We had Media Literacy today with Ms. Poggi, where we learned about asking better questions when looking for information. Students are encouraged to ask questions that require more than a one-word response. In other words, questions should make people think, analyse and reflect before they answer.
Which question is better:
a) Where did the fire happen?
b) How might the people in the area affected by the fire find shelter?
We worked on our rough drafts of both our Winnie stories and Witches Brew recipes during Language today, and students wrote their weekly spelling test.
This afternoon, students went to an assembly about UNICEF in the gym. Matt from UNICEF spoke to us and showed us what life is like for students in countries like Rwanda and Malawi, which are in Africa. Did you know that many children go to schools that do not have classrooms, running water, or even washrooms? We are very fortunate to be able to come to Vradenburg Jr. P.S. where we have all of these necessities for our education. Students are encouraged to raise money to donate to UNICEF in the envelopes sent home earlier this week. Students can also bring $1.00 to buy a raffle ticket for their chance to win the "Be Principal For a Day" contest, with all money going to UNICEF. Let's try to do our best to help kids around who are less fortunate than ourselves. Every cent helps!
In Health, students started examining labels on food products that indicate allergens, nutrition infoormation, and nutritional claims. Grade 5 students are focussing on the labels themselves, while Grade 6 students are determining how they can use these labels to make healthy choices between food products.
Homework Assigned Friday October 26, 2007:
Grade 5
-Read 20 minutes, update log
-Reading Response Journal entry due Monday
-Published Draft of Winnie Story due Monday
-Health questions #1, 2 due next Friday
Grade 6
-Read 20 minutes, update log
-Published Draft of Winnie Story due Monday
-Math: textbook 3 Problem Bank questions + 3 Skills bank questions - UNIT 2 Test Tuesday
-Health questions #1, 2 due next Friday
Friday, October 26, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Awful Adjectives and Nasty Nouns
Students worked on their Edited Drafts of their Winnie Stories today, after I checked that their Explore Draft was completed for homework. I also assigned a Witches Brew writing asignment which will be completed in class, and students are writing disgusting recipes using 6-8 nasty nouns as ingedients (e.g., rats, toe nails, etc.) that are described with stomach turning adjectives (e.g., thick, runny, etc.) to make their ingredients sound as gross as possible. Sure, fish guts are yucky, but juicy, festering fish guts are even worse. I can almost smell it because it is described in such detail. Students will be determining appropriate units of measure for their ingredients, and witing the recipe's procedure in 3-5 steps, using cooking/baking verbs (e.g., mix, chop, etc.) to tell the reader what they need to do in order to prepare and cook the disgusting Witches Brew recipe for themselves. Bone appetit!!!
In Math, the Grade 5 students had their final review session before their Unit 2 Numeracy Test tomorrow. We went over any difficult questions, and students were assigned specific Chapter 2 Review Questions from the textbook, which will be the type of questions they will see on tomorrow's test. Grade 6 students had a lesson on converting/rounding decimal thousandths to hundredths and tenths using grids, place value charts and number lines.
In Science, the Grade 5 students used their home-made balance scales to challenge store-bought balance scales, to see if their own were as accurate. Surprisingly, most of their home-made scales were pretty close (off by 1-2 grams only). We discussed what could be modified on our scales in order to improve their accuracy, whether it be the materials used for the fulcrum, arm and pans, or in some cases, the length of string used to suspend the pan from the arm. Grade 6 students presented their research on common products that use compressed air, and eaxplained how they worked. We heard about balloons, tires, fire extinguishers, scuba tanks, soda pop containers, airplanes, and more.
Homework Asigned Wednesday October 24, 2007:
Grade 5
-Read 20 minutes, update log
-Reading Response Journal entry due Monday
-Spelling Unit 7
-Winnie Story - Edited Draft due Friday, Published Draft due Monday
-Math: Chapter Review questions in textbook, UNIT 2 TEST TOMORROW!
-Detention letter signed by parents
Grade 6
-Read 20 minutes, update log
-Spelling Unit 7
-Winnie Story - Edited Draft due Friday, Published Draft due Monday
-Math: Textbook, page 55, # 3, 4, 7, 8
In Math, the Grade 5 students had their final review session before their Unit 2 Numeracy Test tomorrow. We went over any difficult questions, and students were assigned specific Chapter 2 Review Questions from the textbook, which will be the type of questions they will see on tomorrow's test. Grade 6 students had a lesson on converting/rounding decimal thousandths to hundredths and tenths using grids, place value charts and number lines.
