Humourous Skit Assignment: Due Tuesday May 7, 2013

Part 1:  Xtranormal Videos
The class will be watching their XtraNormal videos this Friday afternoon (May 3rd).  Parents are welcome to attend the viewing.  I will also try to post each students videos on the blog (if I can figure out a way).

Part 2:  Humorous Skit
As part of our unit on Humour, students will be working on creating a Humorous skit.  As a class, we negotiated the criteria.  Students are encouraged to make regular reference to the criteria as the criteria will determine their mark for this assignment. 

Part 3:  Humorous Written Story
The final part of this assignment will start next week as students will need to write a humorous story.  Students will need to include:

• characteristics of a story:  problem, solution, characters, setting, beginning, middle and end
• Organize their key events on their Story Maps
• Keep dialogue short and realistic
• Dialogue needs to move the story ahead
• Starting point of their story is unusual
• Details give warnings of problems ahead
• Ending has a twist or surprise.

HUMOROUS SKIT Criteria:

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Humour	Students laugh 8 or more times.	Students laugh 7 times.	Students laugh 6 times.	Students laugh 5 or less times.
Short Dialogue and Moves Story Ahead	Identifies the characteristics of good dialogue, with a high degree of effectiveness. Dialogue is short and simple.	Identifies the characteristics of good dialogue, with considerable effectiveness. Dialogue is short and simple.	Identifies the characteristics of good dialogue, with some degree of effectiveness. Dialogue may be longer at times and may not always makes sense.	Identifies the characteristics of good dialogue, with limited effectiveness. Dialogue is to long and does not make sense.
Acting/dialogue	The student uses consistent voices, facial expressions and movements to make the characters more believable and the story more easily understood.	The student often uses voices, facial expressions and movements to make the characters more believable and the story more easily understood.	The student tries to use voices, facial expressions and movements to make the characters more believable and the story more easily understood.	The student tells the story but does not use voices, facial expressions or movement to make the storytelling more interesting or clear.
Duration	The storytelling lasts 3-4 minutes.	The storytelling lasts 2-3 minutes.	The storytelling lasts 1-2 minutes.	The storytelling lasts less than 1 minutes.
Voice	Always speaks loudly, slowly and clearly. Is easily understood by all audience members all the time	Usually speaks loudly, slowly and clearly. Is easily understood by all audience members almost all the time.	Usually speaks loudly and clearly. Speaks so fast sometimes that audience has trouble understanding.	Speaks too softly or mumbles. The audience often has trouble understanding.
Written Copy	The student turns in an attractive and complete copy of the story including a setting, problem, solution and characters.	The student turns in a complete copy of the story in the correct format, including a setting, problem, solution and characters.	The student turns in an complete copy of the story, but the format was not correct. May be missing parts (setting, problem, solution, characters).	The student turns in an incomplete copy of the story outline.

Math Test: Thursday May 2nd

There will be a Math test next Thursday. 

Part 1
Our class has been working on adding and subtracting decimals (up to thousandths).  Student will be asked to estimate and solve.  In addition, students will be given five numbers using decimals.  Students will be expected to add the numbers together, ensuring the numbers in the correct place value position.  If students are not confortable adding 5 numbers in their head, they are encouraged to break apart the question (this has been discussed in class).

Part 2
I will read out some numbers with decimals.  Students will be asked to write the number in standard form.

Part 3
Students will be given a number.  They will be asked to represent it in word form, expanded form and expanded notation (the most difficult of the three). 

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Thanks,

Mr. Blick
Grade 5 -- ARES

Xtranormal Project -- Due Wed. May 1

This project will be the first of three projects dealing with Humor.  The other two projects will consist of a Humorous Skit (either filmed or acted live) followed by a written story that matches the criteria covered in the stories we have been reading in class.

In the criteria below, students had input into how this assignment will be marked.  If there are any questions or concerns, please let me know. 

Note:  Since the intended audience are their fellow classmates, students are encouraged to get feedback from their fellow peers.  It is hoped that this feedback will allow students to think about what they have done and make any necessary changes. 

Due:  Wednesday May 1, 2013

Multimedia Project : Xtranormal: Humorous Dialogue   Student Name:     ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Humour	Humorous skit generates 6 or more laughs from the audience.	Humorous skit generates 4-5 laughs from the audience.	Humorous skit generates 2-3 laughs from the audience.	Humorous skit generates 1-2 laughs from the audience.
Dialogue	Identifies the characteristics of good dialogue, with a high degree of effectiveness. Dialogue is short and simple.	Identifies the characteristics of good dialogue, with considerable effectiveness. Dialogue is short and simple.	Identifies the characteristics of good dialogue, with some degree of effectiveness. The dialogue may be longer at times and may not always make sense.	Identifies the characteristics of good dialogue, with limited effectiveness. Dialogue may be too long and the dialogue does not make sense.
Faces and Emotions	Effectively uses faces and motions in their presentation. Must contain at least 7 movements.	Uses faces and motions with considerable effectiveness. Uses 6 movements.	Uses faces and motions with some effectiveness. Uses 5 movements.	Uses faces and motions with limited effectiveness. Uses 4 movements.
Sounds	Effectively uses sounds in their presentation. Sound enhances dialogue and story.	Uses sound with considerable effectiveness. Sound works well with dialogue and story.	Uses sound with some effectiveness. Sound at times distracts from dialogue and story.	Sounds distracts viewer from the story and dialogue.
Camera Angle	Uses 5 or more camera angles that enhance dialogue and story.	Uses 4 camera angles that works well with the dialogue and story.	Uses 3 camera angles. Camera angles sometimes distracts from story and dialogue.	Uses 2 or less camera angles. Camera angle distracts the viewer from the dialogue and story.
Audience	20 or more students give you a thumbs up.	15 to 19 students give you a thumbs up.	10 to 15 students give you a thumbs up.	9 or less students give you a thumbs up.

