Week 39 - June 23 - 26

Hi All! It's our final week together. Congratulations! You've completed grade 6 - your first year at Middle School. That went fast, didn't it?

Look at this space later in the week for your own contributions, your final good-byes.

No academic stuff to report on. But here are reminders for the week:

Monday: Yearbooks!

Tuesday: Windsor Park day! 

Wednesday: Willows Beach day!

Thursday: Last day assembly and Walkies.

Bring a little cash on Tuesday and Wednesday if you'd like an ice cream at the park, and a tea house goodie at the beach.

And now, for your final words:

AA -

CB - Byeeee! 

IB - Corrupt Nature!

AC - SGA is him.

EC - Don't be sad that its over, but be happy that it happened.

KC - Follow your dreams.

ND - Be like a pineapple

OD - (*shrugs*)

JD - If life gives you lemons, throw them at your enemies!

JE - I want a pink car.

CF - Round 2 is over. Cuz its my second. No! No! I didn't mean Its fine. Keep it.

WF - I don't know.

JH - San Andreas is still the best GTA game.

MH - School ends but memories don't 

DL - 

BMcD - I don't know what we're doing.

BMcK - Even though school's over there's still more to come.

WM - We had a Peter Griffin Fortnite collab before GTA 6 came out.

MN - Peace out!

JR - I'm not sure.

FT - Life is good.

EVDH - I don't know.

AW -

MW - In a world where you can be anyone, thanks for being yourself.

AY - 

Thanks for tuning in to the blog this year. I hope it has been useful. Have a great summer and we'll see you in September!

Week 38 - June 16 - 20

This is the penultimate week of school for your grade 6 year. You're almost there! We'll put in a good solid effort on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week. Then, we're all off to the baseball game on Thursday (Go, HarbourCats!), before Storm Fest on Friday.

Math - We'll explore coordinate geometry this week.

Writing - Let's finish up the Sandwich pieces and turn them in by Wednesday, okay? 

L.A. - The podcast project continues this week. Try to wrap things up on Friday, okay?

Science - we'll get a chance to show what you know about Newton's Laws on Monday, and we'll play around with Newton's laws on Tuesday.

Social Studies - this week, we'll watch and respond to a film called On the Way to School. In it, four children are followed as they head out on epic journeys to school. For some, it takes a monumental effort to exercise their basic human right to an education. It is a beautiful film, and hopefully you will come to appreciate your own experiences with school, and with the many advantages you have by living in an affluent part of the world. You'll be asked to respond to the film.

HarbourCats Baseball - We will walk to Royal Athletic Park, so please remember to wear your best walking shoes. We should arrive with enough time to hit the concession (bring some cash if you'd like to buy something). I will communicate the plan for returning to the school to your parents closer to the day of the game.

Friday Storm Fest, our leadership students have been hard at work to put on an awesome afternoon for the entire school. A bit of pocket money will help you out with the snacks, treats, and ice cream that will be available. Enjoy!

Have a great week, everyone!

Week 37 - June 9 - 13

Hello you wonderful peanuts! Here's the plan for the week ahead:

L.A. - you'll get some tech time to produce your podcast this week. Do your best to figure out how to use the software efficiently. Working with Chromebooks on this makes it difficult to save works in progress. Aim to complete each editing task before the end of each block. Once done, you'll get to plan, rehearse, and record your first episode!

Writing - The Art of the Sandwich writing piece continues this week. Yum! Remember that the aim is to write with your voice - that is, to make the words on the page sound like you. Are you recognizeable and distinctive on the page?

Science - we'll work toward a quiz on Newton's Laws and friction forces. Be sure your binder section is squared away and complete.

Math - Trapezoids are interesting little shapes! We'll learn to identify them, and to find their area. We'll also review what you've learned about classifying triangles before we begin to look at coordinate geometry.

Year End field trip #1: This week's event is our big trip to Wild Play and Esquimalt Lagoon. Lots of info about this day will be sent to your parents. Remember, the adventure course that you will undertake is meant to challenge you. This is your chance to seek that sense of accomplishment that you feel when you overcome a difficulty. Those who seek adventure will be rewarded! Check in with your parents about the day's packing list, okay?

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Week 36 - June 2 - 6

This is our 36th week together. While it may be June, the message from our school administrators, from classroom teacher, and from all of the staff here at Monterey is to stick with us. Remember what you did, and who you presented to the world, that got you to this point. I get it: sometimes we can lose focus as the light at the end of the tunnel begins to shine brighter. But... we have four weeks to go. That's lots of time to get a whole bunch accomplished. So be sure to continue to bring your best each and every day, mind your manners, keep the needs of others top of mind, and follow through with learning tasks. Let's finish strong, team!

Math: We'll begin using algebra in geometric contexts while we explore how to find the perimeter and area of various 2-D shapes. We'll also begin to classify those shapes by the measures of their sides and of their interior angles. 

L.A.: this week you'll get to produce your podcast introduction. Fun! Check Classroom for further details about how to do this on a Chromebook here at school.

