The day the lesson plan went out the window...

A writing workshop about a baboon?!?!?

What happens when we do a writing workshop on a baboon?!?!

As part of grade 6 language arts, students are required to research and report on a specific topic. So, as part of our science unit on flight, the students have all been assigned a famous person pertaining to flight to research and write their biography (biographies are a grade 5 outcome).

Our writing workshops the next couple of weeks concentrate on various skills needed to research, compiling a bibliography, and writing a well-written and interesting biography.

We've looked at the book Barack  as an example text.

Now students are looking at researching information about one of our bookshelf friends, Cheeks.

"Cheeks."  Baboon.
Isn't he cute?

The writing process was furious. There were so many questions to answer and they had to be based in fact with some creativity thrown in.

to read the final copy, come check it out on the wall at the front of our classroom, or email for the pics!

Haikus on a topic...

Horses are so cool,

In the sunshine where it's hot.

And horses love the heat.

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 I have five brothers.

They are annoying. 

They like to play games.

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Gillises are cool.

Better than what Dawn thinks.

Dawn is a dummy.

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Rain is wet and fun.

I like to roll in the mud

When it is super wet!

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 Sophia Lillian

The cutest baby ever.

I love her so much!

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 Mom's have so much style.

They are loving and caring.

They love us so much!

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Hoodies are so warm.

And I like to wear them.

They are very cool.

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Gaelic is so cool.

In Gaelic there are accents.

You would like it, too.

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I have a sister.

She is a pain in the butt.

That's why we have them!

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Rain made by water

Water is good for everybody

Its gonna rain water all day.

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You can play music.

You can play the piano.

Listen to music.

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I have a dirt bike.

My dirt bike goes very fast.

My bike gets dirty.

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They are physicists.

Penny is a bad waitress.

Ah hah! Bazinga!

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Cards are very fun.

I like card tricks very much.

I know cool card tricks.

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Family is cool.

Family takes care of you.

Family is nice.

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I am a nice aunt.

Olivia -- three months old

I love her so much.

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Greg and Roderick

Hate each other very much.

Manny poops a lot.

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Neve and Shayde are twins.

They share all of their birthdays.

Neve is the oldest.

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Guitars are awesome!

There are different guitars.

I play the guitar.

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Ontario rocks!

Ontario is awesome.

Mississauga rocks!

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all poems created by Grade 5/6 students.

-all rights reserved-

GreenTeam Saves the Day

Here's the children's story book some members of our class submitted as part of our Energy Diet Challenge! Congratulations, girls!!!!!!!!!

Giving it up...

Giving up something we really like and use a lot isn't an easy task. Here's our journal entries on giving up one of our "wants" -- as part of one of Energy Diet Challenges

A little game of "What is it?!"

We've been working on descriptive writing in class. I'm trying to get my students to have more creative confidence in their writing! I, nor their classmates, can't be giving them all their ideas all the time. So, I decided to try a "Pull an item from the bag, Hide it, Write about it" activity. It was kind of fun! Here are some examples of their very descriptive writing:

In my room poems

Students were asked to write a poem about their rooms. What better place to write about than their little havens! (activity adapted from Nancie Atwell's book "Naming the World" )

 In My Room      

In my room,

Under my bed,

There lives a monster

Who's name is Ed.

He comes out at night,

And steals my things,

But slips back under the bed,                        

before my alarm rings.                                             

Last night I caught him                         

Right in the act!

And I made him promise

To put all my things back!

My room was so clean,

But now it's all messed!

It's filled to the roof,

My Mom was not impressed!

Ed left my room,

And moved to another,

He said he was leaving,

He couldn't stand the clutter!

He went to a cleaner room,

One with more space.

He packed up his things,

And took my suitcase!

Now in my room,

Under my bed,

There is no monster

Who's name was Ed.

- Lindsey

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My room dances with colors of lemon yellow, a soft light pink, a grass green and, a nice apple green

Pictures, trophies and medals float like stars in the night

And when I lay down, it's like falling in a meadow of clouds

My room is smooth and relaxing and smells like Ralf Lauren and other delightful smells

My room makes me, me , I could never think of changing the lovely colors , textures, scent, and stuff around it

What makes my room me is my sister because we share it!

-- Chynna