This is the link to to Mrs. Spila's reading blog  http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=321828

You can also find it at the bottom of the left hand column of links.  Check it out=http://

What advice do you have for the characters in your story to help them deal with the conflicts they face?

What personality traits does the main character possess that help him/her to deal with the conflict(s) in the story?  Cite at least two examples from the story.

Make a text to text connection between a book you are reading now and another book you have read with a similar conflict. Be sure to give the title and details to support your connection.

Explain the current conflict(s) in these chapters.  Think of a time in your life when you dealt with a similar situation.  Describe this text to self connection.

 How is the conflict, in the chapters you have read thus far, leading the character(s) to change?  Be sure to write a good introduction of the book you are reading and give at least two examples from the text.

www.vocaroo.com

1. Go to the above link


2. Click record and start talking


3. When you have nothing else to say, click Stop.


4. Click "Post to the internet" and copy the link


5. Go to your blog page, log on and paste the link in a new article


6. Check the little box that say "request publishing"

Mr. Mapes fourth period geography class got to skype with Andy Graham today and interview him about his travels to 88 different countries over the last twelve years. He sold his house and all his belongings and left home to see the world.  What an adventure!

Andy will be posting our skype video on his blog site www.hobotraveler.com . Be sure to check it out and vote for what country he should go to next.  More details will be coming!

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.

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

All right. The first marking period is over, and you made it this far. Hmmm. It wasn't as bad as you thought. Maybe now you can just sit back and chill for a bit. Well, don't get too comfortable; we still have high expectations for you! We still want to see what you can do!  Remember, your blogs are being scored on the writing rubric!

This also means you need to do what is expected of you. You were all given a list of reading journal entry topics at the beginning of the year. Well, some of you have decided that what is actually one of your annotations should be written as a journal entry. We can't post it and grade it as a journal entry if it doesn't fall under one of the ten items you were given.  That doesn't mean we don't want to hear about your favorite parts or things that suprised you or confused you. Just do that separately, and we'll post it. If you lost your list, ask Mrs. Spila for another one. She really won't bite you.

We are also intersted in hearing more about your lives and your opinions. The blogs we did about your seven random things were great and a lot of fun to read. Some of you have started blogging extra things and that makes me very happy. Kelly S was out sick and wrote about two books she read. Logan blogged a while ago about his opinion of recycling, and Keeley told us what music means to her. So, let's hear it seventh grade. What would you like to share with us?

November Poems and Essays are due on the 23rd and 24th .

We need a new mnemonic device besides "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" to remember order of operations.  I would like to hear your ideas.  The twist?  Make up one for PEDMSA.  (Comment if you know why...)  Post your new saying on your blog, and I'll pick the five best ones for you to vote on.  You have to post a blog to vote, so make up a new saying today! 

Due Date for your PEDMSA blog:  Friday November 6th  

Mrs. Tewksbury

Hi Everyone!  It's me, Mrs. Warholic.  Check out the link for our Glencoe Literature book which is your red literature book.  Click on it and play Name that Literary Element.  It's fun for all of us who love our literary elements, and I know that is all of us!

Have fun and see you on Monday! :)

Mrs. Warholic

I started a project for Mr. Mallery last year and I still haven't finished it. I'm not procrastinating, I'm just having a hard time finding time to do it. I am hoping that some of you frequent blog visitors will help me.

I am trying to create a seventh grade orientation video. You know, to show the sixth graders right before they make that jump over here to seventh grade. So....I would like you to leave comments about the things you think every seventh grader should know when they arrive here. Like, what is the hardest thing? The best thing? What to worry about, what not to worry about?  That kind of stuff.  What do you say? Can you help me?

-Ms. Fisher

What are you going to be for Halloween? Leave comments below.....

Let me just take a moment to tell you that I am very impressed with your blogging! For the most part, your journal entries for reading have been very, very good!  I have also gotten a couple e-mails from teachers in other schools that like our site and are hoping to work with us on a project or two.

