Welcome to Mr. Sibley's Classroom Blog

Hi everyone,
This site is currently set up only as a source to access some Grade 6 study and practice material for the Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Tests.

Later, it may be used as a place to keep you posted on current events in the Grade 6 classroom of Mr. Sibley at Bearspaw School.

PAT Tips: Day 1

Language Arts:

A simile compares two things using "like" or "as".
Example: The thin man was as light as a feather.

A metaphor compares two things but does not use "like" or "as".
Example: The thin man was a feather blowing in the wind.

Try these: http://www.pbvusd.k12.ca.us/schools/actis/files/cls_assignment_1681.pdf

Math:

BEDMAS is a memory tool to help you keep track of the order of operations (you may also hear the term PEMDAS which is the same thing). This means the correct order you use when a math problem includes different operations together like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Brackets then Exponents then Division or Multiplication (whichever comes first as these two are equal) then Addition or Subtraction  (whichever comes first as these two are equal).

Example:
4 + 3 x 6   In this example, you would multiply 3 x 6 first and then add 4 to equal 22. You would not add 4 + 3 and then multiply 6 to equal 42. The order is not correct.

Practice Sheets: http://math.about.com/od/algebraworksheets/ss/orderofop.htm

Science:

Coniferous trees are cone bearing trees with needles for leaves and are often called evergreens or softwoods. Examples are pine, fir, and spruce.

Deciduous trees are leafy trees and are often called hardwoods. Examples are maple, oak, birch, and poplar.

Are there any trees that do not fit into one of these categories?

Social:

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes many rights that all Canadians are entitled to. Two of the rights are Legal which relates to the courts and to the justice system (when arrested, when on trial and when in prison) and Mobility which relates to being able to move about the country and to enter and leave the country.

Want to learn more: http://www.scribd.com/full/36769343?access_key=key-1p8jw9ahbgoq0rs2vuv

PAT Tips: Day 2

Language Arts:

Synecdoche (sa neck da key) is part of speech in which a term for a part of something is used to refer to the whole of something, or vice-versa. Huh? 

(We have not covered this yet but don't worry because, I am guessing, most adults do not know it either. It rarely shows up on a PAT question.)

Examples:

"Get your butt in here!" doesn't mean just get your butt somewhere but get your whole body somewhere (part referring to the...nevermind).

"My dad bought me some new wheels." meaning a new car but the wheels are the part that is used to refer to the whole car.

Can you think of another example? Try it on your own first or ask a parent.

Math:

Place value of large numbers. Take the number 23.456789. If a number has a decimal point, the order of the numbers to the right of the decimal point is as follows: tenths (4 is in the tenths place), hundredths (5 is in the hundredths place), thousandths (6), ten thousandths (7), hundred thousandths (8), millionths (9) and so on. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as oneths and that the words on this side of the decimal place end in "ths".

Try this: http://www.aaamath.com/plc51cx2.htm

Science:

 The Nutrient Cycle is an important part in keeping forests healthy.

1. Decomposers break down the dead matter from trees or animals break down plant leaves
2. Nutrients are released back into the soil
3. Roots of trees absorb the nutrients
4. Nutrients travel up the trunk of the tree and are used as energy for growth.
5. Consumers eat the leaves of trees or the dead leaves fall back to the ground and the cycle continues.

Social:

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes many rights that all Canadians are entitled to. Two more rights are Democratic rights which are related to voting and how often governments must meet and Equality rights which are related to equal treatment under the the law and protection without discrimination.

Want to learn more: http://www.scribd.com/full/36769343?access_key=key-1p8jw9ahbgoq0rs2vuv

PAT Tips: Day 3

Language Arts:

Writers commonly use one of three forms of narration. First person is written as if the events are happening to the writer. Key words that are used are "I" and "we". Third person is written as if the events are happening to someone else. Character names are commonly used along with key words like "he", "she", "her", "his", and "they".

Another form that is not as common is second person. In this style, the author writes so that the reader is the main character. The key word used here is "you". JR from our class mentioned that this is the style of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" type of stories.

