Monday

On Monday, graduates will take part in a rehearsal for the graduation ceremony during period 3. We have asked students to ensure they are at school until 11:30 to part of this rehearsal. If leaving school early please have a note to give the office.

The ceremony begins at 6:30 on Monday night. Please be at the school by 6:00.

Have a good weekend!

http://sexualityandu.ca/

Birth Control

A couple reminders...

• we are still looking for photos of graduates (ages 3-5 preferably); this is for a display on Monday
• we have postponed the softball game until Friday (short on staff)

Simeon Park

Monday is our trip to Simeon Park.We will provide pizza, snacks and a couple of drinks.You need to bring:

• bathing suit and towel

• running shoes

• sunscreen

• clothes appropriate for the weather

• water bottle

• snacks (if you have a big appetite or you're fussy)

We will leave immediately following attendance.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Is there a winning strategy or is it a fact that no matter what the strategy, each player has the same chance of winning when you play the game?

Human vs. Computer

Probability Assignment

 Learning Goal: design a version of "Rock Paper Scissors" and explain the chances of winning

Success Criteria:

• write out the rules of your version (remember the features of a procedure)
• your game has to work (it doesn't have to be fair)
• perform and record the results from an experiment of your game (chart)
• explain the chances of each player winning your game (include possible outcomes, favourable outcomes, tree diagram, probability as a fraction & percent)
• reflection on your game (fair game? strategy? flaws? would you change anything?)

Friday's Activities

1. Persuasive essay - due today
2. Travel Blog Post (must include all criteria)
3. Six Word Memoirs - work on draft and the visual accompaniment
4. Complete "Learning Skills" self assessment on blog
5. Math -  textbook p. 401 #1-6 (due Monday); complete probability worksheet (front ledge of classroom)
6. Write a letter to my future students. The letter should include:

• advice for the new students who will be in my class next year
• how to “survive” or do well in my classroom 
• advice on being a grade 8 student at Highview
• what are the hardest parts of grade 8? easiest parts?
• what should they look forward to?
• include any other details you think would be helpful

         Share your letter with me via Google Docs.

To do...

• Simeon Park letter and $
• Growth and Development letter (front ledge of classroom)
• Outstanding assignments and rubrics
• Area track form and $ (if applicable)

Six Word Memoirs

Learning Goal:

• write a six-word memoir and create a visual representation (photo/drawing/video)

http://www.sixwordmemoirs.com/schools/

• what surprises you about this form of writing? 
• what were some of the common themes that emerged from the writing? 
• what emotions are revealed through these six-word memoirs? Which words make you feel those emotions? 

Choose one of the six-word memoirs:

• What do you think is the backstory for this author’s six-word memoir?
• Consider how punctuation affects the six-word memoir by choosing three and rewriting them changing only the punctuation. Discuss how this changes the meaning of the memoir

Writing Process:

1. Reflect on events, themes, and memories (both good and bad) throughout your lives. You will consider what is most important to you and pick your idea to use as your Six Word Memoir theme. 
2. Create a word web of related words for your chosen theme: descriptive words, action words etc.
3. Begin writing your first draft (consider the use of capitals, punctuation etc.)

Persuasive Rubric

To do.June 6

1. Thinking Book - due today
2. Persuasive writing - due Wednesday
3. Math - data management worksheets
4. Simeon Park form & $10

Bungee Jumping

What questions would a mathematician ask?

Travel Blog Post

Guide to Toronto

Virtual Tourist - Toronto

Lonely Planet - Toronto

Fodor's - Toronto Guide

In your groups, identify the features of a travel guide (be specific).

Learning Goal:

• create a travel guide/post of our trip to Montreal

Success Criteria:

• title
• introduction/overview
• tourist attractions (price, ratings, contact information, what you do)
• accommodation
• restaurants
• transportation
• experiences & events
• opinions/ratings
• shopping

Success Criteria - Persuasive

Grade 8 Exit Survey

There is no homework (unless of course you have overdue work).

To do...May 27

Forecast in HOT. Dress appropriately, sunscreen and bring lots of water.


Homework:

• 750 word reflection on Montreal Trip (most people completed in class)
• Math - p. 89 - 95 (it is not as much as it seems - relax)
• Art - new sketchbook assignments (hand in to Mrs. Nye before track & field)
• Music - composition performance - Tuesday

To do...May 18th

1. Math p. 142 #3, 4, 5, 8
2. Checkpoint - tomorrow (graphing algebraic expressions)
3. Genius Hour - complete self assessment & share any materials with Mr. Congram
4. Health - presentations Friday (you will have one period to work tomorrow)
5. Book Club - final reflection due Friday
6. Final Montreal forms by Friday
7. Thinking Book - collected Mon., June 6 (this should have been on-going!!!)

