Monday Jan 20th

My goal this week is to be more consistent with the posts on the blog- it was a challenging week for meetings, events and appointments after school and by the time I got home in the evening it was all I could do to prepare some dinner and clean up the kitchen!

So this week I plan to do the blogs from the school desk top so they are completed in a reasonable time and I will have less of a chance to forget it until it is too late- like Friday's post last week.

Beautiful day in the neighbourhood :)


Reminders
spelling test Friday this week as per class vote last week

spelling unit 6 and J words for the challenge group- I will provide an extra work sheet with the word on it but for now here are the J words:
jocularity, jicama, juxtoposition, jeoparidze, jejeune, jubilation, jambalaya(x2), jabberwocky and jihad

socials projects last week for school time in class and at computers for word processing notes and/or putting together the power point presentation
Just a reminder that there are sevferal ways to "show what you know" from your research- see the poster in class about the possibilities
[traditional book presentation in duo tang or binder, poster or triptych presentation on a poster board or three panel display, power point presentation for display on class digital overhead, Prezi for anyone who is familiar with the format
talk to me if you have any other creative ideas for presentation of your learning

FSA reading session for grade seven students will take place at 11-12


our day

phys Ed. Basketball unit scrimmages- great session. Have seen the girls improve over the last few weeks. They have good sense of spatial positioning and playing girls only are getting the ball more often than in a co-ed game.
Boys sessions are inclusive and whiole there qare a couple of 'ball hogs', the boys are becomng more asseritve with calling the indiscretions and insisiting on fair play. was impressed this morning.

langauge arts return last week's spelling tests & prep for this week's lists

Math 7
solving three step equations (expand, gather like terms, solve for the variable and check)
Test prep info for tomorrow's FSA session - how to work wisely with multiple chice questions

read to self (drop in to resource room for extra help and work time)
choice of independent reading, SRA activity, drop in or socila studies research reading and notetaking

science

Big idea: what would happen if the natural cycles of water, oxygen and nitrogen were interrupted and not balanced

water, carbon and nitrogen cycles

a look at water on our planet and the consequences of its 'movement'.
using this activity to introduce the movie Day after Tomorrow which we will chunk throughout the week to look at the (allbeit Hollywoodified) possible consequences of a mega storm.
Of course, while the science is more or less accurate, the chances that the kind of weather abnormality like the one depicted in the movie would ever come to pass is slim to none. However, the political fallout and the consequences to habitat and people are interesting and will lead us to further discussion of the issues of climate change.

some socials time for those who are still in need of it - tomorrow computer session

those not necessarily needing time for socials (a couple of grade six students are completed) cleaned out the desks and orgnanized their materials after the last few weeks- some desks and organization of binders neede some TLC

art activity- draw/dress like an Egyptian activity

tried first chapter of a read aloud novel called Waiitng for Normal

we can see if this one is better for the end of day reading than the last one (need to get the students interested in the story- too early to tell!)

have a good night everyone
Mrs. J.

Friday schedule (missed on the blog posts)
science activity
socials research and notetaking time
introduced the Egyptian dress art activity after the hieroglyphics
Math 7
problem solving - looking at soving three step algebraic equations
(tried some FSA practice but I'd have to say it was not the right time on Friday close to lunch!)
read to self - good session
computer session- encouraging students to use it wisely for socials project progress- did a check in with all studnts about their individual progress. Have to say I was suprprised that a number of students are telling me they have no access to computers at home. Some are inreally good shape and as I expected there are a few who need to buckle down and use the time available more wisely!!!
Art
dismissal

Do hope everyone had a good weekend