Dinner party conversation. Guests include Wilma Randolph (Olympic Gold Medalist runner), my sister, Pam, Charlemagne (King of the Franks), Maria Tamez, my son Jesse, and David Castillo.
Pam: I'm so glad you got everyone together for this meal.
Jesse: Me too. When do we eat?
David: Let's all sit down and enjoy this wonderful meal.
Wilma: I hope there are some low carb items on the menu.
Charlemagne: I insist on sitting at the head of the table.
Maria: I'll sit anywhere.
Pam: It's nice to get away from the kids for a night.
Maria: I think it's wonderful that you have a big family.
Wilma: I come from a huge family. I had 19 brothers and sisters.
Jesse: I would have liked to have some of my cousins here especially since I'm the youngest person at the table.
Charlemagne: Children belong in school and should be seen and not heard.
David: While I understand your reasoning for that comment, I think its important for Jesse to socialize with some older people. He is on the cusp of adulthood.
Wilma: Pam, I understand you were born with cerebal palsy? When I was young, I got sick and my leg twisted inward. I had to work very hard to overcome that.
.
Pam: I know what you mean. I also had to work hard at physical therapy. I think that's why I became a physical therapist.
Charlemagne: I would be interested in learning about what a physical therapist does.
Maria: I think its wonderful that you both were able to overcome such adversity.
Jesse: I might become a physical therapist. How much does it pay?
David: You have to go to college for many years.
Charlemagne: College is a good thing. I have always encouraged my people to learn as much as they can.
Pam: I went to college for about 6 years to get a degree as a physical therapist.
Wilma: You know, training for the Olympics takes a very long time and a lot of committment.
David: If you have the passion for something, you must be willing to work long and hard for it.
Jesse: Maybe I better just concentrate on getting a part-time job and go to community college for my core classes.
Maria: I think that's a good idea.
The evening progresse without any problems and everyone leaves feeling satisfied.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
3321 blog 10
Historical fiction are books that has its setting in the past that may or may not have real people and places along side a fictional story. The language fits with the time period being portrayed as well as the belief system and values that were the norm for the time period. The plot should be credible, without magic and fantastical creatures, and be historically authentic, all while connecting the reader to the past.
I think having historical fiction in a classroom helps to teach students about things of the past that have shaped the world they live in today. They can feel a connection to the characters especially if they are children like themselves with the same thought processes and feelings. To help students connect with the characters I would have them do a cause and effect organizer of the story and of the present using themselves as the present day characters than compare the two to see the similarities and differences. I could also have the students create drawing of the book's setting and explain what the picture is about or to create a drawing of the student dressed in the clothes of the time period of the book.
I think having historical fiction in a classroom helps to teach students about things of the past that have shaped the world they live in today. They can feel a connection to the characters especially if they are children like themselves with the same thought processes and feelings. To help students connect with the characters I would have them do a cause and effect organizer of the story and of the present using themselves as the present day characters than compare the two to see the similarities and differences. I could also have the students create drawing of the book's setting and explain what the picture is about or to create a drawing of the student dressed in the clothes of the time period of the book.
3344 blog 10
Descriptive piece:
The clouds are gathering in the sky,
Rolling, darkening, building up.
Rushing across the heavens so high,
Casting a grayness over the land.
In the sky, the gloominess expands.
The faint sounds of a rumble,
Luminous veins of light, blinding flashes,
As the wetness begins to tumble,
Onto the ground it slashes.
The thunder grows louder
Booming and crashing all around.
Now the lightening can be found
Zig-zagging in the sky.
The drops fall more heavily,
Leaving nothing in its wake dry.
It seems to go on forever
But the wind forces the storm away.
Nothing left but the gentle pitter-patter,
Replenishing the earth for another day,
The Earth has a cleansed feeling again.
The clouds are gathering in the sky,
Rolling, darkening, building up.
Rushing across the heavens so high,
Casting a grayness over the land.
In the sky, the gloominess expands.
The faint sounds of a rumble,
Luminous veins of light, blinding flashes,
As the wetness begins to tumble,
Onto the ground it slashes.
The thunder grows louder
Booming and crashing all around.
Now the lightening can be found
Zig-zagging in the sky.
The drops fall more heavily,
Leaving nothing in its wake dry.
It seems to go on forever
But the wind forces the storm away.
Nothing left but the gentle pitter-patter,
Replenishing the earth for another day,
The Earth has a cleansed feeling again.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Blog 9 3344
Expository outline
What to do in a tornado? Do these things to the song of “Looby Loo” to remember the steps.
1. Go to a room that has no windows, a closet, a bathroom, a cellar
2. In the room or bathroom, have pillows and blankets to cover body from debris
3. In a basement, take:
a. Flashlights
b. Radio for weather reports
c. Batteries
d. Canned food
e. Books, or games
4. Come up when the storm is gone
5. Be careful when walking
6. Find your parents
7. If house is safe, go back inside and go to bed
An example of poetry for kindergarten is the Jesse Bear books by Nancy White Carlstrom
The books have various themes with little poems on each page. One particular book is How Do You Say It Today, Jesse Bear? ,has a poem for each month of the year. I would show the months of the year to students on a large calendar then recite the poem. Later I would recite the poem and see if the students can tell which month is being described based on their earlier introduction to the poems. I think it would be a fun way for the students to learn the months of the year.