Examples:
I took my family to Calaway Park and we had lots of fun. (first person)
You took your family to Calaway Park and you had lots of fun. (second person)
Mr. Sibley took his family to Calaway Park and they had lots of fun. (third person)

Try this: http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/person.shtml

Math:

Factors are numbers that when multiplied together produce a product.
3 x 5 = 15. Factors are 3 and 5. Product is 15. 15 is also a multiple of 3 and a multiple of 5.

Prime Numbers - these are numbers that only have two factors
Composite Numbers - these are numbers that have more than two factors
0 and 1 are not considered prime or composite. They are exceptions.

More detail and information on this: http://www.mathsisfun.com/prime-composite-number.html Near the bottom of this linked page there  is a section called "Your Turn". Test yourself.

Science:

There are three main groups that are interested in the value of the forests. The first group is Recreational Users including hikers, campers, hunters, and those that use the forests for things like quadding. The second group is Environmental Users including scientists, environmentalist and others that want to protect the forest ecosystem and the animal and plant life found there. The third group is Economic User including forestry companies, oil and gas companies and others that make a financial gain from the forest. In many cases, users may fit into more than one group or all three groups.

Can you think of other examples for each group?

Social:

official language minorities - Groups for whom one official language of Canada (French or English) is their first language but who live within a larger group for whom the other official language of Canada is the first language. For example, a French family that lives in an English community or an English family that lives in a French community. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms helps ensure the protection of Canada’s two official languages by providing minority groups of both official languages with education in their mother tongue. This helps keep their communities and culture strong and vibrant.

PAT Tips: Day 4

Language Arts:

When you see three dots (periods) together in writing ... it is called an ellipsis. An ellipsis is used for two main reasons. One, to show that some words have been left out. Two, to create a dramatic pause in the action.

Example 1: "Star Trek is...one of the finest movies of the summer." (Originally the sentence was: "Star Trek is a great film and, I think, it is one of the finest movies of the summer.")

Example 2: "I ... can't ... go ... on," said the wounded warrior.

Math:

Prime factorization involves breaking down a composite number into the prime numbers that are factors of that number. We called them factor trees when we worked on it earlier in the year. At each level, the numbers multiply together to equal the top number. The tree is not done until the bottom row includes only prime numbers. This valuable skill is used in later grades

     30                       24
    /   \                      /   \
 5        6                 3     8
 /        /  \                /     /  \
5      2   3             3    2   4
                            /     /    /  \
                           3    2    2  2

Watch this: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/factors-multiples/prime_factorization/v/prime-factorization

Try this on your Mathletics account.

Science:

Time to get a Tree Cookie refresher: http://www.wonderville.ca/asset/tree-cookies

Social:

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes the rights as mentioned in earlier posts as well as certain fundamental freedoms. 

Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

(a) freedom of conscience and religion (free to follow any religion you choose)

(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication (free to your own thoughts and ideas and to speak your mind in media like newspapers and such)

(c) freedom of peaceful assembly (free to meet together with others in a peaceful way)

(d) freedom of association (free to be a part of any group you wish to be a part of)

PAT Tips: Day 5

Language Arts:

In writing, the colon, two dots on top of each other, is used for several reasons. The most common reason is to show a list of things is coming next. The colon is used to separate a title from a subtitle and in Bible verses. Also, it is used in math for time and rations. Finally, it is great for making a smiley face when texting.

Examples:
I only needed three things: money, cash, and riches! (list)
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (title and subtitle)
John 3:16 (Bible verse)
3 : 4, 3 apples to 4 bananas (ratio)
11:00 p.m. (time)
:) (no explanation needed)

Math:

The Cartesian plane is the name for the combination of a horizontal x-axis (going left to right) and the vertical y-axis (going up and down). This forms a cross and each of the four sections is called a quadrant. The place where they intersect or come together is called the origin. We place coordinates or ordered pairs on the Cartesian plane by going a certain number of spaces left or right of the origin (to the right are positive numbers and to the left are negative numbers) for x and by going a certain number of spaces up or down of the origin (up are positive numbers and down are negative numbers) for y. It is kinda like finding a space on a grid in a game like Battleship. If you have an ordered pair such as (3, 8) then this means that your x value is 3 so you go right 3 and your y value is 8 so you go up 8. Where they meet, is the location of your ordered pair.

