Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Welcome Back Becky

What's the hardest thing you've done that was also worthwhile? And when I say "hard" I mean that it might have been physically, mentally or emotionally exhausting... or even boring. Describe a time when the outcome outweighed the process involved with the task.

I've spent this week working on power standards for the school district and the process is arduous and it sometime feels like my brain has been cauterized, BUT I have the sense that in the end, it will improve student learning and that is a noble and good goal. But, I have to say that coming back to CAHS and seeing your smiling faces awakened me in a way that discussions about students never can. So, I'm glad to be back.

Your next task: Select a new student to our school. Design 12 interview questions that are open-ended and interesting. You may include a series of close-ended questions in addition to the more involved ones. Then, interview that student. If you need to get a pass to do so, please ask for one so we can be above board on this. Then, share your interview findings in an interesting narrative. Please also take a photo with your subject.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

3rd Hour Notes for Wednesday

An interesting thing happened today that made me think and I'd like to use the idea of it for your prompt today. Do you think that it is more painful to experience tragedy or discomfort OR more painful to watch someone you love going through that pain and tragedy and feeling helpless to do anything? I don't think there's a clear cut answer, but I do think that in loving someone fully, you might begin to internalize and feel their pain. Perhaps the further away we are from a situation or person, the more we can emotionally distance ourselves.

I haven't seen anyone's song projects, but I hope to soon. There are some people who are very consistent about blogging and others who are not. Because of the nature of this course, I don't feel angry or panicked. I will happily award credit to those who enthusiastically and regularly wrote and engaged:)

For your next task I would like you to go to rottentomatoes.com and locate their list of the worst 100 movies of the last decade. I'd like you to read through the list and count the number of movies on the list that you have seen:) Then, I'd like you to select two of the films on the list and defend them as GOOD movies as opposed to lousy ones. I'll be very interested to see what movies you have seen that other critics despised:)

Monday, September 28, 2009

3rd Hour Fellas and Gals

Hello Ladies and Gents,

As you know, I am away. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Thanks too for blogging while I was away. I hope that you are finding that daily blogging gives you a space and place for venting and opening yourself up. I find that writing is therapeutic. The cool thing about blogs is that I don't publish all of them. A lot of times, I start things and then save them and wait for the time when I want to return to them. You might also want to try that:) Today, I'd like you to think about a special space or place for you. And then, I want you to describe that place in detail. For me, that kind of spot is anywhere where Quinn is or has been. Our home, for instance, is speckled with Quinn-things. Everywhere there are signs of his presence. Even a clean house shows signs of him. Right now, as I type from my bed, there's a box of Quinn's diapers in the bed, his pajamas from this morning are strewn on the floor, story books are piled on every surface, and even those things that are not specifically his, have been touched by him. The water bottle, for instance, that is missing a cap because Quinn insisted on taking it off so that he could use another water bottle and pour it into the first one. He really likes pouring things lately. In my closet, is Buzz Lightyear, lying face down because Quinn thought it was a nice spot for Buzz to sleep....

In physical things, there are memories and connections. For today's blog, please do you best to draw compelling connections between surroundings and emotions/feelings. Have a great day!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Foundations of Literature Blog to Read/Video to View

http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/teens-teach-about-rape-culture.html

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Good morning 3rd hour awesome folks

Hello, hello!

Today, I would like you to merge together the lyrics from 3 or more songs to make a new song that you like and has a unique message:) Please let me know the artists, the titles of the songs and why you selected what you did. Be sure that your new song is accompanied by an explanation for what you hoped to achieve by merging the songs lyrics together.

Your next learning task is to select a series of songs that speak to who you are as a person. Please locate at least 6 songs, post the music to your blog and provide a 200 word reflection in a blog about why these songs speak to you and represent your person.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

For Foundations of Literature Students

Hello dear Foundations Folk,

Today I would like you to write about a significant day in your life that took place at school- where the main action of the trauma or event took place with the walls of a hallowed educational site. For example, when I was in 7th grade, I had a big crush on a boy named Chad in my math class. I was also boy crazy, which adds to my general insanity. So, there I am in math class and I write a note to my friend expressing my total love for the boy. Now, kids can be funny. We think we can talk in a certain adult way and we don't always know what that means. On the note, I wrote that I would do something sexual with the boy- something so far out of my actual reality that it was laughable, but still, I wrote it for effect and thought it would seal the deal on how much I liked the boy. Needless to say, my math teacher intercepted the note and read it. Not good. Then, he referred me to the counselor at school who asked me if I was sexually promiscuous, which I was not. What a mortifying experience! Now, tell me an epic moment from your school life.:) When you finish, you may return you the classroom.

Happy Tuesday

Today I have some statistics on my mind. Last night as I was driving home from some light grocery shopping, I heard a man on the radio being interviewed on MPR. This man is the author of a new book called "How to Keep Your Kids off Drugs" or something like that. Anywho, Gary Eichten, the host of the show, was asking him if he thought we should legalize marijuana and tax it for revenue for the state. The author replied that we currently tax alcohol and cigarettes and that for every dollar that we make, the state spends $9 to cover the health costs or consequences of people who abuse those substances. So, if we were to tax marijuana, the money we "made" would pale in comparison to the money we would spend on the other end. Currently, we have more teens in rehab for marijuana than all other drugs put together, he said. AND, the marijuana of today is highly addictive, unlike the weed that parents and grandparents used to smoke. Compelling stuff. So, my question for today, dear readers, I wonder what you think about this topic. Do you see the damaging affects of marijuana in your life? What do you think about the legalization of it? I will be very interested to read your thoughts!

Have a terrific day! When you finish your Flickr project, come and find me and we will find a novel for you to read and daily blog about. Excellent!