Sharing memories of Spring Vacation

Dear Students,

While your memories of Spring Vacation are still fresh in your mind, please share with all of us one special memory.  I'm not asking for an hour by hour account of a trip or excursion but of a moment that meant a lot to you.  Think snapshot and describe what was happening and why it is memorable to you.

For instance, one memory that stands out to me involves my nine year old Australian shepherd, Katie.  Some of you were aware that Katie was injured in a dog fight with her step-sister, Ilsa, a week before Spring Vacation.  Katie most likely triggered the fight by herding Ilsa and nipping at her ears.  Some instincts can't be altered.  Thus when my husband and I got home from running errands that afternoon, we found clumps of bloody black dog hair in the entry way, and Katie with a nasty gash on the top her head and lower right eye.  After spending six hours at Dove Lewis and undergoing surgery to implant a drainage tube in her head and stitches in her lower right eye, Katie returned home wearing an Elizabethan collar (the cone of shame) along with a bag full of antibiotics and painkillers.  For days we administered various types of medication every eight hours and forced Katie to wear the "cone of shame" which she detested and would often drag along the floor.

Finally on Thursday of Spring Vacation, Katie got her stitches and drain removed.  Together we drove back to Dove Lewis where she quickly perked up when the veterinarian bent down to examine her head wound and complimented Katie on how well she was healing.  She started wiggling her stump of a tail and happily turning circles in front of everyone in the waiting room.  Katie then pranced as the vet took her leash and lead her to an examination room to remove her stitches.  Five minutes later Katie was back bounding with joy around the Dove Lewis waiting room showing off her half shaved head now free of stitches and  drainage tubes.  Seeing her healthy and happy put a huge smile on my face and was a Spring Vacation highlight I wanted to share with all of you.

Please remember to 1-3 paragraph description of your Spring Vacation highlight and don't forget to sign your name along with period at the end.  Edit your writing before publishing your post.  Your blog response is due by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 6th.

Best wishes,
Mrs. Allan

Finding narrative poetry in our daily lives

The best place to see or hear narrative poetry today would be in songs. Songs are simply poems set to music, and the songs that tell stories are narrative poems set to music.  Use a website on the Internet such as Lyrics.com to review the lyrics to some of your favorite songs. Determine whether the lyrics to the songs form narrative poems. If so, tell what the story of the song is about.

Use the following chart to determine if your song is a narrative poem set to music"

• Setting (time/place) and Characters
• Conflict
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Resolution

Blog Assignment:  Post a copy of the lyrics (Yes, they need to be “classroom appropriate”) on our classroom blog site.  Remember to leave your first and last name along language arts period.

Due by Friday, March 9 by 5 p.m.

Sharing Mr. Rodegerdts Stories - A Favorite 7th Grade Past Time!

Dear Students,

This week I want you to write a simple, compound AND complex sentence about Mr. Rodegerdts. Have fun with this - but don't hurt Mr. Rodegerdts' feelings :)


Remember
• Simple sentences tell us WHO/WHAT it is about and What WHO/WHAT IS DOING?

• Compound sentences are TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES joined with a FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

• Complex sentences have an INDEPENDENT CLAUSE with a DEPENDENT/SUBORDINATE CLAUSE (remember, adverb or adjective clauses)

Examples - You do not need to do the explanation part below each sentence like I did:

• Simple: Mr. Rodegerdts is feeding his flesh eating beetles.
[who: Mr. Rodegerdts; what: feeding flesh eating beetles]

• Compound: Mr. Rodegerdts is feeding his chickens, for he already fed his flesh eating beetles.
[independent clause 1: Mr. Rodegerdts is feeding his chickens; independent clause 2: he already fed his flesh eating beetles; FANBOYS: for]

• Complex: If Dr. Gerson would let him, Mr. Rodegerdts would have a whole zoo at LOJ!
[independent clause: Mr. Rodegerdts would have a whole zoo at LOJ; dependent/subordinate clause: If Dr. Gerson would let him; this is an adverb clause because it starts with the Trigger Word "If"]

Don't forget to sign off with your FIRST AND LAST NAME / PERIOD! Of course, grammar is of particular importance so please carefully proof read your sentences before posting them.  This is due no later than Friday, February 17th at 5 p.m.

