we began our reading program in the class. You have had an opportunity to dig in to novels you wish to read and have learned more about the different types of genres. Now, I would like to hear from you in regards to our classroom library. What types of books do we need more of? What specific titles do you think some of the class would love to read that I do not have in our library at this time? What genre(s) do not seem to have enough choice? Do I need to adjust the variety of reading levels we have to choose from? Please be thoughtful with your responses so that I can start working to build upon what we already have. I want you to be eager to read the books and pass them on to a peer as you know they will love them too.

26 Comments

Monday

10/20/2014

26 Comments

There continues to be a lot of work focussed around world geography in division 1. Students are becoming more familiar with the 7 continents and where they are located. Finding places using latitude and longitude coordinates was the main focus this afternoon. Remembering to look carefully at the information when coordinates are given is the tricky part. Sometimes students are in the wrong hemisphere when trying to find a location.
Homework

1) Math - grade 7s - review divisibility rules, unit test next Tuesday
- grade 6s - corrections
2) Socials - complete latitude/longitude worksheet - Tuesday
3) French - quiz on Wednesday
4) Animoto - due Thursday

5) PE tomorrow
6) Mystery Skype Thursday morning

Volleyball Practises
Boys - Tuesday morning
Girls - Tuesday after school, Wednesday morning

Comment: Wow, One for the Murphys is a story that has all of us connecting in some way. Today the police officer basically blamed the attack by her step dad on Carley. How do you think Carley felt at this point? Why did Mrs. Murphy react to the police man like she did? Be sure to explain your thoughts (more than one sentence please) and use writers mumble.

26 Comments

Friday

10/17/2014

30 Comments

It was a wet start to the day but all the students gladly headed outside to run a couple of laps to honour Terry Fox. Our run was a bit later this year than the actual run but it is never to late to draw attention to the devasting effects of cancer.
Our little buddies taught as some card games today practising so very important math skills. What a great activity to do on a rainy Saturday or Sunday.

Important - Individual Photos to be taken on Monday.

Homework
1) LA - write a letter to Mrs. Middleton focusing on connections you are making with the feelings and experiences of the character(s) within the novel you are currently reading. Minimum of half a page, no maximum but be careful of rambling. Even though it does not need to be perfect in spelling and punctuation you do need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly. Read over and use Writers Mumble to correct simple mistakes. - due Monday
2) Math - grade 7s - review divisibility rules (coming to the end of the unit very soon)
- grade 6s - complete mid chapter review
3) French - quiz on Wednesday
4) Animoto - due Thursday

Comment: FInd and share a favourite quote. Explain why it is meaningful to you.

30 Comments

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