Literacy
Today we connected with Mrs. Dunlap's class in West Virginia.
They have finished A Long Walk to Water and really loved the book.

Geography
Here is the water footprint calculator we looked at in class.
https://www.watercalculator.org/
What is your household water footprint?

What a great day at the McMichael!
Thank you everyone - you represented Stuart Scott beautifully.

Reminders:

• Your Indigenous Group of Seven project is due tomorrow
• Your geography questions from last class are also due tomorrow (on blog Friday)
• Here is a new Padlet you could contribute to for A Long Walk To Water. Remember to put your first name only and that you are from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.
• https://padlet.com/cjelinek/d0a4qrlyee2r
• Hallowe'en dance tomorrow. Costumes are fine throughout the day but make sure they abide by the rules we discussed.

McMichael 
Monday is our trip to the McMichael Gallery. It is going to be a great day!
Please remember to bring your lunch and remember we are going on a hike - so please dress appropriately.

RINGO!
Today I introduced an ongoing independent reading assignment called RINGO - reading bingo.
Each class member has a ringo duo-tang. Please show it to your family at home,
Every two weeks, students are expected to complete one of the ringo tasks.
They can be submitted either on paper or via google drive.
First task is due Friday November 10th.

Kenya  research project
Everyone needs to be prepared to present starting Thursday (Nov. 2nd).
By now you should have finished your research and be just about finished your media text (poster, slides presentation etc...). Aim to be practicing your presentation by Monday. That will give you a few days to practice. Remember to check the success criteria on the blog.

Geography
For next geography class please answer the following questions using the map "Access to Clean Drinking Water."
1. Where is Canada on the map and what can you tell me about Canada based on the information on this map?
2. What countries have access to clean drinking water? Use continent names and compass directions.
3 Where are the countries that have less access to clean water? Use continent names and compass directions.
4. How equal is access to clean water around the world? Is it the same for everyone?

Math
Today we played the game "Meter Reader".
This week end practice by teaching your family how to play.

Have a great weekend!

A Long Walk to Water online discussion opportunities:

1. Padlet for Chapers 10 - 12
https://padlet.com/jsm6/unn4wmlzt2rt
* Make sure you put your first name only - and that you are in Ontario, Canada

2. Chalkup
There are two new discussions started for chapters 11 and 12.

Please remember that you will be submitting your top three discussion contributions to me when we finish the book. The rubric can be found on the blog - (Monday Oct 16th)

Many thanks to our Eco Team for their leadership and energy in leading eight classes through their stations for Take Me Outside Day! Well done. I've received many, many positive comments from both staff and students! I'm proud of you.

No new homework tonight. Perhaps this is a good night to be working on your Kenya research project? Presentations begin one week tomorrow (Nov.2nd).

Also a good time to get caught up on your online discussions for A Long Walk to Water. There are discussions for chapters 11 and 12 - but we haven't read those chapters yet. We will tomorrow, so just wait on those ones.

Remember the X Dance family event is here, at school, tomorrow! Hope to see you there!

Literacy
Today we spent time in the computer lab working on both our Kenya research project and our Chalkup responses to A Long Walk to Water.
Remember: Kenya presentation begin on Nov. 2nd. Please review the success criteria that we came up with together - (see blog Friday Oct. 6th)

Math
Today we added the idea of  kilowatt - hours into our investigation - or Zig's investigation. On Appendix J we completed the first three experiments together. Please finish the fourth experiment tonight.
Checkpoint tomorrow.

Geography
Today we started looking at water pollution as an essentially man-made global issue.
We talked about the sources of water pollution and we started looking at access to drinking water around the world. Please use the below map to enhance your black and white version of the map. Can you add colour to make your map clearer? Note - the below map is not exactly the same as yours. The legend numbers are in reverse order.

Happy Monday Everyone!

We began the day with our nature buddies. We took them to our sit spots and read to them. We also had some time to get to know them. Finally, we showered the wetlands with milkweed seeds. Looking forward to seeing some of them sprout next spring! Many of us showed great leadership in taking good care of our nature buddies, getting to know them and setting a good example for them. I'm very proud.

