Dec. 10

• last presentation
• Abraham test
• exam prep

Use the links to the notes and keys on the side to help prepare for the exam.

Dec. 8

• presentations (more fabulous World Cultures presentations and cuisine)
• Parts of Speech practice (with "Frosty the Snowman")
• Story Elements practice (with Frosty the Snowman)

Next class:

• one more presentation
• Abraham test (which is wonderful prep for the exam)
• more exam prep and wrap-up of Christmas project

Use the Parts of Speech prezi (link on side) to review the parts of speech.

Dec. 4

Some more fantastic presentations!

We looked at our upcoming exams and what we should be doing to prepare for them.

• EN/CE combo exam: Friday, Dec. 12 @ 11:00
• SS exam: Monday, Dec. 15 @ 8:30
• SC exam: Tuesday, Dec. 16 @ 11:00
• MA exam: Wednesday, Dec. 17 @ 11:00
• FR oral: scheduled with your teachers

Be sure to arrive 20-30 minutes prior to the start of your exam.

We continued work on our Christmas projects.

Homework:

• study
• read
• finish Christmas projects if not done (by exam period)

Presentations Monday:

• Francesca, Sabrina, Toni
• Angelina, Jerri-Lee, Alex
• Mateo
• Paul
• Cole

Presentation Wednesday:

• Dante, Luca, Briggs, Nick

Dec. 2

What a terrific start to our presentations!

Thank you to everyone for preparing so well for World Cultures presentations. Thanks to your parents for preparing such terrific food to share!

We continued work on our Christmas projects. We want to have these finished before exams.

You should be studying for exams, too!

Nov. 28

• SS test
• worked on Christmas project

HW - have rough draft of Christmas project ready for next class

Presentations begin Dec. 2!

Nov. 26

• info re Christmas project - Homework: Think about what you want to include.
• Abraham film/notes
• AR
• test choice for next day - A (closed book) or B (open notebook)

Test A

30 multiple choice questions

1 paragraph response

Test B

30 points in charts and short answer

1 paragraph response

Eleven students selected Test A; fourteen students selected Test B. I will have a few extra copies of each test in case you change your mind prior to my handing them out.

Possible paragraph questions:

1)      Of the three dynasties studies, which had the greatest impact and why?

2)      Which philosophy would you choose to dominate your court and why?

3)      Describe three Chinese inventions and how they have influenced the 21^st century.

4)      Describe the Great Wall of China.

5)      Describe Shang beliefs.

6)      Why was the Huang He Valley so important to the development of Chinese civilization?

Nov. 24

• review of SS pop quiz corrections
• information about test on Friday: Students will choose between test A and test B, letting me know by Wednesday.
• Test A: multiple choice, one paragraph, CLOSED book
• Test B: charts, short answer, one paragraph, OPEN NOTEBOOK (but not textbook)

• work on project (presentation dates Dec. 2, 4, and 8)
• CE quiz/peer marking
• AR

Homework:

• STUDY for SS test and/or fix up your notes if you are taking the open notebook test
• Read
• Familiarize yourselves with Abraham.

Nov. 20

• Pop Quiz for SS! This was a wake-up call for you. Take those quizzes home and look up all the answers. You are responsible for knowing this information. Circle the correct answers for marking together in class next day.
• Library work: work on World Cultures project. Please make sure you are keeping up. We have one more library session.
• Abraham notes: working on notes up to the sacrifice of Isaac.
• EN: working on short story questions and AR

Homework:

• Study for SS! Be sure to have the pop quiz filled out for going over next class. Be glad this wasn't for marks. Anyone who did well can take the better of the two marks when it comes to test time. Friday seems like the perfect day for a test!

Nov. 18

• Chinese Philosophies notes (see link on side)
• work on World Cultures project (see link on side for presentation dates)
• English: AR and short story work

Homework:

• Make sure you are studying all this China information. There may be a pop quiz in the future.
• Read!
• Work on your project.