In Science, the Grade 5 students used their home-made balance scales to challenge store-bought balance scales, to see if their own were as accurate. Surprisingly, most of their home-made scales were pretty close (off by 1-2 grams only). We discussed what could be modified on our scales in order to improve their accuracy, whether it be the materials used for the fulcrum, arm and pans, or in some cases, the length of string used to suspend the pan from the arm. Grade 6 students presented their research on common products that use compressed air, and eaxplained how they worked. We heard about balloons, tires, fire extinguishers, scuba tanks, soda pop containers, airplanes, and more.
Homework Asigned Wednesday October 24, 2007:
Grade 5
-Read 20 minutes, update log
-Reading Response Journal entry due Monday
-Spelling Unit 7
-Winnie Story - Edited Draft due Friday, Published Draft due Monday
-Math: Chapter Review questions in textbook, UNIT 2 TEST TOMORROW!
-Detention letter signed by parents
Grade 6
-Read 20 minutes, update log
-Spelling Unit 7
-Winnie Story - Edited Draft due Friday, Published Draft due Monday
-Math: Textbook, page 55, # 3, 4, 7, 8
Monday, October 22, 2007
PICTURE DAY IS TOMORROW!
Tomorrow is Picture Day, so students are reminded to look their best for both individual and class photos. Practice your smiles!
In Drama today, students read-aloud the remaining parts of Lear Today, Gone Tomorrow, a student-friendly version of William Shakespeare's play, King Lear. Next week, they will break into smaller groups, and practice acting out one scene from the play.
We finished reading Tuck Everlasting today, and a writing assignment was given in which students must write the missing part of Winnie's life between the end of Chapter 25, and the beginning of the Epilogue. Your story needs to be written in first-person, from Winnie's perspective (point of view). Remember the suggestions I made for writing styles/genres you can use: diary entries, memoirs, chapters, etc. Make sure the details of your story coincide with what was written on Winnie's tombstone:
In Drama today, students read-aloud the remaining parts of Lear Today, Gone Tomorrow, a student-friendly version of William Shakespeare's play, King Lear. Next week, they will break into smaller groups, and practice acting out one scene from the play.
We finished reading Tuck Everlasting today, and a writing assignment was given in which students must write the missing part of Winnie's life between the end of Chapter 25, and the beginning of the Epilogue. Your story needs to be written in first-person, from Winnie's perspective (point of view). Remember the suggestions I made for writing styles/genres you can use: diary entries, memoirs, chapters, etc. Make sure the details of your story coincide with what was written on Winnie's tombstone:
In Loving Memory
Winifred Foster Jackson
Dear Wife
Dear Mother
1870-1948
Your Explore Draft is due Wednesday, your Edited Draft is due Friday, and your Published Draft is due Monday. 3-5 pages minimum, front & back, double-spaced.
In the Computer Lab, students finished their flyers for our Magical Spring Water campaign, which will be presented to the Grade 5 students of room 206 tomorrow morning, along with the campaign debate between the Yellow Suit Water Company vs. Health Canada. Following this, Ms. Schwartz's class will vote for or against the legalization of the magic spring water.
In Math, the Grade 5 students did some drills to practice rounding decimals to whole numbers, then began their review work for their end of unit Math Test on Thursday. Grade 6 students worked on decimals to the thousandths (e.g., 0.235) using Thousandth Grids and Decimal Place Value Charts.
Homework Assigned Monday October 22, 2007:
Grade 5
-Read 20 minutes, update Log
-Spelling Unit 7 - test Friday
-Reading Response Journal entry due Monday
-Winnie story: Wed-Explore Draft, Fri.-Edited Draft, Mon.-Published Draft
-Math: Textbook Chapter 2 Skills Bank review questions - UNIT TEST Thursday!
-Science: Balance Scale due tomorrow with sheet B
-Hand-in your Art Ghost picture tomorrow if you forgot today
Grade 6
-Read 20 minutes, update Log
-Spelling Unit 7 - test Friday
-Winnie story: Wed-Explore Draft, Fri.-Edited Draft, Mon.-Published Draft
-Math: Textbook page 51, #3, 4
-Read 20 minutes, update Log
-Spelling Unit 7 - test Friday
-Winnie story: Wed-Explore Draft, Fri.-Edited Draft, Mon.-Published Draft
-Math: Textbook page 51, #3, 4
-Science: Air Compression research assignment (1 page) due tomorrow
-Hand-in your Art Ghost picture tomorrow if you forgot today
-Hand-in your Art Ghost picture tomorrow if you forgot today
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