Wednesday Feb 29th

Happy birthday to all leap year babies. Mrs. Paxton is born on the 29th so now you know how she keeps her youthful appearance with a birthday every four years!

Today was our Pink day anti-bullying assembly and the student leadership class did a great job organizing, presenting and the choir's song "Pretty, Pretty Please" was pulled off well for such a challenging song.


Homework
nothing new tonight
Spelling Test List #11 test tomorrow
Have you completed your Dolphin paragraph? (most had it done in class)
Read your novel for next weeks literature circle discussions (The Giver is by far the winner as most have completed the reading Woodsong is next then Milkweed and truthfully I'm not too sure at all about the Applewhites) I'll check tomorrow
Reminders
we now have a date for grade eight course selection in April (more closer to the date)
grad hoodies are $25 for those who would like to order
Hot lunch orders are due March 6th (for delivery march 28th) this time we are trying sushi and Golden Crust products- the students seemed to be enthusiastic about the new menu.
Look for a School newsletter tomorrow evening

General Day
I did not do daily French today!

Spelling practice

We read and considered some newspaper articles (Vancouver Sun) about the effects of harassment and bullying in honour of the anti-bullying day. We read a couple of newspaper editorials one from 19 years ago and one from 12 years ago to show the prolification of the same issues and problems that have been at issue with peer pressure and bullying among students in schools. It is not new news but it is still a concern even if we have mauch more ability to be able to address it. The students didn't really seem to have much of an appetite for getting into deep discussion today but I do think that it gave them something to reflect on. I asked them to consider their part in the escalation of drama in our class and to be kinder and more considerate of each other (and me, of course).
I mentioned the digital version of harassment and bullying which is an area we parents and teachers need to get a handle on more effectively and I don't mean by trying to suppress the use of technology but more by teaching how to use it wisely, the difference between public and private and the appropriate methods of communication. Some students use the anonymity of texting and faceless communication to cause drama which affects school work, personal relations and mental health (self esteem and image).
They were quiet but thoughtful.

Then it was time for choir practice at 9:45am a few of my students were involved in the choir and music performance.
The students missed band this morning due to the school anti-bullying assembly which took us to recess break.

math 7
we flipped through the textbook presentation of chapter 11, Solving Equations, and looked at (reviewed) all our learning facts or points in the section called Key Ideas. We have now successfully completed chapters 9, 10 and 11 this term as well as the FSA assessment.
Earlier this term, in November, I distributed a list of learning outcomes for term 2 (November to first week of March). I have managed to get through 4 units of the six I planned. The two I have not yet covered (fractions and circle geometry) will be started after Spring Break.
The students agreed today to a final review test for algebra next Tuesday and have requested that they get the privilege of cashing in their busted points for a move next Wednesday to finish on Thursday. I was busted 85 times since September for various infractions (errors that the student caught!) in math classes so I need to agree to their decision to cash in their winnings" so to speak.
* the last half hour we spent in the computer lab. The students seem to like IXL

Silent reading

French
we looked at the reading resources that are available in class for our French classes to begin to include well known stories en francais. For example, Roch Carrier's, The Hockey Sweater and Robert Munch's Love you Forever. Research findings show that students learning a new language later in life (not infancy) have more connection or recall of language when they can recognize the 'story'. Because the story is already known in English, they can connect unknown French vocabulary to words that they would not otherwise have recognized. This method is condsidered to be much more effective than short term memorizing reams of lists and vocabulary words that have no context. One area we need to put a great deal of effort and work into after the break is pronunciation of the language (so I'll be a great help with my Scottish accent LOL)

Phys Ed
split gym - group game 6vs 6 and a 5 vs 5 basketball game

Back in class we decided to play a class game rather than work on the projects as we had quite a few students away today and about 20 minutes left by the time we got back from the gym. We played (some did) the old standby, Thumbs Up Seven Up, but can you believe that after about three or four rounds some students started to 'cheat'. Kind of spoils the fun a bit. A few students opted to read or complete activities that they had not finished.
I was a little distracted by a multiple pen ink explosion- how does that happen? I tried valiantly to help the student who looked at the mess like he was expecting it to clean itself- there was ink everywhere. He swears he doesn't know how three pens managed to explode!! We managed but not 100% successfully. These are the little things that drain me at the end of the day. I need to keep things in perspective- no one was hurt only a couple of pens bit the dust and the mess was able to be cleaned!

Then after school- a flock of seagulls were roosting and pecking (I thought through the roof) right above my desk. Kind of weird but maybe it is a sign???? Really I don't care if it is meant to be 'good luck'. I don't want any seagulls making a mess on me or my desk. I'm done cleaning!

Dismissal
one student on his way out the door whispered that I should try to have a relaxing evening (so sweet and yet another reason to love my job)
Have a good evening. Stay warm.
Mrs. J.