Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Story Element Project: Card How-To

As we go through the week, each of the 8 cards will be explained here. The rough draft packet that includes all 8 cards (front and back) is due on Friday, April 1st.

Card #1: Setting
Front of Card:
  1. Definition of Setting (from "flower" note sheet)
  2. Description of the setting in the book that you completed
Back of Card:
  1. Quote from the book with page number that describes the setting
  2. Detailed, hand drawn picture that shows the setting
Card #2: Plot
Front of Card:
  1. Definition of Plot (from the "flower" note sheet)
  2. Plot diagram of your story ("mountain drawing" that includes intro, rising action, climax, falling action and conclusion)
Back of Card:
  1. Detailed, hand drawn picture that shows either climax, falling action or conclusion

Sunday, March 27, 2011

This Week in Core: March 28 - April 1

Story Elements



You may want to refer to this video as you complete your book project this week.


Flocabulary - Five Things (Elements of a Short Story) from Flocabulary on Vimeo.


Five Things Lyrics

Check it out yo...

Setting, that's like where it's going down,
Could be the train compartment, a castle or a town,
Could be the Arctic winter - like To Build a Fire
The temperature's dropping, excitement is getting higher,
Setting sets the scene so the scene seems set,
Could be the Italian restaurant where we met,
Setting gives us the where and the when,
Could be modern day, the future, or way back when.

Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting x2

Plot is the action, the quest for satisfaction,
What's going down, what's going to happen.
Four men at sea in an open boat,
Rowing and hoping that they can stay afloat. The plot:
They have to make it to the beach,
But the waves are big, and the shore seems out of reach,
Plot is a series of events... like Lemoney Snicket,
It could be crazy, wild or straight wicked.

Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting x2

Knock knock, who's there? Oh, it's the characters,
The people in the story who carry out the action.
Characters can be pretty, tiny or clean,
Characters can be silly, whiney or mean,
Juliet is a character, and so is Romeo,
Pokemon has characters and so does Yu-gi-oh,
Characters could be dogs, lions, or hippos,
JK Rowling chose Harry Potter. "Why?" Who knows!

Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting x2

Uh-uh! Put your snack back in your backpack we're not finished!
Something gone wrong! That's the conflict kids
A struggle in the plot, now who's on top,
Could be a fight for money, like some robbers and cops,
Could be an internal conflict - a struggle inside,
Like I don't want to tell the truth but I don't ever want to lie,
Flick something in your eye, now you're conflicted,
What created drama? The conflict did.

Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting x2

The theme of the story is the main idea,
The central belief or the topic that's in there,
It's usually something abstract like sacrifice,
Isolation or resurrection: we're back to life,
Like don't lie, don't practice libel,
The theme of To Build a Fire is survival,
Survival on your own like Fievel Moskowitz
Flocabulary's something that you HAVE TO GET...

Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting x2

Monday, March 14, 2011

This week's Vocabulary words

You must choose 10 of the following words for study this week:
  1. genre - category
  2. entrepreneur - businessman
  3. ensemble - group
  4. faux pas - mistake
  5. entourage - group
  6. entrée – main dish
  7. cliché - overused
  8. connoisseur - expert
  9. charade – false show
  10. dossier – information collection
  11. naïve - inexperienced
  12. nuisance - annoying
  13. nonchalant - unconcerned
  14. rendezvous - meeting
  15. grandeur - magnificence
  16. hors d’oeuvre - appetizer
  17. franchise - business
  18. déjà vu – illusion of previous experience
  19. forte - strength
  20. vengeance - punishment

CNN Student News March 14

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Daily Language Workouts: March 14 -1 8

This Week in Core: March 14 -18



If you are going to be leaving for Spring Break early, please stay on top of what you will be missing while you are gone.

Friday, March 11, 2011

What is Daylight Saving Time?

That's right, it's once again time to spring those clocks forward and observe Daylight Saving Time. Did you notice that I said "Daylight SAVING Time" and not "Daylight Savings time" as it is commonly (and incorrectly referred to)? What is Daylight Saving Time? Why do we switch our clocks ahead this Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 2am? Here are some resources to explain...

Check out this great article from National Geographic: Daylight Saving Time 2011
Cool Daylight Saving Time interactive web site from ABC.


Japan Earthquake

Japan earthquake

Other useful sites:
Latest of Japan's Quake (includes videos and sideshows)
Note about news sites:  
Although every Web site that Ms Bryant's Blog links to was reviewed, sites change over time and many sites have links to other sites which I have not reviewed. Remember the surf-safe mantra: never give out your full name or other personal information online. You wouldn't tell a stranger this information, and you shouldn't tell it to anyone online either!
2. BBC Earthquake Photos and News
3. New York Times Quake Updates (includes many astonishing first hand videos of the quake in offices, grocery stores etc)

General Earthquake Information
2. USGS: Earthquake Animations 
3. PBS Earthquake/Tsunami Animation



Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Canada!


For the next 4 weeks, we will be studying Canada. We will begin with geography. Students are expected to learn proper spelling of, and be able to identify on a map the 10 provinces and 3 territories of Canada. Each week we will have one or two map quizzes in class to test progress. As soon as a student can successfully locate, spell and capitalize the provinces and territories, they will move on to capital cities. Below are some resources for study and practice.

 General Mapping Resources:

Canadian Geography Online Quizzes:

Canadian Geography Online Games:

Cool NYC Time Lapse


NYC - Mindrelic Timelapse from Mindrelic on Vimeo.