It pays to check the blog...

Just wanted to give a heads up that we will have a POP quiz when we get about chapters 8-15. (Psst...I might post some questions on hte blog before our return!) I will also be working on getting a "blog contribution evaluation" to everyone. Some people are posting volumes and really thinking about the questions and some people are....just posting!

Hope everyone is enjoying break. I have been grading and planning today and just wanted to let you know that my personal goal is to have everything fresh and new and up to date on Edline, so just bear with me and check it on New Years Day!


A look ahead at 2008:

You will be creating 1-3 group blogs before the end of the school year. I am going to let you feel the excitement that I do when I post to the blog!

We will wrap up of TKaM, watch the film, watch Spitfire Grill to compare to the novel.

We will have a super short poetry unit and watch my all time favorite movie (and the reason I became a teacher) Dead Poets Society.

We will have a research project on global warming and natural disasters. This will correlate with our next novel that focuses on the survival of a small Florida town with limited resources.

The Odyssey! The blood! The guts! The love story!

And we will end the year with Romeo and Juliet.....the best love story ever told....


Wow! I can't wait to get back to school now (okay, maybe I am fibbing a little bit!)

Hope you are all sleeping in, reading a ton and checking out some good movies over break. I already saw I am Legend and am off to see The Kite Runner tomorrow and then maybe Charlie Wilson's War on Saturday or The Great Debaters? Who can decide!

Miss Holmes :)

The Christmas Spirit...

Here I sit after school right before Christmas break and think that maybe I should check to see how many of you will REALLY check the blog over break. I will have some 'Christmas Trivia' questions and whoever gets them all right will get extra credit. However, you won't be able to post comments in the comment section, you will have to email them to me at missholmes@gmail.com.

1. What is the tradition behind hanging stockings by the fireplace?
2. What is the Saratoga tradition of the Peppermint Pig? (explain what you do with the pig itself)
3. What did Ralphie in A Christmas Story want for Christmas? (must have the name brand)
4. What scene from what holiday film does Kevin watch in Home Alone when he is sitting home eating macaroni and cheese?
5. Explain the rules of the the dreidel game in detail.


Hope this finds you enjoying your holiday and/or week off!

Miss Holmes :) (with some help from Madeleine)

Our new online classroom! You guys should be proud!

I thought this little cartoon kind of reminded me of me lately. I am SO INTO this blog! It's so addicting!

Wednesday and Thursday in class this week we will do "stations" in class for half of the block. In one of the stations, you will be asked to have your group post to the blog.

THIS IS THE POST YOU RESPOND TO!
Please use the following header format for your post:
Block ____ Group #_______

Over break, many asked if there would be posts. I will be traveling and seeing family a little bit over the week off, but I will be checking in on the computer and will have a couple posts that will corrsepond with what you are reading.

And...in response to the "Why are you giving us so much homework?" question. Well, here it is. We are plugging along and I don't want to slow down in TKaM. Reading over break will assure that you guys stay "in the zone." And, I know for a fact, none of this work is too hard for any of you, right? (we also might weasel our way out of the 8-15 quiz as long as the blogging and class discussion continues to flourish).

Happy posting! Great job guys!

Materialism, Selfishness and Selflessness

"The Gift of the Magi" by O'Henry

"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant

For this post, I would like you to respond to the following quote based on the two stories that we have read. This is a group activity post to be done in class. Think carefully! Discuss! Dissect! Think, think, think!

"The human being who lives only for himself finally reaps nothing but unhappiness. Selfishness corrodes. Unselfishness ennobles, satisfies. Don't put off the joy derivable from doing helpful, kindly things for others."

B. C. Forbes

Think about how Della, Jim and Madame Loisel may have been selfish for personal gain and/or willing to put their needs aside for others. Also feel free to pull from what you wrote about yourself in your Materialism Thought Piece.

Keep posting! Remember two required posts by the end of the week! Over break there may be more of a chance for some extra credit! Post, post, post!

Miss Holmes :)

What's in a name? Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird

Wow! We are off and running with our mockingbird symbol posts. Some of the responses have brought tears to my eyes! I really think that we are going deeper than we ordinarily would in class simply because of this blog! Yay! You should be proud of yourselves!

Now onto other discussion points. Why do you think Scout and Jem call their father by his first name? We know that Harper Lee was being tricky with us with the name of Scout, now what about Atticus?

Consider the following:

Atticus being a mentor and teacher
Atticus is an older parent
No mother figure for Scout and Jem
Miss Maudie's comment that Atticus is the same on the town streets as he is at home.

Your Homework over break:
Read Chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14. Continue using your chapter log! There may be a pop quiz!

