Presentation Outline for Game Project

This is what you should cover in your game project presentation on Monday and Tuesday.

Remember this is a “Show and Brag” not a formal speech. We want your classmates to be able to see what you have accomplished in this project.

You may want to consider using jot notes or a word web to remember the things you want to say in front of the class.

Part	Description/Questions to ask Yourself	What You Will Say
Name of Game	-what and why you called the game what you did -how is it interesting
Objective of Game	-what is the purpose/goal of the game -what type of game is it
Showing of Board	-what are the different parts of the board -how used grid -ideas behind design
Showing of Pieces	-explain design, types, number of pieces
Overview of Rules	-what are the basic rules -how transformations are used
Problems & Solutions (for game design and rules)	-what problems did you encounter when making it -what solutions did you find -what did you learn from this project (not just the math)
Future Changes	-if you did a version 2 what would you do differently
Feedback From Players	-what have your testers told you about your game

Thanks
Mr. Brooks

Game Project Update

Hello

Well yesterday was a major deadline for the board game project. Since it was a snow day many students took advantage of the extra time to make sure their board and pieces were complete. Today I saw many students' work and I am very impressed with how some of the students have really taken this project and ran with it. Many students are going above the basic requirements with their board games.

Today I gave the students an outline for how to judge and write 1-2 paragraphs about how they have incorporated the Math concepts from this unit into their games. They are to use the score sheet provided to evaluate their use and explanation of the coordinate grid, plotting points, and all three transformations. The students are to use their mathematical vocabulary from our word wall in their paragraphs.

This part of the project will be due Monday and should be done in rough draft then good copy. Students were given time today in class to start it (some chose to work on their rule books) and they will have more time this week to work on the planning and rough copy.
The students should have their rulebooks 90% done for tomorrow and their game boxes done for Friday. Presentations will take place next week on Monday and Tuesday in class.

Many thanks
Mr. Brooks

Project Resource Link

Here is another link that the students can use to create their own grid paper, spinners, and shapes to use for their game project. Also, a really good Math resource for some interactive activities.

Dynamic Grid Paper

Thanks
Mr. Brooks

Game Project

Hello

We have just completed our first week of working on our Math Game Project. Students are working on finishing their prototypes for testing next week. The game project focuses on geometry using a coordinate grid. The project incorporates Math, English, and Art so the students have been given a fair bit of time over the last three days in both Ms.Fenlong's and my own classes to get all of their planning done. I have been working on my own project alongside the students (Vikings vs Goblins) so they can see me model the process. Today we had Mr. Reed come in (a student from last year) and present his project which was a 4+. I told the students that it exceeded the expectations and that showed what we are capable of achieving.

I will be updating my website this weekend so that copies of all the templates are available. The deadlines for the project have been added to the calendar on the site as well. On Monday the students are expected to have the model of their board, game pieces, and rules/flowcharts completed in rough copy so that they can test it out with other students in class. Each student will receive a feedback form filled in from their focus group that they will then use to incorporate into their good final copy of the game.

Here is a link to last year's box designs for the games (some were great, others...)
Last Year's Project Pics

Here is a link to the project outline:
Game Project Outline

Thanks
Mr. Brooks

Friday Math Test

Hello

This Friday there will be a Math test for the geometry unit covering coordinate grids and transformations (rotations, reflections, and translations). I left two review sheets with my guest teacher yesterday that the students were to finish for homework. Today I put them into their Math groups where they went over their answers together and explained to each other where they had difficulties. Today I gave them another review sheet which had questions that were very similar to the format of the test and to the questions from the classwork/homework assignments.

Tomorrow I will be going over any remaining questions that the students have from the previous review and will be outlining the big ideas that we have covered in this unit. I expect them to use this review as a study guide to prepare for the test.

I will be having a Math club at second recess on Thursday where students can get a little more practice and help. For some students it will be mandatory for others it will be voluntary participation.

