A Farewell from the Grade 6s - video

The buses have left, the backpacks and indoor shoes and gone, and I am sitting in my empty classroom reflecting on how amazing this year was. I was blessed with a group of students who were inquisitive, hard working, and kind. They demonstrated leadership and teamwork at every step along the way.

This was also my last day at Holy Redeemer as I will be off on "daddy daycare" next year and then moving to St. Gabriel's elementary in the fall of 2014. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Holy Redeemer and appreciate all of the support in the Holy Redeemer community. Thanks for the wonderful and generous cards, gifts, and messages. I will cherish them.

Below is the farewell from the Grade 6s video that was shown at today's assembly. It is amazing! Mr. Ullrich has taken this to a new level - I know that I will be viewing this video often in the future.

All the best over the summer and best of luck at Holy Trinity (for my grade 6s) and in grade 6 (for my grade 5s). I was blessed to have you in my class.

WOW - What a great day!

Thank you so much for everyone that played a part in setting up and participating in today's leaving ceremony! A special thank you to Mrs. Hurley for accompanying our singers with her guitar and a huge thanks to Mr. Ullrich for the countless hours he put into creating this year's farewell slideshow.... I know that everyone was a little teary eyed at the end.

For those that may have missed the ceremony (and therefore the slideshow) or those who want to watch it again (and again and again) like I do, Mr. Ullrich sent me two versions.

Final 3 minutes (smiles and finale video)

The whole slideshow (12 minutes)

Hope everyone had a great time at Fun Haven! Looking forward to hearing the stories tomorrow... report cards go home tomorrow!!! Almost done!

Leaving Ceremony - songs (please practice!)

We have been practicing the two songs that we will be singing at the leaving ceremony. Students need to memorize the words to both these songs as they will not have access to the lyrics during the ceremony. Students have been handed hard copies of the first song but I thought I would post them here too.

Song #1: Children of the Light

• download lyrics HERE
• listen to the song HERE

Song #2: You've Got a Friend

• download lyrics HERE
• listen to the song HERE

We will be doing a ceremony run through on Monday morning in the gym so students are asked to know these lyrics for Monday.

450+ Sandwiches in 35 minutes!

WOW - thanks everyone for your generosity! We were able to make over 450 sandwiches for Shepherds of Good Hope. Students worked in teams of 6 to get the bread prepped, put mustard and margerine on the slices, add meat, and pack the sandwiches. They actually were so efficient that we quickly realized that bread was going to be our limiting factor. Ms. Izsak ran out and brought 20 more loaves.

Below is a video of our sandwich making process:

Grade Six Farewell - June 25

Formal invitations to the upcoming grade six leaving ceremony are being distributed but I thought I would share the information here as well (along with some other important tidbits).

The Basic Info:

Date: Tuesday, June 25

Time: 12:30pm-1:30pm

Location: School Gym

There will be a cake reception following the ceremony.

Some Other Important Information:

The doors to the gym will not be opened to the parents until 12:10pm. We will be setting up in the morning on Tuesday and will still be doing some final touches during the lunch recess (11:10-12:10). We will be having slides of the grade sixes playing on a loop from 12:10pm until 12:30pm. We ask parents to come in, find some seats and watch the slides. This will help us to start and end on time.

Some students have mentioned that they may not be at school in the morning. If this is the case, I am hoping that all students will be at the school by NOON at the latest - dressed and ready to go - as we have to get our lanterns lit, line up properly, and review final details. Students are to meet in the learning commons at noon to prepare for the ceremony.

The dress code is "looking better than a normal school day" not "prom". This is not a graduation. It is a liturgy and ceremony to say farewell to our grade sixes. Common items worn by boys are nice pants and a button down shirt (tie is optional, but tucking in the shirt might be nice). Common items worn by girls are a skirt and nice shirt. Think Easter Sunday mass when selecting what to wear. 

Finally, we are setting up enough seating for each students to bring approximately 3 guests. If there are more than this in your party, please be considerate of others in terms of seating (e.g. small children sit on adult's lap, larger parties split up as to not take up too much of a front row, etc...). 

An Overview of the Ceremony

We will start with a liturgy at 12:30pm. The students will be running the show, doing the readings and reflections, and will participate in a "rite of leaving". Following the liturgy, we will recognize each student individually with a certificate. During this time parents will have a chance to take picture of their child with his/her teachers and the school principal. Following this we will be handing out some awards and will end the ceremony by watching a slideshow of the students' grade six year (with some other surprises thrown in). 

