Update: Independent Project Presentation Coming Up!

Hello Everyone,

Quick post about some important things coming up!

Independent Projects:

Now we are into crunch time! I enjoyed watching many of you beginning to build dioramas, make handouts, create PowerPoints, make cartoons, write explanations, and more to display your information. Great work! 

PLEASE think about how your presentation will be interactive. On the day of presentations, you will be set up around the room and visitors will come through to look at all the tables. They may not have time to watch an entire PowerPoint! What visuals will be up around your station or attached to your table so you get their attention? Each of you will have a sign with a name and your topic, but the rest is up to you.

REMINDER: All handouts, brochures, zines, etc. that need to be photocopied must be to Ms. D by Thursday morning.

REMINDER: Your bibliography must be printed and visible at your station on presentation day.

INVITE: Tell your parents that we are doing the presentations from 12-2 on June 23rd, Friday, We will have lunch early, then set up, followed by clean up and free choice time to celebrate.

Deep Cove Kayaking Tuesday, June 20th:

We are off to Deep Cove on Tuesday! Yay! Please note the following to prepare for the trip:

Be on time, we leave at 9AM so we can go find parking, get settled, and check in for our 10:15 kayaking time.

Eat a breakfast with a protein and good carbs, so you are ready! We are on the water for two full hours from 10:15-12:15.

 

Bring a small snack you can have when we arrive, before we get in kayaks.

Bring a lunch to have afterwards, as well as something you can sit on, such as a towel or small blanket. No beach chairs or bulky items please. Make sure everything in your lunch is disposable. If you have cold items, don’t forget to put in a cold pack.

Don’t bring valuables please. Backpacks will be left in the hut at the beach, but I don’t want any valuables. No cameras or phones left behind in backpacks. If you have those items, we should probably lock them in the car. You won’t be able to take pictures while boating because you have a paddle in your hands. We will potentially get wet while boating.

Dress appropriately. We go rain or shine. Look at the weather report. Wear light shirts and jackets that can comfortably go under a life jacket. Shorter jackets are better because you sit down inside the kayak and you will be more comfortable. Do not wear heavy clothing such as jeans or bulky coats! 

Wear water resistant shoes! We will get our feet wet when getting into the boats because we enter from the beach. Water shoes that are snug on your feet are best, because flip flops often come off when trying to walk in the water. No runners.

Bring a change of clothes just in case: You may get wet and want to change.

Wear sunscreen, even if it is raining! The water creates a glare, so even when it is cloudy or raining you still need it. Put it on before you come to school.

Bring a hat and sunglasses that will stay ON. You don’t want to lose your hat or glasses out on the water, so make sure if you wear a hat that it is not uncomfortable, it is secured, and you can wear it the whole time, or don’t wear them. There’s not a place to put anything in the boat.

Partners: If your parent is coming with us, you are partnered with them. Otherwise, you are with an assigned partner, as we are all in double kayaks.

Bring water! — for both after the boating and for lunch.

After we boat: From 12:15-1:15, we will be having lunch and then, depending on how many parents are with us and how quickly you eat, having a small group go to the playground, another to go walking at the beach, and a small group that can go up the street for ice cream if they want. If you bring money, put it in a plastic sandwich bag and keep it in a pocket on you, not in your backpack. BUT, we all need to meet back at 1:15 to get ready to leave.

LEAVE AT 1:15! We will all meet at the grass area near the beach at 1:15 and leave no later than 1:30 from Deep Cove to return to school, just so we beat any traffic.

See you next week!

Ms. D

Independent Projects and Other Work

Hello all,

Thank you to those of you who submitted your work by the deadline. Well done! Kaloo Kalay!  ðŸ™‚

Please check your g-drive to see if your work went through. Some of you did not give permission to view your files, so I sent you a message asking for permission. I will let you know which projects I was able to see tomorrow.

I know you had a band interruption today, but everyone should still be able to complete what they need to by Wednesday. I will give you as much time as possible tomorrow, with iPads in the morning and laptops in the afternoon.