Many thanks,
Mr.Brooks

Progress Reports

Hello

Today the Interm Progress Reports are coming home with the students. Each student will also get a interview request form which allows parents to request a interview, phone call, an email, or check that no conference is required at this time. The school board no longer designates a specific day for interviews so they have to be coordinated by the individual teachers for after school.

A number of students will get a request for an interview from Ms. Fenlong and myself as we would like to touch base regarding the progress of the student and determine what can be done to improve his/her performance. For these families we have selected either next Wed or Thurs afternoon and set aside a specific 15 minute block to meet. If the time given doesn't work for you please let us know so we can try to reschedule.

If you want to have an interview and one has not already been assigned to you please check the request interview box and we will get back to you with a date and a time early next week once all the forms have been returned.

The progress report does not contain grades only whether the student is progressing well, very well, or with difficulty. With difficulty doesn' t mean that the student is failing the course but rather they are having difficulty reaching the provincial standards. Students with a PWD still have time to raise their  grades prior to the Term 1 report card that contains marks for each subject area.
If you or your child has any questions regarding the progress report feel free to email me or request an interview.

Please sign and help the student fill in the bottom of the report. All signature parts of the reports should be returned by Monday. We will be doing a reflective exercise with the students and be setting some goals for the remainder of the term. These goals will be assessed and updated at the end of first term.

Thanks
Mr. Brooks

Weekly Schedule for November

Weekly Schedule for November

This is our schedule for the week and the day numbers fr the month of November. Students need to be aware of what day/week it is so they can have their gym clothes and instruments with them on the right day.

Gym for 8A/8Z is on Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4.
Gym for 8B/8Y is on Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4.
Music for 8A is on Day 5.
Music for 8B is on Day 2.

Hope this helps keep everyone organized.

Nov	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
WEEK A				1   DAY FIVE	2   DAY ONE
Week B	5   DAY TWO	6   DAY THREE	7   DAY FOUR	8   DAY FIVE	9   DAY ONE
Week A	12   DAY TWO	13   DAY THREE	14   DAY FOUR	15   DAY FIVE	16   DAY ONE
Week B	19   DAY TWO	20   DAY THREE	21   DAY FOUR	22   DAY FIVE	23   DAY ONE
WEEK A	26   DAY TWO	27   DAY THREE	28   DAY FOUR	29   DAY FIVE	30   DAY ONE

Thanks
Mr.Brooks

Unit Math Test Home Monday

Hello

In Math the students have just finished writing their unit test on Thursday. With the progress reports coming up this an important measure as to how the students are doing in Math class at the end of the second month. Prior to the test students had a couple of days of algebra review in class, then on Monday I gave the class a practice test which contained a sample of all the types of questions that they had already encountered in their homework and that would be on the real test. I also put a checklist of all the things we need to know and study for on the board which I had the students copy down.

On Tuesday I put the students into Math groups (all of which contained a wide range of math skills) where they went over their practice test answers together asking questions and demonstrating to each other how they solved the problems. Near the end of class I gave each group an answer guide which they could use to double check the answers. During this time I visited each group to see if there were any problems that the groups could not handle.

On Wednesday last week I offered a Math club at second recess and only had four students show up for the extra help (some students forgot to check to board to see if they were "invited" to join me). Math club consists of those who volunteer to come and those who are volun-told to be there. After this Math unit test, the volun-told list has grown...

The Unit test covered all the math that we had covered so far and included some of the same questions that were on the first quiz that has already gone home for signatures. During the test the students were allowed to use the word wall (definitions and examples of the math concepts covered), there was anchor charts on the wall for referencing some of the more complicated parts, and were allowed to use their Math bookmarks that were create and update in class (reference notes). I gave extra time at both first and second recess for any students who needed some more time to work on their answers (a few used both recesses).

On marking the tests I have calculated the average for both Math classes, 8Y had a class average of 75% with 11 A's while 8Z had a class average of 73% with 7 A's.

