I am trying this week to catch up on grading your recent blog postings. I am seeing that some of you still need help finding, embedding, and linking back to Creative Commons images. Here is a short video about how to do that: Capture your screen in seconds
Continue Reading Add comment May 25, 2010
Note: Information Updated on 5/23: I know some of you were facing some technology challenges while you were creating your video project. I have been working to sort out the problems. Here is some information that I hope will help you with your assignment. Unfortunately, our blog software provider, Edublogs.org, last week, due to some [...]
Continue Reading Add comment May 21, 2010
Today we discussed Chapters 14 and 15 of The Giver, and students worked on their film assignment. Once you finish your film, you need to add it to a posting in your blog. In your posting, explain that the film is about one of the rules in The Giver, then embed the html code for [...]
Continue Reading Add comment May 20, 2010
Today, we discussed Chapters 12 and 13 of The Giver, then students worked with partners to finish their film storyboards and begin work on their dvolver.com or xtranormal.com films. Students will also have some class time to work on their films tomorrow, and they will be due on Friday. For homework tonight, read Chapters 14 [...]
Continue Reading Add comment May 19, 2010
Today we discussed various themes in The Giver. I asked students to write down these themes and to be watching for them as they continue to read. Some of the themes we discussed were utopias versus dystopias, sameness versus diversity, rules and customs, choices, language and communication, isolation, suffering, and old age. For the second [...]
Continue Reading Add comment May 18, 2010
Today we visited the book fair. Do visit again later this week to buy some great books and support the PFC fundraiser that helps fund library materials. During the second half of the period, I introduced a project in which students will be working with a partner and creating a short movie, using either dvolver.com [...]
Continue Reading Add comment May 17, 2010
Today we used the responders again and answered questions about Chapter 7 of The Giver, continuing our discussion of the book as we proceeded. For homework this weekend: Read Chapters 8 and 9 For one of the six rules you listed for homework last night, write down three reasons someone could argue that the rule [...]
Continue Reading 1 comment May 15, 2010
Today we reviewed Chapters 3 and 4 and read Chapter 5 of The Giver aloud. We discussed the recurring themes of rituals and rules. For homework tonight, read Chapter 6.
Continue Reading 1 comment May 12, 2010
Today we continued our discussion of the ideal and worst school. We agreed that we all have ideas of what would make for the ideal and the worst school, but that it would be impossible to all agree on those characteristics. As we read The Giver, we will be paying attention to the community’s various [...]
Continue Reading Add comment May 11, 2010
Today we discussed students’ lists of ideal or perfect school characteristics. We realized that everyone has a different idea of what “ideal” or “perfect” is. Then, we began reading The Giver. For homework tonight: Continue reading The Giver, through to the end of Chapter 2 on page 19. Complete the blog comments assigned on Friday. [...]
Continue Reading Add comment May 10, 2010