A Long Walk to Water
I read chapters eight and nine today. Chapter nine ended in a very difficult situation.
"If you give them water, you will not have enough for yourself!...It is useless - they will die, and you will die with them."
Share your thoughts about this on the Chalkup discussion that I started.

X Dance
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week we will be learning more about dance and movement with X Dance. Please come dressed to move each day. Everyone is welcome to the family event on Thursday evening.

Math
If you are really understanding the weird dials, then you understand how to read the meter even if one of the dials is covered. Today's homework is to analyse the rule that Zig came up with and figure out if it needs and modifications. Please finish appendix H. (one word answers are not good enough - explain your thoughts,)
There will be a checkpoint on the weird dials on Wednesday.

Literacy
Take the extra day this weekend to make some progress on your Kenya research project.
Don't leave it until the last minute. Try to have your research done this weekend. You can be working on your media text next week and then you'll have a few days to rehearse you oral presentation before Nov. 2nd.

A Long Walk to Water
Here is the link to the padlet we talked about today.

https://padlet.com/cjelinek/txjcsj0d5iu4

If you want to contribute to the conversation here - be sure to copy and paste what you write into a google doc. This way you can choose your best ones to submit to me.
You can also contribute to Chalkup discussions.

Math
New work today with the weird dials. Please complete Worksheet F.
Can you explain your answers to the folks at home? Better yet - see if they can do it (they might need some help - fill them in on what we know about the dials).
How many dials can be missing yet still allow you to read a meter? Explain.

Have a great weekend!

Reminders:
1. Geography - Monarch Butterfly project due tomorrow. You will have class time to finish up.
       Idea! Have the project essentially done and use tomorrow to do get some peer feedback.
2. Kenya research project presentations will begin Thursday November 2nd.
     Remember - we talked about finishing the research this weekend, finishing the media text by Oct.       29th, and that gives you a few days to practice your oral presentation.
3. Art - Group of Seven project is due after the McMichael trip. - Oct 31st
4. Tomorrow is last day for October book order.
5. Tomorrow is also the last day for your school picture orders.

Literacy - A Long Walk to Water
Below is the discussion posting we crafted together as a class. It is a good sample of what I will expect for your online discussion responses. Remember, once we finish the book, you will copy and paste your top three discussion contributions and I will mark them based on the rubric I posted earlier on the blog.
I meant to mention today - you might want to keep a google doc with all of your discussions copied and pasted on to it. That way you don't have to hunt them down online later.

The group may have hesitated to accept Salva because he came with a woman from another tribe. They may have been suspicious of the older woman. Why was she handing him off?It is a time of war and it is difficult for people to trust each other.They may have also been wary of Salva's health because younger people are susceptible to disease.

Perhaps the woman accepted him because she may have been an orphan or alone when she was young and she sees that Salva is in the same situation.

We think the possibility of rejection was hard on Salva's hope but when they ultimately brought him along it drove him to walk faster, eat less and work harder, just to prove them wrong.
We think it was very disrespectful for the people to talk about him in front of him. Hearing things like "Another mouth to feed." and "He will slow us down." probably crushed his spirits of being accepted into the group.

Math
Today we continued with the weird dials.
Please finish the sheet I gave you titled Appendix E.
We will discuss these tomorrow.

What a great day!

We had an amazing math congress today on the weird dials.
Today's homework is to put down on paper your understanding of the dials so far.
Here are some reminders of the discussion:

We had an amazing day in the wetlands (aka Darcy creek)
Many, many thanks to Dana and Cassandra from the Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority!
We did some tree identification, benthic invertebrate identification, and water quality testing.
Quote of the day " I feel like a real scientist!"
It was awesome and I was very proud of our class.
Tomorrow we will have a knowledge building circle. Here are things to think about so you can contribute to the conversation:
- What did I learn about the wetlands?
- What surprised me?
- What do I still want to know?
- Why do I care about the wetlands/Darcy creek?