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH3ngkv0ug8

Science:

We can look at the growth patterns of a tree by looking at tree cookies. We can look at the pattern of the rings and determine:
• Differences in coloration and texture of new growth and old growth
• If scars are present from fire or mechanical damage (branch broken) (very dark area)
• If enough nutrients were present (nice even ring growth)
• If nutrients were not present (close together ring growth)
• Crowded conditions (close together ring growth)
• Trauma damage (smaller lighter scars) from torn branches or bark
• Evenness of rings (roundness) indicating that it didn’t grow on a slope or wasn’t leaning in any way.

Social:

Constitution - is the supreme or most important law of the land. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a part of our constitution. The constitution applies to everyone and even the most powerful members of Canada's government must follow it and cannot change it.

In the Iroquois Confederacy, the Great Law of Peace was their constitution and everyone including clan mothers and chiefs were expected to follow it.

PAT Tips: Day 6

Language Arts:

Parentheses (par n tha seas) are a form of punctuation that is used to add extra information for the reader. Parentheses ( )  are often referred to as brackets [ ] or curly braces { }. The average person (including your teacher) often calls parentheses brackets and most people probably don't care what they are actually called. It is important that you try to use them correctly. It is important that the sentence makes sense and can stand alone without the info in parentheses. Some examples are listed below:

• I learned a lot about brackets (actually parentheses) during LA. 
• I learned a lot about brackets during LA. 

• The 49ers (the best team ever) will win the SuperBowl next year. 
• The 49ers will win the SuperBowl next year.

• Man Strength saved the day (shockingly) once again. 
• Man Strength saved the day once again.

Math:

When reading a word problem in math, you have to figure what the question is asking before you can solve it. There are certain key words that will help you understand which operation to use. Here are some words that are used for adding and subtracting:

Addition
increased by, more than, combined, together, total of, sum, added to

Subtraction
decreased by, minus, less, difference between/of, less than, fewer than 

Examples:

• What is the sum of 3 and 5? (adding question with an answer of 8)
• What is the difference between 12 and 7? (subtraction question with an answer of 5)
• If $2.50 is combined with $3.50, how much money do you have? (adding question with an answer of $6.00)
• The temperature was +7 degrees and it decreased by 10 degrees overnight. What was the new temperature? (subtraction question with an answer of -3 degrees)

Science:

The four layers of a forest are:

Upper Canopy- top of the forest formed by leaves and branches of the tallest tress.  Birds like owls, orioles, and insects like aphids, tent caterpillars make homes here.

Understory- level below the canopy.  Smaller trees and larger shrubs.  Provides sheltered space for birds and small mammals (squirrels, woodpeckers, insects).

Shrubbery Layer - level before the forest floor.  Home to ferns, wildflowers stem plants, insects, butterflies, small mammals like mice, and larger mammals like deer, skunks.

Forest Floor- bottom level of the forest- groundcover and soil: where you find decomposers (worms, bacteria, soil insects, tree roots) and dead materials.

Social:

Local government is the government of cities, towns, and municipalities. It also includes school boards and First Nations councils. Local government provides services such as: 

• streets and roads
• libraries
• animal control 
• parks and recreation 
• garbage and recycling disposal
• police and fire department (in cities) 
• city buses and C-train transportation 
• senior facilities, and others

PAT Tips: Day 7

Language Arts:

Adjectives are descriptive words. Two types of adjectives are comparative and superlative.

