Dr. Dreadful

Today, Dr. Dreadful (aka. Will) dazzled us with experiments and served us a delightful platter of Zombie Brains, Belly Juice, and Zombie Puke.  Thanks Dr. D!

New "Book Club" Blog!

Hey all - I recently created another blog for us to post our reading responses and thoughts.  The address is mcijrhighbookclub.blogger.com.  To sign-in to make a post use:
Username: mcijrhigh@gmail.com
Password: mcijrigh
Go to blog titled "Book Club" and make a new post.

Feel free to comment on each other postings and share book recommendations, insights, thoughts, questions, and more.  Make sure to attach your name to everything you post.

Let the book clubbing commence!

Pictures: Life Under Taliban Rule

Our Afghanistan home.

Our dress-code met the Taliban requirements.

 In jail for making eye contact to a stranger.

 Taliban for the day.

 Members of the Taliban.

 Afghan potluck lunch...yummy!

 Following rules while in chapel.

Public flogging to shoes making noise.

Reminders

• Reading Journal Entry due Monday, October 29.
• Grade 7 Numeracy Stations due Monday, October 29.
• Grade 8 Numeracy Stations due Wednesday, October 31.

Day Under Taliban Rule A Success

Thanks to all who helped and participated in our Day in the Life Under Taliban Rule.  The day was a success and helped us all to understand, in a small way, what life would be like under such restrictions.  Out potluck lunch was DELICIOUS.  Thanks to all who helped make it happen.  I will try to post some pictures this weekend so stay tuned.  Thanks again!

Other Reminders

• Friday, Day in the Life Under Taliban Rule & Potluck Lunch
• Thursday, My Room stanza due
• Remember to keep track of your reading and writing hours.  We will total up our weeks worth this Friday.

Afghanistan Potluck

To add to our Day in the Life Under Taliban Rule, we are also having a Afghanistan Potluck lunch.  For those that volunteered, some recipes have gone home.  For those that didn't volunteer, you're always welcome to but no worries if you can't.  We will be having this potluck Friday, Oct. 26.  I apologize for not notifying you on this sooner, the week kind of flew away on us but hopefully we will have something to taste for Friday.  Thanks in advnace for helping to make this happen.

Friday, Oct. 26 - Day in the Life under Taliban Rule

We, as a class, have chosen to spend a day living under the same restrictions as imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan during 1996-2001.  The purpose of this is to be able to identify with those who lived under Taliban rule (men and women) and in a small way, experience the kind of discrimination and violation of human rights that took place.  Below are a list of rules that we have committed to living by.  Women are to dress as we discussed in class (long skirts, tights, socks, quiet shoes, long sleeved shirts, hijab (I will have some scarves available), men are to wear black pants (I will provide the Islamic Tunic).

Taliban Rules

1.      Women are not allowed to wear jewelry, make-up, nail polish, or fancy clothing of any kind

2.      Women must wear thick clothing (so as to not see-through it).

3.      Women cannot wear narrow or tight clothing.

4.      Women can only have the skin of their hands and face showing.

5.      Women cannot wear clothing that resembles male clothing.

6.      Women’s shoes must be quiet and plain.

7.      Women’s clothing cannot make noise

8.      Women cannot walk in the middle of hallways or streets.

9.      Women cannot go anywhere without a male escort from their classroom.

10.  Women cannot talk to any other male without a male escort from their classroom.

11.  Women are not permitted to laugh.

12.  Women must talk in a quiet and low voice, and talk only when necessary.

13.  Women cannot look at anyone outside their classroom in the eye.

14.  Men must have a beard.

15.  Men must wear black pants and an Islamic tunic.

16.  Men may be recruited as soldiers for the Taliban.

17.  Men must wear turbans. *Turbans DO NOT mean terrorist but are simply a piece of Islamic clothing.

18.  Everyone must have and use an Islamic Name.

19.  Non-religious music, books, movies, videogames, and television are illegal.

20.  Everyone must be in the classroom and participate in “Calls to Prayer”.

Grade 8 Numeracy - Percents

Hey guys,  here's a link to a video to help you with turning a percent into a decimal and fraction.  Remember that your stations are due in 1 week, Wednesday Oct. 24.  You need to choose 3 from the list I gave you.  Have fun :)  If you need any help, just ask me, a friend, or family member.

http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/math/decimals-percents/decimal-fraction-percent-equivs.htm

Grade 7 Numeracy - Place Value

Below are some videos I thought might be helpful if you are working on your Place Value Stations at home.

• You need to complete 3 of the 9 stations listed on your sheet
• These stations are all about exploring, mucking around, and getting our hands dirty so feel free to ask me, friend, and/or parents for help.
• This is due Monday Oct. 22

The week ahead:

• Spirit Week this week:
• Tuesday - Dynamic Duo
• Wednesday - Favorite Character Day
• Thursday - Rainbow Day (Minimum 4 colours)
• Early dismissal tomorrow - 2:40 pm
• No School Friday - PD Day
• Grade 7 Place Value Stations due Monday Oct. 22
• Reading Response Journals due Monday Oct. 22

Human Rights Video

At long last, here's our video guys!!!  Way to go!

Reminders

• Reading Journal Entry is due on Monday
• If you have not already done so, please bring a pack of post-it-notes with you to the next Reading Workshop
• Spirit Week is Mon-Thurs. Oct. 15-18
• Monday - PJ Day (I forgot to mention this in class, but I'm thinking a cereal potluck is in order.  Feel free to bring a box of your favorite cereal to share.  I will bring the milk.)
• Tuesday - Fantastic Duo (partner-up and get creative)
• Wednesday - Character Day
• Thursday - Rainbow Day (minimum 4 colors)

Have a great weekend!

Reminders

• Writing Survey is due TODAY, Oct. 4
• Reading Survey is due TOMORROW, Oct. 5
• Next week I will encourage you to start reading at least a 1/2 hour every evening
• Also, next week I will encourage you to start writing for at least 1 hour every week
• School photo day is on Thursday, October 11 from 9:00am-1:00pm.  Lifetouch is introducing a prepay program ( different from other years).  There are three options for ordering and payment: 
1. payment online before picture day
2. payment on picture day
3. online payment up to 48 hours after picture day
4. Each student will receive a flyer/order form before going home for the Thanksgiving weekend.
5. ** If your child does not bring a flyer home, you can still preorder school photos.  Log into mylifetouch.ca and use Picture Day ID: QL892248Y
• Parent/Staff Meetings will be held  Thursday, October 11, 3:00-5:30; 6:00-9:00 at the school.
• No appointment is necessary.
• This is quite early in the year for interviews as no reports have gone home yet and we are still in the beginning stages of our units, but feel free to drop in and take a look at what we've done thus far!