ST. DONAT UPDATE (Get Ready and Bring Your Skates!)

Quest News

December 2014

CONCERT NOTICE: daughter/son can be outfitted for the working, they settled into a more weather. confident working method, and Please note that our December Clothing List: Ski pants and jacket their projects have shaped up quite Winter Concert will take place / Ski goggles / Warm snow boots / nicely. The finished work will be Thursday, December 18th at 7:30 available for viewing by Concert p.m with a slide show at 7:20 Rainsuit / Warm heavy socks / night. preceding the stage performance. Sweaters / Hat with earflaps or There is a 1:15 p.m. afternoon toque / full face covering / 2 pairs Our Family Studies unit will finish performance for those who might of mittens or lined gloves / on December 1. The Grade 7s have not be able to come to the evening Thermal Underwear / been learning to hand sew and will show. (Seating is limited, so please Turtlenecks / Casual clothes for be completing at least two stuffed attend one performance only). indoor activities / Personal hygiene animal or pillow sewing kits. It has Parents and immediate family items. been a great learning process for the members are welcome. You can All students must wear helmets. students to hand stitch, baste stitch, support our concert preparations by Boarders must also wear wrist and decode the kit instructions to ensuring that students practice their guards. As well, all students need produce some excellent “furry instruments for 15 minutes every to bring their ice skates as we will friends”. The completed sewing day. be skating St. Donat. projects will be on proud display at As part of our preparations we will the winter concert. The 7s are also Gr. 7 give students the chance to request cooking in small groups, and will ScienceGr. 7 Unit Test - Dec 4th th special equipment i.e. face-covering, have produced two tasty lunches, MathScience Test, Unit Notebooks Test - Dec DUE 4 - Dec 9th th ski pants. This has proved helpful in one of which they planned, shopped GeographyMath Test, Mind Notebooks Maps DUE- DUE Dec- Dec 9 th9 th the past so if your household has for, and prepared from scratch with Gr.Geography 8 Mind Maps DUE- Dec 9 extra clothing that could be loaned, minimal adult assistance. The G Sciencer. 8 Test, Notes In - Dec 9th please let your son or daughter know marks for the work in both IA/FS h GeographyScience Test, Text NotesCh.5 - InDec - D 11tec h9t immediately so that it can be will appear on the first full report in h HistoryGeography Test - TextDec Ch.58th - Dec 11t volunteered when requested. It is not February. h necessary to purchase brand new History Test - Dec 8t BIG THANKS TO FS/IA skiwear just for this trip. If skiing or boarding is a regular part of your ASSISTANTS winter activities, it makes sense. The staff and students wish to thank However, as the gift giving season the many parents who graciously approaches, perhaps some of the Upcoming Academic Due Dates volunteered their time and fingers to necessary items could be provided in help with the sewing and ST. DONAT UPDATE (Get that fashion. During the first week woodworking programs, which are Ready…and bring your skates!) back after the Winter Break, we will just wrapping up. We had a large concentrate on final preparations number of parents helping out this As you know, we will be heading to with extra French activities. A letter year, which always makes it more St. Donat two days following our will be forwarded to you the week enjoyable for the students and less return after winter break (Jan. 7-11). prior to Winter Break with final stressful for the staff. We were Proper clothing and equipment are details. This is the only equipment fortunate to have a community very important for this trip. list you'll get. member Jordan Italiano, a Temperatures can fall as low as -30° journeyman carpenter on site for Celsius (frostbite conditions), or rise INDUSTRIAL ARTS instruction and assistance. A above zero with showers (ugghh!!) special thank you to Phil Lovett- AND FAMILY STUDIES Still, cold is what we must prepare Darby for his help in woodworking for. The Industrial Arts unit on (every year for over 15 years now); Because we will take part in all Woodworking is nearing shopping for wood, bringing in activities regardless of weather conclusion, and the grade 8s are tools, and using his extensive conditions, appropriate clothing is producing excellent results. experience and sense of humour to crucial. Please refer to the clothing Although many students had little make the program enjoyable for the list below and ensure that your previous experience with wood grade eights. 