Unfortunately in both classes there seems to be a number of students who are not completing work, seeking extra help, accepting extra help when offered, or preparing properly for the quizzes and tests. Next week I will be going over the tests with the students and then starting a new unit in Math. I will be talking to some students at recess about their marks. There will be students who will get a passing with difficulty this term in Math on their progress reports but we will continue to work at raising our Math marks and more importantly our understanding of the math concepts covered in class.

I ask that parents check regularly with their children to make sure that they are completing homework when assigned and are preparing (in advance) for tests.

Many thanks
Mr. Brooks

Geography Mindmap Redos

Hello

A number of students have had their Geography assignments returned to them to fix up or redo as they did not meet the basic criteria set out in class. For this assignment the students had numerous class periods and a week at home to complete it. Many students did not follow the mindmap guidelines found in their notebooks and in the sample mindmap completed in class. They were also provided with a planning template so they could extract the important information and then create the mindmap based on this content.
I had provided the students with the five main ideas presented in the article and showed where the information for each idea could be found. We had also read the article out loud in the classroom and discussed what the important information was to highlight.
Given the time and support given I had high expectations for the quality of the finished work and quite a number of students failed to meet these expectations. I have given the individual students feedback on what to improve/fix as well as presented the common problems and mistakes to the class as a whole.
The redone or fixed assignment is due this coming Monday. The content of this mindmap is also central to the quiz that the students are getting on Thursday in geography.

Here are some resources to help do and understand how this tool works.

Links regarding mindmaps:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm
Tony Buzan expert on mind mapping

Software:
http://www.mindmeister.com/ (online tool)
http://www.inspiration.com/ (free trial ver)

Many thanks
Mr. Brooks

Friday Oct 19th

Hello

Tinfoil Racketeer of the Seas

This week the students began working on their tin foil boat challenge in Science class. It is a fun activity in which they work as teams and have to design a tin foil boat that can hold the most amount of weight. We used this activity to walk through the scientific process and to introduce the concept of buoyancy in relation to fluids. The boats will be tested early next week with the winning team getting a "fantastic" prize.

In Math we have completed our first unit and will be having our unit test next Thursday. We will be doing in class review and there will be a Math Club next week at recess to go over concepts the students may be having problems with. The test will cover everything that we have done so far this year, including the content in their first math quiz.

In Geography we have started to look at population density and will have quiz next Thursday on Patterns of Settlement and Population Density. Only a few students need to finish their mind maps which were due last week.

Next Monday students will be bringing their portfolios home from me which will have their Science test and mind map rubric in them. Please sign the front cover once you have reviewed the work and return the portfolio to school. The students' first Math quiz will be in it as well and the students are permitted to borrow it for a studying tool for the Unit Math test.

Progress Reports have started and I believe they are suppose to go home the week of November5th.

Hope everyone has a good weekend,
Mr.Brooks

First Math Quiz Coming Home

Just a quick note to let you know that students are bringing home their first Math quiz for parental signage today. This was our first quiz and was based on our first few weeks of Math class. Students overall did well but there were a few who do need to make sure they do better on the end of unit test. If they improve their mark then the end of unit test will count for more. To note there seems to be a relationship between work completion and the mark scored on the quiz. I will be offering a special Math Club prior to the unit test to make sure that the students are prepared. We went over the quiz today in class and reviewed the areas where most students seemed to lose marks. Often it was not reading the question properly.
Once returned I will be putting together a portfolio of the students work that will have a signing sheet on the front. I usually send items home in batches for signing so that I am more likely to get the signed assignments and tests back. These portfolios will be beneficial when doing interviews with the students.

Reminder that this week is the strudents' first Science Test on the scientific process. Students have completed their group work, I have given an answer quick reference sheet (level 2 answers), we have done an overview with a graphic organizer, and tomorrow will be review day with studying strategies and a Jeopardy game. This is a short answer test and students may use their assistive technology. The questions for the test have been selected from their expert group answer sheet (so they actually have the quiz in their science notebooks right now...).

