Tuesday, 5 March

Today, I was a few minutes late because of a serious traffic incident in Selma Park.  I wasn't often interrupted that way during the years I drove to Pender Harbour.  Mrs.Taggert did "Bon-Bon Bingo," a number game to practice French, while the class waited for me to arrive.  Thanks, Mrs. T!  Next we practiced our knots and I introduced the class to the idea of mechanical advantage when I taught them how to tie a trucker's hitch.  We'll have to wait until next time to practice it because at 09:45 we left for the gym and the key-word assembly to showcase "COOPERATION."  I have really enjoyed these assemblies, especially the stories that get read.  This time, Mr.Paish also showed some terriffic film shorts that quickly had many of our students wondering if they could do similar things in their upcoming productions!  Do a YouTube search on Honda, The Cog.

After recess we read for 15 minutes and then did math.  In Math 7, we learned how to subtract fractions.  I covered three lessons in one and went right into the process of how to "borrow" from the whole number when necessary in a mixed number pair.  I made sure the class saw how to do it symbolically (with numbers) and also concretely (with models/shapes).  Please complete # 1-8 on page 193 for homework if you didn't get through it in class.  In you find you understand a question well, you may skip every second practice item ( ie. do 1a and 1c; skip 1b and 1d).

After lunch we read for another 15 minutes and then we did a desk/room tidy and got ready for tomorrow's art lesson and the upcoming Gibson's Public Art Gallery young artists "Shout Out" show. By participating the students will gain a wider audience for their work and a gift certificate that we'd like them to use to purchase brushes for our return to painting after our film unit.

We ended the day with a talking circle where we welcomed Thane back to class after his time away, and I took some time to share some of my thoughts about the inquiry approach to learning.  I want the class to always understand why we do what we do.  I want them to be informed and empowered to question if they feel the need.

Tomorrow is the deadline to submit the Grade 7 year-end celebration questionnaires.

I'm still tracking down my medical questionnaire for the snowshoe trip - I'll send it out ASAP.