Who knew watching water boil could be so much fun?

On Friday in the Science Lab, my grade 7 class brought their learning off the page as they changed ice cubes into water vapour. There was a great deal of excitement in the air as they watched their ice melt, and then saw their water boil; demonstrating how matter can change between states. Students noted the temperature of the water at each minute during the experiment. Today we will examine our results and plot a graph showing the changes in temperature and state of matter over time.

Week of September 30th-October 4th

Here we are about to jump into our second month of the school year. Routines have been established and we are now starting to get heavy into our learning. As workloads in some courses may increase and summative assessments begin, everyone is reminded to take advantage of the supports available, both at school and at home, whenever they need them including; extra help at lunch hour and Google Classroom.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 1nd is our picture day. Come dressed in your best and wearing your biggest and brightest smile 🙂

Here is a snapshot into the learning that will take place during our classes together this week


French- This week we will continue drafting our narrative texts. We will be introduced to some new tools to help enhance our writing and we will discuss the importance of “showing” or describing instead of simply telling as to better engage our readers.

On Wednesday, we will get to meet our Grade 5 book buddies. Throughout the year, students in the Grade 8 and Grade 5 Immersion classes will come together to take part in various literacy focused activities. Our first meeting will be a chance to get to know one another and discuss genres of books all enjoy reading to help plan our future periods together.

Science-The next few classes will be spent preparing for our assessment on Chapter 1 (atoms, molecules, elements and the periodic table) which will take place on Thursday (October 3rd, Day 1). We will then begin to explore Chapter 2, beginning with a review of physical changes in matter which we studied in Grade 7.

Grade 9 Science-Over the next few days, we will finish up our study of DNA, genetics, and genetic diversity as we prepare for our first assessment on these concepts on Day 1 (Thursday, October 3rd).

Grade 7 Science- This week we will wrap up our look at changes in states of matter. We will also explore how mass and volume are measured and defined. Preparations will then begin for our first quiz on sections 1.1-1.3. Students should begin to prepare for this quiz on their own as well; reviewing new vocabulary and take advantage of the practice questions provided in class to help solidify their understanding.

Grade 4-9 Core French-This week we will continue our new units on daily events and activities. In Grades 4-6 we will wrap up our discussions of activities we take part in before, during and after school; reviewing how to tell time in French as we express when specific activities take place. In Grades 7-9 we will wrap up our exploration of the fun activity of going out to eat in a restaurant.

Have a fantastic week!

Mme MacNevin

Week of September 23rd-27th

It is hard to imagine that month of September is almost over and we are entering into our first full week of fall. I hope that everyone had a chance to take advantage of the beautiful weather over the weekend! I also want to thank everyone for all their help on Friday with our Terry Fox Run. We had a blast!! I look forward to hearing all about the total amount raised for this fantastic cause 🙂

This week is shaping up to be a busy, but short one. There will be no classes on Friday, September 27th. Teachers and Staff will spend the day discussing our school goals.

Picture day will be on Tuesday, October 1st.

Let’s now take a look at the learning that will take place over this week in our classes together


French-We have started our first piece of writing in our writer’s workshop, a narrative text. This week we will finish up reviewing the structure of this type of text, as we continue to read and analyze stories; taking from them to plan out our own ideas and begin our first drafts.

We will also finish up our oral diagnostic testing and continue our daily “rĂ©chauffement” (warm-up) as we work towards meeting our individual oral language learning goals we set last week.

With Mr. Alex, our French monitor, students have been working on creating their own plays, which they will present to their peers later on this week.

Science-As we travel through our unit on matter, this week we will finish up our discovery of molecules and their structure and we will continue to examine the Periodic Table of the Elements and discuss how matter is organized. Each student has chosen an element to research and to use to show their understanding of how to read the Periodic Table. Over the next few days we will complete and share these projects and then begin our summary activities for Chapter 1.

Grade 9 Science- As we work through our biology unit, this week we will continue to discuss both mitosis and meiosis and how these processes produce new cells. We will also take a closer look at genetic diversity amongst populations through an interactive in-class activity. If time permits, we will begin our last section of chapter 1; discussing the differences between cells, tissues, organs and systems.

Grade 7 Science- Over the next few days we will complete our study of changes in states of matter. We will then begin to define mass, learn how to measure the mass of different substances, and start to explore the differences between mass and weight.

