Summer Time

What are you doing this summer?

Jump Rope for Hearts

We will be running the Hoops and Jump events on Friday June 10th.

We will need groups of 2 and maybe 3 to run the individual stations.

create your groups here and post an activity you will run.

Keep the activities simple and fast moving.  you will be dealing with 20 students for 10 minutes at each time.

Holes 2

Hello Team,

Here is a link to the Louis Sachar website.  Check it out and post something interesting you discovered reading through the site

http://www.louissachar.com/HolesBook.htm

Adopt a Village - 2

Lets get our plan rolling:

Use this post to keep track and get people focused on our goals.

Stephanie has the money envelop and anybody that wants to help in collection and recording talk with her.

We have raised $4 thus far - Tarundeep took the initiative and is the first to donate, who will be next...

Kids Newspaper

A website dedicated to giving news to students.

Take a look, we will explore it in greater detail later.

http://teachkidsnews.com/

Adopt a Village

This is a worthy fundraiser that I feel we should get involved with and make a contribution.  As much as we talk about making a difference in terms of the environment and equality it is fundraisers like this that give us the opportunity to practice what we preach.

We were awesome during the can food drive, but our level of greatness is only meaningful if its consistent - and becoming an irrelevant hypocrite is not acceptable.

Lets get some 87 bricks to join with the few other classes that have contributed bricks. ($20 per brick)

1. lets get a class leader
2. lets make a plan
3. lets set some obtainable goals 
4. lets get STARTED AND INVOLVED

Infer

Read carefully before you begin.


View, focus, and investigate the photos below.


What can you infer about what is going on in this image?


Use specific references to items and people from the picture to infer.  As well demonstrate the connections you make to support your inferences.

1. Please type out your response in a word document.
2. email the response to me (mrcheney@rogers.com)
3. email a copy to yourself so you can use it to post on the blog later (when I instruct you to post)
4. This will keep your responses private, and not give students responding later the benefit of reading your responses before constructing their own.

Grayson

This is just for some fun.  This is a movie trailer made by an independent film maker a few years ago.  Similar to our movie it is barebones and uses a variety of cheesy effects and nothing computer generated.    As well for you comic book fans enjoy all the classic superheroes. 

Post any comments or reactions:

   

The Environment

Check out this short article on green bins.

Post a comment on the usefulness of this idea:

http://www.moneyville.ca/blog/post/965325--a-6-year-old-solved-a-problem-i-couldn-t

IRead 7

Are there any characters in your book that are similar to any characters from the class novel "The Cheat"?

Share how they are similar:

Japan - The Latest

Although the news coverage of the events in Japan have dwindled slightly over the past few days.  The far reaching effects and devastation continue to grow.  Specifically in the inability to stop radiation leaks.

Check out the article to keep yourself current on the world changing effects in Japan.  Similar to our studying of 9/11 this event may alter the course of world history drastically.

Suggest some predictions of how this event may change the world? or argue that it indeed will not.

perhaps being fully informed will make it more meaningful and important to donate a few dollars to support relief efforts.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/963330--japan-on-maximum-alert-as-nuclear-crisis-deepens?bn=1

Healthy Living

Hey Team,

Check out this article on Student health.  It is from an American perspective but its reality is not that different from our own.

Should parents be standing guard around stores that sell junk food to children?

Do Principals have the right to ask store owners not to sell candy to kids?

Can you make any connections to equality and systemic racism?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/us/28food.html?_r=1&hp

The Cheat 6

Follow my read aloud and post your comments:

The Cheat 5

Dan trying to hook up with Sarah? We all in this together he says?!

what do you think about that?

Blog Assignement

Hello Team,

If you created a blog page you can post the link here.

The Cheat - 4

What do you think of Dan's father?

Was that good parenting?

Do you think he considers his wife his eqaul?

Paying for Class Notes - Sharing or Cheating?

Check out this article about University students who buy class notes online (the type of jot notes we learned about during the slave trade research)

what do you think.  Is it stealing or just sharing?

