Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Grade 8 Farewell Photos
Mark your calendar and get ready for the grade 8 Farewell photos on Tuesday, April 8th am!
Friday, February 14, 2014
Homework Reminders
There are a few things that grade 8's need to ensure that they have completed prior to (or even over the holidays)... Individuals were given reminders either on a list posted or spoken to, and students were to write these overdues in their agenda.
1. Kidblog Section 1 - making predictions
2. Kidblog Section 2 - deep thinking questions (4-5 questions/responses,with 2-3 being paragraph answers). Paragraphs are to be written with a topic sentence, 3 supporting sentences with examples and explanation, and one closing sentence.
3. Edmodo - week 1 responses to a current events video and questions that connect and relate to the dystopian lit circle novel.
4. Start reading section 3 over the holidays.
5. Work on dystopian Character Fakebook and post a link to your blog. The character Fakebook allows you the chance to write from the perspective of a character and develop a "Facebook" profile/ account recounting and expanding events from the novel.
6. Word sorts for power or "dystopian related" language. In each section, students should find at least 10-15 words to add to the dystopian language already explored pre section 1.
7. Golden lines - students will be locating "Golden Lines" or key lines from the novel and explore pivotal moments in their book.
It sounds like a lot, but this is a summary of lessons over the past 2 1/2 weeks.
French
1. Adjectives translation of images (see handout)
2. Le jeux des Olympiques Sochi - medal count assign. Record all our medals for the Olympics - athlete and sport (in French). For sport in French use handouts or translate via google translate if challenging.
3. Find a news story of the week for the Olympics and translate important details in French
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Week 2 Today's Meet
Today’s Meet - The Greatest Dystopian Society
9:45 Watch video...10:00 Live Discussion
Questions You Will Explore – Review the
questions before watching the video, jot note reactions right after watching
the video. Then get ready to discuss!
1. How would it feel to be sold to someone else?
2. What would be some negative things associated with the
idea of China monitoring everything that you do? What if that happened here in
Canada?
idea of China monitoring everything that you do? What if that happened here in
Canada?
3. What if you were treated differently because of your
gender?
gender?
4. What if citizens were constantly under surveillance?
5. What if you were under constantly being guarded by
military? Are you being guarded or being watched?
military? Are you being guarded or being watched?
6. What if the government or military acted like they were
above the law?
above the law?
7. What connections do you see with this video and your
novel? (With speaking out the government, surveillance of the people etc). Do
you agree with the narrator that this could be happening here in Canada? Do you
ever wonder if your phone is a tracking device?
novel? (With speaking out the government, surveillance of the people etc). Do
you agree with the narrator that this could be happening here in Canada? Do you
ever wonder if your phone is a tracking device?
8. What questions or comments do you have about your novel?
What connections can you make between your novel and the video? Are people
guarded or monitored in your novel? How does this impact how they live? Their
rights? Their freedoms? Their freedom to express themselves? Can you make a
connection to any videos you watched on Edmodo this week?
What connections can you make between your novel and the video? Are people
guarded or monitored in your novel? How does this impact how they live? Their
rights? Their freedoms? Their freedom to express themselves? Can you make a
connection to any videos you watched on Edmodo this week?
10:45 Post Chat –
Quickly blog your reactions to the discussion on Today’s Meet Chat in Kidblog.
Quickly blog your reactions to the discussion on Today’s Meet Chat in Kidblog.
Novels
|
Teacher Leader
|
Today’s Meet Link
|
Edmodo Code
|
Divergent
|
Mr. Bresiciani (Deshaye)
|
5fwnnc
| |
Legend
|
Ms. Stewart-Mitchell/Ms. Treptau
(St. Gabriel)
|
ej9jiw
| |
City of Ember
|
Ms. Stewart-Mitchell
(St. Francis)
|
b6ugtk
UPDATED | |
Hunger Games
|
Mr. Rieger
(St. Francis)
|
w3exqw
| |
Among the Hidden
|
Mrs. Nicolson
(St. Gabriel)
|
jxj9k4
| |
Eleventh Plague
|
Mrs. Folk
(Deshaye)
|
fjevzs
| |
Matched
|
Mr. Redler
(St. Gabriel)
|
8gf58p
| |
Maze Runner
|
Ms. Treptau
(St. Gabriel)
|
7ttvf4
|
Homework
ELA -
Be sure to finish reading section 3 over the break for your Dystopian novel.
