Reflection of Blogging

My blogging experience has allowed me to learn to talk more about what I do in my classroom and allowed me to be more open for other to see into my world. At first I was hesitant to allow strangers from the web into my world but now I see that there are benefits. I have shared about my struggles and successes and also read other blogs that shared about their struggles and successes. I have enjoyed using technology to share about my classroom and see how blogs can be used as a very useful tool in learning. I am going to try to keep up with my blog but feel that it has been a struggle for me to find the time to continue posting.

Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn

 A very scary story. A family moves and on their property there is a graveyard. The story is how there seems to be a ghost that is haunting them. The ghost is putting the kids little sister in danger, the ghost, who they call "Helen" is trying to slowly get the little girl to come with her (to drown her in a pond also near their house). The ghost has done many things that they do not appreciate, like messing up their house and trying to kill the other siblings who don't seem to believe in this so called "ghost" that their little sister keeps warning them about. There is a burned down house right on the outer side of the little pond and the kids ask the ghost how she died. She said her house was caught on fire. Her parents died also in the fire, looking for little Helen. She was mad and felt like she had ignored her parents and felt like she was the one that started the fire.

Pickle King by Rebecca Promitzer

The town of Elbow is known for two things, unceasing summer rain and Herman's Pickles. Bea, 11, is a camera whiz, so when her friend Sam discovers a dead body in an abandoned house, he wants her to document the scene. She photographs the twisted, waterlogged corpse with its missing eye, but once she develops the shots, her camera begins to act strangely. It moves by itself, spins around, and emits weird groans. The dead man has evidently hitched a ride and now he wants the kids to investigate his demise. They identify the victim as the former head of the pickle company, now taken over by a big conglomerate. Furthermore, they learn that people tend to disappear in Elbow. Some end up in St. Agnes mental hospital, some turn up among the half-crazed outcasts in a filthy camp under the garbage dump and some just never surface again. Gradually, the friends realize that there is an even more fiendish scheme behind the disappearances and they may be the next victims. The young investigators sneak out late at night, drive a car, access restricted hospital files, and spy on a meeting of the villains' secret Brotherhood. There is plenty of truly gross action as well.

 

Character Day at CMS!

Last Friday we celebrated the 1st Annual Character Day at Crossett Middle School. Students and staff were encouraged to dress up as a favorite character from a book. I was Velma from Scooby Doo! Everyone had a great time and it was a good way to promote reading.

Posters, Papers, and Projects! Oh My!

My room is surrounded by student work.So much you can hardly see the walls. I guess this is a good thing!

Another Day!

I can't believe the first nine weeks is over and I am already in week 3 of the second. Time sure does fly. Thanksgiving will be here before I know it and the Christmas and then Spring Break and then Summer! Glad to know that I am getting that much closer to having survived my first year as a teacher!

Lit Lab

Just came back from Lit Lab in Searcy last week. Learned a lot of new techniques that I hope I can use in my classroom. Got my picture with Ken!