Thursday, May 10, 2012
LAST WEEK????? YAY!!!
Todd
http://ttrost.blogspot.com/
Bridget
http://marron12334.blogspot.com/
Mackenzie
http://mackenzie-vogt.blogspot.com/
Nate
http://natederuyck.blogspot.com/
Mike
http://mikestillo.blogspot.com/
Amanda
http://amanddakay.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Student Initiated blog for April 23-27th
Ashley: http://ashleysblog18.blogspot.com/
Jasmine: http://jasminesblog16.blogspot.com/
Molly: http://mollyj249.blogspot.com/
Chase Swope: Chase is having technical difficulties with his blog so please respond to his question by using the comments link below.
Student Initiated Blog
I have been reading the book you’re not doing it right by Michael Ian Black. In the book Black talks about his marriage, sex, death, and many other embarrassing stories he has had in his lifetime. Many of his critics commend Black for being so brutally honest, one saying “This book is so frank, so full of amusingly embarrassing confessions, I should probably be giving Michael Black a hug instead of a blurb.” My question is would you be willing to expose the darkest corners of your life for the sake of your autobiography?
Jasmine: http://jasminesblog16.blogspot.com/
Molly: http://mollyj249.blogspot.com/
Chase Swope: Chase is having technical difficulties with his blog so please respond to his question by using the comments link below.
Student Initiated Blog
I have been reading the book you’re not doing it right by Michael Ian Black. In the book Black talks about his marriage, sex, death, and many other embarrassing stories he has had in his lifetime. Many of his critics commend Black for being so brutally honest, one saying “This book is so frank, so full of amusingly embarrassing confessions, I should probably be giving Michael Black a hug instead of a blurb.” My question is would you be willing to expose the darkest corners of your life for the sake of your autobiography?
Monday, April 16, 2012
Student initiated blog: April 16-20
Read your classmates blogs and choose one to respond to.
Mallory: http://mallorysblog.blogspot.com/
Malia: http://maliasblog25.blogspot.com/
Kalin: http://kalinwebskowski.blogspot.com/
Amanda:
Mallory: http://mallorysblog.blogspot.com/
Malia: http://maliasblog25.blogspot.com/
Kalin: http://kalinwebskowski.blogspot.com/
Amanda:
Teacher initiated blog #5: April 16th
Last week we discussed what makes YA literature valuable and why some novels stand the test of time over others. Use the Exeter Qualities to evaluate the novel you are currently reading. (Do not use The Hunger Games). Give specific examples to support your ideas. Be sure to put some thought into this reflection and double check your grammar!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
April 10th: Teacher initiated blog
Analyze the popularity of The Hunger Games. Over 800,000 copies of The Hunger Games have been sold. The book spent 100 consecutive weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list, and it has been translated into 26 different languages. The film has grossed 152.5 million in its opening weekend alone. Personally, I've recommended it to my daughter, my students, my friends, and my own father....and even though their ages span 40 plus years, they have all liked it. So what's the appeal? What is it about this story line or the characters that draws us in? What captured you? And, is this a book just for entertainment or is there educational value? (consider vocabulary, difficulty of plot, characterization, setting, etc.)
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Teacher initiated blog #3: April 2-6
Parkside Reading Day!
Last Friday, you had the opportunity to visit with elementary students at Parkside and do some reading. Journal about the experience. What were your observations concerning the following: attitudes toward reading, reading abilities, types of books they chose, etc. Consider what we have discussed about becoming a reader and the stages you go through. Also, consider what we discussed about development in terms of social awareness, cognitive abilities, etc. How did they respond to you reading to them? What did you think about them reading to you? Do you have any funny stories to share?
Last Friday, you had the opportunity to visit with elementary students at Parkside and do some reading. Journal about the experience. What were your observations concerning the following: attitudes toward reading, reading abilities, types of books they chose, etc. Consider what we have discussed about becoming a reader and the stages you go through. Also, consider what we discussed about development in terms of social awareness, cognitive abilities, etc. How did they respond to you reading to them? What did you think about them reading to you? Do you have any funny stories to share?
Friday, March 23, 2012
Week #1 and #2: Student Blog
Student Blog #1 and #2: (For the first one, we will combine two weeks since we got started late. You only have to respond to one.)
Use the links below to view your classmates blogs. Read all of them and decide which question you wish to answer. You only have to respond to ONE! However, if you are intrigued by more than one question or if you wish to be supportive of a classmate, feel free to respond to more. Please be appropriate in your responses. Even if we don't agree, we can discuss issues in a mature and respectful manner. Also remember that spelling and grammar counts!!!
Annie: http://annieliterature.blogspot.com/
Max: http://maxdeutz.blogspot.com/
Hannah: http://hannahbharrison123.blogspot.com/
Jessica: http://jessbakaa9.blogspot.com/
Bo: http://Awesome1inc.blogspot.com/
Use the links below to view your classmates blogs. Read all of them and decide which question you wish to answer. You only have to respond to ONE! However, if you are intrigued by more than one question or if you wish to be supportive of a classmate, feel free to respond to more. Please be appropriate in your responses. Even if we don't agree, we can discuss issues in a mature and respectful manner. Also remember that spelling and grammar counts!!!
