Monday, June 13th

The students are restless and the energy is growing and 'growling' and it is only Monday!! Yikes. The weather has kind of changed so it might be an 'atmospheric' thing as well as the year-end- oh yeah, and there is an important hockey game tonight!! GCG (Go, Canucks, Go- they are one win away from a Stanley Cup)
We are holding our collective breath in Vancouver.

As for me, I spent the weekend at the computer preparing the Term 3 report card template complete with all the curricular learning outcomes. I started the comments for the year end and despite how crazy we are driving one another, I couldn't help but get a little wistful as I thought about the students heading off to high school.
Teaching is a bit like childbirth in the months that we develop our relationship and try to bond with the variety of students' learning skills and personalities- the trials and tribulations of teaching seem mountainous and then, before you know it,  the end of the year sneaks up and you forget all the times you were awake at night and all the management disasters and I start to reminisce about how far we have come together! Awesome!

Homework
As for the addition of fractions last week, I did the same for SUBTRACTING today and we worked on examples in class- I provided them with the correct 'solutions' and the students are asked to practice what they didn't get to today.
A handful (8) completed the activity in class. Wednesday is the last review test for adding and subtracting mixed number fractions with unlike denominators.
REMINDER and HEADS UP
tomorrow the intermediate students have a final band concert at 1pm for the school in an assembly and at 7pm in the evening for parents and family.

A permission form for the Water Park and an end of year parent letter went home with the students today- forms need to be returned by June 20th to confirm the water park numbers. I am looking for some brave volunteers to accompany us on Friday June 24th.

General Day
Lots of 'housekeeping' items for the last couple of weeks!

Language development Unit 6 Latin and Greek roots: cap, brev, san, ord and phil
Today our phrase was sub rosa meaning' in secret'- one of the boys said it sounded like a sandwich and that started a bizarre morning conversation that you can only appreciate if you are 12 or 13 about sandwiches and burritos (don't ask and I won't tell)

Grammar today- subject and object pronouns- even when they are correct, sometimes it doesn't sound quite right. There was one example that the students kept coming back to even after I had tried to explain it
(We or Us) are going on summer vacation soon. Answer: We are... not Us are...

Short Story- Today I read them Shirley Jackson's cheeky short story called Charles about a naughty kindergarten boy (Laurie) who has an alter ego (Charles) that leaves his mother in an awkward situation with his teacher at a PTA meeting. The students enjoyed the naughty antics of the students in school and caught on right away to the irony of the conclusion. It is a great story whether you are a parent, a teacher or a student :)

Math- subtracting fractions with like, mixed numbers and mixed numbers with unlike denominators. Students did rather well if I say so myself- I have the 'fraction confident' assist with the 'fraction fearful' once they have completed and I have assessed their work, it becomes a peer teaching opportunity as there is only one of me, adding 5 or 6 peer helpers is a dream come true. Your peers and I thank you for the help - to be  'fraction fabulous' is our goal. Sorry I'll stop that now!

DEAR time took a while to get settled but we eventually managed - the students (mostly the boys) are enjoying the Conspiracy 365 books. Thanks to Mrs. P (parent) who shared a story about how her son has asked for the set so he can read in the summer and considering he was one of my more reluctant readers to start the year, we are both very proud mamas. Yeah for DEAR time...and good book choices...and students who love to read. Awesome!

While the students read today I handed out the treat that I forgot to give them on Friday- the promised freezies and I was very encouraged that everyone remembered their manners and said thank-you. You're welcome! It was also a nice way to get them to stop talking!

After the Splashdown park letter and permission form we did ...

20 minutes of Social Studies that was my incentive 20 minutes!! Roman Civilization - in 20 minutes (well not exactly)
p. 175 read and explained the concept of the Roman Era lasting into the CE starting with the Etruscan monarchy, leading into the Republic government and finally the Empire. The text had some great pictures and thoughts to get the students thinking about parallels to modern history and when we began to delve into the idea of Dictatorshoip and assassination students began to become a bit more interested. They love the gore and the wars! They knew the names of Julius Ceasar and Antony and Cleopatra (had to laugh when one said that Cleopatra had just died recently! Turns ot to be Elizabeth Taylor) Some of these guys and gals still get their movies and reality confused.
Anyway it was a fine 20 minutes and we made some headway into the Roman civilization's history by scratching the surface. I don't recommend 20 minutes but it was all they had left this afternoon. Their brains are getting to being 'full' !!

Sports day station 'teams' were confirmed today- I am nervous about it because this year the grade 7 students are in charge of the activity stations and they (the students) are a little difficult to motivate right now although I know that they can rise to a challenge but still Sports Day is Friday and try as I did today, it was difficult to get them all pointed in the same direction! I'll try again to confirm the actual stations tomorrow morning as there is a band concert in the afternoon and they will be pre-occupied!

Phys Ed. half the class wanted to play floor hockey- the boys did a great job getting it organized
The other half, believe it or not, played VERY cooperatively and happily with the big parachute- I have asked them to consider a station using the parachute but today they went on a trip down memory lane and played such classics as 'cat and mouse', and 'mushroom'- getting as much air as possible into it and sitting inside to keep the parachute as high as possible. I overheard one student say "I feel like a pre-schooler again" so funny like they are so 'old' now.
I really enjoyed just standing back and watching what students can create on their own- a couple of times they looked for direction but I 'butted out' for once and I must say it made it a very pleasant gym time. Although- we went over time and they all ran for the bus and I was left to clean up their remnants! Thanks!
Oh well.

Crazy Monday- was a pretty good day :) Still need to get myself the the photocopier...
3pm + dismissal I need a bell or some kind of day's end signal at the end of the school day!!
Stay out of the torrential rain, enjoy the hockey game and I'll see everyone tomorrow :)
Mrs. J.