Journal Entries

Please ensure you have completed journal entries 38, 39, and 40. Check the "Evernote" link above for details.

Japan

Our Japan inquiry is well on its way. Check out the Japan note in Evernote for our first assignment, a letter to the shogun.

Forms! Forms! Forms! DUE FRIDAY!

Hello students and parents!

The grade 8 Rocky Mountain Tour information night (Presentation found here) was last Thursday, and booklets were made available to each family at that time. All of the leftover booklets for families that could not attend last week were distributed today to students. Included in the booklet are 2 forms that need to be filled out. A third form is going out today for rafting.  In addition, as in past years we are requesting that each student bring between 6 - 12 snacks (cookies, bars, etc).  Please ensure that these are NUT FREE.  If you are looking to contribute something healthier, consider looking through these recipes.  All home baked items should include an ingredients list.  Thank you!

Forms that need to be returned ASAP!

1. Human Sexuality permission form (distributed last week)

2. Rocky Mountain Tour permission form (included in booklet Page 1 & 2, Page 3 & 4)

3. Health Form for Rocky Mountain Tour (included in booklets)

4. Rafting Waiver for Rocky Mountain Tour (distributed separately from booklet, today, April 22)

Please return these forms completely filled out ASAP!

Thanks,

The Grade 8 Team!

Scorpion Project Update

Couple Reminders (this information is also available in more detail at The Scorpion Project)

• Individual Post #2 - Initial Thoughts on the Novel
• DUE Wednesday April 17th

• Litspiration Challenge #1 - Setting
• DUE Thursday April 18th

• Section Three - Pages 84-111
• DUE Monday April 22nd

Welcome Back!

We hope everyone had a great Spring break! Mrs. Waite and Miss Groeller are working on assessing the Stories of Worldview projects now, so watch journal entry 33 for your feedback!

DUE WEDNESDAY:

1. JOURNAL ENTRY 34

• details can be found in the"journal entries" note; click "docs" above to get there

2. FIRST INDIVIDUAL BLOG POST FOR THE SCORPION PROJECT

• details can be found on The Scorpion Project

***Please visit The Scorpion Project blog for the reading schedule, quiz dates, assignment details, and the latest assignments!

Wednesday February 27th

Update!

This week we began a new project! The Story of Worldviews in Conflict is a chance for you to creatively demonstrate your knowledge of Spanish and Aztec worldviews and your understanding of how those worldviews came into conflict, as well as respond to our main inquiry question: Why should we care about the impact of cultural contact between the Spanish and Aztec civilizations?

All project details can be found through Evernote, including the assignment sheet, rubric, assigned groups, and approved resources.

After launching the project on Monday, we watched the documentary Conquistadors: The Fall of the Aztecs on Tuesday to give us some additional insight into the Spanish experience of the conquest, and more information about the conflict between these two groups. Today (Wednesday) we delved into our main source for information regarding the Spanish worldview - the textbook. Sections covered can be found through Evernote.

On Tuesday we also began a new feature in our journals in order to better utilize the feedback received on assignments. The aim of this task is to have each student create a customized bank of strategies for success to use on future assignments and projects. Again, details can be found through Evernote.

Tomorrow (Thursday) we will be having a class discussion exploring the Spanish worldview according to the seven elements that have been guiding our inquiry throughout the year, and recording the notes in Evernote.

Lastly, our week will conclude with our trip to the Reel Fun Film Festival on Friday morning. We will be back around lunch in time to eat and attend afternoon classes.

Wednesday, February 20

Welcome back from the loooooong weekend! I hope everyone found some time to relax!

Today we worked on digging even more deeply into worldview by exploring our society, and the Aztec society. We worked on completing a table to help us organize our thoughts as well. We will continue this throughout the week.
*Remember, the notes from our class discussion are available through the "Class Discussions" note in Evernote, as always!

Important upcoming due dates:

February 22 (Friday) - Quiz on Aztec notes
February 22 (Friday) - permission forms for the Reel Fun Movie Festival field trip on March 1
February 25 (Monday) - Journal Entry 31 (second round of comments on litspiration blogs)
February 25 (Monday) - corrections on the Guns, Germs, and Steel/Lecture test (those that have under 9)

Wednesday February 13th

Happy Long Weekend Everyone!!!

This week we took some time to look back at our alternate text video blog assignment in order to ensure that everyone is meeting expectations. Revised videos must be posted to your litspiration blog by first thing in the morning, Thursday February 14.

