Monday, November 25, 2013

Week of November 25 - 29, 2013

Thursday HW
1.  Library period tomorrow.
2.  Pizza day tomorrow.
3.  Start to gather research for your human illness project.  Parents can read a description of the assignment on page 22 of the booklet, downloadable at this link:  http://www.areynolds.org/downloads/human-organ-systems2013.pdf , or read the version in your child's Science booklet.

Today students selected a group of up to three members and chose a unique illness to study.  Although they will work as partners in the Inquiry phase of the activity, each member produces his/her own report in his/her own words.  Students should take special care not to copy the wording found in information resources they gather.  This is a risk that we will discuss as a class and I would appreciate some discussion at home as well.

Students may wish to register for a free BioDigital Human account with parent supervision.  We will be using this resource in class on the Interactive Whiteboard as an enrichment feature under my supervision.
Any home use should be initiated and monitored by parents, given the natural inquisitiveness students have about human body depictions.  

You can register for a free account at this site: https://www.biodigitalhuman.com/home/ .   There is also an app on iTunes for a hefty fee.   The Chrome store has one for free but your computer may be lacking some minimum level requirements in the same way that our school computers are not up to the task


Wednesday HW
1.  MMS pages 42-43.  A ruler and protractor are required for this homework, which I cannot provide for home use.  The topic and technique were introduced in class yesterday.  The Quick Review should also provide some useful guidance.
2.  Cookies were delivered and distributed today.
3.  Library period on Friday Afternoon November 29.  Please return all books and look for lost ones.  Consider settling your account with Mr. Lisi if you wish to keep taking out new books.
4.  Dictation #9 on Monday December 2.

Tuesday HW
1.  Spelling Cycle #9 activities to be finished.
2.  Cookies tomorrow according to Ms. Dennis.

Monday HW
1.  MMS pages 40-41.  There is a game on page 41.  Try to play it if you can.

We had eight students stay for Homework Club today, which is a typical number over the past four weeks.  I announced the event to a quiet, listening class at 3:05 today and outlined the types of things students could work on after school.  Those things included:
  • tonight's pencil and paper homework, 
  • the game from the MMS booklet, 
  • some work on the "A Person I Admire" writing assignment, 
  • the Create a Country organizer work,
  • some exploration of new apps I purchased for the iPads this weekend (Math Blaster, Division, Long Multiplication and The Human Body by Tinybop)
As always, anyone is welcome to attend.
Music on a Monday:  Humanoid Robot Ice Hockey Player -- it's our game!

Monday, November 18, 2013

Week of November 18 -22, 2013

Friday HW
Thank you for the support our school's fundraising cookie sale received from students in our class!  According to our Principal's announcement our school raised over $1000 in a very short time.  Ms. Dennis also announced that we had to order more cookies to fill all the orders, meaning that some students at our school (I'm not sure which ones) will receive their cookies on Tuesday next week.
1.  Spelling Dictation # 8 on Monday.  no other homework (text activities were completed in class).

Thursday HW
1.  Fundraising cookie sale continues (and ends) tomorrow.
2.  French verbs sheet.

Wednesday HW
1.  No homework today -- all day field trip.

We had a good day at Warren Park Outdoor Education Centre today, in perfect weather conditions.  We made artworks to communicate a message with natural, found materials and filmed the results with iPads.  The students made many relevant and thoughtful contributions during our carpet discussions and our conduct was generally appropriate.  However I will continue to work on ordinary behaviour skills with the class (lining up to travel, transitions, listening with eye contact and silence, accountable talk) that remain a bit of a barrier to full enjoyment of the trip.  Thank you very much to the two parent volunteers, Ms. Hay and Mr. Kurvits, for their support for today's excursion.  It is much appreciated.

Tuesday HW
1.  Warren Park Trip form and fee.  The trip is on Wednesday, November 20 from 9-3.  Students should dress for the weather and pack a lunch.
2.  A picture for "A Person I Admire" should be in class tomorrow if you do not plan to draw one on your own.
3.  Spelling Cycle Activities (Alphabetical Order, Syllabication and Derivatives) for cycle #8.  There are many proper nouns in this week's list.  Derivatives might be hard to make from those types of words.  Try your best, but it you can't do it I will be flexible.
4.  Fundraising cookie order sheets for Philippines Typhoon relief were distributed today.  Please support this worthy initiative lead by our senior school Student Council

Monday HW
1.  Unit 1 Patterning Quiz 2.0 on lessons three and four.  The previous quiz had a high class average.  This one will be a bit tougher.
2.  MMS pages 36-37.  Remember that a ruler is a required tool for this geometry unit for in-class work and homework.  I handed out a dark blue Unit three duo-tang today.  I will collect the light blue one after the Patterning test is done.
3.  Rough Draft for "A Person I Admire" should be done for tomorrow.  We had another class period to work on this today.  Most students are done already.
4.  Warren Park Trip form and fee.  The trip is on Wednesday, November 20 from 9-3.  Students should dress for the weather and pack a lunch.
5.  A picture for "A Person I Admire" should be in class tomorrow if you do not plan to draw one on your own.

