Introduction to Media Literacy

Good evening all!

I wanted to inform you that for the rest of the year, we will start to incorporate media literacy into our language arts course, which will enhance your learning and help to connect the language arts to the outside world a little better!!

This is an exciting area of the language arts that all students have a lot of fun with... TV commercials and radio are just a couple of things that are included under this umbrella of fun!

One of the expectations that is covered under media literacy is having students explain how different elements of various media form combine to create, reinforce and/or enhance meaning. Here are some interesting sites to browse through that will give you some idea of what media literacy entails...

http://dir.yahoo.com/News_and_Media/Television/Commercials/

Here you can browse sites covering all aspects of commercials. You can learn about music, spokespeople and many other aspects included in TV commercials.

http://www.bivingsreport.com/2006/9_ways_for_newspapers_to_improve_their_websites

An interesting site that deals with newpapers that appear online. Learn what important aspects make this type of media successful.

www.topradiosites.com

This site will allow you to browse numerous radio related websites. Search around for ideas that separate certain stations from others, and what makes some radio stations stand out from the rest!

Thanks grade 7's, have fun surfing these sites and have a great evening!

Miss Culpeper

Patterns in Physical Geography

Good Afternoon everyone!

Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day...we are going to start our unit on Patterns in Physical Geography. This is one of my favourite lessons to teach, and I have found some great on-line tools for you to use that will help you throughout the course. One of the first topics we begin with is playing around with maps and getting used to reading them and using them!!

In our introduction tomorrow, we will be using a varietyof thematic and topographic maps to identify patterns in physical geography... one of the important expectations to be covered in this subject.

I have included some websites for you to navigate through and have fun with. We will be learning how to use some of these tools in greater detail throughout the unit.

http://www.earth.google.com

This is one of my favourite sites to explore!! It offers maps and satellite images for complex or pinpointed regional searches...it will allow you to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips!

http://www.interactivemaps.org

This site will allow you to create and publish interactive maps and you can also create your visited countries and state maps!

http://www.edselect.com/patterns.htm

Students can learn about great lakes, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, rivers and volcanoes....plus much, much more!!!

Oh the Joys of Math!

Hello grade 7's and fellow parents,
Next week we will start to cover a whole new topic in math- patterning and algebra!

We will be covering many aspects of this topic, as it is quite a large chunk of our year. Here are some of the things that will be investigated and some useful websites to explore as we begin our journey:

1. Students will develop and represent the general term of linear growth patterns, using algebraic expressions involving one operation.

A link that can allow you to get some extra practice so that you can become an "expert" at algebra is http://www.learner.org/teadslab/math/patterns/number.html#activities Here you will find a variey of practice problems involving growth patterns.

2. Students will compare pattern rules that generate a pattern by adding or subtracting a constant, to get the next term with pattern rules that use the term number to describe the general term.

An interesting website that is fun and interactive is http://www.quia.com/4096.html You won't even realize you're doing math!!!

3. Students will model relationships involving constant rates using algebraic equations with variables to represent the changing quantities in the relationship.

Graphing has never been so much fun at http://www.gomath.com/cgi-bin/plot.py Here you will find a quick and easy way to practice making and reading algebraic graphs!

Welcome to the introduction to our grade 7 science unit!

Good afternoon parents and students!!

As was mentioned in the students' day planners yesterday, we will be starting the next few topics in our exciting science unit on Monday February 19! These are some of my favourite topics to teach and the students always have a lot of fun learning!

Here is a glimpse of some of the expectations that will be covered within the next couple of weeks.

1. Use appropriate Vocabulary, including correct science and technology terminology, to communicate ideas, procedures, and results.

2. Classify rocks and minerals, using their observations, according to their characteristics and method of formation

3. Explain the rock cycle

4. Describe how various surfaces absorb radiant heat

5. Design and build a device that minimizes energy transfer

There are also several online resources that we will be exploring as a class, they are as follows:

http://education.jlab.org/vocabhangman/index.html
http://www.gmbservices.ca/visits/RockTalk.FlyerGr7.htm
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/kids/solar_heating_and_you.html

The three resources listed above are very reliable and safe for kids to use. They are full of interesting and important facts about science and help students to learn in a fun and interactive way!

The first website allows children to explore the vocabulary of science using an interactive version of hangman! It also allows students to use correct science terminology and relate the words to their meaning and use them in a scientific manner. All of this can be done at:
http://education.jlab.org/vocabhangman/index.html.

The second link will bring you to a website with information on a possible field trip that the students can participate in. This field trip is related to the learning abou the Earth's crust. Students will learn how to explain the rock cycle, and will have the opportunity to observe different types of rocks and minerals and learn about their formation. Information on the field trip can be found at:
http://www.gmbservices.ca/visits/RockTalk.FlyerGr7.htm

The final link listed above gives excellent instructions on how to create your own solar air heater!! Students will be involved in this hands on experience that will allow them to describe how various surfaces absorb heat...an activity that past students have had a blast with! Information on this design can be found at:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/kids/solar_heating_and_you.html

Poetry Anyone?

I know you are all probably thinking, "Poetry, oh no!!". I want to reassure you that the poetry unit covered in this class will be an exciting journey with an interesting twist!! By the end of this grade 7 unit, you will all see poetry in a different light. Here are some links for you to view for fun and to put your mind at ease!!

http://www.gigglepoety.com - This site includes funny poetry, contests, lessons and poems about school.

http://easy-song-writing.com - This is a fun website to explore that puts songwriting power into your hands and guides you on how to write your own songs... a hidden form of poetry!!

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/4621/ - Read some poems written by teens, just like yourself! You can also submit your own poems if you're feeling really creative!

Educational Link

Hello again to all students and parents!!! I wanted to include a useful link that I believe will be a beneficial resource to you as you work hard and learn throughout this school year. The following link offers some very useful learning tips: http://www.kangan.edu.au/library/tips.htm. Enjoy!

Ms. Culpeper

Welcome students to the first class blog!

Good morning everyone!
I'd like to introduce you all to the class blog! This blog, I hope, will be very informative for all of you as you begin learning in my class. There will be postings here for you to keep you up to date on assignments and class news.
So, lets begin, as you enter the world of class blogging!

Ms. Culpeper