Happy New Year! I am really happy to be back working with the Grade 7s. I hope everyone had a relaxing break and an enjoyable Christmas.
We are busy from the get go!
MATH- Your son/daughter got their Unit 6 Test back before the Christmas break. If you have not had a chance to ask them about their mark, please do so! If they brought their test home, please send it back so it can go into their portfolio.
We are starting Unit 3- Decimals, Fractions and Percent. Today, students each got their Extra Practice booklet. I have changed the format of the Extra Practice booklets. For our last 3 Unit Exams, Practice booklets were rewarded at 5 additional bonus marks. I found, however, that I was only getting roughly 25% of students completing their bonus books.
The new format will be so that if your son/daughter does not hand in their booklet, they will automatically have a deficit of 5 marks on their exam. For example, if the test is out of 55 and they got every question correct, their mark would be 50/55.
There will now be bonus questions on the exam for students to earn extra marks.
The Extra Practice booklets serve as a good study tool, and are easy for parents/guardians to work through with your son/daughter. It is expected that students work on their Extra Practice booklet during class if they have finished their regular textbook work, whenever they have down time, or at home.
If you have questions about this change, please contact me!
3.1 Math Assignment- #1-10, reflect - Due Wednesday, January 6th
SCIENCE-We have officially started Unit 1- Interactions Within Ecosystems. An exciting hands on project students can look forward to is Tomatosphere. It involves planting tomato seeds. Some have been to space or treated in space-like conditions, while the rest are just regular tomato seeds.
Define- species
habitat
5 non living objects, 5 living objects Due Wednesday, January 6th
LANGUAGE ARTS- We are starting our novel study. The novel we will be exploring as a class is called Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. If you are also interested in reading the novel, there are copies at the Public Libraries. I only have enough copies for the students.
It is a story about a teenager named Cole who is in frequent trouble. His latest crime is harsh and he injures a fellow student. Since Cole is always in trouble, he is going to be sentenced. He has to choose between prison, or Circle Justice- a Native American form of justice that sees him banished to a remote Alaskan island for a year.
I have read the book and loved it. It is a great story about Cole's journey of self-realization and his understanding of the changes he must make in order to live out a compassionate, successful life.
Today we went over what a Spirit Bear is, and watched a clip on what the Alaskan wilderness has to offer in terms of Cole's survival.
Students will have vocabulary for each chapter and questions to go along with their chapters. The vocabulary from the novel will be Spelling words for the students. They are responsible for organizing their Touching Spirit Bear work. There are 28 chapters in the book, so after every 7 chapters I will be taking in their chapter work to mark. I have not yet decided on the final project for our novel study.
Majority of the reading will be done in class. Students will have the chance to read silently on their own, aloud as a group, and in small groups. They will only have to take their books home if they do not complete their reading or questions here, or they have been away for a day and missed a chapter.
Again, if you have any questions, please contact me.
December Reader Response- Due Friday, January 15th. *****It is still expected that students are reading independently on their own and completing Reader Responses*****
IMPORTANT DATES:
January 6th- 2:45 Epiphany Liturgy
January 10th- Hot lunch forms due online for Wok Box
January 12th- Loraas Field Trip AM (9-12)
January 15th- Hot Lunch
January 19th PM, 20th PM, 28th PM - Making Roman Catholic Icons in classs
Have a wonderful Monday!
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