Nov. 14

English

• AR
• short story and reflection "A Secret for Two"
• "Seeking Her Husband" questions tabled for next day

CE

• Abraham notes continued (no assigned HW)
• discussion of next project (see side links)
• groupings for presentations (Dec. 2, 4, and 8)

SS

• fun note-taking game!
• completion of dynasties grid

Homework

• study for a possible China test
• READ
• start gathering information for your World Cultures presentation

Nov. 12

CE

• continued Abraham notes (must get up to and including Genesis 13 by next class)

SS

• continued work on China (chapter 3)
• took notes on the influence of geographical features on the development of civilizations (see side for notes)

EN

• AR
• questions - "Seeking Her Husband"

Homework

If you didn't finish the story questions and the Abraham notes up to chapter 13, be sure to have this complete for next day.

Are you reading?

Are you studying?

Nov. 6

• paragraph-writing
• note-taking: Abraham (NOT Abraham Lincoln!)
  

Over the weekend, you should take time to do a lot of reading!

Nov. 4

CE

• test
• Abraham

SS

• note-taking (China)
• all Cornell notes must be complete for next class

EN

• AR
• paragraph-writing
• next class: in-class paragraph "We learn the most from people closest to us."

Homework:

If you did not complete all the China notes, have those done for next class.

Be sure you know how to write a proper paragraph.

We are going to start right away with the paragraph Thursday morning (first block).

Thursday is also a Mass day (alternative Mass day schedule).

Oct. 31

Coming up:

• Tuesday: CE test on Creation and Tales of Woe (see study guide: Study Guide: Creation and Tales of Woe)
• Due Tuesday: up to "penalties" on second page of China notes; up to question 13 in "Seeking Her Husband")
• Thursday: cross-grade paragraph - one paragraph on the topic: We learn the most from people closest to us.

Oct. 27

CE

• We chose one of the tales of woe and wrote a journal reflection on it then shared this with a neighbour.

SS

• map check
• note-taking on Ch 3 - guided Cornell notes (must have up to but not including Qin completed)

EN

• AR
• Zombies and Parts of Speech
• "Seeking Her Husband at the Great Wall" and questions
• must have questions 17, 1 and 2 compelte for next class.

Reminders:

• 8 AR points due by end of week
• have minimums complete in SS and EN for Wednesday (notes and questions)
• Wednesday and Friday are both early dismissals at 12:40.

Oct. 16, 2014

• Intro to China - worked on map
• Genesis - Creation 1&2, Fall of Man, Cain & Abel viewing and note-taking
• Presentations with self- and peer assessment

Homework:

• Read for AR - 8 points due by Hallowe'en
• Complete evidence of learning for grammar/coordinates re-testing if needed

Oct. 14

• STAR reading assessment
• Reading
• Returned English and SS tests, marking sheet for SS maps
• Students with less than 84% on English test are required to provide evidence of learning and take retest upon completion.
• Students with less than 5/6 on coordinates section of SS test are required to provide evidence of learning and complete a retest on coordinates.
• Project work

Next day: Presentations will take place in last block (in groups). I have folders in which you will place all your work (notes, script, Works Cited). Be prepared to self- and peer assess.

In B and C blocks, we'll look at adjectives/adverbs, Genesis, and SS textbook.

Oct. 9

• grammar test
• geography test
• reading
• adjectives and adverbs
• work on project

Presentations: Oct. 16

Oct. 7

• CE test
• worked on research project
• returned practice Geography tests
• reviewed nouns (common and proper), pronouns, and verbs
• reviewed identifying coordinates

Next day (Oct. 9):

• grammar test
• geography test
• reading (reading until others have finished their tests)
• a close look at Creation
• adjectives and adverbs
• last session in library

Oct. 1

CE

• testing each other 
• test coming up on Tuesday, Oct. 7 (see notes on side)

SS

• went over answers to comparing temperature maps and the equator
• played a fun latitude/longitude game

EN

• silent reading and AR records (zero for all but three students)
• went over the research project we are starting, did groupings, and chose our topics (see notes on side)

Homework:

• read for twenty minutes every day
• study for the CE test

Sept. 29

CE

• worked in groups on test questions for Scripture: how the Bible is divided, how it developed, why we study it, The Great Story, etc.
• we will test each other next day

SS

• turned in maps
• worked on reading different types of maps and graphs

EN

• AR
• Fun with Verbs (Tom and Jerry)
• verb tenses

Homework:

• If you didn't finish the Equator handout, finish that off.
• If you didn't finish your sentences/paragraph for Tom and Jerry, finish that.
• Read every day - 20 minutes (not including AR time in class).

