Week of April 28 - May 2, 2014

Friday HW Update:
1.  There was plenty of class time today to finish some assignments we've been working on in class (and at home) for some time.  Today was the last class day for The Story of Stuff, the Encounter narrative story, and the "Colour of my Dreams sunglasses perspective assignment.  Any students who haven't finished these can stay in at recesses to do so, or finish them off at home.  Feel free to ask your child if these were handed in today, fully completed.
2.  The Book Report is due next Thursday May 8.  It is not a long report -- minimum one page, maximum two pages of written material -- but should be done well and show effort in the finished product (no pencil, no scribble-style colouring)..

Wednesday HW
1.  The Story of Stuff is due on Friday this week, as announced on Monday.  Students should be working on this final copy at home.  I have not assigned any homework this week, to reflect that.  Here's what students should bring on Friday:

• a series of typed (or handwritten in pen) pieces of paper for the five paragraphs in the Story sequence which is outlined in the topic sheets in the Changes in Matter booklet on pages 8, 9 and 10,
• hand-drawn pictures illustrating a key image for each paragraph (no photocopies or clip art -- students may trace or use web images as models, but all work is to be done by hand).

On Friday, we will use the large construction paper sheets to mount each student's work.  We are making a class book, so all the sheets have to be the same size.  DO NOT mount your work at home on another page.  After the layout is settled and glued down, students will make a decorative title and add other flourishes.  There is no time to print or compose work for the project in class on Friday -- only assembly.
2.  McMichael gallery trip form and fee are due Friday.
3.  Book Report is due May 8.
4.  Topic Choice for the Social Studies project outlined on page 31 of the booklet should be ready for Friday, along with the name of a partner (if you wish to work with a partner).

Tuesday HW
1.  We typed/wrote the encounter story in good copy form for two periods today, which is total of four periods so far.  Students should pay special attention to the COPS editing sheets I provided to correct their work.
2.  Topic Choice for the Social Studies project outlined on page 31 of the booklet should be ready for Friday, along with the name of a partner (if you wish to work with a partner).
3.  Story of Stuff is due on Friday.  I provided a large presentation sheet today to students, and we looked at models again to identify what made some successful and others a challenge to read and understand.
4.  Book report due on May 8.

Monday HW
1.  Be sure your rough draft for the Encounter story is done.
2.  Topic Choice for the Social Studies project outlined on page 31 of the booklet should be ready for Friday, along with the name of a partner if you wish to work with a partner.
3.  Story of Stuff is due on Friday.
4.  Book report due on May 8.

Week of April 22 - 25, 2014.

Friday HW
1.  Think of a local and an international image from the 1960's and the 1970's for the Centennial mural.  (i.e., Local:  George Chuvalo, Toronto boxer.  International:  Muhammad Ali, boxer).
2.  Stratford form and fee due by May 2, 2014.
3.  Encounter story rough draft due for Monday morning.  We had four class periods to work on it due to unexpected availability of laptop cart.

Thursday HW
1.  Gather pictures and other objects for the "Colour of my Dreams" mixed media perspective art activity.
2.  "Encounter" story planner was checked today.  After two periods of rough draft writing today (and more to come tomorrow), the rough draft will be due on Monday morning.  The expected length is a minimum of three sides of lined paper, single spaced.  Stories should be shorter than 6 of the same size pages.
3.  McMichael Gallery field trip form and fee for May 2.  The cost is $22 and our class has already received two volunteers.
4.  Supplies for Centennial mural.

Wednesday HW
1.  Gather pictures and other objects for the "Colour of my Dreams" mixed media perspective art activity.
2.  "Encounter" story planner was due today and will be checked tomorrow.
3.  McMichael Gallery field trip form and fee for May 2.  The cost is $22 and our class needs 2 parent volunteers.
4.  Supplies for Centennial mural.
5.  Social Studies booklet questions should be complete up to the end of page 6.
6.  We had 2 periods to work on typing the Story of Stuff paragraphs today.  There were still about a half dozen students who had not done their basic research by today.  I will be checking the planner tomorrow.

Tuesday HW
1.  Gather pictures and other objects for the "Colour of my Dreams" mixed media perspective art activity.
2.  "Encounter" story planner due tomorrow.
3.  School Climate survey sheet.
4.  Supplies for Centennial mural.
5.  Social Studies booklet questions should be complete up to the end of page 6.

