Welcome to the First Day of the Rest of Your Grade 7 Life!

What an attractive looking class!  Wasn't Formal Day fun?  We should send Jessica and the student government a big thank you for all their hard work!

Another group we can thank is our own Gr. 7 Council!  They did a great job in organizing and carrying out the Planet Lazer Field Trip.  What fun that was - and physically exhausting!  Not that I enjoyed shooting you with lazers at all.  :)

There were 2 birthdays celebrated over the long weekend. Happy Birthday to Lukas!!!!!! (Welcome to Facebook too!)  and Happy Birthday to Teresa!!!!!!!  Let's pick a time to get a treat at Starbucks or Tim Hortons!!

I had a wonderful time at the Home Educators Convention and got all inspired again to come back to the classroom today and teach you.  Hmmm, maybe that's the wrong word - coach you is maybe a better term.  We have some tasks today to accomplish and we have some projects to work on for the end of the school year.  I want to come alongside you and coach you for today's "game" so that you will be ready for the "championship" (final exams).

I feel we, as a class, are most successful when I give you a list of work to do and allow you frequent breaks.  Would you agree?

Let's give it a try again today with a few new little things added in to get us ready for the end of the year.

So, just like I titled this post, "This is the first day of the rest of your grade 7 life."  Here is a song to inspire you on this theme:

Let's pray together as a class sharing prayer requests and praying for each other.  I would like to turn over the devotional times in the morning to you pretty soon.  (For Bible Marks)  I will talk more about this later.

Here is the day's list:

* 10-15 minutes of Mavis Beacon
* 10-15 minutes of Free Reading
* Complete  2 pages of the Fraction Booklet in preparation for Fraction Chapter Test on Friday, May 4th
 - exact questions from this booklet will be on Friday's test.  (if you get stuck or forget how to do something, ask someone or check back on previous mathtutor or khan academy videos)
* Read over the Final Writing Project Document and begin to make some decisions as what you might be interested in doing. 
*At 10:30 we will have a short lesson on "Showing not Telling" in writing.
*We will have a challenge this week!!!  The challenge is to eat your recommended servings of fruit and vegetables each day.  How much is this you ask?  Click here:  Recommended Servings. 
Now, if you are like me, my next question was:  How much food is one serving?  Click here for the answer to that:  One serving 

This just in:  Watch here for an awesome video on how mass, volume and density are used in NHL hockey.  It's only 6 minutes long and fascinating!!  Click here for the link:  The Science of NHL Hockey   then you have to click on the one that says: "The Science of NHL Hockey:  Mass, Volume, Density"  You can watch other ones after if you want.  :)

We have electives in the afternoon! 

Work for Wednesday April 25th

Good morning!  Are you all looking mighty fine this morning?  Why yes, you are!!

It's FORMAL DAY and Student Government has some interesting activities for us at lunch.  We will begin lunch at 11:30 and participate as much as we can in the festivities, but we will need to leave for our Lazer Tag appointment at 12:45.  Be ready to be ON THE BUS at that time, okay.

New date to announce:  ELEMENTARY TALENT CHAPEL will be on Wednesday, May 16th.  If you are interested in performing, please see me.  We are only allowed to enter 2 acts.

Please remember to bring your ziploc bag of Lego for the orphans in Kitale, Kenya.  We are going to try and arrange a Skype meeting with them in June.

List of things to do this morning:

* Do your Science Test if you missed it on Monday.
* 10-15 minutes of journal
* 10-15 minutes of free reading
* Type out your Bible Memory Verse 3 times for typing practice that will also help you study for the test
* Go outside with a partner and recite the Bible verse back and forth until you both know it.
*Complete one worksheet of Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators (Level 1, 2 .....or go for Level 3)

When you are finished all of this, come talk to me to make sure you have honestly completed all this work to the best of your ability and then we can talk about having some free time.

Let's have a great day!! 

