Michael Vey Assembly on Friday, December 6

For more information, download this document;
Dec 6 Assembly.pdf

Skyward Outage

I am continuing to grade student work, but with the Skyward outage, do not know when I will be able to update grades.  Like you, I will be busy with family activities over Thanksgiving, so will try to find a time when my schedule and Skyward availability mesh!

Textual Analysis of Words/Sentences in Popular Series

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/11/hunger_games_catching_fire_a_textual_analysis_of_suzanne_collins_novels.html

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Announcements and Reminders: Child's book? Newsletter? Fiction and nonfiction Have a Beautiful Thanksgiving!

Today's Prompt:  

Imagine that you are a stranger (someone you don't know) who has been invited to spend Thanksgiving with your family. Write from that person's point of view about what he or she sees, hears, etc.  

Finish your Thank You!  Hand it in on Kidblog. 
Make sure your name is on it!!!!!
 You may also print a hard copy to deliver to someone.

To post your Thank You's, log in to the Thank You Blog on Kidblog.  The password is [ask me or see the post on Kidblog.]   
Then create a new post with your thank you.  Make it creative, lovely, meaningful!  It can be to someone near or far, living or dead, real or not. 

Make sure your name is on it!!!!!

__________________

If you have extra time, write letters to Santa to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. 

Friday, November 22, 2013

Prompt:   Write to another from the list of prompts in your composition book.



A rubric for our school newsletter

Could include a survey 
Could include an interview
Could use a rhetorical question 

At least one paragraph! 
Include background  -- Make it clear what you are talking about!
What, Who, Where, When,  Why, How 
Interesting!   
Title
Author -- Byline 
Edited carefully 

Due November 22 -- today!

Sample:  http://cavewriting2010b1.pbworks.com/w/page/34385746/Caveman-NewsWiki-January-2011

Write for our "school magazine." 
Have you been invited to our newsletter blog on Google?

Then --
Write a creative, lovely, sincere thank you to someone near or far, living or dead,  real or fictional.

To post your Thank You's, log in to the Thank You Blog on Kidblog.  The password is [ask me or see the post on Kidblog.]   Then create a new post with your thank you.  Make it creative, lovely, meaningful!  It can be to someone near or far, living or dead, real or not. 

http://kidblog.org/MsDorseysWriters/

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Prompt:  Briefly rewrite a classic story from the point of view of the "bad guy/antagonist/villain."  This could be from a fairy tale, legend, myth, etc.

Here is an example:

  

 Snow White from the point of view of the Queen

            I’d been a single woman for far too long when I met Stephan.   Oh, I was known as a great beauty – the fairest of them all (successful careers in acting and modeling) and I’d dated a lot of men, but none of them swept me off my feet  like he did.  After all, he was handsome and kind and King!

  His daughter Snow White – he doted on her – Yes I did feel a little jealous, but I loved the child as a daughter  except she could certainly be irritating

always singing into  wells – you know that echoing sound – grates on the nerves

and when you have a lot of birds gathering around --  you know what birds leave behind

After Stephen died,  I tried to be the best mother I could to little Snow White – didn’t want her growing up a spoiled princess – had her do some chores around the house –

She did grow more and more beautiful with each passing year –

Had huntsman take her for a healthy outing in the woods – apparently when I told him it would be good for her heart – he thought I’d said to cut out her heart – how can a man be so stupid?

she ran away –

It was because I’d provided opportunities for her to clean and cook in the castle that she was able to get a job working for the seven dwarves.

Duh. . . I said "good for her heart,
"not "cut out her heart"!

I knew that men aren’t all that good at grocery shopping, and they never remember to get fruits and vegetables, so I decided to take her some apples which were just ripe. . .

I figured she would still be frightened of me because of the heart misunderstanding, 

so I dressed in a disguise – an old-woman costume from my acting days.

She ate so fast she choked. I tried the Heimlich maneuver. It didn’t work, but when that prince came along and kissed her, she gasped.  I would have too if he’d kissed me --and the piece came loose.

_________________________________________________________
Priorities:
#1 Child's Book if not completely finished and turned in
#2 Newsletter article -- due Friday
#3 Thank you due next Tuesday
#4 Beginnings of a fictional story and a nonfiction/memoir/personal narrative due December 5.


Some of you are doing GREAT on your newspaper articles!!!!!  I can't wait to see the rest!

To post your Thank You's, log in to the Thank You Blog on Kidblog.  The password is [ask me or see the post on Kidblog.]   Then create a new post with your thank you.  Make it creative, lovely, meaningful!  It can be to someone near or far, living or dead, real or not. 

Because You are Creative. . .