Ensure that you are also finished...
Section 2 Blog Post and Comments (for group members) for your Dystopian Novel Groups (This was the Section 2, Deep Thinking Questions assignment).
Dystopian Word Sort - Section 2. Add 10-15 words to the word sort. Include page numbers.
Compose Responses to the Interschool Blogging Questions on Edmodo.
French -
Medal count information for Week One; Story of the week that captured your attention. Some of the assignment is in french. See handout. Come prepared to respond to those questions on the handout tomorrow.
Get research on an Olympic Athlete past or present (any sport, must be an Olympian) from any country. The research can be in English. Bring to French class after the break. This will be for our project, "Olympic Athlete in a Box"... Be sure to also bring an EMPTY cereal box to recreate...
NOTE... OVERDUES AND 'REDOES' HAVE BEEN POSTED IN THE CLASSROOM. Students were expected to write their overdues/redoes in their Agenda. These must be completed before February 24th.
Be sure to finish reading section 3 over the break for your Dystopian novel.
Ensure that you are also finished...
Section 2 Blog Post and Comments (for group members) for your Dystopian Novel Groups (This was the Section 2, Deep Thinking Questions assignment).
Dystopian Word Sort - Section 2. Add 10-15 words to the word sort. Include page numbers.
Compose Responses to the Interschool Blogging Questions on Edmodo.
French -
Medal count information for Week One; Story of the week that captured your attention. Some of the assignment is in french. See handout. Come prepared to respond to those questions on the handout tomorrow.
Get research on an Olympic Athlete past or present (any sport, must be an Olympian) from any country. The research can be in English. Bring to French class after the break. This will be for our project, "Olympic Athlete in a Box"... Be sure to also bring an EMPTY cereal box to recreate...
NOTE... OVERDUES AND 'REDOES' HAVE BEEN POSTED IN THE CLASSROOM. Students were expected to write their overdues/redoes in their Agenda. These must be completed before February 24th.
Week One Interschool Edmodo Chat
The purpose of the Interschool Edmodo Chat is to explore news stories, articles or aspects of our current culture which connect to our Dystopian Novels. You are expected to watch the videos or read the articles, then respond to the questions. You are also encouraged to write responses to the posts of others.
When you write a post, be sure to compose a new post and not a reply to a post (even if it is the teacher's post), as this site will not allow others to "reply to a reply". Make sense?? I will assist you further in class if you need it.
If you were in the City of Ember Chat, I created a new code so that you could access the chat group in Edmodo.
Here is the link to the videos and the questions for all the books in the Edmodo Interschool Chat.
When you write a post, be sure to compose a new post and not a reply to a post (even if it is the teacher's post), as this site will not allow others to "reply to a reply". Make sense?? I will assist you further in class if you need it.
If you were in the City of Ember Chat, I created a new code so that you could access the chat group in Edmodo.
Here is the link to the videos and the questions for all the books in the Edmodo Interschool Chat.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Monday's Lesson
Lessons for Monday, February 10, 2014.
I am not here, so I want to ensure that you still are able to complete the lesson that I have planned out for you in ELA.
DOL - Dystopian Writing
Make the corrections to mechanics for numbers 1-3. The guest teacher will review with you.
Here is #1-3, if there are problems with the google docs link.
I am not here, so I want to ensure that you still are able to complete the lesson that I have planned out for you in ELA.
DOL - Dystopian Writing
Make the corrections to mechanics for numbers 1-3. The guest teacher will review with you.
Here is #1-3, if there are problems with the google docs link.
What do you think about the following lines taken from a dystopian story? How do you think the author should continue it? (taken from a random internet writing site)
A. DOL - Make the corrections in spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage, capitalization.
1. onse the City used to pulse with energy. Terrifing & dangerous, but alive and wonderfull.
2. Now its some thing else the changes came slowlly at 1st most didnt realize or didnt care and excepted them to chose a comfortible life, some didnt.