Monday, April 23rd to Thursday, April 26th

Good Morning!  Hope you had a great weekend!
Here are some announcements:

* It is Formal Day on Wednesday.  The theme is Roaring 20's so google what the outfits looked like and come ready to enjoy the activities Student Government has planned.  This does happen to fall on the same day as our Planet Lazer trip, so you can dress for the 20's in the morning, and then bring some black clothes appropriate for Lazer tag and change right after Formal Day.

*Please try and collect even a few sponsors for the Golf-a-thon.  Every little bit helps to allow EVERY CHILD to experience a Christian Education who wants one.  The date has been confirmed for Friday, May 11th. 

*Mr. Larry Carruthers and a group of students from the Global Ministry Training Center are going to Kitale, Kenya very soon to minister to the children in the orphanage that our church and school help to support.  One thing that Mr. Carruthers said they could use was Lego.  I was thinking that if you have Lego at home, and could spare one ziplock bag full, that would be a really cool donation from us to the children there.  They would make sure to bring back pictures of the children receiving it.  What do you think?  I need your donation by Thursday please.  

There is no school on Friday for students as we are running the Christian Home Educators Conference here at the school. Therefore, the only homework will be a Bible Memory Quiz on Thursday.  Here is the verse:

Ephesians 2: 8-10 

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  (NIV)

 Let's start the morning with "The Father's Love Letter"

 

When you have finished watching that, spend a few minutes in quiet prayer time.  If you want to pray with a partner, you may.  If you want me to pray for you, come to my desk.  

Here is the list of activities I would like you to accomplish today.  It is quite a list, so work consistently.  They can be done in any order except for the Science Test which will take place right after lunch.  

*10-15 minutes of Journal Writing

*Study for Science Test if you didn't review over the weekend.  (See previous blog for study questions)

*10-15 minutes of Mavis Beacon or online typing games

*If you haven't already, watch the "Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators" video and then do one of the sheets that I have on the music stand.  When you are done, mark it with the answer key and then put it in the blue box.  

*10-15 minutes of Free Reading - remember to fill in your Reading Pyramind

*Write in 2 or 3 Blessing Books from the box on my desk

This should take us the morning for sure.  This afternoon, after our Science Test, we are going to

have our CREDIT AUCTION!!!

Wednesday April 18th Work

***** Note:  2 Important Changes
The Golfathon will NOT be this Friday, April 20th.  It is postponed until either the 4th or 11th of May.  (See side announcement)
This means we can move the Converting Mixed Numbers and Adding Fractions with Like Denominators Quiz to Friday.  

This morning we will keep reading our novel, "The Strength of His Hands" Then we work on the following items:

We will have 10 minutes of journal writing. We will have small group sharing as well, so please make sure you either have something you can share or write something to share right now.  Here are some possible topics:

What is your favourite song right now?  Why is it your favourite? Write out the lyrics.
What things are you looking toward to to right now? 
Make a list of as many things as you can think of that that begin with the letter K
What are your thoughts about having Christopher in your class?  How did you feel about the whole buying Chris an Ipad experience?  (Mr. Cox is looking for a student writing piece on this subject to submit to the "Just for Kids" page in the newspaper.) 

Now on to Science: 
For your test on Monday, you should know the following:
1.  The definition of "matter"
2.  The 4 States of Matter
3.  The definitions of each of those 4 states
4.  The definitions of condensation, evaporation and sublimation
4.  The difference between a pure substance and a compound
5.  The definition of mass, volume and density
6.  The formula for finding the volume of a rectangular solid
7.  How to find the volume of an irregular solid
8.  Know the formula for finding the density of a substance
9.  The physical properties of matter

For the Math Quiz Friday, be ready to convert mixed fractions to improper fractions and add fractions with the same denominators.  To review add fractions with the same denominators, watch this: 

Watch it over again if you need to.  No one minds at all.  