Thanks
Mr. Brooks

Enjoy Thanksgiving

Mean Lookin' Turkey

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving weekend and enjoys the extra day off. This week students wrapped up their Science project for the scientific process. They worked in group and then we collaborated as a class to complete the questions. The students will have a test on this unit next Thursday. I have given each student an answer sheet that contains basic level 2 type answers to the questions they were assigned. I have told the students that the test questions will be coming right from the group answer sheets that they have completed in class. If any student has not completed their answer sheet they need to see me before the test. Over the last few days a number of groups have come in for extra time to complete their work.
We have also wrapped up our order of operations lessons in Math and next week we will be starting a short algebra unit. This will be followed by a Unit 1 Math test.
In science students of 8A have a response piece due on Tuesday (we did have class time to work on this and it was assigned on Wed). The piece is a personal response to the topic and the information presented in the short TED Talks video Why Eat Bugs?.
Next week in Geography will be finishing off our mind maps about the patterns of settlement and then will be starting to look at human population density and distribution. Students will have a small quiz during the week of Oct 15th.
In Art we continue to explore lines with students using Halloween colouring pages to experiment with a variety of line styles. Next week they will begin their own individual projects.

Hope you have a great weekend,
Mr. Brooks

Week in Review Sept 24-28

Hello
It was a busy week at North Grenville for our students. This week the students had their first dance, a presentation by the OPP on texting, and got to attend the JR boys football team's first game against St. Marys.

Students had their first Math test today on exponents, powers of ten, math strategies, and prime factorization. I gave extra time to both classes for students who were needing a little more time to complete their work. The students had access to our word wall and the anchor charts in the class room that they were allowed to use as a reference. A number of students had taken advantage of the Math Club that was offered earlier this week to get extra help or review.

I will be marking and looking at the results to see how the students prepared and fared on the test. This is our first test and it will give me a better understanding on how the individual students have been doing. After this test I will make adjustments to some of the student's programs to help ensure everyone's needs are being met and that success and progress are experienced by all.
Next week I will be sending home a portfolio containing the Math test. This portfolio will have a sign off sheet on the front for parents and will be sent home are certain intervals for signing. This will keep you informed as to the student's progress and achievements.

There are many outstanding newsletter sign off sheets that have not been returned yet. If you have the newsletter at home please return the sign off portion or write a note in the agenda indicating that you have received the newsletter.

Hope everyone has a good weekend,
Mr. Brooks

Sept 17 2012

Last week was another short week for the students but we are progressing nicely as a class - I know and usually get all the students' names correct on the first try! We have begun to work on our first unit of Math covering some basic numeracy that will include scientific notation, factoring, and some basic algebra. In Science students have completed their first homework assignment on how to label and diagram and will be beginning to do a little group project on the scientific process. We have also started looking at human settlement patterns in Geography using satellite images to identify the characteristics of each of the three types. In Art students received feedback on how to improve their work and have been given an extension until Wed. to revise their art portfolio projects.
This week the students will be getting a new updated timetable as we have finalized the gym schedule that works with the high school 4 week cycle of classes.
A friendly reminder to all students who have not returned their information forms to the office to do so as soon as possible as they are overdue. Also, all class contracts are now due so please return ASAP.
This week the cross country team will be competing in Ottawa, next week there will be a Terry Fox run and a video dance at the school on the 27th (during the day). Students have been told that all outstanding work must be completed if they wish to attend the dance. A homework room will be provided so that the work can be finished.
There will be an Open House night on Sept 26th from 5:30-6:30. Just a note that I will not be able to attend as my daughter's school is having it's open house on the same night.
Hope everyone has a great week!

