We are learning about the upcoming federal election in class, and used an interview with Canadian satirist Rick Mercer to help us understand some issues. The WWA for this week is to reread the interview (students should have a copy in their agenda front pocket), and answer questions about it. Many of the questions ask you what YOU think. Ensure that your thoughts are clearly explained–support your answers.

Students may choose to write on a hard copy (provided to them in class), or online. The document has been shared to your HWDSB Google Drive account. Remember to copy it before beginning your work!

[gview file=”https://read.commons.hwdsb.on.ca/files/2015/09/RickMercerArticle.pdf”]

We don’t have a new assignment this week, but will instead work on work started in the class. The priority is finishing the “hand art”. Some students have quite a lot to do, and have taken this home. (Others are finished… that’s how it goes 🙂

The other item students can work on is their “Kahoot”. This is an online quiz which we play from time to time. Each student was given a photocopied quiz with 15 general knowledge questions, from which they may choose 10. If they like, they may add 3 of their own questions at the end.

Students will get Tuesday’s computer period to work on this, and I am confident they can finish it within that period, as many were almost done during today’s period. However, many students were eager to keep working at home, which I would never discourage 🙂 Kahoots should also be finished on Friday, but we’ll start playing them when they’re ready.

Please note: The book from which I took the quizzes is British, and some of the questions are quite focused on Great Britain. Feel free to skip those (you need to do 10 out of 15, so 5 may be skipped), or change it to a comparable Canadian question! I had hoped to alter questions before distributing the pages, but ran out of time….

In order to develop the students’ writing skills, they will be required to complete a home writing assignment each week. The topic will be given on Friday and the finished piece will be due the following Thursday.

Writing can be difficult to edit and revise in the classroom. Even with our smaller number of students, the teacher student ratio is problematic, as editing and revising is time consuming. So, if you are able, and it works for you and your child, I would encourage you to help him or her through part of the writing process, as outlined below. Assignments should be at least two paragraphs in length. Students are welcome to write more, depending on their interest and ability level.

Suggested process for completing home writing assignment:

1. Student works independently at first, reviewing assignment requirements and doing necessary research. Student then brainstorms ideas and has a loose working organizer of what he or she will write about. Students may organize their thoughts on lined paper, or may use a graphic organizer.

Note: How the organizing is done depends on the child. Many can organize their thoughts in their head and don’t need to plan on paper. However, if written thoughts are coming out in a heap of jumbled and disconnected phrases, students probably should take the time to make a written plan first.

2. Once preliminary thoughts are organized, the student then completes his or her first draft on lined paper or on the computer. When the student is finished his/her first draft it should be reread independently, allowing the student to catch their first mistakes. I find it helps students to reread their work aloud and correct it as they go.

3. At this point you may wish to help your child with the editing process. Please make revisions directly on the sheet, or by sitting together at the computer. Only the final, polished copy needs to be submitted.

I look forward to reading the students’ selections. I am sure that we will see strong growth in their writing as the year progresses.

Assignments may be emailed to eread@hwdsb.on.ca. Hard copies are fine too.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation…

Write a theatre review of either Buchanan Park’s Opera performance of La Boheme (program was sent home with students today), or the performance of Oliver which we saw today.  The program was not available yet, but I’ll try to get one over the weekend and scan it in. In the meantime, here’s a link to a review found online: link

Here is a list of things that we brainstormed in class which would be helpful to include:

1. Acting, singing and dancing
2. Set design, lighting and audio
3. Costumes and props
4. Music–refer to the performance of the live band in the pit

Discuss the various elements, highlighting what was effective, or that which could have been improved upon.

Your “voice” can shine through on the review, by the way. We looked at this review in class, which shows the personality of Gary Smith, Spectator reviewer quite clearly. link You may, however, choose to take a more formal approach if you wish.

This WWA will be a bit longer, so I will give class time on Monday  as well.

Note: Grade 7 had a lot of history to finish, and so (once again) this WWA is optional for them.

This week’s assignment: create a Rube Goldberg machine in the same style as the original cartoons. What is a Rube Goldberg machine? It’s a complex contraption created to do a simple task. Here are some samples:

Please follow the same format: a drawing with the steps labelled from “A” to whatever letter you finish on. Explain the steps on the left hand side.

http://rubegoldberg.com/home

You can see more examples in the gallery section of the Rube Goldberg video. Here’s the video we watched in class:

First off, Let’s Talk Science participants, this is optional for you! You should be studying the handbook and getting ready for the big day which is on May 21!

For the rest of you… yesterday I bought the little book which is pictured above. It is full of writing prompts which is encourage creative and divergent thinking. Your assignment is to answer the following questions in a clever way. By all means, talk to your parents for ideas if you need to.

#1:  List seven things you brought along on the camping trip that people doubted at first, but now they’re glad you brought.

#2: You are watching the water. The person next to you says the sound of a boat horn is the most evocative, comforting, and lonely sound in the world. Name five sounds that you find even more evocative, comforting and lonely.

(Remember, “evocative” is an adjective meaning “bringing strong memories, feelings or images to mind.”)

In class we looked at a slideshow which featured clever (but fake) ads. Your next WWA is to create a new ad in the same spirit as those we saw in class. We’ll post these in the bulletin board in our classroom.

Here are some examples to jog your memory and to inspire you:

No WWA this week. However, the ‘Homework Club’ is encouraged to compose two questions and answers (with page number references) from the ‘Let’s Talk Science’ handbook. We will use the to help us quiz.

http://www.letstalkscience.ca/images/Programs-Resources/Challenge/LTSC-Handbook-2015-Jan30-sm2.pdf

Example:

Q: The study of electric charges in motion is known as this:

A: Electrodynamics (p. 108)

Grade 7, please see the instructions from last week. Use the rhyming website and pick a winner!

Grade 6: You will have the pleasure of completing an EQAO practice question. Plan before you write. Remember that you will receive two marks: one for organization and ideas, and another for your use of spelling, grammar and punctuation.