Now, if you want a refresher on how to convert mixed numbers to improper fractions, watch this: 

 

Some of you are so ready for the next step.  If you think you are, watch this: 

  

So, what did you think?  Did you get it?  Try some of the practice questions. (click the green "practice" button on the top right hand side of the video)  When you get it wrong, remember to click each of the steps to see where you went wrong.  

We will also be doing some reading of "The Odyssey" this morning.  (Probably 2 or 3 more scenes) 

We have P.E. after lunch and then electives.  Whoo hoo!!

Have a TIGGERIFFIC day!!

Grade 7 Homework    April 16^th to April 20^th

Announcements: 

1. The Golf-a-thon is this Friday morning.  Students who are able to raise $100 are invited to the banquet on Saturday, May 12^th after the adult tournament.    Please try to at least ask 3 to 5 people who you think might like to support this worthy cause and/or  paste and copy the little email note I gave you in an earlier post and send it out to everyone on your email list.  You never know till you ask.  There are BIG prizes to be won for those who bring in the most money.  Eg.  A trip for 4 to Disneyland! Please go to our school home page and click on Golf-a-thon for more information. 

2.  We will have a Credit Auction on Monday, April 23rd.  We could use one or two gift cards (Tim Hortons or Grand 10 Movie Tickets are the most popular). 

3.  The C-U (catch up) Saturday time from 9:00 to 12:00 was very profitable for the students who came.  I am planning on having another one in May.  Stay tuned. 

4.  The Grade 7 Student Council has planned a P.E. event for next Wednesday, April 25^th.  We will be going to Planet Lazar in the afternoon from 1:00 to 2:30.  There is no cost to the students although if you wish to purchase drinks, you can buy them from the student council for $2.00 each. 

Science  - The Density/Mass/Volume Study Sheet is due Thursday, April 19^th (because of the Golfathon on Friday)  The test will be on Monday, April 23^rd.

Math – Converting Mixed Numbers to Improper Fractions and Adding Fractions with Same Denominators Quiz on  Friday, April 20th

Reminder!!!!!  Could you please make sure you have a calculator at school.  It would be greatly appreciated!

Now, what are we going to do today? 

Here's the list:  get at it.  :) 

*10-15 minutes of Journal

*10-15 minutes of Free Reading (remember your Reading Pyramid is due in June)

*10-15 minutes of Mavis Beacon

*Fill in all the blanks for the "Odyssey" Reader's Theatre we have been doing. (Just scenes 1-7) 

At 11:00, we will have a teaching time for Adding Fractions with the same denominators 

After Lunch we will read some more of the "Odyssey" and then we have electives.  

It's going to be a GREAT DAY!! 

Grade 7 Homework April 10th to 13th

Grade 7 Homework

For the week of April 10^th to April 13^th

Announcements: 

1. The Golf-a-thon is on Friday, April 20th.  Please see the sample email that students can send out to friends/relatives/family members in order to help get sponsorship for this very worthy cause!  There are BIG prizes to be won for those who bring in the most money.  Eg.  A trip for 4 to Disneyland!

2.  We will be going to UBCO from 9:00 to 10:00 this Thursday, April 12^th to see some Grade 8 Science Fair Projects.

Bible Memory:  I Corinthians 9:24 (Test on Friday, April 13^th)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Math:  Simplifying Fractions (Quiz on Friday, April 13^th)

Wonderful Wednesday's Work

Good Morning!

I'm going to let you work away at a list of things that you need to accomplish today.  You can do these in any order, but each item needs to be completed BEFORE you allow yourself any free time.  Do you understand????  Will you promise not to cheat and go to Minecraft, Youtube or some game before you are allowed?  You may listen to music, but it must be Christian (you know the reasons why I ask you to comply with this request.)

10 - 15 minutes of Journal Writing - Here are  258 Journal Topic suggestions, but you can write on anything you want.  Make sure you organize this somehow so that your journal entry for this date can be accessed easily.  Time yourself by watching the time at the bottom of your screen or go to this free timer online.  It rings a bell when the time is up, so wear headphones. 

