Friday, March 1, 2011

Self-Starter:  Prompt

2.  Collecting favorite words -- in your notebook and on the WALL

Favorite Words

"Bulbous Bouffant" View mp4 in class.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uuCNAwXGaQ

3. Word Banks!


4. And Spelling Matters: 

Spelling Matters

5.  Finish hearts and headlines.

 

 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Self-Starter:
Pick a prompt from the list titled "Creative Writing Prompts About Me," and write at least a half-page response in your notebook.  Give it a title and today's date.

Work on children's books -- Computer lab didn't work out, so we'll be in the computer lab again on March 8 to finish up.
Ms. Dorsey  checked on how the books  are coming along.

Finish Valentine's poem?

Each student  began a project to each write a  Headline about something that has happened to him or her, and write (in the composition book) about that story.

Service project:  Change to March, cleaning whiteboards. Thank you!

Flying Prompt

Source

Monday, February 27, 2012

Self-Starter:  Flying


Computer lab 211
Add photos to your child's book.  Finish up computer lab work on your child's book.

Finish up "Heart" Poetry if you have time.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Self-Starter:  See prompt: Illustration for Writing Prompt

2.  Valentines' Poetry with hearts --
Use 5 (or more) "Conversation Hearts"
Use one or more of the poetic forms or devices found in our Write Source 2000 textbooks.

Illustration for Writing Prompt

Poetry Quote

Quote of the Day: "Poetry might be defined as the clear expression of mixed feelings."
-W.H. Auden

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Computer Lab to work on Child's book -- Lab 211.

We will have three computer lab days to make our books.
February 10 (and find poems?)
February 21
February 27 Finish the books
Deliver mid-March

January 31-- Interviews
February 2 -- Create storyboards  and possible lab to look for poetry.
February 6 -- Storyboards due/Mock-ups
February 8 -- Mock-ups due
February 10 -- Work in Computer Lab on Children's books  -- Look for poetry/MyAccess prompts if extra time.
February 14 -- Poetry and Chocolate
February 16 -- Work on Books 
February 21 -- Work in Computer lab --  MyAccess prompts if extra time.
February 27 -- Finish as needed in Computer lab  --  MyAccess prompts if extra time.
Children's books due February 29.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Finish poetry presentations!  How fun!

Writing poetry? -- rhyme and or figurative language

Work on Children's books.

Parent Teacher Conference Thursday, the 16th

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Poetry and Chocolate Day

Poetry

Come prepared with your poem(s) presentation -- about 2 minutes long.

Bring chocolate or other treats if you wish.

Find more poems using links here:

Thursday, February 2, 2012

 

Checking Punctuating Dialogue

Punctuating dialogue

1.   The teacher said,   "In this class there will be no talking, chewing, breathing, unnecessary eye movements, or tap dancing."

2.  I questioned,  "Are you up on the furniture again,  you bad dog?  Get down now!"

3.  "I just finished reading The Lost Hero,"  she remarked.

     "So what did you think of it?"  I asked.

     "It was excellent!" she exclaimed.   

     I agreed, "I loved it too."  

4.  "I wish today were Friday," she said.  "I’ve been looking forward to it for months now."

     "How come?"  he asked.

     "Because finally I’m supposed to get my braces taken off.   At least that’s what my orthodontist promised."   

Here is an example from Spilling Ink by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter:

     "I can't; I won't!" Justine said, her hands flying up to cover her neck.
     "But think of all the advantages," the vampire said.
     "Like what?"
     "You'll live forever."
     "And watch all the people I love grow old and die?"
     "You can meet new people."
     "And suck out their blood."
     "There's another advantage too."
     "Forget it.  My mind is made up."
     "Just listen."
     "No!"
     "Your skin will look great.  You'll never get another zit."
     "Really?" Justine's hands slowly moved away from her neck. "Not even if I eat chocolate?" 


The Low-Down on Punctuating Dialogue
Using quotation marks mini-lesson

Rules: Quotation Marks and Punctuation

• Use quotation marks at the beginning and end of a direct quotation. Do not use them, however, to set off an indirect quotation.
  
  
  • Bob said, "I doubled my money in the stock market last month!"
  • Bob lied about doubling his money in the stock market last month.
• Punctuate a speaker's words with a comma, question mark, or exclamation point inside the quotation.
  
  
  • Bob cried, "I'm ruined!"
  • Bob wondered, "Am I ruined?"
  • "I'm happier than Lenny at a petting zoo," Bob's enemy said.
  •  
• Place a comma after explanatory words (he said, for example)
• In dialogue, begin a new paragraph each time the speaker changes and use a separate set of quotation marks.
• Use single quotation marks when using quotation marks inside of quotation marks.
  
  
  • He said, "I know she said, 'Let's go to the Dominican Republic, this summer,' but I'd rather go to Hawaii."
• Put a colon or semicolon outside the closing quotation mark
  
  
  • Here are things "not to do": thing 1, thing 2, thing 3.
• If a sentence that includes a quotation is a question or exclamation, place the question mark or exclamation point outside the quotation marks. 

    

Donald Hall -- Poet

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/08/146348759/donald-hall-a-poets-view-out-the-window?sc=fb&cc=fp

Friday, February 10, 2012

Where are the periods or exclamation marks for the ends of the sentences?