Funhaven Event (after ceremony)

A reminder of the event at Funhaven following the ceremony. This event is being organized by an awesome group of parents, the school is not the organizer. Therefore, questions about this event should be directed to the parent organizers. All students have been given information about this event through paper handouts.

Parents, if you have any questions or concerns, have your child speak to their teacher or send a note/email. We are planning a classy send off for our grade sixes and hope to see you there!

Rocket Launch

WOW - what a week! Algonquin College on Monday, St. Brigid on Thursday, and on Friday we joined the grade 6 classes together to build and test rockets! Using the dependent variable of "flight time", students brainstormed a variety of different independent variables that they could test. Some of these included: height of nose cone, amount of water, amount of pressure, number of fins, and size of fins.

Each group tested one variable and recorded their results. We will be analysing these results next week.

Below is a short collection of photos and videos taken at today's launch.

For more information about rockets and the forces involved in flight, check out the brainpop video (currently available FREE!) by clicking on the BrainPop logo below:

Have a great weekend and HAPPY FATHERS' DAY!

Sandwiches for Shepherds

In keeping with our school board theme, “By Our Works, We Show Our Faith”, we will be participating in a sandwich making project for the Shepherds of Good Hope. In order to co-ordinate this class project, we are asking that each student contribute a suggested five dollars worth of supplies (e.g., bread, mustard, margarine, meats). In class on Friday, students signed up for a specific "ingredient" to bring in for Wednesday's sandwich making session.

Things to keep in mind:

• A loaf of regular white bread makes approximately 10 sandwiches. 
• A sandwich consists of two slices of bread, margarine, mustard, and one slice of meat. 
• In order to make as many sandwiches as possible, the most economical ingredients should be used. 
• No-name brand products are quite appropriate, as are items “reduced for quick sale” since the sandwiches will be consumed quite soon after their preparation. 
• Meats such as bologna, ham, and mock chicken loaf are usually the least expensive luncheon meats available and very suitable for this project.

Although formal letters regarding this project were sent home Friday, a copy of the letter can be found HERE.

St. Brigid - THURSDAY!!!

A reminder (as if you need it) that this Thursday we are headed to St. Brigid for a day of games, swimming, mud pits, and FUN! Most students have returned the permission forms but for those that haven't they can download a new one HERE.

Students have been asked to wear their red Class of 13 t-shirts on that day. 

Other items that they really should bring include:
• Swimsuit 
• Towel
• Change of clothing
• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Insect Repellent
• Water Bottle

Things they should NOT bring:
• money (there is no where to spend it)
• electronic devices (these are too easily lost on a day like this... you will be too busy anyway)
• food, other than tiny snacks (like fruit/granola bars)

The weather (so far) is cooperating... possible rain but warm.... check weather HERE.

Algonquin College visit - MONDAY!

On Monday, the grade six students will be travelling to Algonquin College to get a tour of the facility and take part in a series of hands on activities which highlight some of the best programs at the college.

We will be leaving the school around 9:15am and returning around 2:30pm. Those parents who are volunteering to lead a group for the day are welcome to meet us at the school around 9am or at Algonquin College around 9:45am.

The agenda for the day is as follows:

10:00– 10:30am Arrive at the main entrance of C building.  College reps will meet us there and take us to room CA105 (ACCE building). Welcome and instructions for the day to follow.

10:30 – 11:30am Group A - Activities; Group B – Activities

11:30 –12:10pm  Lunch – Salon A Marketplace Food Court

12:15 –1:30pm  Group A - Activities; Group B – Activities

1:35 pm Return to CA 105

1:35 to –1:45pm Wrap –Up

1:45 pm Return to C building from ACCE  for departure

Students are STRONGLY encouraged to wear appropriate footwear for walking. The campus is quite large and students will be moving around between the buildings. Students should also be checking the weather and dress accordingly.

A reminder that students can bring their own lunch OR choose to purchase lunch at the cafeteria.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email me. We are really looking forward to this day!

Grade 6 Slideshow

The Leaving Ceremony is on June 25 but we will be starting to build our video tribute to the grade six class within the next few weeks. I am looking for photos or videos of our grade six students to add to the presentation... specifically those which include school activities (e.g. walk-a-thon, Christmas concerts, sports events).

