Welcome to June. This week, June 2nd to 4th

Calendar Notes:

Spirit Week Next Week:
Monday - PJ Day
Tuesday - Dress Your Best (The Opposite of PJ Day!)
Wednesday - Blue and Green Day (Journey Colours!)
Thursday - Cosplay Day (Basically Halloween in June)

Tuesday - Grade 8: Reach for the Top -- A Battle of the Wits! 

Friday - until further notice, school is not in session on Friday.

Academic Notes:

Reach for the Top Teams - please have your teams organized by this Monday. If you don't have a team, we will be putting you on one.

Math - we will graph linear equations using coordinate points from a table of values. There won't be a test this week. Next week we will begin our year end review. Your course final is scheduled for Friday, June 12th.

Science - we will continue looking at ocean currents and explore some environmental concerns that are particular to oceans. There will be a test on tides and currents on Thursday.

S.S. - we will continue to look at the Scientific Revolution and begin the Renaissance biography presentations. (Your essays are due on Monday. The presentations will be completed by next week)


And now for something completely revolting, Mr Horner's bee-bitten leg. He officially wins a prize for Mantracker's most wounded after he battled with a swarm of bees last Thursday.

For an entry, the word is: "Gross!"

May 29th

Sometimes a good laugh, is good medicine...at this poor guy's expense. Looks kind of staged to me.

Camping Trip Update (as discussed today):

The Grade 8 Teaching Team, the same team that knew that the snow would come for our ski trip, is remaining optimistic for our camp trip. At present, we are not cashing your cheques, we are holding them. If we cannot go on the camping trip, we will notify you as soon as possible. What we do know is, if we have to cancel, we will design an alternate, school based activity that is equally enjoyable.

Today's word is: "hopeful"

May 28th

Not exactly scientifically accurate, but funny.

Tomorrow you have a quiz on waves. Use your question sheet and last week's wiki to review. We conducted a quick review today.

Last exploratory tomorrow. Mantrackers there is a super soaker version on tomorrow and a competition for best camo.

Please refer to CBC's website for information on job action/lock out; this is the national news service and they will report out, if circumstances change. I am continuing on as if it is business as usual in the classroom unless instructed otherwise.

Today's word is: "neap" (yes, as in "neap tides", but it is such a cute little word for a cute little tide)

Neap, neap. Isn't that something a frog would say?

May 27th

Before/ After Tides

We had a great afternoon at the High School. I was really impressed by the leadership students' maturity as well as Mr Baldwin's chemical change demonstrations. The message I got was that High School means more "freedom", but at the same time more "responsibility". This is true to every step of life from this point on.

Some of you really need to work on your Renaissance projects. I know that it is beautiful outside, but set aside at least a half hour for homework.

Today's entry is a comment: What did you like about EMCS? What concerns do you have about the school? Do you have any questions still? Will you cry when you have to say goodbye to Mrs Bridal because I can tell you right now she most definitely will!

This week, May 26th to May 30th

Hope all of you are having an enjoyable weekend.

Calendar Notes:

Monday, May 26th - Job Action --Teachers will not be working and the school administration is encouraging students to stay home for safety reasons. For up to date information, please refer to the news and the school blog.

Tuesday, May 27th - EMCS visit in the afternoon. EMCS would like our students to come prepared with sharpened pencils. Both Divisions 1 and 2 will be broken up into groups of 5 to tour the school and participate in planned activities.

Thursday, May 29th - Last exploratory session. Mantrackers, camo competition and super soaker game so dress accordingly.

Academic Notes:

Math: This week we will continue to work with the Distributive Property and we will begin working with creating a table of values to graph linear equations.
Social Studies: You should be working on finishing your written essay on your Renaissance biography and you should be working on your presentation. You will be signed up for presentation dates this week. If you are making a video, this weekend would be a good time to shoot.
Science: Thursday, you will be tested on your understanding of waves. What's on the test? Refer to your notes on the question sheet distributed last week for that information. This week we will explore tides and currents. I will ask our Port Renfrew students to put a message in a bottle and we will also set one off of Whiffen Spit.

Today's phrase is: "Adventure outside!"

May 22nd

I don't know what the SPCA would say about this. Are these dogs having fun? Make a comment for an entry.

Lots of you have fallen prey to this stomach flu. I wish you well and will try to detail what we are doing in class so that you can keep up with the lessons.

Tomorrow we will:

-have a Math Quiz on two step equations and I will ask you to explain the Distributive Property. If you don't understand it, view this week's links on the Math wiki to clarify your understanding. I can help you before school starts too.

-(Div 1) use one last computer block to work on your research project in Social Studies.

-complete the questions on wave science.

-watch a dance performance in the gym 5th block.

-we will have a blog draw.

Get well all of you sickies. Let me cheer you up with this funny gif:

May 21st

Camp Update:
The grade 8 team met about camp and we discussed the following points:

1. Deposits. We will deposit your camp deposit this Friday and we will refund your family, if job action interferes with the trip. Of course, we are hoping that this is not the case. Remember how optimistic we were about the ski trip and it worked out? Well, we are taking the same approach with this situation.
2. Volunteers.
Group Chaperones: We need one parent/teacher per cabin group. All of the teachers are committed to     staying for the two nights.We are looking to our parents to fill the other spots. We especially need men. All adults working with students need to get a criminal record check and the cost will be covered by the school.
Drivers: We save a lot of money by going local. We do need drivers to bring students to camp on the Tuesday at 8:45 and to bring students home on the Thursday at 11 am.

Many of you, including my own daughter, have expressed that while your parent wants to come, you don't want them to...I want you to read "I Will Love You Forever"...now tell me you don't want your Mum or Dad there....you can't can you?

Today's phrase is: "Noooo, don't go!"