Writing: We'll begin a new writing piece this week. Let's explore "Voice" as a writing trait. This is where your audience will recognize you - the way you speak and write, the words you choose, and the shortcuts and rule-breaks you include in your writing. 

Science: Let's finish up the lab report from last week's "Friction" lab. Then, we'll begin a review as we work toward a test in this subject.

This is the final week for library book exchanges. All library books will be due back after this week. If you need a new book for the next few days, ask to head to the library during quiet reading this week. 

Enjoy your week everyone!

Week 35 - May 26 - 30

Hi! We are into our 35th week together already. Can you believe it? Ms. Scherr has departed: her practicum is complete. You were fantastic kids to learn with. Thank you for making her time here successful and fun. Here is the plan for the week ahead:

L.A. - Reading. We'll finish up your look at The Skeleton Tree with a couple of creative and reflective pieces. I love this novel. It has rich language and a compelling storyline. Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

L.A. - Writing and oral language. This week we'll launch into a short unit on podcasting. We'll begin to learn what goes into producing an engaging show, and we'll begin planning our own little podcast project.

Math - Let's take what you've learned about algebra and apply it to new learning about geometry.

Social Studies - We'll pick up where you left off with Ms. Scherr and explore the unequal experiences of children around the world. 

Science - It is lab week. We'll work together to gather data about friction forces. Expect your lab report to be due early next week.

CC Day letters will go home on Thursday. Next week - June 5 - is CC day.

Parents, please look for an email update about our June 12 field trip: we still need parent drivers to volunteer for the day. Thanks for considering!

Week 34 - May 20 - 23

Hi Everyone. We have a short week this time around. It is also Ms. Scherr's last week with us. She has done a great job so far. Let's help her finish strong. There's lots to do!

Social Studies: This week's focus is on learning about an organization committed to helping local people meet their needs. You'll put together a mini-booklet to present your learning.

Language Arts: The dramatic conclusion of The Skeleton Tree awaits! Enjoy! You will complete another Writing-In-Role piece, and finish your sketch and caption booklet. 

Writing: Your pen pals have sent back a letter. You'll get to respond to theirs one more time this week. Check Classroom for details.

Math: You'll interpret number stories this week, creating algebraic expressions and equations to tell the tales. By week's end, you'll get an equation, and begin working on solving for an unknown value.

Science: Be on the lookout for something that changes direction or speed. Consider the forces at play, and try to describe these as an "action-reaction" pair. We'll finish our look at Newton's 3rd law before launching into an exploration of friction forces. 

June Events: This is for your parents. Hi Div 1 parents, At this point I don't have commitment from enough drivers for our event at Wild Play/Esquimalt Lagoon. Please do not wait to let me know if you are able to help us out. At this point, I'm getting a little worried we'll have to make changes to our plans, which would be disappointing. If you can help, I need you! Thanks.

That's all for this week! Enjoy.

Week 33 - May 12 - 15

Wow! Can you believe that we'll see the middle of May this week? Time is marching on, folks. This is the first of two consecutive short weeks (you've got a four-day weekend coming up). And these two weeks are the final two of Ms. Scherr's time with us. Here's the plan for the week ahead. 

Social Studies: You'll look at the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights this week. It is an important document! 

Language Arts: The Skeleton Tree is nearing its dramatic conclusion. Congratulations! You are on pace to complete the book and its related activities before Ms. Scherr leaves us. Strive for your best with the next Writing-In-Role piece: you should have a pretty great idea of what is expected of you with these tasks at this point. Keep up with the reading if any is assigned to you. And, if you are away for any reason, please be sure to get caught up quickly. 

Writing: Your pen pal replies have been sent away. Expect a follow-up later this week.

Math: Your look at algebra continues. You'll begin to build multi-term expressions based on geometric shapes, and you'll learn to simplify these by collecting like terms. 

Science: We will extend our look at Newton's 3rd law this week. Expect in-class demo's with write-ups and diagrams. And you will begin to think about how else you could demonstrate this action-reaction relationship.

Thursday pm is our District Orientation Day event, when you get to play host to a grade 5 student. Fun!

Friday is a Pro-D day. Next Monday is a holiday.

This week, you will bring home a calendar of events and information packet about our year-end plans. 

Enjoy your week, everyone!

Week 32 - May 5 - 9

Hey gang! This is a full and busy week. Do your best to show up each day, on time, and ready for learning. Over the next couple of weeks, you'll see more and more of Ms. Scherr, and a bit less of me at the front of the room. Here is the plan:

Science: We will complete the lab report from last week's lab. Do a great job on these, folks. Lab reports are your opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the science behind the experiment, but to showcase your best, neatest, most accurate work. We will crack on with Newton's 3rd law of motion later this week. Expect in-class presentations, as well as a chance to show your understanding by way of your own demonstration.

Social Studies: You will read and research the idea of "poverty". What that word means in different situations and contexts can be quite different. Does poverty exist in our community? This is an eye-opening subject, as many students in our school have never experienced a lack of basic needs, nor do they expect to. During discussion, find ways to be brave. Speak up and make contributions. There is a "social" element to Social Studies. You are urged to raise your hand and share your understanding. Good questions and great responses are the bread and butter of Social Studies learning. 

