Tonight, I had every intention of grading papers, working on next week’s lesson plans, updating my gradebook, and reading my guided reading assignments. However, just like all good plans can go awry…so can all good intentions. What started out as, “I think I’ll just read a few blogs and write a few comments,” turned into an entire evening of reading blogs, laughing with the authors, writing comments, and eventually writing my own post. This is a relaxing activity for me. It gives me the chance to read what you (my students) care about. I have read everything tonight from the misty rains to the kitchen sink (literally). And I like what I’m reading. Sure we can get better with our spelling. Sure we can organize the piece a bit better. Sure we can tweak our writing and add the extra umph! But I see growth from where you were a few weeks ago. I “see” you enjoying your writing. I “see” you driving s-l-o-w-l-y in the bumper car. I “see” you swimming a mile to get back to shore. I “see” you with your favorite things. I “see” the raindrops joining each other in a watery song. I “see” your admiration for your Marine brother. And to tell you the truth, I love what I “see!” Don’t stop now. The best is yet to come!
Archive for the Category » Miscellaneous «
For the past week, we have been studying why “questioning,” (asking questions about what we read) is important. We brainstormed the following reasons:
Questioning:
- leads readers deeper into the piece
- allows the reader to set up dialogue with the author
- shows that you are thinking
- allows you to interact with words
- helps us to understand (clarifies ideas)
- deepens our understanding of what we are reading
- keeps our imagination alive
- shows that we, the readers, are engaged
- helps us figure out what it is we want to learn
- keeps our mind alert
- enriches our reading
- shows we care
- inspires thinking
- generates discussions with our peers and teachers
- helps us dig deeper into the meaning of the story
- keeps us turning the pages to find out what happens next
- helps us discover new ideas
- generates more questions
- is the main ingredient in creating super readers
As you read each other’s blogs, I want you to think of questions the blog might raise for you. I want you to respond to the blog in a questioning sort of way. Think about what the blog makes you think about. Write a “quality” comment on the blog you are reading. You may use the questions below to get you thinking….
- Why did you like it?
- Did it inspire you to want to write your own blog on the same subject?
- Did it make you have more questions?
- Did it make you curious?
- Would you like the author to write more to explain their piece?
- Were you surprised?
I can’t believe it! I was approving posts this evening, and one of them was actually to my blog (I miss you all too, Alex). Anyway, when I decided to check out my blog…I realized I hadn’t written anything since the 7th, and that was for the teachers. I’m going to have to get back on the ball or should I say, “on the blog?” Problem is, I need to think of something cool to write about.
I can understand why one of my students just had to finish reading the book. Once I started reading the assigned chapters last night, I couldn’t stop! I had to know if Opal made friends with the Dewberry’s; why Otis was in jail; how the party at Gloria’s turned out…and most of all, was Opal ever going to see her mother again. I am not a spoiler, and will not give away the ending…
What I do wonder is…would I want to eat a piece of candy that tasted like sorrow? Would you want to eat a piece of candy that made you feel sad?
In the past few days, I have had to delete comments to student websites as opposed to being able to post them. I feel excitement when I check my e-mail at home and find that one or more of my students have comments waiting for approval to be posted to their blogs. Imagine my dismay, when I read the comments (prior to approval), and statements like, “you misspelled words and the pronoun I is supposed to be capitalized,” “sucky,” or “you are kinda a good writer,” stare back at me from my computer screen.
Where in these three comments is the positive note, the kind word to let the author know their story moved the reader, the encouragement you should show your fellow writer? How would these students feel to receive such a comment on a blog they had put a lot of effort into? The spirit of the blogs is to write a comment on what you liked about the story and maybe add a bit of “constructive criticism” on what the writer could do to improve the story from your (the reader’s) point of view. The spirit is NOT to trash someone else’s work. To the three of you who wrote those comments…they were not approved. You know who you are, and I encourage you to think twice before submitting such a comment in the future. Be supportive of your peers and encourage their efforts. If you cannot say anything nice, then do as Thumper’s mommy told him in “Bambi.” DO NOT say (or write) anything at all!
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We took a class vote on some of our recent read-aloud books. These books included books of the month and chapter books we chose to read-aloud. As noted by our results, Mr. Popper’s Penguins was the overall class favorite.
These are books we have chosen to read in our reading groups or as a read-aloud.
Melinda is a 13-year old girl who is “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She has put herself in a situation at a party where drinking is involved and ends up calling 9-1-1. The call alienates her from her friends, family, and school. She is finally able to “speak,” and luckily for this young girl, things appear to work out in the end. Reading the book made me think of all the young ladies who don’t “cry out for help” and wind up succumbing to their fears. This is a must-read book.
That Sam! From the moment he’s born to the end of the book, he keeps the reader entertained with his antics. What a great book to read as part of a guided reading group or discussion circle. The students love it.
I really enjoyed how Lois Lowry wrote from Sam’s point-of-view, especially at the beginning (when he was born)!
The Fighting Ground by Avi is about a young, 13-year old boy who desires to go into battle during the Revolutionary War. His father was injured in battle and sent home, but all Jonathan wants to do is be able to fight. He winds up with a group of Americans (by not being truthful), and before long, he does have a taste of battle. He is afraid and runs. The rest of the story tests Jonathan’s courage and character while he is a “prisoner” of the Hessians. Jonathan’s ideas of war change quickly, and he begins to question the actions of others. The twist (surprise) at the end left me, the reader, wondering…”how many people do go into war or battle believing they are on the right side and then question themselves when they see the other side?
Avi doesn’t give any of the characters other than Jonathan a name. Is this to show that war doesn’t care who you are? You are just another person, another face, another casualty.
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