Word to the wise- dress warmly for the next few days as it is expected to get colder (well- cold for B.C. that is) but many students are dressed for the spring and are complaining that they are 'freezing'. Well, what was your first clue, Sherlock? The shorts or the flip flops? lol
Well, we are now one student away from being a full class again.
Welcome back to all my wanderers and hope everyone who was having a tough time adjusting last week gets back into the swing of things very soon because it's going to be a 'hang onto your hats' time coming up in the next few weeks with the project due and the FSA starting!!
My students laugh at all my weird 'figures of speech'. I guess I learned many of them growing up in Scotland. To me they are 'old hat' but I guess many of them are new to my students!!
Homework
We have started Unit 13 Spelling BUT
the major push this week will be to provide adequate class and home time for the completion of the socials project which is due next Monday (week #7)
I have drawn up a possible schedule as follows for students to gauge their progress and use the time this week as wisely as they can in class and at home...
Suggested Schedule
Monday 10th Class- finish research notes Home: Write up the Geography section (or another section as it doesn't need to be completed in order) into a couple of paragraphs (2)
Tuesday 11th Class- write up the society and culture paragraphs (3) Home: Write up the achievements section into paragrpahs (3)
Wednesday 12th Class-Start writing up your special interest topic in class- computer time is available today and at Home: complete the special interest topic tonight (4)
N.B. the special interest topic is meant to be in-depth and is minimum 4 paragraphs providing detailed infoprmation on a topic of your interest from your chosen civilization.
Thursday 13th Class- now that the main research notes are all complete :), in class you can work on your bibliography - there will be a brief class review of bibliographic structure and a sample will help you to create an effective bibliogrphy At Home you might want to work on your table of contents and your concluding paragraph saying what you learned about your ancient civilzation from this project.
Friday 14th- in class you can now complete your work on a paragraph of introduction and make sure your map is done and coloured. Some illustrations and captions for the sections of your project (you don't need to have illustrations on every page) and last but not least perhaps you can start on a neat and appropriate title page. At home and over the weekend, that leaves you to put it together and finish any last illustrations or art work to polish it up and get it ready for presentation Monday January 17th.
General Day
Returned Unit 12 and prepped with analysis and spelling crossword activity Unit 13 - test Thursday Jan 13th
Unit 12 was generally better than the last test results from before Christmas break but we had 5 students away who need to write Unit 12 so anyone who wishes can redo Unit 12 with them during the week
One thing that is not changing is the success or lack of progress of the students who do not bother to study or prepare- there can be no forward movement with no effort. I will continue to encourage and show positive consequences but without consistency and effort, is there learning? Is it positive learning or is it a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Deep questions indeed.
I also returned the paragraph we wrote last week in answer to a question from a test reading selection- today we went over the 5 tricks of writing test answers and the students redid their work to bring improvement to their writing.
The 5 'tricks'
1. Read the selection !!
2. Refer to the story details in answering the question
3. Make sure you know what the question asks and be on topic
4. Do not be afraid to go back to the story for help or details (it is not a memory test) and
5. Remember to use your best mechanics and writing structure.
I look forward to reading them again.
Our average score was a 2 level or a minimally meets expectations so I hope we have managed to improve that generally.
After snack we did a 5 multiple choice section of a numeracy practice test for Math - students fared quite well at an approx. avaerage of 3 out of 5. We assessed them in class.
Then, we looked at the law of opposites for subtraction of integers and worked on practice examples for subtracting negative numbers. I did not set this for homework on purpose- I need to see the progress of understanding the use of addition to subract integers. Some are having a bit of difficulty with switching the act of subtracting to addition but practice will help. I'll be doing lots of examples this week and providing different methods for students to master the act of integer subtraction. Again, mastery is only as good as the practice and the serious effort put into the skill.
DEAR time was generally well used. Recording has started for the 2011 year- a random draw for a Feb Scholastic book will be held for students who complete their reading records in January.
Socials - Research Project
time and space, resources and coaching was provided (and will be provided at a minimum of 40 minutes a day for the rest of the week- not including computer time) for students to complete and make confident progress on their ancient civilizations project. I had to find some out of class spaces for some student who needed to be away from the group. Hopefully, it helped settle things down so they could get some work done- it might be their way of panicking but I will challenge them to be more productive rather than keeping the majority of students from having a quiet and productive class in which to work Thank you to my colleagues who took a few extra bodies in for 20 minutes- it really helped us all!!
Congratulations to a handful of students who have worked hard on this assignment and are now 'sitting pretty' (another old saying) so they can coast to a great finish this week. Well done.
Finally (and we needed it too) Phys. Ed.
I only had 20 minutes left by the time we got to the gymnasium- gathering the students, packing up and giving the homework instuctions took time (the interruptions didn't help) but we managed to get there and played Dodge Basketball keeping the teams the same from Friday's class. Good energetic way to end the day- I didn't even hear the bell!!
3pm dimissal
I had to get out of the gym for the boy's basketball practice. Mondays and Fridays. Thanks to Jagdeep T. former student now at HSSS who is running the practices and caoching the boys. Everyone really appreciates your time and expertise.
Keep warm- wooly socks and slippers (lose the flip flops) get your jammies on and power away at your socials project
See you tomorrow- wear a warm jacket :)
Mrs. J.
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