Need or Want?

So the holidays are approaching, and everyone is bustling around trying to find the "perfect" gift. It is easy to get caught up in the commercialism of the holiday, and forget about the things that really matter.

Take a long look at the photograph above. What do you think that it says about our society? What is most important to you this holiday?

Finally, what could our class do to give back to our community this holiday season? I'd like to hear your ideas.

Top Trends in 2011

Can you forecast some trends for 2012?

Did You Know?

Inference 101

Comprehension Skill - Making Inferences

Learning Goals:
1. I will use text details and life experiences to make inferences about
characters, their feelings, and how those feelings affect their behaviour.
2. I will learn academic language: inferences - the act of reasoning from factual
knowledge or evidence.

Things to remember:
1. Authors do not spell out everything for the reader.
2. The reader must use clues from the text and their prior knowledge to make
inferences.
3. As the reader gets new information, they need to adjust their inferences.

_________________________________________________________________________________

What does it mean to make an inference? So how do you make an inference?

First, you have to know what one is. An inference is an assumption made based on specific evidence. Someone might say to you, "Nice hair," and you make the inference that the person is being rude and is really insulting you because it was said with a smirk. You infer the implied meaning – the meaning not said directly.

Here is another example, based on a story that we are all familiar with:

One more...

And one more (because I can't resist and I LOVE sticky notes)!

Inference Practice (please read)

Most people are pretty good at figuring out mysteries. If you aren’t you might have trouble answering inference questions. Inference means reading all the clues and making your best guess. You will be surprised at how easy inference can be.

Read the following paragraph then choose the best answer.

Pete and Jeff were hot and sweaty as they sat outside the principal’s office. Dirt smeared both of their faces, and they could hear their teacher’s voice as she gave Mr. Jones her account of what had happened. Pete sneered at Jeff, and Jeff returned the angry glare. As Miss Brown left Mr. Jones’ office, the boys hung their heads so they wouldn’t have to look her in the eye.

From this paragraph you can infer that,

a. Pete and Jeff had disappointed their teacher.

b. Pete and Jeff are sworn enemies.

c. The principal, known for being hard on students, would yell at them both.


A is the correct answer. How do we know that? Let’s look at the clues:

We know the boys were mad at each other, because Pete sneered at Jeff, and Jeff returned the angry glare.

We can guess that they had been fighting, because dirt smeared both of their faces, and they were sitting outside the principal’s office. The biggest clue is in the last sentence: "The boys hung their heads so they wouldn’t have to look her in the eye." They had disappointed their teacher.

Why are the other two answers wrong?

Well, reread the paragraph. It does not say that the boys were best friends, but it doesn’t say they were NOT best friends either. We don’t really know. All we know about the principal is that his name is Mr. Jones. He might be a nice guy, but the paragraph doesn’t give us a clue about what kind of person he is.

The only answer we can infer is that the boys felt that they had disappointed their teacher, because they didn’t want to look her in the eye.

So let's practice our inferring, shall we? Try your hand at the practice inference questions below.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Inference Assignment

Part 1
Your Task: First, start a new blog post titled "Inference 101". Write a
definition for making an inference. Next, copy and paste this
assignment onto your blog. Using your best inference strategies, make
an inference about the following statements. Please include your
inference as well as the text clue that led you to your decision. The
first two are done for you.

1. I wouldn't eat after that two-year-old if I were you.

Inference: The two-year-old probably did something gross to the food you were
about to eat, or has a cold and you could catch it. Something bad will
happen to you if you eat it because he "I wouldn't" sounds like a
warning!

2. For Valentine’s Day, my fantastic neighbor gave his wife a poem that took him
about two seconds to write. Sheesh.

Inference: My neighbor is not very considerate since he didn't take his time
writing the poem, the text clue that led me to this decision was the
"Sheesh". People usually say "Sheesh" when they are annoyed or
frustrated.

3. A man ran after a retreating bus, waving his briefcase frantically.

Inference:_________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. If she died, I wouldn’t go to her funeral.

