tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27791873944356806652024-03-13T13:52:20.057-07:00What Else 2 Learn ?A writing journey...A writing classroom...A writing teacherMs Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567610054998722707noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-52665274501638707872016-09-21T22:09:00.002-07:002016-09-21T22:09:31.316-07:00Elaboration: Verbs and DetailsElaboration: VERBS and DETAILS
Once again, we focus on improving the story through elaboration.
How did I get from this:
1
I wrecked last night. I saw a hole in bike path ahead of me. held on to my handlebars. I tried to turn away. I kept looking at the hole. It was big. I hit the brakes. I hit the hole. I wrecked. My wheel hit the hole and stuck there. But I didn’t stop. I Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06608627538638941887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-80503258624093076752016-09-20T12:46:00.002-07:002016-09-20T12:47:06.762-07:00Slice of Life A BunnyToday is Slice of Life. A Tuesday, as always.
So last night we're watching the BBC show on Netflix, The Last Kingdom. We're completely enthralled in the story, and we will grab the novel and search the history behind the story for the historical truths. That's just what we do.
The cats continue their night time ritual: in and out the back door with the screen left partially open. My Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-47069966449297036412016-09-19T10:51:00.003-07:002016-09-19T10:59:43.626-07:00Monday: Ideas and Connections and Web Site Accuracy
Mondays are a great day to get new ideas from the news.
A great place to look is Tween Tribune. Students do not sign up; teachers do. You do not need to sign up to read the articles. This site, sponsored by the Smithsonian, aggregates news for kids-- and creates them with questions and at different reading levels.
See the menu at top for grade levels, and in the right sidebar see topics Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-44540258454265311752016-09-16T19:43:00.002-07:002018-02-13T16:48:08.817-08:004 Blog ConversationsWhat are we learning this week?
Monday: Observation / Point of View
Tuesday: Slice of Life in Conversation
Wednesday: Conversation of Objects
Thursday: Conversation: Poem in Two Voices
Friday: Conversation: Blog Comments and Conversations
Important in our little community is our presence online and in our blogs. I've written about Blog Conversations on another blog.Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-54348492223695657252016-09-15T17:50:00.002-07:002016-09-15T17:56:35.995-07:00Dot Day
What does your dot look like this year?
Make your mark, Make it matter.
Listen to Vashti's Story: The Dot
by Peter Reynolds
How will you better the world?
I made my dot on my computer in Sketchbook using paint brush tools and two of my favorite colors. I included my motto to spread the word of hope for kindness in the world. Go boldly [have confidence] & Scatter seeds Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-42899438273397485252016-09-15T17:39:00.000-07:002016-09-15T17:39:01.439-07:00Conversation 3What are we learning this week?
Monday: Observation / Point of View
Tuesday: Slice of Life in Conversation
Wednesday: Conversation of Objects
Thursday: Conversation: Poem in Two Voices
You may have read the poetry book, "Joyful Noise: A Poem for Two Voices," by Paul Fleischman.
Listen to Mrs Mathieson's students read their Poems for Two Voices:
Poetry, they explain, Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-36611832677512689482016-09-14T19:50:00.000-07:002016-09-14T19:55:47.306-07:00Conversation 2
What are we doing this week?
Monday: Observation / Point of View
Tuesday: Slice of Life in Conversation
Wednesday: Conversation 2
How about a conversation between non-human objects? Imagine what your sock would say to your big toe and your shoe? Or the basketball to your hand and the court floor? Or your dull pencil to the sharpener?
Here's an example:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I stood Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-49640952483613835912016-09-13T17:25:00.001-07:002016-09-13T17:26:55.259-07:00Slice of Life ConversationTuesday. Slice of Life.
Today, try a conversation. First, set it up. Then share the dialogue.
For example:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beep Bop.
"What's that noise, Allison?" Grandma asked as she walked around the playroom, listening.
Beep. Bop.
"I think there's a toy here that is stuck on." Grandma picked up a teddy bear and looked underneath it.
Beep. Bop.
"Can you hearSheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-17863237360714795842016-09-12T14:00:00.002-07:002016-09-12T14:07:18.185-07:00Mondays: Shift: Seeing Things in a New Perspective
My mom had an old book of puzzles. I loved it. My favorite puzzles were simple sketches that suggested something. What do you think the above image is?
Is it a bear climbing a tree? A giraffe walking by your window? A snake slithering across your beach towel?
With each question, your eyes shift to see the pattern in a new way. This is important for writers.
My mom could see beyond Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-72137149012204581852016-09-09T16:08:00.002-07:002016-09-09T16:15:04.198-07:00Poetry Friday: Each drawer is differentPoetry: What is it?
An interesting piece about poetry from Ron Padgett provides a beginning for us.
It's fourteen lines that look the same, but you can't say it the same 14 times. Try it.
As the poet explains, there are many, many kinds of poems: tiny, long, nature, funny, serious, patterns, etc. But the thing is, once a poem is written, it is never read the same. Each of us puts our own Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-70614888790394694852016-09-08T09:53:00.000-07:002016-09-08T09:53:55.552-07:00Just a word about verbs
Verbs
No technical jargon here, just a word about verbs: active
If you read yesterday's post, prompt, and example, you noticed that one of my writing strategies emphasizes "Strong Verbs," listing many of the verbs from the story.
Strong verbs: dropped, plopped, invited, wrapped, grabbed, gathered, giggled, opened, unwrapped, melted, slumped
What do you notice about those verbsSheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-35957801408153468562016-09-07T22:46:00.002-07:002016-09-08T09:53:17.419-07:00Something for You: Birthday
Today: free write and revise to elaborate with details and dialogue.