Humour Project: Xtranormal.com

Our class is currently doing a unit on humour.  As part of our unit, we have been focusing on the use of dialogue and how to effectively integrate it into their story.  To help students with this goal, students will be completing an assignment on a website called xtranormal.com.  Below I have posted a short video clip.  Each student has been given a username and password which will be written in their agenda.

If possible, please allow your child to explore.  I have set up two assignments (no marks will be given) so students can play around.  After students have been given some time to explore, I will negotiate the criteria with the class so students know what is expected of them.

Link for xtranormal:

http://www.xtranormal.com/


 Mr. Blick's sample movie.  This took me about 20 minutes to complete.  It is short in duration and will give you a brief idea on what this website entails.  

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/14377717/robotz-movie

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Special Thanks to Parker McLean for showing me this website!

Focus On Youth Schedule: Thursday May 2nd

Our class will be performing at Focus on Youth on Thursday May 2nd at the morning session (starts at 9:30am).  Parents are encouraged to attend.  Please be early as they will refuse entry once the performances begin.

Our class will be the last one to perform.  Students are asked to wear dark colours and have a brightly coloured shirt underneath.

Other performances related to our school or classroom during our scheduled time:

Evan Frederick (Gr. 5) -- Piano
Aurora Moore (Gr. 5) -- Vocal
ARES Grade 4 (Ms. Takeda and Mrs. Thomsen)

Our class will be attending the Wednesday May 1 show at 9:30am.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Thanks,

Mr. Blick

Focus on Youth Performances and Art

Focus on Youth will be taking place once again.  Rehersal day for ARES will be on Tuesday April 23rd. 

Focus on Youth performances will start on Monday April 29 to Friday May 3.

Our class will be doing two short peformances:

1.  Mr. Simon will have the students doing a music piece. 

2.  Mr. Blick will be having the students retell the palindrome poem "The Lost Generation" by Jonathan Reed.  This is a famous poem that sends a strong message for the human race.  Below, I have attached the youtube link so parents get an idea on what we will be doing. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

Each student has been given a part, with the larger parts going to students who asked for it.  The scripts will be coming home today.  Please ensure that your child has memorized their role.

Attendance:  To be successful, it is extremely important that every effort is made to be at school as we will be practicing this every day.

Clothing:  Each student will need to wear dark colours (pants, socks, tee-shirt or sweater with preferably no colour).  Under their black top, students will need to wear a bright vibrant colour.  When reading the first part of the poem, students will wear dark colours.  When the peom is read backwards, students will be wearing bright colours.  The goal is to have the colours match the theme of the poem. 

ART  Project:  Our class will be doing a mural of the famous Wassily Kandinsky painting titled "Heavy Red."  If any families have pencil crayons that they can send to the school, it would be greatly appreciated.  Since each student will be given a portion of the mural, it is important that all the colours we use must be consistent!

If there are any parents who are interested in helping with this project, please let me know.

Grade 5 Swimming and Fundraising (up to parents)

Grade 5 Swimming – May/June

Grade 5 students in Creston are being offered a special program to provide swimming lessons.  The goal of this program is to provide swim lessons for Grade 3, Grade 5 and Grade 10 students to ensure that all students have the basic skills associated with swimming.  Most of our lessons will take place on Tuesday and Thursday (except for the week we are at Fort Steele).

The PAC has generously offered to cover half of the costs.  Therefore, students will be asked to contribute $10.

Swimming Schedule:  8 sessions in total at 30 minutes in length

Tuesday        May 28:  1:30pm to 2:00pm
Wednesday   May 29:  1:30pm to 2:00pm

Tuesday        June: 4   1:30pm to 2:00pm
Thursday      June: 6   1:30pm to 2:00pm

Tuesday        June: 11  1:30pm to 2:00pm
Thursday      June: 13  1:30pm to 2:00pm

Tuesday        June: 18  1:30pm to 2:00pm
Thursday      June: 20  1:30pm to 2:00pm

Note:  Dates and times may be subject to change.

Lastly, a permission slip from the Rec Centre will be sent home for parents/guardians to complete.

Fundraising:  Option Available if Parents willing to organize

To help cover the costs, I have tentatively booked selling Hot Dogs at Overwaitea Foods on Saturday May 25^th from 11am to 3pm (times can vary).  Overwaitea will set up everything, basically meaning all we would have to do is sell hot dogs.  Overwaitea told me that groups typically earn around $300 for the day.  I will let parents decide if they are wanting to volunteer for this.  Please let me know in your child’s agenda by the Monday April 15^th.

Fort Steele Overnight Fieldtrip -- May 30 and 31

Fort Steele Overnight Fieldtrip

Thursday May 30 and Friday May 31, 2013

Each student will need to contribute $20 to cover the costs of the Fort Steele fieldtrip.  The $20 will cover the costs of the bus, Fort Steele (programs and overnight stay), swimming for 2 hours at the Cranbrook Rec Plex as well as three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks).  For any family that is unavailable to cover the costs, please contact Mr. Blick.  The PAC was generous in their donation, providing money for the whole class while also allowing for money to help any student who needs assistance.

Special thanks to Overwaitea for their support in our hot dog sales and providing additional supplies (food) for our trip. 

Special thanks to all the parents who volunteered with our Hot Dog sale in January and to Mrs. Severtson for her organizing with Overwaitea.

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I ________________ (parent/guardian name) hereby give permission for my child to attend the overnight Fort Steele fieldtrip on Thursday May 30^th and Friday May 31th.

Parent signature: ___________________

□ I have included the $20 fee.

Picture from Fort Steele Website