Journal entry directions for 3rd, 4th and 6th graders due May 5th

You are going to L-O-V-E this one! I came up with the idea thanks to Catherine Kimble. I took her suggestion and tweaked it for English class...

Your topic is:
Compare the members in your immediate family (your mom, dad, bro(s) and sister(s) - sure, you can do pets as well) to punctuation marks that best describe them and explain your reasoning.

Ideas to consider:
A. Would your mom be quotation marks because she is always telling you what to do?
B. Would your brother/sister be an exclamation mark because he/she is always yelling at you?
C. Would your dad be a comma because although he does listen to what you say, he then continues with the point he was trying to make when you have finished making your point?

Have fun!!!!

6th Grade Tower of London pics

Below are a few pictures I took this last summer during my trip to London that I thought you might enjoy seeing since we are reading about these EXACT places in Mary, Bloody Mary right now.

A picture of one of the outer walls

Another view from a different facing outer wall. You'll see a bridge in the bottom left corner, and beneath it you will can barely see a moat. During the Middle Ages, that moat used to be filled with sewage from the town and the castle itself for two reasons: 1) Where else were they going to put the sewage? and 2) For protection. Would you want to swim through it in order to attach the Tower? After the Tower (the castle) started being known far and wide as being "stinky", the sewage was moved to another location. Wouldn't you have loved to have had that job???

Another view of the outer walls. The entire grassy area is the old moat where the sewage was. Right about where the trees are is where the living quarters were for the royal family. Above the tall stone wall in the center of the picture, you'll see four chimneys. It was about in this area that Sir Thomas More was held prisoner. (We'll read more about that later...)

Remember that at the beginning of the book, Mary was reading Utopia, a book written by her father's friend, Sir Thomas More. Turns out, they weren't very good friends after all... Are we really surprised Henry VIII wasn't a very loyal friend???

This building is where the royal family lived. It is located in the center of the grounds. This is where Henry VIII lived with his many wives. This is where Mary lived until her father forced her to move out, and this is also where Mary's half sister, Elizabeth (we haven't gotten to this in the book yet) was born. Across the path (where I was standing to take this picture) is where royalty was beheaded. A special monument stands there today. I'll post of picture of it when we read that part of the book.

I apologize that I did not take a serious picture (we were being "sad" since this it is now a cemetery), but behind my brother, sister and I is Wesminster Abbey. This is where not only Mary is buried, but this is where Henry VIII, Catherine and Anne were all crowned king or queen.

3rd Grade Personification Practice

Listen to the video, and then complete the handout that was passed out in class.

Don't forget:

1. You can replay, rewind, pause and fast-foward the video.

2. You can find personification in the words AND the pictures.

3. Personification is when HUMAN characteristics are given to UNHUMAN things.

The Best Spring Break Surprise

Nothing is better than Taco Bueno and a Snickers bar.

Except maybe diamonds!

Thanks, Phoebe.

Journal Entry Topic

Your topic for this week's journal entry is a Bible verse found in 1 Timothy 4:12 =
"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example in speech, in life, in love and in purity."

You have several options when it comes to writing about this topic. Some include (but are not limited to):
- Explain what this verse means
- Give an example of what the verse means
- Share your opinion about this verse
- Share what it makes you think of or reminds you of
- Explain how this verse makes you feel
- Explain what this would look like, sound like and feel like if someone were to carry out this verse

**One more thing: Don't forget to write double the required amount if you skip lines in your journal...

4th Grade's Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall Tales

How very creative you guys were!! I saw lots of fun decorations added to your characters - the shoes may have been my favorite part (cleats, penny loafers, and even leprechaun shoes were represented)! Your stories were very cute and entertaining, and your Tall Tale heroes (long paper that was decorated to look like the hero) were just as intriguing. It looks like you all had a good time!

High five to you all.

I was especially impressed with the dialect, figurative language and the hyperboles (exaggeration) that were used in your stories.

And on a side note, who knew so many around-the-house items could be used for hair?? ha ha

8:30 class

10:00 class

3rd & 4th Journal Topic due March 24

We are doing an old favorite this week: A Squiggle!!!

Here's How It Works
1. First, each student received a squiggle (doodle) in his/her journal which looked something like this:






2. Next, the student is to turn that squiggle into something (see example below):
I added on to the original squiggle to make a worm. (Isn't she cute, Grayson? ha ha)


3. The last step is to journal about what you drew. There are many directions you can go in once you get to this step. Some possibilities for my worm drawing are:
-write about a time I saw a worm
-write about a time I used a worm for fishing
-write about how I feel about worms
-do research and write facts about worms
-write about what the worm reminds me of
-write a poem about the worm
-write about what the worm reminds me of
-make up a story about a worm
-describe or explain its purpose/uses
-describe what the worm looks like
and so on...

Squiggle Rules
1. Do not spend more than five minutes on drawing your squiggle. This is a writing class; not an art class. :)
2. Add your design to the squiggle in a different color than I drew it in so I can easily tell what I drew and what YOU drew.
3. Be sure that you write the required amount: 3rd = 1/2 a page, 4th grade = 3/4 a page (if you skip lines, remember to write TWICE as much to make up for the lines you skipped over).