Comparative adjectives - compare two people or things (words like taller, faster, older, bigger, and so on)

Superlative adjectives - compare on person or thing to everyone else in the that group (words like tallest, fastest, oldest, biggest, and so on)

Try this: www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6009

Math:

When reading a word problem in math, you have to figure out what the question is asking before you can solve it. There are certain key words that will help you understand which operation to use. Here are some words that are used for multiplying and dividing:

Multiplication

times, multiplied by, product of, increased/decreased by a factor of

Division

per, out of, ratio of, quotient of, percent (divide by 100)

Examples:

• What is the product of 3 and 5? (multiplying question with an answer of 15)
• What is the quotient of 42 and 7? (division question with an answer of 6)

Science:

Common decomposers include:

• Fungus- they lack roots, stems and leaves and cannot photosynthesis. Some examples are rusts, mildews, mushrooms, conks, yeasts, molds
• Conks- are a special type of fungus attached to tree trunks. They are very hard and look like steps on the trunk of a tree
• Lichens- are made up of two plants- a fungus and an algae. The fungus absorbs water and the algae produce food because it can photosynthesize.

Social:

Local government laws are called bylaws. They ensure things run smoothly and safely for the people that live there. You may have to pay a fine if you do not follow bylaws. There are bylaws related to animal control, smoking, loud noises, and so on.

A councillor will present a motion at a council meeting to try to get a bylaw passed. People (regular citizens) may be present. It gets discussed three times before vote. If the majority vote in favour, it will be passed. Council meetings are held at City Hall or the offices of the local government.

PAT Tips: Day 8

Language Arts:

Try some grammar games here: http://www.funenglishgames.com/games.html

Math:

We spent some time learning about integers this year which include both positive and negative numbers. You might also hear the terms counting numbers, natural numbers, whole numbers, rational numbers and so on.

Want to be a numbers geek (and who amongst us doesn't)? Check out this link: http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/evolution-of-numbers.html

Want to learn more about integers: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mesg/html/math6web/index.html?page=lessons&lesson=m6lessonshell06.swf

Science:

Remember these:
(from http://www.moonconnection.com/images/moon_phases_diagram.jpg)

Social:

Town or City Manager makes sure council decisions are put in place and keeps the council
informed and updated. All departments report to the manager.

Civil servants are people that are hired to work in government departments. They do many different jobs helping the services the government provides run smoothly.

PAT Tips: Day 9

Language Arts:

Personification is when something that is not human (an animal or a non-living thing) is given human characteristics. This is done by writers to help paint an interesting picture for the reader.

Examples:
The sun winked at me from behind the clouds.
The leaves danced happily in the breeze.

Make up some of your own now.

Math:

We will be covering this material in the coming week:

Polygons are closed shapes made with straight line segments that do not intersect.

Non-polygons may have curved lines,  may be an open shape, and/ or may have intersecting lines.

Regular polygons have all equal angles, and all equal side lengths like a square or equilateral triangle or stop sign.

Irregular polygons do not have equal angles or side lengths.

Congruent means identical shape and size.

Concave is when part of the polygon goes inward like a dent.

Convex is when all of the polygon goes outward.

Try this (but you better be fast!): http://www.math-play.com/polygon-or-not/polygon-or-not.html

Science:

The Sun as we know it in our solar system is but one of billions of stars located in the Milky Way galaxy.

The stars visible in our night sky all belong to our galaxy, and it wasn’t until the early 1900’s that the galaxies outside of our own were discovered.

The Milky Way contains billions of stars along with the possibility of numerous solar systems in orbit around those stars.

Galaxies contain billions of stars and a large amount of interstellar matter (planets, comets, asteroids, moons, etc.) but the vast space between galaxies is cold, dark, and void of any particles.

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17jymDn0W6U

Social Studies:

School boards look after schools and education in a local area. The provincial government decides what needs to be taught and provides money to school boards so they can support the schools. School boards have people called trustees who are elected every three years to make sure the school division runs smoothly. The trustees try to identify a good candidate to lead the school board and hire this person to be a superintendent. The superintendent is NOT elected.

Students have a choice to go to public schools or private schools. There are public schools for certain religions like the Calgary Catholic School Board, French schools, First Nations schools and special focus charter schools.

PAT Tips: Day 10

Language Arts:

Alliteration is the repeating of consonant sounds in words that are grouped together in writing.

Examples:
Sibley's spectacular students...
...bouncing baby boy...