There are many of you who haven’t submitted your independent project items. I am not going to hunt you down, so it is up to you. You have had enough time to get the beginning parts done of bibliography, notes, Q&A, and primary research. If you don’t have it done by Wednesday, this affects your science, socials, and LA marks.

Same goes for Disasters and French presentations, which we hope to finish tomorrow.

Thank you everyone!

Ms. D

 

Monday, June 12th Update – Submit Independent Project Stuff!

Hello Everyone,

Priorities for tomorrow:

  1. Submit independent project bibliography, notes, primary research, and Q&A. Use this link to provide a copy to Ms. D  It is due end of day Monday, June 12th.
  2. Finish Math Units — I have photocopied more tests for you. If you were working from the marking booklets before, please use a photocopy now. If your booklet or test is not there, then do not do those units. Units counted for report card are due June 14th, Wednesday.
  3. Finish and edit your report card reflection on the e-port. Must be done by Wednesday June 14th.
  4. Begin Mask Poem — Instructions to come tomorrow on how to do this and a rough, rough draft should be done for Wednesday EOD. But, priorities 1-3 are more important if you haven’t finished them yet.
  5. Work on Independent Project Presentation. Make a list, at least, of what supplies you may need from me to help you finish. Post information about your primary research or what you have learned in your Q&A on your e-port for Mom and Dad to see.

Thank you and have a good Monday!

Ms. D

End of Year Projects Q&A — June 8th

Hello everyone! Sports Day tomorrow, with 1:30 PM dismissal! Don’t forget to wear your colours, sunscreen, hat, etc. and bring water and snacks! The school also has a new phone number posted on the school’s website!

Here is a Q&A to help as we get down to the last-minute details of the final weeks!

When is the self-reflection for report cards that we put on the E-Portfolio due?

Please finish self-reflections, edit, and add detail before Wednesday June 14th.

When will we do the BOB Competition?

Originally it was for June 12th, but we are going to re-schedule to give you more time to work, as many of you will need it given how you say you are doing to present. So, we will have the BOB competition on Friday, June 16th. Please make sure you have read a minimum four books by Wednesday, though, so I can document your reading.

Where do I submit my Independent Project stuff?

Your typed bibliography, questions and answers, primary research notes, and any research that you have in digital format should be submitted to this link. Please put your name on the files. Make sure you give Ms. D permission to view. Let me know you have posted it. 

What HAS to be typed up for the independent project?

Your bibliography, questions and answers, and primary research interviews/labs/observations need to be typed. If you don’t have your notes typed, that is okay, but make sure they go in the INBOX.

When is the independent project due?

Independent project bibliography, questions and answers, primary research, and notes are due by end of day Monday, June 12th. Presentation due Friday, June 23rd.

Can I start working on my presentation for the independent project?

You bet! As soon as you have submitted the items due June 12th, then go for it! Make sure you tell Ms. D what your presentation format will be. If you need supplies, please let me know. 

When is the independent project presentation?

June 23rd, Friday, 12:00 – 2:00 PM. Parents and family, members of our community, and some administrators will attend at some point during that time.

Will I get more class time?

Yes! We will focus on independent project presentation prep, finishing math, and our masks project over the next two weeks. You will have time Mon-Fri the week of June 12th, and then Monday, Wednesday, Thursday the week of June 19th. Some time may have to be spent at home if you don’t use class time well, though.

What if I have a handout or brochure I want to pass out to people at the presentation?

Fantastic! Can you make sure to get it to Ms. D by Thursday morning June 22nd so I can photocopy it for you? Otherwise it may not be ready for the Friday presentation.

Can I have more than one type of presentation format?

You can do it any way you want, but be realistic. You only have so much time. For example, if you are planning a comic, keep it simple as that is a lot of drawing. If you are planning a website, keep it simple as it takes a lot of time. Please make good decisions.

What needs to be on my E-Portfolio?

You should be putting some notes, thoughts, reflections, and/or pictures about your independent project on the e-port. Thank you to everyone who has already! You also need to document your mask process, so make sure to take pictures and describe what we are doing!

When we will continue working on masks?

