Sunday, September 29, 2013

October Newsletter

Welcome October! 
This past month, we have developed some good routines and expectations. With this grounding, we are ready to work hard!
One change to note: we are to have a grade 8 River trip - the date needs to change. I will give you the new date ASAP!

LANGUAGE: Grade 7/8 A
We are developing some year long projects. Namely, our READ 20 books project! I expect every person in my class to read 20 books at their reading level. They will have lots of time to read in class; however, I think to reach our goal of approximately 2 books a month, at-home reading will have to happen. Parents, I hope you can help us in this goal, by setting aside most nights, reading time. I will ask students to try and discover new genres, but am hoping I do not have to limit their choices. Up to two magazines/comics will be allowed in their 20 book count. When they finish a book, they are asked to fill in the Book Form on the Cloud. Any other questions, please just ask.

Grade 7 Science
We will continue to explore Ecosystems. Here are the learning objectives:

1. Producer, Consumer (herbivores/carnivores/omnivores), Decomposers - Students demonstrate an understanding of the roles and interactions of producers, consumers, and decomposers within an ecosystem. Investigate Food Chains/Webs. 
2. Predator-Prey Game – Explore the roles and interactions of producers, consumers, and decomposers. Students demonstrate an understanding of why an ecosystem is limited in the number of living things that it can support.
3. Transfer of Energy – Students demonstrate an understanding of the transfer of energy in a food chain and explain the effects of elimination of any part of the chain. Describe how matter is cycled within the environment and explain how it promotes sustainability.

Grade 8 Science:
We will continue to explore Water Systems. Here are the learning objectives:

1. The various states of water on the earth’s surface, their distribution, circulation, and the conditions under which they exist.
2. Test water samples for a variety of chemical characteristics (e.g., pH, salinity, chlorine)
3. 2 demonstrate an understanding of the watershed as a fundamental geographic unit, and explain how it relates to water management and planning. 
4. Use scientific inquiry/research skills to investigate local water issues. 
5. Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including water table, aquifer,
polar ice-cap, and salinity, in oral and written communication.

Weekly Update: Sept. 30 to October 4

Weekly Update!


Well, I have double booked!! I am to be at a conference on Thursday, October 24th and I have booked our Gr. 8 Stream Study that day! Oops! I have contacted Ecospark's Holly Brose, who organizes our trips to the river, and hopefully we can reschedule. I will keep you updated!

7/8A Language Arts: This week, you will make sure you have these three things finished and handed in to me: 
1. Your first writing piece - go through the complete writing process, including teacher conferencing, and submit to me your writing piece.
2. Book form - by now, you should have finished your first independent reading novel/book, and completed the online book form.
3. Tribes List:  By the end of this week, I would like you to submit to me, on a cue card I will give to you, the names of 6 people in the class you feel you could work well with. Our tribes will be formed by the beginning of next week.

Monday, Sept. 30th - Day 5  7/8A and 8B Science:

Everyone's scientific diagrams (2) should be handed in to me.
Grade 7's: you will work on the Wolf Island Food Web.
Thank you to everyone for handing in your Saltwater experiment! We will take up any questions you may have, plus work on honing your skills on the triple beam balance. If time, we will start our research for the River Study.

Tuesday, Oct. 1st - Day 1   8C Science:

Thank you to everyone for handing in your Saltwater experiment! We will take up any questions you may have, plus work on honing your skills on the triple beam balance. If time, we will start our research for the River Study.

Wednesday, Oct. 2nd - Day 2   8D Science (8FI):


Thank you to everyone for handing in your Saltwater experiment! We will take up any questions you may have, plus work on honing your skills on the triple beam balance. If time, we will start our research for the River Study.

Thursday, Oct. 3rd - Day 3 7B and 7C Science:


7B - you missed last week's class because of the Terry Fox Run! We will catch up this week, working on the book, "Wolf Island" and creating a food web.