Check this out: http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112392/alliteration.html

Math:

Triangles:

• scalene triangle - no equal angles, no equal side lengths
• isosceles triangle– 2 equal angles, 2 equal side lengths
• equilateral triangle – all equal angles (60°), all equal side lengths
• right triangle – one angle that equals 90°
• obtuse triangle – one angle is obtuse (greater than 90° but less than 180°)
• acute triangle – all angles are acute (less than 90°)

Retro video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st6rHVc76d4

Science: 

• Waxing is when the moon appears to grow larger in size.
• Waning is when the moon appears to become smaller in size.
• Crescent is a curved shape that is smaller than a semi-circle.
• Gibbous is a curved shape that is larger than a semi-circle but smaller than a full circle.

Social Studies:

What are the duties of a school board trustee?

• make decisions about services and programming
• make decisions about school building and student transportation
• listen to people’s complaints and make fair judgements
• make sure the provincial curriculum is taught
• decide how the budget is spent
• listen to what people think is important for their children’s education
• make rules and policies for schools

PAT Tips: Day 11

Language Arts:

A prefix is a part of word that is added to the beginning of a word which changes the meaning of the word. Here are some examples:

• im (means not) as in impossible meaning not possible
• in (means not) as in incomplete meaning not complete
• dis (means not or opposite) as in disagree meaning not agree

Check this out: http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/other/prefixes/worksheets/Prefixes%20Worksheet%20(1).pdf

Math:

Equivalent in math means equal in value or amount. Two main areas that we use equivalent is when referring to fractions or referring to ratios.

At times, on the PATs, you will not be able to find your answer as one of the choices but an equivalent fraction or ratios might be given.

Examples:
2/3 is equivalent to 4/6, 6/9, 20/30, 66/99, and many others
15/20 is equivalent to 3/4, 6/8, 9/12, 12/16 75/100 and many others

2:5 is equivalent to 4:10, 6:15, 20:50, 40:100 and many others
8:10 is equivalent to 4:5, 16:20, 80:100 and many others

Try this game: http://www.arcademics.com/games/ratio-blaster/ratio-blaster.html

Science: 

There are 2 types of moon eclipses. They are the lunar eclipse and the solar eclipse.

Lunar eclipse - an eclipse in which the moon appears darkened as it passes into the earth's shadow. The Sun, Earth, and Moon need to be lined up exactly and the Earth needs to be in the middle. The sun’s rays are blocked from reflecting off the moon. The moon appears orange or reddish during a lunar eclipse. This can only happen during a full moon.

Solar eclipse - an eclipse in which the sun is blocked by the moon. The Earth, Moon and Sun must be lined up exactly and the moon needs to be in the middle. The moon appears dark with a bright ring around the outer edge. This can only happen during a new moon.

(From: http://www2.chilton.k12.wi.us/sromekg/lunar%20solar%20eclipse.jpg)

Social Studies:

Some local government words to know:

Councillor- a person elected to local government.
Alderman- another term for a councillor, some areas use the term councillor and some use the term alderman.
Council- a group of elected representatives who make decisions for a local area.
Nominate- to identify a person as a possible candidate for an elected position.
Ballot- a piece of paper used for voting that lists the names of the candidates.
Budget- a list of items that shows how much money will be spent on each item.
Revenue- Income or money coming in

Expenditures- Expenses or money going out

PAT Tips: Day 12

Language Arts:

For the last entry, we talked about prefixes. This time we will be talking about suffixes.

A suffix is a part of word that is added to the end of a word which changes the meaning of the word. Here are some examples:

• ous (means full of) as in joyous meaning full of joy
• less (means lacking something) as in helpless meaning lacking help

Try this: http://www.bigbrownbear.co.uk/demo/suffix.htm

Math:

Mixed numbers and improper fractions. We spent a lot of time on this. Here is a refresher.

Mixed numbers combine a whole number with a fraction. For example, two and a third or 2 1/3. The hockey teams played 2 and 1/3 games or 2 full games and 1 period of 3 periods in a 3rd game.

Improper fractions are when the top number in a fraction (called the numerator or how many you have) is larger than the bottom number (called the denominator or what you are counting). For example, seven thirds or 7/3. I am counting my thirds and I have seven of them.