Tuesday: Finish sanding and paint base coat. Wednesday-Friday: some time to do painting. Tuesday June 21st fit masks on and begin to wrap it up! 

When are all math tests due?

Whatever you finish by Wed. June 14th is what I will use for report cards; however, you are welcome to continue if you like. 

When will we finish presentations for Disasters and French?

No problem. We are almost done with Disasters and will do four more presentations on Tuesday June 13th. Then we will do French and hopefully finish by EOD Wednesday.

What are we doing for our end of year party?

On June 28th, we will have ice cream sundaes and playing games. Everyone has volunteered to bring things. We have also decided to work on MACCadia and other free-choice activities the last week. Please have a swimsuit/towel handy in case we need a water park break.

When do we get certificates?

At the Recognition Assembly on Tuesday, June 27th, 9:15 AM. Parents can attend. 
Grade 7 Leaving Assembly is Wednesday, June 28th, 9:15 AM.

When do we get report cards?

June 29th on the last day of school. Please only come 9-10 AM.

And if I have more questions?

Put them in the comments and I will answer!

🙂  Ms. D

 

Getting Beyond the Poster and Trifold….

Hello Everyone!

Tonight’s tasks: Finish your report card reflection, work on Math if you need to, remember to bring any library books you still have, and dress in red for tomorrow’s Sports Day Spirit Colour. Get any French quizzes and Math Tests completed signed by Mom and Dad.

Independent Project — Time to Think About Presentations:  

Many of you are starting to finish up your research. Reminder that your questions, answers to the questions, bibliography, notes, and primary research are all due on June 12th, Monday.

Start thinking about how you will present, as the key thing we will work on for the next two weeks is your presentation! Remember our student-led conferences? We talked about what made that interesting, and the key word is: INTERACTIVE. When guests are walking around and talking to you and your classmates, they will probably not read an entire essay or watch a whole PowerPoint. They want to hear from you!

So, think of all the interactive ways you could display your information! I know we all feel comfortable doing posters, trifolds, and PowerPoints, but there are other options to consider. Remember that the best learning happens when you step outside of your comfort zone a bit and do something different!

Here are some ideas you talked about in class, and each of these can be used to display the awesome information you found and serve as a talking point for you!:

  • Diagrams, Charts, and Graphs
  • Website
  • Comic
  • Puppet Show
  • Song (recorded and then have earphones for people to listen to it)
  • Drama Skit or Dance (videotaped or in person)
  • Diorama or a Model (in a box, on a cardboard platform, with clay, out of paper, using toys, etc.)
  • Doing an Experiment, live, so people can see it!
  • Making a game people can play (like a marble maze that can be played, but involves learning about your topic OR a handout that has a game people can play to find out more information.)
  • Having things people can touch and/or sample
  • Brochures and Handouts (Ms. D can photocopy, you just have to make one and then fold the photocopies!)
  • Stop Motion Video using iPad
  • Book Creator Brochure on iPad
  • Puppet Pals Presentation on iPad
  • Having something people can build or do at your station
  • iMovie
  • Art (Painting, Drawings, Sculptures, Poetry)
  • Business Cards to hand out (with the address for your website, or some key facts you learned)
  • Decorative items for your station related to your topic (a sign, brochures you found while you did research, a plant, toys from home)

Along with your presentation, your station will have a white cardboard label with your name and topic, and you will need a printed copy of your bibliography where people can see it. It can be a good idea to print it out then glue it to a colourful piece of paper.

June 9th SPORTS DAY! Don’t forget to wear sunscreen and bring lots of water for Sports Day on Friday!

Thank you,

Ms. D

Ultimate, Masks, Projects, and Reflection!

Hello Everyone,

Great work today during ULTIMATE! We had a great time out in the sun! Thank you to Ari, my past student, who volunteered to do a free outreach program with the kids. He is the co-owner of a business called Elevate Academy. They have summer ultimate camps at Champlain Community Centre nearby if anyone is interested. Ari said he will send me a flyer for class. He gave everyone wristbands, too! Thank you for your participation today.

