I sent this message home with a grade update:
There are only a few more grades that need to be entered for the end of the year: vocab final (75 points), speech grade (75 points), and grammar reading of their speech that was handed in (25 points). And they must get this grade slip signed (10 points).
The year is wrapping up. I will send out the final grade update AFTER I have submitted my grades. I plan to submit them by the end of next week, June 9.
Just to make you aware, I have made many recordings of your child this year: Katrina essay, blues song, Harlem Renaissance poetry reading, and their autobiography piece. These are mp3's which can be played using iTunes and Windows Media Player. They can also be played on the portable devices. (I am also recording half of the students' persuasive speeches as videos. Ask your child if he/she was recorded.)
If you would like a copy of all of your child's files, send a CD to school or 50 cents. Let me know if you want an audio CD you can play in a player or a data CD with the files for your computer. (The videos will only be burned as files for the computer. They will be sized for the video iPod.)
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
May 24, 2006
I am sorry I have not updated this blog in a few days. I have been so busy with school work. I have been a planning machine. It takes a lot of work to make the Malcolm X unit come off smoothly, especially when I do every assignment they do. I recently finished my persuasive speech. It took me at least 5 hours to write and create the podcast. I still have more to go.
I believe that when the kids see me doing the same work they do, it inspires them to do their best. One of the reasons I like teaching is I like doing the projects! Call me crazy, but I enjoy the fact that I have a speech due! If you would like to hear my speech, you can download it from the Malcolm X assignment page or the main page.
There is a quiz on unit 15 tomorrow, and the speech is due Friday. They also have a vocab final next Thursday. Then that is it! The speeches will take days to do, and they should be very entertaining! I am not sure if I am going to record them. I might video tape some of them. I cannot spend all my time making videos at the end of the year. The clock is ticking!
Interesting... I tried to research the Nation of Islam from school the other day. The State firewall blocks the content due to, "violence/hate/racism." Hum... I guess my students won't be researching the organization Malcolm X was involved with any time soon.
I believe that when the kids see me doing the same work they do, it inspires them to do their best. One of the reasons I like teaching is I like doing the projects! Call me crazy, but I enjoy the fact that I have a speech due! If you would like to hear my speech, you can download it from the Malcolm X assignment page or the main page.
There is a quiz on unit 15 tomorrow, and the speech is due Friday. They also have a vocab final next Thursday. Then that is it! The speeches will take days to do, and they should be very entertaining! I am not sure if I am going to record them. I might video tape some of them. I cannot spend all my time making videos at the end of the year. The clock is ticking!
Interesting... I tried to research the Nation of Islam from school the other day. The State firewall blocks the content due to, "violence/hate/racism." Hum... I guess my students won't be researching the organization Malcolm X was involved with any time soon.
Friday, May 19, 2006
May 19, 2006
For most classes, we are finished watching the movie. I will spend next week preparing them for the speeches that will begin on Friday. I suggest they work on them this weekend.
Not surprisingly, many students still do not know what they will write on. Procrastination. I suggested they write on their genetic disorder they are researching for science. They can explain what they thought before they learned about it, how they feel now, and what they will do with that information. What should we do now that they have taught us about it? One girl says that students should be kinder to Meadowood students.
Another idea would be to argue for or against the Malcolm X unit. I will argue that it is a great unit. In fact, I am rethinking my original idea. What if I could write a speech that I could read to students BEFORE we begin the unit next year? What if I create a speech that fires students up and makes them anxious to begin the unit? That would be cool!
Malcolm X died 41 years ago, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. I am 37; therefore, I was not around during that time. But I am a child of parents who were, and their parents fought in WWII. The history of the struggle is in my family's time. I do wonder about students today. Do they understand the struggle, or are they free of the effects whites imposed on blacks all those years?
I do wonder if the Civil Rights Movement is still relevant. But I do not see total equality. But after watching the movie, I do see progress today. I am not sure if America is racially blind. And I do beleive there is a class system that separates people socio-economically. I am not proud of that fact.
I look forward to writing my essay. I especially look forward to hearing what the students have to say!
Not surprisingly, many students still do not know what they will write on. Procrastination. I suggested they write on their genetic disorder they are researching for science. They can explain what they thought before they learned about it, how they feel now, and what they will do with that information. What should we do now that they have taught us about it? One girl says that students should be kinder to Meadowood students.