Two weeks until our trip to the McMichael Gallery! Please make sure you have signed up through School Cash Online. Also - are there any parents who would like to join us? We could use a volunteer for the trip.

October book order is due Thursday

Tomorrow we are working with the Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority to continue our study of the wetlands. Please come dressed to be out in the wetlands most of the day! It's going to be great!

Math
Today we began the mystery of the weird dials. Tell your family at home about our investigation today. Continue to think through how the dials move and also the numbers that you see as the dials move in ten minute intervals. Tomorrow we will be having a congress (discussion) on what you have discovered.

Literacy
Tomorrow we will have some time to work on our Kenya research project. Please come prepared.

A Long Walk to Water - Another discussion has been started on Chalkup. It is about the notion of hope and its role in Salva's life. Please contribute to the conversation. Remember after the book is finished, you will be choosing your top three online discussion contributions and I will be marking it on:

Reading:

Curriculum Expectation	4	3	2	1
- evaluate the effectiveness of both simple and complex texts based on evidence from the texts	Responses clearly and thoroughly demonstrate an understanding of the text and include all of the following: - evidence that supports your theory, argument or statement	Responses demonstrate an understanding of the text and include all of the following: - evidence that supports your theory, argument or statement	Responses demonstrate some understanding of the text and include the some or all of the following: - evidence that supports your theory, argument or statement	Responses demonstrate a limited understanding of the text and include little of the following: - evidence that supports your theory, argument or statement

Writing:

Curriculum Expectation	4	3	2	1
Voice - establish a distinctive voice in their writing appropriate to the subject and audience Revision - make revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their written work, using a variety of strategies	The voice used in the student’s writing is appropriate for the online sharing audience. It considers all of the following. - full sentences are used - appropriate academic language is used - interactions with other students are appropriate, considerate & thoughtful - spelling, grammar & punctuation is accurate and clearly has been revised and edited by the student	The voice used in the student’s writing is appropriate for the online sharing audience. It considers most of the following. - full sentences are used - appropriate academic language is used - interactions with other students are appropriate, considerate & thoughtful - spelling, grammar & punctuation is accurate and clearly has been revised and edited by the student	The voice used in the student’s writing is somewhat appropriate for the online sharing audience. It considers some of the following. - full sentences are used - appropriate academic language is used - interactions with other students are appropriate, considerate & thoughtful - spelling, grammar & punctuation is accurate and clearly has been revised and edited by the student	The voice used in the student’s writing is not appropriate for the online sharing audience. It considers little of the following. - full sentences are used - appropriate academic language is used - interactions with other students are appropriate, considerate & thoughtful - spelling, grammar & punctuation is accurate and clearly has been revised and edited by the student

A guide to how I mark in math

As I start to return assessments in math I just wanted to let parents know about my marking system.

Each assessment will be marked using the four areas of math learning:

Knowledge

Thinking 

Communication 

Application

Each of the four areas will receive its own level.

The knowledge and understanding will change depending on the area of math we are working on, but the other three areas remain constant.

Here is a basic rubric 

	Comments	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
Knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts - Area of a trapezoid - Area of a composite figure
Thinking - choose appropriate strategies to solve problems - ensure solution is  reasonable
Communication - expresses and organizes mathematical thinking - appropriate math vocabulary
Application - Using knowledge in familiar and new situations

Newmarket's Haunted House
Here is the website of the haunted house we talked about today.
http://newmarketshauntedhouse.com
There are volunteer opportunities and ways you can help the Newmarket Food Pantry and Blue Door Shelters.
Thank you Claire, for bringing this to our attention!

Math
We talked today about representing decimals on a 10x10 grid.
Follow up worksheet - 7.12.2

Literacy
Our trip to the library was intended for learning about what the library offers and also to begin research on our Kenya research project. Each person has written a reflection on how our trip to the library went. I would like parents to please sign these reflections and return them to school as soon as possible. Many thanks, in advance.

Planting in the wetlands
Many thanks to Cassandra, Laurie, and Melissa from Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority.
We had a good time planting a variety of new trees and shrubs.
Next Tuesday, we will be working with the LSRCA again beginning our in-depth study of our wetlands.