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/article/956998--paying-for-class-notes-online-sharing-or-cheating

Libya

Another current recent event is the breakdown in Libya.  Just this weekend the UN (France, Britain, United States) took action and supported the rebel fighters.

Read this recent article and find and share other articles, pictures, video's, to enhance our knowledge of the world we live in.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/world/africa/22libya.html?_r=1&hp

The Cheat 2

Dan was so confident not to worry about being caught cheating.  He was cocky and arrogant about the situation.  But he was the first one to snitch and cave in to save himself in Mr. Chen's office!  What do you think about Dan?  Is he realistic and is this behaviour realistic?

Japan

Hello Team,

There are many major events going on in the world today.  Here is an interactive multimedia presentation of what is happening with the nuclear meltdown in Japan.

post any thoughts...

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/12/world/asia/the-explosion-at-the-japanese-reactor.html

The Cheat - 2

How realistic do you think the book is thus far?

Do students in trouble outside the office really think this way?

Who is the most realistic character?

The Cheat

What are your first impressions of:

the book

Sarah

Katie

Rob

Dan

Jake

History - Introduction

Hello Team,

Who Killed William Robinson?

First Look up briefly who was William Robinson (context is Canadian History in the 1860s)

know check out this website

http://canadianmysteries.ca/en/index.php

follow the links to the mystery surrounding his death.  It is an entire case study.  Go through the links and like a CSI investigator come up with a theory on who is responsible for his death.

The Toronto Star

Hello Team,

I am in the building! Just in a meeting...my favourite place to be.

I have posted the link to the Toronto Star web page.  Browse through the site and find an interesting story (interesting to you).

Read the story and post a brief summary of the article you read. (5 or 6 sentences)

then comment on 2 others summaries.



http://www.thestar.com/

United We Stand 4

Hey Team,

It is clear that we are nearing the end of a novel.  We have been reading about Will and company for 4 months now, what do you think will happen at the end of the novel when Will arrives home? How will his mom act? What will happen with James mother?

James has seemingly "seen the light" and seems destined to become a firefighter, do you think Will is as passionate about his future?

TDSB Funding

Here is a follow up article to the one we read on parent council funding.  Please read and share your thoughts.

as well look through the blogging responses by the readers underneath the articles, anything stand out with a unique perspective?

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/schoolsandresources/article/946344--province-needs-to-set-school-fundraising-limits-groups-say

Equity in the TDSB

This is something we have talked about endlessly in class in terms of equality.

read the article and tell me what you think?

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/schoolsandresources/article/945360--rich-schools-get-richer-thanks-to-private-cash

iRead 6

Tell us about the most horrible and sinister character in your book!

What do you think the characteristics are of a very good "villain"?

Movie

Hey Team, we have reached the point where we need to make an action plan.  We have not made our original due date and we may miss all the performance dates.  What do you want to do next?

Journal Response

This task should be written and responded to in a formal process.  Answer this question as if it the 1st question on the grade 10 Language EQAO evaluation (this test must be passed in order to obtain a high school diploma).  

Please respond by opening a word document and composing your response there.  Once completed copy and paste into the blog so you can comment later tonight for homework.

The Question:

Is it ever okay for parents to open their teenagers' mail, read their diaries, listen to the their phone calls, and check their texts?

The Toronto Star

Here is an article about an online black history museum.  Read the article and check out the museum on line.  Post your thoughts and observations.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/941510--black-history-at-a-keystroke

United We Stand 3

Ok lets try read aloud a little bit different.  We are going to have a live interactive blog session as the read aloud is going on:

share your thoughts.  It can be a prediction, making a connection, describing an image in your mind, or even a question.

I will read at a slower pace and this is similar to the task we attempted with John Brown lecture but the internet cause havoc.

ok lets begin.

United We Stand Chapter 10:

I Read 5

What did you read today in class? If you were rating your book out of 5 stars what would you rate it and why?

