Homework, Group Reading Response on Creepy clowns, updates to some Social Studies work

Homework Board

The Prime Factorization worksheet is now due on the 25th of October.  A number or students still had some old work to catch up on and I did not want to rush them.

This is the homework board today, as of 12:20 on Friday.  Time is provided in class for students to ask questions and begin the work in the classroom.  Two periods, this afternoon, will be devoted to working on some of these items.

I returned the Reading Responses, which the students completed several weeks ago.  I usually do not like holding onto material for so long and will avoid repeating this.  For each student, I provided some detailed "descriptive feedback," which is aimed at directing the students to improve the response.  For those of you at Curriculum Night, this would be seen as an example of assessment as learning (what can we learned and improved upon in the process/task).

We are going to a class Reading Response and I decided to pick the topic of creepy clowns.  The students have been talking about it and the stories are quite prominent in the media.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/10/19/creepy-clowns-make-real-clowns-sad.html

There was an article I read from last week's Saturday Star, but I think it is too dense.  Still, it has some interesting elements, which we used as part of a class discussion.  The article was originally from The Chicago Tribune.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-ronald-mcdonald-clowns-1013-biz-20161012-story.html

In the article, there was a mention of Ronald McDonald being an example of "predatory marketing" and being very similar to the Joe Camel image for cigarettes. 

from http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/joe-camel-ads

Sometimes, there are organizations that attempt to critique such ads.  We will be introducing and looking at elements of advertising in the Media Literacy strand of the Language program very soon.  Here is a spoof ad by a group based out of Vancouver, I believe, who are called Adbusters.

https://www.adbusters.org/spoofads/tobacco/

Somehow, this discussion got us on to the idea of vaping (e-cigarettes) and I pointed out the type of marketing often associated with electronic cigarettes and vaping.  Here is one such example.

https://www.vapes.com/blogs/news/pokemon-e-juice-a-new-low-in-vaping

But we must return to the issue of clowns for our group response.

The news story attached to this can be seen here: 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/canadian-tire-clowns-1.3808925

News report from CP 24:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUR_BSLD9BI

After reading the article from the Star, and making some notes, here is our response:

Update to Social Studies homework items:

In the orange print, I made some jot notes of the description on the left, so it might be easier to comprehend.

I added a few details to the "Exploring" section of the Inquiry.

Prime Factorization: Part 2 & a review game, Library Partnering, Mr. P's "Exploring" stage for his Social Studies project, the agenda and Homework

Another Prime Factorization video & a review game 

https://jeopardylabs.com/play/factors-multiples-and-prime-composite

The creators behind this Jeopardy template have come up with a lot of interesting ways of reviewing certain concepts. The topics in question touch on some of the work we have done.  The decimal section we have touched on, but will get into it, as we move into Measurement.

We will return to learning about Division, but will be taking a pause from the Number Sense strand. If you are working through the Divisibility rules section, you may want to reference this helpful sheet:

Homework, that was not taken up:

I hope I am not breaking any copyright issues by doing this:

Partners in Action

This was the name of a document the Ontario School Library Association used back in the 1990s.  As a former Teacher-Librarian, we would work with classroom teachers on a particular topic.  Right now, we are working with Ms. Ling on a Book Talk project.  I will post the pdf of the assignment on the Proudfoot Institute download page.

Here we are, at work, on summarizing Cindarella.

making jot notes 

Social Studies

Add caption

This is a screenshot of the beginning stages (EXPLORING) of my Social Studies project.  If you notice, I have not started any formal research.  I am just trying to think about what direction I want to move in.  I have jotted down some of my ideas, based on the expectations of the project.

This may be the first time the students have had to think in this way.  They are being asked to think and make choices on a particular topic and theme, but I have not told them exactly what to do.  I think this is the first step of them being a little more independent in their thinking.  I know this can be challenging, so I will keep doing these sorts of examples, and answering lots of questions, along the way.

Homework and Agenda

I am pleased to see a number of students using the agenda, but it is still not enough.  I would like to see them being used, so students can keep track of what they need to do. I will take a shot of  the Homework reminder board, which is in the front of the room.  Please ask your learner in Room 28 if they are using the agenda; better yet, ask them to show it to you.  

