Speaking of Literature

Beginning today, we will participate in a moderated discussion forum regarding  To Kill A Mockingbird .  Moderated indicates that I will be allowing or disallowing comments to appear--so your answer may not immediately post. All responses should be school appropriate, civil, and in complete sentences. For each of the statements posted, reply with your  thoughts, observations, or analysis from what you have read thus far, from your observations of the world around us, or from what you know in life.   Then, once everyone has responded,  choose at least two (2) persons to respond to directly.   You can affirm their response, respectfully disagree, or add on and extend their thinking.  Use your posted thinking questions and charts from our Historical Fiction unit or previous units to help if needed. Type your first name and last initial at the end of your post. All men are created equal.

Beginning today, we will participate in a moderated discussion forum regarding  To Kill A Mockingbird .  Moderated indicates that I will be allowing or disallowing comments to appear--so your answer may not immediately post. All responses should be school appropriate, civil, and in complete sentences. For each of the statements posted, reply with your  thoughts, observations, or analysis from what you have read thus far, from your observations of the world around us, or from what you know in life.  Then, once everyone has responded,  choose at least two (2) persons to respond to directly.   They can be in  your class or not.  You can affirm their response, respectfully disagree, or add on and extend their thinking.  Use your posted thinking questions and charts from our Historical Fiction unit or previous units to help if needed. Type your first name and last initial at the end of your post. When approached, to whom would you give mon...

Beginning today, we will participate in a moderated discussion forum regarding To Kill A Mockingbird .  Moderated indicates that I will be allowing or disallowing comments to appear--so your answer will not immediately post. For each of the statements posted, reply with your thoughts, observations, or analysis from what you have read thus far, from your observations of the world around us, or from what you know in life.   All responses should be school appropriate, civil, and in complete sentences.  I am providing an example response to this first statement. THEN, once everyone has responded, choose at least two (2) persons to respond to directly.   You can affirm their response, respectfully disagree, or add on and extend their thinking.  Use your posted thinking questions and charts from our Historical Fiction unit or previous units to help if needed. Type your first name and last initial at the end of your post. Using drugs/alcohol has become so comm...

Poetry is meant to be heard and seen.  Pair it with film and the poem takes on a meaning at a deeper level.  Skyfall - http://www.tubechop.com/watch/5678984 Tennyson quote from "Ulysses" spoken by M regarding the place of tradition in the modern world: Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. Dead Poets Society - http://www.tubechop.com/watch/5679056 Why do we read and write poetry? The Outsiders - http://www.tubechop.com/watch/5679098 "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost recited by Ponyboy Curtis There are many, many more examples.  What are some of your favorite poems in film?

I love April because it's National Poetry Month! The bees are buzzing and my students are writing and typing furiously to complete the 30 DPC that began on Facebook.  This year, I am using a mixture of prompts from the last few years because some prompts are worth repeating next to the new prompts. I love reading and hearing my students' poems.  They are more creative than I ever could be.  I am a fledgling poet, but that doesn't stop me from appreciating the gifts of others.  My motto is to never ask students to do something that I wouldn't do myself, so I am attempting this challenge once again.  While it is tempting to repeat old poems, that would be setting a bad example and I'm trying to model best practices and behavior.  We are what we do!  Here's the link to my mixture of the challenge.  My writing is going to show revision after revision and some listing/brainstorming before writing--basically the writing process most of us use....

Andrew and I are accepting the Kids are Writers 30 Days Summer Camp challenge.  Practicing what I teach...here goes day 1: I am a writer.  I first realized I was an academic writer when I enjoyed writing school research papers in elementary school through high school. They followed a formula, were in third person, impersonal, and were easy to complete.  I enjoyed the challenge of writing college papers.  I first realized that personal writing was not my forte when I was in college.  All of the papers for one English class were personal in nature and written in first person.  Having had third person drilled into my head since childhood, this was extremely hard to do.  Writing outside of my diary about my personal thoughts and feelings was unthinkable.  However, it has been my quest to improve this skill since college.  I love to learn to write about different topics.  I love to learn new techniques of writing and this l...

For those who have been devouring the book, you may get started on Part 3's questions below!  Remember that you must take notes as you read to answer these questions. You will have in-class time during SATs to read, answer, and discuss the book with your classmates. Insertion Why didn’t the army officials just let the virus kill off all the monkeys? Compare the expedition to Kitum Cave (made by Gene Johnson) to the Reston operation. Were the hazards different? How did the goals of the mission contrast? What are the similarities/differences between Kitum Cave and the Reston Monkey House as habitats for living organisms? A Man Down Compare Frantig’s symptoms with Monet, Musoke, and Peter Cardinal. Given Dalgard’s fears and what you know by now, what would you have said to Frantig? Why is the Slammer a safer place to keep an Ebola patient than a community hospital? If it’s hot inside and cold outside, what happens if you open a window? What are the dangerous c...