1 Geography (8) will resume in the Spring after Community Resources Week. SKATING AND HOCKEY We have continued to study the broad topic of land use and how this Science (7) Skating begins our 2nd Wednesday shapes people’s lives. We have back following Winter Break We are just wrapping up an broadened our understanding of the (January 14th) and will continue on experiment unit on Heat & atlas and supported our study successive Wednesday afternoons, Temperature, and the students now through assignments from the until the permit expires February seem familiar with most aspects of textbook “Discovering Global 18th. Shinny is optional. lab procedure and the experiment Systems and Patterns”. An atlas test Scrimmaging is the main part of the write up format. Upon our return was completed and different maps class. Players only need a stick and from St. Donat, students will begin made. Understanding of land use was helmet – some type of gloves are work on their next unit: Mixtures and furthered by a simulation called the required. Solutions! This unit will continue Urban Studies Game. January will until mid-February, and then they In the 2nd half of the afternoon, the see the class begin “Economic will start their 1st independent unit. remaining students join us for skating Systems”. instruction - in ability groups. This is Geography (7) followed by recreational activities. We are almost finished our It’s a series of Wednesday History (8) investigation of The 5 Themes of afternoons, which allows the school We wrap up the Confederation unit Geographic Inquiry – an introduction to be outdoors enjoying winter next Monday, and then… we settle on how Geographers view the world activities. It is a mandatory part of Western Canada. This cross- and what they actually study. the P.E. program. All staff takes part curricular activity explores the role Students learned how to locate places too! Size up those skates! They’re of significant people and events in the world based on relative also needed for St. Donat. during the settling of the Canadian location and GPS coordinates (which west from 1870 to the early 1900’s. tied nicely into our mapping unit), Through the mechanism of a and also explored real-life examples settlement game, students bid on a Quest Information Night of the movement theme (TTC, plot of land, keep records, cope with is Tuesday, January media, imports/exports). The Grade hardships and the elements while 7’s completed a section on the 5 27th. We need all moving through the final decades of environmental factors and students at the school the 1800’s. The students learn to investigated how human interaction for this one evening analyze historical information, directly impacts animal species, soil, apply their knowledge in a variety from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. to water, and vegetation patterns. Next of ways, and work effectively as a assist with tours. stop: Physical Patterns in Geography couple on a homestead. It is and learning about the earth’s crust informative, engaging and fun. and inner processes. Mathematics (7) WADE’S SUBJECTS Guidance (8) Students completed work in four The grade 8s participated in units this term: Computational Math (8) Laurie and Wade organizational activities and goal Development and Number Theory, setting. They are now well into Order of Operations, Measurement, The 8’s have finished units on stages of planning for the move to and 2-D Geometry, which was their Measurement of Circles and Angles high school. Grade 8 parents and first independent unit. In an and Triangles (Geometry). January students attended a Guidance Night independent math class, students will see the class move onto Integers on Nov. 11th, where the parents work individually to create notes and and Algebra. discussed the grade 9 transition complete practice questions process with the Quest staff, while according to 6 targeted instructional Science (8) the students met with a panel of periods. They work individually and Microscopy is the unit completed in former Questies now in Grade 10. in small groups to manage their own early November. By December learning, and seek help if needed. concert break all students will have This allows students to strengthen completed a unit on Mechanical LINDSAY’S SUBJECTS their organizational and time Efficiency. In January Independent management skills, as well as Science will commence. Units Swimming (7 & 8) participate in self-directed learning. include Water Systems, Life In January, we will begin a unit on Processes, Anatomy & Dissection, Swimming classes will conclude Patterning & Algebra. Systems in Action and Fluids. December 10th. We will have had 10 classes this fall. The Pool program Guidance (7)

2 After participating in goal setting, Students are also been applying their group work skills, and getting French (8) artistic skills in creating their comic organized activities, the grade 7s strip in French with a focus on Students worked in groups to prepare took an in-depth look at the mixing up the points of view. In the their original restaurant concepts as definition and meaning of January, we’ll be venturing into part of the Concours des casse- Friendship, Conflict, Rumours, acrylic and pastel. croûtes contest. Students develop an Gossip, and the dangers of social original concept for a new restaurant. media. We will also be exploring an Art (8) They produce a menu, a online resource (My Blueprint) to In Grade 8 we are exploring the slogan/jingle, a poster and then pitch support learning styles, interest theme of Winter through haiku and the concept to the class. Contest surveys, and lessons to promote block printmaking. Each student is winners get a pizza lunch for their positive social interactions. producing an edition of handmade group. Prizes are awarded in several cards. In the New Year: shadow Health and Physical Education categories. We are beginning to boxes! (7&8) weave in some review and practice of the kind of practical spoken French Following