February 14 - Valentines Day

Here is an article in the Toronto Star about a grade 1s perspective on love and Valentines Day.  Read the article and share your thoughts?

http://www.thestar.com/living/valentinesday/article/938130--grade-1-students-ponder-the-mystery-of-love

United We Stand 2

Is going down to "ground zero" the right choice for James and Will?

predict the outcome of their decision to go into the city.

iRead 4

What is the conflict in your story?  Don't offer a solution.  Everybody else can share a possible solution to the conflict.

iRead 3

What is the main idea of your story?

United We Stand - 2

Was going to James's house the right thing to do?

Do you think you could have done the same?

How do you think James is doing?

What do you think happened to James's father?

Just for fun

with all the star wars chatter that goes on, i figured this commercial was perfect.

Check this out!

any comments?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0

United We Stand 1

What do you think the sequel to We All Fall Down is going to be about?

make your predictions.

Snow Day 1

Here is an article about our school closure, check out the blog responses at the bottom, many readers are not very happy with the decision.

read and tell me what you think

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/schoolsandresources/article/931997--snow-closes-toronto-schools-for-first-time-since-1999

Wednesday February 2

Classes are cancelled today.

enjoy :)

iRead 2

Hey Team, we had a shortened period today, thus we shall have our next iRead period on Thursday.  But for todays blogging task please share something about a character in your book. (a like, dislike, they remind you of something, something unique).

as well for our movie we need a full class session tomorrow to put our ideas together, and importantly picking characters, i want 3 names of real slaves that were freed on the underground railway, names and dates, we want our movie to be real.  post those findings on the movie block.

World Trade Centre

In a word the movie was:

As well share what you felt was the best and most powerful moment of the film.Publish Post

iRead

Give a gist of what you read today in class.  As well please respond to your classmates posts.

We shall compare stats tomorrow, hopefully we will continue on an upwards trend.

King - Movie Review and Release Poster

King:

Due February 1

King Information

Actors: Paul Winfield (MLK)/ Cicely Tyson (Mrs. King)

Produced/Directed/Written: Abby Mann

1.     Movie Review: title, rating, brief summary, critique.  (make specific comments about actors, directors, producers)

You can visit this webpage for more examples

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/

2.     Create a movie release poster for King.  

D

John Brown

Hero or Villain?

please post tonight

In a word the DVD King was:

We All Fall Down

How would you rate the ending or effectiveness of the novel? We know there is so much more to the story after the first tower collapses but the story ends when they are reunited at the base of the Tower. Do you think this is a good way to end the novel?

We All Fall Down in a word was:

Black History Assembly The Movie All Blocks

Hello Team,

I want this post for updates from each section.  They should be daily.  This way I can be updated but you can communicate with other block leaders to maintain the consistency and flow from block to block.

We will hav to have a few "slaves" as characters that go from block to block.  Beginning when they are captured and ending when they are free.

This will be the biggest and most complex task you have faced as a class.  Big group projects are difficult but ultimately the most rewarding.  Don't forget the lessons of the can food drive.  There will be highs and lows in production but if we remain true to the task and motivated to tell an essential story then we will be successful.

A Blessing to Our Mission!

1. only the group leader from each of the 6 sections will post here.

2. each Block will need to pick the art work to display in start of your scene (get the info on citing it as a reference for the film credits)  copy the link address

3. summary of block

4. write script and detail action (yes action scenes need to be scripted)

5. story board the blocks.  From shot to shot.  This may mean 10-30 mini sketches detailing the action and camera angles and shots.

6. Narrator voice to go over the photo art work introduction (a character from the scene or historical figure we have studied)

Slaves in America Video's (Film Research)

These are video's I posted in Early December but you can use them from here to aid your research.

As well a powerful and graphically detailed movie "Amistad" would provide you with some vivid imagery and passion for the Slavery issue.

http:/Slaves in America 1 of 2

Slaves in America 2 of 3

Slaves in America 3 of 3

Black History Assembly The Movie Block 6 the Free At Last Scene

Here is your work space.

