Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Pictures in Time

If you could take one picture to send back in time (up to 100-150 years ago), what would you photograph, who would you send it to and why?


Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises

"The Dark Knight Rises" is the conclusion of this trilogy of Batman movies and anyone who knows me, knows that I loved Batman growing up.

In this Batman series, Bruce Wayne gives up a tremendous amount to help Gotham. He endures physical pain and risks his life regularly. His “Bruce Wayne” reputation is one of a shallow billionaire, and he had to sacrifice his “Batman” reputation in the last movie.

How much would you be willing to give up to help your community? Think about small ways you could sacrifice to help other people in your day-to-day life. Could you sacrifice some of your free time as a volunteer or to be more involved in school? Could you sacrifice your reputation to befriend a classmate? Could you sacrifice some money or possessions to help the less fortunate?

List at least five ways you could sacrifice small things to help others.

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)



Thursday, November 29, 2012

Role Models?

Many athletes and celebrities fall into the category of role models, regardless if they choose to be or not and I find this to be an extremely interesting topic.  Watch the Lebron James commercial below and answer the following questions:

1. Do you think that celebrities/athletes make good role models?
2. Do you look up to any celebrities/athletes?  If so, tell me why.  If not, tell me why.  :-)
3. Do you think they should assume the responsibility of acting as a role model to young kids, regardless if they want to or not?

*cough..cough*  Don't forget to put the question in your answer! :-)

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

- I am really looking forward to reading your responses and opinions on this one.


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Hobbit

One of the most anticipated movies to come out in the very near future is "The Hobbit".  "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien is a fantasy novel that was first published on September 21, 1937.

Watch the trailer below and then answer the following questions:

In this short clip, Gandalf talks about being afraid and gaining courage. What is something that you have done that required courage? Describe the situation and how you overcame your fear. If you can’t think of something that you have done, what is something that you would like to do that requires courage? How will you take on your fear?


Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Skydiving From Space

Hello my trusty Grade 7's!

As I was sitting here trying to figure out what this week's blog question should be I accidentally came across this video (see below) and despite the fact that this amazing jump occurred several weeks ago, I am still amazed by it.  It truly is unbelievable.

Just in case you haven't heard about this amazing feat, here is a little background:

Felix Baumgartner recently made headlines by jumping from over 128, 000 feet above the earth.  After two test jumps, of 15 and 18 miles high, Felix took the ultimate plunge over the desert near Roswell, New Mexico.  With a thumbs-up before the jump and a victory pose after he landed, Baumgartner became the first man to break the sound barrier wearing only a protective suit.

Felix broke several records in this exciting jump.  He jumped from a record-breaking height of 24 miles above the earth, he reached record speeds of over 700 miles per hour, and he was the first man to break the sound barrier (move faster than the speed of sound).

Your task this week is to answer the following questions:

1.  Can you think of a world record that you could match or break?
2.  How would you go about preparing for your world record?

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Find out how a record-breaking supersonic sky dive from space works, in this SPACE.com infographic.
Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

Themes of Geographic Inquiry Quiz

Welcome to your first online assignment Grade 7's!

Feel free to use any resource you would like to find the answer.  However, you  must work by yourself.  Take your time and read the questions carefully.  I want to try and eliminate all silly mistakes. :-)

I've tried to make things a little easier by embedded the quiz right into the blog.  However, if you would like to see a full-screen version, just click this link.

Good luck!

Mr. Boettger  :-) 



Monday, October 29, 2012

Relaxing at the Hotel Transylvania!

So, Halloween is just around the corner and because of that, I have a Halloween themed question this week!

Watch the following trailer to the movie "Hotel Transylvania" and then answer the following questions:

1.  What is your favourite spooky story?
2.  Can you imagine the main scary character at the Hotel Transylvania?  What would he/she/it look like?  What would his/her/its room look like?
3.  How would they relax?
4.  What do you think he/she/it would do if they saw a human at the hotel?



Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Mathematics Homework Help


Commencing immediately, all Mathematics students in Grades 7 to 10 can access live interactive online math help to support achievement in Mathematics.

Homework Help is an online tool for students to access real-time Mathematics tutoring. The project is funded by the Ministry of Education, delivered by qualified Ontario Mathematics teachers and is without cost.

