Reminders!

Well, interviews are almost over!!!  It was so nice to see/meet everyone last Thursday and Friday!  I have either met or spoken to most parents, although if you have not booked a time for an interview- please do so by phoning the school and leaving me a message.

Here are some of the things going on in our classroom :

Language : the kids are working on a few assignments. They include : an essay which looks at the pros and cons of an argument.  In this essay, the goal is to have the reader/audience look at both sides of a statement and to defend both sides confidently.  Last year, we worked on persuasive writing from one perspective, and this year - the kids have to persuade and write an essay from both sides.  Also in language, the kids are working on a media unit that includes designing a menu for a themed restaurant, figuring out how much the items on the menu will cost, how much a family can eat for, and creating a radio jingle for the restaurant. The kids are also working on novel studies that will involve all grade 8 students.  The students pick what novel they are interested in reading : Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Hunger Games, and End of Days, and will go to the teacher's room that is in charge of that particular novel.  The novel study activities will take place four periods a week and could involve language homework that pertains to the novels.  Each book is amazing - and I am so excited that the kids will participate in a book study in this fashion.  A book report has been handed out in class and will be due the first Friday of January.  Please ask your child to review the Sandwich Book Report so you are aware of all expectations for this report.

Math : the kids are working on square roots, exponents, and order of operations BEDMAS.  I strongly recommend that each student has a calculator at school, as this will help with the math lessons over the next few weeks.  Also - the kids should continue to practice their multiplication and division drills!

Phys-ed : we are still working on football...and how to play a game against Mrs. Reilly's class soon.  We will then move on to basketball.

Next week we have our first Character Education assembly.  The assembly is celebrating Caring and Compassion.  Students that demonstrate these characteristics have been chosen from our class and parents have been invited to the assembly.  The assembly is next Tuesday at 11:00 in the assembly gym - see you there!

Next Tuesday evening from 6:30-7:30 we have our Grade 8 trip parent information meeting , taking place in the cafeteria. Fundraising packages and information letters have gone home with the students already.  This info night will also go over everything pertaining to the trip - so I hope you can attend this meeting.  If not , please contact me at the school if you have any questions.

I hope everyone has a fabulous week!

Miss Waddell