Please finish up some math! Work on the “Show What You Know” assignments and unit tests, so you finish a minimum of two units this term for your report cards! For many of you, this means pretty much finishing the grade-level book so you are ready to move on to new material next year. If you are in grade five, I will be communicating your level and what you have finished to Mr. Gaitens. Those continuing with me, I will be doing a fall assessment and we will then figure out where to start you next year, as the math activities will be different from your first year to avoid repetition.

MASKS are coming along! Many of you did the spackle today, and hopefully will have time to sand either tomorrow or Monday. If you are still working on plaster, you are behind and need to get going to catch up, as spackle can’t be put on until all the plaster is finished. Consider simplifying your design if it is not working out the way you planned, so you can meet the time deadlines. This is fine and is part of the design process! Finishing within a certain timeframe is part of the design process, too!

REFLECTIONS — Please do the self-reflections I sent home today ON PAPER, then show it to me and we will be doing our final reflection for the E-Portfolio and Report Cards. Do not get any help at home, thank you, as this is your own personal reflection piece. You can wait and do the “I CAN” statements in class, as I have the posters for it.

LIBRARY BOOKS: All personal library books are due. If you have books for your project, then that is okay and Ms. Ho has extended the deadline for you.

Have a great day! Stay cool, wear sunscreen, get hydrated, take breaks in the shade, and wear appropriate clothing so you don’t overheat!

Ms. D

Update Monday June 5th!

Hello Everyone!

Well, I hope you had a lovely weekend! Mine was full of dance shows, preparing for end of year, and looking at my calendar with all of its colourful dates like rainbow freckles all over the month of June! We still have quite a few things to do…..

So, here are some updates and reminders for you to stay on track, okay?

Environmental Disasters Presentation: Did you submit your presentation, notes, and bibliography to me via the link? Thank you! Now, be ready to present at some point during the week.

French Weather Report and Quiz: Did you submit your presentation via the link? Thank you! Now, be ready to present it at some point this week. We will have our French Quiz tomorrow.

Masks:  They are looking great! Monday: Continued Construction, Tuesday: Spackle, Wednesday: Sanding and base coat, Thursday: Begin Painting. We will also be writing a poem that allows our mask character to come to life, and we started this thinking in class last week. Think about what you want your character to say!

Microscopes: We have the microscopes all this coming week, so if you want to investigate with them, they are still available and will be out to use.

Sports Day: On June 9th. Blue Team wear blue tomorrow!!! Other colour teams will be each day this week, so find out your day!

Fake News: You received a handout which was a checklist to follow when reading the news. Is it fake news or not? Your task for the weekend was to find an article and try the checklist on it. 

Independent Project: I am giving more time for you to finish your notes, research, and bibliography. Have everything done by June 12th. If you are already done, then you can begin working on how you will present your information. We will talk together in class again about the best ways to present, but start to think now about what format you think would be best for you. Presentations are June 23rd, Friday, 12-2 PM.

Math: We will be doing Pickle Math during the week, and you need to finish up at least two units of math by June 12th. (I extended the date.) BTW, if anyone participated in the Gauss or Abel and had high scores for the District, I reported these to you and they are posted on the math website for the District. Congrats to Kane, Jay, Matthew, Michael, and James who all had mentions on the website for top scores District-wide. At our Recognition Assembly the last week of June, we will give out participation certificates and special recognition to those in the top 25% at our school!

BOB: Did you get your recent BOB questions in to me? Also, make sure you have read a minimum of four books for our competition on June 12th or 13th. I will be asking you to write a quick synopsis/review of your favourite book using Book Creator.

Ultimate!: Ari is coming on Tuesday June 6th for gym to do some ultimate with you! So, be prepared for running that day. Good running shoes are required, and a snack at recess!

End of Year Party: Our student committee will need to report on their ideas Tuesday June 6th so we know what we are doing on the 28th of June for our end of year party.

Reading Around the World: Last call to submit your folder for inclusion in the free lunch! Congrats to the two students who have completed it, Patricia and Anisha. Please get it in by Friday, June 9th.

MACC Awards: Yes, we will be doing MACC awards for grade 4/5 again. More info on this to come!

