Watoto Children's Choir concert announcement - March 17th

I just came across this concert announcement on panow (you can find the whole article by clicking here). This is sure to be an incredible concert and shouldn't be missed! Check it out!

Junior/Senior Music Festival choir rehearsal dates

Jr. choir noon hour rehearsals: Tues. March 1st / Thurs. March 3rd

Senior choir rehearsals INCLUDING junior choir (you will be pulled from class at these times) plus Arthur for accompaniment: Wed. March 2nd - P.3 / Fri. March 4th - P.4 / Thurs. March 10th - P.3

We are into the home stretch before our performance at Music Festival, ladies! I am encouraged by the progress we've made on our 2 pieces, but there is still work to be done before we take the stage. Please be sure to attend all rehearsals on time and prepared.

Playing tests

Band playing tests are almost all finished for Level 1 and 3. If you are in one of those bands but have been away, or without an instrument, etc. then you will need to catch up after the break.

Level 4 scale testing will begin on Monday after the break (during online theory time).

Level 2 scale testing will continue after the break. Please make sure that you are practicing so that you can play your scales with confidence. If you need extra help, please make arrangements to see me. Your tests should take about 2 minutes if you are prepared.

Happy February break! :o)

PS - Thanks to Level 3 band for an awesome rehearsal today! I had so much fun playing and singing with you. Phantom of the Opera was so cool. :oD

8I Picnik highlights - Feb 15th

Here are a few highlights from the past 2 assignments. Well done ladies!

Today's featured Picnikers: Makayla, Tasha, Claudia, Eryka, Janae, Karli, Morgan, and Vanessa. :o)

Public Market photos:

Flower edits:

And one fun extra one from Vanessa - neat idea!

8M selective boosting assignment

Hi girls!

To continue along the same lines of what we have been working on in Picnik, today we will be experimenting with another form of selective colouring that I call "selective boosting." Basically what it entails is lowering the colour saturation of your original photo, boosting it, and REVERSING the painting effect so that whatever you paint back on will be boosted (higher colour saturation) while the rest will be more muted colours. So, to break that down step by step:

1. Upload the photo that is to be edited.
2. Under the "Edit" tab, click "Colors" and pull the saturation toggle towards the left until you have achieved the level of colour you desire (be sure that it is muted enough that your boosting effect will be noticeable and worth your time and effort).

3. Under the "Create" tab, choose the Boost feature. Adjust the level using the toggle tab until you are happy with the colour of the object to be singled out (i.e. a flower, a guitar, a person, etc.). Always make sure to alter it only enough so that it adds to it, not detracts by being too distracting or overpowering. For example, sometimes boosting colour will erase important details, such as creases in flower petals, etc.4. In the "Effect Painting" box, click "Reverse Effect." This will bring everything back to the lower colour saturation level. Now, when you paint back the original colour (just like we did when we experimented with black and white selective colour painting), it will be a more bold and saturated colour. The overall effect will be that the entire photo is in colour, but one piece will stand out.

Selective boosting is much like selective colouring in that you are emphasizing one part of a photograph with bold colour while drawing attention away from its surroundings - you also use the same brush technique as you did with selective colouring. The difference with selective boosting, however, is that you are not turning the photo to black and white but rather decreasing its saturation so that some colour still remains, just not as bold as the original.

Here are some photos to choose from (make sure you click on the photo to enlarge it before you drag and drop it to your desktop):

When you are done, save it with your last name and "Selective boosting" and submit it to the 8M drop box (or 8I, if that is the class you are in).

8M Picnik highlights

Here are a few highlights from your first 2 photo editing assignments. Well done!

Today's featured Picnikers are Shannon, Erica B, Hannah, Danika, Brigid, and Michelle. :o)

Public Market edits:

Flower edits:

Colour and Quote

Colour and Quote (Picnik - Comp 8)

Hi Computers 8!

Once you have finished your "Public Market" and "flower" edits (which are overdue now, for those of you who haven't submitted yours), here is a new assignment for you:

Choose a photo that has vibrant colour (a bowl of candy, a pair of shoes, a guitar, etc.) and do selective colouring (remember to change the photo to black and white and then paint on the original colour using a brush size small enough that you can be accurate in your lines), and then search Google for a quotation that will fit with the mood of your photo. You may need to put your quotation on more than one line.

When you are finished, save the file with your last name and "Colour and Quote" and hand it in to my drop box.

Happy Picniking!

Jr. Choir Music Festival rehearsals

Tuesday Feb. 15th and Wed. Feb. 16th @ 11:45am in the music room. Bring your lunch along with your copies of the pieces for Festival if you came to pick them up from me in advance (most of you did).

Our 2 pieces for Festival are:

1. Early One Morning

2. Fare Thee Well, Love

Band playing tests

Level 1 (Deep Pockets, Doodle All Day, and the first 8 notes of the chromatic scale, which are the first 5 notes of your Concert Bb scale and all the half-steps in between): Wed. Feb. 16th (during online theory period), Thurs. Feb. 17th, plus one post-break class if needed

Level 2 (Concert Bb, Concert Eb, full chromatic scale): Tues. Feb. 15th (during grade 7 online theory period for 7-2s only), Wed. Feb. 16th, Fri. Feb. 18th

Level 3 (Concert Bb, Concert Eb, Concert F, full chromatic scale): Thurs. Feb. 17th, Fri. Feb. 18th

Level 4 (Concert D, Concert Db, Concert B, full chromatic scale): Wed. Feb. 16th (video camera tests only), Mon. Feb. 28th (during online theory period)

Any tests that are not completed during this time will be made up after the break.

