Productive day today- I am very proud of how well the students worked together in teams to carve their pumpkins this afternoon- the railway park donates the pumpkins and we carve them for the annual community display. We had 25 students working in partners and they managed to clean, design, carve and clean up 12 pumpkins in an hour. The 25th student was Sarah who was my 'right-hand-woman' she and I circulated and provided materials, plastic baggies for 'guts' and seeds, napkins, implements and general mess control. Great job everyone and the creations look fabulous. Tomorrow we will be taking pictures with your pumpkins (if you would like) before they go to the park display.
Homework and Reminders
Math 7 complete whole number division p.2 of the booklet # 5-8
Math 6 complete any INC work on Area and perimeter
Spelling List #5 distributed today for Spell Test Thursday
MIA assignments - you know who you are. I will check again Tuesday!! I know where you work :)
Halloween Dance at the school this Friday night for grade 4-7 for $5 admission (and some cash for concession)
Volleyball games this week Tuesday and Thursday
General Day
Started with settling into a new seating plan asked for and designed by the students- it is a double horseshoe of desks. It is different and I am not 100% sure about its longevity but so far so good for the first day. Everyone is integrated into a community that is grade 6/7 and not separated as before :) I like that better.
No one complained or had a hissy fit about their places and it worked well for the activity this afternoon :).
Daily French
Spelling return last week's activity and test results from Test #4 (redo #3). I think once I have it done, I will provide parents with a class average mark on the spelling tests and then you can ask your son or daughter how they did that week (or on that particular test)
Distributed new list #5 using words from Ch 11-15 - the list is 15 words this week
today's activity was a crossword puzzle and I received 20 of 26 today (I'll remember to get the rest tomorrow)
Band
Math 7
Dividing whole numbers - in an earlier assessment for instruction I found that many students were very confused (or not confident) with division. I need to teach division of decimal numbers but can't do that until I have reviewed the steps of whole number division first.
Then I can introduce the concept of making a decimal divisor a whole number and making the same adjustment to the dividend before the division process begins.
I provided verbal and visual instruction today- each student received a booklet with the step by step process for division outlined for them to follow. I found that students who said they 'didn't understand' were the learners who waited for me to assist and didn't use the step by step guide!! Interesting- some learners can become a bit 'helpless' and their brains actually shut down because they believe there is nothing they can do to help themselves!!
We did 5 or six different examples together on the board from the class practice and I have asked them to make an effort to complete # 5-8 at home. If they can't do 4 I have requested at least 2 to show me that they are making some effort to try the step by step process of divison for themselves!
If the skills aren't practised there can not be any understanding or improvement.
End of math class
quick introduction (15 minutes) today to the MindUp program and the importance of understanding what is going oon in your brain- how it works and why certain things function the way they do (or don't). The first lesson really needs a half hour so I'll continue with another 15 minutes tomorrow's class.
Silent reading
thanks from Mrs. K to the students who took down the volleyball nets for her after lunch
2-2:50
Pumpkin carving- choose partners, choose a pumpkin (I did the honours and 'topped' all of them- the pumpkins that is!!!- before the students started as I was just a little concerned about sharp knives and sawing through the pumpkin tops for the first time)
the students did a fabulous job and created some amazing looking pumpkin faces and everyone had a noisy but (I think) fun-filled hour being carvers.
I apologize in advance for the plastic bags coming home (with some students) full of guts and seeds. We only had a couple of them explode but the students were able, ready and willing to help clean up and for that I thank them all.
The custodian was impressed after sachool because the classroom smelled like a pumpkin factory (?) and there are 12 carved pumpkins decorating the room but the clean up left is minimal although I did find a few interesting spots where I have no idea how pumpkin 'stuff' landed there!! On my marks sheet , honestly people- was that just acoincidence? Sheesh!
Great job- well done.
You rocked the pumpkins. I think they'll look amazing all lit up at the railway park.
2:50-3 Dismissal- clean up, prep for homework (planners) and chairs into new designated spots.
Have a super evening and we will get some pumpkin pictures tomorrow - I'll bring the tea light candles from home and maybe we should read a scary story or something thematic. :)
Mrs. J.
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