Thursday, Jnauary 13th

Slush bucket underfoot today!! Yuk!
Welcome to Alora, our new student from Vernon.

Homework
Just the socials project- I asked students to all hear the same message and concentrate only on the 'home stretch' of the ancient civilization project due on Monday January 17th.
There is one more day in class left and one more computer session- I have been VERY generous with time and assistance and now it really is up to the students' to pull it off- some are in great shape others not so much- c'est la guerre!!

General Day
Our novel-
Chapter three, Word Nerd- in this chapter the author uses the sympathy factor (in which we feel sorry but can't help giggling about the embarrassing things that happened to the protagonist when he was younger), the shock value factor that the reader didn't see coming until it whacked him or her on the head (i.e. the protagonist's father died very suddenly at work when an annurism in his brain ruptured) and finally uses both these methods of providing the reader with family history so we can understand behaviour and the current family situation.

Unit 13 Spelling test- preliminary results look good :)

BAND class

Math- continuation of the concept of subtracting integers- we are slowly getting there - good stuff- more use of the integer chips and more examples to practice and check. With 5 students away yesterday there was a bit of review and redo today but that's all good.

DEAR very quiet and serious reading session today :) YEAH!!
I'm not a nag I am a motivational speaker!!

Socials- time for the project- shared ideas for the title pages and the sources for finding illustrations. Mrs. K. allowed us to spread out into her room and use her bank of computers from 2-2:45pm.We used the computers that were available.

It is difficult trying to monitor 28 different projects and there are definitely a few students whom I worry about but that's all part of the learning curve. There are some who have great difficulty focussing for five minutes and progress is not being made as I would like but I have to encourage and have them believe that they can pull off even a modified version that they can hand in on Monday.
I hope that we can let them do what they are going to do (or not going to do!!) and let the project be what it is (or will be). If I provided another two weeks, there would still be the same issues and the same students would still be in the same situation as they are now- it is just human nature and 12 year old thinking. 'They' say that the work will expand to fit the time provided!!!!

Art was also connected with the project- illustrations, maps, title pages, ideas and colours which are typical of the ancient era. Some students chose to continue work on paragraphs and notes and that was okay with me as art work can be completed on the weekend as part of the 'prettying' up for presentation.

Just before the bell we cleared out our classroom cloakroom of items and clothing that has been around since the end of October.  Items not claimed went to our lost and found bin downstairs.

3pm Dismissal...after ensuring students understood that their homework is to work on (and hopefully complete) another section for the project - I can't do much more. Please ask your son or daughter about their progress and what they have to do or complete at home, in class on Friday and this weekend.
See everyone tomorrow.
Mrs. J.