Monday 29 February 2016

What We Learned Today...February 29th

The boys basketball team leading our liturgy this morning.

ELA: This morning we started the day with our usual Dystopian Book Club meetings.  Students headed to their meeting spot shortly after the assembly and had the period to work on their section four readings as well as their next blog post assignment.

Author Visit: We were very fortunate to have Canadian Author, Sigmund Brouwer visit Deshaye today to share his awesome Rock and Roll Literacy presentation with us.
 
Religion: Students were given the entire period to work on the Faith Speaker reflection from last week.


Upcoming Due Dates & Homework

ELA:

-Section Three Blog Post is overdue.

-Section Four Blog Post is due on Monday, March 7th

Math:

-6.6 handout is due on Tomorrow, March 1st 

-Math Quiz is tomorrow

-Unit 6 Exam is on Thursday, March 3rd

Religion:

-Faith Speaker Reflection is due on Friday, March 4th

-Lenten Service Package is due on March 11th

-Christian Service Hours are due on March 24th

Genius Hour:

-Essential Questions need to be ready 

Reminders:


-Grade 8 farewell parent meeting @ 7:00 (Staffroom)

-Downhill skiing is on March 4th. 

-No School on March 10th and 11th

-Report Cards go home on March 18th.

Friday 26 February 2016

What We Learned Today...February 26th



ELA: We started out the morning with an official Sorting Hat Ceremony to decide the new House Cup teams for the second term.  Will Slytherin have what it takes to repeat as champions? Only time will tell!  After we finished up with our Sorting Ceremony the students spent the rest of the period in their Dystopian Book Club groups working on their third blog post assignments.

Career Ed: Today we learned about Transferable Skills as well as Employability skills and students we tasked with writing a brief reflection about which Employability Skills they already possess.

Religion: We took a small break from our Lenten Service Booklet to work on a short reflection on the wonderful presentation we went to yesterday by Jason Evert.

Math: Students were given the entire period to finish up their textbook assignment from last class and work on the 6.6 handout.

Assembly: During the last hour of the day we had a special assembly for our week of pink as well as our usual month end assembly.

Upcoming Due Dates & Homework

ELA:

-Section 3 is due on Monday

Math:

-6.6 handout is due on Tuesday, March 1st (Wow..it feels weird writing March already!)

-Math Quiz on Tuesday

-Unit 6 Exam is on Thursday, March 3rd

Religion:

-Lenten Service Package is due on March 11th

-Christian Service Hours are due on March 24th

Genius Hour:

-Essential Questions need to be ready 

Reminders:


-Downhill skiing is on March 4th. 

Wednesday 24 February 2016

What We Learned Today...February 24th

The future Grade 9's after a great day!



ELA: This morning the students had their regular AR period before getting into their Dystopian Groups to work on their section three assignment.

Sun for a Day: After recess we traveled to LeBoldus and the students experienced what it is like to be a High School student. They had a fantastic day and I'm sure they will be coming home with tons of stories tonight. As always, the Grade 8 students from Deshaye were excellent ambassadors for themselves and their school. Thank You Grade 8's!

House Cup: After tallying all our last minute points, I am happy to announce that Slytherin has won the 2015 House Cup.  Good luck to all teams for our second round!











***Overdue Assignments*****
On Monday I gave the students sticky notes with any overdue assignments they currently have.  I have given them until Friday to complete these assignments.  If they have not turned them in by then, I will be unable to include them on their next report card.  Please check in with your son/daughter regarding any overdue assignments they have.

Upcoming Due Dates & Homework

ELA:

-Section 3 is due on Friday

Math:

-6.5 handout is due tomorrow

-Pg. 234 - 235 - Due on Thursday
a)4, 5, 6, 8, 9
b) 4,5, 9, 12, 13
c) 4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 15

Religion:

-Lenten Service Package is due on March 11th

-Christian Service Hours are due on March 24th

Genius Hour:

-Essential Questions need to be ready for Tomorrow

Reminders:


-LeBoldus Parent Night is tonight at 7:00 at LeBoldus High School.

-Please return all LeBoldus Registration forms by Friday.  (If you need an extra one, we have some at the school)

-The 7/8 classes will be attending a Faith Speaker at LeBoldus tomorrow afternoon.

-Downhill skiing is on March 4th.  Please return ski forms this week.

Tuesday 23 February 2016

What We Learned Today...February 23rd

Hard at work during our Today's Meet!

ELA: This morning we started out the day with our second Today's Meet chat.  Over the course of the hour the students chatted with students from St. Gabriel, St. Dominic, St. Marguerite and St. Augustine about Dystopia in the world today as well as the second section of their novels.

Genius Hour: We continued where we left off before the break as students continued to work on their essential questions for our second round of Genius Hour.

Religion: Students were given the entire period to work on their Lenten Service Package.

Math: After taking a brief quiz on Socrative, the students spent the entire period working on the textbook assignment from Pg. 234.