Students can register for the program by completing the online registration form at the Homework Help website (http://homeworkhelp.ilc.org).  Please note that students require their Ontario Education Number (OEN) to register located on all report cards.


Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mr. Boettger

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Famous Person

Hello my trusty grade 7's!

Welcome to your second blog response!

Just a few quick reminders:

1.  Only 12 of you responded last week.  Make sure if you haven't responded, you do today.
2.  Don't forget to respond back to at least two of your peers.
3.  Don't forget to use your school username.  Otherwise, I won't know who you are.

Thank-you and good luck on this week's question!

If you could meet one famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why? State the person's name, his/her occupation (i.e. politician, comedian, musician, author, etc.), explain why you want to meet this person and list 3 questions you would like to ask him/her.

Once you have posted your response to this question, respond to at least 2 of your peers. You can ask them about why they chose to meet this particular person, share thoughts and stories, add questions to their list of things to ask, etc.

To get you started, I have included a picture of one person I would love to meet.  Bonus mark for the first person to tell me who he is!  :-)

Mr. Boettger




Sunday, September 23, 2012

What are you thinking about the book you are reading?

Last week you were given time to chose a new novel to start the year.  As you all know, I love to read.  Well, now I want to know a little about the book you are reading.  

In at least one well-thought out paragraph, tell me what you like and/or dislike about the book you are reading right now.  Be sure to give the name of the book before you begin.  It could be a character, situation, or topic of the book that you like or dislike.  However, don't give important information about what is happening, or you might ruin the book for someone else who wants to read it.  

Remember your good reading strategies; connect, question, summarize, predict, infer, visualize.

Once you have completed your selections and posted your explanation, read and respond to at least 2 peers.

Good luck and I can't wait to hear your responses!

Mr. Boettger  :-)  

Welcome Back!

Hello my trusty Grade 7's and welcome to your very first "blog" question!

Establishing Expectations for Behaviour: The Dos and Don'ts for Online Student Communication

Please read the "Dos and Don'ts for Online Student Communication" below:

- Use each other's names.  Using a person's name when you respond to his/her posting creates a friendly online tone.  However, do not use the person's full name.  Instead, please use the username the school board has given to you (the first four initials of your first name and a random 4 digit number).

- Read questions and conversational postings carefully to avoid unnecessary confusion.

- Compliment your peers when they post strong responses or contribute original ideas.

- Ask questions.  If anything is unclear or you want further information or insight on a topic, just ask.  If you have a question, there are probably other members of the group who are confused and need further clarification as well.

- Be considerate. Remember that your peers cannot see your body language or hear your tone of voice, so you need to keep your language direct and respectful.

- Avoid slang, jargon and sarcasm.

- Listen to all ideas presented.  Remember there is no right or wrong in a discussion.  A variety of perspectives add depth and I love depth!  :-)

- Stay open minded.

- Respond instead of reacting.  Do not write a response if you are angry or upset.  Instead, wait until you have had time to calm down and collect your thoughts.

- Really read your peers responses.  Avoid skimming.  Respect the time your peers have spent articulating their thoughts by reading carefully and thoughtfully.

- Reread your messages before sending them to ensure that your ideas are clearly communicated and supported.

- Critique the content, not the person.

- Do not present your personal opinions as fact.  Back up your ideas with information to strengthen your statements.

- Courteously answer all questions addressed directly to you.

- Make "I" statements when respectfully disagreeing.  Sharing an opposing opinion or idea is an important part of discussion, but it needs to be presented in a constructive manner that encourages further discussion.

- Do not use all caps when writing.  It is interpreted as yelling.

- Avoid emotional punctuation, like exclamation points, unless you are complimenting an idea shared.

Have I missed anything?  Is there anything that you would like to add to the list?  Please let me know in the comments section.

Thank-you for your feedback and let's have a great year blogging!  :-)

Mr. Boettger

Friday, June 29, 2012

Thanks!

I just wanted to write a quick thank-you to my fantastic grade 7 class this past year.

Thanks for...

