Well, that is the first week under our collective belts!!
It always takes a few days to get back into the regular 'swing' of things but we are all (mostly) back together and now we need to focus on the coming weeks and get down to business!!
Homework
Socials studies- ancient civilization project- goal is to be ready to write up the main sections next week and to have all info. expected for class next week. The project is due January 17th (Monday).
That's it unless you were away this week and have the assignments that you missed to catch up.
General Day
DPA had a very energtic and exciting game of dodge basketball. The students seemed to enjoy themselves and it was good to see everyone participating well together. Great way to start the day.
Unit 12 spelling test next
Science Rocks and Minerals lab- Chapter 7. Analysing and using the knowledge about the six characteristics of minerals (crystal structure, hardness, lustre, colour, streak, and cleavage or fracture results) to make an effort to identify as many rocks and minerals as we could from a mineral specimen sample set that has been collected by the geologists of BC. I am lucky enough to have some fine fossil specimens from BC's Macabee Fossil Bed. My brother does tours and practices his amateur geology hobby there on weekends and in the summer. It is located in Cache Creek just outside of the Kamloops area.
We completed a multiple choice quiz about the features of rocks and minerals and for the most part the students did a good job. We assessed them for each other this morning.
Math- we reviewed the correct solutions for the addition of integers worksheet that was set for homework yesterday. I am a little disappointed that more students are not really taking seriously the need for the homework practice- it is not like they are loaded down with homework. I need to move on and cannot wait for those who choose not to get the much needed practice- the place that refusal to do homework will become much more of a liability will be next year in high school where the courses are 20 weeks. I'd Like to think that this is the year to learn how to handle the homework/practice dilemma. We can't MAKE them do it; they have to understand why they need to practice skills and for some maybe that just won't happen this year!!! Sad but true.
Monday we will be moving onto subtraction of integers while still practicing the addition skills.
DEAR time was not too bad but I look forward to next week when we resume recording of actual reading- some students read all week but it really is when I give students too many choices that I find I have to deal with the consequences of those who can 'work the system' so to speak while blaming me because I gave them a choice in the first place!! lol
Mea culpa
Socials research/ writing time in class first- I attempted to do a progress check but I have five students away, some not in class and others who did not bring their work to class as requested so I will resume my indidvidual progress check next week. Word to the wise...Bring your work to class!!! I ensured that students had access or information about the sections of the project that they needed. There can be no excuses that they did not have necessary information!! I have been very dilligent (if I say so myself) ensuring that there was enough resources for the expected sections of research.
Computer session for socials project finished the day and many students used the 35 minutes very wisely word preocessing the notes and information they have. 10 minutes free time was offered at the end of the session. Most played a game or continued with their project work. Mr Elliot gave me a quick lesson on how to build up a list of applications that, if I needed to, I could block for students who keep flipping back to you-tube or the internet. The Insight program has lots of powerful applications that really help with the security and productiveness of computer time. I like it but need to learn how to use it more confidently as I am still making some mistakes and then I get into a panic and can't remember how to reverse it (i.e. today I displayed one student's screen to the whole class when I actually only meant to notify the student that I wanted a switch to another activity!! Oops- sorry!)
It takes time to learn these new skills- thank goodness I have my students to guide me technologically!!
Pack up 3pm dismissal
Boy's basketball practice after school- girl's next Tuesday at lunch
Have a good weekend- see everyone Monday.
Mrs. J.
No comments:
Post a Comment