[R@ndom] Sign Me Up!

I am not telling untruths here--I received an email from a local public radio station that started like this:

[R@ndom] Under Construction

I'm trying out some layout changes.  Feel free to critique.

[WtC Wednesday] Personal Heroage

Pardon the day-late-ness of this post.  Here is what I managed to write in flu-ridden state yesterday:

"In my searc for adequate definits of the erm "hero, I have found.... little that I likes."

 Ermmm... yeah.  So I am trying again.

I was looking for good definitions of the term hero. I didn't find any I liked yesterday, but am guessing my altered state may have limited my ability to judge appropriately.  In the meantime, however, I have changed my mind about what I'll post for Wear-the-Cape Wednesday.

I'm going to send a

OUT

to ALL of the teachers that are working through the end of their school year. It's the end of the marathon my caped friends, and it feels like it's uphill right now. Bless our hearts for doing it.  It matters!

Fly!

[Mentor Text Monday] Maniac Magee

Briefly, I define mentor texts as a piece of a writing used as a model.  There is more to it, but let's start there.  Eventually, I'll post a page with more of a definition or guide.

I'm not sure exactly how Mentor Text Mondays will go, but you can bet on your teaching patootie, that there will be Mentor Texts.  As for Mondays...   that's negotiable.

I recently started reading Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli with my young'uns.  Every page has something amazing.  EVERY SINGLE PAGE.  I'm not even being hyperbolic here.

Here is the first paragraph of the first chapter:

I read it out loud.  They read it again to themselves.  I asked one of my go-to guiding questions, "What do you think I noticed first thing?"  Here is what we found:

This says that the author uses Repetition for Effect, a hyphenated modifier, and some mix of hyperbole, figurative language, and mythology.  We spent some time talking about the differences and similarities, and how to use this in our writing.  There was a lot of discussion about heroes and myths associated with heroes.  Then, we wrote.  You'll see evidence of our discussion of heroes.  You will also see that these are not revised or edited pieces.  This was a practice in writing craft, not a practice in revising or editing.  I'll share that later (thanks to Jeff Anderson and 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know

 

[Survey Results] A Windfall

Well my caped friends, the results are in.  Here is the short version:

Survey Topic: Weekly Blog segments
Survey Duration: 5 days
Survey Participants: 44 page views, 10 responses
Summary of Results:
Well, truthfully, if I'm speaking to an audience of 10-44 people, I get to write about whatever I want!!!  Whoot!!!!  Taking into consideration a couple of very popular suggestions, here is the current blogging plan:


Mentor Text Monday (trust me, you'll love it)

Wear-the-Cape Wednesday

Friday Free-Day

I will also start working a few series:
When-I Was-a-Kid Series

Art Lessons and Ideas Series
Technology Tips Series
Think-About-It Series
Because-I-Said-So Series (kidding...)


Please feel free to give feedback any day or every day.  If I know someone is reading, maybe I'll be motivated to write!  Enjoy your lovely Monday.

[Student Work] Late

From a student journal today.  We've been writing 15 minutes a day all year.   This makes my heart smile.

Late start.

Barely made it.

Happy I'm not late.

The guy in the taco shop took forever,

Singing his songs and drinking coffee.

Irritated already

So please

Leave me alone

Stomachache

Foot cramps

Head ache.

                                                          -A.

[Survey] Help a Girl Out

I'm looking for ways to make this blog interesting to more people.  If you have an inkling, please take a minute to minute to answer these questions.  If you have more than an inkling, share it with someone new, have them become a follower.  I like followers.  It supports my need to be adored.

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