- all of the gifts.
- a fantastic year.
- the smiles.
- your hard work.
- your enthusiasm.
- the "Dear World" assignment.  Probably my personal favourite!
- your help and understanding.
- your comments on this blog.
- welcoming me to Wyevale and making my first year here a fantastic one!

Have a great summer and I will see you next year!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

- Check out some of the work you have done!  I couldn't possibly post it all, but scroll down, there are at least 4 or 5 new posts with samples of your work!  Nicely done!


Storybird Stories!


Storybird is a free web tool that students can use to create stories.  You begin by selecting illustrations from a gallery of choices and use that art to inspire your creative writing.

Here are a few of the stories the Grade 7's wrote:

Bob's Jobs on Storybird Leo The Leopard on Storybird In a perfect world! on Storybird TheHouseOnNoStreet on Storybird Life In The Woods. on Storybird Up all night on Storybird The Big Dream on Storybird

Biography Assignments!

The student's task at this time was to create a biography on a historical figure using the program called Glogster.

Here are a few examples of their work: (Hover over the Glogster label in the top right hand corner to view full screen)

Kirsten's Glog on Sir Isaac Brock:



Kristen's Glog on George Washington:



Lizzie's Glog on Josiah Henson:



Jaelen's Glog on Tecumseh:



Sydney's Glog on Laura Secord:



Emily F's Glog on Mary Brant:



Sarah L's Glog on Catharine Parr Traill:

Airborn Museum

As a culminating task, the students were to create an "Airborn" museum.  The artifacts were incredible! 

Check out the slideshow below!

Animal Mix-ups!

Earlier in the novel "Airborn" by Kenneth Oppel we discussed whether or not there could still be undiscovered species on Earth. It was up to my Grade 7's to design an animal they would like to find, or one that they believe could exist somewhere.

Here are some of their ideas!













Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Favourite Novel

It is almost the end of the year and I am looking for some feedback.  I read eight (!) novels to you this year -  hopefully nine by the end of the year and I would like to know which one was your favourite. 

This week's task is as follows:

1.  Vote on which book you liked the most.  Not what your friends liked - YOU.
2.  In the comments section, tell me the novel you chose and why you liked it the most.   Then give me your favourite part or least favourite part from that novel.

Thanks for your feedback.  I appreciate it.

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Science - Heat Quiz!

I think this might be the last online assignment for you!  It's like I can hear the cheering over here!  :-)

Same drill as always!  Feel free to use whatever resource you would like to find the answer!  Take your time and read the questions carefully.  No silly  mistakes! :-)

Good luck!

Mr. Boettger

Click here for the heat quiz

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Science/Health Quiz - Structures

Same drill as always!  Feel free to use whatever resource you would like to find the answer!  Take your time and read the questions carefully.  No silly  mistakes! :-)

Please use your school username when filling in the "What is your name?" question.  Thank-you.


Please click here for the science quiz.
Please click here for the health quiz.

Good luck!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Monday, June 4, 2012

History Quiz - Conflict and Change

Welcome to your second online assignment Grade 7's!

Feel free to use any resource you would like to find the answer.  Take your time and read the questions carefully.  I want to try and eliminate all silly mistakes. :-)

I've tried to make things a little easier by embedded the quiz right into the blog.  However, if you would like to see a full-screen version, just click this link.

Good luck!

Mr. Boettger  :-) 



Monday, May 28, 2012

Tough Question!

The school year is almost over, and it is time to reflect a little bit.

In your opinion, have you grown and changed since the beginning of this school year?  If so, what changes and/or discoveries have you made about yourself this year?  What do you think caused this change or discovery?

If you do not think you have experienced personal growth or discovered anything new about yourself, why not?  Did you resist change, or did this occur by accident?  Is there anything you would change now?  It is never too late.

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)



Monday, May 21, 2012

The Marshmallow Test

It could be argued that our culture is now being fuelled by immediate gratification.  When we want something, we want it now and more often than not, our wish is granted.  For example, if we don't know something, we can look it up on-line and usually have the answer within seconds.  Like a song you heard on the radio?  You can easily download the song within minutes.  If you are hungry and don't have the "time" to make something, any number of fast food restaurants are more than happy to cook you dinner in a record amount of time.

