August 21st, 2008
Looking to beef-up your math skills before the beginning of the school year? Here are some tips:
1. If multiplication or division is hard for you, consider playing an online math game. Just click here to open a spreadsheet that lists games for everything from fractions to graphing to subtraction.
2. Want to have your parent/guardian help you with real-life math? Click here for a list of things you can do together.
3. Does the metric system feel confusing? Learn more about metric conversions by clicking here.
4. Unsure of what a denominator or a subtrahend is? Look it up using this online math dictionary.
August 15th, 2008
400-high-frequency-words
Click on the link above to view a list of 400 high-frequency words, which means they’re the most commonly used words in the English Language. (This list will be in the 3rd plastic sleeve of your G.E.A.R. Binder.)
August 7th, 2008
Did you notice the widget with all of the flags on the right side of this page? That’s to help your parent/guardian translate this page with just the click of a mouse. All you have to do is select the appropriate flag, wait several seconds and then watch as the text on this blog is transformed into Spanish (or any other language you choose).
I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the Spanish translation. However, after reading the French Translations, I can say that the Translation Service, which is provided from a company called BabelFish, is pretty good.
August 1st, 2008
Want to check out more gadgets online? Just click here to go to Google Gadgets, which can give you everything from artwork generators to daily weather report gadgets, such as the one on the right sidebar.
July 27th, 2008
Avi, who is a renowned children’s author, has five secrets to good writing on his website. Here are his tips:
One: Write! It’s not writing until it’s on the paper. Story telling is a great art, but it is not story writing.
Two: Rewrite! No one-ever–writes anything well the first time. The first draft can not be the last draft. (I rewrite my work fifty-sixty times–or more). Here’s a tip: read your first draft, and if you think it’s good, you are in trouble. But, if you read it and you see it’s not that good, you are in great shape–to get going. The more you rewrite the better your writing will be.
Three: Write for a reader: Maybe you understand what you have written, but the writer’s job is to have the reader understand it. Keep in mind: writers don’t write writing, they write reading.
Four: Listen. Read your work out loud (pencil in hand) and it will let you hear your own writing. It will almost improve itself.
Five: Read, read, read. Reading is the key to good writing. The more you read, the better the writer you can be. You can NEVER read too much.
July 21st, 2008
Are you wondering what a blog is? Here’s a technical definition from Wikipedia:
A blog (an abridgment of the term web log) is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. “Blog” can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic…
This blog will function as our class website this year. Once we begin the school year, I’ll post homework assignments here (You’ll still receive a copy of the assignments in school so that you won’t have to log on to the net to get your homework!). Additionally, I’ll post weekly Word Study Words, photos we take, and some of your writing (if you’re interested and your parent/guardian gives you permission). I’ll also continue to post links to other websites or blogs that I think you’ll be interested in perusing.
Please note that this blog follows the Blogger’s Code of Conduct by Tim O’Reilly.
July 21st, 2008
Feel free to leave a comment on any post or page of this blog. Comments can be about what is posted so far or the letter you received. You may also ask me questions you have about the upcoming school year by posting a comment.
July 18th, 2008
Welcome to our online class blog! Check back often for updates.
- Want to learn more about what it’s like to be a student in my class? Just click here to view last year’s class wiki.
- Want to play some math games? Just click here and then click on the file that says “Games.xls”.
- Want to write about your reading? Just click here and then click on any of the links on the Reading Page, which is what you’ll land on.
Until then, ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!!
June 24th, 2008
Here’s a poem I’d like to share with you. It’s the same poem that has been on the front door to my classroom since September 2004. It embodies the attitude I want each of my students to have about being in our class.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR
On the other side of the door
I can be a different me,
As smart and as brave and as funny or strong
As a person could want to be.
There’s nothing too hard for me to do,
There’s no place I can’t explore
Because everything can happen
On the other side of the door.
On the other side of the door
I don’t have to go alone.
If you come, too, we can sail tall ships
And fly where the wind has flown.
And wherever we go, it is almost sure
We’ll find what we’re looking for
Because everything can happen
On the other side of the door.
–Jeff Moss
June 24th, 2008
I used Schoolnotes for two years, Scholastic for one year, and PBWiki for one year as well. And now… I’m creating my classroom “website” with Edublogs. (Clearly, change doesn’t bother me.) This will be the place I post homework, photos, and more during the 2008 - 2009 School Year for my students and their parents.
Suggestions about what you’d like to see on this page? Just leave a comment on this post.