Inference:_________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5. Jake almost wished that he hadn’t listened to the radio. He went to the closet
and grabbed his umbrella even though he would feel silly carrying it to the bus
stop on such a sunny morning.

Inference:__________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

6. Hey! What happened to all the school construction money taken from the
taxpayers? It paid for this toilet the money was flushed down.

Inference:___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. As you give a speech in front of a large audience, you realize that people are
laughing behind their hands and pointing to the region below your waist.

Inference:___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. No, Honey, I don’t want you to spend a lot of money on my birthday present. Just
having you for a husband is the only gift I need. In fact, I’ll just drive my
old rusty bucket of bolts down to the mall and buy myself a little present. And
if the poor old car doesn't break down, I’ll be back soon.

Inference:___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

9. A woman walks into a hospital clutching her abdomen and cursing out her husband,
who trails behind her carrying a large bag.

Inference:___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

10. You're driving on the highway, listening to the radio, and a police officer
pulls you over.

Inference:__________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________


Part 2

Underneath your work for part 1, copy and paste a minimum of 3 of the photos displayed below. Please be sure to include a written inference to accompany each of the photographs.

After you have completed that, you are done!! Give yourself a pat on the back, and take some time to visit your classmates' blogs to see their inferences.

Photograph #1

Photograph #2

Photograph #3

Photograph #4

Photograph #5

Keep up the good work, and I'm looking forward to reading your thinking.
Mrs. Dowker

A Time to Remember, The Montreal Massacre

The Montréal Massacre of December 6, 1989, in which 14 women students at the École Polytechnique were systematically killed and 13 other students wounded by a lone gunman, is indelibly imprinted on the minds of Quebeckers and others who struggled to comprehend the worst single-day massacre in Canadian history.

Since the beginning of Québec's "Quiet Revolution" in the 1960s, women had been making increasing strides in non-traditional occupations and educational programs. In the 1970s and 1980s, growing numbers flocked to the École Polytechnique, the School of Engineering at the University of Montréal. While most men in Québec and elsewhere accepted and even welcomed these transformations, a minority felt themselves disadvantaged by attempts to encourage women's new roles and opportunities.

One of these was Marc Lépine, a 25-year-old Quebecker and child-abuse survivor who, as an adult, was described by acquaintances as a moody loner. Lépine had sought to join the Canadian Armed Forces, but was rejected. He had also studied for admission to the École Polytechnique, but was not accepted -- a decision he apparently blamed on "affirmative action" policies promoted by feminists and their sympathizers. In the suicide note he would leave on his body, Lépine provided some insights into the virulent mindset that fuelled his rage against women and feminists:

Please note that if I am committing suicide today ... it is not for economic reasons ... but for political reasons. For I have decided to send Ad Patres [Latin: "to the fathers"] the feminists who have ruined my life. ... The feminists always have a talent for enraging me. They want to retain the advantages of being women ... while trying to grab those of men. ... They are so opportunistic that they neglect to profit from the knowledge accumulated by men throughout the ages. They always try to misrepresent them every time they can.


Attached to the letter was a list of 19 prominent Québec women in non-traditional occupations, including the province's first woman firefighter and police captain. Beneath the list Lépine wrote: "[These women] nearly died today. The lack of time (because I started too late) has allowed these radical feminists to survive." It was, instead, dozens of ordinary women at the École Polytechnique who would bear the brunt of his fury.

Your Assignment:

Step #1: Visit the CBC Radio and Television Archives for 15 - 20 minutes. Browse, take jot notes to complete this statement -
"I was surprised to discover..."

Step #2: Prepare to write a new blog post. Your post should include:

Paragraph #1 - describe the Montreal Massacre (who, what, when,
why)

Paragraph #2 - incorporate what you were "suprised to
discover..."

Paragraph #3 - Answer these questions within the last paragraph:
Q1: What are the effects of the massacre?
Q2: What steps need to be taken to address the
issue of violence against women?
- I want to hear your thoughts, opinions, comments
here

** Please include several visual images to add visual stimulation for your blog readers. **

Julius Caesar

On Monday, December 5th, our class went to Calvin Park P.S. to watch the play Julius Caesar, performed by Ms. Hymmen's grade 7 challenge class.

