gr7

gr7

Wednesday 7 October 2015

Oct 7 2015

Math:
Continue working on surface area to be painted of bedroom.  4 walls (minus window/closets) + ceiling.  Equivalent rates to determine number of paint cans needed to cover area.

Begin working on adding/subtracting integers.  Do what you can.  Use a number line or connect to a real-life situation as outlined below:






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Writing: 
Continue drafting letter to Fleishman.  Ensure Sam to Amir chapters have been submitted.














Over the next 3-4 days, you will draft, revise and edit your letter to Fleishman.  Write a little each day, then go back and revisit what you wrote with a fresh point of view until you reach your final draft.  Be patient.  Even if you write 5 sentences today, that's fine.  Let it simmer and continue to add more the following day.

Dear Mr. Paul Fleishman,

Greetings from Toronto, Canada! I’m a grade 7 student at St. Simon Catholic School.  We just read your book, Seedfolks, for our 1st novel study of the year.  On our Smartboard, we read the e-book from Google Play and listened to the audiobook from Audible Kids.  We also watched your 2009 interview on YouTube.  

I’m writing this letter to let you know that I enjoyed reading Seedfolks and that I was inspired by a few characters.

Kim set the whole garden in motion – the Gibb street community garden exists because of her ambition to respect and honor the father she never knew.  I was saddened by her loss but inspired by her determination.

Speaking of determination, I was particularly inspired by Leona and her grandmother.  She has taught me the importance of setting goals, making a plan and working diligently towards achieving them – never giving up along the way.  I guess that’s what Curtis was also trying to do when he attempted to win back Lateesha’s heart.

When I think of Seefolks, I think I’ll always think of Sam – maybe it was his raspy voice or his sarcasm – but he helped me make connections to my own Catholic faith.  Like Jesus’ disciples, we are all called to “sew up rips” in the world.  If we lived more in harmony with others, even smiled more often, there could be more peace in the world.

Like Sam, Amir made valid observations as well.  Why aren’t we more neighborly? Why do we tend to prejudge others according to their culture, religion or social class?  We actually have a problem here in Toronto – it’s called “carding” which is a form of racial profiling; politicians are trying to put a stop to it since it’s a form of discrimination.

Like Cleveland, Toronto is a multi-cultural city.  I'm actually mapping cultural districts for Geography!  It’s important that we celebrate diversity and live in community, just like the people living on Gibb Street.  Interacting with different cultures, enriches our lives. 

I really liked the idea of having a different character/voice for each chapter.  I had never read a novel like this before.  Yet, in the end, I realized there was a common thread that connected them all. 

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Geography:  3 T.O. district maps need to be wrapping-up and submitted.  Begin working on your favorite place following my example provided.
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Science: read and complete 1.4 pure substances and mixtures in preparation for Lab 3.
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