Upcoming Due Dates & Homework

ELA:

-Section 3 is due on Friday

Math:

-6.5 handout is due tomorrow

-Pg. 234 - 235 - Due on Thursday
a)4, 5, 6, 8, 9
b) 4,5, 9, 12, 13
c) 4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 15

Religion:

-Lenten Service Package is due on March 11th

-Christian Service Hours are due on March 24th

Genius Hour:

-Essential Questions need to be ready for Thursday.

Reminders:


-LeBoldus Spend a Day is tomorrow. We will be leaving for LeBoldus at 10:40 and will return shortly after 3:00.  Lunch will be provided for the Grade 8's tomorrow.

-Please return all LeBoldus Registration forms ASAP.

-The 7/8 classes will be attending a Faith Speaker at LeBoldus on Thursday afternoon.

-Downhill skiing is on March 4th.  Please return ski forms this week.



-

Today's Meet Links

Novel 

Link 
City of Ember 

https://todaysmeet.com/emberbook 
The Testing 


Water Wars 

The Maze Runner 

Legend 




Monday 22 February 2016

Videos for Today's Meet



Book 
Student Links & Questions 
Legend 
What is it like inside North Korea? 

-One Minute news (all clips below are one minute) 
Morners Punished for Not Crying http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxMrq6YTgbQ 
- North Korea Photoshops Kim Jong Il Funeral  

1. What similarities do you notice between life in North Korea and for those living in the Republic in Legend? 
2. How does June’s belief system parallel the belief system of the North Korean government? 
3.What would happen to Day if he lived in North Korea and rebelled the way he does against the Republic? 
4.What connection to the  
4.How did the Funeral held for June's brother resemble the Funeral of Kim Jong II? 
5. 




City of Ember 


Youtube video on Doomsday Preppers. Watch approximately the first 9 minutes about a doomsday prepper who was getting ready for a solar flare in 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAGUCDhKdgQ

- How are doomsday preppers like the “Builders” in City of Ember? 
-Was there anything that the builders did not consider? 
- There are many different types of doomsday preppers all getting ready for some unforeseen apocalyptic event.  
-Do you think these people are crazy or just good planners?
The Maze Runner 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnCn2VTzY90 - Lord of the Flies Trailer 
  1. What are the connections between this trailer and the group of boys in the Maze Runner? 
  2. Compare the style of leadership structured in the Maze Runner and the Lord of the Flies. 
  3. Can you see how this kind of leadership could happen in the situation in the trailer and in the book? 
  4. The kids in the The Maze Runner and in The Lord of the Flies have been forced to live as a group - comment on the perceived utopian qualities a group like this should have. How is the reality of their situation different (which is what makes their situation dystopian)? 


The Testing 

  1.  How does what the FBI is doing with airplanes and drones connect to our novel? 
  2. If the FBI claims this program is not a secret, why do you think they connected these planes and drones to fake companies? 
  3. Why do you think the FBI are flying these airplanes and drones around the country? 
  4. Do you believe monitoring of a country's citizens is okay if it means more protection for all? 
  5. How would you feel if you were in your backyard and saw a drone flying above you recording data? 

Specific questions about the book: 

  1. Do you think Ryme's corncakes were actually poisoned? 
  2. What do you think happens to students like Gill who do not pass the testing? 
  3. What do you think the third round of testing will involve? 
  4. Do you think there is any significance in the different symbols on the characters bracelets? 
  5. The first section and the second section of the book are obviously very different, what event surprised you the most in section two? 
Water Wars 
 
http://m.voanews.com/a/four-billion-people-lack-fresh-water/3188751.html  - How many people lack fresh water.  Read this brief news article as it will be used or referenced as part of our Live Chat Session #2. 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbj18_lJHO4 – What happens when a city runs out of water?  Watch this brief video as it will be used or referenced as part of our Lice Chat Session #2. 
 
Question #1 – To this point in the novel, what do you think the future will be for our three main characters….Kai, Vera and Will? 
 
Question #2 – To this point in the novel, what do you find more believable and enjoyable…the characters or the plot / story?  Is the novel what you expected it to be or hoped for it to be to this point? 
 
Question #3 – What elements of a Dystopian Society do you find present in this novel thus far? 
 
Question #4 – Why do you think Vera and Kai are so captivated or enthralled with Kai (to the point where they would make him a central part of their lives)? 
 
Question #5 – Having watched the video on the California city that actually ran out of water and what the subsequent life changing conditions that occurred for the community….does the novel seem more or less believable having watched the video (compare and contrast the two….novel and real life city).  How does the actual imagery (visual) of the “dried” up California city compare to what Stracher has created in the novel (mental imagery)? 
 
Question #6 – When you read the short news article on how many people are actually short fresh (drinking) water do you get a sense of how desperate a society might become in order to meet their basic living needs (such as fresh water usage)?  Is the theme that Stracher is developing through his main characters in “Water Wars” believable in terms of making you more empathetic and interested in water (shortage) causes around the world to this point?  Why or why not?   
 
We will run through these and other questions.