Good Writing

“Good writing is always about things that are important to you, things that are scary to you, things that eat you up.”—John Edgar Wideman

Thursday, May 25, 2017

 Today is Yearbook Day.

Stay in your assigned class until excused. 

Be a polite audience member for the movie. 

Don't write or draw anything in a yearbook that you will regret later. 

Modified Schedule for May 25th (Yearbook day)

A1 8:15-9:50 Hand out yearbooks and watch Norm Lyde’s movie in the auditorium by all call.

A2 9:55-10:25

A3 10:30-11:00

A4 11:05-11:35

Lunch - 11:40-12:25 Pizza and J-Dawgs

B1 12:30-1:00

B2 1:05-1:35

B3  1:40-2:10

B4 2:15-2:45

We will have JDawgs for lunch on yearbook day.  The cost to the students is $2 in cash.

Last Day -- Friday, May 26:

The outside doors will be locked and all students will enter from the west doors at 8:15am.  Students report to the theater. Students will stay in the auditorium until 10:00 am, at which time they will be dismissed from school.  

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Announcements and Reminders:    Turn in your unused hall passes, if you haven't. Take your composition books home today. Plan ahead for how you will sign yearbooks.

Targets for Today: Write!

Today’s  Agenda: Scribble:  Write a response to the music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3LBvh07a1I Chain Stories If I were an animal, I'd be an eagle. If I were an eagle, I'd fly across the United States. If I flew across the United States, I'd stop at every national park. If I stopped at every national park, I'd. . . . . Magnetic Poetry A bit of Grammar Punk, adapted. Reading each other's work.

If You Were Absent:

Vocabulary:

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Monday, May 22, 2017

Announcements and Reminders:                           Hand in your unused hall passes today or next time.  Take your composition books home next time.   May 25 is yearbook day. You will spend about a half-hour each in all eight classes.  J-Dawgs will be available to buy for lunch.  You may want to think ahead about how you will sign yearbooks.   Bring a good pen for signing.  Don't write anything you will regret later.  Hints for yearbook signing: . http://www.wikihow.com/Sign-a-Yearbookhttp://www.quotegarden.com/yearbook.html

Targets for Today: I can write a variety of things. I can revise, edit, and polish my work.

Today’s  Agenda: 1. Scribble:  Title it "Summer Camp."  Imagine your own ideal summer camp. It could be based in reality or fantasy.  Tell about, either as a story, a letter home from camp, or as an advertisement for it with enough text to let the reader know exactly what it offers.    Where will it take place? How long will you be there? Is it focused on a certain theme or skill?  What will the campers do there?   Lab 202 - Select the three best items you have worked on in Google Docs (excluding the child's book).  Finish (if needed), carefully revise, and print them by the end of class.  Turn them in. Make sure your name is on each.  If you have extra time, continue to work on any of these.  a tall tale monologue by the "bad guy" a skit about an escape  continue from story starters

If You Were Absent:

Vocabulary:

Coming Up with Names

http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/05/names-arent-neutral-david-j-peterson-on-creating-a-fantasy-language/?cdi=1D95E1A95D403DC8E0534FD66B0A14D9&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Announcements and Reminders:                    Fieldtrip!!       Dress for the weather and for the walk!  Maybe not quite like this. . .  or like this.

Targets for Today: Deliver and read the books we created for the first graders!

Today’s  Agenda: Free time while we prepare to go. Fieldtrip!!!!! Dear Diary, . . . .  Write about a half page to memorialize the "fieldtrip" we took today.

If You Were Absent:

Vocabulary:

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Announcements and Reminders:                           Fieldtrip next time!  Come dressed for walking and for the weather.  Maybe not quite like this. . .  or like this.

Targets for Today:

Today’s  Agenda: 1. Scribble:  Create something from playdough. In your composition book, describe either what you made, or the experience, or a memory of playing with playdough.  You will each get about 1/4 of a can of playdough.   If you use more than one color, don't mix the colors.   Don't leave a mess! ---- We'll allow about 5 minutes to wash your hands and clean off the desks.  2. Read your children's books -- read aloud in small groups.  3. Choose from several different writing exercises: Lab 202  a tall tale monologue by the "bad guy" a skit about an escape  continue from story starters

If You Were Absent:

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Vocabulary: