Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Language for Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Bell Work

  • Typing Test:  10 Fast Fingers
  • Typing Practice: Dance Mat Typing
  • Please let Mrs. Sheardown know what your score was on the typing test and she will record it to update our class scores.

TEDX6

  • Please work on your TED talk.
  • You should be moving from your brainstorming to writing the transcript.
  • I need several examples to share on Thursday with our visitors so make sure that you share your writing with me on Google Docs.  (Prezi’s don’t need to be shared).

Out of my Mind

  • After reading chapter 14 and 15 post a response on your blog to the following question: Imagine that you were in Melody’s position (i.e. couldn’t speak or use sign language) and you received a computer that allowed you to talk. What is the first paragraph that you would write to your parents? What is the first paragraph that you would write to your classmates?

If by chance you run out of things to do, you can always check your spelling lists on Spelling City!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Language and Math for Monday, November 28, 2011

Language

  • We selected groups and topics for TEDX6
  • Students began brainstorming and mind mapping what their ideas and supporting details might be (using Prezi).
  • Asked to have a couple of paragraphs ready for Wednesday.
  • Students who were not finished their re-write of chapter 13 (assigned Thursday) were asked to be prepared to share for Wednesday.

Math

  • Took up Show What You Know to prepare for Geometry test on Wednesday.
  • I suggest you check out the BBC Review of Shapes in order to be fully prepared for the test Wednesday.

Friday, November 25, 2011

TEDx6 Tentative Rubric

Tentative means that this is the suggested rubric for our TED Talks.  Although it looks relatively long, if you choose your target (Level 3 or Level 4) and read through, I think the expectations are reasonable.  We will go through the rubric on Monday during class time and you will have the opportunity to suggest changes.

Please think about your TED talk topic this weekend.  Remember, it should be an idea worth spreading and it should be something that you are passionate about.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Remember–Math Test Next Wednesday!

Geometry math test will be next Wednesday!

TED Conference

image

Our TED conference will be held on Wednesday, December 7, 2011. 

As we decided in class today:

  • You may work individually or with a partner.
  • Your talk should be between 4 and 8 minutes long.
  • You must have visuals to accompany your talk (Prezi, PowerPoint, etc.)

We looked at the curriculum expectations today and I will have a tentative rubric posted some time this weekend.  We will discuss and modify it on Monday.

Math for Thursday, November 24, 2011

  • Show What You Know
  • Homework Check: Pages 42-43
  • Today’s Lesson: Chapter 3, Lesson Show What You Know (Pages 106-107)
  • Learning Goals: Unit Review
  • Additional Resources:
  • Classwork: Practice Questions 1-8, Hand in # 5, 7, 8
  • Homework Book: Pages NA

Language for Thursday, November 24, 2011

Bell Work:

Prezi

TEDX6

Out of my Mind – Homework!

After reading the rest of chapter 13, rewrite the incident at the aquarium.  Write from a different perspective than Melody’s.  Consider writing from Rose’s or Mrs. Valencia’s point of view, or even Clair or Molly.  Write both the action and the thoughts that might go through your mind.  You may use BitStrips for School.  Be prepared to share Monday morning!

Summary

  • Rose visits the aquarium with Melody, her family, and Mrs. Valencia
  • They have a good time until running into Clair and Melody
  • Clair and Melody make fun of Rose for going with Melody to the aquarium
  • Mrs. V. calls them on it and reminds them that their braces will help them.
  • Rose returns to Melody and her family.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Math for Tuesday, November 23, 2011

  1. Today’s Lesson: Chapter 3, Lesson 6 - Illustrating Objects (Pages 102-105)
  2. Learning Goals:
    • Objects can be represented as isometric drawings and as top/front/side views.
  3. Tip:  When using the isometric drawing paper, turn it sideways (landscape).  It’s easier to visualize your solids this way.
  4. Additional Resources:
  5. Classwork: Practice Questions 1-7
  6. Homework Book: Pages 42-43

Isometric Dot Paper (print and turn sideways)

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Getting Ready for TEDx6





Language for Wednesday, November 23

Bell Work:

Revise the example below using the questions below to guide your writing.

