February 28

English 9

We continue studying A Midsummer Night's Dream, reading passages, comparing movie scenes, and writing about the play. Today we analyzed Oberon's thoughts with the "What was he Thinking?" strategy. Students are reading independent novels in silent reading time. Also this week one of our classes was taken up by the Science 9 fair.  Everyone should have their opinion writing and creative 'poem' done in draft form.

English 8

Students continue reading their literature circle novels and having small group discussions, which they self evaluate. They are finishing the final copy of their survival writing, word processed.  Next is a character portrait.

Social Studies 11

Students are working on a timeline of Canada's autonomy from 1914-1931 as a review of the last few weeks when we studied World War 1 and the twenties, and also to think historically about one of the key concepts of the course: autonomy and political development.  Each week, students should be reading one chapter of the textbook. Next week, we are focussing on chapter 4, The Thirties, which students may preview this weekend. By preview, I mean students should look at all the pictures, maps, graphs, cartoons, and subheadings in the chapter.

On Monday, we looked at seven Depression Ear photos by Dorothea Lange and made notes about observations and inferences about daily life in the Depression from the photos. Here they are for those who were away or who did not have enough time.

Also homework this weekend is the autonomy timeline and choosing the top three events.  For any extra information, please see The Canadian Encyclopedia.

Our principal has ordered us a class set of additional student workbooks, a sample of which students tried today.  Thank you!

February 21

English 9

We are studying A Midsummer Night's Dream, reading passages, comparing movie scenes, and writing  about the play. Students are reading independent novels in silent reading time.

English 8

Students have begun reading literature circle novels and beginning small group discussions, which they self evaluate.  Their written responses so far have been predictions and they are finishing their survival writing drafts, preparing to word process a final copy.

Social Studies 11

TEST TOMORROW!  We have finished our study of World War One and next week move on to the Roaring Twenties.  Each week students have questions to compose and answer.
http://www.youtube.com/user/williamjeffmarshall?feature=watch

This is a youtube channel my colleague, Jeff Marshall made. If you scroll down, you will see the pre-WW1 map lesson we watched a few weeks ago and the "Steps to Canadian Autonomy in the 1920s" one we will watch Tuesday, Feb. 26.

February 14

English 9

As a pre-reading exercise for A Midsummer Night's Dream, we have been debating the question, "Should parents have complete control over their children?" What a spirited class discussion we had yesterday on that topic! Students had filled in a yellow 'Thinking Yes...Thinking No' sheet of notes for both sides of the argument prior to the discussion, and afterwards, filled in the planning sheet on the back, so they are all ready to write next class.  We will be completing a written composition every two weeks through this term, completing one step of the writing process each day. (Planning, writing, more writing, revising, and publishing.)
Tomorrow we will also begin watching A Midsummer Night's Dream.  We will watch two versions in bits and compare scenes as we read over the unit:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140379/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026714/

Please ask your child about the play and which movie versions he/she enjoys, and ask them about their writing topic of the fortnight, to use a Shakespearian term.

English 8

Student are participating in a Book Pass Review, in which they have 2 minutes to read a passage from seven or eight novels and rate them for interest level and difficulty.  Then they choose the book they want to read this term.  At the same time, this week they have completed a planning sheet on the topic of What helps you survive: hope, knowledge, friendship, or one other thing? Then they have started writing on this topic.  Like the grade 9s, we will be completing a written composition every two weeks through this term, completing one step of the writing process each day. (Planning, writing, more writing, revising, and publishing.)

Social Studies 11

This week we have focussed on World War 1: the causes, main battles for Canada, general warfare of the era, and the ending. Students completed a map of the pre-war European alliances, viewed clips from the DVD, Canada: A Peoples' History, and made notes.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1948280/

Tonight they are to go to webpages specified on their notes to find points to add about each battle a few other topics. (We lost a class today due to course selection.)  Tomorrow students will learn to make questions at literal and inferential levels and will have to answer them for Monday. On Monday, we will focus on the homefront.  At the end of next week, there will be a test on the pre-war period and WW1.

Students should be reviewing their notes or reading sections of the textbook every night.

I have also recommended that they watch the movie Passchendaele.  It does have some PG scenes, but  provides a great social history of Canada during the war as well as enriching their knowledge of the war specifics. We had time to watch only one battle scene in class.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092082/

A New Term Begins

Marks are now all in officially and report cards will go home February 20.  There was no blog last week as I was busy preparing marks for report cards.

English 9

In English 9, we are beginning our A Midsummer Night's Dream Unit.  We begin by viewing images from the play and asking questions and having class discussions and writing about issues raised in the play.  We are also practicing sentence combining to improve the quality of students' written sentences.

English 8

In English 8 we are beginning our literature circles unit on survival by having class discussions and writing about this theme, and listening to previews of the books to choose from. We are also practicing sentence combining to improve the quality of students' written sentences.

Social Studies 11

Welcome to Socials 11. We are proceeding at the breakneck speed of one textbook chapter a week, so this week we have studied the pre-World War 1 era in Canada. We have examined primary documents, viewed movies, made up questions, answered questions, and analyzed one aspect of our text book. Every week students will have notes on the learning outcomes in the chapter necessary to study for the exam.  I have asked students to review this weeks' notes on the weekend, and make flashcards on the key terms if that is their best study method.  I have also asked them to preview chapter 2 on World War 1, by which I mean look at the subheadings, pictures and maps throughout the chapter to be ready to learn about World War 1 next week.  Also, students should finish the sheet analyzing the textbook's coverage of suffrage in light of the primary documents analysed.

Dulce et Decorum Est A poem to start thinking about WW1.

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One Last Goodbye to Drama 9

Drama 9

Although Drama 9 is over now, here are some sweet thank you letters from our elementary school audience.

Letters posted in the hall.

Mini letters posted in my room.