7C - Make sure you know what your different consumers are!! Such as carnivore, herbivore, etc. Some of you need to finish up your Wolf Island food web. Others will proceed onward, to explore specific ecosystem food chains and webs.
Friday, Oct. 4th - Day 4   7D Science:


Make sure you know what your different consumers are!! Such as carnivore, herbivore, etc. Some of you need to finish up your Wolf Island food web. Others will proceed onward, to explore specific ecosystem food chains and webs.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

All grade 8 Science Students: Salt water lab due

If you we're away Monday, please come in for Make Up Science Class tomorrow, Wednesday, first Nutrition Break, to catch up on the lab you missed.

7/8A Language - in class work due Friday

I would like you to work on one, self chosen piece of writing, using the writing process. Here it is again, as a refresher:

Monday, September 23, 2013

Weekly Update: Monday, Sept. 23 - 27

Wow! Sorry for the radio silence - I had the flu last Thursday and Friday and boy oh boy, did it ever
knock me off my socks! I certainly hope that I don't get any of you ill that I had a visit with last Wednesday night. So, I'm back, but moving slowly...


Monday - Classes 7/8A and 8B and 8C Science:

You were asked to make two scientific drawings. Please make sure these are in to me. ASAP!

Tuesday - 8C Science:
Take up our Salt water experiment and use the balance beams to find the mass of certain objects. Plus, a little theory about Water Systems!

Wednesday - 8D Science (8FI):
Same as above, however, I am pretty sure last week we ran out of time, so I will give you 20 extra minutes at the beginning of class to finish the Salt Water Experiment.

Thursday - 7B and 7C science:
Examine ecosystems we know and construct a research design to begin brainstorming about creating out very OWN ecosystems!  Plus - please hand in your scientific diagrams!

Terry Fox Run is also this day - so my guess is, one of the classes will miss Science. Keep tuned in!

Friday - 7D Science:
See 7B and 7C.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Weekly Update: Monday, September 16th - Friday, September 20th

ALL Grade 7 and 8 Science Classes:
If you are at all familiar with the Cloud, please sign in and create a SCIENCE folder and share it with me. If you aren't sure how to do this, please feel free to come to Make Up Science class and I will gladly show you how!  Also, I have posted a great Youtube Video (BELOW) as an introduction to the Cloud. Feel free to watch it and welcome to the Cloud!

7/8A Homeroom:
WHERE ARE ALL OF YOUR FORMS!!! DON'T MAKE ME CHASE YOU!!!

Monday - Day 5:
7/8A Science- Ecosystems Introduction and the Scientific Method.
8B Science - Water Systems introduction - basic experiment procedure and lab skills.

Tuesday - Day 1:
8C Science - Water Systems: Salt water vs. Fresh Water experiment continued.

Wednesday - Day 2:
8D (which is 8FI) Science - Water Systems: Salt water vs. Fresh Water experiment continued.

OPEN HOUSE! Bring your family and come and enjoy a hot dog and see where your child spends
his/her day!

Thursday - Day 3:
7B and 7C Science - Ecosystems Introduction Continued - be prepared to go outside!

Friday - Day 4:
7D (which is 7FI) Science - Ecosystems Introduction Continued - be prepared to go outside!


UG Cloud Getting started Tutorial #1

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Tuesday, Sept. 10/13

7/8A L.A. (Language Arts):
Please finish your NAME with 1 letter containing Nouns, one with Verbs, one - Adverbs and one Adjectives. Please make it legible (so we can read it) and colourful, as I would like to put them up.

8B Science:
Please create a science folder on UGCloud and share it with me if you can. I understand that many of you are not on the Cloud yet; when it happens, please do it.

8C Science:
No homework! We will continue our water experiment next class.

Saturday, September 07, 2013

Language 7/8A

Please finish the Personal Information sheet that I gave to you on Friday. Both sides!! Thank you and have a good weekend!