We also began to explore the textbook as another narrative on the history of the conflict between the Spanish and Aztec, on our journey to answer our main inquiry question: Why should we care about the impact of cultural contact between the Spanish and Aztec civilizations? The details of this note-taking assignment can be found here through Evernote, as always.

Your notes on the Aztec (Journal Entry #30) are DUE on Wednesday, February 20th.

Please note that there will be a QUIZ on this material (journal entry #30) on Thursday, February 21st.

The second round of blog comments (Journal Entry #31) are due February 25.

Friday, February 8

After watching the documentary "Engineering an Empire: The Aztecs" yesterday, we worked on connecting the knowledge gained to larger concepts by filling in the "Source 2" column of the "inquiry organizer." At this point, you should have the first 3 columns filled in.

If you have completed all journal entries up to 29, and have everything uploaded on your blog for the litspiration challenge, you are 100% caught up in Humanities! Yay! (*Note: Journal entry 30 IS NOT for homework at all! We will give you time in class to finish it up next week!*)

Wednesday, February 6

Today, we finished journal entry 28. Please ensure that this journal entry is finished by Friday if you missed class today for whatever reason. It is also important that your journals are up to date at all times!

Also, check out the class discussion notes for what we discussed today in class regarding our guiding inquiry question.

We will be continuing our study of the Aztec and Spanish contact tomorrow by delving into a more detailed study of the Aztecs.

Please remember also that this Friday, February 8th, is the deadline for term 2 Litspiration blogs/free reading challenges. Contact Mrs. Waite or Miss Groeller with any concerns ASAP!

Quiz MONDAY!

On Monday we will be having a quiz on the content covered in the documentary Guns, Germs & Steel, the lecture on the Age of Exploration and the Costs of Imperialism, and worldview.

Resources that you should be referring to for this include: episode one and two viewing guides, documentary notes, lecture notes, class discussion notes, worldview resources.
(All available through Evernote, as always!)

You are permitted to bring in a cheat sheet, as long as it meets the following requirements:

• Typed in 12 point Arial font
• Single spaced
• 1/2 Page, one side only! (8.5 by 11 paper!)
• 1.5 cm margins

Test Corrections and Reflection Due Wednesday

The test corrections and reflection are due Wednesday. In order to help us determine what test-taking skills we need to work on, the reflection component will be essential!

Here is the assignment:

1. CORRECT - Find the correct answer in your notes, reading, etc. and indicate that on the test.

2. REFLECT - Think about why you got the answer wrong. Determine how you could avoid this in the future.

Here are the multiple choice questions:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bz9UAqoetbUyWGx0Nmh6VlJ5eVE/edit

Documentary

We have been working on viewing and understanding the documentary Guns, Germs & Steel as an entrance point to our study of the Aztec/Spanish conflict. So far, we have finished episode one and and the viewing guide that goes along with episode one, discussing the concepts in class and posting answers as journal entry 26. Notes from this class discussion are available through Evernote as usual!

Today, we started watching episode two of the documentary. Students who have missed class can find the transcript for the documentary on the PBS website and can find the viewing guide in the "documents" section of the Humanities page.

We are continuing to work on "Litspiration" blog assignment. All requirements for term 2 are due February 8.

Peer Review Time Tomorrow

Don't forget to have your first review completely polished for peer reviews tomorrow morning!

Update!

Tuesday we explored narrative structure and mapped out an exciting episode of The Twilight Zone. Remember to apply this knowledge when writing your book and alternate text reviews!

Wednesday we introduced new content in Humanities, looking at the big ideas of nationalism, citizenship and identity. Remember that these things developed because of the rise of the Italian city-states.
Think about how these three concepts would have changed Renaissance worldview...
*You can access the lecture through Evernote, in the Renaissance note.

Thursday and Friday we will be working on finishing up our study of the Renaissance, before moving on to a new unit next week. There will be quiz on the material covered throughout our study on Monday. 
*You can access the study guide through Evernote, in the Renaissance note.

On Tuesday of next week you will be given an opportunity in class to complete peer reviews of your first book review. You must come prepared to share your work and provide meaningful feedback to your classmates.

Welcome 2013!

Hope that everyone had a restful and enjoyable break :)

Reminders for the New Year:

• All journal entries should be up-to-date, including entry #23!

• FREE READING CHALLENGE is due Feb. 8th 2013