Prompt: Describe one incident at one of your birthday parties. Adapting prompt OK :)
Free write: Not My Party
I was eight or nine years old, and gladly accepted the invitation to a neighbor's birthday party. She lived in one of those mansion-like old hopes two blocks up from my home, a small cottage really, tucked in Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06608627538638941887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-42938915373988571622016-09-06T23:10:00.000-07:002020-05-21T17:00:05.350-07:00Slice of Life Writing
What is a slice of life story?
A slice of life story is a realistic SHORT story, a slice of your life retold as fiction. It’s just a “snippet” that tells a moment in your everyday life. That moment is like a snapshot. When you look at it, you remember and write what happened just before, then you describe your snapshot experience with as much realism and details Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-25583629526702011112016-09-05T22:01:00.002-07:002016-09-06T23:10:32.401-07:00Critique: Acceptance, Writing, and Sharing
Please watch the first two minutes of the video of Randy Nelson, now of Apple University. Here he explains a concept of acceptance and collaboration, something I'd like you to enjoy as a writing community.
Randy explains two rules when you share something or work together:
Accept every offer [for help, advice, constructive criticism, anything]
Make your partner look good, be it your Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-40273044955289604662016-09-04T12:29:00.001-07:002016-09-06T23:10:32.405-07:00An Idea for You: Just Write
Today, just pick up your pen and put it to paper, or open a document and hit the keyboard. Just start writing what pops into your mind.
Keep writing until an idea begins to form, then just imagine and let your thinking flow through your fingers. Keep writing. If you reach a blank just type or write the last word you wrote over and over until the mood of your mind hatches another Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06608627538638941887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-82781085817360675962016-09-03T18:03:00.000-07:002016-09-06T23:10:32.411-07:00A New Year of Ideas
Welcome
Need to write for class?
Relax
and think of these strategies
Writers have ideas. But they may not often just pop into your head, although they could.
Do you have a topic? If so, make a list of all you know about the topic. Lists are a great way to sort through what's on your mind about a topic. It''s one of the number one ways to get started. Here's one from Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06608627538638941887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-85215442745637406992015-08-03T09:39:00.002-07:002015-08-03T09:46:23.742-07:00I am fromI am from...
From tag games and hide-n-go-seek, Red Light Green Light, and long walks on hot pavement with friends, I today still love the feel of sand or pavement underfoot during a lazy walk in conversation with friends.
Although now those conversation occur as I take "walks" in photos from friends from all over the world in Flickr groups, in Twitter chats for conversations, or in blogs Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-59941144991680766632015-07-06T11:09:00.001-07:002015-07-06T11:22:13.756-07:00Apollo Challenges
Remember these words, "Houston, we have a problem?" Read NASA's mission page for details and the National Air and Space Museum's information. How serious was this? This movie clip shows "Failure is not an option." Then, this:
So they were able to do this:
With limited supplies and so much collaboration, the astronauts returned to earth safely.
Courage and persistence in Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-9581279573544343112015-01-10T16:57:00.002-08:002015-01-10T16:57:46.231-08:00Slice of Life in EducationThe Slice of Life hosted by Two Writing Teachers provides a model for writing teachers and their blogging students. Mrs Erin, a sixth grade teacher, started her own version on Learning in the Middle. We're trying this too: Eagles Write 15.
Try it...
Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-80379254942305463482013-11-18T19:54:00.001-08:002013-11-18T19:54:44.082-08:00Apple Infographics: Still Growing Two Years Without Steve Jobs: Has Apple Crumbled? - Blog About Infographics and Data Visualization - Cool Infographics tags: steve jobs apple infographics Posted from Diigo. It seems Apple is growing... still innovating ... I think the visuals about popularity, charity, and share price are telling.Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-20813814945634822112013-08-06T19:42:00.001-07:002013-08-06T19:42:45.539-07:00Welcome Back 2013Welcome Back 2013
Animoto: Getting Ready for Fall! My first movie this year -- a welcome back!Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-38797974574078060972013-08-03T15:10:00.001-07:002013-08-03T15:10:04.342-07:00Doc Horse Tales: Why write? Because you love to. Doc Horse Tales: Why write? Because you love to. tags: doc horse tales Because you love to. Humans “write” because it is our distinctive character How old is our writing?Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-28678509570389183172013-07-14T10:41:00.001-07:002013-07-14T10:41:05.604-07:00Create, Share, Interpret, RemixHave you seen this amazing tri-class remix project?Flick-It-On! Student Collaborative Film Making ChallengeIt is a creative way to inspire remix, design, and critical thinking.The Gist: Three classes Each make a silent video on chosen theme and pass it on (flick it on) to the next class. That class interprets it and adds VoiceOver and credits and flicks it on. The next class interprets emotion Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-12762613914129460742013-05-31T11:47:00.000-07:002013-05-31T11:48:12.689-07:00Educators: How to remove ads from Blogger
How to Remove Ads on your Blogger blog (Blogspot)
https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/42535?hl=en
The above Google Support Document provides this info:
Note: This article assumes you are using a classic template. On a Layouts-enabled blog, just click the "edit" link for your AdSense page element, the click the "Remove Page Element" button.
The special AdSense tab in Blogger's Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779187394435680665.post-72463979444446314342013-02-01T18:34:00.001-08:002013-02-01T18:34:09.899-08:00CCSS: Teaching Argument vs. Evidence | MiddleWebSix steps to teaching #ccss argument -- I needed to save this one! I think you'll find the strategies excellent:
CCSS: Teaching Argument vs. Evidence | MiddleWeb:
'via Blog this'
Reflect curiosity and wonder --Go boldly and scatter seeds of kindness...Sheri42http://www.blogger.com/profile/06110059329788147499noreply@blogger.com0