10-15 minutes of Free Reading.  If you have nothing to read and want to read something online, how about this story? It's a great suspense story and one you will probably come across again in your school career, but I don't think you are too young to read it now.  It's called, "The Most Dangerous Game" Enjoy. 

10 - 15 minutes of Mavis Beacon or an online typing program.  Keep up those WPM!!  Typing as fast as you can talk is the eventual goal, but just beating your last score would be good too.  :)

10 - 15 minutes of Math   aaa math - simplifying fractions

 10 - 15 minutes of Science  At some point, come and get your Mass/Density Lab from me and refresh your memory as to what that was all about.  Then, watch this video to refresh your memory even more. 

 

We will be working on this some more later, but just before you leave this topic, you really must watch The Density Song and I promise you that this somewhat annoying tune will stay with you all day.  (Liam will love it!!) 

 

Review your Bible Memory Verse for the test on Friday.  It is 1 Corinthians 9:24  You can do this by typing it out, writing it out, finishing your poster of it or saying it out loud to a friend a time or two.  

We are still going to read some more of our Reader's Theatre - The Odyssey  and maybe even have a bit of time for "The Strength of His Hand".  We'll play it by ear, but if you have finished everything by this point, I would definitely grant you some free time.  :)  

Remember, we've got some teaching from Coach Jesse this afternoon in P.E.  

Have a great day!! 

Springing to the End of the School Year

Hi Guys!

It's me, your fave grade 7 homeroom teacher!  Do you like the pic I have?  I think I figured out how to make my own banner pictures so I will be changing them often.  This is a picture taken at Universal Studios last year with my family.

We had a really good conference on Thursday.  Mr. M was one of the presenters and he showed off his techie teaching tips to a packed room!  Congrats Mr. M!  Guess what??  It was his birthday on Thursday, too!!  This means that we need to sing to him and then we need to continually harass him all day long.  If you can guess how old he is right now, I will give you 5 credits.

First of all, let's start our day off with a powerful remembrance of what this last weekend was all about.  I am going to show you a video that is part of a classic sermon preached by a great man of God.  Not only will it send shivers up your spine spiritually, but mind the amazing vocabulary and wording of this articulate lover of the Lord Jesus.  (Words are powerful and help communicate the POWER of our Almighty King!)

That's My King!  That's OUR King!  Hallelujah!!  

I tried to sit down and do some heavy duty marking and some long term (to the end of the year) planning.  I am sad to say that I am missing a number of Greece Essays.  What's with that??  You know who you are, but I will tell you any way.

I got a little bogged down when I was marking the Pistol Pete paragraphs.  I saw how you were starting to get the hang of some good paragraph structure!  I want to read out loud to you some of those STELLAR paragraphs and then maybe do a little editing exercise.  Right now.  Before we get sidetracked.  Let's do it!
There were also a number of assignments handed in without names, so we better sort that out so I can enter the marks in Students Achieve.

Are you finding that you are getting a little behind?  Are you finding on Students Achieve that you have missed some Vocabulary Tests or a Quiz or 2?  Are you wishing you had some extra practice time on concepts that aren't clicking (like simplifying fractions)?  Is it hard for you to stay after school or are you, like me, just too worn out from the day to stay longer?  Well, have I got the deal for you!!!!  It's called, " C - U Saturday Morning (C-U stands for Catch Up) !" Come to the school this Saturday any time from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m. and enjoy some juice, muffins and some one on one teacher time!  Even if you aren't behind, you can come and get me to edit something you are working on, or even just spend some time in a quieter work environment. 

The Golf-a-thon is coming up soon - Friday, April 20th as a matter of fact.  Remember how I told you the secret to how my family won the Disney Trip the first year?  We sent out emails!  Why don't you copy and paste this little message, make some changes how you want, and send it out???  Surely you must have Aunts, Uncles, Grandmas, Grandpas, other relatives and friends who support Christian Education and want to help our school and help you to win some great prizes????