  • Did I try to use words that sound “just right”?
  • Did I try hyphenating several shorter words to make an interesting-sounding new word?
  • Did I try putting words with the same sound together (slippery, super, sonic, etc.)
  • Did I read my piece aloud to find at least one or two moments that I love?

My little brother makes a bad sound when he eats bananas. I think it is bad that he chews with his mouth open, because you can see the bananas. No matter how much I tell him not to, he does it anyway.


TED6:  Ideas Worth Spreading

Yesterday we came up with some thoughts about what might make an idea worth spreading.

  • Have a point (don’t just say this is why)
  • Motivating
  • Personal (to presenter and audience)
  • Interesting
  • Can affect a lot of people
  • Something that comes from experience
  • Opportunity to make a personal choice
  • Important to the community or the world

Here are some ideas that we came up with that might be worth spreading.

  • Be an everyday superhero
  • Examine your food (take people through the ingredient list for a food item)
  • Think about how brand choice and marketing affects you and others
  • Conserve more energy
  • Make eco-friendly choices

In groups of 3 or 4, you looked at each other’s Prezis to see who had the best start to “What is a good idea?”  Today I would like you to continue to work in groups together to improve your presentations so that on Thursday we can see several versions of what makes a good idea.  Start with the best presentation from among your group, and build on it.  Consider:

  • how are you explaining what makes a good idea?
  • are you using examples to illustrate your point?
  • does your presentation contain the points we developed above (ideas worth spreading)?
  • does your presentation contain more points or examples than the ones we came up with as a group?
  • is your presentation visually engaging (colour, movement, fonts, frames, path, orientation/angle of text)?
  • have you added images to support your thoughts?

Be ready to share (as a group) your work on Thursday.


Spelling

I have added new spelling lists for each group on Spelling City.  I have also added a geometry spelling list for everyone.  These spelling lists are due December 2.  Remember to click on the My Teacher’s Page and scroll down to look at the Vocabulary and Spelling Lists.

image


Out of my Mind

After reading the rest of chapter 13, rewrite the incident at the aquarium.  Write from a different perspective than Melody’s.  Consider writing from Rose’s or Mrs. Valencia’s point of view, or even Clair or Molly.  Write both the action and the thoughts that might go through your mind.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Parent-Teacher Interview Forms

Hello Parents,

I sent home notes with interview times (and the confirmation for the receipt of the report card – which doesn’t actually come out until Wednesday) with each student today.

If the time I selected doesn’t work for you (or the time doesn’t arrive home), please contact me at the school.  You don’t have to send back the official confirmation yet.  I just figured that it would be better to let you know before Wednesday.

Math for Monday, November 21, 2011

Bell Work:  Constructing Figures
Test:  Next Wednesday
Today’s Lesson: Chapter 3, Lesson 5 - Nets of Objects (Pages 98-101)
Learning Goals:
A net shows the faces of an object. The net can be cut out and folded to make the object
Additional Resources:
http://www.senteacher.org/wk/3dshape.php
http://amathsdictionaryforkids.com/dictionary.html
Classwork:  Practice Questions 1-7 (Hand in #4 - 2 shapes, 2 ways and 5)
Homework Book:  Pages 40-41

Getting Started Mind Mapping with Prezi

Today we will get Prezi educational accounts to allow us to do some mind mapping and make interesting presentations.

When you sign up you will need to use your “@collaborativeschools.net” email address.  I suggest copying and pasting it from below so you don’t make any spelling errors.  You will also need to use the school website address which you can also copy and paste.

www.highview.ps.yrdsb.edu.on.ca

@collaborativeschools.net

Your initial question to brainstorm is “What is a good idea?”  Try and approach the question from the perspective of “What makes a good idea?” instead of “What is a good idea that I have (i.e. like gym class every day!)?”