May 20th

The science of waves is what we are studying this week. Here is a surfer enjoying an oscillation current all to himself.

Tomorrow we will be working in the computer lab to write our Renaissance essays. Come prepared with your notes, I will provide the guidance around organizing them into an essay format.

Today's word is: tube.

This week, May 20th - 24th

Hope that you had as much fun as this Snuggie family this weekend...now back to work:

Math - We will investigate and use the "Distributive Property" of math to solve algebra equations.
Science - We will begin our unit on Ocean Systems.
Social Studies - We will organize your notes on your Renaissance person and write a rough draft of a 5 paragraph essay on them which will be due on May 23rd.

Informal, interim reports go home at the end of this week. These are to inform and are not put into your permanent files. The hope is that you will be guided toward a better result in the formal, final report.

Next week, on May 27th, we visit EMCS.

For an entry, write about your weekend...mine is just beginning and we are headed into Victoria for a free concert put on by Current Swell in the inner harbour.

May 14th

 
And now for something completely different, a man on a flaming unicycle. This one's for you R.C.

This is the last week for finishing the research page on your Renaissance Man (or Woman). I will collect and mark them next week before we use them to write a formal, 5 paragraph essay.

Come prepared for your exploratories tomorrow....bring extra band-aids Mantrackers.

Today's word is: unicycle.

May 13th

Don't forget to review for your Optics Final tomorrow...Hoo hoo? That would be you, you.

To review, look over these items:

• past tests
• class notes
• course link
• review page

Haven't kept these items organized in your binder? I recommend that that changes. You will have to make do with the course links and make a goal to do better for the remainder of the the term and year.

For an entry, post a comment about why sunscreen is so important especially in Canada.

May 12th

Sorry for the late post, but here is a puppy to distract you.

A lot of you have been asking about when we are going up to visit EMCS. I have news: we head there on Tuesday, May 27th  from 12:50 to 2:35 to check out the facilities and to meet some of the teachers. Classes will be in session and you will note that the students are a lot calmer up there so let's blend when we are there or we will look like "oh no, it's the grade 8s". 

Bring your school supplies tomorrow. Many of you are without pencils, pens, erasers and paper which are pretty fundamental to getting school work down and done.

Today's word is: puggly.

This week, May 12th to 15th

The UV index is climbing so put on your sunscreen before school. We will explore what that means, scientifically speaking, tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the last day for deposits for camp. Let's sell Freezies on Wednesday and Thursday to help raise that money for your deposit, if need be.

This Friday is a Pro D day. I am going to a workshop on Math Instructional Techniques...I hope that you will enjoy your very long, 4 day weekend :-).

But, before you can race off you have to do a bit of work...

Academics:

Math: We will solve algebraic equations with fractions using a variety of strategies including models. No check up this week, but there will be a check up next week.
Science: We will conclude our Optics unit and we will have a unit final on May 14th.
Social Studies: We will continue to look at Art during the Renaissance specifically how the philosophy of Humanism shaped the Art of the time. You will be given research time for your projects and you will be expected to finish your research pages for marking. This includes preparing a comprehensive list of references. After we have collected a set of notes, we will then order and organize our facts into a rough essay this and next week.

For today's entry, the word is: UV which stands for _____________.

For those of you who enjoy wearing a cap, don't end up like this guy....

May 8th

This is what some of you look like when you see negative integers and variables. Don't be afraid my little ones. For an entry today, the word is: boo hoo.

Tomorrow you will be given a review quiz in Math. Bring a pencil, your calculator and an up to date interactive notebook.

There is only one TBH this week and it is Brody. Brody, we will miss your kind way and gentle heart. Fare the well....

May 7th

Sorry for the late post, but I was watching and "coaching" Rugby. The JMS girls had a South Island Tournament this afternoon. Congratulations to Sam, Sabrina, Mary, Sage and Ronni, you were amazing! I hope that you keep it up at EMCS. Sam...you shouldn't be on the computer it is not good for your head :-).

Fire Drill tomorrow for those of you who dislike loud bells and a lot of make believe emergency.

Today's word is: drill.

May 6th

Some Renaissance favourites.

Make sure to get out and enjoy that sun, but don't forget to review your Math by completing the 10 practice questions.

Today's word is: 3 D.

May 5th

Woah!? Now that is not what you want to catch fishing.

Field trip deposits and forms....please. I will assume you are not coming, if it doesn't come in by this Friday.

A few important upcoming academic dates that you should note so that you can prepare...some of you are preparing for Summer and you are a tad early for that:

Math Check Up Fridays
Science Unit Final on May 14th
Social Studies Written Project due May 23rd
Social Studies Presentations start May 26th and continue until the first week of June.

Today's word: lure.

This week, May 5 - 9th

Actually I don't; it means that I don't have to water my vegetable garden.

So, this week:
-I want Division 1 and 2 selfies!!!! Follow the directions in the previous post.
-I am still collecting deposits for camp

Academic notes:

Math: we will continue to balance equations and solve for X.

Science: we will compare how we see with salmon

Social Studies: we will look at Art and the Renaissance, you will be given time to conduct research for your biography and you will be given time to write a rough draft of your expository essay.

Today's word is a comment. What is your favourite thing to do in the rain? I used to love to dam up creeks and create giant floods. Okay, I still enjoy doing that.

May 1st

Send me your selfies for the year book. The year book committee would like to use your selfies as covers for each grade section. We all know that we look our best in selfies.
You can send them to gbridal@sd62.bc.ca with the subject line being your name and grade or better yet add them to the year book program directly by following this www.hjeshare.com (the password is: Journey2014) Make sure that you identify your grade when you upload the photos to the site so that we put you on the right cover page!

Today's word for an entry is: selfie.