Calendar of Events

April 11 - School Council Meeting, 7 PM
April 13 - FTP Reflection #1 due
April 14 - FTP Presentation
April 15 - Zumba PM
April 18 - FTP Reflection #2 due
April 20 - Tentative Road Trip Assignment Due date
April 21 - FTP Presentation
April 21 - Poem in Your Pocket Day
April 22 - Earth Day
April 25 - PA Day
April 26 - May 2 - Ropes Climbing Course, in Gym all week, participants K-8 (details to follow)
April 27 - Indenendent Novel Study due
April 28 - FTP Reflection #3 due
April 28 - ISU Presentations
April 28 - FTP Presentation
April 28 - Dufferin Youth Festival of the Arts AM @ Compass Community Church and Girls Basketball Tournament @ ODSS AM

April is Poetry Month - In Language students will be working on different types of poems

Decimetre vs. Decametre and Converting Units of Measurement

Last week, students were discovering the difference between a decametre and decimetre. Together we found that a 'deci'metre equals 1/10th of a meter (or 10 cm's) and on the opposite end a 'deca'metre equals 10 metres. Students found measurements in the school that equaled 10 metres or more and showed this measurement in Dam, m, cm, and mm. This should be a review for most grade 7's and new for grade 6's. Converting measurements is definitely a challenging concept to attain but proves to be useful in daily life. Please feel free to encourage and support this concept at home. Thanks for reading.

As we work on converting measurements, students are encouraged to convert to units they know first.

By finding these friendly units, they can be reminded how to convert to a smaller or bigger unit.

For example,

if I asked students how many centimetres are in 11 decametre, they must first convert to what they know.

1 decametres is equal to 10 metres so...

11 decameters is equal to = 10 metres X 11 = 110.

We know 11 decametres  = 110 metres. Then we can convert to cm's.

1 m = 100 cm's (the difference is 100 and we multiply 100)

Therefore 11 Dam's = 11 000 cm's

Below is a Khan Academy video to help review converting from km's to m's to cm's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iulv2QvKwo

Students can quiz themselves and check answers with the Dam to cm converter below:

http://www.conversion-metric.org/length/decameter-to-centimeter

Distance conversions students should know by the end of grade 6/7 - millimetre, centimetre, decimetre, metre, decametre, hectometre, and kilometre

I will be giving students 6-8 questions on Monday as a check in and holding math help first recess day 3 and 5. Thanks :)

Class update

Math -We are beginning to explore fractions, ratios, percents and rate with Mrs. Neal and with Mrs. Bonter we are moving into 3D geometry - mass, capacity, volume and surface area. As well as building and decomposing 3D shapes to discuss their relationships.

For fractions, ratios, percents and rates, the Grade 7's co-relate to Chapter 2. For 3D Geometry Grade 7's can review Chapter 10 & 11 in the Nelson student workbook. Here is the link for extra practice:
http://www.nelson.com/school/elementary/mathK8/math7/studentcentre/studtryout.html#ch2


For fractions, ratios, percents and rates, the Grade 6's will be Chapter 12 and for 3D Geometry- Chapter 11  in the Nelson workbook and the link for extra practice is below:
http://www.nelson.com/school/elementary/mathK8/math6/studentcentre/studtryout.html#ch12

Science -We are beginning new units in science this week with the Grade 6s exploring Space and the Grade 7s moving into Heat and Pure Substances and Mixtures.

Language - Students are working on their Independent Novel Studies during the month of April. Some students have made trips to the library to discuss book choices with the librarian. Students can do a book they have already read, as long as it was read during this school year. Students are provided 20 minutes of silent reading everyday and encouraged to bring their book and materials to work on their novel study. They will also be provided with an hour a week to work on their Novel Studies during Daily 5.

Health - As of today, students have started a program with Family Transition Place. Breakdown of each topic can be found in a past post on the blog. Below are the titles of each lesson:
-developing healthy relationships
-technology and mental health
-asserting yourself
-managing emotions
-personal image
-gender stereotypes
-discrimination and diversity
-values and choices

Social Studies and History/Geography - This month students have been learning about the Civil Rights Movement, as our character education theme is 'untying the knots of prejudice'. We have been discussing different heroes that broke boundaries and fought against discrimination. Through written responses, discussions, and art pieces students have been showing their interest and knowledge on the topic. Students have also been working on location, mapping and direction. They will be starting road trip assignments after INS are completed.

Gym - Students are continuing to work on ball handling skills, divide and conquer games, and strong offence and defence games.

Dance - Students are participating in Zumba classes over the next three weeks.

Art - Students just finished Anti - Prejudice Posters as well as Michelangelo pieces upside down under their desks - We will continue looking at different artists throughout history and techniques they used.

Independent Novel Studies

Booklets have been sent home with information about our independent novel studies due at the end of April. Students are required to complete 2 assignments from List A and 2 assignments from List B. Feel free to ask or email if there are any questions. Students will be given time in class to work on their assignments as well as complete their novels. They will receive roughly 40 minutes a week to work on their studies leading up to the due date (Apr. 26/27/28).

By Monday, April 4th students should have their novel started. I will be asking on this day what book they have selected.

Anti Prejudice Posters

Last week students completed anti prejudice posters representing different topics discussed this month, as we've learned more about untying the knots of prejudice.

Transformational Geometry Test postponed

The Geometry Test scheduled for today will be postponed to Tuesday afternoon. The link below has a good practice test, with answers provided after completion:

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/book9/bk9i7/bk9_7i5.html

Skating before the break