The Last Day of September

Social Studies: many of you have handed in wonderful looking projects for Social Studies. I am really happy that you have recorded some of your family histories down on paper. This is how history is kept and even regular folks like us and our lives are a part of human history. I will have those personal histories marked by Monday, Oct. 7 (If you handed yours in late, I will be marking them later).

Math: you should be factoring to 30 tonight and if you don't know what on earth I mean, you should check the course links. Numbers with an odd number of factors are square numbers. Get to know them!

Science: we will be reviewing the Scientific Method this week with a view to start on Cells next week.

Today's word is: "Square"

Sept 29th

Remember Cops for Cancer is October 2nd. We raised about 75 dollars from our Bak'n Sale and many of you are bringing in spare change to add to the total. Our school has a $5000 goal.

I just finished marking your Math and Science Tests. Most of you did very well. If you didn't do as well as you would have liked, make sure that you are using the course links to review and fortify your understanding of concepts covered in class.

Tomorrow I am wearing orange to remember those First Nations' children who were sent to Residential Schools and separated from their families and culture.

Today's phrase is: "Cops for Cancer"

TBH

TBH B.B. by graniabridal on GoAnimate

Sept. 26th

Thank you so much to those students who brought in goodies for the bake sale. Our "Bacon" sale was a great success. We will count how much we made tomorrow.

Don't forget to bring a toonie for Terry tomorrow. Our run is tomorrow morning and will take us through to second block. Bring a raincoat; the weather forecast is rain for tomorrow.

Math Quiz tomorrow reviewing the week's concepts. Today's word is: Terry.

Sept. 25th

Remember Bacon/Bake Sale tomorrow. I have my daughter slaving away in the kitchen while I write this post. The aroma of bacon cooking is making my blood pressure rise just smelling it. A once in a while treat to be sure. Next fundraiser we will sell fruit platters. Today's word is: "bake".

You have a Science Quiz tomorrow and a Math Quiz on Friday. Look at the course links for details...if you weren't here or were here in body, but not mind.

Got your mandalas up and they look great. I will take a picture and post it for your folks.

Sept. 24th

So a couple of things to remember tonight:

1. Please bring in your Exploratory choices ASAP, those notices went home today;
2. For those who can bake for the sale on Thursday, tomorrow is your baking day.
3. I need volunteers for the sales table and for the announcements tomorrow... (we could put on pig's ears and noses to promo our products)

Today's word is: Delicious.

Sept 23rd

Okay, so the class pet was to be a lovely, large, green caterpillar. It wrapped itself into a cocoon overnight and looks hardly like it's living, but it is.

In Science: we will be reviewing the characteristics of living things (like our exciting class pet's)

In Math: we will be working with square numbers and square roots.

In Social Studies: we will be looking at maps of the world and Europe to establish a setting for all the interesting events of the Middle Ages in Europe.

We also discussed and set a date for our fundraiser: a Baking/Bacon Sale. We will hold it this coming Thursday. I need people to volunteer for food sales at lunch.

Today's phrase: "I love bacon even though it is so terribly bad for me."

 

This Week Sept 23 to 27th

Just a reminder that the Terry Fox run is this Friday. We have to decide on, advertise and run our Division's fundraiser this week. It seemed that food/drink sales were the class favourites. Let's decide on a date for a Bake Sale; we can even call it the Bacon Sale for all those guys who were keen on that. Although you will find that bacon, while it tastes great, is expensive and not so great for your health. I will buy and cook the bacon to sell on the side in strips. The gimmick might be enough to increase sales.

Have a great weekend. See you on Monday. This post's secret phrase is: "strange class pet". 

NQ by graniabridal on GoAnimate


Let me introduce you to this week's TBH.

Sept 19th Meet the Teacher Night

So today in Math we reviewed Perimeter and Area because many of you struggled with the homework. Tomorrow, I will quiz you to determine if you have the concepts.

