Category: General Update

Welcome Back 2017-2018!

 

Hello Everyone!

I hope you have had a lovely summer! Just a few quick notes for start up this year:

 

  • School starts on Tuesday, September 5th! We only have class that day from 8:55-10:00. All students in grade 4/5 MACC can report to me directly at Classroom Building 3 at the back of the school where our parent orientation was last year.
  • Parents are invited to go to the gym as the PAC usually has coffee available and you can meet other parents.
  • Sept. 6-8, Wednesday-Friday, are normal school days from 8:55-3:00. I recommend showing up no later than 8:50 every day so you have time to get organized. Please bring snack, lunch, and shoes you can run in!
  • If you are in grade six MACC you do not need to check in with me. Please go directly to Mr. Gaiten’s class next door.
  • Supplies info can be found here: Notices and Forms  Please try to have all supplies in by Monday, September 11th. I have supplies for everyone to use the first week. If you bring in items early, please put them in the boxes found in the classroom, which are sorted by type of supply. Please read the supply list about items that need names. Thank you!

I look forward to working with all of you! Stay tuned for more info, as this blog is the main source of information for our class! Please let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy the last two weeks of summer!

Kindly,

Ms. D

Great Job Today! Last week!

Congratulations, everybody, on a successful independent project presentation for 2017! And thank you to all of our guests who made this an exciting day by sharing in the learning!

Everyone should send Ms. D a copy of their website links, PPT presentations, etc. either by sending it to my main email address or by sharing it via google drive to the T05 account we always use. Thank you!

Also, congratulations to everyone on their peer-voted, MACC Awards! These are peer awards, and they are an opportunity to recognize the many types of strengths we have in our group. Please make sure you show your certificate at home. Thank you to everyone who participated in voting!

Next week, here’s what’s left!

Monday:
–Fill out the Independent Project Presentation Rubric, to reflect on how it went!
–Put felt and elastic on the masks so you can wear them!
–Finish our mask character poems
–Cardboard Mania: Your challenge will be to either complete the MACCadia games you started or to create something out of cardboard to use. More on this Monday.
–Read Aloud: Complete The Skeleton Tree
—Talk about advertising/fake news – Make Your Own Ad
–Water Park! Bring your suit, towel, sunscreen, water shoes to cool down end of day at the park.

Tuesday:
–Work on mask movement and poem read alouds
–Continue cardboard mania
–Recognition Assembly 9:15 AM
–Math Puzzles, Pickle Math
–Read Aloud: Complete The Skeleton Tree
—Talk about advertising/fake news

Wednesday:
–Grade 7 Graduation Assembly 9:15 AM
–Finish mask movement, read alouds
–Read Aloud: Complete The Skeleton Tree
—Cardboard Mania finish, free choice/play cardboard games
–Class Party, Sundaes

Thursday:
–Pick up report cards and say goodbye for the summer! One hour only!

Reminder: Independent Project Presentation Tomorrow 12-2 PM

Hello Everyone!

Reminder that the Independent Project Presentation is tomorrow, June 23rd, Friday, from 12-2 PM in our classroom.

Please note that the emphasis for the projects is the research process, not necessarily the final product, so it will help to ask students about how they found their information.

Students need to have a printed bibliography. If you haven’t printed one, please do it in the morning.

If anyone has a handout still, then I can try to do last-minute copying at recess.

Lunch will be at 11:20 so we will be ready to go at Noon.

On Monday, we will be doing a sharing of projects with the 6/7 MACC class, as they are away tomorrow, and many students from our class missed seeing the science fair today as they finished up last-minute details on their projects. We will do this on Monday afternoon. Please leave all projects at school on Friday.

Blue and red binders have been sent home. If anyone is going to be absent next week, please send an email to Ms. D. Thank you!

Have a great evening and all the best for tomorrow! 🙂

 

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

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

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