Tomorrow we will walk to the library. Please bring your library card, if you have one.
The library staff will give us an orientation to the resources available at the library and we will be given some time to find some print resources for our Kenya research project.

We are also planting in the wetlands with the Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority tomorrow.


Global Read Aloud
Today we began A Long Walk to Water and opened up some discussion on Chalkup.
Those of you who were away or at cross country, I can get you caught up on this tomorrow or you could sign in yourself:

www.chalkup.co

If you sign into your GAPPS account first, then open Chalkup and click on "Sign in with Google".
Please do not put in your last name. put something like First name - Michelle,  Last Name - N.
It will ask you for a course code.
Our course code is "3ktakw" and it is called GRA - A Long Walk to Water. 

Please remember - this is an academic online forum. You are to write in full words and sentences.
*hints: you not u, thanks not thx, and no lol'ing

Math
Today  in class we used our math clothesline to discuss comparing and ordering decimal numbers.
Follow up work - handout 7.12.1

Reminders
* photo release forms are needed before our Thursday planting. Please know that we will all be participating in the planting regardless of whether or not we have the release form handed in.
* The McMichael Gallery trip will only be on School Cash online for a few more days

Kenya research project
This Thursday we will be walking to the Newmarket Public Library. The purpose is to familiarize or re-familiarize ourselves with the library and find some print resources for our research project.

Global Read Aloud
Today we began the Global Read aloud.
Here is the map with some of the schools participating.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1phgX66GQuRccDONPe1gwSupfoEY&ll=16.139999660814716%2C0&z=2

Can you find us? Can you find Ms. Dunlap's class in West Virginia? (Duval PK-8)

We started our study of this book through a probable passage activity. Share with your family what you think this story will be about - what is your gist statement?

We also put ourselves "on the bus " talking about our thoughts on statements based on ideas in the book. We will revisit these statements after we read the book and see if the book changed our minds.

Dance
Today we started to look at the elements of dance.
We created a short movement piece to better understand the element of space.

Math - building on what we worked on together today.
Determine the Decimal:
1.The decimal is...
a) greater than 4/5
b) a multiple of 0.22
c) less than one.

2. The decimal is...
a) a multiple of 1/2
b) closer to 6 than to 3.5
c) not a whole number

Music
Tomorrow is our individual playing assessment.
Please be prepared to play your choice of levels 1-7 and the basic drumset pattern.
If you wish to do this assessment privately, you need to arrange that with me.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
I am very grateful for the awesome start to our year.
Thank you for your open hearts and minds.

Ongoing projects - make sure you don't get behind!

• Geography - Monarch butterfly: a great traveller in peril *Due Thursday Oct. 19th.
• Art - Indigenous Group of Seven - * last in-class work period is Monday Oct 16th.
• Planting in the wetlands next Thursday - please bring in your photo release form
• McMichael Gallery trip - please sign up through School Cash Online. The cost covers the bus ride there and three separate programs that we will experience throughout the day. It's going to be great!

Literacy
We finished Walking Home and I only cried a bit...
Share with your family how the story ended.

I introduced the research project that we are doing coming out of our reading of Walking Home and studies of Wangari Maathai and The Green Belt movement.  Please make sure you have settled on a topic and have filled out the planning handout that I gave you today.
Here is the success criteria that we came up with together:

Reading:
1. I kept a list (bibliography) of where I got my research from - a resource list.
2. I used 3-5 different resources.
3. I show understanding of my reading by using my own words to rephrase what I have read.

Media Text.:
1. SPG - no spelling, punctuation, grammar errors.
2. Use colours, pictures and engaging graphics
3. Easy to read - not cluttered

Oral Presentation
1. I expand, orally, on my media text. I'm not just reading.
2. My speaking voice is fluent and clear and I use correct pronunciation.
3. I use eye contact with my audience to keep them engaged.

Next week...

We started our new writer's notebook this morning at our sit spots in the wetlands. I'm really looking forward to our our planting day next week with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, Please return your photo release forms for this event if you haven't already.

