In the beginning of chapter one in our textbook, we talked very briefly about the evolution of mankind. What are you thoughts about this? Before replying, read and view the links posted below. Your own opinions, education, and beliefs can and should inform your response.
Ramapithecus Definition
Ramapithecus Encyclopedia Article
Homo Erectus
Tell me what you honestly think. Human evolution is a very popular theory, but it is just a theory. My purpose in having you read about this topic is NOT to persuade you to accept the theory of evolution. I want you to be informed about the science and anthropology of evolution, and make your own informed opinions about the topic.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Beginning Again
I must begin by apologizing for allowing my blog to fall by the wayside. I truly intended to keep you all updated with the happenings of my classroom, but it was just not a high priority for me. Assignments needed to be graded, lesson plans had to be written, and I simply lost focus with my blog.
So, I am recommitting to this project. I truly want parents and teachers to be involved with my classroom. I am choosing to begin again; start anew; and try my best to keep up with my blog.
With that being said, Varnum students will be returning to school on Wednesday, August 13th. I have made some changes to my curriculum and presentation of information. We will also be doing more writing in class. Journals are changing, as well. Students will now only write in their journal twice a week, and the prompts will be geared toward writing. The time spent on this activity will increase as well. I'm making this change in hopes that this assignment will more deeply engage students, and they will grow as writers and revisers.
Thanks for all you support, and I look forward to a great new school year.
So, I am recommitting to this project. I truly want parents and teachers to be involved with my classroom. I am choosing to begin again; start anew; and try my best to keep up with my blog.
With that being said, Varnum students will be returning to school on Wednesday, August 13th. I have made some changes to my curriculum and presentation of information. We will also be doing more writing in class. Journals are changing, as well. Students will now only write in their journal twice a week, and the prompts will be geared toward writing. The time spent on this activity will increase as well. I'm making this change in hopes that this assignment will more deeply engage students, and they will grow as writers and revisers.
Thanks for all you support, and I look forward to a great new school year.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Parent-Teacher Conferences
It's been a busy past couple of weeks. The high school boys and girls have been playing in softball and baseball playoffs. Freshmen have had meetings with the GearUp coordinator, Upward Bound staff, and Focus. These are all programs that help prepare students for college by teaching about financial planning, scheduling, and other school-related topics. In humanities, we are working on our second independent project, and in English classes we are still working our way through our novels.
We will be having parent-teacher conferences Monday, October 7 and Tuesday, October 8 from 3:30 P.M. until 6:30 P.M. each night. I would like to encourage you to attend. An important factor in your student's academic success is parent-teacher communication. When I can meet with you, the parent, I can better understand your student, and we can work together to best meet the education needs of your child.
I look forward to seeing you!
We will be having parent-teacher conferences Monday, October 7 and Tuesday, October 8 from 3:30 P.M. until 6:30 P.M. each night. I would like to encourage you to attend. An important factor in your student's academic success is parent-teacher communication. When I can meet with you, the parent, I can better understand your student, and we can work together to best meet the education needs of your child.
I look forward to seeing you!
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Knee deep in novels
This is one of my favorite times of the year: the weather is turning cooler; football is in full swing; we're looking forward to basketball; and we're are starting novels in English I and II. I'm SO excited!
We started reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee today in English I (9th grade), and I cannot wait to see how my students react to the story. I am always surprised at how many students end up loving this novel by the time we reach its end. There are so many reasons I love this novel: the innocent and naïve narrator, Scout; timeless themes of acceptance and doing the right thing in spite of cultural expectations; and scenes that never cease to make me smile. I have read this novel to my students every year since I have been at Varnum. I enjoy reading aloud to students. It is a challenge to me to give voice and personality to each character, and I'm also demonstrating good oral reading practices to my students.
