Free Period

        Today Mr. Arkin wasn't in class, so we had a substitute teacher. We had the entire period to work on our selection assignments. I finished right at the end of class! 
        For homework, I have to finish my design lab and ecological footprint assignment for science. For French, we continue working on the presentations. For English, we have finished debates.

Rouge Valley

        Today we went on a science field trip to Rouge Valley, where it was very cold. We learned about different species of endangered species and how we could help conserve their habitats and ecosystems. We hiked down to a stream through forest and wet and slippery hills. In the stream, we saw a big  dead salmon. We then did an activity int eh wetlands where each group had a map and had to label things on the map using symbols. We went back to school at around 2 in the afternoon, and stayed in science class until the school day was over.

Booleon Algebra

        Today we did a quiz on writing a simple program to ask the user if it is a late-start day. We then took a long note on Boolean Operators, Booleon Algebra, and Truth Tables. We also learned the new keywords "and", "or", and "elseif".
        I am going on the science trip to Rouge Valley tomorrow! WE are going to study ecology and the communities and populations of organisms.

True or False?

        Today we learned about selection, which is that the program executes certain statements but not others. We learned the new keywords "if", "end", "else", and "then". We started on the selection assignments 1 and 2. I've also finished 3 and 4.
        English debates are continuing, so I just have to sit back and relax. For French, we continue working on pages from the workbook and textbook. For science, I am working on my design lab and ecosystem project.

Act Like the Computer

        Today we learned how to desk check a program, or trace the execution of the program. To do so, we have to act as the computer acts, and perform tasks like a machine, instead of adapting to the situation like a human would. Mr. Arkin said that this is one of the most important skills we'll ever learn in ICS.
        I got 16 out of 16 for my debate! YES! For science, I have to finish an assignment on population of mice and their population patterns. For French, I need to do more pages from le cahier and le text.

Level 1, 2, 3, or 4?

        Today, as soon as we got into the classroom and logged on, we took a quick note on how to change the colours of the run window for Turing. We then took a blind poll on the level of understanding of the students. Those who believed their levels were 1 or 2, Mr. Arkin gave a lesson. Levels 3 and 4 worked on the Input assignments.
        For homework, I need to work on my English debate during the weekend, as the debate is on Monday.

Assignment 4

        Today we took up assignment four, three, two, and one in class.
        The geography trip to Niagara Falls was today, so many people were gone. We had a free period in English, and had to do almost nothing in French.

Autobiography Marks

        Today we finally got our Superpower Autobiography marks back! I got 45 out of 50! I believe it was the highest in the class. Mr. Arkin then took up the things we need to pay special attention to, such as having blank spaces after punctuation marks. He then warned us that pop quizzes will start coming up soon. Uh-oh!
        For homework, I get to improve my debate, since it got moved up to Monday. For French, I have read pages in the text book and answered the questions about the passages. For science, we learned about number, biomass, and energy pyramids, so for homework I had to draw 3 different pyramids in the workbook. For ICS, I continue on the Input assignments.
        Today was the Grade 9 election day. In period one, the people running gave their speeches, and in period two we received ballots for voting.

Input

        Today we spent the class reviewing the Input assignments. We then got into groups of four and created hybrid assignments and wrote them up onto the chalkboards.
        For homework, I am going to the library to complete the debate statements and rebuttals for English. For French, I am doing workbook and textbook pages. For ICS, assignments 1-5 must be completed and under control. For science, we are filling in the ecology definitions.

Variables and "Get"

        Today we copied one more term into our Programming Glossary. We then took up variables and the keyword "get". We learned how to store string constants into variables.
        For homework, I continue on my debate as the presentations begin. For science, we are beginning ecology. For French, I am doing pages 191 to 192. For ICS, assignments 1, 2, and 3 from the Input assignments are for the next class.
        In ICS today, a wasp flew in through a window and began circling around me. It then landed on my leg and began to crawl up my leg. The entire class went hysterical as the wasp flew around the room!

Not on the USB

        Today we took up the asterisk border assignment, where in the end, everyone had a correct border. We then took more notes and terms for Programming Glossary. During our time on the computer, however, it become known to Mr. Arkin that most of us were working from our USBs. We were then told of the importance of working from a directory on the computer.
        For homework, I will review operators, documentation template, and programming guidelines for ICS. For English, we are wrapping up preparations for the debate. I need to create a graph on the computer and also finish the organism project for science. Pages in the workbook and textbook are for French.