On Monday, May 16th, our class will be presenting our shadow puppet plays in the school lunchroom. The plays will be presented from 10:45 to 11:30 approximately. Students have developed stories to illustrate the United Nations' Sustainable Goals.

If you are able, please join us to see what they have accomplished. Thank you.

Genius Hour

Dear Parents/Guardians,
On Tuesday, May 17, you are invited to come view your son/daughter's Genius Hour School project. Projects will be set up in our classrooms, the lunchroom and the gym from 9:30 to 11:30.  As you know, students have put in a lot of hard work over the last 12 weeks and are excited to share their projects.  We hope you can be part of this special day!
Thanks,
B Kaufman
T Congram

Upcoming dates

Friday, May 13 - Genius Hour Presentations
Monday, May 16 - Shadow Puppetry sharing
Tuesday, May 17 - Genius Hour school sharing
May 24 to 26 - Montreal
May 30 - Track & Field
June 3 - PA day
June 10 - Band Trip
June 24 - Awards Assembly
June 27 - Graduation

Friday's Genius Presentations

1. JC
2. MD
3. BL
4. TM
5. DS
6. MY
7. GW
8. SS
9. AS
10. HR
11. KM
12. JM
13. SL
14. JL
15. YH
16. CC
17. AB
18. FA
19. BA
20. YA

Tomorrow's Presentations

1. MH
2. ML
3. MA
4. BW
5. SM
6. JC
7. MD
8. BL
9. TM
10. DS

Final meeting of Book Club will take place before presentations.

How to make stress your friend

What are the BIG ideas?

Thesis Statements

The thesis statement is the main idea of the written work. Every other paragraph fits within the main idea presented in a thesis statement.

 A thesis statement should be:

• specific enough to be more than simply a vague topic
• general enough that every paragraph fits inside of it 

 A thesis statement should never explicitly state that it is a thesis statement. Phrases like, “I think” or “I feel” or “I believe” are poor choices. Simply state the main idea. Avoid using a term like, “this is my thesis statement” or “my thesis statement is.”

Next week...

Monday

• Artist in Residence (Periods 3 & 4)
• Hoops in Heart (Period 5 & 6) - $5 donation
• Math worksheet 4.2
• Geography - fill out chart and colour map

Wednesday

• Artist in Residence (Periods 5 & 6)

Thursday

• Book Club - final session
• Gauss Math Contest
• Genius Hour presentations begin

To do...May 4th

1. Blog Post due tomorrow
2. Book Club - session #4 tomorrow
3. Math - "Do You Remember?" p. 123 #2-6 

Hoops for Heart - minimum $5 is requested

Week Ahead

Tuesday      - Artist in Residence
Wednesday  - Book Club reflection due
Thursday     - Book Club Session #4
                   - Music Blog post due

Montreal trip forms due

Next week -

• Genius Hour presentations - May 12 and 13
• Hoops for Heart - Monday
• Artist in Residence - Monday and Wednesday

Order of Operations!!!

Genius Hour Presentations

In your presentation, you should:

• State your big question
• Show us “what you did”
• Talk about your “JOURNEY” (challenges,  Ah Ha moments, successes, key learning)
• Explain connections you made with experts/resources
• State your overall conclusions

This should be around 3-5 minutes in length

Presentation Skills (Oral Communication)

1. Eye Contact with audience, avoid just reading notes
2. Speak loudly, clearly, and confidently
3. Know your material well
4. Engage the audience (How will you hook them? Can you involve them somehow?)

*Be Creative and Push yourself to think outside the box

Presentations begin on Thursday, May 12

To do...April 28

1. Math Test - Integers (Monday)
2. Math review - p. 215 #2, 3, 5, 6 a-d, 9, 11
3. Book Club - meeting tomorrow (notes prepared)
4. Drama Monologue - Monday
5. Grad tickets form (first come, first served)
6. Science Test tomorrow

To do...April 26

1. Math - problems worksheet & p. 210 #7, 8, 10
2. Rubrics signed (3 to 4 handed back)

***Bring in gently used towels, blankets and pet beds for the Georgina Animal Shelters (project of Highview's GG club)

Upcoming dates & assignments:

• Checkpoint - order of operations (Thursday)
• Genius Hour (Thursday)
• Book Club (Friday)
• Artist in Residence - May 3 (character monologue and rough draft play due)
• Music Blog post due May 5
• ARTS NIGHT - May 5
• Genius Hour - class presentation May 12/13
• Gauss Math Contest - May 12 (grade 8s)
• Thinking Books - end of May
• Montreal Trip - May 24-26
• School track and field - May 30

Music Therapy Blog Post

Learning Goal:

• Create a playlist of songs that represents you and your needs

Criteria:

• minimum of 8 songs
• variety of purposes (different moods, cope with different situations)
• short reflection - why did you choose the song? purpose? (3-5 sentences)
• include links to your songs (you choose method)
• one song MUST be your "walk up" song (choose wisely)

***Remember the features of an effective blog post

Possible ideas for playlist:

1. Makes you happy/smile (cheers you up)
2. Calms you down
3. Makes you angry (anger is okay and have a bad day)
4. Makes you sad
5. Makes you want to dance
6. Your anthem (represents you)
7. Reminds you of a happy memory
8. Your ideas...

