Assigned Roles

The specific assignment for each role is described in the yellow folder.

Here is the breakdown: student, role for Nov3, role for Nov6, role for Nov10, and role for Nov16.

Brandon A: Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master
Kiersten: Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master
Michael: Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder
Kyle: Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master
James: Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master
Megen: Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master
Carleton: Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master
Katie: Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master
Dustin: Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder
Crystal: Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder
Lauren: Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder
Matthew: Fact Finder, Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector
Katelyn: Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder
Shayle: Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder
Vaughn: Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master, Scene Setter
Blake: Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder
Kris: Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder, Passage Master
Galen: Fact Finder, Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector
Brandon W: Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector, Fact Finder
Reuben: Fact Finder, Passage Master, Scene Setter, Conflict Connector

Further info about the literature circles

Later in the day, even more information will follow so stay posted.

These are the literature circles. I listed the book title, the students reading it, and the reading goals - that is, how far they have to read by a certain date. The 4 dates are: November 3, November 6, November 10, and November 16. The students will be meeting in groups on that day in class, to discuss their reading and their assigned work.

Camp X - Matthew, Vaughn, Michael, Brandon Adams
Read by November 3: 1-58
Read by November 6: 9-117
Read by November 10: 118-176
Read by November 16: 177-233

I’ve Got an Idea - Megen, Katy
Read by November 3: 1-40
Read by November 6: 40-105
Read by November 10: 106-162
Read by November 16: 163-200

Voyageur - Carleton, Shayle, Galen
Read by November 3: 1-57
Read by November 6: 58-95
Read by November 10: 96-153
Read by November 16: 154-201

Run - Kyle, Dustin, Reuben
Read by November 3: 1-52
Read by November 6: 53-112
Read by November 10: 113-168
Read by November 16: 169-214

The Hydrofoil Mystery - James, Blake
Read by November 3: 1-48
Read by November 6: 49-96
Read by November 10: 97-149
Read by November 16: 150-200


Safe as Houses - Katie, Lauren
Read by November 3: 1-40
Read by November 6: 41-80
Read by November 10: 81-120
Read by November 16: 121-151


We All Fall Down - Brandon Wilcox, Kris
Read by November 3: 1-48
Read by November 6: 49-89
Read by November 10: 91-149
Read by November 16: 151-195


Trapped in Ice - Kiersten, Crystal
Read by November 3: 1-50
Read by November 6: 51-98
Read by November 10: 99-151
Read by November 16: 152-205

Each student has been given a yellow folder for this project. Each is responsible to keep this, and it will be passed in at the end of the project for a mark.

In addition to the reading, each student is responsible for 2 questions for their group on the meeting day, plus their assigned roles for the day. These roles will be assigned later today, and will be on this blog tonight or tomorrow.

This is Halloween

VACCINATION
I sent home notices about students receiving the H1N1 (swine) flu shots. Whether you DO or you DON'T want them to have the shots, please fill the forms out and return them by Friday. It will save your getting a phone call from Kathy or Janice.

LANGUAGE ARTS
Next week we are starting a project with a class in St.Catharine's, Ontario. It is literature circles, and all students are required to read a novel by the Canadian author Eric Walters. All students have received their books now, and they are required to have read certain passages by certain dates. More information on that in the next day or two.

Because of this, I am giving time in class (15 minutes daily) and assigning reading as the only homework (30 minutes a night). It is very important that the students keep up with their reading, because they are in groups, and the group members are counting on each other's participation.

UPCOMING...

November 11 - Remembrance Day, no school
November 16 or so - report cards sent home
November 18,19 - Parent Teacher conferences
November 19,20 - no school for students

Wikispaces

As part of our learning this year, we will be involved in a group project with a middle school class in St. Catharine's, Ontario.

This is our website, which is still in the process of being created:
http://cookrumsbycollaboration.wikispaces.com/

It is part of a system of websites called wikis, where many users can contribute information. This is the home address:
http://www.wikispaces.com/

I will send home an information form for you parents to know more details about this and other projects. Thank you.