Grade 4-9 Core French-This week we will continue our new units on daily events and activities. In Grades 4-6 we will continue discussing the activities we take part in before, during, and after school; reviewing how to tell time in French as we express when activities take place. In Grades 7-9 we will continue our exploration of the fun activity of going out to eat in a restaurant.

Have a wonderful week!

Mme MacNevin

Making molecules

Today in the Science Lab, as part of our chemistry unit, students in Grade 8 used wooden beads and marshmallows to make models of molecules. We had a blast! Next up: a deeper discovery of the periodic table 🙂




Everyone is reminded of the social tomorrow evening and to dress for the beautiful weather we are expecting on Friday for our annual Terry Fox run.

Have a great end to the week 🙂

Fabulous edible DNA and creative exploration devices

Last week students in Grade 9 showcased their first few days of learning through a project entitled “Have your DNA and eat it too!” Students worked in teams to create edible DNA molecules using marshmallows and twizzlers.

In Grade 8, we participated in our first “Instant Challenge” of the year. Using the mystery materials, students created a device that would allow a goldfish to explore what life was like outside of a fishbowl. What innovative and imaginative stories they came up with and all en français 🙂

Week of September 16th-20th

It was great to see so many faces at our “Meet the Staff” event on Thursday evening! Please continue to follow our class blog for updates throughout the year and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions 🙂

Last week we kicked off our annual Terry Fox fundraiser. Pledge sheets were sent home on Thursday with our K-6 students. Our Leadership team is also working on putting together some fun activities to help raise funds for this wonderful cause. Check out the school’s webpage for more details.

Our Terry Fox Walk/Run and Fun Day will take place on Friday, September 20th. In the morning, students will walk along the beautiful Gulf Shore Parkway in the PEI National Park. In the afternoon, they will be treated to a BBQ lunch generously put on by our Home and School. After lunch, the fun will continue as we participate in many interactive team building activities put on by our Student Leadership Team. To date Gulf Shore School has raised well over $120,000.00 for the Terry Fox Foundation. Let’s keep that total rising!

Teen and Club de lecture book order forms from Scholastic were sent home late last week. Please try to have any orders in by mid-week. These book orders are a great way to pick up some reading materials for home all while supporting our teachers to purchases books for their classroom libraries 🙂

Our Hot Lunch program is now up and running. Please refer to the Milk and Hot Lunch Sales tab on our school’s website for more details.

Parents and guardians are invited to our first Home and School meeting of the 2019-2020 school year that will be held on Wednesday, September 18th at 7:00pm in the Science Lab. Everyone is welcome to attend 🙂

School pictures will be happening soon. Please see the webpage for more information.

With all those housekeeping announcements out of the way, now let’s take a look at what we will be learning during our classes together this coming week


French- Our oral presentations will begin this afternoon and they will help us to establish criteria around what counts when we present to the class. These presentations will also provide a great starting point for us to identify areas for improvement when it comes to our individual short term language goals.

This week we will set up our writer’s workshop; as we take a look at narrative texts and establish their characteristics. As we listen to and read a series of stories, we will work to identify the elements necessary in this type of text and begin brainstorming some ideas of our own.

Diagnostic testing will also continue in grammar and both written and oral comprehension.

Science-We are now fully immersed in our first unit: “L’univers materiel.” This week we will continue to discuss atoms and molecules and Dalton’s atomic theory. We will also begin to examine the Periodic Table of the Elements and discuss how matter is organized and grouped on the table.

Grade 9 Science- We are well into our biology unit: “L’univers vivant.” Last week we learned about DNA and its make-up. This week we will explore the life cycle of a cell and the importance of cell division and genetic diversity. We will also begin to discuss how cells reproduce, both asexually and sexually, through the processes of mitosis and meiosis.

Grade 7 Science- Late last week we kicked off the first unit of our Science program on matter. This week we will discuss the three states of matter and how atoms behave in each state. Students will even become solid, liquid and gas particles, as we act out “the dance of the atoms” to explain the properties of each state of matter. We will then begin to look at how changes in temperature impact that behavior, as we explore how substances can change from one state of matter to another.

