While your fellow classmates are slaving away in their other classes, you will be embarking on an incredible adventure – a Hobbit adventure, that is.

Over the next two days, your quest will be to fulfill four Hobbit tasks.  I’ve even set up a special place at which to begin your journey:

There and Back Again…A Hobbit Adventure Edublog

We will start reading The Hobbit on FRIDAY if all goes well, so if you don’t have your copy with you in class, please be sure to have it then.  Our class copies are very, very limited, which means that if you’re lucky to secure a class copy, you may not be able to take it home each night. 

By the time you leave the lab today, you should have finished AT LEAST Adventure 1 & 2. 

Viva la ADVENTURE!!!

There and Back Again…A Hobbit Adventure Edublog

I hope that yesterday gave you a BRIEF insight to the GENIUS that is Edgar Allan Poe.  He was a brilliant, tortured writer who wrote about the miseries and horror that he lived.  

Today we’ll explore his life and works a little deeper.  The link below will take you to a FABULOUS website that will not only teach you more about Poe’s life, but will give you an opportunity to take an in-depth look at Poe’s work and his distinct STYLE.

Put your headphones on and plan on spending some SERIOUS time exploring this website!

Knowing Poe

Hopefully after today, you guys will know…Poe.

 Mrs. S

Here’s a downloadable copy of today’s handouts, should yours walk home with someone else this afternoon…

Knowing Poe-Interactive Scavenger Hunt

Knowing Poe-Interactive Timeline Organizer

 Knowing Poe-Interactive Scavenger Hunt, Day 2

I’ve got your first offical Edmodo online assignment details!  We’ll complete one or two of these every six weeks!

Q1. What is the assignment?

Your assignment is to write a narrative (a story, fiction or non-fiction) inspired by one of three photos I provide to you. 

Q2. How long does my story need to be?

I’d like your narrative to be at least 5 paragraphs in length

Q3. What, specifically, must it contain?

Your narrative must include the following:

1. A clear beginning/middle/end
2. At least 1 – 2 main characters
3. A recognizable setting
4. An identifiable conflict/resolution

Q4. How do I turn this in, exactly?

You may turn your assignment in two different ways:

1. Type your narrative directly into Edmodo using the Assignment Alert that was sent to you

2. Type your narrative into a Word document, save it to your computer, and upload it into the Edmodo Assignment Alert.

Q5. How will I be graded?

Your assignment will be graded based on:

            A. Story Structure (does your narrative have a beginning/middle/end?)

            B. Story Elements (plot, setting, character, conflict, resolution)

            C. Conventions (spelling, punctuation, grammar)

Q6. So…what do I write about exactly?

I’ve selected three different photographs to inspire you.  Choose one, and write a creative story about the photograph that you chose.  It can be based on something that’s really happened in your experience, or it can be completely and entirely from your imagination.  Just be sure to stick with your criteria (see Q3)!

Want to see your photo options?

Photo Option #1

Photo Option #2

Photo Option #3

Upload the entire assignment with the photos by clicking the link below:

Edmodo Writing Assignment #1

 As always, please let me know if you have questions about the assignment.  DO NOT wait until the last minute to find access to a computer if you don’t have one at home!  The library is open every morning at 8:15, as is MY CLASSROOM.  

See ya’ on the flip side,

 Mrs. S

I loved watching your advice videos!  I think they’ll sufficiently scare/prepare my new Peeps-in-Training next year.  So many of them were hilarious and yet full of useful words of wisdom.  I’ll be adding them here over the next couple of days, so be sure to come back and see them all!

 
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Today you have two tasks to complete:

1. Finish the assignment from yesterday.

2. Fill out 4 charts on 4 colleges of your choice, using the links & information you’ll find HERE.

Moving forward in our Career Research…

Today we’ll look specifically at the transition from high school to college.  Click the link below:

Click here to view your assignment and the links that go with it!

Over the course of the next few days, you will be busy working on two different aspects of your career research:

1. Pages 14 – 32 of your Career Research Packet

2. The online activities detailed on the Reality Bites handout you received in class today.

Please click on the link below to continue:

REALITY BITES – Career Research – Phase 2 – LINKS

Shakespeare Name Generator

Ok, so now that you’ve got your fabulous Shakespearean name, leave a Shakespearean comment below using the Shakespeare words from your packet.  Sign your comment with your Shakespearean name AND your real name! 

