3rd week of School

This week we are setting up our Writer's Notebooks and preparing to become everyday writers.  You may be wondering what a writer's notebook is and what it is to be used for. Writer's react.  Writers need a place to record these reactions.  That's what a writer's notebooks is for.  It gives you a place to write down what makes you angry or sad or amazed, to write down what you notice and don't want to forget.  A writer's notebook gives you a place to live like a writer.  In today's world we don't use notebooks anymore, we blog!  But for now, while we still do not all have easy access to a format where we can blog at a moments notice, this notebook will serve as your collection plate for ideas for stories, ideas, and thinking.  This notebook is YOURS!  It is not just for an assignment for this class so I would like for you to decorate the front and/or back as you see fit.     


Students are also expected to present their Ceiling Tile work on their Literary Term to the class on Wednesday.

If you would like to know what else we have planned for the week, check out our weekly agendas on the class wiki.   Have a great week!

GOOD News report

Runde's Room BlogI have been inspired by a fellow teacher about spreading Good News in the classroom.  Here is the blog entry that so inspired me to include current events in our lesson plans for this year. 


"The other day, a friend of mine posted a link about the importance of sharing good news stories.  The link reported the results of a study that confirmed people were inspired to do good when they read media stories about Good Samaritans' selfless acts.  You can read about the article here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/03/29/bc-good-news-study.html

Inspired by this, I set out to find "good news" sites on the internet that I could share with my students:
Happy News:  http://www.happynews.com/index.aspx
Good News Stories (might be better suited for older students): http://goodnewsstories.org/
UpBeat News Stories: http://upbeat.net/
Optimist World:  http://optimistworld.com/
Dogonews:  http://www.dogonews.com/

I do current events activities with my students all the time.  This year I am going to focus on positive current events - sharing some GOOD news.  This could be done in many ways:

• One student per day could research and then present a good news story.  
• Good news stories could be used for guided reading groups - identifying the main idea and moral of the article, and practicing oral fluency.
• Good news articles could be used while studying the features of a news article.
• Good news articles could be used to practice summary writing.
• Good news articles could be used for shared reading activities.
• A good news story could be shared over the projector or overhead for students to read as they come into the class.
• Good news stories could also be posted over the projector or overhead during lunch or indoor recesses - students will read it.
• Students could write their own good news stories about events going on in their school or community.

I have created a printable to go along with this idea, and uploaded it to google docs.  You may print your own copy by clicking here or on the picture.

First Week of School

This is going to be a great year and I hope you are all excited about what all we are going to accomplish and experience during your time in 8th grade.  This blog is intended for students and teachers to communicate and explore our world via an online tool that we can access from school, home and just about anywhere!

Please look for an assignment to come in the next week where you will have to respond to a post with at least one complete sentence.  Be ready to get started with your own blog somewhere along the way too!