Blog Posts:
Also, there will be some blog activities that I would like everyone to participate in! So, starting this week, I would like everyone to make at least TWO blog postings by Friday! (Refer to all the postings labeled To Kill a Mockingbird) Those of you that posted up until this point will receive extra credit, but any posts after today will be for a grade.

Keep on posting! I love it!

Miss Holmes!

REMINDER: It's a Wonderful Life is going to be shown after school on Thursday! Be there or be square!

Discussion Post Chapters 8-10: To Kill a Mockingbird

In class today (Thursday, December 13th and Friday, December 14th), we discussed the symbol of the mockingbird. The title To Kill a Mockingbird relates to the events in the novel in more than one way. In chapter 10, we begin to understand where the title comes from. For your response to this post, consider the following:



-Who are the "mockingbirds" in this novel?
-Who attempts to "kill" a mockingbird in the town of Maycomb?
-How might you relate a mockingbird to a ghost? (Remember Atticus's comment, "There are other ways of turning people into ghosts.")
-Consider this wikipedia entry information about a mockingbird


Post as a comment to this posting. I will post another "Discussion Post" tomorrow.

In the spirit of the season....

We will be reading a couple stories that will make us think of the true meaning of the holiday season. You can start reading now online if you would like. The two stories are titled "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant and "The Gift of the Magi" by O'Henry.

You will also have a thought piece for this unit. I will hand it out next week. Think about how many of us get a little off track and worry about the wrong things around the holiday time. Are we losing the real spirit of the holiday? Are we forgetting what is most important? I think you will understand my message once we delve deeper into the stories.

Movies that Move You Announcement- December Extra Credit

I will be showing It's a Wonderful Life from 2:45-5:00 on Thursday, December 20th after school in my classroom. Please come! We will have some holiday treats and spread yuletide cheer. Please respond to this comment if you think that you will be able to come! Thanks!

Our first comments!

I woke up this morning and logged into the blog and was SO EXCITED! 5 comments under the Scout post and I am sure we will hear more by the end of the weekend! Right now, it is just for extra credit, but I am sure there will be more! Some very, very important points, such as calling Jem a "commanding officer" as well as this important insight, "Scout is often discarded by her brother and Dill and is forced to observe and find things out for herself." Wow! You guys are really running with this, awesome!

I only hope to see more as the weekend goes on! Between holiday shopping, getting my Christmas tree and good ole' freerice.com, it will be a busy weekend!

Miss Holmes

Free Rice

Okay, it's an English teacher's dream. freerice.com is my latest guilty pleasure. I have just sat and played for too long at home and got up to vocabulary of 32. See how far you can get!

I plan on spending a good day maybe over holiday vacation really getting up there in the vocabulary levels, I just have limited time right now!

Check it out and then tell me what you think!

To Kill a Mockingbird: Let's consider the definition of the word 'scout'

I have found a defintion of the word scout using an online dictionary. After considering the following definitions, I would like you to consider how this nickname functions in the novel. How does the character relate to these definitions?

Scout
v. scout·ed, scout·ing, scouts
v.tr.
1. To spy on or explore carefully in order to obtain information; reconnoiter.
2. To observe and evaluate (a talented person), as for possible hiring.
v.intr.
1. To search as a scout: scout around for some gossip.
2. To search for talented people: scouts for a professional basketball team.
n.
1.
a. One that is dispatched from a main body to gather information, especially in preparation for military action.
b. The act of reconnoitering.
2. A watcher or sentinel.
3. One who is employed to discover and recruit talented persons, especially in the fields of sports and entertainment.
4. Sports One who is employed to observe and report on the strategies and players of rival teams.
5. often Scout
a. A member of the Boy Scouts.
b. A member of the Girl Scouts.



Think about the events so far that we have seen Scout observe. Pay close attention to her thoughts about Jem's actions particularly. Also, consider how the story is told and how Scout seems to be learning "the ways of the world" as the novel progresses.

This will be included in topics we will cover in class at the end of this week leading into next week.

Happy reading!

Miss Holmes

Here I go!

Well, after searching for some ideas for my next unit, I stumbled upon an English Teacher's blog and was astounded. Actually, astounded is an understatement. I was absolutely green with envy. Then I had a flashback of students telling me last week, "Miss Holmes, you should have a facebook or a myspace so we can message you questions!" and voila: a blog. One where I can write all of my plans for the week, encourage online posts in lieu of homework and get you guys working collaboratively even OUTSIDE of class! Since Edline does not allow for something this sophisticated, I think the next step is something BIGGER and BETTER!

Some inspirations for me were the following:
Saratoga InvenTeam: Project Lead the Way course in our own school!
Mr. Miller's English 10 Blog: The blogger I stumbled upon while looking to beef up my lesson plan!

I am going to go and start playing with the format of this blog for a little bit and then get some assignments and due dates going!

Miss Holmes