Enjoy,
Mrs. Allan / B3 and B4

Freedom - What is it? What does it mean to you?

Dear Students,

Please share what freedom means to you?  Then discuss and explain what freedoms are most important you?  Has the meaning of freedom changed for you over the years?  What did freedom mean to you when you were in first grade?  What will it mean to you when you are a senior in high school?  Share stories and provide specific details and examples as you reflect on freedom and the role it plays in your life.

Possible  freedoms to consider:

• The freedom to be friends with, date, marry whom you choose?
• The freedom to choose a profession one day?
• The freedom to practice your choice of religion?
• The freedom to use the internet?
• The freedom to voice your opinions?
• The freedom to one day move where you please?

Your reflections should be a paragraph in length (minimum of 5 sentences) and use good grammar.  Don't forget to leave your first and last name along with your class period.

Due Friday, February 10 by 3 p.m.

Best wishes,
Mrs. Allan

Snow Day! School's cancelled! How would you spend the day?

Dear students,

Many of you when writing about your holiday wishes, wrote about your hopes for snow during the winter break.  Since that wish didn't come true, let's fantasize about it.  Please write about how you would spend your day if you woke up to six inches of snow and school had been cancelled.  Bring this day to life.  Be descriptive so that the reader can live vicariously through your writing.

Who knows?  This fantasy might really come true.

This should be at least 5+ sentences in length and don't forget your NAME and PERIOD at the end.  Yes, grammar counts!

DUE Thursday, January 19th by 5 p.m.

Wishes for the holiday season

What are you wishing for this holiday season? 

Take some time to reflect on this holiday season and what it means to you.  What are your hopes and wishes during this time?  Are there family traditions you are looking forward to recreating?  Do they involved food, friends, or family?  Do you have plans or expectation for the winter break?

When writing about the season, remember to use descriptive words and phrases.  This blog response should be at least ONE paragraph in length and at least 7+ sentences.  Remember spelling and grammar counts!

Have fun and enjoy sharing your wishes for the season!

Your response is DUE by Friday, December 16 at 5 p.m.

Halloween Costumes with Vivid Descriptions

Dear Language Arts Students,

What has been your favorite Halloween costume? 

Mine was when I was in 6th grade, and I dressed-up as a rag doll.  It was probably my favorite costume due to the involvement of both my mom and older sister, Amy.  I came up with the idea but didn't know how to pull it off.  Luckily my mom had an idea for my hair.  She actually took apart a mop and washed the mop top before dying it bright red.  I was a little horrified about wearing a cotton mop top on my head yet amazed at the intensity of the red cotton yarn.  She then braided the yarn and helped me develop a wig I could proudly wear.  Raggedy Ann had nothing on me.  Now it was my older sister's turn to help me.  During the summer Amy had been a bridesmaid and was forced to wear a light blue, gingham check bridesmaid dress with a white pinafore apron.  She enthusiastically cut three feet off the bottom of the dress and pinafore apron and hemmed it by hand for my short stature.  She was thrilled to see some good come of this 1970's abomination of a bridesmaid dress.

The morning of Halloween, both of them helped me into my dress and stockings.  My sister then gave me an old pair of black ballet slippers to wear for shoes.  After arranging the wig on my head and making sure it would fall off, my mom used lipstick to paint bright, ruby red circles on my checks and a brown eyeliner pencil to draw freckles and eye lashes.  After a while, my face began to itch, but I was “all smiles” due to the group effort.  That is why the rag doll costume is one of my favorites.
 

Now it is your turn.  Write to me about your favorite Halloween costume and focus on including some great descriptive details.  Remember grammar counts so edit your response carefully before posting.  Points will be taken off for "Unacceptables".

Don't forget to sign your name!  You need to complete this assignment before Friday, October 28 at 5 p.m.

Have fun and read others' posts for ideas.  Don't forget to leave your first and last name as well as your Language Arts period.

Mrs. Allan / B3 and B4