To do...Sept. 30

1. Recount - due tomorrow
2. Science - experiment with different paper airplane designs (http://www.funpaperairplanes.com/)
3. Art - complete portfolio for next Monday
4. Math Test signed

Prime and Composite Numbers - practice

Here is a good little game to practise your prime and composite numbers. Who can beat my score of 192?

Prime and Composite Numbers Game

Scientific Method

To do...Sept. 27

1. Math homework - worksheets
2. Math Checkpoint - Monday (factors, multiples, common factors & multiplies, prime & composite)
3. Music - next Tues.
4. Writing - recount (Monday will be the last class to work on it, due Tuesday)
5. Blogpost due next Oct. 7

To do...Sept. 26

1. Math worksheets - "Finding Factors" and "Factor Trees"
2. Writing - recounts (we are finishing tomorrow)

To do...Sept. 25

1. Social Studies - finish map and "Reasons they came to North America" sheet (need textbook)
2. Start thinking about your Blogpost (see below)
3. Writing - recount (due Friday end of class)
4. Music Binder for next Tuesday

Blogpost Assignment

Learning Goal:  To create a visual representation of your "Reading History"

Success Criteria (see Assignments & Assessments for the rubric):

• Original/Creative/You've made it your own (this is the most important one!)
• Organized
• Represent at least 8 significant texts in your reading history (remember texts don't have to be books) and why they were important to you

This is a level 3 example; level 4 will stand out from the crowd. Be original!

Due date: Monday, October 7

Get ready to revise!

Thank you, Mr. Kaufman for this great chart.

On Wednesday, we will begin revising your recounts.

New Team Canada jerseys

Rumour has it, these are the new hockey jerseys for the 2014 Olympics. What do you think?

To do...Sept. 24

1. Math - textbook p. 46 #1 a, c, e, g; 3; 4
2. Writing - rough draft needs to be shared with Mr. Congram
3. ART - Name design (due tomorrow)
4. Social Studies due tomorrow
5. Multiple Intelligences
6. Checkpoint #1 and "All about Me" rubric signed

Learning Goals - Sept. 24

Asking Questions - variety of texts

Here are some of the questions the class came up with as we watched the video. Who can explain the difference between thin and thick questions?

THIN QUESTIONS	THICK QUESTIONS
·         what is she reading ·         what did he steal? ·         who paid the bill? ·         why did the man pass out? ·         who paid off the medical form? ·         what's wrong with the mother? ·         is the doctor the boy?	·         why did the man pay for the medicine? ·         why did he steal the medicine? ·         why is it (medicine) so important? ·         why did the man help the boy? ·         why didn't the boy thank the man? ·         why don't more people help like this?

Is the boy poor? - is this a thick or thin question?

What are you wondering as you watch this video? We are learning to ask questions about a variety of texts.

Thank you, Mrs. Coles for sharing this amazing video.

Literacy Activities

Pic Collage (iPad or iPod App)

Iqbal video

To do...Sept. 20

1. Math - p. 44 #1, 2 a-c & 3
2. Social Studies (see yesterday)
3. Writing - recount (first draft completed by Tuesday)

Art - there will be time on Tuesday to finish your art assignment.

Kid President - I love his attitude!

To do...Sept. 19

1. Check your math binders tomorrow (5 sections: Number Sense, Geometry...)
2. "All about Me" rubric and Checkpoint #1 signed
3. Toonies for Terry
4. Gym tomorrow
5. Social Studies - Worldviews for Donnacona's statements (due Wed.)

To do...Sept. 18

1. Math test tomorrow
2. Take home your French play
3. Writing - if your plan isn't done, get it done!

To do...Sept. 17

1. Math Review (textbook) - p. 76 #1-5, 12
2. Math worksheet - "Finding Sums..." odd numbers and "Round and..." left side and chart
3. Recount Plan - "Most Embarrassing" Moment

Note:
At the moment I don't have access to my voice mail at school (as we speak there is a flashing light on the phone I can't access). If you call the school, insist on leaving your name and the message in written form or send me a quick email and I will call you. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Costa Concordia recovery

Very interesting story!

Costa Concordia

To do...Sept. 16

1. Writing - idea for "Most Embarrassing Moment"
2. Blogpost - VIP due Friday (short paragragh: what is VIP? what will you be learning? and an image)
3. Multiple Intelligences survey completed and record your top 2 intelligences
4. Checkpoint signed and returned (final question does not count, but it is good practise for unit test)
5. Math Test (first of the year) - Thursday, Sept. 19. Test will include the following concepts:

• standard, expanded form
• place value
• rounding
• estimation
• ordering numbers

Learning Goals - Sept. 16

Math Communication

In class today, we were working on how we communicate our thinking (it was not easy!). How many jellybeans do you estimate are in the jar?

Below is some of my own thinking. We are trying to use our prior knowledge (what do I know?) or experience (birthday parties!) to help our estimations.

To do list...September 13

1. Math textbook p.41 #2, 4, 8
2. Science: Stick your hand out moving vehicle (What is happening?)
3. Art: sketchbook assignment #1 and plan for your portfolio

Our Class

I love this poster! This is a classroom I want to be apart of this year.

Learning Partner Survey

"All about Me" Peer Assessment

To do...September 11

1. Math worksheet 2.2 (#s 1 and 2 on both sides)
2. Math Checkpoint tomorrow (writing numbers, expanded, standard)
3. "All about Me" videos due tomorrow
4. Any 2 litre pop bottles (need a half dozen or Mr. Congram is drinking 12 litres on his own!)

Importance of Reading Every Night

Here is a great reminder and it relates to one of the math questions we were working on today.

