Maya DiRado, Gold Medals, and You

Your assignment, Reading Workshop students is to write a blog post describing your "gold medal" year? What will it look like? What steps will you take to make it happen? What goals do you have? What problems will you have to overcome to be successful? How will you persevere when it gets tough? In the end, how will you know that you have achieved at the highest level?

Maya DiRado, Gold Medalist Swimmer

What motivates you as you train and compete?

I’m motivated by seeing how good I can be. That applies not just at race time but during every practice: I prepare as well as I possibly can, even when we’re nine months out from the big meet. I set high goals for myself and then enjoy the process of working toward them. Maya DiRado, August 2016

Award Ceremony

DiRado Gold Medal Ceremony

And some more of the gold medal winners

USA Gold Medal Winners

Image from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/13/sports/olympics/maya-dirado-katinka-hosszu.html?_r=0

Take Control

Hey sixth grade Reading Workshop students, take control of your life. Make yourself great!

Don't Be Average

Give it all to be your best!

Have a Happy Day

Weekly Reading Assignment

Each week students have an assignment to read at home. Students choose a book that they want to read from home, the library, or the book room. The only requirement is that they log the date, title, time read, and pages. Students are responsible for filling out this bookmark/chart each week as they read. All minutes read outside of language arts class count towards their grade. Occasionally, students will have longer than a week when the school schedule is affected by holidays.

Students can choose to earn the grade they want. The more they read, the higher the score. A large part of their language arts grade is based on this weekly assignment.

This is the grade scale:

A = 180 + Minutes
B = 120 - 179 Minutes
C = 60 - 119 Minutes
F = 0-59 Minutes

Although students have no direct assignments associated with the Read at Home assignment and the Reading Log, many of the activities and projects in class are based on the book they are reading.

The best part of this system for monitoring reading, and increasing reading time is how students can control their grades. If they are willing to work hard, their grades will show it.

A Little Bit of a Stomach Ache

Do you have a little bit of a stomach ache this morning? I do. 

You see, my grandson, Carter aka Zoom starts kindergarten today. Now I really think he will be OK, but I'm just a little worried. Thoughts are running through my head: Will he like school? Will he work hard? Will he keep out of trouble? Will the teacher like him? Will the other kids like him? Does he know enough? Will he be successful?

Reading Workshop students, you might be wondering by now, what does that have to do with me? Well really, it has everything to do with you. There is someone feeling the same way about you. It might be your mom or dad. I might be a grandparent, aunt, or uncle. Hopefully for all of you there is someone whose stomach has a little knot hoping for the best for you.

To tell you the truth, I am a little nervous with a knot in my stomach, worrying about you on this first day of school. I want you to have an amazing year. I want you to love school. I want you to work harder than you have ever worked and learn more than you knew was possible. I want to be proud of you and I want you to be proud of yourself.

It's a lot harder for you than it is for Zoom though. School is new to him. You have a history. You know a lot about school. There are things you like and things you don't. You are better at some things than others. You have had some successes, but maybe a few failures along the way.

The thing is, only you can control your success. Others may worry, but you are the one in charge. You make decisions that determine if this is the best year of your life. So choose success this year. Make it an outstanding year. I believe in you. Let's work together to make this an amazing year and when it's over, we'll know there never was any reason to have a little stomach ache today!

Welcome to the 2016/2017 School Year!

School is starting soon and I am excited!

It's All in How You Treat People

Helping Anyone?

Blueprints?

Blueprints?

By Sara Holbrook
 

Will my ears grow long as Grandpa's?

What makes us look like kin?

Tell me where'd I get long eyelashes

and where'd I get my chin?

Where'd I get my ice cream sweet tooth

and this nose that wiggles when I talk?

Where's I get my dizzy daydreams

and my foot-rolling, side-step walk?

Did I inherit my sense of humor

and these crooked, ugly toes?

What if I balloon like Uncle Harry

and have to shave my nose?

How long after I start growing

until I start to shrink?

Am I going to lose my teeth,

some day?

My hair?

My mind?

Do you think

I'll be tall or short or thin

or bursting at the seams?

Am I naturally this crazy?

Is it something in my genes?

I'm more than

who I am,

I'm also

who I'm from.