Week of April 14 - 17, 2014

Wednesday HW
1.  Tanka good copy is due tomorrow.  We had time since Monday to work on it in class (3 class periods minimum).
2.  Return these forms:

• Alice Through the Looking Glass performance form and fee by April 21.
• OISE letter with a yes or a no.
• School Climate Surveys letter to return if you do not wish to participate.

3.  Centennial mural supplies request letter sent home.

4.  Book Report reading.  Report due May 8.

We had a presentation from two staffers from the local Bank of Montreal today on saving money, managing wants and needs, and interest.  We were asked to send home an offer from the local branch with each student.  Please do with it as you see fit.

Tuesday HW
1.  MMS Lesson 12. As I've noted many times in class, and in the last Number Sense unit with division, I do not want the students to practice Short Division. They should rewrite the questions and do them in long division style.
2.  Alice Through the Looking Glass performance form and fee by April 21.
3.  OISE letter with a yes or a no.
4.  School Climate Surveys letter to return if you do not wish to participate.

Monday HW:
1.  MMS lesson 11 (Dividing with Tenths)
2.  Book Report work is ongoing.
3.  Alice Through the Looking Glass performance form and fee by April 21.
4.  OISE letter with a yes or a no.
5.  School Climate Surveys letter to return if you do not wish to participate.
6.  Pictures for Haiku collage can be brought tomorrow for PM recess.  More than half the class were not prepared to make the collage today.

Week of April 7 - 11, 2014

Friday HW
1.  Return OISE permission letter with a yes or no.
2.  Return "Alice" field trip form with a yes (and fee) or a no.
3.  Continue book report reading.
4.  Story of Stuff research is ongoing.
5.. Collect images from magazines or printed from the web that will go along with your collage for the 1 or 2 haiku you have created. 


Thursday HW
There is no traditional homework tonight.  Students should continue to follow up on the Story of Stuff project and the book report reading.
1.  Return OISE permission letter with a yes or no.
2.  Return "Alice" field trip form with a yes (and fee) or a no.
3.  Be sure to choose a book report topic for tomorrow.

Wednesday HW
Today was the Day of Pink.  Thank you to the students for their efforts to wear pink, especially to the boys in 365 who really took on the challenge.  Bravo class!

Judging by the number and frequency of interpersonal disputes I moderated today, we certainly need to build awareness of the more overt and the more subtle forms of bullying that take place at school each day.  Of particular note is the need to intervene when a student is a bystander.  It is important for students to be able to say "That's wrong.  I don't agree with that.  You're my friend, but I don't think that's right."  Those are powerful words that mean a great deal coming from a peer rather than another talk from an adult.  We will continue to talk about the need to show respect to our class friends in the coming days.

1.  "Alice Through the Looking Glass" play permission forms were handed out today.  This play is presented in Stratford in May, but we need to pay the theatre earlier on.  Forms, and fees if the student is attending, are due April 21.
2.  OISE study permission forms with a YES or a NO are due by April 10.
3.  2 good copies of the Five Sense poems are due in class tomorrow in blue/black ink.  I also asked for the backgrounds to be completed on manila pare as well, which was provided in class during our work period on them today.
4.  Please be able to state your book report topic choice in class on Friday.
5.  We completed a quilting/transformation activity in Art recently.  When I put the work up on the bulletin board, on 20 of 30 were handed in completely.  Students who did not finish the work should consider this homework after four class periods of time.

Tuesday HW
1.  Day of Pink tomorrow for anti-bullying awareness.  Wear pink!
2.  Math Quiz on Unit 8, Lessons 5, 6, and 7 next Wednesday.  A good problem to practice would be page 279, # 10 in the textbook and page 115, #2 in the MMS book.
3.  Return signed OISE research permission letter by April 14.  It seems like a worthwhile endeavour that our principal has endorsed.
4.  Choose your book report topic by Friday.

Monday HW
1.  Story of Stuff research and note-taking is ongoing.
2.  Book report novel is due in class for daily reading.  Several students had no book today.  The actual report is due in May, but time has a way of passing quickly when preparation slides....
3.  Library period is Tuesday morning period 1.  The Spring Thaw caused some shifting of times.
4.  Math Quiz on Unit 8, Lessons 5, 6, and 7 next Wednesday.  A good problem to practice would be page 279, # 10 in the textbook and page 115, #2 in the MMS book.
5.  MMS practice lesson 8 (118-19), and lesson 9 (120-21).  We had time in class to start and finish lesson 8.