Four Square Writing

Judith Gould shared some wonderful writing strategies in an engaging presentation at Bay West college on the Four Square writing method. One of the tools she discussed was using classroom blogs to create real world experiences for students to write and publish. Classroom bogs can also be used to post classroom newsletters, assignments, and upcoming events. Here are some links to check out.

http://mountaineersocialstudies7.blogspot.com/

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech/tech217.shtml

http://kathyschrock.net/blog/

http://blogs.oaisd.org/236

Teacher Share Night

Teacher Share Night is a great opportunity to learn about new technology being used in schools.

Teacher Share Night

Monday, March 27, 2006
Central School

Schedule:
3:30-3:40 Welcome—Kathleen Harry Media Center

3:45-4:20 Session A (Select 1 of the following)
MS Word (Tracking Changes)/Printing to Copier in Office Location: Rm. 205 (Elem. Lab)
African Drums Location: Music Room
Media Violence: Turn off the TV Location: Rm. 210
Cardiovascular Fitness Location: Izzo-Mariucci Center

4:25-5:00 Session B (Select 1 of the following)
Geek Speak Location: Rm. 205 (Elem. Lab)
Podcasting/Blogging Location: Rm. 210
Reading Comprehension Assess. Location: Rm. 208
Cardiovascular Fitness Location: Izzo-Mariucci Center

5:05 Pizza, Pop, & Prizes— Kathleen Harry Media Center

Special thanks to all committee members, presenters, and administration!

Basketball

I am on a 5th grade basketball team. We play in our driveway in the summer. We have a tournament this weekend. There are 9 people on our team, I am the point guard. Mallory

Skiiing

I like to ski. I learned to ski a couple of years ago in Norway. My favorite thing is going on the chair lift. Our class is going skiing next week at Pine Mountain.
Eric

Favorite Characters - 3rd Grade

My favorite character is Junie B. Jones from the book Junie B. Jones Shipwrecked because she is always doing something funny that makes me laugh. - Demi W

My favorite book character is Bess from the book Bess' Log Cabin Quilt because Bess tries to finish her quilt in time for a quilt contest. Mr. Trask told her he needs $100 or else he gets Bess' farm. Then she goes out to milk the cow and she sees three Indians. She runs in the house to tell her mom. She finishes the quilt and sees her best friend Liza. She wins second prize and gets $100. Now she can pay Mr. Trask. When she get's home she sees her dad. - Lindsey

My favorite book character is the author from the book Deer Camp: An American Tradition because he likes to hunt like me. He loves hunting like me too. - Nick R

My favorite book character is Patrick from the book Patrick and the Molasses Explosion because I like Patrick. He is an honest kid. He listens to his mom. Patrick is nice to everyone. - Lucian

Paws to Read

This year's theme for Reading Month is "Paws to Read", students are participating in many exciting reading activities and also raising money to help the animals at the Spring Lake Humane Society. Each class is sponsoring a pet and collecting needed items for the shelter. Mrs. Stanchina visited the shelter to meet the animals and take pictures for the classrooms.

Getting Started with Blogging

Blogging is an increasingly popular form of internet publishing that is beginning to gain the interest of elementary educators as a tool to communicate, inform and develop students as authors. Blogs (web-logs) are essentially online journals that writers can easily update to publish ideas and information that is then readily available to anyone with internet accesss. Through blogging sites such as Blogger teachers can create web logs that students can easily post to. Blogs can be used to publish stories, artwork, photo galleries, and audio files or podcasts.