Friday May 6th

It has been a different kind of day...not a bad one just different. TGIF and all that...

Homework
As per the rest of the week...
Novel activities and/or reading to complete the novel
Socials travelogues Day 1-4 of our virtual trip to Greece
Science reports- a few left MIA
Math- area and perimeter we didn't get to today so that gives a bit longer for reviewing and completing the last page of the booklet :)
Reminders
UBC forms are still being accepted (I have half of the class returned) please return them Monday May 9th
Camp commitment forms due asap but by next Friday May 13th
Don Ross Secondary Open House is on Wednesday May 11th 6-8pm for all parents and students headed there in the Fall.
Track and Field practices are underway T/Th running and sprinting and W/F shot put and long jump - come prepared and come to practice especially if you wish to 'qualify' for the District Meet in Whistler on May 26th.

General Day
Started with the HK (housekeeping) collections and forms and reminders that are necessary for getting the paperwork back in a timely manner. Always seems to be lots of things to remember (or forget!)

DPA today we practiced for the Shot Put and I actually used a medicine ball exercise in the manual that I referred to earlier this week- it was a good session. Today we analysed the difference between a throw and a put and discussed proper format but did not use the shot put yet. I had them practice the 'lead up' in a hula hoop which they were not allowed to out step and it seemed to address the big wingy lead ups that some younger student are prone to try. The hoop only allows one or two well placed steps before the put and ensures balance for the put.

Science: Measurement of length, area, volume, mass and density!! This is where math meets science meets math!! Some of my students get so upset that they are doing 'math' for science!! D= m/v and now they see the connect with metric (SI) units which are universal in the science community. The metric SI (le systeme international d'units) was adopted at a conference in Paris in 1960. Scientists agreed to seven base units and others are a combination of base units (derived). We will be using three base units: mass =  kilogram, distance = metre and time = seconds [time is not metric but a 'second' is an SI unit].

Today we did the textual reading and four practice problems finding the density of certain volumes of vegetable oil, hydrogen peroxide and chloroform. Then we re-did an activity (because I couldn't remember how many had already completed it - some had been given this activity last session when they finished their work 'faster' than the average bear!!) We actually took the rest of the morning to complete the science as it was kind of a math lesson rolled in and rather than take it home for my Mother's Day I decided we could finish it and assess the answers together- a check of booklets around the desks at recess break and again just prior to lunch seemed to bear witness that everyone managed to complete it. YEAH!
Happy Mother's Day to me (and you)

It was hot lunch day today- thanks to the 'helpers' and the PAC ladies for the orders- the pizza and smoothies went over well as usual.

Now the different...
At lunch I ran the Shot Put practice for the grade threes and a few gr 4 who were not attending the special feature in the gym which is (was) our fundraiser for Japan. 

The grade threes are so darned cute BUT so wiggly and full of beans... the warm up was funny to watch as they wobbled all over doing the stretches! They haven't yet mastered the art of throwing in a straight line yet so I was happy that I decided to teach the skills with softballs today. My grade seven assistants (thanks Angus, Antonio and Tracy :)) and I were nearly 'beaned' by the cross throws! 17 grade threes all managed to get three throws each. I measured today generally and the longest throw was approx. 9m not bad for the first practice. Now- no voice- I need a megaphone! There were no concussions!

In the grade seven class, all but four of those in attendance today (3 were away today) attended the movie fundraiser in the gym, Howl's Moving Castle.
The deal was that they paid $2 to attend and I have to be honest that approx. 7 students did not bring money but were interested in seeing it SO I paid for them to go (there's method in my madness) when they pay up on Monday I will consider my part a donation to the cause and it will bring the total class money raised to $57.
I made the remaining students some hot chocolate for a promised donation. So, if they follow through too it should be a bit more $$ :)

AND my four non-movie watchers and I had a pleasant, quiet afternoon (one of the boys said "Hey Mrs J. is this must be one of the only quiet Friday afternoons in your life!")
 lol
Out of the mouths of babes indeed! I agreed with him and thanked him for his awareness of my usual plight on Friday afternoons during the last two months of the school year with a group of hormonal pre-teens who are headed for the junior high! It's okay...I'm okay...I'll survive somehow we always do.
reading
Art
Computers
that was worth my $14, n'est ce pas?
I was able to eat lunch, bring the Track and Field attendance roster up to date and start the Blog early. What's not to like?

3pm Dismissal
Have a Happy Mother's Day weekend. There are a couple of craft gifts left in class so I hope they will make it home next week!! Haven't heard if anyone is entered into the Youth Triathlon this weekend- I'll ask on Monday.
 Mrs. J