I need an assigned leader for your group so I can communicate with them for progress reports

game time:

Black History Assembly The Movie Block 5 the Underground Rail Way Scene

Here is your work space.

I need an assigned leader for your group so I can communicate with them for progress reports

game time:

Black History Assembly The Movie Block 4 the Slave at Work Scene

Here is your work space.

I need an assigned leader for your group so I can communicate with them for progress reports

game time:

Black History Assembly The Movie Block 3 the Auction Scene

Here is your work space.

I need an assigned leader for your group so I can communicate with them for progress reports

game time:

Black History Assembly The Movie Block 2 the Boat Scene

Here is your work space.

I need an assigned leader for your group so I can communicate with them for progress reports

game time:

Black History Assembly The Movie Block 1 the Capture Scene

Here is your work space.

I need an assigned leader for your group so I can communicate with them for progress reports

game time:

Black History Assembly 3 - The Movie

Lets get Started.

There are some comments at the end of the John Brown blog getting the planning started for our movie.

we will start on Monday by creating a timeline of our story/movie.

if you have comments or ideas then start now!

Civil War Lecture 2

Listen to the narrative on John Brown and his actions.

post comments while the lecture is in process...agree/disagree/questions

this is a new type of learning.  We are listening to a lecture but at the same time engaged in a lively debate. It may be difficult to always follow both but thats ok its part of the process.

Music

What do you think about this article?

Do you experience the sensations this article refers to, in regards to listening to music?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/music-thrills-trigger-chemical-montreal-study-20110109-111803-921.html

Eric Walters

Hello,

We all sent letters to Eric Walters to join our Blog a few weeks ago.  Lets show our results in this blog.  Can people share what their responses were and also share if you have heard from Mr. Walters yet?

We All Fall Down 6

Will and John stopped because the heard something on the stairwell.  What was it?

Amistad

This is a small clip from the movie Amistad.  But it is a worthy video highlighting the slave issue in the United States just prior to the Civil War.

The event is John Quince Adams giving the final speech to the supreme court of the United States.  The verdict here would be the last ruling on the freedom or slavery of black slaves that revolted against there owners.

please post your comments on the video clip, as well please research and share some findings on the Amistad incident, and also research who was John Quincy Adams.

John Quincy Adams-Amistad

Civil War Lecture

Although our poll is not over there is already a growing result that indeed the material shared during the lecture was boring.  I would like to flush out this reasoning and response with greater detail?

Education in its purest form is about learning.  It is not about tests and evaluations.  The concept of education was born from the idea that knowledge is power and understanding, and that by educating your mind with new and powerful learning will inspire you and better civilization.

But in context of this lecture new and indepth learning is seen as boring, why?

please share your ideas on this lecture:

Civil War / Jot notes

Good Morning Team!

I dont have a fear of heights...I do howerever have a fear of dfalling from heights.

We have just finished our first detailed lesson on taking effective jot notes and the importance of keeping them organized and focused to support your understanding of new topics.  Our lecture on the Southern justifications on Slavery was indepth and interesting. 

We will have a Jot Notes Quiz on Tuesday.  You will be given a lecture from the civil war and asked to take "notes" for the first 15 minutes.  I will collect the notes and evaluate looking for organization, underlining of key points and clear sub catagories.

The topic of that lecture will be John Brown and his role in the Civil War.  You can do some research and post findings in the blog to support your understanding of the lecture.  It will be helpful to have background knowledge before listening.

So share what you learn about John Brown (make sure you have the right one)

Reading 2

Hello Team,

From your reading material please give a detailed description of one character and then comment on 3 other  posts.

as well please finish your tasks for Reading 1

Reading

Hello Team,

Please post a brief paragraph describing what it is you read in class this morning.

I want to establish a more consistent reading block for you.  Time to just sit back and enjoy a book to read. We spend so much time teaching you "how" to read but then spend no time just reading.

as well once you have finished that please select three words from what you read today and add them to your word wall book but also to this post.  (3 new or interesting words and their definition)