Hello! This is our 18th week together; Term 2 is well and truly underway. Keep in mind a few things as we ride through the busiest academic time of year.
1) Transition time: do your part to help the class shift from one activity to the next. Ensure you are ready for learning: you have the materials you need before a next lesson begins, you've wrapped up your socializing, and you have moved to wherever you need to be without need of a reminder.
2) Bring a growth mindset. Continue to develop that "can-do" stance toward new and challenging things. Keep a smile on your face, participate to the best of your ability, and understand that success rarely comes without some failure along the way.
3) Stay healthy. I noticed today that many (most?) of you don't have a great hand-washing routine prior to eating. This is cold virus season, gang. You don't want to get sick (believe me, I know!). Do your best to stay hydrated, keep your hands clean, and stay away if you are sick.
Here's the plan for the week ahead:
YEP (Young Entrepreneurs Project, aka "PowerPlay"): We have officially launched. You have this week to firm up your initial idea and to try making a prototype (or drawing a detailed, labeled diagram). You will also need to do some rough guesswork on costs. How much $ do you think you will need to spend in order to create each piece? You'll need to prepare a "pitch" for next Monday or Tuesday, when you'll present your idea to me. Remember, don't get carried away and build more than one of the pieces! You'll need the big thumbs up from me before forging ahead with your idea.
On Monday this week, Jesika from PowerPlay presented a session about social and environmental considerations for your project. As part of your pitch next week, I'll be asking you about these. What problem does your product help to solve? Are there any ways your product could be built in an environmentally sustainable way?
Parents, if you haven't already done so, please review the letter sent home last Friday. And please keep your financial loan to $40 or less (it is a loan - as part of the financial literacy component of the project you should expect to be paid back).
Be sure to check in with Classroom for missed bits and pieces related to the YEP. There is a new section in Classwork where all of the materials we use will live.
Math: We will continue our look at fractions this week, and begin to tie in the learning we did prior to the winter break about common multiples. Let's compare apples to apples, and change unlike denominators into common values.
Language Arts and Writing: We'll carry on looking at Word Choice this week, and launch a new writing piece. We will also read with an eye for authors' word choices.
Science: We will explore how the Sun's rays strike the Earth, and attempt to answer the question: If it is sunny outside, why isn't it warm?
It continues to be pretty chilly outside. Be sure to bundle up! Enjoy your week, everyone.