Unfortunately...

Many of the students in my Mrs. P-G Social Studies class did not complete the assignment in class. That means it must be completed by Tuesday.

We took notes, which will be posted below. Then I assigned the students to look through newspapers to discover examples of empowerment. They were to find an article with an example of someone having power or authority, list the name of the article, tell me what kind of power or authority it is (strength, politics, police, judges, lobby groups, etc.), and then tell me why this is an example of authority. Students may use newspapers, magazines, or internet resources to find an article.

This is an example:

NAME OF ARTICLE
Drunkard gets 60 days in jail

KIND OF POWER
Police authority, judge authority

EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT MY ANSWER
A man was driving drunk. The police arrested him, and a judge sentenced him to time in jail.

~~~~~~~
These are the notes:

Empowerment
Grade 7 Social Studies

What do we mean by empowerment?

Empowerment is...
- Having control over your own life

- Being able to make choices about important things

- Having the right to make your own decisions

Authority gives a person the right to make decisions in a particular situation.

People who have authority include police officers, government officials, sports coaches, team captains, the principal.

Authority is like a police officer making a speeding vehicle stop. Power is like parking a culvert in front of a speeding vehicle.

Wednesday

LANGUAGE ARTS

Spelling test on Friday. Students chose their own 10 words from a list I gave out yesterday (Tuesday). They will be tested on the words they chose themselves.

Next week, Grade 7 will be writing a Provincial Assessment on reading and writing. I sent home notes to parents last week, for you to sign the bottom and return to me.

Some students are missing penpals letters, due this week.

The nature journals are due next Friday. If students had started them when they received them, which is what I suggested to them, they could be almost done by now.

6/7 Health Project

This isn't homework, but I wanted the students to know what I was looking for in this project.

6/7 Health Nutrients Project
You are to research your assigned nutrient, discovering what it does to make a body healthy, how it works, and what foods you can eat to get the nutrient into your system.

Using this information, you are to create a superhero character (example: Mr. Molybdenum Marvel). You will draw in full-colour your superhero, and then create a story in which your superhero saves the day, similar to Osmosis Jones and Drix saving Frank from a virus.

I want you to use a graphic organizer like the Shape Go Map or a mind map to organize your story. Then, you are to write a story, using such features like characters, setting, conflict and plot.

You will be marked on:
1) the accuracy of your research,
2) your artwork,
3) your graphic organizer,
4) the story itself, and
5) the presentation of your project.

This will be an in-class project, except if students need extra time at home to complete.

Happy Thanksgiving!

My favourite Thanksgiving movie is Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Despite all the horrors of holiday traffic, Steve Martin and the late John Candy have a good Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy the weekend with family, friends, food, and perhaps even your faith.

I'm not assigning new homework over the weekend, but there are a couple of things that need mentioning...

GRADE 6 SCIENCE

Project due Tuesday - presentations in class

LANGUAGE ARTS

All students received letters last week from penpals in Mauritius. I am asking that we send out our responses next week. Students have been given time in class to do this, but a few need to finish their letters.

As well, I handed out green-covered journals today. They are nature journals. The following directions are inside the journals themselves... (If you have any questions, please contact me at the school).

Nature Journal
Instructions: You are to go outside at least 10 times. You are to write 10 journal entries about where you went, and what you experienced while you were there. “Outside” includes cliffs, woods, beaches, yards, trails, fields, etc. It can be a bike ride, a buggy ride, a walk, etc.

Questions to think about: Where did you go? What did you do? What did you see? Smell? Hear? Touch?

You don’t need to write every single detail, or answer each question in each journal entry. However, for every entry, be thorough and creative.

Due: October 23, 2009

Total: 50 points (5 points per entry)

NOTE: If you lose or ruin this booklet, you are still responsible for 10 journal entries.