Julius Caesar is a play about class conflict. The play began with Caesar entering Rome accompanied by his supporters and a group of citizens. He was offered the crown three times, but refused. Brutus and Cassius were worried about how much power Caesar had gained. They plotted against Caesar to lure him into the Capital, on the assumption that he would be crowned the leader.

That evening, Caesar's wife Calpurnia dreamt of a statue of Caesar bleeding from a hundred wounds. Calpurnia begs Caesar to remain at home and not venture into the Capital that day, he agrees. However, Decius, one of the conspirators, arrives and reinterprets Calpurnia's dream to mean that all of Rome sucked the reviving blood of Caesar for its benefit.

Brutus met with Cassius and the other conspirators and shakes all their hands, agreeing to join their plot. He convinced them to only kill Caesar, and not his most loyal friend Antony, because he does not want them to "seem too bloody".

The conspirators arrive at the Senate House and Caesar assumes his seat. On Casca's comment, "Speak hands for me" the group attacks Caesar, stabbing him to death. The conspirators, now led by Brutus and Cassius, dip their hands in Caesar's blood and prepare to run to the streets crying out "peace, freedom, and liberty". Antony arrives and begs them to let him take the body and give Caesar a public eulogy. Brutus claimed that he "sacrificed" Julius Caesar's life for freedom and that he killed him because he was too ambitious. Antony takes full advantage of his speech and informs the crowd that Caesar was a selfless man who cared for Rome above everything. The people now believe Caesar to have been great and good, seize his body and vow revenge upon Brutus and the rest of the conspirators. Cassius and Brutus flee. On the battlefield at Philippi, Antony and Octavius battle against Brutus and Cassius, with Antony and Octavius reigning victorious. Octavius, unemotional through all of the carnage, merely ends the play with the lines, "So call the field to rest, and let's away / To part the glories of this happy day".

Overall I thought that the play was fantastic. Each actor spoke clearly, and with confidence, which made it very easy to hear. The play was well prepared and performed seamlessly. It was amazing at how well each actor knew exactly when and where to go on stage. The set design was simple, yet incredibly convincing. The costumes looked authentic, and reflected the time period perfectly. There were elements of humour added with the student narrators, which really helped the audience in understanding such a sophisticated dramatic presentation.

We thoroughly enjoyed watching Julius Caesar, and look forward to attending the Challenge program's Shakespeare play next year! Congratulations to the students in Mrs. Hymmen's class for a superb performance (you definitely deserve a treat from your teacher), and congratulations to Mrs. Hymmen, you rock as a teacher, and your students a re so lucky to have you in their lives. I'm very proud of you little sis!!

Thinking About Bullying...

I have been thinking a lot about bullying and everything that surrounds it since we went to see the play, The Shape of a Girl. We will be covering a lot more about this topic, but I wanted you to have some more information to think about. Check out the Cyperproof blog. It is a collection of intermediate level resources has been gathered to assist schools in developing purposeful anti-bully, including cyberbullying, campaigns. There is a lot of information presented, take your time and have a look at what is there. I want to know which pieces of information have an impact on you and the way in which you think about bullying. What videos do you think would be most effective to watch as a class and discuss? Feel free to leave a comment:)

Listen to this song, the lyrics are pretty powerful.

"Miss Invisible" by Marie Digby


Here is another version (this one is for you Callie).



And one more...

Remember...

The Shape of a Girl

The Grade 8's Visit the Grand Theatre

On Tuesday, November 22, 2011, our class went to see "Shape of a Girl" at the Grand Theatre. Shape of a Girl is a highly accessible show for teens that looks at the realities of teenage relationships and bullying. The play follows Braidie, a girl in grade 10, who is fascinated by the news coverage of a murder trial involving a group of teenage girls who have attacked one of their peers. As the story unfolds in the news, Braidie begins to realize that there is a parallel between the headlines and the emotional bullying that she and her friends have been participating since grade 2. Having come to this realization, and knowing that the bullying could escalate Braidie must confront her friends and stop the victimization of her classmate.