Ta-ta!

Cleopatra Andronicus (aka Mrs. Sanders)

P.S. Click here for some great examples  (not all of them are fabulous, mind you, but many of them are awesome) from last year’s Peeps!  (You’ll need to scroll down past my post to read their responses).

It’s easy – just pick a “P” word from their list (those are SAT words, y’all), find (or take) a great picture that teaches/explains/represents your “P” word, and then create your Brainypic directly from their website! 

Only FIVE (count ‘em – FIVE) lucky winners will be selected to win a free iTunes, so get going!  Be funny!  Teach vocab!   I can’t wait to see what you (and all the other vocabulary beasts lurking out there in cyberspace) come up with!

And in celebration of this event, I just had to…you know…bring vocab back:

I’m Bringing Vocab Back

 Mrs. S

Tangerine by Edward Bloor is by far one of my favorite novels to teach, primarily because students LOVE it and can’t put it down.  THAT is cool – true excitement about reading a book!

My wonderful Pre-AP students have just finished a Vocabulary Video Project.  Look for the links to their videos at Brainyflix.com.  Soon you can vote for your favorite video and help them win $200! 

An entirely NEW challenge also streches before them – POETRY ANALYSIS.  This is typically met with moans and groans, and that’s understandable, because they will actually have to – GASP! – think and write and analyze.  I hope that you’ll reach the end of the unit feeling like you’ve stretched your analytical muscles!  Be strong!  At the end of the six weeks, we’ll be completing a really cool multimedia project.  I can’t wait!

If you need another copy of this six week’s calendar, click the appropriate links below:

5th Six Weeks Calendar – Pre-AP

5th Six Weeks Calendar – Regulators

My Pre-AP classes will start things off with an author study of Agatha Christie.  We’ll read “The Mousetrap”, which is a lot of fun!  Who’s got what it takes to figure out who the killer is???? Time will tell…

Then we’ll move into something a little meatier – Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express”!  Written in classic murder mystery style, we’ve got THIRTEEN SUSPECTS stuck on a luxurious train headed for London.  I think you’ll all love it.  And I promise – the murderer is NOT who you think it is!

Pre-AP will also start getting into meatier analysis skills – prose, personal narrative, poetry, and rhetoric.  I’m stepping things up around here – before you know it, you’ll be knee-deep in Freshman Pre-AP English and I will give you the skills to ensure your success.  It’s tough, but I am confident that you can handle it!

My wonderful Regular Language Arts class will be enjoying Murder on the Orient Express (we call in MOTOE for short!) as well as “The Mousetrap”.  I hope to ignite some interest in Agatha Christie’s work and look forward to seeing what other titles you may choose to read!

Believe it or not, the test-that-shall-not-be-named is on our horizon.  We’ll be spending some time honing on on the skills that we need to do our very best on that important assessment!

As usual, be looking for lots of technology – I hope that we’ll be linking up with our friends in Alabama some time soon, and we’ll soon return to Classmarker.com for our grammar quizzes.  Watch for new forums on the discussion forum as well.  Mrs. Boydstun and I are busy brainstorming a REALLY awesome culminating project for our murder mystery genre.  I can’t wait!

TTFN,

 Mrs. S

Fall Semester Review – Definitions

Fall Semester Review – Parts of Speech

Have fun, and may the vocab be with you.

Mrs. S

While your fellow classmates are slaving away in their other classes, you will be embarking on an incredible adventure – a Hobbit adventure, that is.

Over the next two days, your quest will be to fulfill four Hobbit tasks.  I’ve even set up a special place at which to begin your journey:

There and Back Again…A Hobbit Adventure Edublog

We will start reading The Hobbit on FRIDAY if all goes well, so if you don’t have your copy with you in class, please be sure to have it then.  Our class copies are very, very limited, which means that if you’re lucky to secure a class copy, you may not be able to take it home each night. 

By the time you leave the lab today, you should have finished AT LEAST Adventure 1 & 2. 