In Science, Div 2 conducted their experiment with three different energy drinks and milk. The results were...disgusting. We observed that all three energy drinks caused the chemical reaction. So, what can we conclude about that based on what we know? Your lab write ups will be collected tomorrow.

I will be welcoming your parents and guardians tonight, but please know that I am always available for meetings after school. I am  very happy to give your parents a call or to drop them an email to talk about you wonderful grade 8s too. :-)

Today's word is WELCOME.

Sept. 18th

Math: Today we reviewed area and perimeter. Tomorrow we launch into Pythagorean Theorem.

Science: We reviewed the Scientific Method and terms. Tomorrow we will design/conduct our own experiment and do our first lab write-up.

S.S.: We are collecting information on a family member or ourselves to construct a personal history.

Check the course links out to review concepts and to firm up your understanding. Here is today's phrase: surprise quiz tomorrow in math.

 

Sept. 17th

What an amazing day. The weather was brilliant. Students did that hike with enthusiasm and great endurance. Some students blazed ahead with Mrs. Stewart and others took in the sights along the way. Everyone looked bright eyed and rosy cheeked. It was a great time to connect with classmates and the grade 8 class at Journey.

Back to work tomorrow, come prepared with school supplies and your fit brains to do some work.

Secret Phrase is: Waves make you wet.
Great day everyone.

Sept 15th

I am sure that you won't forget that tomorrow is a ProD day and so there is no school for you. Congratulations to R. in our class for being the first winner in the blog draw on Friday.

Tuesday, we will be going to Mystic Beach. I didn't have all of the permission forms in so I am assuming that you will have those in for me on Tuesday morning. 

As outlined in your permission letter: we will be leaving the school at 9:00 am and traveling by bus. We will hike down to the beach to have our lunch and do some exploring, and be back at school by the end of the school day. The hike is 45 minutes long so this means a good hour and a half of hiking. 

The weather has turned (with a bang) so we are probably doing it West Coast style; make sure to wear a jacket that is water proof and good boots or hiking shoes. Bring a small back pack to carry your water, snacks and lunch. This is going to be a blast you Wild West Coast Grade 8s. Secret phrase for this weekend is: "I love thunder storms better than chocolate."

 
Thanks to DragonImpact for these images.

Sept. 12th

There is still time to get those permission forms in for our Mystic Beach retreat.

Today, you were sent home with pledge forms for the Terry Fox run. We watched the video and learned more about this incredible man. I googled for information on his international impact and, yes, his run is held in 27 countries. Some countries include The United Arab Emerets, Vietnam and Croatia. This blows my mind. How can one man have made such an impact? It is inspiring.

Tomorrow is Festival Seating Friday. You can sit where you want in class (but this is contingent on you following lessons and not socializing during instruction). We will also draw for the winner of this week's blog draw.

Let me introduce you to our first TBH of the 2013/2014 school year. I am messing about with online animation programs so please excuse the amateur hour! This site has potential though...heh heh heh.

Our word today is: Kindness.
M.L. by graniabridal on GoAnimate

Sept. 11, 2013

Well, I hope, like me, you are just getting inside from enjoying this beautiful day. We have to love these days up while they last.

So here is a fraction for you: 1/3 of our class handed back their field trip notices. Could the other 2/3 remember their's tomorrow. Please and thank you.

Tomorrow I will be handing out pledge forms for the Terry Fox Run which will be happening on September 27th. I know that we all have been impacted by cancer in some way. It is worth our efforts to raise money to discover a way to vanquish it.

Today's phrase is: TERRY FOX.

September 10th

Photo Day today. If you didn't bring in an order form, do not despair. You will have an opportunity to look at your photo to decide if you want to order it and then you will be able to order it. If you missed photo day, there will be retakes; I will tell you when I know more.
Please remember your brown envelopes and contents. Mystic Beach forms went home today and are available on the parent link, if you didn't manage to bring the form back home in one piece. Those forms are due in on Thursday.

