Hello Students,
I have created a blog site for the creative writers among us. It's set up as a link under "School Information." If you want to be able to post your own creative writing or comment on someone else's, send me an email and I will invite you as an author.
Ms. Walsh
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Interior Monologue for Sundjata Characters
Remember that some of the characteristics of the interior monologue we brainstormed in class included:
-self-affirmations
-I wish...
-I hope...
-facts about what happened
-ask questions about other characters
-ask questions about yourself
-state your immediate plans
-state your long-term plans
*Don't forget to write your real name, too!
Happy blogging,
Ms. Walsh
-self-affirmations
-I wish...
-I hope...
-facts about what happened
-ask questions about other characters
-ask questions about yourself
-state your immediate plans
-state your long-term plans
*Don't forget to write your real name, too!
Happy blogging,
Ms. Walsh
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Things Fall Apart
Literal, Interpretive, and Applied Questions
Directions: In your notebook, respond to the following questions for chapter one of Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Write in complete sentences, and label each question with an (L) for literal, (I) for interpretive, and (A) for applied.
1. How might bringing honor to one’s family affect a character’s personality?
2. How long did the wrestling match last between Okonkwo and Amalinze the Cat?
3. Explain the metaphor found on the first page: “Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water.”
4. Why did Okonkwo have “little patience for his father”?
5. What was the purpose of Okoye’s visit to Unoka, Okonkwo’s father?
6. List three facts about Unoka’s background history.
7. Does a person’s family history determine the type of person he or she is, or will become?
8. A proverb is defined as a metaphorical phrase that is used to make a point. Write down the proverb found on page 8 of the text.
Evaluating Your Thinking Process
Now that you have thought about, answered, and labeled the questions, evaluate the thinking process you just used for the task. How does it help you to recognize the different types of questions you are being asked? What do you think is the benefit of stopping to ask your own questions while you are reading a text? How does answering questions about a text help you to develop a deeper meaning for a text? Write one paragraph to explore these questions and discuss your experience with this task. Do this part of the assignment as a post comment to this blog.
*Remember to sign your first name, last initial, and period number
(EX: MariF.p1 )
Literal, Interpretive, and Applied Questions
Directions: In your notebook, respond to the following questions for chapter one of Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Write in complete sentences, and label each question with an (L) for literal, (I) for interpretive, and (A) for applied.
1. How might bringing honor to one’s family affect a character’s personality?
2. How long did the wrestling match last between Okonkwo and Amalinze the Cat?
3. Explain the metaphor found on the first page: “Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water.”
4. Why did Okonkwo have “little patience for his father”?
5. What was the purpose of Okoye’s visit to Unoka, Okonkwo’s father?
6. List three facts about Unoka’s background history.
7. Does a person’s family history determine the type of person he or she is, or will become?
8. A proverb is defined as a metaphorical phrase that is used to make a point. Write down the proverb found on page 8 of the text.
Evaluating Your Thinking Process
Now that you have thought about, answered, and labeled the questions, evaluate the thinking process you just used for the task. How does it help you to recognize the different types of questions you are being asked? What do you think is the benefit of stopping to ask your own questions while you are reading a text? How does answering questions about a text help you to develop a deeper meaning for a text? Write one paragraph to explore these questions and discuss your experience with this task. Do this part of the assignment as a post comment to this blog.
*Remember to sign your first name, last initial, and period number
(EX: MariF.p1 )
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Our Reading Profiles
Dear Students,
Hooray! Harrah! Haroo! You made it! Below, you will see the Reading History Questionnaire we worked on in class. Only this time, you can see all of my answers!
Your Task:
1) Read through my responses
2) Highlight the Reading History Questionnaire
3) Press CTRL C or right click and select “copy”
4) Click on “comment” (located below the survey)
5) Place the cursor in the body of the blog and press CTRL P or right click and select “paste”
6) The survey should appear in the space. Delete my answers, but leave the questions.
7) Now it’s your turn to complete the survey! Use complete sentences, of course.
8) Add one question (to make 25 questions) and answer it.
9) Delete the original title and create a personalized title. Post your comment, and do not forget to select "name" and write your first name, last initial, and period.
10) Now it’s time to explore each other’s comments. Choose three of your peers to write five interesting reading facts about. Do this part in your notebook.
Happy blogging,
Ms. Walsh
P.S. While you’re on here, it wouldn’t hurt to vote on the polls I have on the right.