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJRtb-tL5Jk

Try this: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/fractions/mathman_improper_fractions.htm

Science: 

In Canada, we have clear differences from one season to the next and yet every year the climate stays generally predictable (though that might be a debate for another day). We know that summers will usually be quite hot and dry and that winters will be quite cold.

The main reason for the seasons that we see in Alberta are: (1) the tilt of the Earth on its axis as it revolves in orbit around the sun and (2) our northern latitude on the Earth (our location on the planet).

In simple terms, we are closer to the sun in summer and farther from the sun in winter. The sun's rays are more direct in the summer and less direct in the winter.

Watch this and play with the settings: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/007299181x/student_view0/chapter2/seasons_interactive.html

Social Studies:

Provincial government provides services:

• education, 
• health and wellness, 
• energy and resources (oil and gas), 
• child services,
• senior and community support, 
• tourism and provincial parks, 
• agriculture and food, 
• First Nations relations, 
• sustainable resources

Education and Health are the 2 biggest expenses by far.

PAT Tips: Day 13

Language Arts:

Build your vocabulary today and help feed those in need with Free Rice:
http://freerice.com

Math:

Since we have been in the early grades of school, we have solved simple math problems like 3 + 5 = ___ or 3 x 5 = ___. The equal sign told us that we are to do  something or find an answer. In reality, the equal sign is telling us that the two sides are balanced or of the same value.

For example, instead of saying 3 + 5 = 8, we could say that 3 + 5 = 2 + 6. Both sides have a value of 8 so they are balanced.

Now, if we add to one side, we must add that same amount to the other side so that we keep both sides balanced, equal and having the same value. Like this:

3 + 5 = 2 + 6 (our original balanced equation)
3 + 5 + 10 = 2 + 6 + 10 (our new balanced equation with 10 added to both sides)

This is called the Preservation of Equality. This rule applies to adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. If you do something to one side of the equation (known as an expression) then you must do that same thing to the other side to maintain or keep the Preservation of Equality.

Try to make balanced equations using this: http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?id=26

Science: 

Polaris is the name for the North Star. The star is very noticeable in our night sky because it is nearly directly above the North Pole (hence the name Polaris). All the other constellations (groups of stars) in our night sky seem to rotate around this star.

Constellations appear to move throughout the night because we are actually moving with the rotation of the Earth on its axis (full rotation takes about one full day).

The diagram below shows how a constellation like the Big Dipper (actually Ursa Major or "Big Bear") would look if you checked the night sky at the same time of night every 3 months. The constellation appears to rotate 90 degrees or a quarter turn every three months. This is a result of the Earth's revolution in orbit around the sun.

HINT: This type of question is almost always on the PAT every year. Be sure you understand it.

From: http://warlockasylum.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/star-dipper.gif

Social Studies:

The Lieutenant Governor is the Queen’s representative for the province. You may also see the term monarchy or monarch which means queen or king of a land. That person is recommended by the Prime Minister and then appointed by the Governor General (Queen’s representative for Canada).

The Lieutenant Governor must:

• sign any bills that are passed in the Legislative Assembly before they become law, 
• invites the leader of party that won election to become premier, 
• calls Legislature into session, 
• reads Speech from the Throne (what the government plans to do), and 
• closes the Legislature for elections.

PAT Tips: Day 14

Language Arts:

This site looks promising. The content is mostly topics related to the United States and American history but it may help with your comprehension skills. Practice your reading comprehension here: http://mrnussbaum.com/readingpassageindex/#5

Math:

Probability refers to the chances or likelihood of an event happening. If I flip a coin, the probability of getting heads is the same as the probability of getting tails. You could say the probability is 1/2 or 50%. This is called theoretical probability. If I do a probability experiment by flipping a coin ten times and get 3 heads and 7 tails, then this is called experimental probability. The difference is that one explains what should happen (theoretical) and the other is what actually happened (experimental).