If you are stuck on your good ideas, expand your mind map to explain why those ideas are good ones.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Language and Math for Friday, November 18, 2011

Language

Bell work:  The results of the classes speed typing test is below.  I was impressed with the number of students who can already type at speeds of over 40 words per minute.  That was the speed that I needed to get a B grade in Grade 9 typing (back in the day).  For students who aren’t in the 30 – 40 word per minute range yet, you should try to develop your typing skills using some of the tools suggested on the Study Tools page.  Try to use all of your fingers and develop the ability to type without looking at them.  I’ll buy lunch for the first student who can beat me (64 wpm with 2 mistakes).

image

Awesome – The Three A’s of Awesome

  • We watched Neil Pasricha’s inspiring TED talk about how his Book of Awesome came to be and began working on a class list of awesome things.
  • We crashed most of our computers and the online document because too many of us were working on it at the same time, so our homework is now to come up with a list of 10 awesome things, along with short explanations of why those things are awesome.
  • We will be working toward “TED” style talks of our own.

Math

We continued working on the math from yesterday as students did not have enough time to finish it and were having trouble with constructing some of the figures. 

  1. Today’s Lesson: Chapter 3, Lesson 4 – Constructing Figures (Pages 92-95)
  2. Learning Goals:
    • Figures can be combined to create other figures.
    • A figure can be constructed using a protractor and a ruler, or a compass and a ruler, given the lengths of its sides and the measures of its angles.
  3. Additional Resources:
  4. Classwork: Practice Questions 1, 2, 4, & 6-9
  5. Homework Book: Pages 38-39  (Please have complete on Monday for a homework check).

Bell Work

Typing Test:  10 Fast Fingers

Typing Practice: Dance Mat Typing

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Math for Thursday, November 17, 2011

  1. Today’s Lesson: Chapter 3, Lesson 4 - Constructing Figures (Pages 92-95)
  2. Learning Goals:
    • Figures can be combined to create other figures.
    • A figure can be constructed using a protractor and a ruler, or a compass and a ruler, given the lengths of its sides and the measures of its angles.
  3. Additional Resources:
  4. Classwork: Practice Questions 1-4 & 6-9
  5. Homework Book: Pages 38-39

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Language for Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Bell Work:image

  • Look at the picture.
  • Come up with two open ended questions about the photo.
  • What are two open ended questions that you could ask the firefighters?
  • Please share on Google Docs 

Life Lessons from a Volunteer Firefighter

  • Watch the video (together)
  • Discuss

Responding to Interview Questions

  • Imagine that you are being interviewed by George Strombolopolous because you’ve been inspiring
    students all over Canada to become heroes.
  • He has just asked you the
    following questions, “Kids all over Canada are busier than ever. Why do you think it is so important that they try and be heroes? What do you think they should do to become heroes?” and leaned in to listen attentively to your answer.
  • Answer George’s questions. Think about how to make your answer sound like you are having a conversation and include an anecdote (short story) in your answer. Post your answer to your blog. Be prepared to share!

Yearbook Orders

Don’t miss the early bird special!
Up until November 30th: $22

Order your yearbook now!
You don’t want to miss this fabulous 72 page, full colour book of Highview memories for 2011 – 2012.(The price will increase to $30 on December 1st)
Order online at www.jostensyearbooks.ca

Please note:  There is no large surplus of books ordered so it will not be
possible to request a yearbook in June. 