Things to do on a limited budget

1. Weather permitting, go for a bike ride through parks, along riverbank paths, or even around your own neighbourhood.

2. Go through your closet and ask yourself whether you have worn each item in the past 6 months. If the answer is no, or if those items don't fit, are out of style, etc., then clear them out and make way for new things. Donate your used clothing to Value Village, the Salvation Army, Community Living, etc. or have a garage sale. You will feel liberated by clearing space in your closet, while also getting that warm and fuzzy feeling by helping others in the process. You may even make some money to boot!

3. Reorganize the furniture in your room. Even the smallest changes can make a big difference in how refreshed you feel (it will also help you to clean out a stash of things under your bed that you otherwise don't pay much attention to!).

4. Give yourself a manicure/pedicure at home. Soak your feet in a bubble bath (or a foot spa if you have one), paint your toenails with a fresh coat of polish in a fun summery colour, and finish the process with a nice smelling lotion. This pampering is sure to lift your spirits and leave you feeling oh-so-pretty! Besides, you are worth it!

5. Organize your CD collection, DVDs, books, etc. Alphabetize them by title, artist, author, etc. to make them easy to access quickly.

6. Open your window and let the light pour in while you clean your room. I mean REALLY clean your room. This means dusting, washing walls, sweeping/vaccuuming the floor, doing laundry, cleaning under your bed, hanging up your clothes, etc. Listening to music helps not only to make this task go faster, but it can even make it (GASP)... fun! It'll be worth your hard work to see and enjoy the end result.

7. Bake. Anything. Call a friend over to help you, or at least to help you enjoy it when it's all finished!

8. Learn to cook something new with an unusual ingredient like risotto, pine nuts, or couscous.

9. Record a video message to a friend and send it in an e-mail.

10. Read a book whilst laying on the beach, in a hammock in your backyard, in a cozy chair, or in the bathtub... anywhere that's relaxing and free from outside stress.

11. Paint a picture. If you're not an artist, paint something abstract with experiments of bold colours and swirls.

12. Plan a vacation. Research airfare costs, attractions, accommodations, transportation, etc. and imagine that you are already there. If means allow, you may actually choose to start saving to make this idea a future reality.

13. Go for a walk around your neighbourhood and take pictures of things that you might otherwise take for granted from day to day. If your camera has a digital macro feature, you can get up close and personal with trees, branches, berries, cracks in the sidewalk, blades of grass, etc. You might be surprised at what artistic shots you can get, even in your own backyard!

14. Learn to play that old piano sitting in your basement (or clarinet, or trumpet, or guitar, or saxophone, or accordion...)

15. Write a poem.

16. Read your favourite book again. Or, visit the public library and pick up a new one entirely.

17. Plan a "cupboard potluck" with some friends. The rule is that nobody can buy new groceries to make their dish, but rather use things that they already have in their cupboards, fridge, freezer, etc. It's a good excuse to get together with friends, have a good meal, and use up food that otherwise hasn't been touched. (Check the expiry dates first.) ;o)

18. Organize a swap party. Invite 10 of your closest friends and instruct them to bring over 10 of their items that they no longer need or want: their old clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories, DVDs, books, etc. Then, swap one item for one item among your friends, and everybody comes out with some "new" things to enjoy!

19. Write letters to friends or family members telling them why you appreciate them. Send them in the mail.

20. Make a list of 20 things to do when you're bored and have little money. :o)

Beans in Arizona

Ah yes, it's a tough life. :o)

Avery and Emily (just over 4 months old now) sporting their new sunglasses on their vacation to Phoenix, AZ

Avery relaxing on her slightly oversized lounge chair

We're (practically) famous!

Check it out: Narnia is featured in a short PANow article!

Click here to see the article.

Way to go everyone! So far the reviews have been excellent!

Narnia pictures for program/poster

Presenting.... Narnia!

Presenting our cast of characters..... just for fun!

Jordan as Susan

Jason as Aslan

Camille and Michael as the White Witch and Edmund

Ian as Uncle Digory, the Professor

Claire as Fenris Ulf

Maddi as the Dwarf

Ian as Father Christmas

Mikaela and Brenna as Lucy and Mr. Tumnus

Andrew as Peter

Ski trip forms due March 1st

Your forms for our school ski trip to Wapiti (Friday, March 11th, 2011) are due by March 1st. Remember to also tell your homeroom teacher whether you are skiing or snowboarding, and what level you are at (first time, beginner, intermediate, or advanced). The only cost to the students is a $10 bus fee. The school is covering the cost of your lift tickets and equipment rentals. Helmets are required for all snowboarders, and personally I am planning on wearing my helmet to ski - makes sense to be safe no matter what sport you are participating in! This trip is always a ton of fun - let's start the countdown!

Science 7 solubility/saturation definitions

Definitions for next class:

- concentrated solution

- dilute solution

- concentration

- unsaturated solution

- saturated solution

- supersaturated solution

- insoluble

- solubility

Link for online blog countdown

www.mycountdown.org