Viva la ADVENTURE!!!

There and Back Again…A Hobbit Adventure Edublog

3rd Six Weeks Vocabulary Review Online

Once there’s a plan in place, I encourage your group members to begin searching for images and sound to accompany your video.   However, it is VERY important that you first set up a place to SAVE YOUR WORK.   DO THIS NOW:  From your desktop, right-click your work area and choose “New” from the drop-down menu.  Then select “Folder”.  Once your folder shows up, click it ONCE to rename it with your group’s name.  This will be a place for you to save any images/audio that you want to use on your finished project. 

Feel free to use Google images to find images for your video.  Here’s how to save an image to your new group folder on your desktop:

Right-click the image and choose “Save As”.  Navigate to the desktop and choose your folder from its location on the desktop.  Name your image something that you’ll recognize, like “raven”, for example.  Click “Save”.

Please remember to refer to your handout for links to site for links to music/audio content.  Saving audio content is similar to saving an image.  Once you’ve found an audio clip that you like, right-click it and choose “Save Target As”.  Again, navigate to the desktop and choose your group folder from its location on the desktop.  Name you audio clip something that you’ll recognize, and then click “Save”.

You can also refer to the link below for direct links to the sites in your handout.  It will save you from having to type everything in:

Edgar Allan Poe Video Project Resources and Links

I expect to begin filming tomorrow, but please remember that we only have TWO video cameras to use at a time.  Those groups NOT filming will need to be busy in the lab on OTHER tasks.  Your group’s directors should be ready to direct group members to what needs to be completed in a timely manner.

As of today, I expect your projects to be ready for submission on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11. 

All it takes is a quick Google search to find the poem, but I’ve also got a copy right here:

“Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe

Shoot me an email if you have any questions!

Today in the computer lab, you must finish the remainder of your Interactive Website Exploration Assignment.    When you have printed out your “Tell-Tale Heart” annotations, you can consider yourself done with Part 1.  There is also a Part 2!    

The last item on your Technology To-Do List is to join our new discussion board.  

Koolteechakids Discussion Forum

When you click on the link about, you’ll see a message saying that you “don’t have permission to view the content in this forum.”   That’s okay!   If you’ll click on “New Member” in the top, right-hand corner of the screen.  Please create your account using the following information:

Username:  first name, last initial.  For example:  JohnS

Password:  first initial, last initial, 6-digit ID #   For example, ab123456

Email:  your gaggle email address  For example:  johnsmith@gaggle.net

That is the only information you’re required to enter in order to join the board.  Please let me know if you have any questions! 

This week we’ll be PIGGING OUT on those figurative cookies.  Hopefully, Pre-APeeps, you filled your bellies with a little “Most Dangerous Game” this weekend while you worked on your analysis.   I acknowledge that this is a challenging assignement – please send me an email if you have questions, or come to tutorials in the morning.  We’ll actually spend a little bit of time on it tomorrow, so don’t panic too much. 

Once we finish with “The Most Dangerous Game,” my Regulators will move on to Jack London’s “To Build a Fire”.   THAT, my chickadees, is CLASSIC Man Vs. Nature!!!  

Pre-APeeps will get some well-needed instruction on annotating and then practice, practice, practice.   Next we’ll read Robert Cormier’s “The Moustache”.  (KLEENEX ALERT!)

I don’t know about you, but I have really enjoyed familiarizing ourselves with the Qwizdom system.   I’m looking forward to using this interactive system more often!    What a great way to assess learning and have fun at the same time.  Stay tuned for more quizzes!!!

I’m working on getting everyone their own Gaggle email address.  Having a Gaggle email is important for a couple of reasons.  One – we’ll be working in our Ning (short for social networking) soon, and you need an email address to join, and two – Gaggle is safe & smart – anything & everything you do with it is 100% safeguarded by me.   Sooooooooo if you haven’t turned your Web Publishing Permission form into me, please do so ASAP, because you won’t be able to participate if I don’t have that back from your parents.

Oh, and please be sure to check out our class calendars.  You can always access these to know what’s going on in class for the week. 

Regulators’ Class Calendar

Pre-APeeps’ Class Calendar

See ya on the flip side,

 Mrs. S