Miss Eisen's Grade 6/7 Gators

Last week, we said GOODBYE to MS. XUEREB. The students put together a large card and a slideshow for her to show how much we appreciated her learning and teaching with us. During our class meeting, students shared their appreciations with her and sent their best wishes as she continued towards her teaching career. We wish her all the best, and look forward to visits during the Holiday Concert, and in the new year! Our Social Justice Day was a great day of learning for our grade 6-8 students! We learned about the struggle some students have to go through in order to be educated, lack of clean water in many areas around the world, and really, the need to make sure everyone feels safe and valued. Our students have so much to contribute about how we can create change - especially for those who are homeless. We are continuing our Social Justice Day reflections before the holiday, and when we return, we will be discussing next steps! Despite the fact that holidays are quickly...

GENIUS HOUR Projects! Our  GENIUS HOUR  projects have really taken off! Some of the topics include... - photography - choreography and dance - teaching art - hair styling - video game programming - prop design and creation - art portfolios - perfecting a magic routine Through  GENIUS HOUR , the students are demonstrating ownership over their learning, innovation, creativity, problem-solving, intrinsic motivation to learn, and inquiring minds. It is incredible to see what ideas they come up with, and how they work to navigate through their learning. In  SCIENCE,  students are demonstrating their understanding of how ecosystems including all living things are connected, and how WE can positively (and negatively) impact our planet  NOW  and in the  FUTURE. REMINDERS: 1) Please make sure you are signing work that goes home.  If you are unsure as to what needs to be signed, please visit our HOMEWORK page, ...

Thank you again for your patience as I updated the blog! As always, please check my Twitter account for more regular updates. The MATH and LITERACY pages have been updated. This week is another busy one! We have our grade 7 immunizations, bus safety, spirit assembly, and Halloween dance. Amidst this busy-ness, we are in the middle of our Math Congress! What is this, you might ask? Stay tuned for my next post on the SUB PROBLEM where I will be discussing open-ended math problems, gallery walks, and congress. For now, please ask your son/daughter about what they have been learning in math congress ( Hint : adding fractions with common denominators and repeated addition/multiplication). In Dance , we are currently working on a variety of Swing Dance moves (i.e.: walking step, step touch, triple-step, kick ball change, the Charleston). I hope to update our ARTS page in the coming weeks with more information! In Social Studies , we are looking at key components of Canada and are...

Hello Families! An artistic creation by our Phoebe Eco Campers - Ephemeral Art Thank you for your patience with blog updates. With eco camp and other engagements that have pulled me out of the classroom, there is a lot of catching up for me to do! Despite my absences, there are many new and exciting projects underway in our classroom! Some of these include our new learning about fractions, presenting on what makes us Canadian, learning how figurative language is used, researching healthy living while learning how to write an effective summary and more! Please stay tuned throughout the week. I hope to have a more comprehensive update available to everyone by the end of this week. A preview of our new math investigation!

Wow, what a great start to the school year! We worked together to begin to discover how we can help others. We will be focusing heavily on social responsibility this year through a number of avenues. After reading "One"  by Kathryn Otoshi, we were reminded that it just takes ONE to let someone know they count. We also began GENIUS HOUR this week!  Every week, students will have one hour to explore an area of interest and develop a project. In the new year, students will use what they have learned to help others.  Through different team-building activities, we realized that we all have quite a bit in common! Many of us enjoy the outdoors, visiting cottages, fishing, playing video games, hanging out with friends, and of course, SLEEPING IN!  I hope everyone is rested and ready for WEEK 2!   Please check out our MATH page for a MATH UPDATE! Also, don't forget to follow me on twitter @feed2succeed for a ...

Welcome back! I am excited to be joining the Gilman Gators as the Grade 6/7 teacher. I can't wait to learn more about each of the students and their families as we begin the year. My name is Michelle Eisen, and I am coming only 10 minutes away from Meadowbrook P.S. where I ran the music program and taught the intermediate (grade 7/8) homeroom. Please click on About ME!  (above) to learn more about my background. What you can expect: There is a Welcome Package going home today with your son/daughter which I ask that you read thoroughly. This package will have important information about the year ahead, what you can expect throughout the year, and what is expected of the students throughout the year. Please find an online copy of the WELOME PACKAGE HERE . Some topics which are covered are: Classroom Environment Mindfulness Technology in the Classroom Communication Homework Policy Please make sure to fill out the student information form and send it back by Friday. ...