Watch this: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mesg/html/math6web/index.html?page=lessons&lesson=m6lessonshell19.swf

Try this: http://www.prongo.com/guess/index.html

And This: http://www.pearsonschool.com/live/images/custom/envisionmath_ca/games/pond.html

Science:

The Sun is a star. It is the closest star to Earth and it is the heart of our solar system. All the planets in our solar system are affected by the Sun. The Sun provides heat and light energy. These energies help sustain life on Earth (think back to how the sun is needed for plants which are producers on the food chains and webs). 

The sun is a sphere object made up of the gases of helium and hydrogen. Nuclear fusion reactions inside the sun create its energy and this gives off light. The temperature inside is about 15 million degrees Celsius. The temperature at the surface is about 6000 degrees Celsius.

The only reason we are able to see anything including the planets, moons, comets, and asteroids are because of the light that is reflected from the sun’s light. The only light from the Earth would be man-made light and the light from fires or lightning.

Social Studies:

MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) are elected to run the province along with the premier (currently Alison Redford) who is in charge. This person is the leader of the political party (currently the Progressive Conservative Party) that has elected the most candidates in the different voting districts called constituencies. 

MLAs:

• discuss bills (laws that are being considered) 
• vote on these bills after reviewing them (called a reading) 3 times to become an act that is an official law 
• make decisions for the constituents in their constituency or the people that live in their area

PAT Tips: Day 15

Language Arts:

Facts vs. Inferences vs. Opinion

Fact: something that is true without argument

Examples: 

Alberta is a province in Canada.

Many people have dogs as pets.

Inference: using evidence and logic to come to a conclusion

Examples: 

Many people in Alberta probably enjoy quality beef.

Dogs seem to be good at protecting homes from theives.

Opinion: a viewpoint on something that is not necessarily based on facts or evidence

Examples:

Alberta is the best place to live in Canada.

Dogs are a better pet than cats.

Try these: http://www.philtulga.com/Riddles.html

And this (though it is pretty easy): http://www.pspb.org/blueribbon/games/detective/DetectiveGame.html

Math:

Science:

The Earth and the other planets have satellites (moons) that move around the planets in a predicable way following an orbit. The follow this orbit and stay in the orbit as a result of the force of gravity. 

The force of gravity from large object attracts smaller objects and keeps them in orbit. The Sun’s gravity keeps the Earth and other planets in our solar system in a predicable orbit. 

Most of the other planets have moons as well. The larger plants have many, many moons of different sizes. These moons are made up of many different substances but all of them are classified as satellites because they orbit their planet.

Social Studies:

Cabinet ministers are MLAs that have been put in charge of a provincial department like education or health.

Cabinet ministers:

• meet with premier to discuss what needs to be done, 
• create a budget for their department to follow 
• research and write bills 
• work with committees

PAT Tips: Day 16

Language Arts:

Math:

Perimeter of a rectangle (or the distance around an object) can be found by using the formula: length + width + length + width.

Area of a rectangle can be found using the formula: Length X Width = Area²
In this example, the length is 9 and the width is 4.
The perimeter is 9 + 4 + 9 + 4 = 26.
The area is 9 x 4 =36 units². You could count the total squares here and find there are 36 squares.

Try this:  http://www.mathplayground.com/area_perimeter.html

Science: 

The order of the planets from closest to sun to farthest from sun is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. To help remember this you can remember the sentence, “My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos” which uses he first letter of each planet in the first letter of each word in the sentence. 

The 4 planets closest to the sun are solid and rocky and called the inner planets. 

Earth has an atmosphere which helps regulate the temperature on our planet so that it does not get too hot or too cold. 

The 4 planets farthest from the sun are made of gas and are called the outer planets. 

There is an asteroid belt between the Mars and Jupiter that helps to separate the inner from the outer.

Social Studies:

Official Opposition 

If you win the election in your constituency (area) but are not part of the party in charge then you become on opposition member. The current official opposition party is the Wildrose. The official opposition is basically the second place party in an election, which is the one that has elected the second most candidates in the different voting districts called constituencies.

The job of the opposition party is:

• to make sure the government is doing the best job possible for the people that it represents 
• to ask question and raise concerns if you see issues