Watch the video below and answer the following questions:

- What are some other examples of people being unable or unwilling to wait?
-  Is this a positive move in the right direction, or a negative one? 
-  Describe what is going through one of the kid's mind as (s)he tries to resist the temptation to eat the marshmallow.

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Storybird!

Hello my trusty Grade 7's!

Here is the next technology assignment that I am very excited about.   You are going to be using a program called "Storybird"  to write a children's picture book.  More details for the project will come later this week.

After seeing your fantastic "Glogsters", I can't wait to see what you come up with here!

Good luck!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Check out the following two videos to get an idea of what you are in for!  :-)



Airborn Trilogy - Novel Study

Having just finished reading the  "Airborn" Trilogy think of at least two questions you would like to ask Mr. Kenneth Oppel.  Be creative and try not to ask him something he may have been asked several times before.  To make sure you don't do this, check out the "Frequently Asked Questions" section of his website.  

When you think you have at least two (2) well thought out questions, please post them on the class "Wallwisher"  found below.


Sunday, April 15, 2012

A Lesson in Losing

"March Madness" just finished a couple of weeks ago and for those of you that don't know, it is by far my most favourite sports time of the year.  I absolutely love to watch college basketball in March and this got me thinking (go figure eh?) about this week's blog question.

Of the 64 teams in the tournament, all of the teams will lose a game except the tournament champion (yeah Kentucky!).  Do you think you learn more from winning or from losing?  Why?

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)



Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Kid Tsunami Survivors

Some Japanese tsunami victims had to leave everything behind, including their houses and all of their things.  I would like you to watch the video below and think about the things that you value.

Imagine that you are collecting donations to send to kids who lost their possessions in the tsunami.  Brainstorm at list of at least 5 objects that you could send them to make them feel at home.  Start by thinking of things that you love and value.  Be creative and remember to think about the small things in life that help you keep a positive attitude.

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)


Nick News: "In Harm's Way: Japan Through the Eyes of Its Kids"
Get More: Nick News Episodes,Nick News,Nick News Games

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Do Your Peers Impact Your Health?

If yes, describe their impact.  Is it negative or positive?  If not, explain.

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two other students.  Compliment strong points, make connections, ask questions and build on ideas shared!

Mr. Boettger  :-)


The History of April Fools Day

Just in case you were wondering.  :-)


Thursday, March 29, 2012

Geography - Tsunamis

Here are a few of the videos we saw today regarding tsunamis.   As always, let me know if you have any questions. 

Mr. Boettger  :-)



Tsunami Infographic from Shal on Vimeo.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Structures


In the world, it is clear that most buildings have been constructed to last. Look at the ancient pyramids, the Mayan temples, or the Taj Mahal! Large structures, such as buildings, arenas, and towers, have to withstand much more than an occasional light rain shower. What sorts of things do they have to withstand in your area? What about structures in the tropics? Or structures in the Arctic? What would happen to them in monsoon prone areas? Brainstorm some of these ideas using either your computer or a pencil and paper to set up the framework. Be prepared to share your conclusions with your peers and teacher.
 
Using the ideas from your brainstorming, complete the following:

Find a recent news item, either in the newspaper or online, about a building or other large structure that didn't make it through some extreme weather. Be prepared to discuss it in class. Use the questions below to help get you started.

Questions to ponder:

- How old is this structure?
- Where in the world is this structure?
- Is the area around this structure prone to severe weather?
- How large is this structure?
- What went wrong, exactly?
- What measures, if any, were in place to enable this structure to withstand the elements?
- What measures would you suggest for this structure, if it were to be rebuilt?
- Would this structure need these measures if it was built in your area? 


Taj Mahal

One Word (actually that's two!)

This could quite possibly be the shortest blog post yet!

If you only had one word to describe yourself, what would it be?  

Once you have posted your response, read the responses posted by your peers and reply thoughtfully to at least two people.


Sunday, March 18, 2012

Angry Birds!

I thought I would switch gears a little bit here and make this week's blog post a little bit on the techy/fun side.  It also came to me as I was actually playing the highly addictive game "Angry Birds".

So, without further adieu, watch the following video and then answer the following question:

Angry Birds is a very popular smart phone app. Brainstorm a new phone app.  It can be a game, a service or anything you can think of.  Describe your app and how it will be valuable to your customers.