Since I teach two sections of sophomore English II, I let each class choose the novel they would like to read. My fourth hour students chose to read Lord of the Flies by Williams Golding. This is the third time I've taught this novel, and I like to think I get better at teaching it each time. Sometimes it's difficult for me to get a good mental picture of the layout of the island in the story, but I'm getting better at it. The kids and I work together to make sense of the landscape. Some of themes of Lord of the Flies are civilized behavior and its deterioration in extreme situations, power struggles, and leadership. It's an intense story, and it's one that has grown on me. I wasn't very excited about this story the first time I taught it, but now I see greater meaning and depth in the characters and plot than I first did.
Seventh hour English II is an all-girls class, and they chose to read Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston's use of metaphor and imagery is stunning in this novel. Her language is beautiful, poetic, and rich in meaning. She also uses African American dialect when writing dialogue, and that helps make the characters more authentic and engaging. The story itself focuses on Janie, a woman reflecting back upon her life and three very different husbands. It's an engaging tale, and I find that female readers are much more receptive to this novel than a male readers.
All these novels that we are reading have strong literary merit; although, they are all quite different in theme, content, and style. I like to expose students to a wide variety of literature in hopes of engaging them in the learning and reading process.
We started reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee today in English I (9th grade), and I cannot wait to see how my students react to the story. I am always surprised at how many students end up loving this novel by the time we reach its end. There are so many reasons I love this novel: the innocent and naïve narrator, Scout; timeless themes of acceptance and doing the right thing in spite of cultural expectations; and scenes that never cease to make me smile. I have read this novel to my students every year since I have been at Varnum. I enjoy reading aloud to students. It is a challenge to me to give voice and personality to each character, and I'm also demonstrating good oral reading practices to my students.
Since I teach two sections of sophomore English II, I let each class choose the novel they would like to read. My fourth hour students chose to read Lord of the Flies by Williams Golding. This is the third time I've taught this novel, and I like to think I get better at teaching it each time. Sometimes it's difficult for me to get a good mental picture of the layout of the island in the story, but I'm getting better at it. The kids and I work together to make sense of the landscape. Some of themes of Lord of the Flies are civilized behavior and its deterioration in extreme situations, power struggles, and leadership. It's an intense story, and it's one that has grown on me. I wasn't very excited about this story the first time I taught it, but now I see greater meaning and depth in the characters and plot than I first did.
Seventh hour English II is an all-girls class, and they chose to read Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston's use of metaphor and imagery is stunning in this novel. Her language is beautiful, poetic, and rich in meaning. She also uses African American dialect when writing dialogue, and that helps make the characters more authentic and engaging. The story itself focuses on Janie, a woman reflecting back upon her life and three very different husbands. It's an engaging tale, and I find that female readers are much more receptive to this novel than a male readers.
All these novels that we are reading have strong literary merit; although, they are all quite different in theme, content, and style. I like to expose students to a wide variety of literature in hopes of engaging them in the learning and reading process.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Independent Reading Projects
Students are required to read at least three novels of their own choosing on their own time this semester. Students must keep a reading log that records when and how many pages the student read.
Also, students are required to keep a reading journal. At least twice a week students should write about what they have read. These journals should consist of SOME summary, but I really want them to tell me their thoughts, reactions, and opinions about events and characters in the book. The best example I can think of to illustrate what I want them to write about is a conversation two people may have about a movie. They may certainly discuss some parts of the movie, but they will also describe which scenes they enjoyed or disliked. They may discuss casting and character development. They may also talk about how the movie reminded them of something else. This is exactly what I want students to do with the reading journals: move beyond simple summarization and into a reflective narrative that includes their own thoughts and opinions.
After students have completed their novels, they need to create some kind of post-reading product. This could be an illustrated book jacket with a short blurb about the story, or a book talk in which they try to "sell" the book to their peers. Students can letters from one character to another, or they can rewrite a scene or ending. The possibilities are endless, and the internet is a great tool for students to use to find post-reading projects.
The first novel's deadline is Monday, September 23rd. Please remind your students of this impending date. If they have not already started reading, they need to get started this week.