Grade 4-9 Core French- Over the next few classes we will continue to work to create our French class routines and review what we studied in previous years. We will also kick off our first units of study. In Grades 4-6 students will begin a unit called “Ça c’est ma journĂ©e!” In Grades 7-9 we will start a unit called “On part Ă  l’aventure!” In both these units we will explore vocabulary surrounding daily events and activities; expressing our interests in activities, food and for my intermediate classes, eventually planning an event “en français.”

Have a fabulous week!

Mme MacNevin

What’s in the box???

To kick off our Science periods together this year, students in Grade 8 and 9 participated in a challenge called “What’s in the box?” Working in teams, students created and then executed experiments, as they followed the scientific method to figure out the contents of each of 5 boxes. Scientists are dectives and my students certainly solved the case 🙂 We look forward to many more challenges as the year progresses. Keep your eyes peeled to this blog to see more of what the 2019-2020 school year has in store 🙂

Week of September 9th-13th

What a wild and crazy weekend! I hope everyone stayed warm and safe and has their power restored soon. I’m sure I’ll be hearing plenty of stories over the next few days of how everyone weathered the storm. Hopefully this week will bring us back into our normal routines, as we begin our school year together.

Just a couple of quick housekeeping notes for my homeroom class


1. There are still a few students who have yet to return forms and/or pay their $25.00 student fee. If you could kindly get those in as soon as possible, it would be greatly appreciated 🙂

2. Our annual “Meet the Staff Night” will take place on Thursday, September 12th beginning that 7:00pm in the Multipurpose Room. Everyone is reminded that there is no childcare provided for this evening.

Now here is a peek into the learning that will take place over the coming days during our classes together


French- Today we will take some time to get acquainted with the foundational outcomes of the Grade 8 program.
This week we also will start our “Bootcamp” and diagnostic testing, as we prepare to set our learning goals for the coming months. We will also begin brainstorming ideas for our first piece of writing for the year and review the importance of selecting a novel that will challenge us as readers, as we begin our readers and writers workshops.

As we continue to promote our improvement as speakers, each French period we will engage in oral language activities that will work to develop and improve our French speaking skills; fixing common errors and becoming more at ease in our second language. One of the first activities we will work on is a presentation containing only pictures. Students will create a slideshow using Google Slides and present it to the class later on this week. Their presentation must contain no long text: only images and single words. They will present without cue cards; using their slides as their talking points to present on their family, friends, the weather, their likes and dislikes, school and their community.

Science-Once again this year we will be using Google Chromebooks and our “etext” during our Science classes. Students will have access to both their textbook, and to interactive learning and assessment tools online both at home and at school 🙂 Today we begin our first unit entitled “L’univers matĂ©riel.” This week we will start a review of the particle theory, states of matter, and the properties of solutions and mixtures that we studied last year. We will also begin to look at the how matter is organized.

Grade 9 Science- This week we will kick off our first unit of study called “L’univers vivant.” This unit starts with a review of the cell and cell theory. We will then start exploring the parts of the cell that are necessary for cell division and reproduction including DNA. Once every cycle we will also spend some time working through our “l’univers tĂ©chnologique.” These classes be a break from our regular subject matter, as we explore the world of engineering through instant challenges and new vocabulary.

Grade 7 Science- During our Science classes together this first cycle, we will spend time getting acquainted with the lay of the land in the Science Lab; exploring new vocabulary, the scientific method, as well as our “etext” and Google Classroom.

Grade 4-9 Core French-This week we will spend some time taking an inventory of what students already know in French as we get to know each other.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday night 🙂

Have a marvelous week!!!

Mme MacNevin

Welcome Back!! Bonne rentrée!!!

The first full week of September is here and I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of everyone back here at Gulf Shore 🙂 Be sure to check out the webpage for a special welcome back video.

I feel so lucky to be the Grade 8 Immersion homeroom teacher again this year, as I continue to watch an amazing group of young people learn and grow.

Tomorrow and Friday will be spent getting reacquainted with school routines and setting goals for our learning this year 🙂

We will even complete an Instant Challenge or two 😉

As always, many forms will be sent home with students on our first day back. Please ensure that these forms are sent back to the school as soon as possible along with the $20.00 student fee to cover the cost of student agendas and Home Economics/Industrial Arts programs.

Meet the Staff Night will be Thursday, September 12th and our Terry Fox Run will be on Friday, September 20th.

I wish everyone a fabulous 2019-2020 school year!

Bonne chance en 8iÚme année!!

Mme MacNevin