Camel Day: Setting, Substitutes, and Seating Charts...

 Happy Camel Day Everyone,

     Today is Wednesday, October 12, 2016.  Today is where the rubber meets the road.  I will not be joining you today physically, but I'll be with you in spirit as I set off to try and do some learning my own.  The conference I am attending today is directly connected to what we are learning and doing in both English and Social Studies.  The conference is about teaching students how to make text meaningful. It will cover both fiction (which we are reading in English) and nonfiction (which we read a lot in Social Studies).  I hope to come back with fun, engaging, and meaningful activities to share with all of you. While I'm gone today, help me by helping our Guest Teacher.

      This morning you are going to read The Night Gardener a little further.  We have read Chapter 1 together and are now rereading it to get a clear sense of the setting.  In Chapter 2 of The Night Gardener the setting shifts. I wanted you to see a story with shifting setting to see what that is like. As you read/listen, pay close attention to where the setting starts in Chapter 1 and where it settles in Chapter 2. When you're finished reading, there is another Exploring Story Setting practice sheet to complete by tomorrow.  Remember, setting can influence characters, plot, and atmosphere in a story.

      There is also a TED talk this morning from a gentleman named Sal Khan.  He is the creator of the Khan Academy, an online learning platform that many students from all parts of the world have used.  In his talk he discusses a "Mastery System" of learning.  He introduces ideas like, agenc,y, grit and perseverance.  For those of you who didn't do well on that grammar test but came in with me to improve your grade and understanding of Independent and Dependent Clauses (clauses & phrases), this is what Sal Khan is talking about: MASTERING A CONCEPT.  I hope you have a great day, and I'll see you all tomorrow.  Have fun and enjoy.

Love, peace, and taco grease,

Mr. C
P.S. The rice was phenomenal!!  Boom!

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
Kenosha Unified School District

Elements of Fiction: Characters & Setting...

Happy Monday Y'all,

      Today is Monday, October 10, 2016.  We will continue looking at Elements of Fiction this week.  Remember that there are many Literary Genres.  Within fiction, there are different types of fiction.  No matter which type of fiction we are reading there are always some key parts.  The two parts that will be our focus this week are characters and setting.   Most stories have a developed character or characters and a developed setting.  As we read throughout the week, let's keep these two elements of fiction in our sights.  As we read, let's analyze the characters and the settings in our stories.

      Our Vsauce this week is all about our brains.  I know this is a shocker for you all.  You know your teacher is fascinated with this subject.  In the Vsauce, Michael Stevens tries to illustrate what we can do without a brain.  He does this by looking at animal brains, nervous systems, and neurons (nerve cells).  We all know he uses some academic vocabulary that loses us at times, but let's do our best to keep up and ask questions if we become confused.  As always, have fun and enjoy!

Love, peace, and taco grease,
C

 P.S.  As a reminder, this Wednesday you will have a guest teacher.  Act accordingly please. 

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
Kenosha Unified School District