January 26, 2012

Grade 7 Social Studies

We read about the Mi'kmaq perspective on colonization and the pressures to change.

Grade 8 Social Studies

We wrote and corrected the chapter 5 and 6 test today.  We will begin our unit 1 assessment tomorrow.  This is part of the final exam mark, so I encourage students to put their best efforts into this assignment.

Grade 8 Religion

We discussed the definition of life and the definition of stewardship.  Students formed groups in which they will be creating a presentation on these two concepts from their own perspective.

January 24, 2012

Grade 7 Social Studies

Students continued working on their questions.  They are due tomorrow for sharing in class.

Grade 8 Social Studies

Students went through the reviews for chapters 5 and 6.  They are creating a "cheat sheet" tomorrow in class for the test on Thursday.

Grade 8 Health

Students used the time to catch up on homework and studies.

January 23, 2012

Social Studies 7

Students are working on constructing questions for one of three topics:

• New France
• Thirteen Colonies
• Rupert's Land

Students need to create one question related to the following ideas:

• cause and effect
• geographic challenges and issues
• challenges of coexistence
• demographics
• imperialism
• economic structure
• social structure

Grade 8 Social Studies

Students are working on the final chapter in our first unit.  Students are looking at how exploration and expansion affect the worldview of a society and the societies it comes into contact with.  They are looking at:

• European Imperialism
• The Treaty of Tordesillas
• the cost of Imperialism
• Expansionism and Imperialism
• the idea of Global Village

Religion 8

Students completed watching The Blind Side today.  We discussed the concept of stewardship and "What is Life".  Students will begin a project exploring their responsibility for stewardship of the earth and an understanding of how our lives are connected.

January 17, 2012

Snow Day

Busses are not running on Wednesday January 18, 2012 but the school is open and classes are running as usual.

Grade 7 Social Studies

Students worked on pages 71-74 in their textbook regarding European worldview and the effect of their desire for luxury goods on the First Nations societies.  Students also continued to work on their current event packages for the week.

Grade 8 Social Studies

Students worked on both their current events packages and their Chapter 5 packages.  They will be given a package to work on for Chapter 6 tomorrow and we will discuss the highlights of these two chapters on either Friday or Monday, depending on what is accomplished over the next two days.  These units are quick and expand on information they already learned in the grade 7 social studies program regarding technology and exploration.

Health/Religion

Students continue to work to finish up the final pieces of their Digital Identity projects.  We also watched more of The Blind Side in preparation for our next religion unit.

January 16, 2012

Grade 7 and 8 Social Studies

All students worked on a current events package on the Crisis in Attawapiskat.  This is due Friday.

Grade 8 Religion

Students are watching The Blind Side in class.  This will be used as a reference in our next unit on We believe in ...life everlasting:  Howe is my life connected?

January 12, 2012

Welcome Back!

Sorry for the absence in posting the daily activity.  We started the new year in the same fashion as we ended the old year...busy!

Social Studies 7

Students began chapter 3 this week.  They are exploring the question "What purpose did the colonies serve?".  Students have been learning about the colonies, monopolies, the differences between the French and British imperialism.

Students also worked on current events articles:

• Do Provincial Exams Hurt Alberta Students?
• Egypt Votes
• Cuba's New Credit System

Social Studies 8

Students began chapter 5 and 6 material this week.  These are quick chapters and we will likely finish this unit next week some time.  Students are reviewing and going into more depth, the reasons for European exploration (political, economic and social motivators), perspective in historical thinking, geographical thinking. 

Students also worked on current events articles:

• Do Provincial Exams Hurt Alberta Students?
• Egypt Votes
• Cuba's New Credit System

Religion

Students participated in the celebration for the St. Marguerite Feast Day.  We followed the assembly with a presentation for Mrs. MacInnes who is officially retired at the end of today.  We will greatly miss her.  During last block, students received their pretzels for the feast day.