Giving Thanks!

Dear students,

Thanksgiving is a holiday where we show how grateful and thankful we are for the gifts in our lives. Can you think of something or someone YOU are thankful for?

Decide on one thing you are most thankful for and write a 5 sentences paragraph describing that person, place, or thing.

Be sure to include:

• a topic sentence

• supporting details

• complete sentences

• correct spelling, capitalization (M.I.N.T.S.), and end punctuation.

• a closing sentence

Happy blogging,

Ms. Blackmon

Turkey Traditions!

Dear students,

Holidays are usually incorporated with traditions. The Peanuts gang started a tradition of eating around their ping pong table.

Does your family have any special traditions for Thanksgiving? If so, describe your traditions. If not, what traditions would you like to start up this year?

Be sure to include:

• a topic sentence

• supporting details

• complete sentences

• correct spelling, capitalization (M.I.N.T.S.), and end punctuation.

• a closing sentence

Happy blogging,

Ms. Blackmon

Food Frenzy!

Dear students,

Food is a big part of Thanksgiving. While traditional Thanksgiving feasts include turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, the holiday could use some new and exciting additions to the menu. Snoopy tries some creative options for his Thanksgiving dinner. Now it's your turn.

Create a new dish that you think would commemorate the holiday. Describe what it is made of and why you think Thanksgiving would be better with your dish on the table.

Be sure to include:

• a topic sentence

• supporting details

• complete sentences

• correct spelling, capitalization (M.I.N.T.S.), and end punctuation.

• a closing sentence

Happy blogging,

Ms. Blackmon

My Planet!

Dear students,

Write at least a 5 sentence paragraph answering the following prompt:

You’re a scientist who has just discovered a new planet. In one year, people will be coming to live on it. What will your planet be like? What will you name your planet? Write a paragraph describing your new planet.

Be sure to include:

• a topic sentence

• supporting details

• complete sentences

• correct spelling, capitalization (M.I.N.T.S.), and end punctuation.

• a closing sentence

Here is an example of an advanced/proficient post:
If I discovered a new planet, I would call it Awesomya! It would be made of sand, water, and gushers. You could swim and play all day, and then you could go to Gushers Island and eat. Also, they would serve normal water and healthy food too, so you could survive.There would be animals on the planet, and they would be really fuzzy and cute. There would be no mosquitos or chiggers. People would come to Awesomeya and live there. They would develop the planet just like Earth. I would love to travel to the new planet, Awesomeya.

Happy blogging,
Ms. Blackmon 

When I Grow Up!

Dear students,

Write at least a 5 sentence paragraph answering the following question:

If you could have any job in the world, what would you do and why?

Be sure to include:

• a topic sentence

• supporting details

• complete sentences

• correct spelling, capitalization (M.I.N.T.S.), and end punctuation.
• a closing sentence

Here is an example of an advanced/proficient post:

My dream job is to be a dolphin trainer. I would be able to spend all my time with my favorite animal dolphins, and I would get to spend a lot of time in the water. I would be in shows with the dolphins, and I might also get to train other animals such as, an orca whale or a beluga whale. I could also live near the beach and go there whenever I wanted to. Every morning I would wake up and go to my job. Then I would get to spend the whole day there with the other trainers. Then late at night I would go home. It would be the best job ever!

I cannot wait to read your responses!

Your teacher,
Ms. B :)

All You Can Eat!

Dear students,

Please write at least a 5 sentence paragraph about the following:

Imagine you opened your own restaurant. What would the name of your restaurant be? What kind of food would you serve? What does your restaurant look like? Where is your restaurant located? Have fun and be creative.

Remember, students, to watch out for run-ons, and to write in complete sentences. I look forward to reading your comments!

Your paragraph must…

• be at least 5 sentences long

• written in complete sentences

• use M.I.N.T.S.

• have a topic sentence and supporting details

• have a closing sentence

Here is an example of an advanced/proficient comment:

If I could open up a restaurant, its name would be Rene's. This restaurant would have all the Italian food you could ever imagine! Every person would get an appetizer, entree, and a very good desert. The walls in this restaurant would have pictures of Italy all over it. You would sit in booths, a table, or upstairs in a high top. We would serve lasagna, pizza, any type of pasta, and much more Italian food. If I could open up this restaurant, I would do it because of my dad's side of the family is Italian! All of my employees would come straight from the best restaurants in Italy! We would have Italian people come to our restaurant just because our food is so good. My restaurant would always be playing Italian music or have a famous Italian singer there. If I had this restaurant, it would mean so much to my guests, employees, my family and friends. 

