Assignments January 11-15

7th & 8th Grade: This week we will be writing Bio poems. Only Teacher approved poems will be posted to the students' blog. Here is an example of a Bio poem I wrote several years ago:

I am from the winds of the North and the Cascade Mountains to the East.

I am from where the crosswinds blow the hint of Pine, Fir, and Tamarack trees. In the Spring you can smell the apple and cherry blossoms, and the sweet smell of wheat fields on a cool spring day. Where the four seasons are welcomed like a new dawn, on a fresh day.

I am from the young love of high school sweethearts that grew into the adults that gave me the strength and wisdom beyond my young years. Who taught me that life is not always fair. They gave me the ability to earn what you want and appreciate what you have.

I am from my Grandparents Southern influence and religious teachings. Saturday mornings at church and afternoons on nature hikes in the woods. Games of Scrabble, aggravation and debates about the world, at our lake retreat. Mornings drinking coffee and playing search a words in bed.I am from wise strong women who raised children and had careers, long before it was popular, women who were not afraid to have some fun and adventures with their children and grandchildren, take kids to Disneyland and snow skiing in the winter.

I am from the warm desert wind that smells of cactus flowers and orange blossoms. I am from a sister that is a mother, a daughter, a sister and herself a wise strong women. She is a teacher for her young children, and an inspiration to me, for my future family.

I am from my Lord and Savior who would not have taught me all that I have come to know, if it didn’t have a purpose. Who has shown me that Miracles and unanswered prayers are open windows, from the closed doors. That life is not always fair, which is why he died so that I could live.

Remember you need permission PRIOR to POSTING. Have a great week and I look forward to reading your rough drafts!

Ms. Lines

Happy New year! Jan. 4-8 Assignment.

Happy New Year!

Dear students,

This term we are, "going back to the drawing board" and re-learning the six traits of writing. The class focus will be on the actual writing process with paper and pencil, IN CLASS.

~Pauses for the students reactions~

Yes, students, I know that many of you are somewhat relieved, while others are "groaning" at the idea. Don't worry, we will be posting only our "finished" final drafts here over the next semester. The writing prompts will still be posted as they are assigned, and copies to those who have a spiral journal, will still be made.

In addition to this writing practice, we will be working with idioms or words and phrases journals. The purpose of our written journals will be for the brainstorming and help constructing rough drafts. Only approved final drafts will be "published" to our blogs.

Have a Happy New Year and enjoy our writing practice!

Ms. Lines

Monday MEME! Assignment Dec. 11-18

OK Kids, here it is a Holiday MEME. What is a ME...ME...? Well in the blog world it is a group of questions that is talking about every ones favorite subject ME! In other words it is all about the "author" writing the post. It is fun to share and get others in on the MEME post. In the blog world, it is one way that authors share about themselves and "tag" other writers to share about them too. Are you all ready? I am tagging the WHOLE school.

Here is what you do. You copy and paste the questions. You then change the responses to be all about you, then post it to your page.

Ready? ~waits and looks around~

HERE we gooooooooooooooo
1. What is your favorite Holiday? Christmas

2.What is your favorite holiday song? HMMM toss up. Santa Baby or Man with the Bag....NO wait. "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas". Yes final answer!

3. What is your favorite subject? I bet you all thought I would say Language arts, but you would be very wrong. In school my favorite subject was Science. Chemistry was my best subject. Despite what they might have said about "almost" blowing the school up! ~shakes head~

4. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? OHHHHH, I haven't met a candy or cookie I didn't like, but the no bake cookie is really hard to beat.

5. What is your favorite animal? Fish. I, don't have to feed it everyday and I don't have to worry about a babysitter for it when I travel.

6. Who do you like best, Snow Miser or Heat Miser? Neither. I am a huge fan of Mother Nature. She is a wise lady and keeps the whole bunch of us in line.

7. Gold or silver? Both. Come now, kids, I can't start playing favorites...truth be told though, I prefer Platinum.

8. Presents or gift cards? OHHH I like to see people's faces when they open a gift I picked out special just for them, but I really like that a gift card NEVER goes out of style and it always fits!

9. Santa or Frosty? See I like them both. NO FAVORITES remember? I collect Santa's, so you will see more of a collection of the "old man winter" and Santa's in my house.

10. What is your favorite Holiday memory? For me, I have been blessed with so many. Last year was one of the most memorable. My Grandma and Uncle who live in Spokane, had the hardest time getting here to Phoenix. Spokane set record snow falls on ALL the day that they were scheduled to travel. One of my mothers wishes after she passed on was to be sure that the family would be all together for Christmas. It was the first Christmas without her, so of course it it was the most important that Grandma and my Uncle arrived for the festivities. Christmas Eve arrived and so did they! PHEW! Finally they made it. Christmas 2008 was complete.

