NEW IDEA: First, let me tell you of this new idea the students and I had... If your child is going to be absent, but is still coherent enough or available during our ELA class period, we are inviting him/her into class via FaceTime. If you have a FaceTime account and would like your child to join, just call [email protected]. Let me know ahead of time via my school email address so I have the volume up on the iPad and hear your call (normally the volume is off). Last year we had a student who was at her grandma's house FaceTime in for book talks given by Julie Jergens, and she was very grateful. If it is feasible, please consider taking advantage of this opportunity.
On to our past two weeks... We strolled through the streets of Chicago, circa 1959, via the "Chicago Quest" tablet app that correlates with A Raisin in the Sun. Here, students were able to see many photos, read primary and secondary documents, and watch and analyze video clips of Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, and others. As a wrap-up, we discussed (or debated, as in 5/6) whether the Younger family from the book should move to Clybourne Park or not, based on the evidence we'd found in the quest.
This past week, we had time to revise our final essays (students can also do this at any time on their own), share our genius hour ideas and get peer feedback (peers are such a valuable resource!), and read and analyze "Us and Them" by David Sedaris. We ended our week with creative writing and more independent reading time.
Even more news - Here is a great opportunity from our state tech crew...
It is time for kids to register for the SIT (Students Involved with Technology) conference. Students present to one another, learn together, build, tinker and hang out with kids interested in technology. It is a conference for kids by kids.
Staff at the SIT conference are there to help students. Parents are not allowed to attend unless they are on the official volunteer list. There are lots of teacher volunteers to help presenters get set up, serve lunch, snacks and monitor all the students though. This is truly a time for students to present and learn from one another.
If you have children that are interested, encourage them to register soon. We only have 400 spaces available this year.
Registration: http://www.sitconference.org/#section=about Click HERE for the PDF version.
On to our past two weeks... We strolled through the streets of Chicago, circa 1959, via the "Chicago Quest" tablet app that correlates with A Raisin in the Sun. Here, students were able to see many photos, read primary and secondary documents, and watch and analyze video clips of Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, and others. As a wrap-up, we discussed (or debated, as in 5/6) whether the Younger family from the book should move to Clybourne Park or not, based on the evidence we'd found in the quest.
This past week, we had time to revise our final essays (students can also do this at any time on their own), share our genius hour ideas and get peer feedback (peers are such a valuable resource!), and read and analyze "Us and Them" by David Sedaris. We ended our week with creative writing and more independent reading time.
Even more news - Here is a great opportunity from our state tech crew...
It is time for kids to register for the SIT (Students Involved with Technology) conference. Students present to one another, learn together, build, tinker and hang out with kids interested in technology. It is a conference for kids by kids.
Staff at the SIT conference are there to help students. Parents are not allowed to attend unless they are on the official volunteer list. There are lots of teacher volunteers to help presenters get set up, serve lunch, snacks and monitor all the students though. This is truly a time for students to present and learn from one another.
If you have children that are interested, encourage them to register soon. We only have 400 spaces available this year.
Registration: http://www.sitconference.org/#section=about Click HERE for the PDF version.