Money = Root of All Evil?

Discussion focusing on the Industrial Revolution and the life of Charles Dickens filled the air today in room 301. In preparation for studying A Christmas Carol, students also participated in a debate like activity where they examined one another's thoughts concerning the following meaningful quotations that are relevant to the story:

1.    Money is the root of all evil.

2.    Money can’t buy happiness.

3.    Rob from the rich to give to the poor.

4.    Money makes the world go round.

5.    Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. –Albert Einstein

6.    Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. –Albert Schweitzer

7.    Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. –Abraham Lincoln

You can check out the animated video students viewed today that told the life of Charles Dickens HERE

Punctuation is Important!

In class today students began to realize the power of punctuation. It can vastly change meaning!

For example, look at the following group of words and punctuate it properly to make it a sentence:

"Woman without her man is nothing"

---> Woman, without her man, is nothing.

---> Woman: without her, man is nothing.


I like the second one better ;-)

We also discussed how punctuation can save lives!

Tomorrow as students prepare their 6 Word Memoirs, they will be focusing on punctuation and word choice in order to best express their story.

Buddha to Beauport?

Buddha once wrote, "ALL EXPERIENCE IS PRECEDED BY MIND" --- and that includes writing! If you come into ELA class with a positive attitude, accepting that you have to write and deciding to make the most out of it by being prepared to learn and doing your best, then your experience in ELA (and your experience with writing) will be positive! This, among other things, was what we talked about in ELA today. 

Having a thoughtful discussion with students along with hearing all their great ideas as they brainstormed was a remarkable experience. The more we examine and talk about writing as well as practice it, the more enjoyable it becomes as students further understand how to write and the importance of writing.

These composition tips really helped too!

Composition Writing Tips
 

Make it personal. Relate to the prompt in some way. If you can find a way to identify with the prompt it will allow you to write more freely and easily.

Embellish. This may play a factor in helping you identify with the prompt. You can exaggerate. Make your story more interesting by adding detail. Figurative language can be part of that detail. Don’t be afraid to tap into your imagination to produce more interesting writing!

Engage your readers. Use dialogue and figurative language. Do not make it a list. Do not TELL. SHOW with your writing! HOOK your readers in with a catchy lead! Write something that you would want to keep reading.

Make it worthy of being read. What is your audience going to get out of reading your composition? Will they learn something? Will they be entertained? Will they discover a new outlook on life? Will they begin to view something differently? Don’t just go through the motions. If you are going to write something--- make it worth-reading!