Maker Faire: I am going to Vancouver Mini Maker Faire  Saturday June 10th at 10:00 AM. If you want to be there when I am, feel free to come! I am not there to supervise, so you will need to come with parent supervision. But, if you go, you can point out to me some cool things I should notice! Get your tickets online and get 20% off.

 

Deep Cove Kayaking: Please remember we are at Deep Cove all day on June 20th. Reminders to parent drivers will be sent out soon. We will go over in class what to wear and what to bring.

Files on Google Drive and on Ipads Disappear End of Year: While your e-portfolios will continue to exist and you don’t have to worry about them, Google Drive accounts and iPads are cleaned out over the summer. If you have any files on there you care about, make sure you download/upload a copy to personal USBs or Google Drive accounts. 

Last Week’s Fun: Please have a swimsuit/towel available in case we decide to go to the water park. Also, we will likely have some open Free Choice activities, time to work on MACCadia, and other fun things to do that last week.

18 days and one hour left…………

Thanks,  Ms. D

 

 

Self-Assessment for Report Cards Term Three – Please Read

Self-Assessment and B.C. Core Competencies (SKILLS):

As we transitioned into a new curriculum in B.C., we also introduced the Core Competencies, which are a set of skills that help us be successful learners — not just in school, but for life.

Sound familiar? That’s because even before we had the Core Competencies, in Ms. D’s MACC class we were talking about the Learner Profile. The Learner Profile gave us some words we could use daily to focus on being better learners. By working on being knowledgeable, open-minded, a thinker, an inquirer, a communicator, caring, a risk-taker, reflective, balanced, and principled, we can gain skills that will help us through life!

The B.C. Core Competencies are skills used in K-12, across disciplines, and in all types of school work and interactions. The skills are organized into the follow areas: Communication, Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Positive Personal & Cultural Identity, Personal Awareness & Responsibility, and Social Responsibility.

Each of these areas has a set of “I can….” statements associated with it, so students can have the language to do self-assessment on how they are developing these skills. While we, as teachers, will guide students in these areas, we will not be assessing them. The students will do it! There isn’t a “mark” for this. It is an opportunity for students to reflect and be involved in reporting.

For our class, the self-assessment will appear as reflections in the E-Portfolio, and students will also play a role in providing input to the final report card. Earlier this month, I sent parents information on how to access the E-Ports, and there will be a specific link provided on the report card.

On Friday, to help with the process of assessing, we took our Learner Profile words, put them on chart paper, and then organized the “I CAN” statements from the BC Core Competencies around each word. We discovered that it was very easy to continue using these simple words to sum up the larger listing of skills under each area. So, when you read your child’s self-assessment, you will see both Learner Profile words and “I Can” statements from the Core Competencies.

If you have any questions about this, please feel free to talk with me. Please also see the Ministry’s information about Core Competencies.

Thank you for reading and have a good evening!

Ms. D

Monday May 29th – New Unit, Update, Reminders!!

Hello Everyone!

Our last unit of the year will be called Communication is KEY! We have already been working on some of the items covered by the unit. The last unit of the year is a little smaller in terms of introducing new material, as I want to leave time for independent projects and end-of-year events.

Unit Focus Statement: Being an effective communicator requires reflection and critical thinking.

Areas if Inquiry:

  • Choosing legitimate resources for research 
  • Fake news and social media safety
  • Presentation skills (independent project and masks character monologue)
  • Effective group communication (Battle of the Books team and more!)
  • Communication in team sports (dragon boating, kayaking, ultimate)
  • Reflection on our performance for the year (B.C.’s Core Competencies and the Learner Profile)

Projects & Reminders!