What to do in a tornado? Do these things to the song of “Looby Loo” to remember the steps.
1. Go to a room that has no windows, a closet, a bathroom, a cellar
2. In the room or bathroom, have pillows and blankets to cover body from debris
3. In a basement, take:
a. Flashlights
b. Radio for weather reports
c. Batteries
d. Canned food
e. Books, or games
4. Come up when the storm is gone
5. Be careful when walking
6. Find your parents
7. If house is safe, go back inside and go to bed
An example of poetry for kindergarten is the Jesse Bear books by Nancy White Carlstrom
The books have various themes with little poems on each page. One particular book is How Do You Say It Today, Jesse Bear? ,has a poem for each month of the year. I would show the months of the year to students on a large calendar then recite the poem. Later I would recite the poem and see if the students can tell which month is being described based on their earlier introduction to the poems. I think it would be a fun way for the students to learn the months of the year.
Blog 9 3321
Contemporary realistic fiction is a story that is realistic in every way, with its plots dealing in the everyday problems people face and how they solve them, the relationships people have with one another, and the real way the story is portrayed in the contemporary world. The characters in the stories are people without supernatural powers and animals that behave like real animals, who deal with conflicts because of themselves, other family members, society, or nature.
Contemporary realistic fiction can be used in the classroom to help students understand the relationship between cause and effect with the use of graphic organizers as well as class discussions on how to solve a problem, with the students creating a web showing the ideas they came up with for solving problems. The students can also learn about the different parts of a story, the introduction, the build up to the climax and the falling action of the conclusion using graphic organizers. Students can also use journaling when reading contemporary fiction and readers response to the story.
Contemporary realistic fiction can be used in the classroom to help students understand the relationship between cause and effect with the use of graphic organizers as well as class discussions on how to solve a problem, with the students creating a web showing the ideas they came up with for solving problems. The students can also learn about the different parts of a story, the introduction, the build up to the climax and the falling action of the conclusion using graphic organizers. Students can also use journaling when reading contemporary fiction and readers response to the story.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Blog 8 3321
Poetry
Ode to our Professors
As this semester comes to a close
and we have learned all we can learn
from our Professors so experienced and wise
they send us on with hearts that yearn
that they have prepared us for any surprise.
They know they have a job well done
when we graduate and go into the world
as the school districts seek and come
we'll have our own class with boys and girls
and use our fount of knowledge to teach
and make an effort to reach
the minds of the next generation!
Ode to our Professors
As this semester comes to a close
and we have learned all we can learn
from our Professors so experienced and wise
they send us on with hearts that yearn
that they have prepared us for any surprise.
They know they have a job well done
when we graduate and go into the world
as the school districts seek and come
we'll have our own class with boys and girls
and use our fount of knowledge to teach
and make an effort to reach
the minds of the next generation!
Blog 8 3344
A narrative tells a story about something that can either be fiction or non-fiction, depending on the author. Once the topic is chosen, the narrative goes through a sequence of events with a definative beginning, middle, and end. Characters. plot, and setting have details to support the story and the author keeps his or her audience in mind while writing the narrative.
When the author keeps his or her audience in mind, he or she develops the events into a unifying theme so the story flows beginning with an intro that gives the reader the who, what, why, and where, the characters are introduced, the scene set, and an incident that leads into the body of the narrative, the middle. Conflicts develop in the middle that lead to the climatic point of the story that is followed by a resolution in the ending of the story.
Writers workshop is valuable for writers since it gives them a chance for their work to be read aloud to an audience and it gives the sudience a chance to respond. In a classroom, the workshop usually consists of 3-5 students in a circle with one reading and the others commenting around the circle after the story is done. Comments should follow the Sandwich Theory (SBH,2007) guideines where the audience says what they like about the writing, give suggestions or ask questions and end with some sort of positive, encouraging comment. The school where I once worked did wrtiers workshop on a grand scale, involving the entire school. Once everyone had done a class workshop, we have a young authors day with tables or desks set up outside each class, decorated to invite people to stop and read, and everyone (parents, teachers, other students) went throughout the school reading and commenting in everyone's stories. It was really cool and they did this for many years. I hope that they are still continuing with this special day.
When the author keeps his or her audience in mind, he or she develops the events into a unifying theme so the story flows beginning with an intro that gives the reader the who, what, why, and where, the characters are introduced, the scene set, and an incident that leads into the body of the narrative, the middle. Conflicts develop in the middle that lead to the climatic point of the story that is followed by a resolution in the ending of the story.
Writers workshop is valuable for writers since it gives them a chance for their work to be read aloud to an audience and it gives the sudience a chance to respond. In a classroom, the workshop usually consists of 3-5 students in a circle with one reading and the others commenting around the circle after the story is done. Comments should follow the Sandwich Theory (SBH,2007) guideines where the audience says what they like about the writing, give suggestions or ask questions and end with some sort of positive, encouraging comment. The school where I once worked did wrtiers workshop on a grand scale, involving the entire school. Once everyone had done a class workshop, we have a young authors day with tables or desks set up outside each class, decorated to invite people to stop and read, and everyone (parents, teachers, other students) went throughout the school reading and commenting in everyone's stories. It was really cool and they did this for many years. I hope that they are still continuing with this special day.
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