Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Results, Breaking News, and Mexican Basket!

Congratulations to the following students who earned one or more Good News tickets for submitting last week's proportional reasoning question:  Isaac, Logan, Justin, Katarina, Andrea, Helena, Connor, Joey, and Kameron.  Please see the solution to the left.  Here is the latest question.  Please submit it by Tuesday April 7.

Sandra wanted to buy a PED that costs $210.  Her mother agreed to pay $5 for every $2 Sandra saved.  How much did each person pay to purchase the personal electronic device?  Justify your thinking.

Image result for mexicanDid you know that we are collecting donations of theme-related items that will be put into a basket and raffled off at the annual pasta dinner?  This year our class theme is MEXICAN FIESTA! (information was sent home on Friday - check for the blue page stapled to a white page)  We are working on  some brainstorming to help the ideas flow.  I will post the list when it is complete.  Thank you to the two students who already contributed items.  What can you donate?

Image result for tests returnedAs of yesterday, all items that need to be signed have finally been returned to the students because all students are finally complete!  Before the March Break the SWYK for unit 7 was returned to the students.  Please make sure they put it in their red duo tang when they return it with a signature.  Last week the following were sent home:  Religion test, gym/dance rubric, book talk rubric, math test.  Yesterday the literacy evaluation was sent home.  Please sign them and return them as soon as possible.  Thank you so much for your patience!  It is interesting for me to note here that part of the problem is that students are missing school when they are not ill.  Education today dictates that not all work can be sent home to be completed.  Anything that is a formal evaluation (for marks) must be done at school so that the teacher gets an authentic mark based on the students' independent work and if assistance is needed, then the teacher knows what help was needed and how much.  As your child(ren) continue to advance in their education, it becomes much more difficult from many perspectives for them to miss school electively.  Please consider scheduling vacations during natural breaks in the school calendar.   Thank you for your consideration.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Good News, Great News, and More Word Play!

Image result for good newsCongratulations to last week's Good News ticket winners:  Hannah, Brooke, Christian, Katarina, and Kameron.  Keep up the great work!

Here is the GREAT news:  As you can see here, we have now purchased three goats for families in Ecuador.  Everyone has done a great job of bringing in their coins (and in some cases bills too!), but special mention must go to Hannah's grandmother (Mrs. L. Pearson).  It has come to my attention that she has become a loyal blog follower, and upon hearing that we are collecting coins, she sent in $45 worth of coin, already rolled!  As you can see, we name each goat that we purchase, so Lynne the Kyd has joined Jeff the Kyd, and Jude.  Poor Jeff, however.  He is all alone on his side of our door.  Could we purchase a friend for him?  We have until Thursday!  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DONATIONS!

Image result for word playDo you remember back in the fall when we learned about palindromes, anagrams, oxymorons?  Well we have another category of fun words to add to the list.  Thank you very much Christian, for bringing this to our attention.  For his word last week, Christian presented the word:  semordnilap (palindromes spelled backwards).  The definition is a word that makes a new word when spelled backwards.  Here are some examples:  pots (stop), live (evil), gel (leg), stressed (desserts), etc.  How fun!

 In our Religion classes we have been studying all of the events that led up to the trial of Jesus as well as the Stations of the Cross.  We also related these events to the Jewish faith.  It would be fantastic if my students could make it to mass this week, so that they can see these events unfold (they have much schema to use!).  Here is the schedule for Corpus Christi Church:

Thursday 8 PM - Holy Thursday - celebration of the Last Supper (which includes feet washing)
Friday 11 AM  or 3 PM - Good Friday - Stations of the Cross/ Passion of Christ (this is the reason for no school that day!)
Saturday 8 PM (Easter Vigil - longer celebration when the catecumens become Catholic and Easter is celebrated) OR one
Sunday Easter celebration - 8 AM, or 10 AM, or 12 noon.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Image result for community service VIP reminder:  don't forget that your 10 hours of community service is due two months from yesterday (May 29).  Make sure the form is filled out (see the assignments page of our site) and you send in one photo (digital or hard copy are acceptable).


Friday, March 27, 2015

Lottery Tickets and Science

Image result for canadian moneyOn Wednesday, students brought home their package of lottery tickets which the Parent Council is requesting that be sold on behalf of the school.  There will be many incentives that will be announced at our kick-off assembly, so do you best to sell all of your tickets and possibly even request some more!

All tickets (sold or unsold) are due back at the school April 15.  The draw will be held on April 22.  Thank you very much for your support.  Every student winds up benefiting from the proceeds of this initiative.











The students have been getting quite a charge out of our latest unit of study in science.  They have been enlightened about a few things, and some of them have proven that they know watt they are talking about with relation to conductivity.  Since safety is always first, no one will have a shocking experience!


Here is the latest batch of vocabulary words.  Please note that this time around the students are not scheduled in alphabetical order.  Please check our classroom calendar for the correct date.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Recent Initiatives

Did you know that we have learned about public service announcements in literacy?  We have viewed many print versions, and we have listened to radio spots as well.  We have examined the prepared written versions and created a list of success criteria that the students are using to create their own.  Their topic is electricity conservation.

On Wednesday the students decided if they were going to work alone or with a partner.  After that, many went on a research walk around the school looking for evidence that electricity was being wasted.  Then they researched information from the internet and began scripting their P.S.A.  They are encouraged to add music and/or sound effects using ipads.  They will present their work to the class and will earn a media literacy mark and an oral mark.  We will also participate in a listening activity while the other groups are presenting.






Wednesday, March 25, 2015

VIP and Literature Circles


On Monday Staff Sergeant Mizuno visited us to continue the discussion about saying NO to drugs.  She brought with her Constable Renaud and Melanie who is a paramedic.  Because of her diverse experiences driving an ambulance and treating victims of drug abuse, she is a great resource.  She also showed our class a very powerful presentation and demonstrated the affects of drugs on our brain by using play-doh.  Ask your child about it!

Image result for literature circlesOn Monday we also began our first round of Literature Circles.  After the process was explained to the class, the students were able to choose their reading material from a collection of eight texts.  From there they planned their reading schedule, weekly response tasks, and some even began planning their group book talk.  They also were given time to begin reading their text.  Ask them which book they selected and what they have to complete by the first meeting on Friday.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Results and Football!

Here is the solution to the proportional reasoning question that was posed before the March Break.  Congratulations to the following students who earned one or more Good News tickets:  Helena, Eric, Andrea, Isaac, Karissa, Gina, Katarina, Connor, Robert, Julia, Joey, Kam, Victoria, Brooke, Mahleik, and one No Name Brand.

This next question will be due on March 30.

If one football player weighs 115 kg, what is the total mass of 11 starters?  Justify your answer.

Don't forget that is it picture day tomorrow!

Monday, March 23, 2015

Good News, More Good News, and Socks!

Image result for good newsCongratulations to the Good News ticket winners for the week before the March Break: Tori, Gina, Logan, and Helena .  Keep up the great work!

Image result for ecuador On Friday March 13 our total collected for the coin drive to date was $50.10.  Thank you very much!  There is still time...... could we collect enough to purchase a second goat?  Who is "Jeff the Kyd"?  Ask your child about that.

On March 13 we had Crazy Sock Day.  Thanks to all those who participated!

Image result for kleenex boxDonations requested please!  We have used all of the boxes of facial tissue that all of the families graciously donated in September.  If possible, please send in another one.  I am sure that we will need to use plenty between now and the end of June.  Thank you so much in advance!