Figurative Language

Please share some examples of figurative language. Look in your reading books, library books, or other resources. Be sure to include your initials in your post. If you can tell what type of figurative language (imagery, personification, simile, metaphor), please include that as well.

Science on a Cart - Caves

Today we explored percolation and the formation of caves. We studied the different types of soils: sand, topsoil, clay, and pea gravel and how each is affected by water. We learned that some types of soil are better than others for letting water flow.

Please find the answers to these questions and reply to this post. Be sure to include your initials so you receive credit for your answer.

You will receive 5 points for each correct answer.

1. What do we call a person who explores caves?

2. Is a cave a kind of landform?

3. How big is the largest cave in the United States?

4. How big is the largest cave in Georgia?

5. Which state has the most caves?

Blog Challenge

Good News!

The International Blog Challenge has started and we will have an opportunity to contribute, connect, and communicate with students all over the world.

Please click on this link to access Miss Wyatt's blog (the host for the challenges). There are links on the side of the screen for monthly challenges. Students are encouraged to read the challenge and the comments left by other students. You may respond to the challenge or to other students' responses.

There are 2 categories for the competition, Better Bloggers and Better Commenters. Be sure to share with Ms. Creagh and your classmates anything you've learned. Please let Ms. Creagh know if you have a problem accessing the blog or leaving a comment.

This contest will be going on for a while, so make sure you check back frequently.

Thanks,
Ms. Creagh

Olympics

Let the Games begin!

Today we start our first SEM unit for the year - The Olympics. During the next 9 weeks you will have the opportunity to study many different aspects of the Olympic Games (history, athletes, specific events, etc...), and you will be asked to create your own projects to share what you have learned.

For this blog, I would like you to brainstorm with your group to create a list of things you already know and things you want to know. I'll use the list to design our SEM unit (activities, lessons, and project ideas). If you have ideas for projects or activities relating to the Olympic Games, please include those as well.

Create your list in Word before posting to the blog

To help you organize your reply, please use these categories (You can just copy and paste them into the Word document)

What we already know about the Olympics

What we want to know about the Olympics

Activities and Projects we'd like to do during the SEM unit

Questions we have about the SEM unit

Georgia Regions

We've learned about the different regions in Georgia. Now I'd like you to compare and contrast two of the regions (explaining how they are alike and how they are different). Use specific details in your reply (terrain, climate, animals, types of habitats, population, crops, etc...).

Your reply needs to be at least 5 sentences in length and must have specific details (For example, "The piedmont region has trees." is not acceptable).

To help you get some ideas, please use your science resources or visit this link on Georgia Regions.

Please remember to include your initials at the end of your reply.

Date due: Friday, Sept. 4

Plant and Animal Adaptations

This week we are studying how different plants and animals adapt to their habitats. In your reply to this blog post, please describe either a plant or animal that lives in Georgia and tell us how that plant's or animal's traits help it to survive and how it has adapted to its habitat.

Please remember to include your initials.

Due Date: Friday, August 24

Habitats

Last week we started to study different habitats in Georgia. We studied the mountains and the Piedmont (which is where you live). I'd like you to think about the plants and animals you can see around your house and in your post, I'd like you to describe your habitat. In other words, what do you see in your yard?

Here's an example:

As I look out the window on my back porch, I can hear a cardinal singing in the wisteria that is growing wildly on the arbor. The fish in the pond are swimming slowly under the current of the waterfall. The gray squirrels and chipmunks are scurrying under the lower branches of the azaleas trying to find small seeds dropped from the bird feeders. A ruby-throated hummingbird catches my eye as it flies quickly from the deep-red flowers on the trumpet vine to the lilac petals of the water hyacinth on the pond. The dogwood and cherry trees provide shade to the thrashers and wrens searching for more seeds.
kc

Please remember to include your initials

Due date: Friday, August 21

Four Types of Sentences

Today we talked about the 4 types of sentences: Declarative, Interrogative, Exclamatory, and Imperative

You were asked to work in small groups to write a narrative that includes examples of each type of sentence.

Please type your story in a word document first. Make sure you apply the steps of the writing process (drafting, revising, editing) before you finalize your final paper. When you are ready to post to the blog, copy and paste your narrative in the reply text box. You may also save a copy to your flash drive (ask a member of the Genius Bar if you need help with this).

Please remember to include the initials of all of the group members.

Due date: Tuesday, August 18

Memorable Moments #3

What is a "good" teacher?

Think about teachers you've known who have been effective. What did they do or say to the class (or to you in particular) that made a positive difference? What traits or characteristics do "good" teachers have? What should "good" teachers do or say to their students to help them succeed? How should "good" teachers interact with their students?

