November 28, 2011

Santa Clara Shoeboxes and Kinette Christmas Hampers

Our first donation arrived today.  Thank you for your generousity!

Social Studies 7

Many students did not have the current events completed, so I extended it to tomorrow.  It will be marked for sure tomorrow.

We began unit 2 and looking at exploration.  Students discussed four questions regarding space exploration:

1. If you were to explore space, what might be your reasons?
2. What would worry you most about space exploration?
3. What would intrigue you most?
4. You might be gone for months or years.  As you plan for such an expedition, what would be your top priority preparations?

The answers the students provided were very similar to what motivated the European Explorers to travel to new lands.

Social Studies 8

We corrected the Daylight Savings Time current events.  This included two additional topics: Alberta Elects New Premier, and Canada Has World's Best Reputation.

We then looked at reasons for exploration.  One explorer, Marco Polo, had a different worldview than many other Europeans of the time.  We discussed the geographical influences and then assigned pages 44 and 46 in the textbook to further explore factors that led to the rise of trade.

Religion 8

Students participated in an Advent Celebration today for the beginning of class.  We are asked to remember to keep Christ in Christmas and what Jesus gave us at this time.

Health 8

Students worked through the beginning of the My Digital Identity project.  Students explored what an identity is, what a digital identity is and what they think their digital identity currently is.  We then came up with a list of questions students would like to know about their digital identities:

• Can you ever delete your digital identity?
• Would people want to hack me for personal information?
• Will my texts be seen on Google?
• What other supposedly private things end up on Google?
• Is it bad that I have a small digital identity and can find much about myself?
• What else is there out there about me that I don't know about?
• How many/who can see my information?
• Do the emails I send end up on Google or Bing?
• What happens when I go on chat sites? 
• How do you cover up a post or a picture that wasn't intended?

As we explore digital identity over the next few weeks, students will hopefully find answers to some of these questions as well as come to understand what digital identity they currently have created.  They will come away from the project with ideas on how to create the digital identity they want.

November 25, 2011

Kinette Christmas Hampers and Santa Clara Shoeboxes

I have put lists on the side of my blog giving ideas of the types of items that can be sent in. 

We have one Kinette Christmas hamper to fill for a local family.  Please send in items to help them with their meals over this Christmas season.



 

We have four Sanata Clara shoeboxes to fill; a boy and girl for ages 2-4 and ages 12-14. 

I will update the lists of items if we are receiving to much of certain items.  Thank you in advance for your generosity during this time of the year.  It is always a busy time.  It warms our hearts to help those in need and helps to spread joy to others.We have four Sanata Clara shoeboxes to fill; a boy and girl for ages 2-4 and ages 12-14.

November 24, 2011

My apologies for not updating the blog this last week.  Report card time is always a busy season!

Here we go for the weekend!  Trying to keep it light with the beautiful weather we are getting.  Prime weather for putting up those Christmas lights!

Social Studies 7
Students completed their tests for Chapter 1.  They were also assigned a current events article on the Eurozone Crisis.  They were given the remainder of time in class to work on.

Social Studies 8
Students began Chapter 2, 3 and 4 material this week.  We will be working through these chapters as a section and students will be tested at the completion of these chapters.

We began with watching a clip titled Humanism Triggers the Renaissance.  In this brief clip, students were given a taste of what we will be covering in this next section.

History.com: Hummanism Triggers the Renaissance
We then looked at an example of an idea revived due to humanism.  Students watched The Cave: An Adaptation of Plato's Allegory in Clay.  We talked about how that idea relates to knowledge today.

Finally, today we discussed the Crusades.  Students read pages 41-42 in their textbook and watched the following video:

Students explored why the Crusades happened, why knights were eager to participate, and the effects this had on European society.

Students were asked to read pages 39-40 and 42-43 to further explore the connection to trade. 

Grade 8 Health

Students are beginning a new inquiry unit.  It is called "My Digital Identity".  Students will be exploring what their digital identity is, how it is created and how to create the one they want.  Today we discussed why it is important to know what digital identity is and how it can affect us in the future. 

You can access the project at the following site:

My Digital Identity

Parents will be asked to help students with aspects of the project.  Information to support the project can be found on this site.

November 18, 2011

Students were given their progress reports.  All students were asked to look over their progress reports to ensure all marks were recorded correctly and to note any missing assignments.  I will accept late assignments until Tuesday, but the student needs to come at lunch time to mark the assignment with me.

Social Studies 7

Students continued to categorize the roles of men and women in the decision making process, the use of the land and technology for the three Aboriginal groups.  We will complete the chart on Monday to prepare students for the open book exam on Tuesday.

Social Studies 8

Students corrected their current events on the Eurozone Crisis today.

Health 8

Students presented their Study Skills projects today.

November 16, 2011

Grade 7 Social Studies

We finished going through the Mi'kmaq information and summarizing the role of men and women in decision making, technology and their use of the land.  Students will begin the process for the Anishinabe tomorrow.

Grade 8 Social Studies

Students worked on their next current events article, the Eurozone Crisis.

Grade 8 Health

Students are completing the creation of the presentations for Study Skills.

November 15, 2011

Grade 7 Social Studies

Students went through the story summary process for the Ehep Legend.  They are encouraged to use the story summary process when studying the Mi'kmaq creation story for their unit test.