classes on co-operative that will be helpful in St. Donat. LAURIE’S SUBJECTS group games and fitness activities, students participated in two unit English (8) game categories: Invasion/Territory Dance (7 & 8) and Net/Wall, with the Grade 8’s Students presented dramatic During the month of October the working on Football & Badminton interviews and did some writing-in- students were given an introduction and the Grade 7’s working on Flag role as part of our novel/film study of to the world of Bollywood dance by Rugby & Badminton. Both classes John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and learning specific choreography to participated in a creative group Men”. Students are currently Jai Ho and Mauja hi Mauja. In Health assignment, designed to developing scripts for our play small groups students collaborated critically analyze and explore the auditions on December 6. In January to create a 32-bar phrase using impact of factory farming and sugar we will be blogging and running a classical Indian and Hip-Hop on the food industry. Students also debating tournament. movements. The dances were examined the connections between performed for one another in class obesity, diabetes, and poverty. In and students were asked to reflect January, the warm gym gives way to on their challenges and successes the cold outdoors for skiing in St. over the course of the unit. Donat, and our weekly skating and hockey program. Drama (7 & 8) From mid-November through December, all students will be building their performance skills in anticipation of our December concert. Vocal projection, effective History (7) blocking, and physical characterization are some of the Following the text book unit, we’ve performance principles we’ll continued our study of New France explore in class. In the new year ELIZABETH’S SUBJECTS by making “Postcards from the Past” we’ll be investigating issue-based based on the many important figures drama using techniques of dramatic French Program (7) in New France (e.g., priest, nun, discovery such as: thought-tracking, courreur de bois, seigneur, habitant, the wave, and corridor-of -voices. The extension to our first textbook etc.) Next, the focus shifts to British unit, Galaxie virtuelle, is an North America. We are using the text English (7) independent reading unit, group Canada: The Story of Our Heritage Thanks to the efforts of a terrific presentation and a comic strip supplemented with viewings from panel of Parent Readers, and the assignment. Students work in small “Canada: A People’s History”. creativity of the Grade 7s groups to act out a scene from the Studies in this second Grade 7 topic themselves, we are in the final book. They also create a comic strip will continue in January. stages of editing and publication of based on a significant event in their the Personal Profiles. Students have reader. Next, we will be doing cued begun working in script-writing dialogues and role plays to give Art (7) groups to prepare original one-act students practice with the kind of Students learned watercolour and ink plays to audition for our December practical spoken French that will be wash techniques to create the picture Concert. In January, we will be helpful in St. Donat. for their “Postcard from the Past” 3 looking at idiomatic expressions and proverbs and doing a reading response unit on world mythologies. A Brief Word About Gifts As we enter the gift-giving season, the Quest Staff wish to share some thoughts on this topic. While we appreciate the impulse behind giving presents to the teacher, we do not expect to receive personal gifts. In recent years, some families or groups of families acknowledge Important Dates: the season by making donations to an organization in the name  Dec. 18 – Concert 1:15 p.m. of the Quest School. Examples and 7:20 p.m. include women’s shelters (Red Door), food banks (CBC’s  Jan. 5th – First Day Back “Sounds of the Season”), “Right  Jan. 7th-11th St. Donat, to Play” etc. We thank you in advance if this is something you Quebec choose to do.  January 12th St. Donat Grade 8 Riverdale Collegiate Recovery Day – No classes Visit but there is a visit to As we will be in Quebec at the time Riverdale Collegiate for of the regular Open House, the staff interested “in-district” Quest at Riverdale have arranged a visit Grade 8’s at 1:00 p.m. for Quest students only the day after we return from St. Donat. That  January 14th – Skating would be Monday, January 12 at Begins 1:00 p.m. We would appreciate 2 parents to meet up with our Grade  January 21st – PAC meeting 8’s at Riverdale to accompany them 5:30 p.m.; Info Night on the visit. Contact Quest if you Volunteers 6:00 p.m. can make yourself available for that visit.  Jan. 27th - Quest Info Night Final note (all students expected to The final day of classes is Friday attend from 6:15 p.m. - December 19th, which is the day 7:30 p.m.) following our concert. As is the Quest custom following concerts, students are expected to arrive by 9:30 which is when attendance will be taken. Attendance is important that morning, as we will re-organize the school prior to the Winter Break, so that we are ready to resume a new academic timetable in January. There will be a long lunch that day (12:00-1:45p.m.). During the afternoon there are recreational activities but no formal classes.