Music
We are working on "The Camel" and it is sounding awesome!!!
Next week I will be evaluating you, individually, on the drumming levels we have been working on and your basic drum set pattern.

McMichael Trip
Our trip is now posted on School Cash Online. I will not be handing out permission slips - this is all done online now. This is going to be a great day and I'm hoping we can all go. Please sign-up via School Cash Online -https://yrdsb.schoolcashonline.com/

Math
Homework today is to finish up the fraction flag that we started in class.
Tomorrow will be an in-class assessment. Please make sure you are comfortable with common denominators and dividing up a space or shape into fractions visually as well as mathematically (like on the flag). This will be an open discussion assessment. In other words, you will be able to talk it over with others in the class. I will also be assessing you contributions and "math talk".

Tomorrow is Day 2 - dress to learn outside.

Fresh from the Farm are due this Friday. If you can, please support this wonderful fundraiser for our school. Packages can be bought and donated to the food bank - double bonus! Support Stuart Scott and the Newmarket Food Pantry.

On October 30th the intermediate division is going to the McMichael Art Gallery. This is going to be a great day! Please sign up through Cash Online.

Literacy
Please keep working on your persuasive writing assignment. Please, please, please (I'm begging here) check the rubric (blog - Sept. 26th)  and make sure you have covered what is expected to the best of your ability.  This is due Friday. It can be shared with me online or handed to me in hard copy. The persuasive map graphic organizer needs to handed in Friday as well.

Art
We continued work on our Group of Seven project. By now you should be finished your copy and you should be planning your original piece or working on the written portion of the assignment.

Geography
Below is the assignment we are working on. Today we brainstormed different ideas and questions for the purpose of our study trip and also potential places we could go to study those questions. By now you should have settled on a purpose for your trip and you are looking for potential destinations for your study.

The Monarch Butterfly: a great traveller in peril

Challenge: You belong to a Canadian research team studying the monarch butterfly. You are concerned about a number of issues related to this insect. To answer one of the many questions that your team has, you decide to take a study trip during which you will follow some or all of the path of the butterflies. The trip will be expensive, and you have to complete a grant application to obtain a research grant.

Your grant application will include:

1. The purpose of your study trip. What question do you intend to answer in your research? (Remember! You won’t actually be carrying out this research, so you won’t actually answer this question. You just have to figure out where it would be best to go to find the answer). Include a hypothesis (a guess) of  what you think you will find out.

Example: I will be studying the impact of commercial farming and the use of pesticides.

2. Where you intend to travel to and why?

(You can travel to multiple destinations.)

  Example: I will travel to Springfield Illinois.

(First I found a map of agricultural land use in the United States and found

that Illinois has a large agricultural industry. Then, I did a search on land use

in the Springfield area and found there to be a great deal of agricultural land.)

3. A map, that you created, showing the migratory routes of the monarch and the path you will take on your trip. Please include and label the locations of the towns/cities that you will visit and the route you will take to get there.

4. A breakdown of the distances you will travel on your trip,(shown on your map) your mode of transportation and the approximate cost of travel.

Example: I will travel from Toronto, Ontario to Springfield, Illinois by airplane.

It is approximately 1000 kilometers and the air travel will cost approximately

$500.

Learning goals:

• We are learning to analyse and construct maps as part of our investigations.
• We are learning to describe patterns and characteristics of major natural vegetation regions around the world.
• We are learning to describe some natural processes and human activities that create and change natural patterns, ie vegetation, climate etc..

Success Criteria:

• Research proposal
• I have thought through and included a reason why the monarch butterfly is in trouble.
• I have included a reason for why this is now a problem for the monarch and it was not before.
• I have included an explanation of  what I think has changed. Was it natural or human activity that caused it?

• Destination(s) proposal
• I have included why, geographically, I have chosen my destination.
• I have described the vegetation and land use of my destination.

• Map
• My map is clear and easy to read
• My map is labeled, has a compass rose and a scale for distances.
• My map has a legend to clarify colours and symbols that I use on my map.