Please include your group name in your reply.

Due Friday, August 14

Memorable Moment #2

What is a "good" student?

What qualities or characteristics do you think a "good" student should have? How does a "good" student act in class? How does he or she work? How would you describe his or her attitude towards learning? Describe the traits of a "good"student.

Please include your group name in your post.

Due Friday, August 14

Memorable Moments #1

What is your most memorable learning moment?

Talk with your group about different activities and lessons you've had in the past. In your reply, share specific details about activities you participated in, lessons you learned, or experiences you've had in other classes. Please share your reason for choosing that particular lesson. Why was it special?

Please use your group name in your reply.

Due Friday, August 14

My Summer Vacation

I used Picasa to create this photo collage showing pictures of some of the places I went this summer. Can you guess where I went?

Welcome back to school

Welcome to our class blog! It seems hard to believe that summer is over and we are already back in our classroom. I hope that everyone enjoyed the summer break, and I'm looking forward to hearing about your adventures.

For our first official blog assignment, I would like each of you to respond to this post. You can introduce yourself, tell us about your likes and dislikes, share something you did this summer, or simply write about what you'd like to do this year.

To reply to this post, simply click on "Comments" at the bottom of this post. You will see a text box on the right-hand side of the screen. Click in the text box to type. Please include your first name at the end of your post. When you are ready to post, choose "Anonymous" from the drop down list, and type the letters from the verification box.

Please ask if you don't understand how to post and I'll be happy to show you. I'd like everyone to participate in the blog. Don't forget to check back and read what other people write. You might meet a new friend or learn something new about a classmate.

Due Date: Friday, August 14

Enjoy your summer

I've created a post so you can share what you're doing this summer with the class. I've started with me, but feel free to share. Don't forget, you can also create a "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" page in the class wiki (and upload pictures).

Meg and I have been busy with packing up the classroom to move back to the main building. We won't be able to move in to the new room until the beginning of the year, so we might head to the beach for a few days before I go to Colorado later this month.

Thanks for the letters, and I'll write back soon.

Don't forget to include your initials when you reply to this post.

What would you like to know about Third Grade?

Dear Second Grade friends,

We would like to help you prepare for Third Grade. If you have any questions about Thrid Grade, please reply to this blog (follow the steps below), and a current Third Grade student will respond to your question.

To post a relpy,

1. Click on the word comments at the bottom of the blog post. A text box will open.
2. Type in the box, then scroll down to the bottom.
3. Choose Anonymous for your user profile, and type the letters you see in the verification box.
4. Your reply has to be approved by Ms. Creagh before it will be published, so don't worry if you don't see it right away.

Please include either your first name or your initials so we can answer your questions.

Thank you

Summer Plans?

Please let us know about your summer plans, if you are taking a trip, going to camp, hanging out with your friends. Feel free to include a hyperlink in your reply if you have a website you want to share with the group.

You can also create a "My Summer Vacation" page in your wiki folder to upload pictures of your adventures.

Please remember to include your initials.

Thank you

Junior Great Books

After reading "The Banza", think about the events, characters, and issues in the story. Also, go back through the story and look for vocabulary words that were used to make the story more meaningful or that gave more detail.

In this blog post, please share a question or two that you would like to ask in our discussion group.

Some rules for your questions:
1. Avoid questions with one word answers.
2. Use "how" or "why" to begin your questions (this will make the responders have to think about their answers and make them look back for evidence to support their answer).
3. Consider using compare/constrast statements in your questions
4. Ask questions that require the responder to form an opinion and support their opinion with evidence from the story.

When you post your reply, you must include your initials. Only posts that meet the criteria will be published.

Thank you

Dictionary Detectives

Use your dictionary skills to create a minimum of 3 questions which requires your reader to know the meaning of the word in order to respond.

For example:

1. When would I feel lethargic?

2. How old would an octogenerian be?

3. What does an ornithologist study?

If you can answer a question, write the question and the answer in your reply. Be sure to include your initials.

Thank you

Going Green for St. Patrick's Day

Today is St. Patrick's Day, and we're going green! Please respond to this blog post by describing some things you can do (or are hopefully already doing) to help the environment. Be specific in explaning how your efforts are affected the environment, and who is being helped as a result of what you're doing.

Use the links below to learn more about how you can help the environment, and try to come up with a plan for something we can do at school to make a difference.

http://pbskids.org/eekoworld/index.html?load=environment
http://www.epa.gov/kids/
http://www.kidskonnect.com/content/view/73/27/ (scroll down to see the links on this page)

Adapt to your habitat

We've been talking about how plants and animals have adapted to survive in their habitats. For this blog reply, I'd like you to use your imagination to write a short descriptive paragraph (5-8 sentences) from the point of view of an animal or plant.