3. Those who refused to conform was pushed to the side lines and criminalised or badder.
Interschool Digital Dystopian Blogging Unit...
Today you will need to join Edmodo groups and join book groups for the Edmodo part of our chatting. Edmodo is very similar to blogging with Kidblog, because you will only be able to chat with those in your group. No one on the outside will be able to join. Today you are to go to Edmodo and join a group. Some students have already done this earlier in the year (with an Edmodo class that I created back in November, with the intention of using Edmodo at some point... Well here we are!)
You will be asked to join 2 Edmodo groups. One will be for the Digital Dystopian Book Club (which means a group of over 100 students between students of St. Francis, St. Gabriel and Deshaye Catholic), and the other Edmodo group will be for your specific novel (which will have between 12-20 students).
See the chart below for links and user codes.
https://www.edmodo.com
Sign in or sign up as a Student. It is a secure site. Only those who are accepted once they enter the user code are part of the group. Teachers will have a list of students as to who should be joining the group from each of the 3 schools.
Interschool Digital Dystopian Blogging Unit...
Today you will need to join Edmodo groups and join book groups for the Edmodo part of our chatting. Edmodo is very similar to blogging with Kidblog, because you will only be able to chat with those in your group. No one on the outside will be able to join. Today you are to go to Edmodo and join a group. Some students have already done this earlier in the year (with an Edmodo class that I created back in November, with the intention of using Edmodo at some point... Well here we are!)
You will be asked to join 2 Edmodo groups. One will be for the Digital Dystopian Book Club (which means a group of over 100 students between students of St. Francis, St. Gabriel and Deshaye Catholic), and the other Edmodo group will be for your specific novel (which will have between 12-20 students).
See the chart below for links and user codes.
https://www.edmodo.com
Sign in or sign up as a Student. It is a secure site. Only those who are accepted once they enter the user code are part of the group. Teachers will have a list of students as to who should be joining the group from each of the 3 schools.
Novels
|
Teacher Leader
|
Edmodo Code
|
Divergent
|
Mr. Bresciani
|
5fwnnc
|
Legend
|
Ms. Stewart-Mitchell/Ms. Treptau
|
ej9jiw
|
City of Ember
|
Ms. Stewart-Mitchell
|
qym94b
b6ugtk *New update |
Hunger Games
|
Mr. Rieger
|
w3exqw
|
Among the Hidden
|
Ms. Nicolson
|
jxj9k4
|
Eleventh Plague
|
Ms. Folk
|
fjevzs
|
Matched
|
Mr. Redler
|
8gf58p
|
Maze Runner
|
Ms. Treptau
|
7ttvf4
|
The Digital Dystopian Book Club Edmodo group code - qugafp
Friday, February 7, 2014
Dystopian Book Club Interschool Digital Collaboration
Welcome everyone!! Today's the day to launch the Dystopian Book Club Interschool Chat. This is the first time that a project of this collaborative nature has ever been done before here in Regina Catholic Schools and possibly one of the first here in Saskatchewan, so you are all part of this monumental event!!
In today's chat you will get a chance to talk about a video which relates to our Dystopian theme and discuss the novel with students who are reading the same book as you. Your discussion will be lead by one of the teachers involved in the project. These schools include: Deshaye, St. Gabriel, and St. Francis.
In today's chat we will be discussing questions about a clip from Wall-e and your novels. These questions may be seen below.
Here are the links to the chats. Be sure to go to your book club chat!
In today's chat you will get a chance to talk about a video which relates to our Dystopian theme and discuss the novel with students who are reading the same book as you. Your discussion will be lead by one of the teachers involved in the project. These schools include: Deshaye, St. Gabriel, and St. Francis.
In today's chat we will be discussing questions about a clip from Wall-e and your novels. These questions may be seen below.
Here are the links to the chats. Be sure to go to your book club chat!