Annie: http://annieliterature.blogspot.com/
Max: http://maxdeutz.blogspot.com/
Hannah: http://hannahbharrison123.blogspot.com/
Jessica: http://jessbakaa9.blogspot.com/
Bo: http://Awesome1inc.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Week #2: Middle School Journal March 20th
This week we will begin to discuss more closely what it means to be a young adult and the characteristics of adolescent literature. Adolescent literature also known as young adult (YA) fiction is literature geared for audiences in the age range of 12-18 years old. According to the Exeter study, a successful YA novel "deals with emotions that are important to young adults." A strong YA novel should touch kids where they live and help them to maneuver through the difficult decisions that are part of growing up. With this in mind, reflect on your own experiences as a young adult, especially those middle school years that can be trying. What are some of your fondest memories of middle school? What are some of the worst memories? Reflecting back on those memories, what are some of the important themes, topics, concepts that you believe should be addressed in YA literature.
Middle school was more years ago than I care to admit so my memories will be less detailed than yours, but there are some things that do stand out. I remember feeling really scared my first day of 6th grade at the Junior High in Marshall, but I also remember feeling excited and more grown up since my mom let me wear lip gloss. I remember that this was a time for experimenting with hair, makeup and clothes, and trying to figure out who I was. Unfortunately, during the early 90's, some of the styles were not very attractive. Imagine thick teal eyeliner. I remember my friend's father telling us that we looked like we had mold growing on our eyes.
My middle school years were also a time that helped to construct some of the values/morals that I still believe in today. One night during my 8th grade year, my parents came into my room and woke me in the middle of the night. Their faces were angry and I was startled, fearful and unsure of what was going on, but I knew it was going to be bad. They asked me if I had been shop lifting with my friend or knew that my friend was shoplifting. I quickly told them that I wasn't involved, but unfortunately, I did know that it was going on. My friend just that day had told me what they had done and asked if I wanted them to "pick up" anything for me. My parents were fairly strict and saw my knowledge of the events as an implication of guilt so even though I did not participate, I was still in trouble. However, being in trouble wasn't the part that hurt the most. The part that was devastating was the betrayal I experienced. My friend had told her parents that I had given her the idea and told them to go and steal things for me. Basically, when the store caught her she told her parents that I put her up to it so she wouldn't get into as much trouble. To this day, I suspect that her parents still think that I was the one who instigated the stealing. However, my parents supported me and believed I was telling the truth. Of course, they pointed out that if I had told them right away, I never would have been blamed for it in the first place. This was a tough lesson to learn.
Middle school was more years ago than I care to admit so my memories will be less detailed than yours, but there are some things that do stand out. I remember feeling really scared my first day of 6th grade at the Junior High in Marshall, but I also remember feeling excited and more grown up since my mom let me wear lip gloss. I remember that this was a time for experimenting with hair, makeup and clothes, and trying to figure out who I was. Unfortunately, during the early 90's, some of the styles were not very attractive. Imagine thick teal eyeliner. I remember my friend's father telling us that we looked like we had mold growing on our eyes.
My middle school years were also a time that helped to construct some of the values/morals that I still believe in today. One night during my 8th grade year, my parents came into my room and woke me in the middle of the night. Their faces were angry and I was startled, fearful and unsure of what was going on, but I knew it was going to be bad. They asked me if I had been shop lifting with my friend or knew that my friend was shoplifting. I quickly told them that I wasn't involved, but unfortunately, I did know that it was going on. My friend just that day had told me what they had done and asked if I wanted them to "pick up" anything for me. My parents were fairly strict and saw my knowledge of the events as an implication of guilt so even though I did not participate, I was still in trouble. However, being in trouble wasn't the part that hurt the most. The part that was devastating was the betrayal I experienced. My friend had told her parents that I had given her the idea and told them to go and steal things for me. Basically, when the store caught her she told her parents that I put her up to it so she wouldn't get into as much trouble. To this day, I suspect that her parents still think that I was the one who instigated the stealing. However, my parents supported me and believed I was telling the truth. Of course, they pointed out that if I had told them right away, I never would have been blamed for it in the first place. This was a tough lesson to learn.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Week #1: Journal
Journal: What is your favorite book of all time? What impact did it have on you?
I've been asked several times by students "What is your favorite book?". This is never an easy question to answer since I have many favorite books, plus what is my favorite today might change tomorrow depending on my mood or circumstances in my life. However, there are several books that always make my top ten: Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter series, Hunger Games series, 19 minutes, The Kitchen Boy, Janet Evanovich series, The Notebook, The Other Boleyn Sister, etc. so I will choose to write about one of the books that I have read most recently. A book that I have recently recommended to students is the novel Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. (Again the book is better than the movie!) The book is set in the depression era and begins with a flashback of a memory about a violent murder remembered by the main character, Jacob, who is now ninety years old. We are not told who committed the murder. The book returns to the elderly Jacob who is frustrated with being stuck in an "old folks home" with "young folks clucking" around him. He tries to forget the memory of the murder and instead reminisces about the days when he was young and working for a circus. He did not intend to work for the circus, but due to his parents untimely death and lack of money to continue with college, he found himself taking care of the animals, particularly one stubborn elephant, on a circus train full of interesting characters. The novel opens your eyes to a world rarely seen by those outside of the tight familial like circle of circus performers, and its plot twists and action make it difficult to put down. With romance, action, conflict, and more, this book appeals to a wide audience.
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