Friday, January 30, 2015

8

MATH: Finish compiling your data and produce the scatterplot chart.  Once that is done, please submit it to me via google docs.

ENGLISH: I will be handing back the formative 7-word summary on Wednesday; we will do one final practice, then the summative will take place on Wednesday.  You can easily practise this skill over the weekend: read ANYTHING and create a summary.  Remember: if you forget a verb or an article, it's like a title.

For rules pertaining to hyphenation, check out this sheet: HYPHENATION RULES

Take a look at these possible 7-word summaries:

George Lucas went from zero to hero.

George Lucas' class reunion solidified his stardom.

7

MATH: Page 222, questions 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 (30 minutes in class were dedicated to this task, so your child should be just about done.)

Thursday, January 29, 2015

"Participation Ribbon"
by Mr. Le Moine

The Leafs "earned" a point from a triumphant shootout loss!
That's like ordering pasta with a veggie-option bolognese sauce.



8
MATH:
We began an in-class project today: students were asked to make a hypothesis about human behaviour, achievement, attitudes (it's pretty open-ended), and prove their theory by demonstrating a correlation (positive or negative) between two sets of data.  

Basically, they should be able to say the following sentence to you: "I am trying to determine whether there exists a correlation between x and y."

They have begun to create two surveys with which they will collect their data, and tomorrow they will compile the results and produce a comparative scatterplot to represent their findings.  Tonight, they will be responding to numerous surveys through google forms, so please set aside some time for your child on the computer (I can hear them cheering from here).


7
ENGLISH:
The formative book talks are done and the rubric has been sent home.  Take a couple of minutes to look it over with your child to see how they can improve for the summative book talk.  This will take place next Friday, February 6th.  Your child will select a different book that he or she has read since September.  Like before, it must be a work of fiction - and yes, Harry Potter is fiction. The four stylistic devices/literary terms to choose from will be: resolution, characterization, mood, or point of view.

MATH:
Tuesday's Math test (5.4-5.6) is coming home today.  Take a look at it with your child if you get a chance tonight.  

Thursday, January 28, 2015

"It's Winter.  Get Over it."
by Mr. Le Moine

The avalanche of snowflakes fall like pucks in the Leafs' goal;
On snowshoes we'll trek from Toronto to the south pole.



Grade 8s: we are on snowshoes first thing in the morning.  BE. ON. TIME.


Grade 7
MATH:
Homework: 6.1

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

JERSEY DAY TOMORROW!

Grade 8: Quebec instalment #2 due this Friday ($135).

8 Math: here's a little video reviewing the difference between inference and deduction (for tomorrow's test!)

Monday, January 26, 2015

I'm Nobody! Who are you?

by Emily Dickinson



8    Jersey day is this Wednesday.  Make sure you get out your Sens gear!

Pizza Orders are due tomorrow!

8 Math

5.3 homework for tonight.  The review sheet will be done in class tomorrow.

7 Math:

Test tomorrow on 5.4-5.6.  Some review items: measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode), how to alter a graph's appearance, and stem-and-leaf plots.

Friday, January 23rd, Day 4

-Andrea Dietrich

8

MATH: No "homework" per se, but I would like you to play around with Google Spreadsheets.  I want you all to be comfortable taking a set of data and putting it into a graph or chart: can you do this?  Imagine a performance task where I give you a table such as the following, and ask you to graph it...could you do it?  Which type of graph/chart would you use?

ENGLISH: we're warming up to book talks.  This means it's time to undo some learning: we don't memorize - it sounds like we improvise.  So, in preparation, I'm encouraging you to write in point form rather than full sentences.  For the time being, pick a book that you have read between September 2014 and now, and re-read it: familiarity will greatly enhance your talk.  
7

MATH: p. 208: 2acdef, 3abcd, 4abcdef, 5, 6, 7.  Be prepared for a test - likely Tuesday.

ENGLISH: We will finish our book talks on Monday.

