Dear Parents:
Happy New Year! Hopefully 2012 has begun well for you and your families.

As we start back to school, it seems appropriate to review some of the routines we had in place before the break. Firstly, homework will consist of a Math Problem and a Reading Response each week which are due on Friday. There will be added projects and book reports throughout the remainder of the year which will add to the homework load, but this should still be reasonable with good time management. Students are reminded to have a pair of outdoor and indoor shoes, especially with all the mud right now and possible snow pending. Our homework webpage (http://topsecret.edublogs.org/)is still being used currently with a Weebly page in the works.

We are beginning a new math unit: Data Management. The focus will be on secondary data in the “Real World”. Our Geography Unit on Population will continue for a few weeks leading into Economic studies. In Science, the students will be using the microscope to study cells, as well as experimenting to learn about cell features. Our language focus continues to be on how words and ideas are used effectively to present a specific point of view.

Now that classroom expectations have hopefully become routine we will working very hard and moving more quickly through review material into new material. Please continue to communicate any concerns or questions as they arrive so that I am better able to monitor individual and overall class progress. Thank-you as always for your support. All the best in 2012!
Sincerely,
Ms. Laura Verbeek

Organelle Character Project
Overview:
You have just been introduced to a variety of organelles that work together within each cell of living things. The names of these will be posted on our science words chart, but you will need to learn their functions. To help each of you accomplish this task successfully, we will be working together. Each student will be responsible for creating and presenting an original character that is intended to help the other students learn and remember the function of that particular cell organelle.

Your presentation is required to give three components:
1. A CREATIVE NAME that will easily allow your classmates to recognize and remember the organelle it represents
2. A UNIQUE CREATION of the character that relates to its function
3. The FUNCTION of the organelle

You may choose to create your character in poster form, 3D replica OR radio personality. Each choice will be presented to the class in an Oral Presentation.

Making an Effective Oral Presentation
Overview:
In a short presentation (approx. 1.5-3 min) explain your character to the class. When preparing an oral project, keep in mind the following key steps to an effective presentation:
1.Decide the purpose of your presentation
2.Consider what the audience already knows
3.Think of a way to keep your audience interested
Planning your talk, using the above 3 steps and practicing in advance should help make your presentation interesting and successful.

Note: Refer to our success criteria charts about posters, models, radio commercials and oral presentations to ensure a complete, accurate and successful Organelle Character Project. Good Luck!

Dear Parents/Guardians:
It seems that my October newsletter didn’t leave the computer and find its way to you. I apologize for the lapse in communication. I will attempt to be more consistent in the remainder of the year.
With Progress Reports just around the corner, a review about curriculum and homework expectations seems important. If you and/or your child have consistently checked the Homework webpage, this would have given you a glimpse into our most current focus in several subjects. I have decided to make a few minor changes to homework since many of the students are now receiving incompletes in this area. Hopefully with a regular routine, the practice activities that I assign will be more effective in helping students gain a sense of responsibility and time management. At the beginning of the week we will have a Problem Solving lesson in our math class to teach a useful strategy. Then students will be assigned a math problem of the week to be completed by Friday. These will be assessed as part of their math mark in the appropriate math strand. Also, once a week, there will be a “Response Journal” activity assigned connected to a piece of reading that the students have completed. This will leave a few days for other necessary practice activities, as well as time to complete these. Please let me know if the homework is taking longer than 15-30 minutes depending on the type of assignment. This may indicate a difficulty with that particular area for your child and I am here to help. Every Wednesday I have a ‘Homework Club’ recess which can be used as ‘catch-up’ time, consult the teacher or finish incomplete work. Please encourage the students to develop a routine that allows them to successfully complete all work by due dates. Thank-you for your support with this.
Curriculum in all areas is progressing well at this time. We have completed our Integers Math Unit and are almost finished the second Numeracy strand of ‘Factors and Multiples’. I highly encourage the students to memorize the multiplication facts to 10 x 10 since this will save time during the remainder of this unit. Although they are able to use resources such as calculators and multiplication charts, the brain is much faster.
In Science we are still working on ‘Water Systems’ which has proven to be a bit of a challenge in the portable. Luckily I have several helpful volunteers who are willing to get pails of water for us during our experiments. Thank-you Grade 7! We will be completing this unit shortly with a formative Unit Test. Students will be expected to reflect on their learning and demonstrate a basic understanding of our water system, as well as the elements that can affect any water system.
Writing recounts, as well as completing “Quickwrites” which are random prompts that could be in any form, has been the writing focus over the last month. Our next form will be Persuasion. I am looking forward to the testing of strategies as the students learn how to be more convincing in order to prove their point of view. “Quickwrites” will continue as well, since these help develop creativity in writing. Other language activities include: ‘Making Connections’ to our class novel titled “Wringer” by Jerry Spinelli, designing a webpage on paper for Media, as well as studying the implicit messages included in media of all types. We are in the process of creating a “Celebration Wall” on line, which will be password protected and provide the students an opportunity to share their successes with you at home. As this is still in the beginning stages, I will notify you when it is completed on our ‘Homework Page’, which will continue, as well as send the necessary access information home.
I would like to thank you for your efforts to communicate with me and the support you are providing your children and in effect myself as we all work towards successful learning for the students. Please continue to contact me with questions and/or concerns.
Finally, interview forms have been sent home. I have always held 3-way conferences, which involve the student, the parents/guardians and myself. It is my intention to have these conferences this year as well. It is important that the students recognize their role in the learning process as well as their ability to create their own successes. These conferences provide them with an opportunity to share their strengths, set goals and create a learning plan supported by both home and school. If you wish to have a teacher and parent interview only, please contact me and we can set up a separate time or if possible allow some extra time on conference night. Thank-you once again for your support.

Sincerely,
Ms. Laura Verbeek

Dear Parents/Guardians:
Welcome back to the start of another school year. Learning in a portable, starting in the Intermediate Division and being part of a K-8 school for the first time are just a few of the new experiences the students can look forward to this year. We are very quickly setting up routines that will hopefully make this transition smooth and efficient. As an official member of the Intermediate Division for a second year at QE II, I am very excited to be teaching Grade 7. Our first week of school has already started very well with a diagnostic writing piece completed, math unit started and homework practices beginning.
The main purpose of this newsletter is to introduce a few important items at this time with more detailed information about curriculum and upcoming events to follow in the next few weeks. Firstly homework will be assigned daily and posted on my classroom webpage which can be accessed through the school website (http://queenelizabeth2knights.edublogs.org/) and click on my name or directly to my planning page (http://topsecret.edublogs.org/). Most homework will involve completing any unfinished assignments from class and/or reviewing already learned lessons. There will occasionally be projects as well. Using a planner or other form for tracking assignments is highly encouraged, especially as we become more involved in the curriculum. The webpage is set up to assist students with their own system of organization, not replace it.
Secondly if your child has not yet brought in a binder, one is required with at least 4 dividers. Indoor shoes will also be needed since we are already experiencing some wet weather and this eliminates tracking mud into the classroom and the gym. Thank-you for making sure these are supplied. I have encouraged the students to use pencil in math and for diagrams, but pen is acceptable for any writing activities. Having more than one colour will be handy for marking as well.
Finally, I believe that every classroom runs most effectively when everyone communicates clearly with each other: teacher, students and parents. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions, information and/or concerns. Usually most misunderstandings are miscommunications. I look forward to meeting each of you on Thursday evening (Sept. 15) at the Open House. “Together we can do anything!”

Sincerely,
Ms. Laura Verbeek