September 19

Announcements:

• Great job to those who participated in Monday's x-country running meet!
• Good luck to those who went to Volleyball tryouts this week (jr. boys - Tuesday 3:10, Thursday 4:10 & jr. girls - Monday 3:10 & Wednesday 4:10)!!! 
• No school Friday, September 20th
• Terry Fox Run Friday, September 27th

Math:

We have begun reviewing numeracy skills (place value, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing). 

Students are also working on explaining their understanding using Math Talks. The most recent math talks are at the end of this presentation.

Students are learning to problem solve using many different techniques. We watched a video so they could reflect on which strategies might work for them. One of our goals this year is for students to feel like they have the confidence to try math problems and a variety of tools to tackle problems with. 

We reviewed drawing and determining number sentences (equations) using arrays (area models) and played the game "How close to 100?" to practice these skills.

Students are also getting Delta Math accounts so that they can do extra math practice from home. Students click "create student account" and enter 836582 as their teacher code.

Science:

Students learned the terms species, population, and community and worked on their Design a Community Assignment (due Monday, September 23rd). They have a check list with all of the assignment requirements. This should be handed in with their project. Assignment requirements include:

• 5 species (individual organisms)
• 5 populations (groups of the same species)
• a descriptive and creative title for the community
• lab each item in the community (10 labels in total)
• neatly and creatively displayed

We also introduced the three kinds of Symbiotic Relationships: Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism. One organism always benefits. We watched several videos and took notes clarifying which type was which. The song seemed to stick well and solidify concepts. 

We also did a scavenger hunt where students had to identify which type of relationship was in the picture and who benefitted, was harmed, or was unaffected. Students who missed this can make up time at lunch on Monday. 

Homework: What kind of relationship do the clownfish and sea anemone have? (email lebowen@cbe.ab.ca and explain how each organism is effected - at least one must benefit)

Here are some video links to learn more about symbiotic relationships:

https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=strange+symbiotic+relationships&safe=strict&tbm=vid

https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/00000144-0a44-d3cb-a96c-7b4dba4f0000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSmL2F1t81Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMG-LWyNcAs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doB6fyzoO68

September 11

Announcements:

• 1st Cross Country Running Meet Monday, September 16th, after school (make sure you have your forms in if you are participating!)
• Volleyball Tryouts Start this week (Boys - Monday, Wednesday & Girls - Tuesday, Thursday) - watch announcements for more information
• PD day next Friday, September 20th

Math:

Students worked on their optical illusions and drawings. They have to include and label the following:

• 2 parallel line segments (different distances apart)
• 2 perpendicular line segments
• 1 angle bisector
• 2 non-90 degree angles (labelled acute or obtuse)

Students are encouraged to be creative while showing how effectively they can measure and use protractors. 

Assignment is due Friday, September 13th

Note: There will be some time in class on Friday to complete these projects, but if a student requires a lot of time it is recommended that they take their project home for homework.

Science:

This week we have been introducing the new combined unit of Interactions and Ecosystems and Plants for Food and Fibre

We have made connections to our Journey 2050 field through a writing assignment about how will we feed 10 billion people by the year 2050? We also had a guest in class who connected various views of the land including indigenous views, scientific views and personal views. In this exploration we watched a video from indigenous perspective about giving thanks to the land. We participated in a sharing circle and learned about sit spot through experience (we went outside and found our own sit spot for reflection). 

Today we continued to work on making observations (facts using 5 senses) when we looked at photos of fire. Students also generated questions about fire. This led us to a discussion about Is Fire Alive? 

Many students argued that fire is alive as it:

• moves
• breathes air (requires oxygen)
• reacts and responds
• makes sound
• can effect us

We then discussed the needs of living things:

• Shelter
• Oxygen
• Food
• Energy (sunlight)
• Water

We learned the terms Biotic (bio = living) Abiotic (a = not, bio = living) and students used iPads to photograph relationships between two living things (biotic-biotic) or a living thing and a non-living thing (biotic-abiotic). They took 4 pictures and submitted them after identifying who benefitted from the relationship. 

Homework: In the photos identify the type of relationship and who benefits. Email me (lebowen@cbe.ab.ca) your answers. 

Tomorrow students will be given a photo and asked to make several observations and an inference (educated guess based on observations). 

Please take a minute to review these terms (observation, inference) in preparation.

Pancakes and Alvin Law

What a great end to the week! 

It was fantastic to see so many people at this morning's pancake breakfast and the Alvin Law presentation was incredibly inspiring!!!

If you missed the presentation this video will give you a sense of who Alvin Law is and what his many inspiring messages are.

Homework:
Send me an email (lebowen@cbe.ab.ca) with your answer to What was your biggest take away from today’s presentation?

Next week at a glance

Science: we will introduce a combined unit of Interactions and Ecosystems and Plants for Food Fibre that will relate to many of the concepts and vocabulary we learned at Journey 2050.

Math: Monday we will design an optical illusion or drawing that has the criteria explained in the September 4th post. To prepare, students have been practicing measuring angles with protractors. They are welcome to work on their designs over the weekend!

We will then begin reviewing place value and numeracy (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and using estimation skills to determine if answers make sense.

Have a great weekend!!!! See you next week!

September 4

Announcements:

• Community Pancake Breakfast this Friday (September 6) from 7:30-9:30
• Guest Speaker - Alvin Law 9:30-11 this Friday

Math:

Tomorrow, students will have an opportunity to measure the angles and dimensions of their illusions from last week to determine how precise they were. 

They will then have a chance to redo this illusion OR design an optical illusion of their choice that demonstrates an understanding of:

• parallel lines
• perpendicular lines
• angle bisectors
• measurement
• accurate drawing

Click here for full geometric construction assessment instructions.

Science:

Today we revisited the concepts from yesterday's field trip. Students who missed the trip are encouraged to complete the Journey 2050 Alternate Assignment. 

Students are writing a paragraph in Humanities tomorrow answering the following question ("How can we feed 10 billion people in the year 2050?") with details from the field trip.

To prepare for this assignment, students reflected on the sustainability barrel and discussed the ripple effect of improving one part of the barrel (e.g. soil quality) on the other barrel factors. We reviewed best management practices for urban, agricultural and natural lands. We also brainstormed many other ideas that would help sustain agriculture as the world's population grows.