Day Fifty-Three, 11/19

Today, we handed out new novels for class discussion.

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: The superhero project is due tomorrow, 11/30; the book paper is due Wednesday, 12/1.

Today's Song: "Mandan Dink", Death Vessel

PARENTS: Progress reports go home next week.

Click here for lab instructions, 11/23

1. Submit your climate essay.
2. Click the comment button, and type your haiku.
3. Research your superhero/dance.
4. Start bookpaper #3.

Day Fifty-One: 11/22

Today, we worked on drafts of the climate essay and forced ourselves through improv performances to highlight character traits.

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: The superhero project is due in three (school days); the book paper is due in four (school) days.

Today's Song: "Be Thankful for What You Got", William Devaughn

PARENTS: The students will be reading biographies for the second book of the quarter. The superhero project and third book paper are both due soon.

Day 50, 11/19

Play Today!

For homework: work on your superhero project, read your third book, and finish your science fair!

Today's Song: "I'm Good, I'm Gone", by Lykke Li

Day Forty-Nine, 11/18

Today, we visited the library to find biographies (required reading), research the elements project, and work on bibliographies.

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: Start rockin' the Superhero Project. (LIBRARY TOMORROW!)

Today's Song: "Kill Hollywood Me", Britta Persson

PARENTS: Today was library day! The students will be reading biographies for the second book of the quarter. The field trip to the play is tomorrow, November 19?

Day Forty-Eight, 11/17

Today, we webbed a new essay (Climate Region) and started Haiku summaries of the stories we read.

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: Start rockin' the Superhero Project. (LIBRARY TOMORROW!)

Today's Song: "Let It Be", The Beatles

PARENTS: Please ask about the Superhero Project! The field trip to the play is coming soon (November19!).

Day Forty-Seven, 11/16

Today, we webbed a new essay (Climate Region) and started Haiku summaries of the stories we read.

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: Finish your web for 10 Points. You have chosen your third book, please read it!

Today's Song: "I Go Away", MNDR

PARENTS: Please ask about the Superhero Project! The field trip to the play is coming soon (November19!).

Day Forty- Six, 11/15

Today, we prepared some presentations for the four stories in anticipation of the play.

They are:
"The Tell Tale Heart", by Poe
"The Necklace", by Maupassant
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", by Twain
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", by Irving (version two)

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: You have chosen your third book, please read it!

Today's Song: "Young Dreams", Young Dreams

PARENTS: Please ask about the Superhero Project! The field trip to the play is coming soon (November19!).

Day Forty- Five, 11/12

Today, we finished reading four stories in anticipation of the play.

They are:
"The Tell Tale Heart", by Poe
"The Necklace", by Maupassant
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", by Twain
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", by Irving (version two)

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: You have chosen your third book, please read it!

Today's Song: "Clarinet Concerto in A Major", Mozart

PARENTS: The field trip to the play is coming soon (November19!).

Click here for lab instructions, 11/10

Experiment with this gadget: VoiceThread

Don't forget--"comment" below with your idea for a vehicle for a VIP.

Day Forty-Three, 11/9

Today, we began reading four stories in anticipation of the play.

They are:
"The Tell Tale Heart", by Poe
"The Necklace", by Maupassant
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", by Twain
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", by Irving (version two)

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: Grammar Workbook page 56. We are in the lab tomorrow for the Secret Service Essay

Today's Song: "Undertow", Warpaint
PARENTS: The field trip to the play is coming soon (November19!).

Today, we visited the book fair, and split up the four stories in anticipation of the play.

They are:
"The Tell Tale Heart", by Poe
"The Necklace", by Maupassant
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", by Twain
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", by Irving (version two)

Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: Some A vocabulary paper, and selecting book three.

Today's Song: "Big Wave", Jenny and Johnny
PARENTS: The field trip to the play is coming soon (November19!).

Day Forty, 11/4

Today, we read a short story, "Mrs. Flowers", and wrote a few questions for our guest speaker. Slides: click here.

Today's Homework: Some parent questions, and selecting book three.

Today's Song: "Revival", Deerhunter
PARENTS: The field trip to the play is coming soon (November19!).

Day Thierty-Nine, 11/3

Today's Homework: A short news article, some parent questions, and selecting book three.

Today's Song: "Autumn Leaves", Cannonball and Miles

Today's Slides: click here.

PARENTS: Please ask your child about the schedule of the second quarter.

Day Thirty-Seven, 10/29

Today's Homework: Don't forget your second book paper, and your mini-drama!

Today's Song: "Everyday is Halloween", Ministry

Today's Slides: click here.

PARENTS: Please ask your child about the mini-drama performances.

Click here for lab intstructions, 10/28

Days Thirty-Four and Thirty-Five, 10/26-27

Today's Homework: Don't forget to plan your essay, complete your science fair introductions, and please keep reading!

Today's Song: "Spooky", Classics IV

Today's Slides: click here.

PARENTS: Please ask your child about the essay they wrote in class.

Day Thirty-Three, 10/25

Today's Homework: A bit of vocabulary construction. Don't forget to plan your essay, your science fair introductions, and please keep reading!

Today's Song: "The Monster Mash", Boris Pickett

Today's Slides: click here.

PARENTS: Please ask your child about the new essay topic (should be planned by Thursday).

CHALLENGES ! CONTESTS ! BE A BETTER YOU !

First of all , if you are entering the PTA Reflections Contest, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME? I would have let you skip today's essay and given mad hot extra credit.

Secondly, we are just one short week away from NaNoWriMo ! If any of you are strong enough, brave enough, psychotic enough to go there, I'll go, too.


Finally, the Scholastic Writing Awards deadline is January 7th, and there's an open house in DC on Tuesday:

October 26th, Mindful Hands Gallery (3rd floor)
211 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314
Tuesday, October 26th
6:00 - 8:00 p.m

Click here for lab instructions, 10/21

Tonight's Homework: a news article

The link for the extra credit comic strip (dark and stormy night, mysterious stranger, the number three): click here.