Sept. 25

CE

• notes on why we study the Bible
• visit from Father Santa Maria
• Be sure all notes are finished and that you can answer these questions from looking at your notes:
• Is all the material in the Bible obviously consistent? (Can it be confusing?)
• What kind of figurative translation of the “love letter” do we need?
• How do scholars help us understand the Bible?
• How does the Catholic Church help us understand the Bible?
• Explain Tradition.
• Explain the magisterium.
• What is the purpose of studying the Scriptures?
• Why do we bother studying the Old Testament?

     EN

• AR
• Verbs - went over answers using miming of verbs
• went over tenses: simple and perfect present, past, and future
• completed exercise 15 on page 32

     SS

• worked on maps

Homework:

Finish maps for Monday.

Sept. 23, 2014

CE

• more peer mentor activities
• questions for the priest
• continuing with the Bible introduction, focus on covenant/promise
• reflection: What is the most difficult promise I have ever made?

SS

• returned coordinates quizzes
• worked on World Maps

EN

• forewent English work to continue map work

World Maps are now due Monday.

Sept. 19, 2014

CE

• community building with peer mentors (names)
• CE textbook - intro to textbook, study of Bible
• notes - The Great Story: The Great Story

SS

• quiz - mapping coordinates
• Australian time zones
• answers to Latitude/Longitude and Australian time zones
• world map assignment (/45)

World Map is due on Thursday, September 25. Tuesday's SS class will be spent working on the map.

EN

• verbs: went over Ex. 12 answers
• Simon Says (verbs)
• pp. 26 and 27 (ex. 13 and 14)
• Ms. Marghetti came in to give information about the Grade 8/12 dance

Homework:

• Read for 20 minutes each day.
• Finish ex. 13 and 14 if not done (verbs).
• Finish notes for CE if not done.
• The map is not for homework. If you want to get a head start, go ahead, but you do not have to work on it for homework.

Sept. 17, 2014

CE

• We tabled CE for today's shortened classes.

SS

• We spent a good deal of time working on locating coordinates (007) then worked on a handout (practising latitude and longitude).
• If you didn't finish the latitude/longitude handout, finish that for homework.

EN

• silent reading
• demo of AR (User name is generally first initial and first four letters of last name. First password is abc.)
• went over pronouns and finished the exercises
• started verbs (exercise 12 on page 25)

Homework:

• finish latitude/longitude exercise if it is incomplete
• finish verb ex 12 if incomplete
• READ for twenty minutes each day

Sept. 15, 2014

CE

• housekeeping (textbooks, Mass expectations)
• finishing Scriptural references handout

SS

• more latitude and longitude
• importance of latitude
• Earth's tilt
• how to use latitude/longitude
• locating coordinates (James Bond)

EN

• AR
• finishing nouns
• pronouns

Homework:

• Read for 20 minutes each day.
• Finish the scriptural references exercise if you didn't finish it in class.

Sept. 11, 2014

CE

• review of timeline answers
• how to find a scriptural reference

SS

• review of lines of latitude and longitude
• notes
• special lines

EN

• AR
• review of nouns, common/proper nouns
• plurals
• apostrophe

NEVER use an apostrophe in the verb "sees."

Be sure to use the correct form of it's/its:

• The dog at its dinner. ("Its" is  possessive.)
• It's a small world after all. ("It's" means "it is.")

*Remember the plural form of "woman" is "women." Don't write "a women."

Homework:

• Read for twenty minutes every day.
• If you did not finish pages 9 and 12 in the nouns booklet, finish that off for Monday.
• Start studying the special lines we've been learning: Equator, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle, Prime Meridian, International Date Line, North and South Poles

Sept. 9, 2014

CE

• history of the Bible: oral, written, edited stages (notes)
• Old / New Testament
• Timeline worksheet

SS

• video/guided notes on globes vs maps, special lines
• continents/oceans

EN

• AR
• parts of speech: nouns - identifying nouns, common/proper nouns

Homework:

• Read 20 minutes each day.
• Finish the proper noun exercise.