Hello R7A Families,

We had a good past week in Grade 7. Students are especially enthusiastic about our visual arts projects which I described in last week’s blog. Plasticene, paint, watercolours, markers, cardboard, string, plastic, dirt, flowers, birchbark, pine needles, rocks. You name it, we are using it (and at times wearing it)! Next week in Ourstory we will finish writing our first-person narrative journal entries about life in New France and find out what happened on the Plains of Abraham in 1759 and after with the newly-named British North America.

Four of our grade R7A students enjoyed an orchestra workshop with Canterbury High School strings program students. Thanks to Ms Prokaska for making this happen. On Thursday, I had the opportunity, with 12 grade 7 and 8 students to attend the Mamawi Together Youth Conference on Reconciliation and Indigenous Issues. Reconciliation will continue in our classes and school community. On Wednesday of this week, the WE FOUNDATION will be coming to our Leadership meeting to accept our cheque of over $1500.00 to support their programs of increasing access to clean water for children and families.

Grade 7 Field Trip to Carleton University Sports Camp, Wednesday, June 20th
On Wednesday, June 20th, the grade 7 students will be going to Carleton University for a RECREATION DAY. Students will participate in up to 7 sports including a one-hour swim in the afternoon with lifeguards and staff present. All students will be screened for swimming ability. FORMS are going home on MONDAY AND ARE DUE ON THURSDAY, MAY 31. PLEASE ASK YOUR CHILD FOR THEIR FORM ON MONDAY NIGHT AND FILL IT OUT. The cost is $28.00 covering the sports, lunch and school bus transportation. If there is a difficulty with the $28.00 fee, please write me privately and we will see what we can do. This should be a great trip. The students have already been told that going on this trip is dependent on evidence of positive, collaborative behaviour at school.

2018 SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS FOR GRADES 6, 7 & 8 are being set up for this July. Here is some text from the OCDSB flyer.
Summer School Dates: Wednesday, July 4th – Thursday, July 26th, 2018
Continuing Education offers 4 different academic programs for grade 6, 7 and 8 students that address specific studentneeds. All registration is through the homeschool, parents cannot register directly with Continuing Education. To be able to
register for the programs listed below, students in grades 6, 7 and 8 must be recommended by their home school.
ELL PROGRAM: Language Arts for English Language Learners for Grades 6, 7, 8
The Language Arts Program for English Language Learners (ELL) is a dynamic, interactive program focusing on theimprovement of skills and language learning for students in ESL or ELD programs. In these programs, students will have achance to practice and build oral, reading and writing skills while building confidence in their English. Students will improve
their understanding and confidence in preparation for success at the next grade level. This is a
ELIGIBILITY: – Students in grade 6, 7 or 8, STEP 1 – 3 ESL or STEP 1 – 4 ELD

LA & Math Program: Language Arts and Math Program for Grades 6, 7 & 8
The Grade 6, 7 & 8 Language Arts and Math program is a dynamic, interactive program designed to boost student’s skills in Language Arts and Math based on current teaching approaches. Students can stay connected to learning and be ready for
the next level of Language Arts and Math. Teachers will present materials and activities that will engage students in a positive environment. The emphasis is on productive group work and targeted skill development. Students will improve their understanding and confidence in preparation for success at the next grade level. This is a FULL DAY program that runs
from 8:30am to 3:35 pm at different locations.
ELIGIBILITY: – Students in grade 6, 7 or 8,  working at Level 1 or 2

The VM SPORTS PROGRAM continues with lots of energy. Boys’ and girls’ try-outs for soccer started last week. Coach Marcus is out on the field all the time now with students trying out for different sports such as javelin throwing and long jump.

Water bottles are now necessary as the school heats up. Please ensure your children, who are not observing Ramadan during the day, are bringing lots of fruits and vegetables to help them keep energized and attentive. Sugary and salty foods decrease energy and focus.

Here is to a good week for us all. For those of you observing Ramadan, enjoy your family time. As we draw to the end of the school year, would you please let me know if you have been reading this blog and any comments. Just send a quick e-mail to Heather.Swail@ocdsb.ca

Thanks,

Ms. Swail

           

 

GOOD Morning R7A Families –

I hope you are enjoying this now beautiful, long weekend and getting out to see the sites in Ottawa. I had the opportunity to get to our cottage to celebrate our youngest’s 24th birthday. Yikes! Once the rain cleared, we did a lot of work replacing boards, hauling kayaks and cleaning out a winter of dust. Today, we will try a very quick swim in very cold water.

 a white trillium in the woods

There are six weeks left to grade 7 and there is much to accomplish. This week we will be focusing on Ourstory, specifically New France and the struggles between France and England over territory in the New World. We started a new and our last project in Visual Arts. Students, working together are recreating famous Canadian paintings of earlier times in three dimensions. We will be focusing on composition and the separation of an artwork into foreground, mid-ground and background. It will be a multi-media project incorporating pastels, water colours, clay and other materials. I am gathering fallen birch bark and pine needles from the cottage for our young artists.

Here is one of the paintings to be re-created, “Shooting the Rapids” by Frances Anne Hopkins, a British painter who moved to Canada in the mid 1800’s. Her work was largely unknown for a long time. This painting depicting a voyageur canoe with Indigenous people and European settlers has a surprise in the centre. Under the shade of a hat is a figure – the artist herself, painted in. Can you find her?

Guided reading will continue until the end of June as will our Writer’s Workshop. One of the guided reading groups will be starting an independent novel study. The other groups will be working hard on fluency and comprehension as we all endeavour to become stronger, more informed readers. We will be doing a mini-unit in Media Literacy that will focus on advertising and the targeting of teenagers.

The Water Walk last Wednesday brought out over 600 students to experience walking with heavy loads of water. The week was full of philanthropy. We had a Feast or Famine lunch for staff and, of course, we were still celebrating the very successful bake sale organized by R7A for Christie Lake Kids that brought in over $200.00. The fundraiser from Christie Lake Kids will be coming in soon to accept the donation and thank the children.

Here are some photos of the Van Gogh Skies artwork done by R7A. Have a very good week.

 

                  .        

Ms Swail

 

HAPPY MAY, R7A FAMILIES AND HAPPY EDUCATION WEEK,

This is a busy week for the school, a time to celebrate our community and education. Here is a reminder of the highlights of the week:

• MUSIC MONDAY: Ms Prokaska and her musicians played through most the day in the gym. We visited and listened this morning. The grade 7 orchestra played really well.
• VM MUSIC NIGHT AT HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL, 7:00 – 9 :00p.m.. Come join us for a night of music and community. Free admission. Please ask your children to get tickets from Ms Prokaska.
• MULTICULTURAL DINNER,  ART AND FASHION SHOW ON THURSDAY  4:30-6:30 at VM. BRING A FAVOURITE DISH TO SHARE, MEET OTHER VM FAMILIES AND TEACHERS AND VIEW BEAUTIFUL ART

• FRIDAY WELLNESS DAY FOR INTERMEDIATES – our second and last wellness day this year with students in groups composed of all different classes learning about wellness, meditation, mindfulness, art. Yoga, cooking and eating healthily etc.. I will be leading 5 classes of yoga. I’m stretching already!

In the meantime  we are carrying on with Literacy, Ourstory and Visual Arts. Assessments are being sent home for your review and signature for Art, Creation Stories and Reading.

Have a very good week. Enjoy the sun and warmer temperatures.

Ms Swail