Happy blogging,

Ms. Blackmon

Monkey Business

Dear students,

Imagine that for one day only you could have a pet monkey! What would you do with your pet? What would you name him/her? What adventures would you two have? Please describe your day with your new friend.

Remember, students, to watch out for run-ons, and to write in complete sentences. I look forward to reading your comments!

Your paragraph must…

• be at least 5 sentences long
• written in complete sentences
• use M.I.N.T.S.
• have a topic sentence and supporting details
• have a closing sentence

Here is an example of an advanced/proficient comment:
If I had a pet monkey, I would name it Bailey. If I could do anything with Bailey, I would go to the park to let her play. Of course, I would have to play too. We would mostly play at the monkey bars. Our hearts would start to pump in excitement. After that, we would go to California Pizza Kitchen. Bailey would get a big pepperoni pizza, and I would get mac and cheese. We would mainly just stay there and talk with each other. After that, we would go to the candy store and get lots of candy. Bailey would get all banana flavored candy. Finally, we would go home and snuggle up on the couch. I would read Curious George to her, and she would fall asleep in my arms.  That would be my day with Bailey.

Happy blogging,
Ms. Blackmon

Teacher for a Day!

Dear students,

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to the teacher for one day? Well, now is your chance! In your comment below, please write a paragraph describing what you would do as the teacher for one day. For example, what would you teach? What kind of activities would you plan? What would your students call you? Think about what would happen in class if you were in charge for a day and leave your comment below.
Your paragraph must…

• be at least 5 sentences long
• written in complete sentences
• use M.I.N.T.S.
• have a topic sentence and supporting details
• have a closing sentence

Here are two examples of advanced/proficient comments:
If I was a teacher for a day, all of my students would call me Miss Welborn. I would read aloud to them. The book would be Smile. After that, we would play lots of board games. We would play Clue, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, and Candy Land. Next, we would go outside on the playground and play a lot of fun games while drinking Coke and Sprite. Then, we would go on a field trip to Snowmass, CO and ski and snowboard. I would ski! Finally, we would come back to school and watch the new movie, Minions. While we are watching the movie, we would eat bags of candy and drink all the soft drinks we would like. I would love to be teacher for a day!

If I were a teacher for a day, I would make sure I got everything perfect from the start. First, I would wake up in my own house in a warm bed. I would go downstairs and eat a warm bagel from Bruggers Bagels, specifically the cinnamon flavoring (YUM)! I would get dressed in a long skirt with a long-sleeved shirt red t-shirt. I would head to school with two batches of cookies, one for each class. I would start off the day with a warm greeting and a smile on my face. When we sat down at the carpet, I would make sure we would play the best game, along with a funny greeting. I would make sure everyone used proper grammar and everyone was included. I would also teach chemistry and do a bunch of experiments. During lunch, I would get into a conversation with my students and learn more about them. For recess, I would give them two hours instead of twenty minutes. Finally, I would end the day with another fun greeting and some cookies. I think it would be very fun to have my own classroom and be teacher for a day.

Happy blogging,
Ms. Blackmon :)

We are Family!

Dear students,
Our blog is a place to write about different topics and share our ideas. Today you will have the opportunity to write about a special family member.

If you could spend an afternoon with one member of your extended family, who would it be? Please explain why you chose this person and tell what you would do together.
Your paragraph must…

• be at least 5 sentences long
• written in complete sentences
• use M.I.N.T.S.
• have a topic sentence and supporting details

Here is an example of an advanced/proficient  comment:
If I could spend a whole day with one family member, it would be my grandfather. Even though he is not alive, he is close to my heart. In the morning, we would eat ice cream and cake for breakfast. We would laugh and talk until Disneyland opened for the day. We would rush over and ride all of the rides non stop. I would wear a shirt that said, " Laugh more, Cry less!", and everyone would stop to compliment me. My grandfather, also known as Grandpapa, would be wearing a clown hat with shiny black wingtip shoes and a bright orange shirt. He would go around making people laugh, and he would be laughing himself. Then, we would go to the zoo and pet every single animal we could. When the guards weren't looking, we would feed the animals our cotton candy and chips. Finally, for dinner we would have bacon and bananas with Nutella. We would sit on a hill and watch the sun set. Then, we would rent a hotel room for the night, and spend as much money as possible! That would be my day with Grandpapa if I could spend one last day with him.