Monday, November 14, 2011

Math for Monday, November 14, 2011 (Afternoon)

  1. Today’s Lesson: Chapter 3, Lesson 2 - Classifying Figures (Pages 86-89)
  2. Learning Goals:
    • Figures can be identified, described, compared, and classified in different ways.
  3. Additional Resources:
    • A Math Dictionary for Kids: This is a great resource to learn about any math term, shape, etc.
    • How to Use a Venn Diagram
    • Terms you should know (check with the math dictionary above if you come across anything else you aren’t familiar with)
      • Regular Shapes: Polygons with all sides equal in length and all angles equal
      • Irregular Shapes: Any shape which is not regular
      • Triangle: A three sided shape
      • Quadrilateral: A four sided shape
      • Pentagon: A five sided shape
      • Hexagon: A six sided shape
      • Acute Angle: Angle less than 90º
      • Right Angle: Angle equal to 90º
      • Obtuse Angle: Angle between 90º and 180º
      • Reflex Angle: Angle between 180º and 360º
      • Parallel Sides: Lines that are the same distance apart (like straight railway tracks)
      • Equal Sides: Sides that are equal in length
  4. Classwork: Practice Questions 1-5
  5. Homework Book: Pages 36-37

Math for Monday, November 14, 2011 (Morning)

  1. Today’s Lesson: Chapter 3, Lesson 1 - Investigating Angles (Pages 82-85)
  2. Learning Goals:
    • Angles can be named and sorted according to their measures.
    • Angles can be measured and constructed using a protractor.
  3. Additional Resources:
  4. Classwork: Practice Questions 1-6
  5. Homework Book: Pages 34-35

Language, Bell Work

Try this quiz to determine the main idea from short paragraphs.  Click here.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Remembrance Day

Asking Open Ended Questions

Take some time to read through Canada Remembers Times or The Canadian Letters and Images Project.   Choose one person from an article or who you have read a letter from and come up with three great open ended questions related to their experiences with the Canadian Forces.  Be prepared to share which article or person you based your question on and what your questions are.

  • Open Ended Questions are questions that require a detailed answer (not a simple yes/no or one word/short phrase response).
  • You don’t have to have answers (real or imagined for these questions)

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Math and Language for November 9, 2011

Today in Math we reviewed the answers to “Show What You Know” in preparation for the test tomorrow.  This afternoon, we began the new Geometry unit and practiced measuring angles with a protractor.

In language, we wrote introductions to celebrity interviews, completed our self assessments of our first interview and did some goal setting.  We used the rest of the time to complete book reports.  Book reports are due on Friday.

OWA–Self Assessment

Once you have finished your self assessment using the OWA rubric, complete the online self assessment and goal setting activity that is here.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Math for Monday, November 7, 2011

  1. Today’s Lesson: Chapter 1, Lesson Show What You Know - Show What You Know (Pages 26-27)
  2. Learning Goals:
    1. Work in an organized way so that your solutions show how you solve problems.
  3. Classwork: Practice Questions 1-6,10-12

Remember:  Math test is on Thursday (during the language block)

Challenge Club

On Tuesday and Thursday after school I will be hosting a challenge club for those students who need to challenge themselves a little more in order to achieve their expectations.  It will be a chance to review homework/projects/etc. and get a little extra help.  All students are welcome, those I will ask certain students who I perceive could use the extra assistance to stay behind.  Students who would like to help other students (learn be teaching others) are welcome as well.  Challenge club will run between 3:05 and and 3:25 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from now until the Christmas break, at which time we will evaluate its effectiveness.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Requests for Parent Teacher interview times have been sent home and many students have already returned their forms.  I will be available  between 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm and from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Thursday, November 24.  I will also be available on Friday, November 25th between 8:00 am and 11:30 am.  I will not be available on Friday afternoon.

If these times don’t fit your schedule, please contact me and let me know so that we can set up a different time.  Confirmation of times will be sent home with your child’s progress report on November 23rd, but if the time you have selected doesn’t work I will contact you as soon as I see a conflict (so far, everyone has been accommodated). 

Volleyball Tryouts

The final tryout for the junior co-ed volleyball team will be Tuesday morning at 7:15 am.  You can find a list of invited students posted outside the gym doors.

Interviews

The notes below are the ones we collaborated on during George Strombolopolous’s interview with Kermit the Frog.  It was a model that can help you improve your own interviews.  You received copies of your Interview with a Star, and tomorrow, we will use the rubric provided and some exemplars from Grade 6 students to self-evaluate our interviews.

