Raffle Basket Donations Needed

We are collecting donations for a raffle basket on the theme of "Summer Fun/Beach Party." Please send in any new items that you can which fit this theme. The raffle is to be held at the Orchard Park Fun Fair on Thursday, June 6th. Thanks for your support with this school fundraising initiative!

In the Home Stretch...

With only 2 months remaining in this school year, the push is on to have assignments completed and handed in for evaluation as part of the grade 8 program. I have posted charts of "unfinished" work in our classroom on the wall - so that students can see what activities are missing (and therefore not evaluated). Charts for language, math and geography are currently posted and up-to-date as of today.

I have also posted a list of activities that could be worked on - should a student finish the assigned activity for the lesson being taught.

Please make sure your child has a silent reading book with them that stays at school (or travels back and forth each day).

We have also started our student "self-directed learning" inquiry projects. Each student in my language group has an inquiry notebook, a topic, and three "rich" questions to explore. It will be really exciting to see how these projects take shape - especially since they are driven by "student interest."

As always, thanks for your support in your child's school experience. The next two months will go by quickly with preparations for graduation, sports, trips and other grade 8 events - so your continued support in reminding our students about their assignments and school obligations is much appreciated!

Mr. Finney

Reading Buddy Storybook Gifts

For the past few weeks, the grade 8s have been writing, illustrating and assembling storybooks to give to their reading buddy in Mrs. Finney's Grade 2/3 class.

In their literacy groups, the students have been deconstructing storybooks, performing writing activities, examining text features of narratives and watching movies to "map" the elements of a narrative.

On Friday, December 21st, the grade 8s read their storybooks to their buddies and gave them the copies as gifts just before the holiday break.

Way to go Grade 8s!

"Hands on" Math Problem Solving

We have been working on the Patterning & Algebra strand of Math for the past few weeks.

Students have been using math manipulatives such as colour tiles, cuisinare rods and tangrams to build patterns (using concrete materials) and infer/extend the patterns for the next terms or the general (nth) term.

We have been sharing our results and observations using a BANSHO style of presentation. Students present their chart paper observations and describe their results as a group. After this, chart papers are grouped to show the level of understanding and strategies used to solve the problem. From the groupings of observations, the "next steps" are determined so we know where future lessons (and focus) should be.

Global Citizens in the Making

Over the past few weeks, Mr. Finney's and Mrs. Soutar's grade 8 classes have been participating in a Geography Debate. The topic focused on whether Canada should increase its foreign aid level to African countries OR whether it should stay the same (or even be decreased).

The two teams for the debate were guided and directed by a student leader and carried out research on the topic as well as creating "rich" questions for the other team. The debate lasted 2 geography periods and showed that our Orchard Park students are not only "in tune" with global social issues - they are, in some cases, passionate and critical of their role in these matters.

As part of the population characteristics and demographics unit in Grade 8 Human Geography, students also demonstrated curriculum skills in Media, Drama, Persuasive Writing. Learning skills focused on included; cooperation, independent and group work, initiative, conflict resolution, goal setting and leadership.

After awarding each team their group mark and crowning "the winner," students completed a "self-reflection" activity where they identified strengths, next steps and set goals for future debate activities. Congratulations to all the grade 8 students who showed their interest and skills in researching and debating such a globally-significant issue.   

Close Encounter of the Reptile Kind

Our class was lucky enough to have a presentation from Scales Nature Park in October to learn about some of the creatures that they have and interesting facts about reptiles.

We even had some students brave enough to "hold" the snakes - as the pictures show.

Reading Buddies - "The Best Day of the Week"

As part of our literacy program, students have been paired up with Grade 2 and 3 students in Mrs. Finney's primary class. During our time on Day 2s, we read together (and sometimes do art activities) with the primary students. We support them in using reading strategies to make sense of what they have read and problem solving when they encounter unfamiliar words. The primary students have taken to calling this time "the best day of the week."

In addition to building reading skills, this experience also fosters leadership, empathy, cooperation and responsibility. Our grade 8 students set a positive example and enjoy this time as a way of connecting to the younger students at Orchard Park.