Will: redpyramid
Lola: gahoole
These passwords are the same for all the kids in your book clubs. You both get a shout out from me for taking the INITIATIVE to post on the blog when you needed me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for using the blog appropriately. That's what this blog is for.
I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
Do your best and forget the rest!

www.kidblog.org/gahoole

www.kidblog.org/redpyramid2

Back to Book Clubs!!

Hey 5th Graders,

      Today is Wednesday, February 9, 2011.  We have taken a short break from our book clubs to do a few MINI-INQUIRES on things like blizzards, American History, and Native American Cultures.  I'm pleased to say that our return to book clubs have gone great!  Keep up the collaboration and cooperation. 

      As we break into book clubs today remember your ROLES.  Do not forget your jobs either.  If you are meeting today your tasks are on the anchor chart you see to the right. 
If you are reading/working, your nose should be in a book.  For those people reading/working, it might be a good idea to STOP, THINK, and REACT as you read.  This will help you INTERACT WITH YOUR TEXT. 

      Remember, we all have an inner voice.  That inner voice is what helps us be reflective thinkers.  Listen to the inner voice and write down your thoughts.  Bring your thoughts, feeling, opinions, and reactions to life.  THAT IS WHAT YOUR ROLE SHEETS ARE FOR. 

Sincerely yours,
C

P.S.
Getting things done is not always what is most important. There is value in allowing others to learn, even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently or effectively." - R.D. Clyde

Take your time. Do your best and forget the rest.

Writing Interviews

"Creation is not about making something happen.  Creation is about letting something happen through you."

Writing is thinking.

"All you have to do is write one true sentence.Write the truest sentence you know." - Ernest Hemingway

Voice
Word Choice
Organization
Idea Development
Fluency
Conventions

Step	Description	Strategies
Prewriting	An activity that causes the writer to think about the subject.  The writer organizes his thoughts before he begins to write.	Drawing Talking Brainstorming Graphic organizers Research Listing Field Trips
Drafting	The process of putting ideas down on paper.  The focus is on content not mechanics	Taking notes, Organizing thoughts into paragraphs, Writing a first draft
Revising	The process of refining the piece of writing.  The writer adds to a writing piece.  The writer reorganizes a piece of writing.  The writer shares his story and gets input from peers or teacher.	Peer editing Conferencing Share Chair or Author’s Chair
Editing	Mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors are fixed in the writing piece.	Checklists Rubrics Editing Checklists Proofreading
Publishing	The writing piece is prepared in final form, including illustrations.  The writer shares his writing with others.	Reading aloud Reading to a group Displaying in the room Printing the books Web publishing

Writing is telling a story.  Writing is releasing feeling on paper.  Writing is bringing ideas to real life.  WRITING IS MAKING THINKING VISIBLE!!  Writing is all around you.  Good writing is rarely forced.  Good writing comes from meditation, time, thought, and action.

Cross Section of Castle

http://jtpennington.com/italy/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/castle-section-ab-orsi-figure11.jpg

Irish Castles
Welsh Castles
British Castles
English Castles
German Castles
Russian Castles
Spanish Castles
Portuguese Castles
Scottish Castles
French Castles
Italian Castles
Persian Castles
Romanian Castles

I can send posts from my iPhone now!! You guys and gals are going to get sick of hearing from me. Mwahahahahaha!!! (evil laugh)

Snow day! I hope everyone is warm and having fun.

So, we meet again...

Good day to you almost 6th graders,

-I can evaluate author’s purpose, point of view, and effectiveness.
-I can analyze character traits and motives. 

Here are two of the LEARNING TARGETS we will focus on in our BOOK CLUBS over the next few days.  Good readers think about author's purpose while they read, and good readers think about how the author uses characters in the book to express their voice.  Pay attention to the dialogue in your books and think about what the author is trying to express.  

Here is a note from Wednesday's web log post.  Think back to that galaxy far, far away... 
"As for the WORK PLAN.  You will have one for this week that I have started for you.  You all will have another one for the next week.  Have a meeting TODAY and discuss what next week will look like.  Your work plan for next week will include the following:"

1. 2 Meeting dates
2. 3 Independent Reading/Work days
3. Assigned reading for the next meeting
4. 1 date for a blog post and response (this may be on a meeting date)

Please hand these into me as your exit slip at the end of class. 

Sincerely,
C
P.S.
Getting things done is not always what is most important. There is value in allowing others to learn, even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently or effectively." - R.D. Clyde

Take your time. Do your best and forget the rest.

1,2,3... HERE WE GO!!

Good Morning/Afternoon Awesome Academics,

      Today is Wednesday, January 26, 2011.  DAY 1 of book clubs is at hand.  Today you will get to dive into your books!  We have created our 4 Agreements/Guidelines for our groups to follow.  We have discussed the consequences of poor collaboration.  We have watched other students in action.  We have defined for ourselves what we think collaboration and independent mean.  So, the last thing we have to do to launch these clubs is to start reading. 

      Now that you have gotten a start on your clubs, I want to help you plan your work over the days ahead.  I have made a weekly calendar that shows all the time we have for these book clubs in class.  Your out-of-class time will be yours to pursue any inquiries or questions your group comes up with.  For this first round of meetings I'll get you started.

     Everyone will meet again in their clubs on Friday.  So for Friday mark that you have a meeting.  Today you are going to be assigned two tasks.  SUMMARIZE your first read and PREDICT what will happen next in the story.  If you read it already, do a think-back and write down your response.  Some book clubs have a strict rule of not reading ahead or spoiling the story so if you have read it already just write your answer on the predictor sheet.

     As for the the WORK PLAN.  You will have one for this week that I have started for you.  You all will have another one for the next week.  Have a meeting TODAY and discuss what next week will look like.  Your work plan for next week will include the following:

1. 2 Meeting dates
2. 3 Reading/Work days
3. Assigned reading for the next meeting
4. 1 date for a blog post and response (this may be on a meeting date)

Please hand these into me as your exit slip at the end of class. 

Sincerely,
C
P.S.
Getting things done is not always what is most important. There is value in allowing others to learn, even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently or effectively." - R.D. Clyde

Take your time. Do your best and forget the rest.