Happy reading!
Also, students are required to keep a reading journal. At least twice a week students should write about what they have read. These journals should consist of SOME summary, but I really want them to tell me their thoughts, reactions, and opinions about events and characters in the book. The best example I can think of to illustrate what I want them to write about is a conversation two people may have about a movie. They may certainly discuss some parts of the movie, but they will also describe which scenes they enjoyed or disliked. They may discuss casting and character development. They may also talk about how the movie reminded them of something else. This is exactly what I want students to do with the reading journals: move beyond simple summarization and into a reflective narrative that includes their own thoughts and opinions.
After students have completed their novels, they need to create some kind of post-reading product. This could be an illustrated book jacket with a short blurb about the story, or a book talk in which they try to "sell" the book to their peers. Students can letters from one character to another, or they can rewrite a scene or ending. The possibilities are endless, and the internet is a great tool for students to use to find post-reading projects.
The first novel's deadline is Monday, September 23rd. Please remind your students of this impending date. If they have not already started reading, they need to get started this week.
Happy reading!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Finding Our Groove
It's the second full of week of classes, and we are slowly but surely getting into our classroom routines and "finding out grooves." We've been reading short stories and discussed nuclear fallout today in English II. One of our short stories, "Searching for Summer," served as a great link to articles about Fukushima's and Chernobyl's nuclear disasters.
English I students have been analyzing different aspects of literature like plot, setting, and theme.
We just finished reading the epic poem, "Beowulf," in senior English, and those students will begin working on a choice board tomorrow. A choice board is table with different activities and projects that relate the text. Students can choose which questions they answer, so it gives them some freedom of choice.
English III students also finished writing their creation stories today. I can't wait to read them because I'm always impressed with students' creativity.
It's been a great school so far!
English I students have been analyzing different aspects of literature like plot, setting, and theme.
We just finished reading the epic poem, "Beowulf," in senior English, and those students will begin working on a choice board tomorrow. A choice board is table with different activities and projects that relate the text. Students can choose which questions they answer, so it gives them some freedom of choice.
English III students also finished writing their creation stories today. I can't wait to read them because I'm always impressed with students' creativity.
It's been a great school so far!
Saturday, August 17, 2013
A Brand New School Year
I'm so excited about this new school year and getting to know my students better. One new thing that I have implemented this year is required independent reading. Students are required to read three novels on their own per semester. When they finish each book, they will create some kind of product to demonstrate their understanding of and engagement with the text. These products can include but are not limited to book talks, book jacket illustrations, comic strips, character interviews, dioramas, epilogues, letters, skits, slide show presentations, and any other creative project that the student may dream up. I know I'm going to be very impressed with the creative genius of my students.
On another note, I finished On the Blue Comet, and I loved the ending. Students who like time travel or a plot that makes you think will really enjoy this book.
I also read another YAL (young adult fiction) book this week, Thin Wood Walls, by David Patneaude. A young Japanese American boy, Joseph, and his family must deal with prejudice and relocation efforts after the attack on Pearl Harbor during WWII. This book intrigued me because I knew very little about the U.S. government's efforts to relocate these families during the war. I came away from the book with some new knowledge and a desire to know even more about this subject. It's a great work of historical fiction, and I think students will enjoy getting to know Joseph and his family.
On another note, I finished On the Blue Comet, and I loved the ending. Students who like time travel or a plot that makes you think will really enjoy this book.
I also read another YAL (young adult fiction) book this week, Thin Wood Walls, by David Patneaude. A young Japanese American boy, Joseph, and his family must deal with prejudice and relocation efforts after the attack on Pearl Harbor during WWII. This book intrigued me because I knew very little about the U.S. government's efforts to relocate these families during the war. I came away from the book with some new knowledge and a desire to know even more about this subject. It's a great work of historical fiction, and I think students will enjoy getting to know Joseph and his family.
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