Math: Ms. Scherr will turn our focus to some basic algebra concepts this week. Believe it or not, you've been "doing algebra" all along! When your grade 2 teacher presented you with 3 + ☐ = 5 and asked you to fill in the blank, you were asked to think algebraically. That's it! Nothing to be frightened of, okay?

Language Arts: The Skeleton Tree gets pretty exciting - some might say intense - from this point on. If you have been, or will be away, please do the best that you can to stay current with the reading. For example, several students were absent this Monday and missed the reading of chapter 10. Remember to complete your Sketch-and-Caption for each chapter. And aim high with the Writing-in-Role pieces. This week, Ms. Scherr will also introduce a number of "Choice Tasks" for students looking to extend their understanding.

Writing: You have a pen pal! Your letters have been sent to Sweden, and we await replies. In the meantime, consider what you would like to learn from your pen pal. 

Immunizations: Thursday is the day for your follow-up immunization. This is the second dose of the one you received in the fall. 

Swimming: This Friday we will head to the rec center for swimming. This time, if you would like to be dismissed from the rec center (at around 2:25), have your parents send an email. Thanks. 

Enjoy your week, all!

Week 31 - Apr 28 - May 2

Hey there! We've got a big busy week this time around. Here's the plan:

Student-Led Conferences: On Tuesday, you will be dismissed at the end of block 4. Then, you'll return to the school sometime between 4 and 6:10 to host a family member or two (or three or more!). The conferences end at 6:30, and you'll need at least 20 minutes to run your conference. Plan accordingly. I look forward to seeing you and your family members here!

Math: This week we will run through some government math. Elections are gold mines of data. We will explore the meaning of percent, and visualize the House of Commons both before and after the election. 

MTWI: Our Wednesday morning bunch, who do not participate in Band, will present a Minute to Win It game. Be prepared! If you do not bring your supplies, or you have not built clear game instructions and team lists, we won't get a chance to play your game. Fun!

Social Studies: In addition to our mathy look at the election, you will turn your attention to the topic of global inequality. First up? Access to clean water. Ms. Scherr will take you through some activities and tasks to help you understand why this is an important issue in our world. 

Science: We'll run an experiment this week to again confirm Newton's 2nd law. As you build your lab report, remember to keep your work presentable and readable.

Language Arts: Thank you for your "friendship" writing pieces. They're great! I'm impressed with how you feel about the value of friendship. Some A-1 sentence fluency is on display with these pieces. Well done. You'll get feedback on your writing this week.

Drama Show: On Friday afternoon, just about our whole school will head off to Oak Bay High's theater. Our school's drama club has been hard at work, putting together a noisy and entertaining little show. The choir is involved, and so is the Jazz Band. Congratulations in advance to those of you who are taking part. The rest of us, we'll be an appreciative audience. Parents, I'll need at least one parent-volunteer to walk over to the high school with the class in the afternoon. Please let me know if you are available. It should be a fun show! 

Enjoy your week, everyone!

Week 30 - Apr 22 - 25

Wait... what? This is our 30th week together? Already? I guess they're right when they say that time flies when you're having fun. Here's the plan for the week ahead:

L.A. - With The Skeleton Tree up and running, the novel study will be the central focus of your L.A. learning over the next few weeks. Ms. Scherr and I remind you to stay current with the reading, and to show (and tell) as much as you can about the story in the related tasks.

Math - Let's wrap up our look at division with decimals this week. You have a couple of different strategies to employ and, while you almost always have a choice in which one to use, sometimes one strategy works better than another. The trick is to learn when to try the partial quotients strategy, and when using long division may actually give you a clearer answer. You'll get your chance to show your strength with both strategies on a quizzy this week. 

Science - Newton's 2nd Law, which shows the relationship between force, mass and acceleration, remains our focus this week. You'll get involved with a hands-on lab this time. Be sure to run the experiment carefully and accurately, okay? And remember that a neatly presented lab write-up is an important element to your scientific learning. 

Writing - We will work on completing the paragraph about friendship this week. Pay close attention to the task criteria. This one is due on Friday.

It is late April as you are reading this. For many, this can be a challenging time of year. It is easy to become wrapped up in your own self-interest. Sometimes this results in decision-making that may not reflect who you are, or how you wish to be seen. Collectively, we may have a tendency to get loud. We might take longer to transition from one task to the next. We might misplace our patience, our empathy, our respect for others. Intentionally or not, we might end up contributing to a classroom environment that is less than ideal. It’s important to pause and reflect on how our actions affect those around us. Be conscious of the effects of your decisions. Today, I call on you to lead with your heart, and to be the person you expect of yourself.

For your calendars:

Apr. 23 - World Book Day

Apr. 29 - Student-Led Conferences - early dismissal

May 2 - Drama show at Oak Bay High

May 9 - Swimming at OBR

May 16 - Pro-D day

May 19 - Victoria Day holiday

Enjoy your week, everyone.