Thursday 9/11/14

Today we started class watching this video of work by an 8th grade student.  I collected homework and looked through everyone's top 5 ways they would strive to make Lake Placid a more welcoming place.  Nice job.  We then moved into reflecting on the bonding day activities in Reader's notebooks in the All about Me section.  Students then committed to performing one simple kindness for the next week and recorded this in readers notebooks. I collected reader's notebooks at the end of class.

HW:
1. Be sure to choose and bring your IR book to class tomorrow
2. Be mindful of performing your random act of kindness and chart it in your agenda daily for a week.

If you were absent be sure to:

• Show me your five Random Acts of kindness 
• Answer reflection questions in your reader's notebook and show me those reflections
• have an IR book by tomorrow

Wednesday 9/10

Today in class we crowdsourced ideas for simple things we could do to make LP school a brighter, more welcoming place.
We then set up our reader's notebooks and will reflect in them tomorrow.  See here for notebook set up.

HW:
1. Look over our class ideas or this list from the internet and write down 5 simple kindnesses you think you could do for a week.
2. Be sure you have chosen a book to read by Friday and that you have it with you on Friday.

In class link for periods 8 and 9

Period 8 Simple kindnesses link

Period 9 Simple Kindnesses link

Monday 9/8

Today I will collect permission slips and check your notebooks for titles while you all fill out this survey.

Then let's watch a fairly inspiring video and discuss it.

Now let's see how many we can come up with on our own.

Homework:  Be sure to wear comfy clothes tomorrow, sturdy sneakers and bringa long a great atttiude! We are going to have fun!

September 5th

Today we will go over a few procedures, I will hand out permission slips and you will fill out the "getting to know you survey".  Next you will complete a short paragraph answering the question that follows:
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?  Tell me about this power and why you would want it. Would there be any drawbacks?

HW: Fill out permission slip and return Monday (I will scan this and connect it here 3rd period)
Begin to think about what book you will read first. You will need a book next week!

September 4, 2014

Welcome to day 1 in English. I had originally planned for you guys to complete the survey on the previous post today BUT I have created another one today for you to fill out first.  As I have most likely just talked about in class, we are going to go to the horseshow grounds and to Mt. Van Hoevenburg next Tuesday and we need a bunch of information from you so please fill out the survey here.  Make sure to follow my instructions for question #2.

You will receive permission slips tomorrow.

There is no homework this evening. Enjoy.

Welcome to My Classroom!

Welcome to English 8.  I am super excited to meet all of you and learn from you this year.  I have been working hard all summer attending conferences, reading books, blogs, and educational links, picking all the brains of my twitter peeps and colleaugues at LPHS to help me become the best teacher I can be.  You can be assured I am going to mess up sometimes but I know that is because we are going to take some risks in our learning and will learn something from each and every mess up.  I can't wait to jump in!


Please complete this survey in order to provide me with a little info about you.