. . . here is contest you could enter:


https://www.facebook.com/IfYouGiveBooks/app_435468303230358

Monday, November 18, 2013

Prompt: Last week we celebrated Veteran's Day.  Write anything you wish that has to do with Veterans or Patriotism or War or the Military or Gratitude or . . . . 



Create a rubric for our school newsletter.
What should we expect?

Could include a survey 
Could include an interview
Could use a rhetorical question 

At least one paragraph! 
Include background  -- Make it clear what you are talking about!
What, Who, Where, When,  Why, How 
Interesting!   
Title
Author -- Byline 
Edited carefully 






What do you need to do to finish them? 
Due November 22.

Sample:  http://cavewriting2010b1.pbworks.com/w/page/34385746/Caveman-NewsWiki-January-2011

Write for our "school magazine." 
http://kidblog.org/MsDorseysWriters/


Be thinking about -- 
someone you'd like to write a thank-you to
        near or far, living or dead, real or fictional 

A true story you'd like to write -- an episode from your life
A fictional story you'd like to write 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Prompt:  Choose one from your list.  
Then, if you are finished early, write about an ORANGE or something somehow related to it.




Finish up and turn in remaining children's books.
If you have time and need to, finish up your responses to the scary story assignment and/or the Reflections prompt: Believe, Dream, Inspire.

Write for our "school magazine."


http://kidblog.org/MsDorseysWriters/

New Contest Sponsored by Mrs. John of Lab 211

There is a new writing contest starting. The MyAccess prompt is titled "Favorite Part of the Holiday Season." It is available to all students. 
The writing contest rules are:  
the deadline is midnight, Friday, December 13. 
The essay cannot be more than 2000 words.
Writing must conform to accepted grammar and writing format practices.
MyAccess scores will not be the deciding factor in determining winners.

"Favorite Part of the Holiday Season"

Walk and Write -- Our School

Classrooms:
Computer Labs
      Scary Story Contest?
MyAccess
Edmodo
Testing on Mastery Connect
History
watching videos in class
music in classes
Science
       Mr. Dickerson's first responders, Mr. Dickerson
Lockers
  How are they assigned?
 How many students actually use their lockers?
  Can administrators look in your locker?
  What are the most fun ways to decorate lockers?
(Clubs, extra-curricular?)
Media Center?
     Contests?  Battle of the Books?
     What's available besides checking out books?
CTE
    What do students make?  What are the most advanced projects?
     Are there injuries?  What sorts?  How many?
Home Ec
Lunchroom -- What's it like to be a lunch lady?
Office
      How many students do you see a day for discipline problems?
      What else do you do?
Counseling
Janitors -- Custodians
Music program:  orchestra, choir, band
Theater program
      What's coming up?
P.E.  -- gyms and fields
Math
  How hard is it?
  How do the teachers help students who struggle with math?
The New Addition
 
Community

Friday, November 8, 2013

Today's Google Doodle:  Take the Rorschach test!  

Discuss NaNoWriMo
Link to Snoopy Cartoon:  Friday, January 18, 2013

Your literary answers to the Reflections prompt are due today!

1. Prompt:  Make a story about at least four people in the class.  This is not the me-bag assignment.  Do the opposite.   Must contain at least one explosion.  Be nice!  Title must be "Opposite."

News Magazine  brainstorming  Blog?
2.  Walk and Write
Collecting memories, thoughts, questions

I am on a Walk and Write Fieldtrip.
Most of this is done in absolute silence!
I will be quiet and respectful of the classes going on.
I will save most of the talking until I get back to my own classroom.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Prompt:   Good News!  Make up a headline that you would just love to read in the Newspaper.  Write the article that goes with it.  

Ms. John extended your deadline for your scary stories until Friday.  Do any revisions, additions, etc. by then! 


3. Work on an entry for the PTSA Reflections Contest: 

Believe, Dream, Inspire.

Those are due to the PTA (turn in at the front office) by 

November 8.

If you want to enter the contest, pick up the forms from the school office and prepare your entry.
Your literary answers to this prompt are  due in our class on November 8.  

http://kidblog.org/MsDorseysWriters/

Prompt: A Book Dedication

Brian P. Cleary

If you were publishing a book tomorrow, to whom would you dedicate it, and why?

November 4, 2013

1. Prompt:  Pick one or more of the quotes to write about.

Quotes for Believe, Dream, Inspire

2. Listen to the rest of the Ray Bradbury story, "The Ravine."
We have listened to 20:00 on the radio program of "The Ravine" by Ray Bradbury.  We'll finish listening today.

Ms. John extended your deadline for your scary stories until Friday.  Do any revisions, additions, etc. by then! 


3. Work on an entry for the PTSA Reflections Contest: Believe, Dream, Inspire.

Those are due to the PTA (turn in at the front office) by November 8.

http://kidblog.org/MsDorseysWriters/

It's November!