Remember, remember the 5th of November- back home we celebrated Guy Fawkes night with bonfires and fireworks on Nov 5th. I never questioned it as a kid but it sure seems like a funny celebration- way back in 1600's Mr Fawkes failed in his attempt as part of the group who organized the 'gunpowder plot' to blow up the British Parliament and everyone in it- apparently the fuses didn't work properly - so some how here we are in 2010 still letting off the fireworks!! We would make 'Guy's' with old clothes stuffed with newapaper and then burn them in the town bonfire!! How tribal!!!
It is also Diwali for our East Indian community- another festival of light (and fireworks) Happy Diwali everyone :) A festival of Light sounds much more civilized, doesn't it?
Homework
Math test Monday reviewing BEDMAS, Exponents and multiples, factors and prime factors
Everything else is OVERDUE
there will be a binder organization check Mon- Wed. I have given the students a heads up and sent some home with a mess of paper to sort out (maybe they'll find the MIA assignments!! Maybe not!)
WORD TO THE WISE: USE THE WEEKEND
Okay - I'll admit it (Shhhh) I had a 'wobbly' at the students who didn't do their homework last night. Then there are about one third of the class who have overdue assignments. I do not know how to motivate them- sometimes I think it is not my responsibility but theirs but I can't help care about their lack of follow through. There are three school days to the end of Term 1 - I will be writing their reports next week. They will receive them Nov 22nd.
I have been amazed by my worldwide 'audience' hits which range from across Canada, USA, India, Guadaloupe and Russia among a long list of others. Thank-you for taking an interest in the daily grind of a grade seven classrom teacher in British Columbia. It was a timely reminder of the public nature of this forum becuse there have been some nights I wonder if I am writing for myself (I am but I wonder if it's being read (it is :)). The Blog has been a great tool for self-reflection and has made me more conscious of the nuances of teaching and professionally expanding my thinking. Perhaps someone out there might have ideas about homework motivators that are effective? Please don't be shy- let me know.
General day
despite the wet and dark weather, we had a team relay competition in the gym. Amazing the difference that good, positive team work makes to results (hey, now maybe there is an idea in that for homework!!!) In teams of six, the students had to propel their body on a small wheeled trolley using arms or leg power only. Once everyone in their team had zipped around the cone each member then had to use foam disks to cross the gym's 'river' stepping stone style- if they fell in - back to the beginning. I think it was fun but these students always want to play the same games. I am expanding their horizons!!
Then we reviewed the math that I asked students to do for homework- the funniest thing I heard was "I didn't do my math because my dad doesn't know how to do it" (pricelss) that's like the student who told me once we had finished a class novel that it was the best book he never read!!lol
Anyway- I digress- after a teacher hissy fit (who me?) we completed the review and I provided an outline for the Math test Monday on BEDMAS, exponents and multiples, primes and factors.
Science: Ecosystems, food webs and sustaiability
We did a 'jigsaw' activity today because I knew the students would not be able to handle the traditional reading from the text (some came back from recess making monkey noises and , yes, they are 12 years old)
Anyway- I split up the chapter into 7 BIG IDEAS and the students, in small groups, were responsible for reading for information, creating a team poster and teaching it to their peers. Great job for the most part. Can you believe we covered: water cycle, carbon cycle, photosynthesis and food chains, scavengers and decomposers, symbiosis, pollution and bioaccumulation. The posters were good and the presentations to class were okay but I think if I had afforded them more time the presentations would have been fabulous. The neat thing about this activity is it does make my shy students have to be up at the front of the class taking a part in a presentation. One student commented that it was the first time he had 'noticed' one of his quieter classmates!!! Yeah.
After lunch DEAR time was rather noisy even though they did have books- I made the error of giving out some Scholastic flyers thinking they might read them quietly but NO they had to share- methinks I need to get my Silent reading time back to being silent reading!! It's Friday...
Oh dear another hissy fit coming on- I always do an organization session on Friday (no homeless papers- everything in a home) BUT I was unable to deal with the onslaught of questions, concerns, missing papers, lost books and general mayhem that visited our class when I gave 10 minutes to file papers and clean desks. In my effort to try to assist one young man I apparently made things much worse than they were because he knew what was in his 'pile' of papers spread all over the classroom floor and I, the haplees teacher, had picked them up from the floor and gathered them together thus causing organizational disaster and a visibly upset student. I can't win for losing! Sorry, Randy! Will you ever forgive me?
So the 10 minutes organization session became a half hour and soon it was time for our Friday computer session (thank-you, Lord- we all needed to get out of the classroom if you know what I mean!!) Computers were a nice change of scene and gave me a chance to collect the rest of the student work that had yet to be printed.
Students who had their assignments in managed to squeeze in some free time - there are some neat games on-line. We packed up, logged off and dismissed at the 3pm bell.
Another week- another $10
Have a great weekend- enjoy the extra hour's sleep BUT don't forget to change those clocks Fall Back this Saturday.
Mrs. J.
No comments:
Post a Comment