December Update

Science Home Project

As we complete our unit of study, "Diversity of Living Things", Students will begin an end of unit project that requires students to research and present their findings on an endangered or threatened species in Manitoba. Alternatively, they can research a species that may also pose a threat or risk to other species (an invasive species), example being Blue-Green Algae in Lake Winnipeg. The species they select can be from any of the Kingdoms studied in class:
1. Plantae
2. Animalia
3. Monera
4. Protista
5. Fungi

Students are required to summarize their findings from a minimum of three different but credible sources of information. Sources of information can be from books, news clippings, interviews, credible web sites etc. Some general information they should have from their summarizing should consider answering the following questions:
1. What kingdom does it belong to?
2. What are its physical characteristics?
3. Describe its habitat and its range or area it may live in.
4. How is it adapted to its environment?
5. How does it interact with other species in its habitat?
6. What is its niche or job in its habitat and/or why is it important?
7. Why is it at risk or causing other species to be at risk?
8. What is being done or should be done about the situation?

Students will present their findings in a presentation using a form of technology, such as Photo-Story, Power Point or Movie Maker, to inform the rest of the grade six class of their findings. Their presentation should also include a table and a line graph of their results. They are also required to find a creative way to present their learning by presenting the information in the form of a story, song, poem, diorama, news story, board game, poster and/or any other creative means. Due dates will be announced for each stage. This is a home project that will require students use time management skills. Please click on the following links to acess learning targets for each phase of this project.

Students will be evaluated on:
1. Research skills
a. Summarizing
b. citing their sources in bibliography format
2. Writing Process

3. Creativity
4. Math Table and Line Graph
5. Presentation skills using Technology

Phase 1 of research, summarizing and completing a bibliography is due on Thursday Dec 10th 2009. If you have questions or concerns please contact me at gswintak@pembinatrails.ca

Mr. Swintak's Class Blog

6 Swintak September 22, 2009
We're back to school and what a great two weeks it's been. The students had lots of great stories to share about their summers and are keenly interested to discover new things this year. There are many letters and handouts going home these days and I appreciate the quick return of these items. Students are also asked to bring in photos that compliment their personal narratives/ autobiographies, using their USB or to e-mail them to me as an opening photo story for their e-portfolios. These photos may include them with their family or perhaps them doing things of personal interest, such as sports or hobbies etc. All photos will be returned.

Some of our learning targets at this point involve
Science- the study of biodiversity or the “Diversity of Living Things”. In addition to the subject matter and knowledge they are acquiring, they are learning proper research skills such as how to summarize information and to give credit in bibliography format.

ELA- the writing process includes students to plan, draft, revise content and to publish a variety of writing pieces. Students are also learning to be reflective and passionate readers. Students are asked to read 30 minutes each night when possible. I encourage parents to read with their children and to discuss the content together. I realize that students and parents are often busy with extra curricular activities. However, it is important for us to encourage and support children’s’ interest in reading.

Math- students are reviewing number concepts and number operations. Students will be bringing home a Math homework book starting next week. The work will provide them an opportunity to practice some of the concepts covered in class. The students will have approximately 1 week to complete the assignments.
I am looking forward to spending the next few months with your child and to be a part of their learning journey. Please e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to meeting everyone at meet the teacher night.


Mr. G. Swintak

gswintak@pembinatrails.ca

February 24

Students continue to work on their Dear Canada novel studies. Students should have their second letter completed and signed by their parents by tomorrow. They should be also prepared for their third literature circle with ideas to share about what they are noticing as they read. Students have been given an individual creative writing assignment based on the theme of their novel. Their plans for this creative writing assignment are due by Wed February 27/08. In addition, students are further researching their themes for the making of their board games which is being completed as a group.

In Science, students are asked to examine electrical appliances in their own homes and to look at what energy transformations occur and how many Watts are being used. I am also asking if students have any batteries at home, ex. 9v or 2 c or 2D batteries to bring them in for a project and examples of insulators and conductors. If you are thinking of replacing your old Xmas lights for energy efficient ones please donate them to our classroom as we will put them to innovative use.

January 22, 2008

Students are gearing up for their upcoming presentation of their Early Canadian Wax Museum that will be presented to parents next week. Students were to research an individual that was considered to have impacted the development of early Canada in a significant way. The targets were a continuation of first term research targets, such as summarizing and in using a bibliography. Students held conferences on the writing of their monologues and were given a lot of formative feedback on the delivery and/ or presentation . They were also asked to make a poster to highlight who they were and what they accomplished.

Six Swintak class have been learning how to write and to interpret songs and poetry in ELA. They have also started their "Dear Canada" novel studies/ literature circles. Part of the literature circle is to share and discuss what they noticed of importance in the novel and to later write about it in their Reading Response journal.

In math we have been learning about statistics and probability and about number concepts.
We will be testing students on some of these concepts next week. This will be a snapshot of what they know and will help them to set goals or a plan of action as to what they need to learn. Many of the concepts can be practiced on math frog.com. Please ask your son or daughter to show you some of the activities online. We hope to see you next week at our Wax Museum open house.

January 10th, 2008

Today we worked on our math sheets which are titled "Number Sense and Numeration: Comparing and Ordering Decimals" and "Number Sense and Numeration: Adding and Subtracting Decimals" These sheets are currently due for Friday, Jan. 11th. We also were assigned to write more poems using the Cinquain and Diamonte forms. These are due Monday. Preparation for Literature circles by completing assigned reading and sticki-noting points of interest and importance, as well as a title page, will be due Monday.

December 11th Agenda

Today students had the opportunity to finish with Ms Sullivan and learned more about the Seven Teachings of First Nations People. They are asked to journal their experiences and what they learned. They should also share what they learned with there families. They are also asked to continue with their research on an early Canadian.

December 6th/ 07

In Social Studies we are learning about early Canada as an emerging nation. Ms Sullivan the aboriginal consultant, work shopped with our class on Wednesday afternoon. Through songs and stories, students learned many aspects about First Nations people, such as beliefs, values, and their ways of life. Ms Sullivan will be returning next week with more stories and songs.

Today we were introduced to our Early Canadian Wax Museum project. Tonight, we are to begin researching to find information on an early Canadian of choice that we selected earlier in the day.

In science, last week, we had the great opportunity to have Dr. Booth, a microbiologist from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg come to the classroom and to present about bacteria(Monera), viruses and disease control. Students even had a chance to try on the protective suits worn at the lab. It was a very educational experience.

This past Tuesday we also had Karen J. Scott PhD Education & Outreach Coordinator for Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium Inc. to come and talk about Lake Winnipeg and how growing Blue-Green Algae blooms are endangering fish stalks. Big thanks to her coming and to Marko for inviting her into the class as a result of his inquiry project. She has also invited our class to partake in scientific research aboard their research vessel the Nanimo this coming spring. More information about this endeavor will be forth coming.

Bibliographies and summaries for our Manitoba Endangered Species presentations are past due. Thank you Mrs Witherdon for the work on the Endangered Species of Manitoba bulletin board. This bulletin board is a must see for parents. Our French cartoons and Tenebrio Molitor Experiment are also due for hand in, complete with a good copy, data chart, and graph(s).