giants of iron

I love this movie so much! I had forgotten how good it was since it has been awhile since I have seen it. I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am. Remember, fill out those sheets on it. I need you to really know those literary elements for the MAP test. Also, 7/8 hour, the essay questions are due after spring break. Work on them during the week you are off school!

Tomorrow we will finish the movie and do some more review before we exit for the lovely week off.

iron man

The movie we are watching tomorrow and Friday was based on a long children's poem written by Ted Hughes, a former British poet laureate. He was also married to Sylvia Plath, a renowned American poet. It takes place in the past, but is still science fiction since there is a very definite message in there.

3/4 & 5/6: Today was a work day since we are watching the film tomorrow. Most of you got a lot done and several are completely finished with the projects. They are looking so fantastic! Remember that they are due the moment you return from spring break.

7/8: We talked about chapter 9. We also discussed Bilbo's luck, the importance of words, the use of magic, and I can't remember the last one (if anyone knows, comment me and tell me). I enjoyed talking about the different important events so far in the story. I am hoping to have many more discussions like this and like the Socratic seminar after the break. :)

work day, shirk day

Today was mainly a work day for Bronx Masquerade projects and vocabulary. Some of you were slacking off a bit and that disturbs me. I expect to see spectacular things from you on your projects.

I forgot to hand back the ch. 4-7 vocab (7/8 hour), so the quiz will be Friday instead of tomorrow. I'll give you an extra day to work on it.

Don't forget to turn in your movie permission slips tomorrow!

the poetry of simon and garfunkel

Today was fun! In the regular classes, we listened to "I Am a Rock" because of Amy Moscowitz's poem from Bronx Masquerade - "Ode to Stone". We also found a whole bunch of figures of speech in it (the title for one). We also read "Richard Cory" and listened to "Richard Cory" discussing what they were about and what they said about life. We talked about the fact that material possessions and money do not buy happiness, especially not for Richard Cory. In challenge class, we talked about our wonderful Socratic seminar on Friday, went over the questions from chapter 8 and started reading chapter 9. For homework, you were to finish the chapter.

Remember that we are watching The Iron Giant on Thursday and Friday, so bring in the permission slip by Wednesday!

socrates schmocrates

Friday was absolutely fantastic! We got a lot done in 3/4 hour and 5/6 hour. We read more of Bronx Masquerade and talked a bit about the third quarter grades. I am most excited about 7/8 hour, though.

We did our first Socratic seminar and it went to incredibly well! I was so impressed by the way you all discussed the two questions and some of the insights you had. It was so wonderful! I was especially happy with the fact that you took turns and were so darn polite with one another. That is something that has been missing in our classroom this year. It is good to know that it is possible. We may have to use that bear for the rest of the school year! :)

March madness?

Today seemed hectic, but that may just have been because grades were due and I was behind. Overall, I am pleased with the grades for third quarter. I expected them to drop, but most of you managed to keep it up. I will be giving you a breakdown of how many people had what grades in each class tomorrow. We'll see how each class stacked up. Even those of you struggling mostly managed to keep your heads above water. I want to see you do more than that during our last months together!

We did different things in each class today, which also contributed to the hectic feel of the day.
3/4 hour: We took the Tungsten and I cannot wait to see your scores! I think everyone did really well on our last Tungsten test of the year.
5/6 hour: We covered hyperbole and I think most of you got it down. Those examples you came up with were so good, they seemed like they came from the smartest people in the world (my lame attempt at one myself). We also read a little of Bronx Masquerade. My goal is to finish it tomorrow or Monday, but we will see.
7/8 hour: We did vocab charades, which is so much fun! We also prepared for a Socratic seminar tomorrow and I just know you will do fantastic. Jessica and Jordan have a chance to show they are really tops in the class by leading the discussion. It will be so much fun!

got those old tungsten blues again

Today two of the classes took our last Tungsten test of the year! From what I saw, the scores were fantastic! We also had some questions to do along with the Tungsten passages to practice some more for the MAP test. We will continue to do more practice in these last few weeks before the test.

Tomorrow, 3/4 hour will take the Tungsten and do constructed response questions. Whatever time is left will be devoted to project work. I know you guys will do well!

masquerading as a work day

Today was extremely productive! I was so impressed with all the work I witnessed - definitely not a masquerade. In the regular classes, you guys got so much done on your Bronx Masquerade projects. I can't wait to read what you guys are writing! In challenge class, I let you spend some time working on the vocabulary that is due tomorrow. It was difficult because the page numbers listed were based on a different edition of the book and I heard lots and lots of complaints about that. But you were able to figure it out since it was only a page or two off most of the time and many of you got close to finishing it. I was disappointed at the number of you who hadn't even started it. I gave it out on Friday, people!

Remember, no late work during fourth quarter! Get that stuff in to me on time!

so sue me...

Okay, okay, okay...I know I have been really bad about keeping this up-to-date during second semester. I also know that I have promised a couple of times to do better, but this time I mean it...really. Fourth quarter has begun and we are finishing poetry in the regular classes and working through The Hobbit in challenge class. I have been having a blast with these two subjects since I love poetry and science fiction/fantasy.

In regular classes: Today we looked at Nikki Grimes's website with the mobile lab and learned more about her. I had a good time with it. We were also going to take an online quiz to find out your learning styles, but the website wasn't working. Try it from home and let me know the results! Go here for the inventory quiz. I also introduced the projects you will be doing with Bronx Masquerade. Tomorrow will be a work day for it, so make sure you use that time wisely!