I am also looking for pictures of when this group of grade 6s were younger (get out your scrapbook!). We would love a section in the presentation for "...over the last 8 years...). If you have any photos of your child or other current grade 6s when they were in kindergarten or the primary grades, please send them too.

Photos/videos can either be sent to school on a memory stick OR can be sent to redslideshow@gmail.com

Thanks in advance!

Looking for materials for science

In the upcoming weeks both the grade 5 and 6 classes will be using a variety of materials to construct structures (grade 5) and rockets (grade 6). We are in need of:

• 2L pop bottles (to build our rockets - grade 6)
• Large pieces of styrofoam (for the base on our rollercoasters - grade 5)

Thanks in advance.

EQAO Testing - next week!

On Tuesday (May 28), the grade sixes will be starting EQAO testing. The testing will always be completed
during period one and will be on the dates listed below:

• Language Booklets A-D = May 28, 29, 30 and 31
• Math Booklets A-B = June 4 and 5

Parents may be interested in more information about these tests. EQAO does have this available for parents. I have included some of the most pertinent documents below:

• A Guide for Parents
• "What Parents Need to Know about Province-Wide Testing"
• Link to page of Frequently Asked Questions by Parents

Parents can also help out by ensuring that their child gets a good night sleep on the night before test days... well actually, on ALL days :)

Legacy Project - a final reminder

The grade 6 class are leaving a legacy - a GREEN legacy. We will be purchasing a shrub and planting on the school grounds along with a plaque which will symbolize the impact this year's grade 6 students have had on our school. Students are asked to contribute to this fund by earning money at home by completing tasks to assist their parents, grandparents, friends, and neighbours. These tasks could be "green" tasks or specifically needed chores.

The students have already been given the forms for this initiative but I thought as a final reminder, I would post the forms HERE so that those that may have misplaced the forms can obtain another copy.

We are asking that all forms and funds are returned by this Friday, May 31st.

Thanks for your support!

Assignment Submission Form (am)

Students were asked to submit the links to their persuasive text as well as to their four pieces of poetry: riddle, sensory image, verbs, and forms. I had asked the students to submit the links via a google form but we ran out of time on Friday. By Friday, I am hoping that all students have a chance to submit the links. Students are reminded to set their docs to "public" and then to copy and paste the link into the form.

Students can access the form at tinyurl.com/handinstuff

Peace Conference - apply now!

For all grade six students...

The annual peace conference will be held at St. Paul high school on Thursday, May 23, 2013. Mr. Skinner will be taking 20 of the grade 6 students involved in the Ambassador's program for the day. Any grade 6 student may apply using the Google form below. We are asking students to write a persuasive paragraph on why they should be represent our school at the conference. Students are encouraged to cite specific examples of how they have contributed to the Holy Redeemer school community through leadership and peer mentoring programs.

Trinity Orientation - tomorrow!

Tomorrow, the grade sixes will be walking over to Holy Trinity high school to take part in an orientation session. Students are encouraged to check the weather and dress accordingly.

Freezie Fiesta Fundraiser

This year the grade six students are organizing a Freezie fundraiser in support of their end of year trip. Students can purchase one of two “deals”:

·         JUMBO deal = students will get one jumbo freezie each week for four weeks (cost = $5)

·         TASTER deal = students will get ½ of a jumbo freezie each week for four weeks (cost = $3)

All students were given a paper copy of the fundraising form but one can also download a new version HERE.

All forms and money are due to by Friday, May 17, 2013.

Thanks for supporting our grade six students!

Our Online Reputation

In the current health unit, we will be discussing what it means to be a good digital citizen. We will explore different forms of social media and the policies of these sites related to privacy. Today, we had a discussion about our reputation - what people think of us. We extended this to social media. Some students are beginning to create personal accounts on social media - twitter, facebook, instagram, instant messaging, blogger, skype, etc. For those students who do have an account on any social media site, their homework tonight is too look at the privacy settings and ensure that they have them set so that no information is shared beyond their circle of friends. Remember a "friend of a friend is still just a stranger". Below is a great infographic about being a good digital citizen.

25th Anniversary Mass

Tomorrow at 10:15am, we will be celebrating our Education Week mass. This year is especially exciting as we are also celebrating our 25th anniversary. Many VIP guests as well as former staff of Holy Redeemer will be attending. All students are asked to wear RED and BLUE (our school colours). Those students who are reading at the mass or are acting as greeters throughout the day are asked to dress "a little nicer than normal". I am looking forward to celebrating with many staff, parents, and students tomorrow.