Novels
|
Teacher Leader
|
Today’s Meet Link
|
Edmodo Code
|
Divergent
|
Mr. Bresiciani (Deshaye)
|
5fwnnc
| |
Legend
|
Ms. Stewart-Mitchell/Ms. Treptau
(St. Gabriel)
|
ej9jiw
| |
City of Ember
|
Ms. Stewart-Mitchell
(St. Francis)
|
b6ugtk
UPDATED | |
Hunger Games
|
Mr. Rieger
(St. Francis)
|
w3exqw
| |
Among the Hidden
|
Mrs. Nicolson
(St. Gabriel)
|
jxj9k4
| |
Eleventh Plague
|
Mrs. Folk
(Deshaye)
|
|
fjevzs
|
Matched
|
Mr. Redler
(St. Gabriel)
|
8gf58p
| |
Maze Runner
|
Ms. Treptau
(St. Gabriel)
|
7ttvf4
|
Live Chat! Today’s Meet Discussion Questions
Big Question: Is Our World Becoming Dystopian?
The video clip you watched is from the movie, “WALL-E”. Although it is an animated movie, we can still focus on the essential question, “Is our world becoming dystopian?”, and explore similarities between the movie and the current world we live in.
9:45 - Watch the link to the video: “Human Dystopia” (3 min)
Is our world becoming dystopian? Let’s compare the similarities between the clip and our world…
Questions you will explore in the Today’s Meet Chat…
10:00 - 10:15 Wall-e and Dystopia
- How do people communicate with each other in Wall-e?
- Is there a similarity to our world? What does this similarity say about us?
- Are we on our way to total “Screen dependence”?
- In the video, when people finally “detached” themselves from the screen, what was their reaction? (such as when Wall-e introduced himself to them).
- How comfortable were they with face-to-face communication?
- How is this compare to us?
- What similarities do you see between this clip and on-line bullying in our society? Do screens allow us to be detached from the rest of the world?
- Are we heading the wrong direction with technology?
- How do we keep if from making us de-humanized in the way we communicate with each other?
- How could our dependence on technology affect us in other ways? Any hints from Wall-e?
10:00 - Go to your Teacher’s Blog and click on the link for your Today’s Meet Novel Group.
Your teacher leader, who is in charge of your novel group, will introduce themselves.
First thing you do is type your first name only (no nicknames) and introduce yourself and share what school you are from.
Your teacher leader will present the first question, you will respond to only to that first question.
Note, you can keep it short, as you only have 140 characters to respond.
10:15 - 10:25 Dystopian Book Club Discussion
Talk to your group about your novel so far, exploring some of these questions...
I Wonder or What If Questions
What if your job (as an adult) was decided for you at the age of thirteen?
What if there is was no more water in the world?
What if one city ruled the entire world?
What if where you lived determined your job and lifestyle?
What if you had no memories or history to learn from?
What if the government chose who you married?
What if you were forced to look a certain way?
What if there were no adults?
What if one label decided your entire life?
What if the law stated that each family was only allowed to have two children?
What if most of the world’s population was wiped out by disease or war?
What if there was an opportunity to preserve humanity and way of life by going underground? Would you do it?
What if you knew someone in power was not working in the favour of the citizens, but instead their own interests? What would you do?
What if you lived in a world where you had to turn your back on your whole way of life, if it meant doing the right thing?
What if you disagree with how your leaders were running things?
What if you knew the people in power were keeping secrets from the population, but nobody questioned it because it has "always been that way"?
What if you learned the government was conducting tests on the population?
10:30 Wrap Up - Thanks for your participation and goodbye.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Tweet Out!
Student "paper tweets" on dystopian themed music, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Lourdes
#creative and interesting comments!!
paper tweeting
Dystopian Music - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z5I5dCWFtvt8yAxQAD4nSSE9P2rT0l2cqPeJ8mv-8Qk/edit?usp=sharing
See out "paper tweeting" lesson in the link above.
See out "paper tweeting" lesson in the link above.
Homework
Digital Collaboration LIVE meeting tomorrow morning! Get ready to chat about our dystopian theme and your dystopian novel with students from our school, St. Gabriel and St. Francis!
Other ELA homework...
All word charts for Section 1-2 are due Friday.
Section 2 Deep Thinking Questions and Responses (ROUGH DRAFT) are due
Friday. The blog response good copy is due Monday.
Work on Assignment 2 of the Dystopian Fakebook Assignment (see handouts or this blog).
Extension assignment - Paper tweet on Lordes' song, "Everybody wants to rule the world".
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
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