Thursday, January 22nd, 2015

Written by Emile Pinet

8

If you have any questions regarding the high school registration process (and course selections), you can look here to get a glimpse of the timelines.

Speaking of timelines, something important is due tomorrow...High School Registration!  Please make sure your child has handed this in, otherwise you might have a perpetual houseguest in September.

Other upcoming dates:

Monday, January 26th: course selection completed on Career Cruising.  Do not submit - just print.

January 30th: deposit for the Quebec trip.

MATH 

We finished 5.2 today; homework p. 196 #1-7.  Tomorrow we explore graphs and charts, and how easy it is to make them with the computer.

ENGLISH

I am working through providing feedback for the students' reflection: "Blind for 4 Minutes".  This is the first piece for T2 (it's formative), but it will give you a good idea of what your child needs to work on in writing

7

ENGLISH

Book talks continue.  Just so you are aware of my process: the student performs his or her book talk, I provide verbal feedback, and after all of the speakers have had a turn, I return the rubric.  It is a VERY thorough rubric and gives plenty of suggestions for your child for the next book talk.  My goal is to have students speak in a natural fashion, and not to sound like robots.  Thus, memorizing a speech word for word is discouraged.  Rather, I want students to have their main ideas in mind, and if they arrive at each one in a slightly different fashion from one practice to the next, then so be it.  It's all about audience engagement - not who has the best memory.

MATH

We had our second peer-tutoring session today: our class worked with Mme Krever's Math class using Google Docs.  The 7s spent the time showing the 6s how to create meaningful surveys using Google Forms.  We are just about done our unit in data management, so that means a test (5.4 - 5.6) - likely early next week.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

8: Keep those high school registration forms and course selections coming!

8 Math: 
We had a riveting discussion today about surveys (it was riveting for me, at least), and I put the following prompts for "deep thinking" on the board: 1.  How can you skew results?  2. How can you get honest results?  3. How does time/length affect results?  4. What impact does anonymity have on results?  5.  How does a Likert scale limit expression?  Your child took some time to take personal notes on these prompts, and I would like them to continue that tonight for at least 10 - 15 minutes.  One more prompt: If Likert and multiple choice questions limit choice, and smiley face emoticons are culturally-biased, then what is the best type of question to ask?

8 English:
Career goals and reflection are due Thursday ON CAREER PLANNER.  

7

MATH: I handed back the test 5.1 - 5.3 today.  Please take a moment to look it over with your child.  

ENGLISH: We began the book talks today.  We continue tomorrow.  Good sleep.

TUESDAY, January 20, 2015

8: 

First things first: your high school registration and course selections are due on the 23rd and the 26th respectively.  

Secondly, the goals and reflection to the Skills Canada presentation are due on CAREER CRUISING this Friday, January 23rd.


MATH: Finish your assessment of the Matchmaker Survey (sheet given today) for tomorrow (comment on the bias, reliability, and validity).


7:

NO MATH HOMEWORK.  I want students getting a good night's sleep so they are fresh for their book talks tomorrow!  

Monday, January 19, 2015

8 In addition to completing your high school registration and course selections, I would like you to enter your goals and reflection to the Skills Canada Presentation in the appropriate boxes in Career Cruising.  When you log in, look for "My IPP" and from there you will find "My Goals" and "Journal".  These are both due Friday.

8 Math: 5.1 for tomorrow +
1.  I want to find out how students feel about skiing on elective days, so on an elective day, I go to the bottom of the hill ask the first 20 skiers down the hill (only students) the following question: "Do you like skiing?  Yes? No? Select one."  Comment on any bias, its reliability, and its validity.

2.  If you were trying to skew the results of your survey, and you wanted to get respondents to say: "Neutral" or "undecided" about a series of questions, how would you orchestrate this?  

