Monday, November 21st

I'll get this started at school and most likely finish it at home tonight...

The build up of overnight snow was a bit of a surprise this morning. However, all our staff agree that the recess and lunch breaks were fascinating as we enjoyed watching (from the warmth of the staffroom!) the students having so much fun together: rolling, building and creating snow sculptures. Their cooperation was amazing and the engagement total- the question of the day posed by Mrs. Paxton was, "How can we create this kind of engagement in our daily learning?"
Good question indeed!
Moving the snow into class would be too literal an interpretation but it makes my heart happy to know that a big dump of snow can bring together a school of students. I wonder if that might be the answer to the problems in the Middle East?
Homework
Spelling List #8 for Thursday test
Math 7 complete the first page of the conversion booklet (fractions to decimals to percent)
Math 6 complete the place value work from class
make sure the novel, Who is Frances Rain?,  is complete for the end of reading projects that are due this week

Reminders
Wed and Thursday are early dismissal days 2pm
there will be a variety of assessment forms home this week- today look for a message from the Superintendent and an attendance review for Term 1

General Day
Daily French today's new words were 'dehors' (outside) and 'soir' (evening)

Spelling List # 8 (last list for the novel and last list for Term 1) 15 words from Ch 27-33
Activity was a list word search with a hidden message- most students managed to complete it in class today

Mapping- we completed the chart of area in km squared of the biggest oceans and finished the look at which continents each ocean bordered.

Band

Math 7
we did the first part of a two-part assessment. The students completed the Numeracy Rubric for Grade 7 and placed themselves where they feel that they deserved to be at the end of first term (self assessment). Tonight, I will compare and attach my assessment of where I think they have performed this term. Look for those assessments to come home for your perusal on Tuesday (tomorrow)
Next we completed the worksheet on comparing and ordering fractions and moved onto a booklet- the first page of which provides students with what I call a VIP- visual instruction plan that they can refer to if they are struggling with the conversion steps.
We managed to get a good start on the second page of the booklet - some completed it in class others are going to make an effort to complete it tonight for practice and we will review it tomorrow


Silent reading
 took a bit longer than usual to settle due to how long it took students to get all the snow-wet gear off :) They were so pumped when they came in that I think if I had suggested they go out they would have been all for it!
I didn't and they finally managed to get into a much needed reading time.

Personal planning
Self assessment for Work Habits grade 6 and 7. Student rated their own opinion of their work habits and I will add a few comments and send home my rating for Term 1. It became very quiet in class which suggests to me that the students were being serious and honest with their comments- look for this assessment to come home tomorrow.

Computers- socials
The grade six students will be undertaking a project on a country of their choice that they would both like to visit one day and would be interested in doing a research project for. Today we just brainstormed- not Canada or North America but everywhere else is fair game.
The grade sevens will be completing a research project on one of the first and most ancient civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China or the Mesoamerican (Maya, Inca, Aztec). Today I gave them time to 'shop around' and look at a variety of web sites in order that they can make an informed decision when I ask them to chose. A quick check at the end of the day seems to suggest that their is a nice balance of interest.

I always worry that everyone wants to study the Egyptian civilization so it is nice to allow students to have a look-see about available web information and create an interest in some of the other 'beds' of first civilization. Of course, we will be using text and library skills (research and note-taking) as well as in class lessons on each of the civilizations.

10 minutes free time after making a research decision :)

Back in class, we shared our areas of interest and while I am not asking students to commit to their choices today, it was interesting to listen to the info they had managed to find of interest to them in a half hour session!

dismissal after clean up and homework review
I had to allow students into the cloakroom in smaller groups today due to all the winter gear that was spilling over and hiding some of their boots and gloves.

Have a great evening- stay warm and dry (or not) :)
Mrs. J.