School Advisory Council form for Room 28, Algonquin Land claim settlement, Room 28 school partnerships, transitioning in Math, Rewrites

Dovercourt S.A.C.

Please, if you have not filled this in, ask your son or daughter about it, or download it from the Proudfoot Institute link:

Algonquin Land Claim Settlement

from https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1355436558998/1355436749970

As part of the Truth and Reconciliation report, we, as educators, need to do a better job in educating students about the issues -- from the past and present -- about our Aboriginal peoples.  In the news, yesterday, was the story of the land claim settlement bewtween levels of government and the Algonquins of Ontario.

A brief story can be found on the Globe and Mail website:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-ontario-and-algonquins-sign-land-claim-agreement-in-principle/article32420336/

http://www.thewhig.com/2016/10/18/tentative-first-nations-land-claim-deal-reached

This story is in line, with the project we will be starting, which looks at the Social Studies themes of Continuity and Change & Significance.  We will use these themes, as we create a title page for our class duotangs.

Partnering

We are working with Ms. Ling this year.  She does Drama with our class, but we are also working together to do a Book Talk.  More details on this, will follow.  The planning sheet, for the assignment, has been handed out to the class and Ms. Ling has modeled a talk for the class.  I will follow suite by doing another example.  The assignment presentations will happen in, approximately, 3 weeks time.

Yesterday, we began Reading Buddies with Ms. Sniderman's class.  Everyone did an excellent job in reading with a partner.

Transitioning in Math:  ** UPDATE:  After preparing this section over lunch, there was a change to the Strings schedule and Math did not happen today.

We will be taking a break, shortly after this closing mini-unit, from the Number Sense strand and making a transition into the Measurement strand.  We will be using our skills of multiplication to review what Prime Factorization is.  Here is "Bob," to explain:

Bob's method can also be summarized in this handout:

Think of me as unexciting?  You can learn about this topic and then play one of the many Math games on the Internet.

http://www.mathplayground.com/factortrees.html

While I was absent at Cross Country, we looked at this topic, but did not follow up on it.  I don't like to leave things dangling, so we will return to the topic, to make sure we have an understanding of it.

Some of this work will involve the review of multiples, and what prime and composite numbers are.   Over the next day, we will look at this homework, as part of our review.

A few students started to work on Rewrites from last week's Math test.  Here is a sample; perhaps it will be self-explanatory.

Students earn back some marks by being able to articulate and explain where they made a mistake on the test.  The explanation can be done orally, for those who find writing to be difficult.

Concluding New York Times group work, Social Studies project, Homework Chart

Reading

Before the reveal, we finished up our look at the New York Times image:

Presenting ideas

The actual image comes from this story-line about Syrian Refugees, living in Istanbul, Turkey:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/world/europe/in-turkey-a-syrian-child-has-to-work-to-survive.html

Social Studies

This exploration was a natural transition into the Social Studies project, which I was refining.  I will be printing it off for your son or daughter, as well as posting a copy on the handouts portion of The Proudfoot Institiute.  It is a research project based on this model, established by the Ontario School Library Association:

Currently, the TDSB refers to part of this process as Inquiry based learning, which is rooted in this 4 stage model.

As I explained to the students, I will model this project, as if I was a student, to introduce them to the research process.

Homework Chart

Updated at 4:05 on Tuesday.  Ask your son or daughter how they are doing with completing assignments.

Helpful Schedule

This was made last week and I find it very handy and quite useful for everyone!  Thanks

Homework

As you can see from a photo of the Homework chart, there are a number of items some students need to complete. If it is not done, it is homework.  Please ask your son or daughter about this.

Much appreciated.

Guess what? (Hint: From China)

Group exercise, Youth Wellness Network presentation at Dovercourt

A group New York Times exercise:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/03/learning/whats-going-on-in-this-picture-oct-3-2016.html?_r=0

Chess is the theme

https://leadingwithtrust.com/2015/12/06/be-a-fair-leader-by-treating-employees-like-chess-pieces-not-checkers/

Chess is our theme.

A video, featuring African American Chess Grandmaster, Maurice Ashley.