To do...September 10

1. Math textbook pg. 37 #1, 3-5, 10 (Math textbook available under Math links)
2. Art Sketchbook #1 and plan for portfolio
3. Social Studies - Spirituality, Individual Choice - Important/interesting

To do...September 9

1. Math - worksheet 2.1, especially "Stretch your thinking" (no Math today)
2. Art - sketchbook assignment #1 and plan for portfolio design (due next Monday)
3. "All about Me" video - due Thursday
4. Science - need a few 2L pop bottle

Sketch Book Assignment #1

Three objects that represent you.

Learning Goals - Sept. 9

Multiple Intelligences

Complete the survey at this link:   Multiple Intelligences Survey

Jot down your top 3 results.

Schools in the News

During our first week together, we've looked at what and how we choose the books we read. As the year progresses I will be posting items on the class blog to help broaden what we read about. If you find items you think the class might be interested in, send them my way and I will share.

Here are two interesting articles about technology use in the classroom:

Public school board rolling out expansive iPad project

Technology transforming classroom of the future

Favourite Word

Over the weekend I was told a story about a good friend's favourite word. His favourite word was eloquence.

It got me wondering what your favourite words might be. Is it how the word sounds? What the word means? If you think of a great word enter it below. Encourage your family members to enter their favourites as well.

To do...September 6

• Math worksheet (especially "Stretch your Thinking")
• Science title page (yes, colour it)
• Science - anything else you want to know
• "All about Me" video

How do we choose books?

On Friday, we're going to talk about how you choose books. Here is how I chose some of my summer reads:

To do list...September 5

1. Remember binders, sketch book etc
2. Math - find images of one million!!!
3. Letters for me or the office
4. All about Me video - bring pictures (30 to 40 pictures)

What makes a "GOOD" mathematician?

Today in class we discussed what makes a GOOD mathematician? Here are the most important characteristics:

• determined (don't give up)
• challenge themselves
• make MISTAKES
• show their THINKING
• asks questions
• look for different ways to solve problems
• use their prior knowledge

Writing Assignment

Goal: produce a piece of writing that shows me how well you write.

• do not ask me how long; our goal is always quality over quantity
• what makes a quality piece of writing?

 Created by: writingprompts.tumblr.com

Digital Footprint

When You Reach Me

Our first read aloud of the year. We will be working on the reading strategy "asking questions". Does anyone remember the "$20 000 Pyramid"?

To do list...September 4

1. Independent reading book (at school everyday)
2. Take your parents through the BLOG (Parent contact information)
3. Collect pictures for "All about Me" video
4. Need Math and Social Studies binder with 5 sections
5. ART sketchbook (I will show you an example tomorrow)

To do list for September 3

1. Technology Letters (All about Me etc.) - 3 letters
2. Collect pictures for All about Me video (hobbies, family, growning etc)
3. Package of information (forms to sign)
4. Bring gym clothes

First Day of School - checklist

1. timetables
2. lockers (187-197 and 217-232)
3. textbooks
4. homework/blog/agendas
5. Lunch routines
6. Entry/Exit/Fire Procedures
7. Classroom Rules
8. Personal devices (iPods/iPads/laptops)
9. Questions/concerns

Introducing Mr. Congram

Welcome back!

Today is the first day of over one hundred eighty days we are going to spend together.  My greatest hope is this will be a time of great learning and fun together.  I recently saw the quote, "I care more about the people my students become than the scores they get on tests." The more time I spend teaching, the more this idea seems to hold true for me.

This will be my sixteenth year of teaching. Man, am I getting old? I think this will be my ninth year at Highview. I never thought I would stay at one school for this long, but Highview has been such a great community it is hard to imagine leaving. I am really excited to be teaching grade 6 this year. When people have asked me what my favourite grade to teach would be, I've always said grade 6. I've also heard many great things about this year's group of sixes.

Since I will be learning about you, I thought I would share a little bit about me. I was born in Sarnia, but my family moved to Toronto when I was only five. I am the third of four boys (my poor mother). Two passions ruled my childhood, sports and comics. The year I moved to Toronto was the first year the Blue Jays existed. I have been a die-hard fan ever since. I've celebrated the two World Series victories and suffered through some rough seasons (like this year). I played myself in high school, even playing with a couple of eventual major league players. I credit comic books for my reading passion. I've noticed that the people making superhero movies today, like "X-Men" and "The Avengers", are my age.

My biggest influence during my teenage years was my experiences at camp. From working at a summer camp, I discovered I wanted to be a teacher and I loved spending time in the great outdoors. Eventually, I even met my wife to be at camp. My wife and I still spend parts of our summer on canoe trips whenever possible.

This past summer my wife and I enjoyed a trip of a lifetime. We spent two weeks on a Mediterranean cruise. Some of the highlights included Rome, Venice, Athens and Naples. It was amazing to experience ancient sites that I've only read about before.  It reminded me that the more I learn, the more I have to learn. I look forward to sharing some of these experiences with you.

A large part of my leisure time this summer was spent playing golf. I have only just gotten back into playing golf in the last three or four years, but I have caught the bug in a big way. No matter how badly I play, I can't wait to get out again to see if I can get better.  It certainly keeps me humble. During the school year, my sport of choice is volleyball. I play a couple of nights a week.

My big passion all year long is reading. Mr. Kaufman calls my book collection a library! Though my library is growing very fast, because I'm reading more and more e-books. I read about 20 books this summer, including a number of books in preparation for teaching grade 6. I've chosen When You Reach Me for our first read aloud this year, I think you will enjoy the mysterious plot. I hope we will be able to share many great books together. What are your favourite books?

I hope over the next days and weeks I will have the opportunity to get to know all of you better. What is important to you? It looks like a great year ahead.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                T. Congram