"The Shape of a Girl is a must-see for teens or anyone living or working with them. It accurately captures the thoughts, struggles and emotions that our youth face on a daily basis and presents these in an entertaining, yet thoughtprovoking manner" — Ann Dusterbeck, Boys and Girls Club Community Services

Your assignment is to write a play review. Please read the instructions below, and be sure to include each part in your review.

Remember: The point of a play review is to critique a play, not just to describe it! If you simply describe the plot, then you will not receive a very good grade. Thus, you need to have an overall thesis, just like in a regular essay. In this case, your thesis will be related to whether you thought the play was a good interpretation or well-executed version of the play. You then need to provide points throughout the review to support your thesis. The following questions will allow you to think about some elements of the play that you can
critique:

Basic Information
• In what theatre is the play being performed?
• What date and time did you see the play?
• What play did you see?
• Who was the author?

Script: Try to identify the following:
• What was the major conflict, dramatic question, or unifying theme?
• What was the dominant tone of the play? Serious? Comic? Ironic? Explain.

Directing: Try to comment on the following:
• Was there an identifiable production concept, unifying metaphor, or
interpretational approach? If so, what was it and how was it manifested in the
production?
• Were all of the elements of the production compatible and coordinated? Explain.
• If not, what seemed out of place or inadequately integrated with the rest?

Acting: Choose at least two actors (male or female) to comment on in some depth:
Please spell actors’ and characters’ names correctly.
• Were the roles appropriately cast?
• Were some actors inadequate to their roles? In what ways?
• Were some actors especially effective? If so, how and with what effect?
• Were the actors audible? Understandable?
• Were there any special skills (such as dancing, singing, fencing, playing a musical
instrument) required of any of the actors? If so, how effectively were the demands
met?

Scenic Design: Try to comment on the following:
• In what type of performance space was the production staged?
• What characteristics did the scenery embody? What did the scenery convey about
the play?
• How did the scenery contribute (or fail to contribute) to the total production?
What would have been lost if the scenery had been eliminated?

Costume Design and Makeup: Try to comment on the following:
• Were there any special costume needs? (historical, fantasy? etc.) If so, how well
were they handled?
• Were there any special makeup needs? (Same as above) If so, how well were they
handled?
• Overall, how did costumes and makeup contribute (or fail to contribute) to the
total production?

Lighting Design and Sound: Try to comment on the following:
• Were there any special lighting or sound needs? If so how well was it executed?
• Overall, how did lighting and sound contribute (or fail to contribute) to the
production concept and the total production?

Final Thoughts
• What was your overall impression of the performance?
• What was your overall impression of the experience?
• Any final thoughts?
_________________________________________________________________________________

If you did not attend the play, here is your assignment:

1. Define bullying in your own words, include a link to a definition that you found
as well.

2. Paragraph 1: Research the play, Shape of a Girl, and write a summary of it.

3. Paragraph 2: Research the real-life event of Reena Virk's murder, describe what
happened, be sure to link it back to the play, Shape of a Girl. Also, include
how this tragedy could have been prevented.

4. Create a poster (using glogster)to curb bullying. Include local and national
help line number.

Writing Leads

We have been practicing writing interesting and catchy leads. Take a look at this image. What comes to your mind when you look at it?

Your assignment is to write a catchy lead, using this image as your inspiration for a story. Take in all of the details of the image, think about what would be going on with all of your five senses if you were present in the image yourself...right now.

Have fun, and I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Please post your leads in the comment box below:)

Mrs. Dowker

Digital Book Talk

Use your blogger to start a conversation about the book that you are reading in your book club group. I would like you to share your book, and you might be interested to hear book recommendations from others, hopefully they will leave a comment. Feel free to respond to your reader's comments as well.

When you're sharing information about the book you are reading, think about how you can make the book sound appealing to others without giving too much away.

You can start by asking questions: "Does anyone like books with lots of suspense?" or "Does anyone like books with lots of action? or "Has anyone ready a scary book lately?"