Hope you all have a wonderful winter holiday! I can't wait to read all about you and TAG you are all "it".
Ms. Lines

December 7-11th Assignments

The holiday season is here! I can not believe just how fast the year really goes! It is the time of year to reflect on the good and not so good choices in our lives. This is the time of year when people start making goals for their future. I have a goal for each and everyone of you. I want to be there when you are handed your college diploma. We have a brand new year, an opportunity to "wipe the slate clean" and start fresh.

This weeks prompts will be graded on your ability to completely respond to the question, use a good lead, transition words, solid closing, express your voice, sentence fluency, and convection's. There is ZERO reason for spelling errors as there is a spell checker built into the program for you to use. You must also demonstrate your use of our vocabulary from Unit 13, by using 5 (five) words.

Complete TWO (2) of the following: (USE 5 Spelling words in EACH).
1. Write a "how to" expository piece explaining "How to decorate a Christmas Tree".
2. Write a narrative about your favorite holiday memory. Be sure to tell the story, using hyperbole and colorful adjectives.
3. Write about a "Christmas Miracle" you once witnessed. This may be something you heard from another person. Be sure to use the correct narrative (1st person or 3rd).
4. Write a letter to Santa. Be sure to use the following story starter: "You are not going to believe this." Said the elf as he or she stumbled into the toy factory.

Ok Bloggers, have a happy and fun week! Be sure to leave me a message when you are done and ready for me to grade your work.
Ms. Lines

November 30-December 4 Assignmnets

Welcome back students! I hope that your Thanksgiving holiday was restful.

We have three weeks until the end of the semester and we need to be focused on our writing abilities. This season is a time for reflection of the past eleven months and a dawn for the coming year.
In the last fourteen weeks, we have covered out six traits of writing. We have practiced out leads, used transition words and focused on the endings or conclusions of our writing. Next we worked on the making our stories better by re-writing them.
There is a saying (idiom) that "practice makes perfect". Well, that is not completely true. We should all be saying, "PERFECT practice makes perfect!" Most of the time it is in our failures that we improve the most.
Think of Thomas Edison. How many times did it take him to create a filament for the light bulb? Thank goodness, he never gave up, or our world would be much darker now.

This weeks prompts are:
1. Imagine you found a strange bottle in your backyard. When you uncorked the bottle, a Christmas fairy popped out. What happens next? (Use 5 Five spelling words from all year)
2. Ms. Lines has been called to a meeting and she needs you to fill in. What would you teach in class? Remember she teaches both Language Arts and Social studies. What would the students be graded on? (Use 5 five spelling words)
3. Imagine you believe in Christmas and you get three wishes that would effect the WHOLE world. What would your wishes be and why? (Use 5 spelling words from all year)
4. Finish the story: "How terrifying!" said the inventor as he or she climbed the creaky staircase, in the snow. (Use 5 spelling words from all year)

Remember that you need to complete 2 (two) of the 4 (four) writing prompts by Friday. Be sure to leave me a comment so that I know you are ready to have me correct and log your grade in my grade book!
have a great week bloggers!
Ms. Lines

November 23-27 Assignments

Dear Students,

We need the students to take a short quiz. This quiz is part of our Future. We would like our students to graduate with a better attitude toward life, themselves, and learning. We consider this creating hope. We need your opinions to move toward these goals and objectives. Please click on the link below to start your study:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1nmscQeZ3xH9sy28_2f_2fdj6w_3d_3d

It will take about 30-40 min. Completing this will count for one blog assignment.

This weeks assignments are:

1. " Has anyone seen my wedding ring" said the pirate as he/she took the turkey out of the oven.

(Use any 5 spelling words from units 1-11) Remember I will be grading on your use of the 6 traits of writing.

2. Imagine you have a time machine, and you have landed yourself at the very first Thanksgiving dinner. What foods are they serving? Why is everyone speaking a strange language? Write a dialogue of the conversations that you would have with all the Pilgrims. How would you explain your strange language. Be sure to use a play format or quotes. (Spelling words from Unit 1-11 and 2 Thanksgiving day related vocabulary words.)

I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend!

Ms. Lines

P.S. I am thankful for each and everyone of you!

Assignmnets for November 16-20

Happy Monday Students!
This week we are focusing on Conventions. NO, it is not where you dress up in crazy costumes and meet at a convention center. We are talking about the ones on our six traits of writing. Conventions are the simple little things, such as spelling, punctuation, and spacing issues with words. Did you forget to title your work? If a stranger read my post, would he or she know what I am talking about?!?!?!

This week we will have two prompts. You may choose these two or pick one or two posts from earlier this year and correct the conventions. Either way you should have TWO (2) posts by Friday.

1. Write a letter to a friend, relative, or teacher about the following: "What are you thankful for and why?" Be sure to use the "friendly letter style" when writing your letter.
2. Finish the following story: "I can explain" said the student as he or she tripped on the box that stuck out of the closet.

Happy Blogging!
Ms. Lines