In challenge class: Today we spent some more time on riddles - they are so much fun and so difficult! You guys did a great job on them and I am impressed! We also read most of chapter 7, where they go to visit Beorn and ingeniously trick him into letting them all come in by telling the riveting story of their journey so far. You need to finish chapter 7 and read chapter 8 tonight. Also, your questions are due for chapters 6-7 tomorrow. Don't forget about the vocab due Wednesday. We will act out the words to see if you really know them.

I think this quarter will be the best! We are doing some of my favorite activities! I am excited for it all and I hope you are too.

is it art?

In class we looked at a bunch of examples of different types of "art", food art, anime, outsider art, etc. I asked you to examine it and tell me if you thought it was art according to some criteria I gave you. Now I want you to look at something else and tell me if it is art. I found this website last year and just thought it was one of the coolest things I have seen, but is it art? I also found this today. Could it be art? Take a look and comment to let me know.

Go here to look at the first one. Go here to look at the second one.

alliteration always alleviates anger

Today was pretty good. Regular classes read up to chapter 8 in the novel. Some mysterious coincidences have been arising. If you can think of some, comment them here!

Challenge class learned about and identified alliteration in poems and then we wrote our own poems with alliteration. Many of them were quite inspired.

Tomorrow regular classes will look at what makes something a piece of art and challenge class will continue to study figures of speech. Pretty cool! :)

mystery schmystery

We continuing the novel in my regular classes and learning more about Petra and Calder. Friday we spent a lot of time working on the MLK poster and essay. I am so impressed with the ones I have already seen. You guys really worked hard on this. If you are entering the contest, I need your form tomorrow.

My challenge class also worked on the poster and essay. Then we played Taboo. I love that game and you guys are getting a lot better at it. The key is thinking around the object - "thinking outside the box," which is your specialty.

This week regular classes with continue the novel and try to decide what makes something a work of art. Challenge class will continue with poetry, moving on to alliteration, hyperbole, and personification.

pentomino fun

Today the regular classes continued reading the novel and we have gotten through chapter 5. We also read the paragraph descriptions of the objects and had fun guessing what they were. Some of you did an excellent job describing them!

In challenge class, we covered some heavy stuff, but you guys did great asking questions. I hope that eventually all of you were able to understand. We talked about the idea that language affects how we see the world and how we behave. For example, how we label things affects what we think of them. I enjoyed the discussion!

All classes got some time to work on the poster and essay due tomorrow. The ones I have seen are so wonderful! You guys have really done fabulously and I can tell you really understand what diversity and togetherness are all about! :)

mysterious poetry

Okay, guys. This week has been busy for me, but I will do better at updating this. Really. :)

This week we have started new, but different, adventures in all classes. It is so neat! We are beginning to study some of my favorites!

My regular classes have begun to study mystery stories and are reading Chasing Vermeer. We are really getting into the puzzles in the book, as well as the playing with the pentominoes. Some of you have already gotten a twelve-piecer! Excellent! We are going to continue with the novel, but also look at what makes something a piece of art.

My challenge class has begun poetry and figures of speech. I love the poems you have already written. We have been focused on simile and metaphor this week, which can be tricky. Remember - NOUN VERB NOUN, NOT NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE! You are comparing something to something else, not describing it!

Okay, okay. You guys are so talented. I know the rest of the year is going to be fabulous. Keep it up! :)

text support

I know today wasn't the most fun, but this is all designed to help you be successful in the future, even beyond the MAP test. We began our weekly MAP preparation and most of you seemed to do pretty well on it. Remember to echo the question, stay within the margins, and use at least three examples from the text to support your answer and you will be just fine. We will be doing this every Wednesday, so be prepared.

Tomorrow we will be starting Devil's Arithmetic. I can't wait! :)

we're back!

Sorry, guys! I got lazy just before and after break. I will try to update regularly here on out.

This week we are celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday by learning about his life and work, as well as many of the other important people in the Civil Rights Movement. We watched a biography of MLK today and completed a KWL chart, detailing what we knew about him, wanted to learn about him, and learned about him. I even learned some things from that video!

We are also going to learn about other times in history during which people treated each other horribly based on arbitrary things like the color of their skin or their religion. Later this week we will be watching The Devil's Arithmetic, a wonderful film about the Holocaust. Some of you have read the book and I hope you are not disappointed by the movie - it is really quite good.

Also, I uploaded the memory box podcasts to the podcast manager on my website. Check them out and tell me what you think! :)

box works

Today was mainly another work day. You guys have been getting a lot done! I am so proud of the job you are doing! I also gave out printouts and told you that all late work must be turned in by Wednesday, 12/20. If you give it to me after that, it will not count. Some of you are hanging by a thread this quarter, so get a move on!

Tomorrow is the "timed test", so don't forget about it (tee hee). We will also have a lot of work time tomorrow.

box work

Today was another work day. I was thrilled to discover that you guys were really good for the sub yesterday! Wonderful! Most of you used this time well and got a lot done. Keep it up!

Tomorrow will be similar to Tuesday in that if you are working for the first half, you will get the second half. I will also hand out grade printouts so that you can see if you are missing anything before the end of the quarter. :)

workshop work day

Today was a work day for most of it, though I was not there. The workshop was great and you may see some new activities in class next semester as a result. I hope everything went smoothly and that you guys were working!

Tomorrow you will have the entire class period, so use it!

ah the memories

Today was the first work day for the memory boxes. Many of you did very well and took advantage of the time in class. Some did not. If you do not use the time I am giving you to work on it, you will lose that time! Maybe some of you think there is plenty of time this week to get it all done, but you will find that this is not the case. I hope tomorrow is more productive.

Wednesday will be another full class period work day. If I do not see you guys working hard without me reminding you, Thursday and Friday may be taken away as far as work time goes. Don't let that happen!