7 Math: Complete the following questions showing your response (ALGEBRA RULES!):

1.  Bobby scores the following on his first 6 math tests: 12, 45, 66, 78, 82, 100.  His parents say: "If you get an overall average of 85% after your 7th test, then we will buy you a new coat hanger."  Thrilled at the prospect of having a new coat hanger, he gets right to studying.  What does he have to score on his final test to get an overall average of 85%?

2. Paul sells cars.  The following were his monthly totals for January - March: $4000, $5200, and $6000.  His boss says: "Paul, you need to have a very big April, otherwise we will take away your personalized coffee mug.  We want you to have an average of $8000 in sales over January to April."  Desperate to keep his mug, he buckles down and starts selling to everyone he knows.  How much does he need in sales in April to have an overall average of $8000?

3.   Morgan plays baseball, and is a pretty good hitter.  In fact, over the first four games of the season, his batting average was .333.  His coach, in an effort to push him further, offered a bottle of gatorade if Morgan had an overall .400 batting average after his fifth game.  What does he have to get in his fifth game?

Thursday, January 15, 2015

GRADE 8:  High School registration forms are due at school on January 23rd, 2015
Rough course selection forms (do not click "submit" - make choices and print) are due January 26th, 2015



8: Next week, on Tuesday to be precise, we will be adding to our Career Cruising "database".  In preparation for this, using google docs, I'd like you to write 2 short term goals (basically, term 2), and 2 long term goals (life goals).  

Secondly, we will be entering a journal response to the "Matchmaker" activity that we did before the winter break.  Jot down short answers (in the same Google Docs file) to the following prompts (in no particular order):

1.  Were there any surprises in the suggested careers?
2.  Did any of the suggested careers interest you?  Which one(s)?  In which way?
3.  Was there something omitted from the list?  Something you think should have been there and that is of interest to you?
4. Whether you found something on the list that was of interest to you, or you have another career in mind, what is the next step?  Which courses will you have to take to prepare yourself for this career path?

No Math homework!

7: finish the work we began in class today (5.5).  We will have a 5.4 and 5.5 quiz on Monday

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

8: The learning skills survey is due tomorrow; it can be found in your google apps gmail account (which we checked today).  Take the necessary time to answer each question carefully (this should take around 10 minutes)


7 Math: Have your child explain to you the process for estimating the mean of a given set of data.  

7 English: Your child did his or her first book talk practice run-through: ask how it went and what feedback he or she was given by his/her peers.  

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

GRADE 7 and 8 STUDENTS:  

Canada Day Challenge 2015

The Canada Day Challenge invites youth between 8 and 18 years old who live in Canada to express their pride in being Canadian by submitting an entry inspired by the theme STRONG. PROUD. FREE.
Enter the contest in the following categories:
-DRAW IT! (submit a poster design)
-SNAP IT! (submit digital photographs)
-WRITE IT! (submit a piece of creative writing)
Participation can be through schools, clubs, associations, or individual interest!

Please follow this link:  The Canada Day Challenge

8 MATH: Click on the link for Canada Census at School and fill out the survey for our class. Then, take a look at how your answers compare to those of your immediate peers, and those of your fellow Canadians.

CLASS ID: 3324
Password: ...(hopefully you remember - I'd rather not post it!)

7 MATH: On today's graph (Canada's Population between the years 1901-2001) there was quite a spike in population between the years 1951 - 1961.  What could account for such a dramatic increase?  (30 words or less)  In addition, 5.4 homework: do questions 1, 2ac, 3, 4acg, 5

Monday, January 12, 2015

8 ENGLISH: 

1.  For Wednesday, 3 x 7-word summaries:  2 articles and one song you find on the Internet/magazines/newspapers.  On Wednesday, come with both articles, the song lyrics, and the summaries in your hands.  You can print here at school tomorrow if you are short on ink!