Holy Trinity Orientation - next week

Next Tuesday, we will be walking to Trinity to take a tour and have our questions answered regarding the move to grade 7. Students were given a form to take home today but for those that have not checked their mailbox or have misplaced the form, they can download a new one HERE.

Education Week Events

This week is Education Week for all Catholic schools in Ottawa. Here at Holy Redeemer we are also celebrating our 25th anniversary! There are many events happening, some are listed below:

Monday, May 6, 2013

• rooftop photo for 25th anniversary (at 9:55am) - this can be purchased via this form (DUE by this Wednesday)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

• SENS spirit day (wear your Sens army outfit!)
• Holy Trinity band performing for junior students (at 9:00am)
• Dance performance by our school's dance team (at 2:15pm)

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

• Wear your school colours (RED and BLUE)
• 25th Anniversary Mass (at 10:15am)

Thursday, May 9, 2013

• Scholastic Book Fair
• Cheque presentation to students of El Salvador mission (at 12:15pm)

Friday, May 10, 2013

• Muffin Breakfast and Open House (from 7:30am-9:30am)
• Scholastic Book Fair

For more info about the Open House please refer to the note sent home or find another copy HERE. Our classroom will be open for parents to come in and check out what we are up to. Students will be working on a variety of tasks but if you come, your child will give you a little tour of their work and the classroom.

For the Book Fair, our morning class is scheduled to attend the fair on Friday from 10:00-10:30am. Download another copy of the Scholastic note HERE.

Metric Conversion Problems (am)

Last week, the grade six students were working on solving problems involving the conversion of metric units. The toughest of these problems was the turkey problem.

A turkey weighs 9.75 kg. It takes about 20 minutes to cook 500 grams of this turkey. Approximately how many minutes does it take to cook the whole turkey?

We used the Explain Everything app to help us show our thinking... below is Marlee and Noah's solution.

May Newsletter and Calendar

Our school's newsletter and calendar for May have been posted on the school website (red.ocsb.ca). Access both of the documents by clicking on the links below. To find the archive of past newsletters, click HERE.

May School Newsletter
May School Calendar

Cricket and Footy

This week, the students will have an opportunity to learn about and participate in two sports not often introduced in elementary school: cricket and footy. On Thursday (Cricket) and Friday (Aussie X), students will be given lessons on the skills involved in each of the games.

For the Aussie X activities, students do need to complete a permission form. It was available today for students to get signed but I am also placing an electronic copy HERE for those to download and return to school.

Forms are to be returned to the homeroom teacher.

Mock Trial - The Case of the Stolen iPod

Today, the grade six students participated in a Mock Trial, R vs. Quirky the Alien. Our guest experts, Ashley and Julie from the Young Lawyers Division of the Bar Association were their to guide us through the experience and give advice to all involved. The jury came back with the verdict of "not guilty".

Students are reminded to complete the mock trial reflection on KidBlogs by Friday of this week. Check out the picture gallery (including the sketches by our sketch artist)!

Important Upcoming Dates

Here are some important dates to add to your calendar. We ask that you avoid scheduling any appointments for your son or daughter on these dates.We thank you very much for cooperation. 

Tuesday, May 14- Both Gr. 6 classes will head to Holy Trinity for a tour. This will take up both morning periods. 

Tuesday, May 28  - EQAO Language Assessment
Wednesday, May 29 - EQAO Language Assessment
Thursday, May 30 - EQAO Language Assessment
Friday, May 31 - EQAO Language Assessment
Tuesday, June 4 - EQAO Math Assessment
Wednesday, June 5 - EQAO Math Assessment
All EQAO testing will be done during the morning periods. 

Thursday, June 13 - Gr. 6 Class Trip to St. Brigid
Students will leave school shortly before 9am and will return to school around 7pm.

