Dear Division 2 families
I hope you are all enjoying spending time together for Family Day! This is our Newsletter for February 2021. To see pictures/videos of a few highlights from December and January, see this post.
I hope you are all enjoying spending time together for Family Day! This is our Newsletter for February 2021. To see pictures/videos of a few highlights from December and January, see this post.
Big History Project (Cross-Curicular)
The Big History project is an interdisciplinary unit that blends science with history, literacy, math, critical and creative thinking, as well as communication.
This month, we are learning about the Big Bang Theory and about what scientists can tell us about:
French: We are using French documentaries and informational books on these topics while practicing various note-taking skills to practice making organized notes, such as creating a web/mind-map and organizing notes in a chart with Main Idea/Details. Students will also practice writing an informational report based on their notes.
English Reading, Inquiry and Core-Competencies: Last week, students read the book Outside the Solar System, which introduced various fascinating deep space features, such as stars, galaxies, supernovae, nebulae, black holes and exoplanets. In groups, students picked one feature to learn more about and represent in a model, using various materials available in the class. They are currently working on adding details and a legend/key to their model before presenting their model and explaining their deep space feature to the class. This project allows students to learn about scientific concepts while practicing core-competencies such as creative and critical thinking, as well as communication.
- the overall scale, age and structure of the universe,
- matter,
- the 4 fundamental forces of nature,
- atoms,
- elements and the periodic table,
- stars,
- galaxies;
- and other fantastic features in deep space as well as within the solar system.
French: We are using French documentaries and informational books on these topics while practicing various note-taking skills to practice making organized notes, such as creating a web/mind-map and organizing notes in a chart with Main Idea/Details. Students will also practice writing an informational report based on their notes.
English Reading, Inquiry and Core-Competencies: Last week, students read the book Outside the Solar System, which introduced various fascinating deep space features, such as stars, galaxies, supernovae, nebulae, black holes and exoplanets. In groups, students picked one feature to learn more about and represent in a model, using various materials available in the class. They are currently working on adding details and a legend/key to their model before presenting their model and explaining their deep space feature to the class. This project allows students to learn about scientific concepts while practicing core-competencies such as creative and critical thinking, as well as communication.
Social Studies
This month in Social Studies, we are learning about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the BC Human Rights Code. Since February is Black History Month, we are also watching daily capsules from 28 Moments of Canadian Black History. We will continue to learn more about rights and freedom, equality, discrimination, freedom of speech and more, as we make connections with current events and issues in the upcoming weeks.
Mathematics
In math lately, we have worked a lot on word problems based on real-life situations such as measurement (area, perimeter, scale drawing, etc) and money (using percentage to calculate a discount, taxes or interest.) Students also opened a "savings account" to deposit the "classroom-money" that they have earned by taking on classroom jobs and speaking French, with the promise that I would pay them 10% interest monthly on their savings. They learned how to record and keep track of the deposits, withdrawals and balance in their bank account, using an index card. At the beginning of March, they will calculate how much interest I need to pay them.
We are now learning about probability. Towards the end of February, we will move on to assessing students' problem-solving ability, as well as many of the concepts studied in January and February, with the word problems from the FSA (Foundational Skills Assessment).
We are now learning about probability. Towards the end of February, we will move on to assessing students' problem-solving ability, as well as many of the concepts studied in January and February, with the word problems from the FSA (Foundational Skills Assessment).
Foundational Skills Assessment (FSA)
Starting this week, the Foundational Skills Assessment (FSA) activities will be integrated into our learning for 2-3 weeks to come. The FSA is a standardized test administered to all Grade 7 students across the province. It includes 3 written components (English reading comprehension, math, and writing) and 2 multiple choice online components (English Reading and Math). The various components of the FSA will be spread out over several days while we continue to focus most of our class time on the ongoing units and projects presented above.
The written components from this year's FSA is well integrated with the curriculum that we have been covering in class, so we will do the reading comprehension, math problems and writing activity as a whole class (Grade 6 students included). This will give me a good snapshot of everyone's progress in these areas. Only the Grade 7 students who are officially participating in the FSA will do the online components. During this time, the Grade 6 students will work on other math and English activities.
The written components from this year's FSA is well integrated with the curriculum that we have been covering in class, so we will do the reading comprehension, math problems and writing activity as a whole class (Grade 6 students included). This will give me a good snapshot of everyone's progress in these areas. Only the Grade 7 students who are officially participating in the FSA will do the online components. During this time, the Grade 6 students will work on other math and English activities.
District Challenges
In January, students in Grade 6-7 participated in the District's annual Gravity Car Challenge. It was a fun hands-on way to experiment with center of gravity, friction, etc. Students were really engaged and showed much creative and critical thinking. In our class, Owen built the fastest car. Bravo!
In the few weeks, students will work on the next challenge from the District: The Drama Challenge. Students will prepare skits for the challenge and present them to the class. We will select a winning team in the class, who will participate in the District Drama challenge remotely (submitting videos of their Drama skits).
Another District activity this year is the Young Authors Conference. Students who are selected to attend the conference will spend a day working remotely with a published author in writing workshops, and will receive personal feedback on their writing from the author. In each school we can select 2 students per grade level to attend the conference. Students who wish to enter the selection process (optional) have to submit 2 pieces of their writing for the end of February (See this document for more details).
In the few weeks, students will work on the next challenge from the District: The Drama Challenge. Students will prepare skits for the challenge and present them to the class. We will select a winning team in the class, who will participate in the District Drama challenge remotely (submitting videos of their Drama skits).
Another District activity this year is the Young Authors Conference. Students who are selected to attend the conference will spend a day working remotely with a published author in writing workshops, and will receive personal feedback on their writing from the author. In each school we can select 2 students per grade level to attend the conference. Students who wish to enter the selection process (optional) have to submit 2 pieces of their writing for the end of February (See this document for more details).
I would like to thank you all for promptly returning your child's portfolio and report card cover. I have almost all of them back! If you haven't done so yet, please return the portfolio and report card cover as soon as possible.
Enjoy the rest of Family Day!
Sincerely,
Nathalie
Enjoy the rest of Family Day!
Sincerely,
Nathalie
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