Dear _______________,

I attend Heritage Christian School and I really love my school a lot.  I have great friends there and teachers who care about me.  One thing that is special about my school is that they have a policy that no family will be denied enrollment to our school due to finances.  We believe that every family is entitled to the choice of a Christian education!  That's why they have a very generous financial assistance program.  On Friday, April 20th, I am going to be participating in a golf-a-thon to help raise funds for this program.  If you would like to sponsor me per hole, I will try hard to finish 100 holes within 3 and 1/2 hours.  If you would rather sponsor me with a donation, then you can just write a cheque to Heritage Christian School or work out how to get me the money before Friday, May 4th. 

Thanks so much for helping me and my school out!

Love,

_______________

Now, we should go for a walk!

We have Spanish/French, then Music, then Lunch.  In the afternoon, we are going to read out loud a reader's theatre on "The Odyssey".  This will conclude our Greek Unit.  We will need to a Unit Test next week.  We have only one unit left in Social Studies - that is Ancient Rome.  We will start this after we conclude our Science Unit on Density/Volume.  We are right on track! 

So that's today - with tidbits of things to come.  Have I told you lately that I love you and I love being your teacher???  Well I DO!!  

Homework Sheet April 2nd to 4th

Grade 7 Homework

* For the week of April 2nd to April 4^th

Social Studies:
Did we all survive the Greek Project? Phew! As you view the finished project, are you pleased with your efforts? Did you manage your time wisely? Did you put in your best effort? High Fives all around!! This week we will be seeing some of the presentations as well as displaying some of them in the foyer and the classroom.

Math: We are going to be going hard core next week with adding and subtracting fractions. It would be worth your while to be spending some time this long weekend practicing simplifying fractions and making equivalent fractions at the "aaa math site" on our blog. Khan Academy has the teaching tutorials if you need help as does that awesome guy I showed you at "The Math Tutor" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyHBKjNS3D8&list=PLBD51C550D117F01E&index=2&feature=plpp_video
Good practice can also be achieved at this game site: http://math-play.com/math-fractions-games.html

Spelling and Vocabulary:

Entity (noun) – something that has a real existence, a synonym often used for thing. Math is one entity that often puzzles me.	Plagiarism (noun) – To claim thoughts or works of another author as ones' own. Plagiarism might get you kicked out of school.
Bibliography (noun) – A list of source materials that are used or consulted for essays, thesis, etc. His bibliography was included at the end of his essay.	Cite/site/sight (verb/noun/noun) - to quote from an authority/physical location/refers to vision. You need to cite your sources in your essay. You go camping at a campsite. The sun can obscure your sight.
Heretic (noun) – a professed believer who says something that goes against the established Church doctrine Jesus was accused of being a heretic.	Resented (verb) – to feel bitterness, hurt or displeasure Some students resent having to do math work sheets in class.
Miraculous (adj.) – performed by or involving a supernatural power. The feeding of the 5,000 was miraculous.	Infuriated (adj.) – To be consumed with anger. Mrs. Robideau was infuriated by the state of the classroom.
Expository (adj) – writing that explains a subject Sydney wrote an expository essay on Greek Mythology.	Injustice (noun) – something that is not fair or unjust The Kony 2012 campaign is trying to bring awareness to the injustice of Joseph Kony's activities.

 

 

3 Day Week - Happy Easter!!

This is a short week, so we will have to push hard to get our work done.  I'm still unable to get the homework sheet link to work, so I will send it to you as an attachment, (if you have an email address) and to your parents' email address. 
Now that our Greek projects are done, we will start presenting them.  I'm looking forward to this as I know many of you have put long hours of work into them.
We also need to get back into FRACTIONS!  (We're be doing some practicing on this site: aaa math
This is also a very important weekend - we celebrate our Saviour's death and resurrection.  Let's start today with a song that reminds us of this.