Data Management Math unit

We are starting a new math unit this week, which deals with reading and creating graphs and other ways of organizing data.  There are models of how to create different types of graphs here: https://husky67.pbworks.com/Data+Management+-+Graphing+-+Probability.  Extra practice can be found here: http://www.nelsonk8math.com/math6/studentcentre/studsurf.html#ch3 or here: http://www.nelsonk8math.com/math6/studentcentre/studtryout.html#ch3.  For parents who want to help their student out with the math homework, there are some helpful tips and answers here: http://www.nelsonk8math.com/math6/parentcentre/parentcentre.html.  Don't forget to make use of the glossary at the back of your text book.  We already discovered some useful information about describing trends in a graph.  Finally, we will be making use of an online graph creator that you may find helpful.  You can create most types of graphs here: http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx.  Just make sure you remember to print when you complete the graph, because it is sometimes hard to save with this program.

More info on Mountville

Just an update on the Mountville project.  This weekend, you should be working on the volcano section.  In the project guidelines, a number of options were given for how the volcano is being monitored, things to look out for, and possible effects the volcano might have on Mountville and the surrounding area.  Not all of these options necessarily apply - you need to choose some of them, and for each thing you choose you should include a sentence or point about why you think it fits in this circumstance.  For example, you might say that you need GPS plugs to monitor ground swelling that indicates that the volcano is getting ready to explode.  On the other hand, lava might not be an issue to the town because there are other mountains in the way that would block the lava flow.Finally, you might choose flooding from the dam because the force of the volcano could destroy the dam and cause the reservoir's water to go flooding into the valley.

On Monday, you will have a double period in the computer lab to work on the evacuation plan.  You should use the guiding questions provided, the layout of the land around Mountville, and your common sense to answer each of the sections.

Happy consulting!

More info on Mountville

Just an update on the Mountville project.  This weekend, you should be working on the volcano section.  In the project guidelines, a number of options were given for how the volcano is being monitored, things to look out for, and possible effects the volcano might have on Mountville and the surrounding area.  Not all of these options necessarily apply - you need to choose some of them, and for each thing you choose you should include a sentence or point about why you think it fits in this circumstance.  For example, you might say that you need GPS plugs to monitor ground swelling that indicates that the volcano is getting ready to explode.  On the other hand, lava might not be an issue to the town because there are other mountains in the way that would block the lava flow.Finally, you might choose flooding from the dam because the force of the volcano could destroy the dam and cause the reservoir's water to go flooding into the valley.

On Monday, you will have a double period in the computer lab to work on the evacuation plan.  You should use the guiding questions provided, the layout of the land around Mountville, and your common sense to answer each of the sections.

Happy consulting!

Mountville Consultant Project

As our culminating activity for the Themes of Geographic Inquiry unit, we will be creating an Emergency Plan for the town of Mountville, which is threatened by a rumbling volcano .  Students will receive a map of the area, and then they will put together a 3 part plan to help the town deal with a potential volcanic eruption. This will involve:


Part 1:   Coloured and coded map
              PRIME Analysis of Mountville
              Report on the volcano
Part 2:   Evacuation plan
Part 3:   Plan for the return of the citizens of the area


A detailed outline of the expectations, a copy of the map, and a sample student copy of a PRIME analysis of Benmiller are all available here, as well as the notes from our unit: https://husky67.pbworks.com/w/page/Themes-of-Geographic-Inquiry.  So make sure you use the samples and questions as a guide to what you are to put in your project!  Attached to the end of the project guidelines you will find some resources to use as a starting point.


Reminders:

• You are consultants! So your report should look neat and professional, and you need to use geographic terms and formal language, not the way you would talk to your friends.
• You can use point form where it would be appropriate.
• This is the outline provided for everyone.  We will be discussing each of these sections in class as we go along and doing some brainstorming as to possible things you could write, so make sure you pay attention in class and write down ideas you think you could use, as this will make the whole process easier.  If you don’t, this will seem like a very big task!  We will also be discussing a series of recommended timelines to get things done in smaller steps (like the Gr 6 students did with the leaf project).  This will also make the project more manageable.  If you don’t meet these deadlines, you will have an awful lot of work to do at the last minute.