Carissa Yip, photographed at the age of 9.  She is known as a Master Chess player.  She is 12.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10210168/Nine-year-old-girl-becomes-youngest-US-chess-expert.html

Here is Rochelle Ballantyre and in the documentary, Brooklyn Castle, that we are watching.  She currently has the title as being a Candidate Master.

Attending to some concerns

A couple of issues came to my attention today and both of them involved feelings being hurt from words being used in a cruel, hurtful manner.

http://www.inspirationpeak.com/cgi-bin/stories.cgi?record=50

There are many interpretations and approaches to this story.  II would like to focus on the fourth paragraph and focus on the area of what it might be like when there are holes in the fence.  Perhaps mean spirited words are said out of anger, but they can hurt and leave scars.

Yes, scars hurt, but we must learn to forgive.

http://www.fotinoula.com/tag/let-negativity-go/

As I continue to investigate and share some of these ideas, I will end this post with some inspirational words from Sesame Street:

Have a good evening.

SAC letter, an oral journal response for Roseneath Theatre's play, Racist icons and mascots

I will attach this form to the forms section of the Proudfoot Institute link (on the side of the blog).  I have not been able to change some of the information on the site.  I think you will have to set up your TDSB email account or be able to log in to the Academic Workspace site to get to it (your son or daughter will have to do this).

My scanner adds this little bit at the end.  I am not sure why.

from http://roseneath.ca/20152016-season/the-incredible-speediness-of-jamie-cavanaugh/

I was thinking about finding another way to enter into a discussion with the class about yesterday's play, so we decided to use the prompts from a Journal response sheet I have used.  For some students, not having the anxiety or fear of writing is lessened; while for others, it could make them uncomfortable with having to talk in class.  This won't always be our approach, but it is one I want to use.

We started a small conversation about the Toronto Blue Jays and playing the Cleveland Indians team.  At the time of typing this, I have not shared the conversation Matt Galoway had with Jesse Wente. At times, images speak louder than words, so I will share this short YouTube clip.

Similarly, I used the image of the Little Black Sambo to compare how derogatory images can be painful for many people of African decent.  ** THIS CARTOON IS HIGHLY OFFENSIVE.

Chief Wazoo is the equivalent on the Black Sambo character.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/04/10/blackhorse-100-years-chief-wahoo-and-grinning-face-racism-159960

Play from Roseneath Theatre, collages, Orff, reviewing for the Math test, Jesse Wente on the Cleveland team name debate

We will be watching a play this morning.  I watched it last year, at Alexander Muir/Gladstone, I enjoyed it and related to it as someone who moves about the world very quickly.  Here is the synopsis, from the website:

SYNOPSIS: Jamie Cavanaugh has a problem. She’s always going too fast. “Slow down!” say her parents. “Pay attention!” says the teacher; but Jamie just can’t calm down or stay focused. The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh explores, with humour, insight and compassion, the hurt and confusion of being different when you can’t help it, and the challenges of being the target of school yard bullying. The hero of this remarkable play is a positive role model for young people with ADHD or other learning challenges.  
from:  http://roseneath.ca/20162017-season/the-incredible-speediness-of-jamie-cavanaugh-about-the-play/

A collection of collages, which are almost done.

Because of the shortened last week, we did not have our Orff class. Orff serves as our Music program for this school year. I love music, but not always the best with keeping rhythm.  I can see how this program will develop a sense of patterning and listening that extends beyond what we think of music. Before this afternoon's class, we will do some practicing today.

 This is not our class.

This is our class, practicing in Gym and a smaller group, performing in Orrf.

Multiplying Decimals:  This was a video I posted earlier.  It will serve as part of our review for tomorrow's test:

Here are the same digits, using the Lattice approach for multiplying:

CBC's Pop Culture journalist, weighed in on the Toronto Blue Jays facing the Cleveland, who have a team name that is rooted in a tradition of racism towards the Aboriginal people of North America.  Here is the link to the audio, from this morning's Metro Morning and a link to the article on the CBC website:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/cleveland-1.3799690

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/cleveland-team-name-debate-1.3799987

Homework

QSP Orders due in October 13

Math test on Thursday, October 13

Pizza Lunch forms and orders due on October 20