Your paragraph should include enough detail to describe the trait, explain how the trait is used, and how the adaptation helps you to survive. Remember, this is a story, so I want you to be informative, but also creative.

Read the excerpts below to help you get off on the right foot:

Hi! My name is Fern, and I live in the forest. I spend my days shading the small insects that like to hide under my long, slender leaves...

Whew, am I tired! I've been gliding on the thermals most of the day, looking for something to eat. Even though I didn't have to move my wings very much, it takes a lot of control to keep them extended to their full length of more than six feet.

Make sure you include your initials.

Eleanor Roosevelt

This week we read about some important historical figures. I'd like you to think about what we've talked about and learned from our discussions. You may use the resources on PortaPortal and from your notes to help you.

Cesar Chavez is remembered for his efforts to help migrant workers. As a farm worker, Chavez had a difficult life, traveling from farm to farm, trying to make ends meet. He saw how unfairly workers were treated and he spent many years fighting for fair treatment of workers. Chavez used boycotts to influence the owners of the farms. Because of his hard work, farm workers began to be treated more fairly.

Lyndon B. Johnson was President during a difficult time in our country's history. During his presidency, many people were unhappy about the treatment of minorities. The Civil Rights movement was becoming an important issue for all Americans. President Johnson had to lead the country through this challenging time and help people understand that all citizens should be treated equally.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was another man who faced challenges. As a person, he was afflicted with polio, which made it difficult for him to move around. As a president, he had to help the country get through the Great Depression - a period in our history when millions of people lost their homes and their jobs. During his 4 terms as president, our country faced economic struggles, war abroad, and huge industrial growth.

I would like you to respond to this post sharing your thoughts about Eleanor Roosevelt. What was her legacy? What did she contribute to our nation's history - as a person and as a First Lady.

Take your time planning your reply, look through the links attached in PortaPortal (listed under Social Studies, Historical Figures), and use the steps of the writing process to help you plan, draft, edit, and revise your response.

Don't forget to include your initials. Thank you.

Auburn Raptor Center

Last week, we had a wonderful presentation by the researchers from the Auburn University Raptor Center. Students had an opportunity to see and learn about different raptors found in and around Georgia.

Our next SEM unit is "Birds of Prey", and during this unit, students will learn about the habitats and charateristics of many kinds of raptors.

Please click on the link to the Raptor Center, spend some time researching the different raptors we will study, and choose 1 raptor for your SEM project (we will discuss project options on our SEM day).

In your reply, tell the kind of raptor you want to learn more about, and list 3 project ideas you have for the SEM unit (be creative, and try to think of a project that could help raise awareness or educate others about your bird).

Please include your initials at the end of your reply.

Eeek! - o - nomics!

We've been studying economics, resources, and the relationship between consumers and producers.

I'd like you to reply to this blog post with a personal narrative which describes your own experiences with economics. Include vocabulary words and details so readers will understand how you were part of our economy.

Please include your initials at the end of your post.

Presidential Inauguration

After watching and reading about the Presidential Inauguration, I'd like you to reflect on what you think it means to be the President of the United States. Think about the responsibilities this person has to our government, the citizens, and to the other countries we work with.

In your reply, please share what you think our President's greatest challenges will be, how will he get Congress to support his ideas, and what do you think his legacy will be?

Please remember to include your initials. Thank you.

Eye no two many words

Notice anything weird about the title of this blog post? I used some homophones incorrectly.

For homework, I had asked you to create riddles or tongue twisters using homophones from your spelling list. Please share some of your silly sentences in your reply to this blog.

Please remember to include your initials. Thank you.

If I met the President of the United States

Many people have been fortunate enough to meet and speak with the President of the United States. Next Tuesday, President-Elect Barack Obama will take the oath of office and be sworn in as the next president.

If you had an opportunity to speak to him, what would you like to discuss? Or, perhaps you would like to show him something around your community if he came to visit Roswell.

In your reply, please complete this statement: If I met the president...

Please use descriptive language and details, and don't forget your initials so you receive credit for your reply.

Thank you.

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2009! Many of you traveled over the winter break, and I hope that you had a wonderful time visiting with your friends and families. For those of you who stayed home, I hope you were able to relax and have fun.

I'd like you to think about your goals for the remainder of the school year. What would you like to learn or accomplish before the summer break?

Please respond to this blog post and share your goals or resolutions for the school year. Please remember to include your initials so you can receive credit for the post. Your post is due by the end of the school day on Friday, January 9.

Thank you