This guy went all out on his photo day.

Today's word is hair. Nobody got it yesterday.

Sept. 9th, 2013

We are headed to Mystic Beach on Tuesday, September 17th. Please direct your parents to the permission form on this blog for a copy. Hard copies are being handed out tomorrow and are due back on Thursday. Don't miss this great opportunity for a hike in our beautiful outdoors.

Remember to keep checking this blog for the secret phrase and a chance to enter for weekly prizes drawn on Friday. Today's word is: Mystical.

Great Week

Great first week everyone. Thank you to all our great parents who helped make our back to school BBQ a success.
Please note these important upcoming dates on your agendas, calendars, electronic devices:

• Sept. 10 Picture Day; 
• Sept. 17 Grade 8 Beach Day at Mystic (part of the PE Curriculum);
• Sept. 19 Meet the Teacher (Please come to Room 1169 at 6pm [other teachers are doing 6:30, this way we don't overlap and we can connect with you ]) 
• Sept  27 Terry Fox Run

Remember: we need to come up with a fundraising station for Cops for Cancer. Some suggestions have included: Jeopardy Game, Cheezie Head, Lounge, School Wide Hide and Seek...

So next week we will be running lessons, learning new concepts and practicing skills....this means homework too.  

In Math, we will complete the Grade 8 Diagnostic Test, review divisibility rules and multiplication strategies. In Social Studies, we will be reviewing ways to research history and mapping skills. Finally, in Science, we will be reviewing safety procedures and the Scientific Method.

This would not be included under safe lab behaviour and it does warn: Do not try this at home...but it is ...secret phrase "good wacky fun":

Launching Courses

So today we ran through the grade 8 Math course. Course work will be in an interactive notebook which some students have worked with before. Mrs Stewart, the school's numeracy specialist and interactive notebook adorer, has told me it is 200 pages or bust. Locally, these notebooks can be purchased at Shopper's and Fields. (Tomorrow, Division 1 you will run through the grade 8 Science course; Division 2 launched into the course today). Science course will be housed in their large, three ring binder. The goal in using the two systems is to teach how to organize course work effectively, a skill you will and can apply to your future studies.

We also did some portraits this afternoon in place of Exploratories which will start later. Thanks to Mrs Dvorak who taught the class while I was in a school meeting.

Tomorrow we are having an assembly and a Welcome Back BBQ!

(This dog doesn't know that hot dogs are on the menu tomorrow -- secret phrase is: "weird looking dog"

Day 2

Today we began establishing a social contract for the class. This included establishing what an ideal class is for us and defining our bottom line (what can't happen in our class for our ideal class to happen). We discussed how human beings construct social contracts to prevent violence, harassment and chaos. Syria and our neighbour to the south were used as a very real global example. The Dark Ages were also referred to as an example of when humans lose their social contract and give up their ideals. This was a Social Studies day.

Tomorrow we will be doing a class rotation and discussing binder and interactive notebook systems. Make sure that you come prepared with your supplies. The gentlemen from facilities were fixing lockers this afternoon and I believe all our 4 homeless 8s will have somewhere to store their stuff by tomorrow.

Don't forget to give your parents the letter and the office envelope. The secret word is: Raspberry.

Day One Done!

(Check out this video from a Lower Mainland High School; it is a message to all you grade 8s.)

Division 1, you have great energy and enthusiasm. I am really looking forward to harnessing that!

So, today we were assigned lockers. Only 4 lockers didn't work which is a sight better than my "back to school nightmare" where none of your lockers worked. Oh and Sage, you will be happy to know that I evicted the previous tenant's stuff from your locker so that you can move in.
You also got your class schedule. Tomorrow we will be doing our first class rotations. This week is about establishing routines both at school and at home.
Please bring all of your school supplies tomorrow. My 4 lockerless students will be able to park their stuff in the classroom until Mr Bedard and I sort out your locker situation. Get to bed early all of you!