  Due date: Thursday, May 5

YOGA forms due Monday (can not participate without them)

Dance Reflection

To do...April 21

1. Math - textbook p. 202 #6, 15, 17, 19
2. Checkpoint - Monday (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing)
3. Health - Yoga waiver due
4. Book Club reflection #2 due Tuesday

Created with Padlet

Dance Reflection - Practice

Fix You - Contemporary Dance  (start at 54 seconds)

Guiding Questions

*These are some guiding questions to help you write your reflection.  

Did you like the dance? Why?

Was the dance effective? Why?  (Did they accomplish what they set out to do?)

What is the message of the dance?  How do you know?

How does the body movements used represent the emotion of the dance?

What are the techniques used? (Levels, Lifts, Sudden/Sustained, repeated movements)

How do the repeated movements change/effect the dance?

How did the techniques used relate to the music?

Other ideas... Use of space, props etc....

Persuasive Essay - diagnostic

Topic Ideas

Choose a topic from this gallery (challenge yourself - choose a topic you've never written about)

Create a Google Doc and write the opening paragraph

• what needs to be included in the first paragraph?
• purpose of first paragraph

Share the document with Mr. Congram and three classmates.

Provide feedback to others. Your feedback should focus on persuasive writing and the opening paragraph:

• have they included necessary components of an opening paragraph?
• is it an effective opening?
• choice of words?

Climate Action

Tell the story...

Genius Hour Evaluation & Important Dates

Class presentations will take place on:  Thursday, May 12 & Friday, May 13

School Presentation Date: Tuesday, May. 17

To do...April 18

1. Artist in Residence (wire coat hanger, cereal box, permission form)
2. Math - worksheet multiplying integers

To do...April 14th

1. Math - p. 186 #7, 13, 17, 18, 20, 21
2. Checkpoint - Monday (adding/subtracting integers)
3. Math Test signed
4. Book Club - reflection #1 due Monday & meeting #2 next Thursday
5. Persuasive Speaking Groups - record next week (Monday & Tuesday)

Looking ahead to next week:

Monday - Genius Hour (be prepared to self-assess)/Record persuasive roundtables

Wednesday - Artist in Residence (period 5 & 6; Literacy will be in Mr. Kaufman's room)

Graduation Information

To do...April 12

1. Short story reflection due Wed.
2. Book Club - Thursday (notes shared in group folder before Thursday class)

Challenge Question

If the sides of the triangle in the diagram are 3, 4 and 5, what is the area of the shaded square?

UN Sustainable Goals

To do...April 8

1. Math Test - Tuesday (review questions due Monday)
2. Genius Hour - prepared for Monday
3. Short Story - reflection due Wednesday
4. Book Club meeting - section 1 Thursday 
5. Cereal box, wire hangers and permission form
6. Highview Clothing deadline extended to Friday, April 18

To do...April 6

1. Math test - next Tuesday (Pythagorean theorem & transformations) - review in class tomorrow
2. Literacy - book club discussion tomorrow; notes ready
3. Persuasive - responses ready

To do...April 5

1. Math - p. 232 #6, 8 cd, 13, 14
2. Literacy - short story notes due Thursday
3. Persuasive Speaking groups - Questions due Wed.

To do...April 4

1. Math worksheet - Rotations
2. Literacy - read short story and prepare notes by Thursday
3. French Presentations

Artist in Residence Program

Links about Diana Tso, our Artist in Residence:

http://www.storytellers-conteurs.ca/en/storytellers-directory/Diana-Tso.html

http://redsnowcollective.ca/wordpress/

http://www.playwrightsguild.ca/playwright/diana-tso


Students need to get "Consent for Recording" form signed; and bring a wire coat hanger and cereal box by April 15th.

To do...April 1

1. Genius Hour  - Monday (if you have not met with Mr. Congram for your mid-assessment of progress it will be Monday) 
2. Grad Photos - due today (Monday is final day the office can accept late orders)

Highview Hawks clothing is now for sale.

Show your school spirit.  Wear it to athletic events like track and field and cross country.  It's also perfect for gym class.

T-shirts are $17.

Hoodies start at $35.

Add a name (first, last or nickname) and number for only $5 more.

All items are navy blue and are available at www.schoolcashonline.com.

Items are available to try on in the main office at morning recess.