Strong Interview Introductions

  • Showed a couple of clips of Kermit
  • Mentioned what he has been in.
  • Described Kermit before he entered the show
  • Strong intro will make the audience be more interested in learning about the guest

In my interview introduction

  • Acknowledge the crowd
  • Have the crowd involved
  • Greet the guest and ask how they are?
  • Make sure you give some background.

George

Kermit

  • Asked lots of questions
  • Good questions that make you want to pay attention
  • Sometimes used sentences to start conversations rather than a direct question.
  • Asked about people things that were more broad (the audience would know about)
  • Some serious questions mixed in.
  • Acknowledge the crowd
  • Kept the conversation going by not giving one sentence answers.
  • Gave examples (anecdote) – short stories to illustrate his point
  • Used humour to engage the audience

Out of my Mind–Teachers ***Homework

After we complete the read aloud, answer the following questions on your blog.

  1. Contrast (or compare) Mrs. V. With Melody’s other teachers.
  2. Why do you think that Melody’s teachers were so bad at their jobs?
  3. Do you think it was their fault? Explain why or why not.

I expect that your response will be a few paragraphs in length.  They are difficult questions to answer and you are allowed to sit on the fence (i.e. say it was the teachers’ fault that they were bad and explain with reasons, and say in some ways how it wasn’t their fault and explain with reasons).

Friday, November 4, 2011

Math for Friday, November 4, 2011

We took up a few lessons from the homework book and had a quick introduction to integers.  Integers are not a required topic until grade 7 and our purpose here was only to introduce them.  They will not be on the unit test.

There is no math homework over the weekend, though students could practice the patterning skills we have been working on so far.

Language

Today we worked on our book reports.  Most students are progressing well and all students doing newspaper book reports were successful in downloading a template to create their final copy with.  Students should continue to work in Google Docs and copy and paste their final drafts into the template in Open Office writer when they are finished.

We also read aloud from a chapter of “Out of my Mind” and had group discussions about the challenges Melody faces in attending school.

Out of my Mind

In a small group, discuss the following questions.  Then write a blog post that shares your own opinions.

  • In a world that doesn’t work for her, what seems to cause the biggest frustration for Melody?
  • How does Melody feel about school?
  • How does she fit in with her classmates and what makes her different from the rest of the children in H-5? 
  • What do you think would be the ideal school situation for Melody?
  • What do you think of Melody’s teachers?
  • What does this tell you about the attitudes at her school about teaching children with special needs?

French Rubric Due

You must bring in your french rubric nov.4

OR ELSE.....

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Math for Thursday, November 3, 2011

Warm-Up: http://goo.gl/Wm9xf (Balancing Equations)

  1. Today’s Lesson: Chapter 1, Lesson 4 - Solving Equations (Pages 16-18)
  2. Learning Goals:
    • A simple equation can be solved using a variety of strategies, including guess and check.
    • The solution to an equation is the number that makes the two sides of the equation equal.
  3. Additional Resources:
  4. Classwork: Practice Questions 1-6
    • Hand in #4 solved using GRASS method!
  5. Homework Book: Pages 8-9

Math Test: Thursday, November 10, 2011

Just a reminder that we will have a math test on Unit 1, next Thursday, November 10.  The main focus will be on using input/output machines, recursive patterns, and balancing equations (Lessons 1, 2, and 4).  We will do the Show What You Know on Monday or Tuesday next week.

Newspaper Template

If you are doing a newspaper style book report, this is a template that you can use.  Copy and paste your own text over the made up language that is already there.

Math Warm-Up

Try this challenge to get ready for math today.

A Smelly Solution

Determining Importance

Complete the two-column organizer to find the important ideas in the article A Smelly Solution from Time for Kids.

If you would like to use an electronic copy of the two column organizer, you can find one in Google Docs.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Calculators

I need to stress again that it is very important that all grade 6 students have their own personal calculator.  We need to be able to complete multiplication and division tasks quickly and try different strategies to solve problems without getting bogged down in multiple division steps etc.