Some of you have received comments from other parts of the country or the world and should really try to make more connections around the world. Did you notice we have new hits on our map from other countries? 

As you get more comfortable with your new teachers, I am hoping that you will start to blog more on your own about other things you are doing and things you wonder about. Post some questions about things you wonder about. If it is a good posting, I will put on the home page on blogmeister and maybe people will tell you what they think.

KEEP BLOGGING!!!!

-Ms Fisher

Hello 7th graders!  I realize it has been a few weeks since we did our seven random things, but I have found others on classblogmeister that have done the same thing.  Check out some of the links on the left. Why don't we read their list and see if you can find connections with other students. Be sure to leave positive comments and don't forget to cut and paste the URL link to your site so they can leave comments for you!  Maybe we'll even get more stars on our map!

Above is a simple, yet fun reminder that your poem and essay are due next week. Mrs. Warholic thought you might need a nice graphic organizer to remember what your essay needs to include.

Your next reading assignment is posted under "Teacher Assignments" on the left hand side of the blog page. Yes, Mrs. Spila has been playing with the Voki again. 

This assignment is due DAY 4.

What are you reading right now and how do you like it?

I'm reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and I really like it so far. It reminds me of the Jungle Book when a baby is raised by the animals, only in this book the baby is raised in the graveyard by ghosts.  Although the boy is alive, he learns to slip through the darkness unnoticed as the spirits do. He befriends a little girl and she comes to play with him, but her parents think he is an imaginary friend and it's no big deal, until they go into a tomb and her parents think she is missing.  Oh, there is something pretty creepy down there!!

Gaiman tells the story in third person point of view and I usually don't like that point of view as much as first person, but some pretty creepy and scary things happen to keep me interested. The very first sentence in the book caught my attention with "There was a hand in the darkness and it held a knife". I don't want to give anything away because we have enough copies of this book to use for literature circles, but I am enjoying it and can't wait to see what happens next.

Leave a comment about what you are reading and tell me how you like it. 

Answer the following question in a blog:

     If you were a color, what color would you be and why?

Your blog should have at least one well structured paragraph. The blog is due by Thursday, September 24th. Have fun and show creativity!

On the left hand side of your screen you will see a section called teacher assignments.  Click on the assignment entitled Book Review and follow the directions.

 Mrs. Spila will have a written copy of the directions if you need them. To create your own voki, go do www.voki.com and follow the directions on their site. Mrs. Morahan has microphones to use in the library when you are ready to record your report. All equipment must be treated with respect or we will no loner be able to use it.

 ALL BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DUE BY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21.

Let's get started blogging, shall we?   Your first assignment is to list 7 random things about yourself that most people don't know.  This is a chance to introduce yourself as well as a way to get to know others. Be creative and original and make this fun.

Here are my 7 random things:

1.  When I was little I wanted to be a marine biologist or an archeologist.

2.  I hate the number 7.

3.  Some day I want to backpack through Europe.

4.  My favorite city is Boston, but I prefer to be in the country.

5.  My favorite genre of books is historical fiction.

6. I want to be a famous artist someday.

7.  I had a pet deer when I was little.

Click on the link provided and we'll see if this thing works.

For many of you, this will be your first opportunity to blog and share your thoughts and ideas for the whole world to read (should they choose to do so).  You will be required to complete at least one journal entry each week for reading class. The topics for your reading journals will be discussed in class and  you will be given a list to help you remember. 

You may also blog about anything else that you wish. You may feel free to discuss something that interests you, intrigues you, or bothers you, and seek feedback from peers and others from other cultures and schools.  You must remember to follow the rules for blogging and keep it school appropriate if you want to keep blogging! 

Our hope is that you learn more about technology and web tools that you can use on many assignments and projects this year as well as develop a sense of pride and confidence in your writing and what you are learning in junior high.

Good luck this year and most of all, have fun!

If you have any questions about blogging or blogmeister, see Ms. Fisher as she is our techno guru.