Writing Prompts Are Back!

We will be spending some time discussing the awesomeness of The Great Gatsby, so I thought it would be a perfect time to get your creative juices flowing with some creative writing. Below you will find 5 writing prompts. You are to chose one of them and write a story. I will not give you a set length, but I will say that this assignment is worth 50 points and I will be giving you plenty of time to write it. Make this short story worth 50 points and you will get 50 points. I hate awarding points for creative writing, but it is a necessary evil when it comes to getting some of you to write.

These short stories will be due by the start of class May 1.

Here is the information on how to get into your Blogger account in case you forgot.

Go to Blogger.com
Your email address is (Student ID)@gpschools.com
Your password is the same password you use to log into the school computers

If you have problems logging in, please see me and we will take care of the problem.

Lipdub Awesomeness #edchat #engchat

My students have been working very hard and have been tested out of their minds, so I thought it would be fun to have a "Good Time". Here are two videos the students did all on their own. The video with the most views by Monday wins a special prize. Spread the word!

Extra Credit - All Students

I am offering some extra credit to students are interested in doing an extra project for some extra points.

I'm looking for students to use the iPads to create a video presentation on how the iPad has impacted their learning in English class and how it could impact the learning in other classes if all students were given an iPad to use in all of their classes. This can be a group project, but no more than 3 students can work on the project together.

If you are interested in this project, please see me for the details and a timeline.

MRP

Magical Chalk Prompt

If I were to receive a set of magical sidewalk chalk, I would do what Mary Poppins did and create entire towns that I could jump into and explore. 

I would create all types of ancient civilizations that I could go back and explore. I would create an image of the Pyramids and explore ancient tombs. I would draw the wonders of the world to explore the most beautiful creations in the world. If things every got crazy, I could just draw myself an escape door and get out of there. 

The best part of having magical sidewalk chalk is that I have the chance to draw anything I want at any time I want. That freedom would allow me to be as creative as I could ever hope to be. 

That is what I would do with magical sidewalk chalk. 

My Insane Conspiracy Theory

This writing assignment is going to be due on Monday November 5. Please share your own conspiracy theory in a post on your blog. Use mine as a guide to what it should look like. 

Back in 2006, "scientists" declared that Pluto was not a planet. They came up with new guidelines on what a real planet is supposed to look like and Pluto didn't meet the criteria. A long time ago, people knew that the last planet was bad news. They gave it the name Pluto, because it represents death and the underworld. They had hoped that people would avoid researching Pluto because it had a scary name. Some tried to fight this mysterious group. 

Later in history, Walt Disney named Mickey Mouse's dog Pluto in the hope that people would find the name pleasant and start to look deeper into the mystery of the last planet in our solar system. Over the years, Pluto became a popular name and more and more young scientists looked toward the last planet and wondered about its secrets. 

Now, "government officials" (Really a group called the "Anti-Plutonians") have re-classified Pluto in an attempt to completely wipe the celestial body out of our memories and crappy grade school projects. Stay vigilant and keep an eye out for Pluto. 

Student Blogs

Today, I wanted to share all of the different blogs my students have created for their class. These blogs are their spaces to share their ideas on various topics. They are not related to the content covered in class and are designed to give students a space to express themselves. Please feel free to read and comment on the blogs. Your encouragement would mean the world to the students.

1st Hour

2nd Hour

5th Hour

7th Hour

Blogging Prompt #2

From John T Spencer from here

On your blog, please answer the following question. Please make sure that you create a title for your post before you publish it.

For me, the part of school I would most like to hack woud have to be the learning spaces. I know that we are in this beautiful, but old, building, but I would love to have more room for my students to spread out and learn in different ways. Having desks in a row facing the teacher is an antiquated approach to education that needs to be left by the roadside. Learning spaces are so important as schools look to change the way instruction is delivered to students. Tables and comfy chairs are needed to allow students the ability get comfortable and collaborate.

I would also love to change the library as well. It needs to be a more fluid learning space where students can sit and work on their laptop and read quietly in a corner. Our library is heading in that direction and that gets me very excited. The room consuming labs need to be done away with and 1:1 computing needs to replace them so this room can be used for collaboration by students AND staff.

There are certain aspects of where we study and do homework that could be valuable additions to the learning environments of school. I think it is the best place to start hacking.