Interview Format

If you’re looking for an example of an interview, check out this Time for Kids interview with author Brian Selznick.

Notice how the questions are separated and how some of Mr. Selznick’s responses are multiple paragraphs.

Photo Orders due Tomorrow

Just a reminder that school photo orders are due tomorrow!

Language

The main focus today was a self-assessment and individual mini-conference with each student to review their progress on their book reports.  Students completed a checklist and I was able to meet with all of the students doing interviews, and some of the students doing newspaper book reports.

We also worked on improving our focus in writing and read aloud from “Out of My Mind.”

Math for Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Today we had two periods of math.  During the first period we reviewed the strategies for solving problems involving input/output machines and recursive patterns.

For input/output machines, make sure that you find the difference in the output numbers.  If it is increasing by the same amount each time, this is a clue that the input numbers are being multiplied by the amount that they are increasing by each time (this is because multiplying is a shortcut for repeated addition, i.e. if the output number increases by 4 each time, it means that the input number is being multiplied by 4). 

Input Output Difference Test Test –> Input
1 5   1 x 3 = 3 3 +2 = 5
2 8 +3 2 x 3 = 6 6 + 2 = 8
3 11 +3 3 x 3 = 9 9 + 2 = 11
4 14 +3 4 x 3 = 12 12 +2 = 14
5 17 +3 5 x 3 = 15 15 +2 = 17
6 20 +3 6 x 3 = 18 18 + 2 = 20
    Means
first operation is X3
Multiplying by 3 along won’t make the output numbers The second operation must be +2

So the input/output machine that created this pattern must have the following operations  (x3) and (+2).

One you’ve found what the input numbers are being multiplied by, test your solution.  Multiply the input number by the number the output numbers are increasing by.  Do you get your output number?  If not, consider what you might need to add or subtract in order to get to the output number.

For recursive patterns, the first step is again to find the difference between each of the numbers in the pattern.  Sometimes the difference is increasing by a multiple (ie. First difference is 4, next difference is 12, next difference is 36, next difference is 108).  If you can figure out what this multiple is, that will tell you the first part of the recursive pattern.  In the example below, the change doubles each time, telling us that the recursive pattern involves doubling.  We then need to follow up to figure out how we get each number in the pattern.  In this case, after doubling, add 1 each time.

Recursive pattern:  3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 190

Values Change   Test Test 2
3        
7 +4   3 x 2 =6 6 + 1 = 7
15 +8 4 x 2 = 8 7 x 2 = 14 14 + 1 = 15
31 +16 8 x 2 = 16 15 x2 = 30 30 + 1 = 31
63 +32 16 x 2 = 32 31 x 2 = 62 62 + 1 = 63
127 +64 32 x 2 = 64 63 x 2 = 126 126 + 1 = 127
    This tells us that our recursive pattern involves doubling (or multiplying by 2 each time)   This tells us that after doubling, we must add 1 each time.

During the second math period, we learned about divisibility rules.

  • Today’s Lesson: Chapter 1, Lesson 3 - Patterns in Division (Pages 13-15)
    • Learning Goals:
      • Use patterns to explore divisibility rules
    • Additional Resources:
    • Classwork: Practice Questions 1-7
    • Homework Book: Pages 6-7

Science Tests

Science Tests on Air and Flight need to be signed by the parents and returned to class. 

Out of my Mind

In a world that does not work for her, what seems to cause the biggest frustrations for Melody?

How can you show empathy for the frustration felt by a person in Melody’s shoes?

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Why do you think the author chose the title “Out of my mind” for this book?

Think about a typical day for you. Make a list of the challenges you would face if you couldn’t speak. How would you feel?

500+ High Frequency Words

I’m sure that some of you may have lost your list of high frequency words, so I found a copy of it online.  These are the words that must be spelled correctly in your book report.

500+ High Frequency Words