Some grade 8 students have expressed interest in a grad version of Highview wear (cost $43 adult size). Below is what is would look like: 

WEAR BLUE ON MONDAY!

To do...March 31

1. Math - 7.3 #1, 2, 4 and p. 236 #8 a-c (mandatory) and #4, 6 (optional)
2. Verbal/visual essay due Friday
3. "Whose Phone..." due tomorrow
4. "Iconic Woman" persuasion tomorrow

Grad Photo orders due tomorrow

Awards Assembly - period 3

Mini Persuasive Inquiry

Iconic Woman on Canadian Notes

Nominees will be considered if they meet the following criteria:

• They are a Canadian (by birth or naturalization) who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, achievement or distinction in any field, benefiting the people of Canada, or in the service of Canada.
• They have been deceased for at least 25 years.

Submissions of fictional characters will not be considered.

Learning Goal:

• choose a Canadian woman who meets the Bank of Canada's criteria above
• create a 2-3 minute presentation to persuade us that your choice should be on a Canadian bank note

Source:

http://womenonbanknotes.ca/page/2
http://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/banknoteable/

To do...March 29

1. Math - worksheet 7.2
2. Literacy - Verbal/visual essay & "Whose Phone..." due Friday
3. Geography

To do...March 22

1. Math - 7.1 worksheet
2. "Taking a Stand" verbal/visual - due date March 30 (time in class this week)
3. Science - 2 bold words and questions #1-4
4. Grad Photos - new due date is April 1st
5. Course verification forms - return to Mr. Congram only if there are changes

To do...March 21

1. Math - worksheet (front) #8, 9, 12, 13
2. Grad Photos are coming home today (deadline for orders is WEDNESDAY)
3. Yearbook Comments (if for some reason you didn't get your comments in; this link will remain open until next Monday)

Warm Up Problem

A rectangular sheet of paper with sides 1 and 2√ has been folded once as shown, so that one corner just meets the opposite long edge. What is the value of the length d?

Orbiting Jupiter

Created with Padlet

Have a great March Break!!!

Things to consider:

• Genius Hour - first Monday back
• Thinking Book (most of you need a strategy to get on track)
• response to "Remember the Titans" should already be handed in
• deadline for yearbook comments is Friday, March 11

To do...March 9

1. Math - p. 356 #5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11
2. Literacy - notes on "Ambush" (be prepared to discuss the story)
3. Geography - Canada part of worksheet

Pythagorean Theorem

Y
via GIPHY

Book Club

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen

The Climb

The Giver

The Outsiders

Zomboy

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Fallout

Every Day

Speak

To do...March 4

1. Genius Hour Monday - be prepared 
2. Thinking Book - conference begin Monday or Tuesday
3. Geography - worksheet for Tuesday

To do...March 3

1. Math test - we will POSTPONE the test until Friday (we'll take up the review on Thursday)
2. Grad photos - Thursday
3. Doc Presentations continue tomorrow

To do...March 1

1. Math test - Thursday
2. Math review - p. 387 #1-10 (only #8 is mandatory - volume & surface area)
3. Doc presentations continue tomorrow

Survey about abandoning books

Book Abandonment Survey

To do...Feb. 29

1. Math Checkpoint - Volume
2. Math worksheet - 8.8 #6 and 9; 8.9 #5 and 6
3. Documentary presentations begin

To do...Feb. 26

1. Math - p.381 #14, 16, 17
2. Checkpoint on volume - Tuesday
3. Literacy - be prepared to present Doc blog post next week
4. Genius Hour - Monday (be prepared)
5. "Remember the Titans" letter signed and returned
6. Science Test - March 1
7. Geography - re-watch video
8. Report card signed and returned
9. Overdue signed assessments (or after school with me!)

• unit test - circumference
• area of circle checkpoint
• unit test - area of circle

To do...Feb. 25

1. Math - p. 380 #7, 8, 9, 12, 13
2. 100 Word Challenge - due tomorrow
3. Documentary blog post - due tomorrow
4. Checkpoint, Area Test, Report signed and returned
5. Letter below signed and returned:

Remember the Titans information

To do...Feb 23

1. 100 Word Challenge due Friday
2. Verbal visual essay due Thursday (time in class tomorrow)
3. Documentary Blogpost (I hear there was a bit of panic in my absence!!!) - I will extend your time until Friday
4. Science - 11.1 #1-4 and 3 bold words
5. Geography - "7 stories" sheet

Tomorrow is Pink Day

I Need to Wake Up

100 Word Challenge

We are going to try the 100 word challenge on occasion this term, here is the link See instruction below.

Think beyond what you see. Ask yourself what on earth is going on? What are these men doing and why are they doing it?

Use the best creative words you can and remember you should only be using 100!

You can write and revise on Google Docs, but your final version must be posted on your blog.