You need to know the title of the book and the author in order to recommend it to others. You might choose to share a very brief summary of the plot - but not too much. Remember it is like a chat, not a speech. You need to keep your ideas short and succinct. Please add an image of your choice, maybe the book's cover image, another image from the book, or even the movie trailer (if your book has been made into a movie).

Ask lots of questions of the other member in your class - you might discover new books that you can't wait to read.

Remembrance Day

With it being Remembrance Day, I came across a little puzzle for you to try. Click on this link, and have a go.

Just for fun, when you finish, leave a comment below, and include how long it took you to complete the puzzle (there is a timer in the top right hand corner). Good luck and have fun!

Mrs. Dowker

P.S. It took me 35 seconds to complete this puzzle, can you beat my time??!!

Remembrance Day Assignment

Remembrance Day is this Friday, November 11th. We are holding a ceremony here at First Avenue Public School, but what are other people doing to commorate Remembrance Day?

I would like you to think about what Remembrance Day means to you, and find a personal connection. Your assignment is to login to Glogster.com, and create a multimedia poster about Remembrance Day, including text, video, and images. Click on the word "multimedia" and check out the poster that I created. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Here are some on-line resources that you might like to check out.

Veterans Affairs Canada - Canada Remembers

Canadian Military History Gateway

The Memory Project

Royal Canadian Legion

Heroes Remember, Books of Remembrance

Grade 8's Visit the Corn Maze on Wolfe Island

The Grade 8 class visited the Corn Maze on Wolfe Island. It was a beautiful day, and we were ready to go. After a brisk walk, we managed to catch the 9:15am ferry. The ferry ride was great, the students ran up and down the stairs between the top and lower ferry decks.

When we arrived on the island, White's Wagon Rides was there to pick us up. We traveled by hay ride through the island to the corn maze. It wasn't the fastest ride, but it was very cozy sitting on the hay bales.

Once we arrived at the corn maze those students who didn't wear rubber boots wished that they had. We had to slop through a very mucky field in order to get to the barn. Luckily, the corn maze had lots of boots that we were able to borrow (and plastic bags for when we ran out of boots). The kids were off! Walkie talkies in hand, boots on feet, and mud flying everywhere - that's how I would describe the grade 8's taking over the corn maze.

Everyone had a great, muddy time (only several people got lost in the maze, don't worry we found them). After our maze adventures, we enjoyed our lunch by a campfire and were treated to homemade chocolate chip cookies from the owners of the corn maze. All in all, we were tired, but it was a fantastic day!

Welcome!

Welcome Bloggers from the portable!

I am so excited that we have entered the `blogging world`together. Some of you may be wondering what exactly is a blog. Keep reading...

What is a blog?

A blog is a Web publishing tool that allows anyone (including you) to quickly and easily self-publish text, artwork, links to other blogs or Web sites, as well as all kinds of other stuff.

Blogs are set-up like conventional Web sites, with navigation links, and other standard Web site features. A blog is different from a typical Web site in that the primary content is made up of postings. Blog postings are text entries, similar to a diary or journal, which include a posting date. They can include comments made by people other than the author. Postings are often short and frequently updated. They appear in reverse chronological order and can include archived entries.

Blogs work well for students because they can be worked on at virtually any time, in any place with an Internet-enabled computer. I am hoping that our blogs will create a classroom that extends beyond the boundaries of the school yard and our little
house on the pavement.

Top 10 Reasons Why We Should Blog

1. To create lifelong learners.
2. It improves our digital literacy.
3. Leads to higher level thinking.
4. Encourages collaboration among peers.
5. We are reading and writing with a purpose to learn.
6. Blogging is motivating to students, especially those who otherwise might not
become participants in a classroom.
7. Powerful tools to enable scaffolded learning or mentoring to occur.
8. It is current and relevant in today`s society.
9. It can be self-directed learning.
10. It is fun and you will love doing it!

Remember - Knowledge is Power!!

I can`t wait to see what you come up with, I am sure that you will amaze me (and hopefully even yourself)!

Mrs. Dowker