As of October 26th, the recommended schedule of due dates is:
PRIME Analysis and map - Oct 29
Volcano section - Nov 1
Evacuation section - Nov 3
Return section and hand in of project - Nov 4

We will be discussing possible ways to present your findings in class.  The easiest way would be to write it out, then print it and put it into a duotang or something similar (duotangs can be provided).  If you have another way to present it that would be appropriate, we can discuss that option.

Good luck, this should look great when we're done!

Technical Difficulties Part 2

After talking to one of the helpful tech people who help keep all wikis, blogs, etc. on track, the first recommendation is not to use Internet Explorer to view our pages.  Sometimes there is a glitch that happens that doesn't seem to happen with Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.  So try one of those two browsers to see if that helps.  If not, keep me updated and I will continue to follow up on the situation.

To sum up:

1. Make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Reader by checking at http://get.adobe.com/reader/.  See if this works.
2. If not, then try downloading Mozilla Firefox as your browser at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/firefox.html, and then using that to look at the .pdf files.
3. If it still doesn't work, the last option is to download Google Chrome as your browser at http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/landing_chrome.html?hl=en, and then use that to look at the .pdf files.

Technical difficulties

Some people have been having trouble seeing some of the content we keep posted here and on the wiki.  Some possible things to try to get around it might be downloading the latest version of Adobe Reader at http://get.adobe.com/reader/.  You could also try using different browsers.  Most people use either Internet Explorer (http://www.microsoft.com/canada/windows/internet-explorer/default.aspx), Mozilla Firefox (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/firefox.html), Google Chrome (http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/landing_chrome.html?hl=en) or Apple's Safari (http://www.apple.com/safari/download/).  If you can't see the work on one browser, try using another one as an experiment.  Finally, check to see if there are messages about blocking the website, etc.  You might need to adjust your security settings for our wiki. Good luck!

Taking descriptive writing to the next level!

We have finished for the moment with our descriptive paragraphs, and will be exploring our creative side with poetry for the next few weeks.  We have read over some poems to remind us what they look like, and then we will be identifying some features that good poetry should have.  We will also look at various forms of poetry, like freeverse and concrete poems.  We are just staring out, but if you want a peek ahead at some of the things we will be talking about, you can check this out: https://husky67.pbworks.com/w/page/Poetry.  More will be added as we move through the unit.  As we learn new elements and forms, students could practice writing at home.  Any topic will do - I bet you could write a great poem about toast!

Classroom updates

Here are some quick classroom updates:

*   Our QSP magazine sales wrap up next Wednesday, so get the orders in.  This fundraising helps pay for a lot of great equipment around the school, from SmartBoards to soccer nets, as well as contributing to class trips, so make sure you ask friends and family this long weekend to see if they are interesting in something new to read!

*   Tomorrow is Laps for Lungs.  It is expected that students will bring in a loonie or twonie as a contribution to this worthy cause.

*   Next week, we have District Cross Country on Tuesday for those students that qualified.  Tuesday after school, the Sr Boys will be playing an exhibition soccer match against Clinton PS.  Finally, on Thursday we have  the Regional Soccer tournament in Goderich.  The Juniors will be playing at GPS, and the Seniors will play on the 2 fields at GDCI.

*   For Gr 6, the Classifying Tree Leaves project is due on Wednesday Oct 13.  Also, we need some students to bring in pond water next Tuesday, as we will be using microscopes to look for protists in class next week.

*   Students can now access the class calendar, which will be updated on a regular basis.  They should click on the link to the right of this post, then log in to Google apps, using their full email address (i.e. holstudent20@ed.amdsb.ca) and then their password.  When they get to the Calendar page, they can add a coworker's calendar (about halfway down on the left) by typing in my email, the same way they do when they are sharing.