Another idea would be to argue for or against the Malcolm X unit. I will argue that it is a great unit. In fact, I am rethinking my original idea. What if I could write a speech that I could read to students BEFORE we begin the unit next year? What if I create a speech that fires students up and makes them anxious to begin the unit? That would be cool!
Malcolm X died 41 years ago, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. I am 37; therefore, I was not around during that time. But I am a child of parents who were, and their parents fought in WWII. The history of the struggle is in my family's time. I do wonder about students today. Do they understand the struggle, or are they free of the effects whites imposed on blacks all those years?
I do wonder if the Civil Rights Movement is still relevant. But I do not see total equality. But after watching the movie, I do see progress today. I am not sure if America is racially blind. And I do beleive there is a class system that separates people socio-economically. I am not proud of that fact.
I look forward to writing my essay. I especially look forward to hearing what the students have to say!
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
May 17, 2006
Homework: Pictionaries and Synonyms Unit 15
I handed out grade slips today. I did not require them to be signed.
Students are having trouble finding a topic for their persuasive speeches. The topic does not have to be deep. It just has to have the proper format of how they felt before they knew the problem, how they felt once they learned about the problem, and what they/we should do about the problem.
As I will say in my speech on why we should study Malcolm X, I did not know much about him. I learned about him through reading and the movie. I feel it is necessary, now, to study him in class. I will prove that this unit is valuable, not just for a life lesson, but it will teach children about being committed to a cause and how to speak on something important.
I handed out grade slips today. I did not require them to be signed.
Students are having trouble finding a topic for their persuasive speeches. The topic does not have to be deep. It just has to have the proper format of how they felt before they knew the problem, how they felt once they learned about the problem, and what they/we should do about the problem.
As I will say in my speech on why we should study Malcolm X, I did not know much about him. I learned about him through reading and the movie. I feel it is necessary, now, to study him in class. I will prove that this unit is valuable, not just for a life lesson, but it will teach children about being committed to a cause and how to speak on something important.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
May 16, 2006
This is what I sent home in the grade update today:
These grades should provide a more accurate picture of how the students are performing this marking period. There are more homework grades, another quiz grade, and more classwork assignments. The poetry reading was frustrating. Many students did not take the time to prepare. Some did not even write an introduction. I finally just made all the students go. Some actually did well on the reading part. Imagine how well they could have done had they prepared!
There are plenty of grades left in the marking period. There is a link to the requirements for the Malcolm X movie we are watching. You will find that on my classroom web page. The students are filling out a question sheet as part of a guided viewing. Throughout the movie I am pointing out how Malcolm X changes and what causes him to change. Sure, many of his early statements were controversial, but they deserve to be heard and critiqued based on our current society.
I will be writing my persuasive speech on how I believe Malcolm X should be studied and how I think this unit will have an impact on the students. I have already been impacted by the movie. I find it inspirational. I will post my essay when I am done.
If you have questions about the grades, please feel free to e-mail me.
These grades should provide a more accurate picture of how the students are performing this marking period. There are more homework grades, another quiz grade, and more classwork assignments. The poetry reading was frustrating. Many students did not take the time to prepare. Some did not even write an introduction. I finally just made all the students go. Some actually did well on the reading part. Imagine how well they could have done had they prepared!
There are plenty of grades left in the marking period. There is a link to the requirements for the Malcolm X movie we are watching. You will find that on my classroom web page. The students are filling out a question sheet as part of a guided viewing. Throughout the movie I am pointing out how Malcolm X changes and what causes him to change. Sure, many of his early statements were controversial, but they deserve to be heard and critiqued based on our current society.
I will be writing my persuasive speech on how I believe Malcolm X should be studied and how I think this unit will have an impact on the students. I have already been impacted by the movie. I find it inspirational. I will post my essay when I am done.
If you have questions about the grades, please feel free to e-mail me.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
May 11, 2006
All of the Harlem Renaissance poetry readings are done. I now have to convert each recording to an mp3 so that I can include them on the end of the year disc. That disc will include all the recordings we have done throughout the year. I will put them onto a DVD for posterity; you are welcome to buy one. I assume you have not heard any of the recordings.