Many thanks
Mr.Brooks

End of the First Week

Well we have all made it to the end of the first week of school. It has been a good week of getting to know the students better and starting off our studies.
Many students demonstrated a good start to their year by finishing their first assignments on time and with care. The classes have been good at participating in discussions and learning the school routines here at NGDHS. While we are still working out some of the glitches I think next week will be even better as we move forward.
Just to note that students with SEA laptops will be getting them next week, the IT group was in today re-imaging them so that they will work on the new school network. Next Tuesday is also picture day so make sure you are all cleaned up and not wearing green.
Hope everyone has a good weekend.
Mr. Brooks

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the start of the new school year!

This is a very exciting year as the new school opens it's doors to the students from grade 7 to 12. I am happy to be teaching in such a modern and well designed school. It was great o meet some of the parents at the orientation last week and I look forward to continuing to get to know my students and their families over the next few weeks.

There will be a newsletter coming home this week which will have a contract on the back that needs to be signed and returned. Each of my and Ms.Fenlong's students will be getting a timetable on the first day to show how their classes will be laid out. This being our first year at this school there will inevitably be changes and minor tweeks along the way as we work out how to best run the school. One thing to note is the changing gym time as we are sharing the facility with the high school and they run on a different schedule than us which leads to some interesting planning.

I will be doing my best to try and update this blog weekly so that you are aware of what we are doing in class as well as highlighting some of the student's personal achievements.

I look forward to a fun and educational year!
Mr. Brooks

South Branch Science Fair

You are invited to attend the 2nd annual South Branch Science Fair! All parents and relatives of South Branch students are welcome to view the science fair projects in the gym on Wednesday April 18th from 12:00 - 2:30 pm. Students will be presenting in the afternoon and awards will be given out at 2:50pm.

Come out and see what your young scientists have discovered!

Geometry Make Up Assignment

As most of you know from signing the students' portfolios, some students did not do as well on the last geometry test. I have created a make up assignment to help raise their mark for that unit of Math. Some students will be assignment only Part A which is the angles section while others will be assigned Part B which is the construction sections. Unfortunately there are some who will be assigned both. Students are allowed to use their notebooks and textbooks to assist in completing this work. This assignment will be sent home Monday and is due next Friday and is not optional if it is assigned to the student.
Many thanks
Mr. Brooks

Tattoo Assignment

Tomorrow the students have this summary/opinion writing assignment due. They have been given a number of classes to work on it. It was assigned earlier in the week so hopefully they have used their time wisely and are ready to hand it in tomorrow.

Timeless Art or Painful Trend

Purpose

This assignment will allow you to demonstrate that you are able to do a number of reading and writing skills effectively; ask questions to better understand a reading, create jot notes, to summarize the main points effectively, and to clearly state and support an opinion on an issue.

 Focus Questions

      1.    Do you think tattoos are simply a modern trend or are they a traditional art form?

2.    Is it okay for teenagers be allowed to tattoos without parental consent?

 Tasks

     1.    Create 5 good questions you might have based on the article title and class briefing. BEFORE

2.    Use a highlighter to find the main points and important information of the article as it relates to the focus questions.

3.    As you read the article write down at least 5 good questions that come to your mind. DURING

4.    When you are done the article write down at least 5 questions you now have regarding the topic. AFTER

5.    Go over your highlighted reading and create a set of jot notes (organize with subtitles).

6.    Write a short precise summary of the article using your jot notes.

7.    Write a short opinion for focus question 2.

 Assessment Notes

·         All of the tasks are to be handed in so they should be typed and organized by task number and title.

·         Your questions will be assessed by how thoughtful and detailed you are (you need to think and connect when questioning).

·         You jot notes should be neat and organized into subheadings with only the important facts stated in your own words.

·         The summary needs to be short, include all the important information, and in your own words (refer to summary writing notes and feedback from previous exercises).

·         Your opinion piece needs to use the information provided and further research to back up your position on the question.