Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Time Travel Tuesday

It's time to take ourselves back to the 60's in honor of The Outsiders.  Check the illustrations below and tell me what you think.  Describe what you think it would have been like to live in the 1960's. Check the styles and the activities.  I will  look for some musical groups, movies, and favorite TV shows of teens so you can get a real feel for the time period and what our characters in The Outsiders were experiencing.

Guys in Madras...


The London influence for girls...
Photobucket

Peace...
Peace Sign Bing - Squarestock vector : Hand-Drawn Psychedelic Groovy Peace Sign Notebook Doodles on Lined Paper Background- Vector Illustration 
Hippies.....

and

Woodstock_poster

A 1969 crossing... 



In the movies...


TV...        


Image

  

Image

2009-08-24-startreklandingparty.jpg


The Greasers...

The_outsiders.jpg
 and The Socs...



Was it harder to be a teen in the 60's or is it more difficult now? Explain.

Think about your own personality, likes, and dislikes. Would you have fit in during this time period? Why or why not?

BTW...This is my favorite blog post yet.  I could go on and on with pictures.  Have fun with it.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Fictional Friday

It's time to start talking about your free reading books on the blog.  Part of your January project will include artwork that depicts the setting of your book. Let's talk about the setting here on the blog.
Below are some pictures to get you thinking about setting.

Enchanted Forest



In the country or on the farm
stock photo : two horses grazing on the farm


In the mountains



On a baseball or soccer field




OUTER SPACE
Planet scape - space art

Historical fiction books have a variety of locations.


In a school
This isn't my classroom. There's too much natural light.
Comment above was written by a student.  By the way, this is a classroom in a Japanese high school.

Maybe your story takes place in a home, a park, a mall or .....There are so many options.

Name your title and author and describe the setting so far in your book.  Discuss the best way to "show" the class your setting on project day. You can use any medium.  Original artwork, computerized illustrations, or 3-D structures are all acceptable. Think about effort when you make your decision.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Famous Quote Friday

Think about friendship. Here are a few famous people talking about their ideas on friendship. Choose one or more and explain.  What do they mean and do you agree?  Can you prove it? Find an example in real life.

Nobody sees a flower -- really -- it is so small it takes time -- we haven't time -- and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.- Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O'Keeffe Poppy 1927




Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company.
~ George Washington





In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
~ Martin Luther King Jr.



king_0011.jpg
  

Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.
Aristotle




Without wearing any mask we are conscious of, we have a special face for each friend.
Oliver Wendell Holmes





An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.
Buddha

stock photo : Golden Buddha statue at buddhist temple of Sanbanggulsa at Sanbangsan of Jeju island Korea 






Friendship is one mind in two bodies.
Mencius
Mencius

Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.
Muhammad Ali



Mohamed Ali



In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
Albert Schweitzer




It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
File:Ralph Waldo Emerson ca1857 retouched.jpg




Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah winfrey celebritiesFriendship with oneself is all important because without it one cannot be friends with anybody else in the world.

Who  said the above quote?  Not Oprah.  Guesses anyone?



Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Tag Team Tuesday

The idea for Tag Team Tuesday came from Andrew B.  Here's how it works.  I will start a story by writing a few lines and giving you a picture or two.  You will then write a few more lines to continue the story.  Look at the pictures and gather some ideas for a story line and then check how I start the story.    Once someone posts about the story, it will be your job to continue with what they have written.  DO NOT change their ideas. Continue from where they leave off.

Here we go.  Look at the pictures first.

1967 Ford F100 Ranger Pick-Up Truck Front

San Francisco Russian Hill

     Cool Breeze is my friend. He is the kid sitting next to me on the metal floor of the open back part of a pickup truck.  We are dipping and rising and rolling on these rotten springs. I feel like I'm in a boat.  From the back of the truck, the city of San Francisco was bobbing up and down and all the endless bay windows of the row houses were quickly passing us. Last week back in Chicago, my dad drove by a hitchhiker and my little brother Bo asked, "Why is that guy giving us a thumbs up?"

TAG...You're it! Continue the story....

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Whatever Wednesday-----It's the end of Marking Period One.

Nice job, everyone, on all the blog comments.  It was good to see you all took this new experience seriously.  I saw many great ideas for both reading and writing coming from each of you who shared.

Take a break from commenting for this long weekend.  You can look forward to more topics next week as we find new avenues to explore in Integrated Language Arts. 

Monday we will visit the library for our yearly book fair and also so you can choose your new free reading book.  Read the book jackets and search for a book with an interesting setting and characters who are able to deal with conflict.

You will have a challenging project at the end of marking period two. This will be another chance to showcase your many talents.

Student reading a book in a library [1574R-36100]
Student reading a book

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Theatrical Thursday

Here's something different for a change. Let's see what you will do with the idea of writing your own song.   Who's your favorite performer? Singers and actors are included.  Afterall, they are theatrical, in a way.  Have you ever been to the theater?  Broadway?  Tell about your experience. Have you ever thought of writing your own television series? Movie? Let's be creative here. What are some of your ideas for original songs, TV shows, or movies?  Talk about your favorite performers too.



Elvis Singing

Young Michael Jackson Singing

clip



Do you know these performers ? 



How about these performers below?



Simba & Nala - the-lion-king-2-simbas-pride photo