Extra Credit for READING!  Here's your chance to get some extra points!

1.  Choose a character from a book. Make sure it is a character you know well and can describe thier personality or character traits. 

2.  Open http://www.wordle.net/   in a separate window so that you can still read these instructions.

3.  Click on the create tab and begin typing your text. You can simply type single words that describe your character.  The more frequently you type a word, the bigger it appears in the word cloud.  Make sure to type the character's name several times and don't forget the title of the book. When you are finished, simply click Go.

4.  After your wordle word cloud shows up on the screen in front of you click the font, layout, and color tabs to change it any way you want.  You may want to try making a couple of them and pick the one that looks the best. 

5. When the wordle is set up the way you want, simply hit print at the bottom of the page to hand in to Mrs. Spila.  But wait! Before you close it.... click on the save to public gallery and give it a title.  Remember NOT TO USE YOUR FULL NAME!!!   After you save it to the public gallery you can view it and cut and paste the embedded code into an article on your blog page. If you can't figure it out, ask one of your classmates, there are many students that have mastered embedding code in their blogs.

6.  Have fun, be creative, and remember to use a lot of detail when describing your characters!

Check out the list of related links on the left. At the bottom of the list is a link to Rye Jr High School in New Hampshire. I spoke with their science teacher over the weekend and we're hoping to do some projects together.  Click on the link, read their blogs and leave positive feedback. Make sure to leave the link to your blog so they can visit you! 

If anyone reading this wishes to leave comments for us, please feel free. We love to make new friends all over the world! 

In honor of Neon day, I thought I would change the blog colors.  Tomorrow is Green and White day right?  Check back in the morning!

The Image above is of a little girl named Addie. She is the inspiration behind Elizabeth Winthrop's book Counting On Grace. The book tells the story of children working in a factory in New England before Child Labor Laws were enforced.  Ms. Winthrop has agreed to talk with the Literature Circle group currently reading her book and I can't wait!   You can see other photographs taken of unfair child labor practices by searching for images by Lewis Hine, a photographer who logged more than 50,000 miles taking pictures of children working in the United States.

Click on Brynn's blog. She has a great question for you all and I am very interested to see you answer!

http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?user_id=226780&blogger_id=274746

I have noticed that many of you are having fun finding widgets to put on your own blog pages. Well, I have a new one for you to try. Go to www.wordle.net and create a word cloud that represents you, your best friend, your pet, or just about any topic you can think of.  You can post it on your blog page under the control panel or save it as an image and post it as an article.

Go ahead, give it a try and tell me what you think!

Think of a really good book that you read recently.  Now think about what that book would be like made into a movie. Would you want to see that book as a movie?  Comment us below and tell us what you think. 

December Poems and Essays are due on the 22nd and 23rd.

Can you identify the author in the photo to the above left?  Hint: you will get to know him very soon. Leave a comment with your answers!  A small prize will be awarded to the first three correct answers!

Check out Makala M's blog and answer her question.....