2. Invented punctuation due tomorrow: we will adorn the classroom.  __  __
                                                                                                                  __

8 MATH: 

1.  Friday's Geometry test is coming home today.  Please take a moment to look it over with your child.

2.  Data management introduction today: tonight, fine tune the purpose of your survey (meaningful data collection...), and develop at least 7 of the 10 questions.  We only have 60 minutes with the computers tomorrow, so be ready to type!  If you wish to input some questions tonight, go ahead and do so.

7 MATH: Test today.  Tomorrow we begin 5.4

7 ENGLISH: We continue our work on the book talks (Framework is due tomorrow).  Today we examined the "Book talk in 10 steps" page from the course pack.  The goal is to become a natural speaker, as opposed to a robotic presenter.  As such, memorizing is unnecessary: you should be practising the talk in many different ways so it will sound more fluid and natural.  Memorize the order of your ideas, but then how you get there may vary from one presentation to the next.  

Friday, January 9th, 2015

8L: WE ARE SNOWSHOEING ON MONDAY.  DRESS APPROPRIATELY: warm boots, snow pants, layers on top, warm gloves, hat, and a scarf/tube.  This also means it's imperative you arrive to school on time (we are going out first period).  Finally, be sure to bring plenty of healthy snacks for our "après-snowshoe": we will burn many calories.

8 ENGLISH: We continue our study of 7-word summaries.  For next Wednesday, I would like you to have created 3 7-word summaries for 2 articles and one song you find on the Internet/magazines/newspapers.  By next Wednesday, you must have both articles, the song lyrics, and the summaries in your hands when you come to English class.

8 MATH: Data management begins on Monday.  Hopefully I will have the tests corrected by then.


7 ENGLISH: Book talks next week!  I have given your child a copy of the rubric and the outline.  Should he/she have lost it, here is the outline

7 MATH: Test on Monday.  Here are the knowledge and skills required:
1. Bias in a survey   2. Primary vs. secondary data    3. Stem-and-leaf plot  (what it is and create)   4. Tally chart and Bar graph (what they are and create)   5. Mean, median, and mode (calculate)

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Feel free to cut out this coupon!

8
Due to absences, we couldn't do one of the sensory journeys today.  It will be re-scheduled for early next week.

MATH: we wrote the 7.4-7.6 Geometry test.  Now on to Data Management!  Again, if you have experience with excel, show some tricks to your child.  

ENGLISH: we are preparing for our first book talk (any novel read since September).  Your child should have chosen a book and he or she should be spending time becoming intimately acquainted with its contents.

7
ENGLISH: tonight, your child will have to prepare the background (title, author, and brief summary) for one of the short stories read in class.  He or she will present it tomorrow (30-35 seconds).

MATH: we wrote a quiz for 5.3 (stem-and-leaf plots) and it will be coming home tomorrow.  We will be writing a test for 5.1 - 5.3 early next week (Monday or Tuesday).

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

8 

MATH: Geometry unit test tomorrow.  Check out the video below: it is a quick review of making angles.

7

MATH: 5.3 is homework (we had quite a bit of time to work on this in class, so it should be just about done).

ENGLISH: first round of book talks begins next week.  Your child may select any novel (fiction) he or she has read since September.  NO repeats of grade 6!

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

8

MATH: 
We have now finished the unit review and are preparing for our 7.4-7.6 test (This Thursday).  Your child can be reviewing the skills we have learned: perpendicular bisectors, bisectors, creating bizarre angles (60, 15, 75, 135...), and incenter/circumcenter.



7
MATH: 
Please watch the video below reviewing yesterday's quiz.  After viewing, write down the error I made on the final graph.  Then, explain to your parents/guardians the advantages associated with using a stem-and-leaf plot over a tally chart.

Monday, January 5, 2015

I had very exciting holidays.

8

Welcome back.  It was good to see so many smiling/sleepy faces.

MATH: Unit review: p. 312 #9-13.

ENGLISH: This is our final week for Sensory Journeys.  



7

Hello 7 parents + students.  Good to see the kids again.


ENGLISH: 7 word summary of the article: "The Monster Myth"