Self-Starter: Punctuation Makes a Difference!  (Dear John)  

Dear John

Computer Lab 211.
Work on children's books.
Type up.  Don't forget to edit!

Work on poems for next Tuesday, if needed. 

 

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Self-Starter:

a.  Write a response to the picture projected on the screen.  You could write a description, a commentary, a poem, a brief story, or whatever you're moved to write based on that picture.  Your response should be about a half-page or so long.  Give it a title and today's date.

Picture Prompt

b. Poems! Instead of an autobiographical entry (about you), spend this time, if you need to, looking at our poem books for a poem to present next Tuesday, or preparing yours to present.  Do you need copies? 
(Poem present?)

Finish Me-Bags

Hand in  Storyboard for your child's book.   Work on a mock-up if desired, and/or writing out the story

Mini-Lesson?  Reminder of story grammar/plot structure.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Self-Starter:
Pick a prompt from the list titled "Creative Writing Prompts About Me," and write at least a half-page response in your notebook.  Give it a title and today's date.
b.  Write a response to the picture projected on the screen.  You could write a description, a commentary, a poem, a brief story, or whatever you're moved to write based on that picture.  Your response should be about a half-page or so long.  Give it a title and today's date.

Picture Prompts -- Children's Books?  

Finish Me-Bags

Finish a Storyboard for your child's book.   Work on a mock-up if desired.

Author study or leads?

Sharing Partners for 3-6-12 Stop #3

	Stop #3
Keziah Adams	Catherine Smart
Connor Budge	Clayton Taylor
Sarah Cummings	Mikayla Tobler
Hunter Davis	Emilie Tomlinson
Kaydee Davis	Amanda VanAusdal
Spencer Dean	Hailey Walker
Anna Finch	Samuel Williams
Kaylee Freeman	Alysheah Zabriskie
Kelli Gagon	Lauren Jones
Justin Gratin	Hunter Lambert
Emily Herzog	Katherine Larson
Samantha Hollingsworth	Estelle Nadauld
Parker Hoopes	Dallin Nielsen
Emmalee Howes	Braden Parsons
Alyssa Jeffrey	Melinda Robinson
Porter Jensen	Emily Rogers

Sharing Partners for 3-6-12 Stop #2

Stop #2

	Stop #2
Keziah Adams	Katherine Larson
Connor Budge	Estelle Nadauld
Sarah Cummings	Dallin Nielsen
Hunter Davis	Braden Parsons
Kaydee Davis	Melinda Robinson
Spencer Dean	Emily Rogers
Anna Finch	Catherine Smart
Kaylee Freeman	Clayton Taylor
Kelli Gagon	Mikayla Tobler
Justin Gratin	Emilie Tomlinson
Emily Herzog	Amanda VanAusdal
Samantha Hollingsworth	Hailey Walker
Parker Hoopes	Samuel Williams
Emmalee Howes	Alysheah Zabriskie
Alyssa Jeffrey	Lauren Jones
Porter Jensen	Hunter Lambert

Sharing Partners for 3-6-12 Stop #1

Sharing Partners for 3/6/12  Stop 1

	Stop #1
Keziah Adams	Lauren Jones
Connor Budge	Hunter Lambert
Sarah Cummings	Katherine Larson
Hunter Davis	Estelle Nadauld
Kaydee Davis	Dallin Nielsen
Spencer Dean	Braden Parsons
Anna Finch	Melinda Robinson
Kaylee Freeman	Emily Rogers
Kelli Gagon	Catherine Smart
Justin Gratin	Clayton Taylor
Emily Herzog	Mikayla Tobler
Samantha Hollingsworth	Emilie Tomlinson
Parker Hoopes	Amanda VanAusdal
Emmalee Howes	Hailey Walker
Alyssa Jeffrey	Samuel Williams
Porter Jensen	Alysheah Zabriskie

Spelling Matters

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Happy Ground Hog Day!   For breaking news, see http://www.groundhog.org/

Self-Starter:

Picture Prompts -- Children's Books?  

Finish Me-Bags

Create a Storyboard for your child's book.

View a slideshow.

Computer Lab 201
Look on the internet for poems to present.  Use the links below, or look up favorite poets.
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/poetrycollections.html


Poetry Resources for Teens  
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/394

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/youngpeople/

Funny Poetry for Kids
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/

http://www.emule.com/poetry/?page=top_poems

Scroll down for poems to recite:

http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/86

Poetry Links for Middle School Students:  (Notice that some of these are intended for teachers and others for students.)

http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/cc/poetry/poetryms.htm


Middle School Poetry
http://middleschoolpoetry180.wordpress.com/the-poems/

Poetry 180 -- aimed at high school students
http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/

Poetry from Scholastic: 

http://teacher.scholastic.com/poetry/

Look at Shel Silverstein's official site.

http://www.poetry-archive.com/collections/

More:
Selections from a book of poetry about middle school: 
http://www.kristinegeorge.com/swimming_upstream.html

Gary Soto (Look for a book of poems by Gary Soto in our classroom:  A Fire in My Hands
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/230

A poem about poetry:
http://www.educationalrap.com/song/poetry-for-life.html

And more --
http://poetry.eserver.org/
http://www.poemhunter.com/

http://brodbagert.com/pages/view/303/Unpublished-poems-Brod-wants-you-to-have