Tuesday, June 25 - Grade 6 Leaving Ceremony 12:30 pm 

Mock Trial - Monday (am)

Today, students participated in a "hot seat" activity and a persuasive writing task for casting, followed by
character sketches that included name, background story, job, and thoughts about the trial. Based on student requests and on their performance today, students will be taking on the following roles in Monday's mock trial:

• Quirky – Noah
• Zirky – Camryn
• Mr. Jones – Hayden
• Mrs. Smith – Tara
• Constable Chen – Cole
• Mr. Noodles – Jared
• Crown prosecutors - Emma, Adam, and Zack
• Defence lawyers - Ben, Reid, and Matthew
• Court clerk – Louis
• Jury - Aaron, Bailey, Haley, Lucas, Brianna, Mieke, and Carlos
• Bailiff - Michael
• Sketch artists – Marlee and Sam

Students should read through the information below and be familiar with their role before Monday's class:

• Introduction to case
• Statements from defendant and others involved
• Tasks for court case

Cleaning up the Capital (am) - MONDAY!

Tomorrow (Monday), our school will be participating in "Cleaning up the Capital". During period two, classes will be assigned to different parts of our school yard and our community and will be cleaning up garbage and yard waste. Students are welcome to bring in a rake to help out!

Final day for Space Station building (pm)

Monday is our last day for building the space stations. Students should be ensuring that they bring any required materials to school on Monday to complete the building.

Rant like Rick videos (am)

Over the past two weeks, students have been working on researching, writing, and recording a persuasive essay on a topic of their choice. We used Rick Mercer's snow day rant as our starting point and students were asked to create their own "Rick Rant". This was our first attempt using iMovie and the students quickly learned the program and were able to shoot the videos and publish a final product in just a couple of periods.

Check out the students' rants in the links below:

Space Station - building tomorrow! (pm)

Tomorrow the grade six science students will begin building their space stations. Students have been bringing in materials throughout the week but all materials need to be at school tomorrow (Friday). As students are relying on all group members to bring in their assigned materials, I am hoping that all students will make this a priority.

ShowMe Proportional Reasoning Learning Goals

For our upcoming test for proportional reasoning, the students were asked to demonstrate their understanding of our learning goals using the ShowMe app. The students were given 30 minutes from planning to publication. They had to plan their "storyboard", script and then create the presentation. I am SUPER proud of how well the students did considering this was the first time they used the app.

The goals for the unit are:

• I can write ratios in a variety of forms and simplify them when necessary. I can explain how order matters when writing a ratio.
• I can recognize that ratios appear in a variety of different contexts; part-to-whole, part-to-part, and rates.
• I can identify a rate and can calculate unit rates in order to solve real-world problems.
• I can demonstrate how a percent is a ratio of a number to 100.
• I can compare fractions, decimals, and percents using a number line.

The videos below are a selection of our ShowMe presentations:

Proportional Reasoning Test - Wednesday (am)

On Wednesday, the grade 6s will be writing their unit test on proportional reasoning. The topics include: ratios, rates, fractions, decimals, and percents. Today, we went over rates and ratios. Students have been sent home with questions for the remaining topics. We will take these up tomorrow during class.

To view the complete list of review questions that were handed out to the students, click HERE.

To view the notebook lesson that we completed today, click HERE.

Tomorrow, we will be using the iPads to create ShowMe tutorials of each of our five learning goals for this unit. I will post these tomorrow after school.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Persuasive Writing Drafts - DUE Monday! (am)

Wow - a snow day in April... funny how the concept of a snow day is how the persuasive writing unit was introduced (view Rick Mercer's Snow Day rant). The rough draft of the student's persuasive writing is DUE on Monday. Many students have submitted their essays already but everyone is encouraged to check their work this weekend and make changes if necessary. Miss McCabe has been making notes, comments, and suggestions for improvement on students' essays so students should be fixing up these revisions before Monday as well.

Finally, students should be using the persuasive writing checklist while drafting their work. This is the checklist we will be using to grade their papers. Happy persuading!

Need an Empty Can (am)

The symbol in grade six religion is the lantern. In the next couple of weeks, we will be working on building our own unique lanterns. These will be used at our leaving ceremony and during our final walk. Students are asked to bring in a clean, empty can (soup size or larger) by FRIDAY of this week.

Fraction Quiz - Monday (am)

The grade 6 class (am) will be writing a short concept quiz on fractions this coming Monday. Topics include representing fractions, equivalent fractions, reducing fractions to lowest terms, converting between mixed numbers and improper fractions, and comparing and ordering fractions.