Music on a Monday:  Busking Cellists do "Nevermind"

Monday, November 11, 2013

Week of November 11 - 14, 2013

Thursday HW
1.  Return report card envelopes (remove progress report first).
2.  Patterning 2.0 quiz on Lessons three and four from Unit 1 on Tuesday, November 19.
3.  Word Up Dictation #7 is on Monday November 18.
4.  I suggest purchasing a small Math set (compass, protractor, short ruler, triangular ruler) for your child to use in class and at home during this unit we started today.  The advantages of such a kit are that they are new and in good condition, without any rounded edges, and that they are transparent and smaller sized.  I can provide protractors and large yellow rulers that are fairly well-worn.
5.  We are going to Warren park for an all-day field trip on November 20.  Forms were handed out today.  The cost is $7.50.  Parent volunteers are requested -- two or three should be enough.
6.  Mr. Lisi in the Library gave our class an urgent reminder about overdue and lost library books.  Our class has a high number of such items outstanding.  Please check at home for these overdue books or forward payment for a lost book.  I have asked for a system-generated list of overdue books to help track them down.
Our class enjoys books and DEAR time and understands that other students may want to read one of the over 700 lost or overdue books our Library is currently trying to track down school-wide.  Our class is not responsible for that entire total but we do have a significant contribution to it.  We recovered half a dozen just through a desk check after lunch today.  It should be easy to respond to Mr. Lisi's request.  To assist I have added a stand-alone Library listing in my calendar below.  The original listing might have been hard to see.   Thank you for your support.

Wednesday HW
1.  Return report card envelopes (remove progress report first).
2.  Patterning 1.0 quiz on Lessons one and two from Unit 1 is tomorrow.
     Patterning 2.0 quiz on Lessons three and four from Unit 1 on Tuesday, November 19.
3.  Word Up Dictation #7 is on Monday November 18.
4.  I suggest purchasing a small Math set (compass, protractor, short ruler, triangular ruler) for your child to use in class and at home during this unit we started today.  The advantages of such a kit are that they are new and in good condition, without any rounded edges, and that they are transparent and smaller sized.  I can provide protractors and large yellow rulers that are fairly well-worn.
5.  We are going to Warren park for an all-day field trip on November 20.  Forms were handed out today.  The cost is $7.50.  Parent volunteers are requested -- two or three should be enough.
6.  The organizer for "A Person I Admire" is due tomorrow in class.

Tuesday HW
1.  Return report card envelopes (remove progress report first).
2.  Patterning 1.0 quiz on Lessons one and two from Unit 1 on Thursday, November 14.
3.  Thank you for Remembrance Day donations handed in today.  I will continue to collect them tomorrow as well.
4.  I suggest purchasing a small Math set (compass, protractor, short ruler, triangular ruler) for your child to use in class and at home during this unit we started today.  The advantages of such a kit are that they are new and in good condition, without any rounded edges, and that they are transparent and smaller sized.  I can provide protractors and large yellow rulers that are fairly well-worn.
5.  We are going to Warren park for an all-day field trip on November 20.  Forms are to come.

MEA CULPA:  
I neglected to hand out the Progress Reports at the end of the day today.
I apologize for the blunder.  
We were gearing up for the Homework Club time and it slipped my mind.
Your child did not lose the report, or leave it at school intentionally.
Progress Reports will be handed out tomorrow.
Once again, sorry for the inconvenience.

Monday HW
1.  Patterning 1.0 quiz on Lessons one and two from Unit 1 on Thursday, November 14.
2. Spelling Cycle Activities.
3.  Remembrance Day donations if you can please.

Music on a Monday:  Is Someone Singing

Monday, November 4, 2013

Week of November 4 - 8, 2013

Thursday HW
1.  Problem of the Week on Patterning is due November 11.
2.  Person I Admire organizer:  Complete the last two blocks for tomorrow and return it to class (Quality 3 and Conclusion).  We worked on it in class today and discussed the features of an effective conclusion -- to restate the introduction and qualities and wrap up with a final summary comment without introducing new information.
3.  Test pack #2 is due with a parent signature and corrections for Spelling and Math activities on Friday November 8.
4.  An Interview Request letter was sent home yesterday.  Please select your top two preferences and return the sheet as soon as possible.  I am meeting with all parents during this progress report period.  20 students out of 31 have returned the form to date and spaces are filling up.
5.  Word Up Spelling Dictation #6 is tomorrow.

Wednesday HW
1.  Problem of the Week on Patterning is due November 11.
2.  Person I Admire organizer:  Complete the next two blocks for tomorrow and return it to class (Quality 1 and Quality 2).
3.  Test pack #2 is due with a parent signature and corrections for Spelling and Math activities on Friday November 8.
4.  An Interview Request letter was sent home today.  Please select your top two preferences and return the sheet as soon as possible.  I am meeting with all parents during this progress report period.

Tuesday HW
1.  Problem of the Week on Patterning is due November 11.
2.  Spelling Cycle # 6 activities.
3.  Math MMS pages 8 and 9.
4.  Person I Admire organizer:  Complete the first two blocks for tomorrow and return it to class.
5.  Test pack #2 is due with a parent signature and corrections for Spelling and Math activities on Friday November 8.

Monday HW
1.  Photo Retake day is tomorrow.
2.  New Problem of the Week on Patterning is due next Monday November 11.
3.  Spelling Text work on page 25 # 3 and 4; page 26 # 5,6, and 8; and page 27 # 1.
4.  Test pack #2 was handed out today.  It is due with corrections to the spelling activities only.
5.  Find out information about the person you admire so you can write during our class rough draft times.
6.  MMS pages 6 and 7.
We have been working for two days on the idea that students can use a pattern rule to predict a future outcome without have to perform every single result in the output column of a given T-chart.  This is an extension of the Input-Output machine concept introduced in the second lesson.  Frequently the students need a combination of operations (usually Multiply and Add) to make a working rule.  Students have received modeling on the trial and error/guess and check style of rule finding.  We try to test operation and number combinations in a sequence rather than randomly to eliminate possibilities.  Students can always count down a long chart to find future outcomes, but computation errors seem to creep in after ten or twelve operations.

Music on a Monday:  First Computer to Sing