Then when you have come up with your "million" dollar idea, go here and make your dream a reality.

Good luck!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Dividing Decimals

Here is a nice review of how to divide decimals.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Mr. Boettger :-)

Multiplying Decimals

Here is a quick review of how to multiply decimals.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mr. Boettger  :-)



Lattice Method:

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Science Quiz

Welcome to your first online assignment Grade 7's!

Feel free to use any resource you would like to find the answer.  Take your time and read the questions carefully.  I want to try and eliminate all silly mistakes. :-)

I've tried to make things a little easier by embedded the quiz right into the blog.  However, if you would like to see a full-screen version, just click this link.

Good luck!

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Kiln People

Kiln People  is novel written by David Brin and I can't say as though I have read it (and therefore can't recommend it), but the concept of the novel is rather interesting.

Kiln People, is about a society where you can create clay copies of yourself to do various tasks (e.g. mental tasks, dangerous tasks etc.) while you do something else.  Then at the end of the day, you download their memories back into you.

So, here is a pretty deep question for this week.  If you had 5 copies of yourself to use this week, what would you have them do?

Once you have completed your answer, read and respond to at least 2 peers.


As always, I can't wait to see your responses.

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Friday, February 10, 2012

Geography Review

Here is a great flash video to help you review some of the concepts we have learned in geography this term. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mr. Boettger :-)

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Fun Theory

The Fun Theory is a Volkswagen initiative and it is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people's behaviour for the better.  What do you think?

Watch the following videos and then answer this week's blog question:

Find the fun:

Now it's your turn to try the fun theory.  Choose a task that is typically boring and make it fun!  Describe why your game or "angle" on the chore is more entertaining.

Good luck!  

Mr. Boettger  :-)

Monday, January 23, 2012

Desert Island Dilemma


If you knew you would be stranded on a desert island for 1 year, which 5 objects would you bring with you? Keep in mind that there is NO electricity on the island! Choose you objects carefully and then explain your choices in a brief paragraph. 

Once you have completed your selections and posted your explanation, read and respond to at least 2 peers.


I look forward to reading your responses!  

Mr. Boettger  :-)  

Monday, January 16, 2012

Exploring the Outdoors/Sporting Dreams

Hello my trusty Grade 7's!

This week's blog question came from me watching this 60 Minutes episode on Alex Honnold.  As I watched Alex climb, I couldn't figure out if he was crazy, brave or a little bit of both.  The one conclusion I did come to is that there is NO WAY I wouldn't even think about attempting it.  If you are interested in viewing the 60 minutes interview, it is found below.


The above video led to the next video on three extreme sports. Watch the video and then answer at least one of the following questions:

1. These athletes participate in some unique and extreme sports.  If you could undertake any sporting adventure, what would it be and why?  Remember, you can go anywhere and do anything!

OR

2.  These extreme athletes explore nature, including mountains, rivers, and waterfalls, through their hobbies.  Imagine that you could explore anywhere in the world.  What kind of lands would you like to explore?  How would you like to explore them (e.g. on foot, by bike, via helicopter, etc)?  Don't forget to explain why you chose that kind of terrain and transportation.  


Here is this week's video:



 As always, I look forward to reading your responses!

 Mr. Boettger :-)

Friday, January 13, 2012

Surface Area of a Rectangular Prism

Don't forget to practice for your upcoming *surprise* quiz on Monday. If you are still a little confused on how to find the surface area of a rectangular prism, hopefully the video below will help. Don't forget to ask me any questions if you are stuck.

Have a great weekend and I will see you on Monday!

Mr. Boettger :-)

Monday, January 9, 2012

Happy New Year!

Welcome back to school!  I hope and trust that everyone had a fantastic holiday!  It's good to be back isn't it? :-)

Your blog question this week is a very simple one.  New year resolutions have always been a time for reflecting on the previous year and more importantly improving "who" you are for the upcoming year.  It's time to reflect on the changes you want to make for this upcoming year!

What are your new year resolutions and how are you going to make sure you are going to accomplish them?


As always, I look forward to hearing your answers!

Mr. Boettger  :-)