Today, students were given a package of practice questions that they can work on at home. In addition, if students would like some extra practice the following is a list of online games to help develop the concepts:

1. Representing Fractions
2. Melvin's Match (representing)
3. Fraction Flags (representating)
4. Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers
5. Fraction Frenzy (equivalents)
6. Reduce Fraction Shoot
7. Comparing Fractions
8. Dirt Bike Comparing Fractions
9. Ordering Fractions
10. Ordering Decimals

Trinity Information Session - Wednesday, March 27

A reminder that Holy Trinity High School will be holding an information session on Wednesday March 27 at 7:00 p.m. in their Cafetorium. Please join them to learn about School Policies and Procedures, the Five Day Cycle Timetable, Transportation, Special Education and many other topics important to you, and your soon to be Grade 7 student.  All are welcome!

TEST: Earth-Sun-Moon Relationship (pm)

This Wednesday, the grade six students will be writing their test on the relationship between the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon. Topics include: why we have day and night, seasons and years, the phases of the moon, and solar and lunar eclipses. Students should be reviewing their science notebooks and trying to answer some of the questions that we brainstormed previously.

As luck would have it, Brainpop currently has a couple of helpful videos available for free. Click on the picture to view the animation and try a quiz.

Here are some other helpful videos to help students review the concepts:

Earth Rotation (animation)

Earth's Rotation and Revolution (video)

Reason for the Seasons

Phases of the Moon

Mechanics of an Eclipse

Lunar Eclipses Explained 

Math Reflex Successes (am)

A quick post to celebrate those students who have now obtain 70% of higher fluency in their multiplication facts (as recorded on Math Reflex). A reminder that students are encouraged to play math reflex regularly (15-20 minutes each time). Students should be setting aside time to reinforce these math facts.

Here is a list of students who have met the 70% or more fluency achievement! CONGRATS to:

Cole

Ante

Zack

Marlee

Reid

Ben

Matthew

Josh

Camryn

Sam

Victoria

Louis

Aaron

Jared

Carlos

Saying that, many students (including some on the above list) who would benefit from completing this assigned practice on a more consistent basis. A reminder to all that the completion of math reflex at home is something that I am looking for when determining report cards (e.g. learning skills) AND that these facts are essential tools for math!

Souping up our Class Library! (am)

I love Chapters! It is, however, a bit of a weak spot for me (and my bank account). In any case, I just wanted to share a new crop of books that will be available to students on Monday (following my latest Chapters splurge). Our class now has an automated system of signing out books, so students who want to sign out the books need to speak with one of the class librarians first!

Here is a list of the new books with some additional information (taken from amazon.com):

1) The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee
With Dwight attending Tippett Academy this semester, the kids of McQuarrie Middle School are on their own—no Origami Yoda to give advice and help them navigate the treacherous waters of middle school. Then Sara gets a gift she says is from Dwight—a paper fortune-teller in the form of Chewbacca. It’s a Fortune Wookiee, and it seems to give advice that’s just as good as Yoda’s—even if, in the hands of the girls, it seems too preoccupied with romance. In the meantime, Dwight is fitting in a little too well at Tippett. Has the unimaginable happened? Has Dwight become normal? It’s up to his old friends at McQuarrie to remind their kooky friend that it’s in his weirdness that his greatness lies.

2) 13 Gifts
When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble. In addition, her parents decide that instead of taking her on their summer trip to Madagascar to study the courtship rituals of the bamboo lemur, she must go stay with her aunt, uncle, and bratty cousin Emily St. Claire in Willow Falls. Alyssa thinks it's a good time to start over; she'll be turning thirteen after all, so she might as well make the best of it and perhaps even attempt to break out of her shell (in a non-criminal manner). What Alyssa doesn't know is that this charmed town has something big in store for her on her thirteenth birthday.

3) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel
Greg Heffley is not willing to be the odd man out.
A dance at Greg's middle school has everyone scrambling to find a partner, and Greg is determined not to be left by the wayside. So he concocts a desperate plan to find someone—anyone!—to go with on the big night.
But Greg's schemes go hilariously awry, and his only option is to attend the dance with his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, and a female classmate as a "group of friends." But the night is long, and anything can happen along the way. Who will arrive at the dance triumphantly, and who will end up being the third wheel?

