Post Secret for Classes

There is a new phenomenon reaching internet bloggers--Post Secret. Basically, an author asked the public to send him post cards with the deepest secrets on them. No names or addresses necessary. Just the post card and the secret.

Of course it spread like wildfire. Everyone has a secret and many of them would like for that secret to be told--without the consequences of telling.

So take this concept into your classes. If you are a social studies teacher, challenge your students to create a realistic secret that a historical figure may have. What kinds of secrets would Robert E. Lee have had? Washington?

And what about the secrets of plants and animals? Push the envelope and create secrets for the content area. Good luck and post your secrets!

Great social studies idea!

I am reading Teacher Man by Frank McCourt. In it, he assigns his English students excuse notes. He realized that some of the best writing comes from their excuse notes and he turned that writing around on them.

What a great idea for a social studies class! When studying a major historical event, students can write an excuse not to someone. For example, Adam can write an excuse note to God. Hitler could write an excuse note to the Jews. Robert E. Lee could write an excuse note to Lincoln. The list goes on.

Excuse notes. Who would have imagined?

Thank you!

Thank you to the Class of 2006! You have been fun to teach for two whole school years and I will miss you dearly. You each hold a special place in my heart. Good luck in all that you do and remember that I am always here for you.

Oh---and thanks for soaking me down at the picnic!

Lord of the Flies project

As we near the end of the novel, it is time to start thinking about the final project for Lord of the Flies. In pairs, you are going to reformulate the text. You will transform the novel into another type of text.

Here are some options:

• comic book
• picture book
• ABC book
• Cumulative Tale Structure (like I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly)
• If-Then Story (like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie)

Go ahead and start thinking about your project. More information is coming soon. For those of you who are borderline already, it wouldn't be a good idea to take this lightly!

Good Readers

Who are some of the good readers that you know?

What do they do that makes them good readers?

Are you a good reader?

Two Questions for You

When you are reading--

How do you know when you are confused?

What do you do when you are confused?

I will consider your answers a quiz grade for the 4th nine weeks!

Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper

Sharon Draper might be my new favorite author. I recently read Copper Sun by her (which is going to be one of our read alouds this year) and I just read Tears of a Tiger in like two days. Its heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking.

Andy Jackson and Robbie Washington have been best friends for years. They are both on the high school basketball team. After the game one night, they and two other players decide to have a few beers and cruise around town. Andy, the driver, probably had more than anyone else and loss control of the car. This was funny to a bunch of drunk kids, until a concrete wall seemed to appear out of nowhere. They crashed.

Robbie was in the front seat, with his legs propped up on the dash. The other three were thrown from the car, but Robbie was trapped by the windshield with it caved in. Even though they tried to pull him out, they couldn't and the car ultimately exploded with Robbie still inside.

This is only the beginning of Andy's story. The book gives a close look at those left behind--their pain and grief and guilt. This is great book and I highly recommend it.

The purpose of life is to increase the warm heart. Think of other people. Serve other people sincerely. No cheating.

~The Dalai Lama

In honor of Valentine's Day...

The World is Not a Pleasant Place to Be

the world is not a pleasant place
to be without
someone to hold and be held by

a river would stop
its flow if only
a stream were there
to receive it

an ocean would never laugh
if clouds weren't there
to kiss her tears

the world is not
a pleasant place to be without
someone


~Nikki Giovanni

In honor of Valentine's Day...

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

~ e.e. cummings