Asterisks

        Today in class, we copied down three more terms for the Programming Glossary. We then worked on placing asterisks onto certain parts of the Turing run window.
        For homework, I have a new science project, for French I am doing pages 31-33 in the workbook, and we all continue to work on our debates for English.

Computer Graphics

        We began today's class by writing down more definitions for the Programming Glossary and learning about output fields and output field-widths. Mr. Arkin also told us about our new assignments for computer graphics and to take note on character graphics and subprograms.
        So far, my homework for science is to do 3 graphs, 2 by hand and 1 on the computer. For ICS, I have to do the 3 assignments for CG, and take notes on computer graphics and character graphics. I am predicting homework for English and French.

Turing

        Today we created a new glossary called Programming Glossary. We also reviewed keywords and character strings, etc for Turing. We also learned about cls (clear screen), delay, dot-dot, and how certain commands tell the computer to move the cursor to the beginning of the next line, while dot-dot tells it not to move.
        For homework, I am studying for a big science test tomorrow. For English, we continue the debate preparations. For French, I am doing page 26, 27, and 28 of the workbook. For ICS, I am doing the first assignment for Turing. Just one small problem. I don't have Turing.

PARTY!!!

        Today we had a party to celebrate one month of ICS! We listened to music, ate chips, candy, cookies, and fruit, and got to go to websites like YouTube. I was the one who brought the fruit. I had a hard time taking the big glass plate home.

Turing

        Today we copined flow charts of Webpage Development Process and Program Development Process. We then wrote a document with Turing named hello.t. it was really cool.
        For homeork, I continue my science project. I will continue to polish my glossaries and webpage. For English, I shall finish the graphic organiser for my novel. 

Binary Codes

        Today in class, we learned about decimal numbers and how they represent characters, and how the characters are pronounced as ASCII-__. For example, capital A is represented as 0100 0001, or ASCII-65. We also had to decode Mr. Arkin's blog from yesterday, entirely written with binary code. My eyes started hurting with row after row of 0's.
        Try decoding this message:
0101 1001 0110 0001 0111 1001 0010 0001 0010 0000 0101 1001 0110 1111 0111 0101 0010 0000 0110 1011 0110 1110 0110 1111 0111 0111 0010 0000 0110 1000 0110 1111 0111 0111 0010 0000 0111 0100 0110 1111 0010 0000 0111 0010 0110 0101 0110 0001 0110 0100 0010 0000 0110 1001 0110 1110 0010 0000 0110 0010 0110 1001 0110 1110 0110 0001 0111 0010 0111 1001 0010 0000 0110 0011 0110 1111 0110 0100 0110 0101 0010 0001

Almost Done the BCG!

        Today, we copied the last of the definitions for the Basic Computer Glossary. Mr. Arkin explained the process of how the computer boots, and how the ROM sends enough instructions to the CPU, which sends them to primary storage, for it to read the instructions of the operation system in secondary storage. We also practiced counting from 0 to 12 using binary codes.
        For homework, I continue my research for the element project. for English, I will search for important passages in chapter 25-36. For French, I continue my review of the unit.

Notes

        Today in class, we took lots and lots of notes. Since Mr. Arkin wants us to wrap up the basic computer glossary, we copied many terms and definitions today. We also learned about kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and terrabytes. It took a long time to write down all the digits of the powers of 2 (we went up to 2 to the power of 40)!
        For homework, my French teacher gave us review sheets to practise for the unit test on Thursday. For English, I will do my summary of the novel "Great Expectations", and for science I continue my research of the element Boron.

Basic Computer Vocab index

        For ICS, I need to create another glassary, finish the first one, validate both, and link them to my homepage. I need to find formal definitions for the ICS2O glossary, and then create in-lines for the websites I will use for the definitions.
        For homework, I need to finish researching my element, boron, for science. I also have a quiz on monday. For English, I need to finish the summary of the book I read. For French, I need to do pages 19 and 20 in the workbook, and study for the Unit Test on monday.