4) Schooled
Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television. He's never tasted a pizza. Never heard of a wedgie. Since he was little, his only experience has been living on a farm commune and being home-schooled by his hippie grandmother, Rain. But when Rain falls out of a tree while picking plums and has to stay in the hospital, Cap is forced to move in with a guidance counselor and her cranky teen daughter and attend the local middle school. While Cap knows a lot about tie-dying and Zen Buddhism, no education could prepare him for the politics of public school. Right from the beginning, Cap's weirdness makes him a moving target at Claverage Middle School (dubbed C-Average by the students). He has long, ungroomed hair; wears hemp clothes; and practices tai chi on the lawn. Once Zack Powers, big man on campus, spots Cap, he can't wait to introduce him to the age-old tradition at C-Average: the biggest nerd is nominated for class president…and wins.

5) The Hunger Games
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.



6) Super Fudge
Farley Drexel Hatcher - otherwise known as Fudge - thinks he's a superhero, but his older brother, Peter, knows Fudge is nothing but a big pain! Dealing with Fudge is hard enough, bit now Peter's parents have decided to move to New Jersey for an entire year! Even worse, Peter's mom is going to have a new baby. And if this baby is anything like Fudge - help! How will Peter ever survive?



7) The Maze Runner
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.


8) Coraline

In Coraline's family's new flat there's a locked door. On the other side is a brick wall—until Coraline unlocks the door . . . and finds a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.

Only different.

The food is better there. Books have pictures that writhe and crawl and shimmer. And there's another mother and father there who want Coraline to be their little girl. They want to change her and keep her with them. . . . Forever.

9) Frindle

Is Nick Allen a troublemaker?

He really just likes to liven things up at school -- and he's always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he's got the inspiration for his best plan ever...the frindle. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. His teacher wants Nick to put an end to all this nonsense, but the funny thing is frindle doesn't belong to Nick anymore. The new word is spreading across the country, and there's nothing Nick can do to stop it.

10) Freak the Mighty

At the beginning of eighth grade, learning disabled Max and his new friend Freak, whose birth defect has affected his body but not his brilliant mind, find that when they combine forces they make a powerful team. An established writer of adult suspense makes a stunning entry into children's literature with this extraordinary novel about two boys--a slow learner too large for his age, and a tiny, crippled genius--who pair up to create on formidable human force.


For a complete list of our class library books, click HERE.

Stations of the Cross

Next Thursday (March 28) at 10:10, we will be holding our Holy Thursday mass. Parents are invited to attend. Our class will be presenting the stations of the cross through music and drama. Also as visitors make their way to the gym for the mass, they are encouraged to participate in our interactive stations in the hallway. All artwork and recording was done by the students. If you bring a mobile device you could also scan the QR code to hear the students narrate and give more information about each station. Below is a photo gallery of the students' work.

Battery Recycling

Thanks to the work of the Earth Care Club and its teacher facilitators, our school now has a battery recycling program! If you have used batteries, please do not put them in the garbage! Send them in to school to be recycled properly.

Used Items Drive for Shepherds of Good Hope

In keeping with our school board theme, “By Our Works, We Show Our Faith,” Holy Redeemer is holding a Used Items Drive for Shepherds of Good Hope as one of our Lenten initiatives. Until Thursday, March 28th, the following eight items are being collected:    
1. forks 5. blankets
2. spoons 6. sheets
3. mugs 7. pillow cases
4. plates, all sizes 8. pillows, including throw pillows

Should you have any of the above listed items that you would be interested in donating, please send them to the school with your child, or drop them off in the collection box in the foyer. Though all items may be previously used, new items are also welcome. What a great way to find a new use for items that you may be looking to get rid of during your spring cleaning!

Have a safe and relaxing break!

Wishing everyone an amazing March break! I am hoping that all students are able to relax and spend time with their family! Looking forward to seeing everyone (and the NEW carpet in the learning commons) when we return. Check out the before video below:

Walk-a-thon Movie Reward (am)

Tomorrow during the morning, the grade six class will be celebrating their Spirit Award from the Walk-a-thon (I know it was a long time ago...). I will be bringing in some healthy (relatively) treats such as muffins and fruit. Students are welcome to bring in some healthy snacks as well... baked goods are great, chips and pop are not (it will be 9 in the morning after all). The students have worked hard leading up to the March break and since we have finished our explanatory writing and our variable unit, the students are free to relax and recharge over the break. Students are encouraged to read regularly and play some math reflex but no formal homework assignments are being handed out over the break.

Variables Test - tomorrow (am)

Tomorrow the grade sixes will be writing their math test on Algebras and Variables. Today, we completed a review and students were given a package of questions to complete for homework tonight. 

