Next week

The tests are being marked form the Ecosystem Unit.  Well done for the most part.  Tomorrow we will likely go over the tests, and then keep pushing on in Chemistry.  The students have been left with some homework in Basic Chemistry.  Topics such as Particle Theory and the behaviour of Water through temperature changes should be reviewed and understood before we move forward.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Outdoor Club Trip

Don't forget to get your forms and money in asap to be a part of one of the most exciting trips of the year.  We take the first 8 students who are interested, and have their paperwork in order.  This is an excellent trip, one of the highlights of the year! #outdoorclub

Pond Water Lab

Just one of many examples of unique and interesting microscopic life as seen under the microscope during the last couple days!  Don't forget to review for the test on Tuesday!  Have a great weekend!

The Pond Water Lab...

The students had a successful pond water lab today.  We saw some amazing and fascinating microscopic life.  Most groups were able to complete their scientific diagrams for sample A by the end of class.  Tomorrow we will complete the lab.

Next week we will have a review before our Major Unit ending test for Ecosystems.  Up next is Chemistry.

Presentation Day

The students have been completing a project on Bioaccumulation, and preparing for their major Unit Presentations!  Great stuff so far.

ALSO, please ask your son/daughter about our exciting annual Outdoor Club Trip to Lake Placid! With many previous students graduated, we are now hopeful to really focus on our grade 9s for these exciting opportunities.

The proposed trip is scheduled for next Thursday to Saturday.  All details in the handout.

Global Issues Project!

We have started our Global Environmental Issues Project!  Students by now will have either decided to work independently or within a small group, and should have chosen a unique global issue to focus on, and to share with the class next week.  The students will have some class time for this, but will also be encouraged to network with their peers outside of class time.

We are also learning about Motivated Blindness and Bias Towards Normalcy as it applies to critical thinking in the documentary Cowspiracy.  Busy times!

Don't forget to encourage your child to review their notes nightly, even if there is no official homework.

Succession and Invasive Species

At the midpoint of the Unit, we now switch gears to broader concepts and more project based learning.  Today we started learning about Succession in Nature and about the growing problem of Invasive Species.  We will be starting a Project tomorrow on Env. Issues.

Marks have been posted for evaluated work to date.  Students should be reminded that teachers can asses not only product, but through observation and conversation as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Students have all been given a codename that will appear in a spreadsheet alongside all their scores for for labs, assignments, projects, quizzes and tests.  This will help them realize where they stand in the course and if they are missing any assignments.

Awesome Graphs!

A clear relationship is shown in these graphs between predators and prey!  Well Done!

Mid Unit...

Both classes are now wrapping up their predator prey lab, and reviewing for the mid unit quiz tomorrow!  The predator prey lab is a major lab that covers many expectations from the Ecosystems Strand, students should be touching this lab up during our homeroom time.  Student's should always be completing questions and or reviewing their notes for a minimum of 10 minutes each night.  Quiz Thursday, PD day Friday!