Three Way Conference Reminder

      I sent an email on the weekend with details about the Three Way Conferences that we are scheduling for later this week, and next.  Churchill is founded on principles that include student centered learning, and the idea of the 'triad' of student, family, and school all working together to guide the learning experiences of our students.  Later in the year students will be inviting you in for student led conferences.  This time of the year it is really helpful for students, parents, and teachers to conference together, so we all get an idea of what is working well, where we need to make some adjustments, and to set some goals as we go forward.
      Below is a link for those who have not yet entered themselves into the schedule.  Please let me know if you are not able to find a time that works for you, and we can make other arrangements.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fcmnvrtqZlu9mz-rmB3TRXIC7zmfKmdDZNAODK9fw1U/edit?usp=sharing

      I want to forward the kind sentiments shared with the organizers of the Westboro Remembrance Day ceremony this year.  They emailed me to remark on how impressed everyone was with the performance put on by our choir, and the attention, and behaviour exhibited by our students who attended the event.  This was the largest crowd that they can remember having out for the event in many many years, and some of the credit with the success of the day they would like to share with us for our role, as both participants, and observers.  On behalf of all Canadian Youth Taylor and Felix laid a wreath during the ceremony.  Of note is that apparently there was some Twitter traffic commenting on Paul Dewar who was seen singing along with the songs we performed.
      Students have been asked to search out examples of stereotypes that they see in the media that they come into contact with.  Whenever possible we would like them to bring in images, ads, etc, that feature the use of stereotypes.
      Just a reminder that we are all working on our third week of Literacy Log entries.  This week students will not have any in class time, as this is now fully a responsibility of theirs to do outside of school time.  The prompts are on the inside cover of their Lit Logs, but I have also included them below.

Grade 6 Reading Response Homework

One of the most important parts of your learning as a grade 6 student is to be independently reading at least 20minutes each day.  You are encouraged to read whatever interests you in any form (book, magazine, newspaper, text, etc.).  You may also include anything that you read with another person, or that is read aloud to you.  For the remainder of this year you will be expected to reflect on what you read for pleasure.  You can pick from any of the choices below, but must complete one of each before moving on to the second of any choice.  Your responses must be at least two pages in length.  Include the date, title, and author for the book each week.

1.  Describe the Character, or most important person/people from your reading.  How do they act and how do they feel?  Do you know what they look like?  What do you admire or like about the character or what do you dislike?  What kind of relationships do the characters have with each other?  What is their personality like?

2.  Summarize the reading that you have completed this week.  Describe events that are important to the plot, and give details about the plot.  What do you think might happen next?  Is this the climax of the story?  Is there a problem/solution in this part of the reading?

3.  Describe the setting.  Where do the events in your reading take place?  Does it take place in the past/present/future?  Give details about sights, smells, climate, time of day, feelings, etc.  Would you like to visit this place?  Why or why not?

4.  Write a letter.  It can be to someone in the story, or from one person in the story to another.  It can be from the character to the reader.  You could even write a letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine, or to the publisher of a book regarding the story.

5.  Relate what you read to personal experiences that you have had in life.  Does anything in the reading even remind you of events that have occurred in your life?  Would you like to be one of the characters or have the story’s events occur to you?  Do you know a place similar to the setting, or have you visited a place like it?

6.  Make an Illustration to accompany what you have read.  You may use any media you like.  Keep in mind the elements of design, use detail, colour, and make sure to give it a title or a caption.  Explain what is happening in the illustration in a short paragraph (3 sentences at least).