P.P.S. Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with the information contained in the links.
English Frogs Hop from Book to Book: Ms. Walsh’s Reading Profile
1. How old were you when you learned how to read?I am not sure how old I was when I learned how to read, but I do remember that the first sentence I read aloud was, “stand up to be tall and sit down to be small.” I was so proud!
2. Were you a big reader growing up?I was definitely a big reader growing up. I didn’t enjoy classics much, though, until I was a bit older. As a teenager, I was obsessed with the writer Lois Duncan, and I loved Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High series. I also read the heck out of the Nancy Drew books.
3. Are there any books that left a big impression on you as a kid?In Cold Blood by Truman Capote gave me nightmares, Steven King’s Rose Madder inspired me to write, and J.R.R. Tolkien made me dream. As a really small child, I loved these books that had the best cartoon pigs dressed in uniforms- I don’t know who wrote them or what they were about, but I loved them so much!
4. Do you have favorite genres? (Example: Do you read mainly fiction or non-fiction? Do you have a soft spot for horror, science fiction, or romance?) I would have to say that I really love historical fiction books. I have a soft spot for fictitious novels that are set in ancient times.
7. Where do you prefer to read?I love to read in the park, under a tree. In the summer, I like to read at the beach. If it’s raining, or cold, I like to sit on my couch, near the window. I always read on the train.
8. Do you like to eat or drink something while you read? If so, what are your foods and beverages of choice?For me, the best reading snack is chips and guacamole.
10. On average, how many books do you read a month?At some times during the school year, I have read up to six books in a month. On average, I probably read two books per month.
11. How do you get hold of the books? Do you buy them at a bookstore, visit an online store, borrow from a friend or family member, or do you use the library?I love collecting books to share with students, friends, and family, so I often buy books.
12. Paperback or hardcover?I prefer paperback because it’s nice to be able to fold a soft book in half when you are in a crowded space and have to read with one hand holding onto a metal rail (the train).
13. At what point do you give up on a book? I try to get through all of the books I pick up, but if I get halfway through a book and I don’t care about the characters, I put the book down.
14. How do you find out about new books and authors?I like to read books based on recommendations, best. I also check out the New York Times bestselling list. My mom often tells me about good books she has read and then I read them so we can talk about them.
15. Best reading-related memory?Reading the final book in J.R. Rowling’s Harry Potter series gave me dreams of the Hogwarts Castle every night until I was done with the book.
16. Worst reading-related memory?One time, in college, I had to read three thick novels in one week. I procrastinated (teachers are human, too) and didn’t have time to finish one of the books. I had to go to the discussion group and admit to the class (when I got called on) that I didn’t finish the book. I was mortified.
17. What was the last book(s) you read?The last book I read was Jeanette Wall’s memoir, titled The Glass Castle. It was awesome.
18. What was the last book you checked out from the library?The last book I checked out from the library was Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible.
19. On average, how many hours a week do you spend reading?Aside from reading at school with my students, I spend at least five hours a week reading.
20. Are you a fast or a slow reader?
I read at a fast pace only if I’m reading for pleasure. If I am reading a book with my students, I read at a slower pace, so that I can think about what the hidden messages are and figure out what is most important to teach about.
21. Do you sometimes read more than one book at a time?I often read more than one book at a time. Sometimes, I confuse the characters and the stories. I find that if I make a character list for each book, it makes it easier to keep the stories straight.
22. Are you what Stephen King refers to as a Constant Reader, or are there periods where you do not read at all?
I am a “Constant Reader.”
23. What is the longest you have gone without reading?The longest I have ever gone without reading was one week, when I stayed with my best friend at her parent’s lake house. I had forgotten to bring a book, and the town was so small, we would have had to drive an hour for the nearest bookstore or library!
24. Why do you read? (This is a tough one, I know)I read because it helps me to understand the world around me. This helps me to change, as a person, which I think is very important.
Hooray! Harrah! Haroo! You made it! Below, you will see the Reading History Questionnaire we worked on in class. Only this time, you can see all of my answers!
Your Task:
1) Read through my responses
2) Highlight the Reading History Questionnaire
3) Press CTRL C or right click and select “copy”
4) Click on “comment” (located below the survey)
5) Place the cursor in the body of the blog and press CTRL P or right click and select “paste”
6) The survey should appear in the space. Delete my answers, but leave the questions.
