Worry-free Weekend

Relax.  You made it through marking period one of your 8th grade year. 

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

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

Monday you will visit the library for a fantastic book fair, and also 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.

Metaphor Monday

Metaphor Monday......
Let's be creative. What metaphors come to mind when you look at these pictures? Choose one picture and create your metaphor. Don't tell us which one. We should be able to figure it out. Have fun.








A metaphor can be used in many different ways. How would you describe the pictures below?

Some students may have a little trouble with Metaphor Monday.  Let's just keep this post open to using your choice of figurative language.

Look at the picture and describe. Give it your best shot using simile, metaphor, personification, or imagery of any type. Be creative.

Tag Team Tuesday

Welcome to Tag Team Tuesday

I thought I would give you something to do just in case we are home recovering from Hurricane Sandy.  I sure hope we have electric or at least cell phone access.  Here are the directions.  I will start a story and it will be your job to continue it.  Don't finish it.  Just move it forward and tag the next person to continue.  This should be fun and really challenge your imagination. Enjoy, and now let's get started.  I will  start with a picture for character and setting.

The streets of New York...


...and the story begins here.

Bobby Torino paced the streets of New York, lost amongst his own thoughts. He did not know where he was walking; he just needed to get out and let his mind and legs wander. He peered through the sun glare, which was so common in New York City at this time of year. He noticed the sounds of a thousand cars and the colours of hundreds of neon shop signs, bright, in his face.  The sounds and the images shimmered and warped in in his head. It was the city that helped him in times like this. He had been having soom trouble lately.  The sights and sounds of the city always  helped him look at his life in a new way. As he began to think back, Bobby remembered the day all his problems started. 

TAG.....Please continue the story here.  Remember to write TAG after your section to someone else can continue the story from your dropped spot.  Have fun.

Time Travel Tuesday

Welcome to Time Travel Tuesday....




Let's take the 1860's idea of a time machine presented by the author
H.G.Wells and bring it into our time. 
Where will you be 10 or 20 years from now? What are your plans for the future?
What were you doing 5 years prior to that time to get you there?
Describe your future life as you see it in the year 2022 or 2032.  It seems strange to even write those years.  They seem fake. 

If you want to think of "real" time travel, tell us where you would go, past or future.  You pick the year.  What would you expect to see?  Don't forget to include why you chose that time period. Would you try to change history or secure a better future? Explain.

  

World Wide Wednesday

Welome to World Wide Wednesday.  There are a lot of possibilities when using that title. I have decided to devote this day to strange and interesting animals across the globe.  We have read a few short stories already with the use of a snake. "The Dinner Party" was our first encounter with a snake from India.  That was followed by "The Adventures of the Speckled Band."  I  think the deductive talents of Sherlock Holmes impressed many of you.  I do realize that we still need to discuss the new television show, Elementary, at length. I wonder if animals will appear in any of the episodes in the future.  Also, just recently you encountered "Old Ben" which involved a snake, a horse, and, of course, the hogs which caused Old Ben's demise.  

What has been your favorite animal story?  It doesn't have to be one that we read together either.  A few of you red Black Beauty for classic summer reading.  I hope some of you will share the experience here.

Now it's time for you to put your imagination to work on the blog.  I have found some interesting pictures of animals from around the world.  Please choose one and see what kind of story you can create.  As always, please share and feel free to comment on stories written by your classmates too.
Don't forget to start with a comment about your favorite animal story of all time.  Have fun.

ANACONDA

  

BENGAL TIGER


KOALA BEAR


Shark




 PANDA



What is this?



ELEPHANTS

PARROTS and EAGLES   

GORILLA
BEAR 

DEER


PALOMINO HORSE



I look forward to reading your story ideas.  Let your creativity fly.
 

Fictional Friday

 Let's create a character.

Friday leads us into the weekend. What better time to post narrative prompts than on a Friday.  I hope your "down time" on the weekend will lend itself to creativity and imagination.  Last week I asked you to create mystery stories using a setting prompt.  This week I would like you to take a look at the pictures I have posted dealing with character.  Let's make these people come alive.  Choose a person. Give that person a name, a personality, a life.  Where does this person live?  Who are this person's friends?  Family?  What does this person do in his/her spare time?  What does this person value?  What problems could this person encounter?

Take a look at the pictures below.  Choose one and make this person come alive.  Describe the person and create a possible story line. What would the setting be?  What conflict may arise?  How will your character handle this problem?  Be realistic and use your imagination.  Have fun.

                                                                             

                                                                                                                                



 
I look forward to reading about your characters. 

Mysterious Monday

Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year.  Remember what I told you on day one.  This 8th grade year goes like.....that!  Remember to snap your fingers when you read that line.  This is our class blog.  The first thing you need to do is join as a follower.  Let me know if you have any trouble with signing up for the blog. 

Every week I will post something new on our blog.  I hope you enjoy reading and posting a comment.  It will also be fun to read comments from others.  This blog is an extension of our work in the classroom.  I am trying to bring ILA concepts into your home.  I know many of you are on the computer often so this should be very easy for you.  You can even get blogspot on your phones.  Enjoy the experience.  Now let's get talking about reading and writing.....

This week we will be reading a mystery.  Since we have already had experience writing stories based on pictures of setting, I thought I would show you some interesting setting scenes on the blog.  I am asking you to think "mystery" when you look at these scenes.  Comment about a possible story line you see developing as you look at one of the pictures.  Remember...think mystery. 

 

   Choose one of the pictures and think about a possible story. Share your thoughts.  Remember, your story should be a mystery that needs to be solved.