The homework is to finish up unit 14. I also asked them to bring in song lyrics of a writer who is searching for himself or has found his place/purpose in this world. It will be a small class grade.
If your child says we are watching Malcolm X in school, please note that I am taking care to only show parts of the movie that I think explain how Malcolm X found his place in the world and how he searched for Truth. (I am also not showing any curse words.) He was as great a man as a human can be, meaning, he was with fault like all of us. There will be some discussions about his philosophies, and his religion was his guide, but the unit is not about the Nation of Islam or religion. It is about Malcolm X and his stuggle for his black identity.
I want the students to see why he should be remembered. I want them to know that there was another activist who had other plans for equality in America. I want them to see a man struggle with himself to figure out who he is.
Ultimately, I want students to emulate the writing and speaking style and stand before the class with conviction. I want them to search out a cause worthy of our attention and their efforts to present it to us.
The homework is to finish up unit 14. I also asked them to bring in song lyrics of a writer who is searching for himself or has found his place/purpose in this world. It will be a small class grade.
If your child says we are watching Malcolm X in school, please note that I am taking care to only show parts of the movie that I think explain how Malcolm X found his place in the world and how he searched for Truth. (I am also not showing any curse words.) He was as great a man as a human can be, meaning, he was with fault like all of us. There will be some discussions about his philosophies, and his religion was his guide, but the unit is not about the Nation of Islam or religion. It is about Malcolm X and his stuggle for his black identity.
I want the students to see why he should be remembered. I want them to know that there was another activist who had other plans for equality in America. I want them to see a man struggle with himself to figure out who he is.
Ultimately, I want students to emulate the writing and speaking style and stand before the class with conviction. I want them to search out a cause worthy of our attention and their efforts to present it to us.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
May 10, 2006
Today was a weird day. I only saw three classes: sections 7,1, and 2. They were longer classes.
Homework varies from class to class because of the weird days. The schedule is on my classroom web page.
We are starting to study Malcolm X. When things calm down, I will make a web page explaining the final project. As it stands now (and that will change) I am looking for a presentation that is individual, incorporates visuals and music, and has some written aspect that expresses how they see their place/purpose in this world. We have been studying blacks finding their identity. In the movie on Malcolm X, we will see that he went through many changes in how he saw himself and the world.
More will come later.
For Friday, I asked the students to find lyrics to a song where the writer has found or is exploring his/her place in the world. One example is the Indigo Girls, "Closer to Fine." I look forward to seeing what they come up with. I don't want to see rappers who are just bragging. I hope to see some truth in the lyrics.
Homework varies from class to class because of the weird days. The schedule is on my classroom web page.
We are starting to study Malcolm X. When things calm down, I will make a web page explaining the final project. As it stands now (and that will change) I am looking for a presentation that is individual, incorporates visuals and music, and has some written aspect that expresses how they see their place/purpose in this world. We have been studying blacks finding their identity. In the movie on Malcolm X, we will see that he went through many changes in how he saw himself and the world.
More will come later.
For Friday, I asked the students to find lyrics to a song where the writer has found or is exploring his/her place in the world. One example is the Indigo Girls, "Closer to Fine." I look forward to seeing what they come up with. I don't want to see rappers who are just bragging. I hope to see some truth in the lyrics.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
May 8, 2006
I handed grade slips out today. They did not need to get signed. Interims are due Wednesday and will be sent out on the 15th... I think.
We are beginning unit 14 in vocab and trying to finish up the poetry readings from the Harlem Renaissance.
Giving grades has been difficult with the disruptions of spring break and Cape Henlopen. There are more disruptions in the next two weeks as students take the NWEA testing. Many days I will be missing one or two classes.
As always, I have the assignments posted in my classroom. The students are responsible for making sure they stay up to date even if we miss class.
We are beginning unit 14 in vocab and trying to finish up the poetry readings from the Harlem Renaissance.
Giving grades has been difficult with the disruptions of spring break and Cape Henlopen. There are more disruptions in the next two weeks as students take the NWEA testing. Many days I will be missing one or two classes.
As always, I have the assignments posted in my classroom. The students are responsible for making sure they stay up to date even if we miss class.
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