LES NOUVELLES DE 8C - M. P. Parent - November/December 2009

Homework is listed daily on the Module Vanier website - http://www.teacherweb.com/on/ModuleVanier/ModuleVanierSite/ap5.stm Though homework is posted online, students should still be writing their homework assignments in their agenda at the end of the last homeroom period each day.

Français/Drama

In French the students will be focusing on a multi-intelligence mini-unit on proverbs before embarking on a study of urban legends where they will finish by writing a narrative text of their own urban legend. Grammar work in the computer lab will continue. D.R.A. testing has been completed and results will be shared with parents at the student-led conferences in December. We will also be completing “Théatre des lectures” (Reader’s Theatre) with each student participating in one of three classic texts - La guerre des mondes, Les trois mousquetaires or Le tour du monde en 80 jours.

Geography

We will be exploring Patterns in Human Geography and creating a report comparing key characteristics of a developing and developed country as the culminating activity.

English

We will be starting to learn about memoirs and journal/diary writing with an emphasis on Non-Fiction reading and writing in November. We will then move to biography writing with the 2010 Olympics as our theme.

Math

In November the class will be finishing a Data Management unit. They will be learning more about scatter plots and histograms, developing their skill at interpreting the data from graphs. Following that, the students will explore the Measurement strand of Math. More specifically, they will be discovering about circles and their properties. We will pursue this math strand in December while investigating measurement tools and surface area of cylinders.

Science

In Science, we are continuing our scientific investigation into the cell structures of organisms. Assessments went home for parental perusal at the end of October, with the Nov.4th unit test arriving later next week. In November, individual or partnered projects will involve the design of creative 3-D cells. Our next unit of study is Fantastic Fluids, introduced by states of matter and the Particle Theory.

Phys. Ed. In early November we are finishing the volleyball session, before we continue to work on fitness. A few weeks of co-operative games will follow before we start basketball in late November and December. Basketball is skilled based. Winning is de-emphisized. We will be practising a variety of basketball skills - ballhandling, dribbling, passing, shooting, setting screens, how to play defense properly, etc. before applying these skills in game-type situations. In games, the emphasis is on doing your best and to make sure that everyone on your team is involved in the play. Those who have stronger skills in basketball should make every attempt to share the ball with others on their team so all can have an opportunity to be successful.

Health

In early November we finish the Personal Safety unit before we begin exploring the Nutrition unit.

Upcoming dates:

Nov.11 - Remembrance Day

Nov.16 - P.A. Day

Dec.4 - Student-led conferences

Dec.11 - First term reports go home. Please return p.3

Dec.18 - Réveillon (a.m.); Surprise (p.m.)

Dec.19 - Bowling (a.m.); Volleyball - staff vs students (p.m.)