  • Disasters Presentation: Due now. Present during the week as we have time.
  • Animal Research OVERDUE!!!: Some of you have not turned in your research for this even though you did finish the art. Others have not posted the art on their e-portfolios as instructed. Some of you may find you have lower marks because you have not turned things in, and you can talk to me about it.
  • Dragon Boating/Nature Quiz Marks: These were passed out. Please get them signed and return.
  • French Weather Report & Quiz: Quiz on Wednesday for weather vocabulary, days of week, and months. Weather Report presentations due Thursday June 1.
  • Masks: Create a character, design a mask, give it a voice through a poetic monologue, and present! We have only two more people to do the base plaster mask tomorrow and then we move forward with the next part! Please make an e-portfolio entry about your mask as we go from stage to stage of construction.
  • Battle of the Books: Try to read four books by June 12th when we have our competition! We will be doing a mini book report on your favourite.
  • Independent Project: Primary research, notes, & formal bibliography are due June 7th. Presentation on June 23rd 12-2 PM. HAVE YOU GONE TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY? HOW GOES THE PRIMARY RESEARCH?
  • Independent Math: At least two more units by June 7th.
  • SUNSCREEN!  Wear sunscreen daily. Bring a plastic bag with swimsuit/towel daily, as when time permits, using our walking field trip permission form, we will go cool down in late afternoons at the Rumble Water Park next door.
  • Sex Education: Grade 4s on Tuesday, Grade 5s on Wednesday
  • LIBRARY BOOKS: All books due next week by June 9th unless being used for a project. Please look for any missing books.

See you tomorrow! Only 22 days to go!

Ms. D

 

Disaster/Human Impact to Environment Project — Update/FAQ Help

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are enjoying your long weekend!

Just some quick info as I have received some questions about the Disasters Project. Here’s your FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) to help!

Do I need to answer all of the questions you gave to us?

Yes, answer all of the questions. But, those questions can be answered ANYWHERE in your presentation. You can choose to organize your slides and presentation any way you want. Remember, you must 1. answer the questions I gave you somewhere in the project, and 2. convince us that as people living in Vancouver WE need to be aware of this disaster and take it seriously, because something like it could happen to us!

BTW, please check project description again here for those questions.

How many slides do I need?

There is not a minimum or maximum number of slides. Please keep your presentation to under 5 minutes, though, so we can hear everyone’s presentation. You can organize the presentation any way you want as long as you complete the purpose of the project (see above.)

When is the project due? Will we get more time to work on it?

It is due EOD on Friday May 26th. You can work on it Tuesday afternoon 1:30-2:45, Wednesday all morning 9-10:30/10:45-12:00, Thursday 9-10:30, and Friday 1-2:45. If you know you are going to be away, plan accordingly and work on it at home, as I will not be able to give more time after Friday so we can move on to other things. 

How do we include the chart of data? What kind of data do we use?

You need to have a chart/graph/diagram in your presentation. One way is to make it on the computer. Or, you can make it on paper and take a picture of it to include in your presentation. The data should help us better understand your environmental disaster and/or show us how this disaster is related to us. 

Do we have to turn in notes? And a bibliography?

Yes. On Google Drive/Doc or paper. Yes, a bibliography is required. Please see Easy Bib or use Ms. Ho’s suggested site for Making a Bibliography. We have talked about how to do this in class. As you will see from the examples, a proper bibliography is alphabetized by the first letter of the entry. The first line of each entry is aligned to the left margin, and then the second line is done with an indent. Easy Bib will help make it for you! Use the MLA format.

Does the bibliography need to be in the PowerPoint?

No. Just turn it in with your notes on a separate piece of paper. Please type it up so I can read it clearly. Thank you!

What kind of resources do I need?

An encyclopaedia, legitimate science websites (e.g. NASA, Smithsonian, Scientific American, NOAA, National Geographic, etc.), books, and reputable newspapers or media (CBC, PBS, Globe and Mail, The National, Washington Post, NY Times, Vancouver Sun, Washington Journal, BBC, etc.). Remember, Ms. D provided some books on climate change in the classroom. If your topic has to do with one of those books, I would expect you are using them for research, since we took time to go over them as resources. Please avoid using blogs with opinions vs facts and wikispaces/wikipedia. These are not “bad sites” but not really the legitimate resources when you want to do quality research.

How will the project be marked?

I have provided a Disasters Project Rubric 2017 for you. It tells you how the different parts of the project will be used for evaluating different subject areas.

Please let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂

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