If students misplaced their review sheet, they can download another copy HERE.

Once students have completed the review they are encouraged to check their answers HERE.

For extra practice, students could play the online games listed below:
1) One-Step Equation Game 
2) One-Step Equation Pong
3) A Collection of Algebra Games
4) Solving Equations
5) Equation Match
6) Late Delivery
7) Algebraic Expressions Millionaire
8) Writing Algebraic Equations

Explanatory Videos (am)

Over the past week, students have been researching and developing an explanatory text on a topic related to Space. Today in language arts, students took their explanatory text and had 45 minutes to do the following:
- download the SonicPics app onto their iPOD
- select a variety of pictures to help complement their explanation
- use SonicPics to develop a narrated explanation
- upload to YouTube

Every student managed to complete this task. Click below to view some of the videos:

The Planet Earth (by: Lucas)
Dwarfs and Supergiants (by: Carlos)
Comets (by: Aaron)... note: something happened when uploading and the pics are off slightly (sorry Aaron)
Valley, Volcanos, and Craters on Mars (by: Victoria)
Shooting Stars (by: Noah)
The Moon (by: Bailey)
Supernovas (by: Ante)
Star Death (by: Jared)
Sounds of Earth (by: Marlee)
Saturn: The Gas Giant (by: Tara)
Lunar Eclipse (by: Haley)
Neptune (by: Emma)
The Milky Way (by: Brianna)
Kuiper Belts (by: Mieke)
Jupiter (by: Josh)
Exploring Asteroids (by: Hayden)
Uranus: One of the Gas Giants (by: Michael)
How the Moon was Created (by: Cole)
Asteroids are Awesome (by: Adam)
An Asteroid Coming our Way? (by: Zack)
Black Holes (by: Ben)

The Earth and Sun relationship (pm)

In science, we have been investigating how the rotation of the Earth leads to the formation of days and nights. We have also been investigating how the orbit of the Earth around the Sun (and the tilt of the Earth) determine our year and the seasons we experience. On Friday, students became the "Earth". We marked the location of North America (chest), South America (belly), Asia (upper back), and Australia (lower back). Then we tilted towards Polaris (23.5 degrees!) and rotated and revolved. We may have looked ridiculous doing this activity but it was a great way to have students experience why the seasons form. 

Check out this applet to view more info on the formation of the seasons.

Following our activity, the students were to come up with questions. I told the students that these questions would make up their test (after March break). Here is a list of their questions:

Day and Night

·         How does the Sun’s position in the sky change as the day goes on?

·         Where in the sky is the Sun in the morning?

·         Where in the sky is the Sun in the evening?

·         How long does it take for Earth to rotate on its axis?

·         How is this measured?

·         At what time on the clock does a new day begin?

·         What is the middle of the day called?

·         Where is the Sun in sky at noon?

·         At what time on the clock does the day end?

Seasons and Years

·        What angle is the earth tilted?

·        How long does it take for the Earth to orbit the Sun?

·        How many times has the Earth rotated in five years?

·        Are the seasons the same in the northern and southern hemisphere? Explain.

·        Why is it warm in the summer and cold in the winter?

·        Why doesn't Florida have four distinct seasons like we do in Ottawa?

Great Questions that will NOT be on our test but students are encouraged to explore!

·        Why does the earth rotate counter clockwise?

·        Why does earth always point towards Polaris?

·        Is the tilt important (what if it was only 20 degrees)?

Variables and Algebra Test - THURSDAY (am)

We are working hard to finish up all of our language and math units before March break. This will allow students to fully relax over the break and to start fresh with new units when they return. We began our mini-unit on variables and algebra last week and plan to finish it up this coming Thursday (March 7). The topics covered on this test include:- recognizing if a variable is representing an unknown quantity OR a changing quantity- determining the value of an unknown in an algebraic equation- using strategies (completing the opposite operation) to solve one-step equations- substituting values into algebraic equations- using formulas to solve problems- writing simple algebraic equations from words and pictures

Here is a list of online practice sites that students are encouraged to explore over the next few days:
1) One-Step Equation Game 
2) One-Step Equation Pong
3) A Collection of Algebra Games
4) Solving Equations
5) Equation Match
6) Late Delivery
7) Algebraic Expressions Millionaire
8) Writing Algebraic Equations