Grade 8 Social Studies

Students wrote their Chapter 1 test today.

Grade 8 Religion

Students began watching Father Catfish's homily from Sunday and wrote five sentences to summarize the lesson. 

November 10, 2011

Grade 7 Social Studies

We went through the review for the test next week.  I have tentatively set the date for Thursday, but will adjust if necessary to make sure the pace of the material we cover next week is good for the students.

This is the PowerPoint we have been working on in class.  Students have a handout to go with it.  If they are missing any details on their handout, they can update their information using this:

Aboriginal societies

View more presentations from kscheidy

Grade 8 Social Studies

We corrected the definitions and effects handout.  We went through the review to clarify and see if students had any questions for the test on Tuesday.

Homeroom

Students had Daily Physical Activity today.

November 9, 2011

Social Studies 7

Students began reading through materials on the Mi'kmaq and their creation story to understand the following elements of their group:

1. Technology
2. Social Structure: decision making
3. Social Structure: government
4. Social Structure: roles of women
5. Use of Land
6. Creation

Students will continue with this tomorrow and complete the process for the Anishinabe and Haudenosaune next week.  Students have also received their review guide, or will receive it tomorrow to help them prepare for the Chapter 1 final next week.

I will post the PowerPoint tomorrow.

Social Studies 8

Students continued to work on their reviews and assignments.  We will go over them in class tomorrow so they have all their materials to study over the weekend.

Health 8

Some groups began creating their presentations today.  Some are still trying to finish their research.  Students will have tomorrow and Tuesday to finish their creations.  We will present on Wednesday.

November 8, 2011

Grade 7 Social Studies

Students marked The Occupy Protests today.  We spent the entire class discussing the division of wealth, the reasons why some businesses are bailed out and others are not and how the 2008 housing crisis occurred.  We also went over the analysis of the protester picture, clarifying what is an observation (clue) and what is a conclusion (inference).  Some students chose to take the current events home today to "tweak" their answers for this part of the assignment.  They are due tomorrow.

Grade 8 Social Studies

We discussed The Occupy Protests current events assignment today.  We clarified what a "clue" (observation) is and what a "conclusion" (inference) is.  Students often mixed these two items up when completing the assignment.  We will continue to work on this critical thinking skill as the year continues.

We also went through a PowerPoint presentation to summarize/review the key points in the second half of the chapter.  Students have copies of the PowerPoint and were encouraged to make notes from our discussions in class.  This is a good study companion for the upcoming unit 1 test, which I have now moved to Tuesday.  I gave the extra time so we could review more in class.

Medieval ages

View more presentations from kscheidy

Grade 8 Health

Students worked again on their research for their health inquiries. Their research is due tomorrow and they will begin creating their group presentations.

November 4, 2011

Social Studies 7

We did not run our regular class due to the volleyball pep-rally.  Go TIGERS!

Social Studies 8

Students worked on the assignments that are due next week.

Health 8

We did not run our regular class due to the volleyball pep-rally.

November 3, 2011

Social Studies 7

Yesterday we had Adrian LaChance, an Elder's helper from the Plains Cree, come to speak to us about the culture of his group.  He shared with us a lesson on The Circle of Life and performed a dance for us.  Mr. LaChance spoke about the relationship with the land and how the Plains Cree view everything as a gift that they are given from the Creator.  He spoke of Mother Earth and our responsibility to Her; how water is viewed as medicine and they don't use it wastefully, how we need to unconditionally love each individual for their talents, as well as many other lessons.

Today we talked about his presentation.  Students identified what they liked, what they learned, and what they would have liked to see to make it more educational for them.  We then began a review of key concepts Mr. LaChance covered in his presentation, such as culture and pluralistic societies.  When we have completed the PowerPoint presentation I will embed it in the blog.

Students continued to work on the current events about energy drinks.  For those who finished they began the next article on The Occupy Protests.  This one is due Monday.

Social Studies 8

Students were given review packages for unit 1.  The unit test will be next Thursday.

Health 8

Most students have handed in their pathfinders for their research on study skills. They have now started their research.  The research will be due Tuesday and they will begin creating the group presentations on Wednesday.





November 1, 2011

Social Studies 7

Students were assigned a new currents events reading on energy drinks.  They are exploring what the manufacturers, experts and society in general say or feel about them.  They are also looking at what Health Canada is recommending to change in regards to them.

Students worked on creating powerful questions for our guest speaker, Adrian LaChance.  The have been asked to create questions which focus on the economics and social structure of Plains Cree tribe, their decision making processes and how Confederation impacted them.  The criteria the questions should meet is as follows:

• gives you lots of information
• specific to that person
• open-ended
• may be unexpected
• not easy to answer
• respectful

The students are coming up with great questions.

Social Studies 8

Students were assigned a new currents events reading on energy drinks. They are exploring what the manufacturers, experts and society in general say or feel about them. They are also looking at what Health Canada is recommending to change in regards to them.

Students are working on defining the rights and responsibilities of the different social classes during the medieval period.  They are then looking at their own rights and responsibilities in the home, school and community.  Students are also composing a poem about the life of a commoner during the medieval era.

Health 8

Students continued working on their pathfinders for the Health inquiry on study skills.  We are finishing the retrieving phase of the inquiry model and moving into the processing phase.  This is where students are beginning to gather the information from their resources to answer their questions.