7) Now it’s your turn to complete the survey! Use complete sentences, of course.
8) Add one question (to make 25 questions) and answer it.
9) Delete the original title and create a personalized title. Post your comment, and do not forget to select "name" and write your first name, last initial, and period.
10) Now it’s time to explore each other’s comments. Choose three of your peers to write five interesting reading facts about. Do this part in your notebook.
Happy blogging,
Ms. Walsh
P.S. While you’re on here, it wouldn’t hurt to vote on the polls I have on the right.
P.P.S. Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with the information contained in the links.
English Frogs Hop from Book to Book: Ms. Walsh’s Reading Profile
1. How old were you when you learned how to read?I am not sure how old I was when I learned how to read, but I do remember that the first sentence I read aloud was, “stand up to be tall and sit down to be small.” I was so proud!
2. Were you a big reader growing up?I was definitely a big reader growing up. I didn’t enjoy classics much, though, until I was a bit older. As a teenager, I was obsessed with the writer Lois Duncan, and I loved Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High series. I also read the heck out of the Nancy Drew books.
3. Are there any books that left a big impression on you as a kid?In Cold Blood by Truman Capote gave me nightmares, Steven King’s Rose Madder inspired me to write, and J.R.R. Tolkien made me dream. As a really small child, I loved these books that had the best cartoon pigs dressed in uniforms- I don’t know who wrote them or what they were about, but I loved them so much!
4. Do you have favorite genres? (Example: Do you read mainly fiction or non-fiction? Do you have a soft spot for horror, science fiction, or romance?) I would have to say that I really love historical fiction books. I have a soft spot for fictitious novels that are set in ancient times.
7. Where do you prefer to read?I love to read in the park, under a tree. In the summer, I like to read at the beach. If it’s raining, or cold, I like to sit on my couch, near the window. I always read on the train.
8. Do you like to eat or drink something while you read? If so, what are your foods and beverages of choice?For me, the best reading snack is chips and guacamole.
10. On average, how many books do you read a month?At some times during the school year, I have read up to six books in a month. On average, I probably read two books per month.
11. How do you get hold of the books? Do you buy them at a bookstore, visit an online store, borrow from a friend or family member, or do you use the library?I love collecting books to share with students, friends, and family, so I often buy books.
12. Paperback or hardcover?I prefer paperback because it’s nice to be able to fold a soft book in half when you are in a crowded space and have to read with one hand holding onto a metal rail (the train).
13. At what point do you give up on a book? I try to get through all of the books I pick up, but if I get halfway through a book and I don’t care about the characters, I put the book down.
14. How do you find out about new books and authors?I like to read books based on recommendations, best. I also check out the New York Times bestselling list. My mom often tells me about good books she has read and then I read them so we can talk about them.
15. Best reading-related memory?Reading the final book in J.R. Rowling’s Harry Potter series gave me dreams of the Hogwarts Castle every night until I was done with the book.
16. Worst reading-related memory?One time, in college, I had to read three thick novels in one week. I procrastinated (teachers are human, too) and didn’t have time to finish one of the books. I had to go to the discussion group and admit to the class (when I got called on) that I didn’t finish the book. I was mortified.
17. What was the last book(s) you read?The last book I read was Jeanette Wall’s memoir, titled The Glass Castle. It was awesome.
18. What was the last book you checked out from the library?The last book I checked out from the library was Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible.
19. On average, how many hours a week do you spend reading?Aside from reading at school with my students, I spend at least five hours a week reading.
20. Are you a fast or a slow reader?
I read at a fast pace only if I’m reading for pleasure. If I am reading a book with my students, I read at a slower pace, so that I can think about what the hidden messages are and figure out what is most important to teach about.
21. Do you sometimes read more than one book at a time?I often read more than one book at a time. Sometimes, I confuse the characters and the stories. I find that if I make a character list for each book, it makes it easier to keep the stories straight.
22. Are you what Stephen King refers to as a Constant Reader, or are there periods where you do not read at all?
I am a “Constant Reader.”
23. What is the longest you have gone without reading?The longest I have ever gone without reading was one week, when I stayed with my best friend at her parent’s lake house. I had forgotten to bring a book, and the town was so small, we would have had to drive an hour for the nearest bookstore or library!
24. Why do you read? (This is a tough one, I know)I read because it helps me to understand the world around me. This helps me to change, as a person, which I think is very important.
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