Happy blogging,
Ms. Blackmon

Concise, Precise Summaries!

Readers,

As a voracious reader, I love discussing books with other lovers of literature. I have joined book clubs, emailed with friends, and sat down over many meals where the conversation turned to what everyone was reading. Books are a part of my life.
However, I have noticed I have certain friends who never fail to disappoint me with their EXCELLENT recommendations. I finally figured out why they are so great at this life skill ...
When recommending a book to me, they give a concise, precise summary of the book. Their summary consist of the main characters, the setting, and the problem and solution, otherwise known as, the plot. They use LITERARY ELEMENTS to explain what the book is about!
I would like for you to write a short summary about the fiction book you are reading, including characters, setting, and the plot (problem/action). Assume I have not read the book and be sure to edit your work.
Here is an example from Ida B.

Ida B 
Ida B is about a young girl, who lives with her mom and dad on a farm and is home schooled after an unpleasant experience at school. She lives a happy life, using her imagination to play on the farm and with her pets. Sadly, her mother gets cancer and Ida B's life is turned upside down and she is heart-broken. She must return to school and she makes a decision to change into a person with a cold, hard heart.I cannot wait to see your understanding of what you are reading!
Your teacher,Ms. Blackmon

Our Reading Community

Dear Readers,

As an avid reader, I often find myself finishing a great book or an interesting article, and desperately wanting to share my thoughts with someone. When I lived in Charleston, I was lucky enough to have a group of friends who shared a passion for reading, so we formed a book club. While I am not in the same city as my book club anymore, I still reach out to my friends and family in Nashville, to discuss my questions and opinions about literature.

As a classroom of learners, we have created a community geared toward having a teachable spirit, so we may grow to become people of knowledge, wisdom, and ultimately character. One way we do this is by reading and forming ideas and connections that begin to shape us. In order to support this work, this blog will serve as a way to discuss various things when we are not in the class. Essentially, the blog will become a virtual classroom.

For example, I might post about a response about Thank You, Mr. Falker by explaining my connection to the character, Trish. I might say how much I relate to her overcoming an obstacle with the help of a teacher and how motivated I was to find out the author was the one who overcame her learning hurdle and became a published author. You will have the same chance to post your reactions, but also, to respond to what someone else might say. In this way, our posts become a conversation when we are away from the classroom.

As we begin this online blogging adventure, I challenge you to bring your working minds to the keyboard and let me know your thoughts and feelings about literature. We have so much to discover ...

So, join the community! Come on in, pull up to a computer, let me know your thoughts about literature and our blogging opportunity. I believe the blog will be a wonderful opportunity for our class to communicate in a unique way. 

Write about the following in your comment below: 
Literature is an important part of my life because I enjoy getting lost in a story and having friends recommend books to me. Also, I love talking about the books I have read. I am interested in learning more about the blog and how we will use it in class.How is literature a part of your life?

As I mentioned, I made a connection with Trish from Thank You, Mr. Falker. Who is a character that you have made a strong connection with and why?

What Exactly is a Blog?

Dear students,

What exactly is a blog, and why are we using it in 4th grade? We will use the blog to communicate about different things we discuss in class. Our online posts will extend our conversations from class, and allow us to see what other classmates are thinking as well.

We will use the blog for many different things. Often I will write a post, and you will be asked to respond to it for homework. For example, we might post about different reading strategies, or use it to respond to poetry in the spring. However, this year I would also love to have students write a blog post, and classmates can respond to their post.

Today, I am interested in your thoughts about the blog. Please answer the following questions:

1. What excites you about the blog?

2. What questions do you have about the blog?

3. What ideas do you have for future blog posts or using the blog?


I look forward to reading your first blog response!

Your teacher,
Ms. Blackmon