This is your mission...

You are going to produce a variety of media texts, addressing a specific purpose and audience. In your non-fiction groups, complete the following activity:

First, choose a school activity to follow and report on. This can not be a single event but rather an on-going activity (such as a sports team or band) or an event that had a clear process attached to it (such as a fundraiser that had several planning and execution components or a theatre production from auditions to rehearsals to performance).

You will create and maintain a blog to report on the school activity or the "behind the scenes" process of the activity or event.

You will be given opportunities to use the school video camera to film the events and interview key participants. Your editied video will be posted (with appropriate permission) to youtube and linked to from your blog.

When complete, you will send your blog's URL from hotmail (an address to be given to your group) to the school staff so that they can see your on-going reporting of in-school activities and send you feedback.

This is a large and complex assignment which we will devote much more time in class discussing but I hope your wheels are turning about the possibilities and that you are getting excited about getting started!

What are you made of?

You are all cell experts now so we can start to look at cells in the larger context of our bodies.... what are we made of? Lots and lots of cells! Cells with a common purpose cluster together to make tissues, tissues cluster to make organs, and organs work together to make our systems. And to think it all starts with 2 little cells! As we look at cells and the body in a broader way, you will get a sense of the interdependence of cells, organs, tissues in system function. The human body is an amazing machine!

To start, watch this video. Just how many cells did he say we're made up of?!

The, read this overview. You are NOT expected to learn all the names of all the types of tissue, the organs or the systems right now! A lot of the terms will be familiar but all I want you to do is note is the make-up of tissues, organs and systems. What organs play roles in the different organ systems?

What do you know about the make-up of your body? Quiz yourself with this interactive activity and see if you surprise yourself with how much (or how little!) you know! You might be amazed by just how many organs are living in your little body!

Love that Pythagoras!

Pythagoras gave us the Pythagorean relationship (or theorem), a formula for problem-solving with right triangles. We are going to work through some problems and try to determine what exactly the Pythagorean realtionship is and its usefulness in geometry!

On this page, work through the tip for finding the theorem, answering questions and making notes in your notebook as you work (this may help you later!). I will have cut outs of the shapes for you to use as you work through the activity.

Complete the task at this site. As you work through it, make jot notes in your notebook about the strategies you are using and your ideas about Pythagoras' theory.

If you have not yet figured out the relationship, this last activity will help. If you have, complete the activity regardless to confirm your hunch!

Settling Western Canada

Many factors contributed to the Settlement of Western Canada. Many of the key events and people still shape Western Canadian culture today (remember our celebration of Klondike Days?). One major development in the expansion of Canada and linking the east and west was the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Together, we will begin to look at this important accomplishment from the perspectives of both European settlers and Chinese workers.

Read about the early implications of the railway creation. Who were some key people involved at the time? Explore the links to maps and photos while you're there!

See the railway's timeline and history to present. Who did the railway creation benefit and how?

Learn about the Chinese contribution to the railway and the treatment of Chinese immigrants upon railway completion. Watch the tv clip, read the story. Write you response to this in your journal.

ooo la la

Bonjour Pairs!

To help kick off our unit on travel and transportation, we are going to begin learning and practicing the associated vocabulary (Grade 8 - Grammar, Language Conventions, and Vocabulary: basic vocabulary (e.g. words associated with transpotation, travel and Writing: produce pieces of writing in a variety of simple forms).

To prepare for your trip, practice translation of vocabulary for basic modes of transportation by taking the translation quiz at
http://www.syvum.com/cgi/online/oatf.cgi/learn/languages/English_French/transport_1.tdf?0 .

Then review your transporation vocabulary (while having some fun!) by playing Hangman at www.syvum.com/learn/vocabulary/French. Click either "transport" link to get to the Hangman games.

Now you're ready for your trip!

Go to http://milvetstravel.net/paris.html for a virtual field trip to Paris, France. Spend some time exploring the city. The following questions must be answered and the tasks completed in your journal:
-dans quelle arrondissement trouve-t-on La Basilique du Sacre-Coeur?
-quel repere celebre trouve-t-on pres du Parc du Champs de Mars?
-regardez les photos panoramiques
-rendez visite a au moins un musee et notez quelque chose d'interessant que vous y voyez
-trouvez d'information au suject d'un Parisien celebre historique
si vous avez tous finis, vous pouvez visiter les catacombes!

Bon voyage!

La vie d'une classe de francais!

Bonjour classe! As the term goes on, we will be using more and more French in class, not only in lessons but also in our "informal" interactions. A tool you may want to aquaint yourself with to help you in this endeavour is http://www.wordreference.com/fr/ . Once you search a word, add it to your vocabulary list so you can reference it often. Try to use new words every day and watch how quickly you improve!



Bonne chance!

Welcome to my blog!

This will be a great way for us as a class to communicate and share helpful educational resources and interesting infromation!