Thursday May 23rd

Funny kind of day weather wise and student energy is similar!

Homework
about half of the class has not yet completed the novel!! Please read- it is difficult to discuss a book when you do not know how the story progresses and concludes.

Reminders
DRS open house tonight 6:30pm for families and future grade eights
UBC forms (only 25% of forms returned to date)
Camp forms and payment due
Band performance with DRS tomorrow 11-12

our day...

Language Arts
Ancient Greek and/or Roman newspaper group project introduction
today we chose out working groups 6x4 members and decided which civilization out newspaper would feature
We discussed the roles of team memebers and what kinds of research would be needed for various features in the template of a newspaper.
This year end project combines research with language arts skills, creativity, teamwork and social studies. It is very comprehensive and the students seemed to be very interested in the idea. Follow up in computer session tomorrow.

French: une entrevue (interview) questions in French about individuals (birthday, hair/eye colour, favourite subjects at school etc.) that we started to answer in French. Once the interview questions are completed, the students will interview each other in French asking the questions and answering them in French with their prepared answers.

another track and field meeting!

Math 7 most of class was spent on the Unit review (redo test)  for the area and perimeter work we have been working on for the past 2-3 weeks. I was disappointed with the results on last week's first review and requested that everyone redo the test which I 'tweaked' and reorganized to make sure they are aware that the formulae are part of the assessement.
I am more confident that the majority did much better and expect stronger results this time around.
I did notice, however, that there are still a few students who make the excuse that they are 'not good at math' to be helpless when they are not being spoon fed with the steps. In a couple of cases it is not about not knowing what or how to do the work but the fact that they can't be bothered to follow the steps they need to present a full answer so the work they present is incomplete despite my best efforts to ensure otherwise. If looks could kill...have you noticed how good pre-teens are at eye rolling - it should be an Olympic sport, they'd medal!!lol

 Math is not a subject area that you can be creative with when formally assessing the understanding and skill confidence. I find the learned helpless phenomenon vey frustrating- I can lead a horse to water....

shot put at lunch - again! Happy that the meet is next week!

silent reading time (offered a number of activites for quiet completion or reading and tried my best to encourage them to read and complete their novels)

a group of students went to help Mrs. Paxton with the Kindergarten stations- they had a great time and were happy to hear from Mrs. Paxton that they were great helpers :)

finally managed to schedule some art and game time for the end of the day- students were busy working and playing at a number of options including: reading, chess, pick up sticks, Monopoly, checkers (I lost), one student had created a card game for his end of novel project and explained how to play before playing a few round with friends (so cool- and creative but for me complicated by the 'power' up cards that allowed my opponent to
'take' my characters!! Sheesh), art and some even wanted to get onto the classroom computer to start research for their newspaper project.
Only had to manage a couple of students who were really at a loose end and were unable to concentrate on much besides bothering their busy classmates!! Interesting afternoon.

Have a nice evening- looks nice out there.
Mrs. J.