It's a scary speculation--                    

Who will I become?

This poem is from the book, Am I Naturally This Crazy. You can buy it HERE.

Happy Monday!

Image from @VAeducatorRJW

Happy Friday the 13th!

Welcome Back From Camp

Today is the first day back in school after the trip to Camp Oty Okwa for three days of outdoor education. This video explains a little about the experience.

Three Rules

Do you have rules for life?

 

Share Your Thoughts

On the Mountain

Reading Workshop students, here is a free verse poem prompt. Let your imagination go!

Write a Poem

Write a free verse poems. No rhyming allowed.

Adventures Of Isabel

Adventures Of Isabel
By Ogden Nash

Isabel met an enormous bear,
Isabel, Isabel, didn't care;
The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous,
The bear's big mouth was cruel and cavernous.
The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you,
How do, Isabel, now I'll eat you!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry.
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She washed her hands and she straightened her hair up,
Then Isabel quietly ate the bear up.
Once in a night as black as pitch
Isabel met a wicked old witch.
the witch's face was cross and wrinkled,
The witch's gums with teeth were sprinkled.
Ho, ho, Isabel! the old witch crowed,
I'll turn you into an ugly toad!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry,
She showed no rage and she showed no rancor,
But she turned the witch into milk and drank her.
Isabel met a hideous giant,
Isabel continued self reliant.
The giant was hairy, the giant was horrid,
He had one eye in the middle of his forhead.
Good morning, Isabel, the giant said,
I'll grind your bones to make my bread.
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She nibled the zwieback that she always fed off,
And when it was gone, she cut the giant's head off.
Isabel met a troublesome doctor,
He punched and he poked till he really shocked her.
The doctor's talk was of coughs and chills
And the doctor's satchel bulged with pills.
The doctor said unto Isabel,
Swallow this, it will make you well.
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She took those pills from the pill concocter,
And Isabel calmly cured the doctor.

You can buy the book HERE.

Spread Some Awesome!

Here They are in Poetry

One day in class, as we were working on poetry, I just had to write about Cade. And then I wrote another poem about another student, and this post just started to grow.

A Cade Kind of Guy

A funny little guy

that makes people laugh

Sometimes for no reason

other than weird little comments

that he slides in there

like a base runner

coming home

No cheers for him

but lots of smiling teammates

The Noise of Issac

blah, blah, blah

yack, yack, yack

hum, hum, hum

buzz, buzz, buzz

rrrr, rrrr, rrrr

ring, ding, ding

clack, clack, clack

Quiet Karly

So quiet in class,

almost never a sound

always with a smile

but never a frown

Working away

almost never at rest

a teacher's dream

giving her best

A mind always thinking

almost never shared

wonder what she'd say

if ever she dared

Who is Wylie?

Layer upon layer

so many people

in one young girl

Deep in ways

so uncommon so young

Understanding of others

seeing the good in all

Goodness of Garret

Soft-heated and kind

others first on his mind

Treats everyone with care

friendly everywhere

Following a role

of never hurting a soul

Always standing tall

as a leader to all

Ryan's and His Hair

Zoe

DRAMA

friendly smile

DRAMA

good reader

DRAMA

nice

DRAMA

always involved

DRAMA

likeable

Be Nice Like Bryce

Always friendly
Always says hello
Always smiles
Always laughs
Always nice
Always positive
Not always hard working


Corbin
Poem suspended for fighting
(it's a shame because he's really a nice guy)

Deanne
shy
quiet
inaudible
hushed 
noiseless

Hallie
A student came to school
with not much to say
but paying attention
Then the writing assignments began
and amazing ability
from an analytical mind
leapt out
and I realized sixth grade
was just a step
in an amazing future

Annie Climbed the Mountain
                                                                She was successful!
                                                         No more study table.
                                                Her grades improved drastically.
                                        She made up all of her missing work.
                                 She began working very hard.     
                          She chose to be successful.
                    Then she decided to change.
               She was in trouble every day.
          Her grades were awful.
     She didn't do her work.
She started at the bottom.

The Change of Matthew
So so quiet and very shy
Not even enough nerve to say hi
Scared of new teachers and his class
Feelings ready to shatter just like glass

Many months later, hand's always in the air
Laughing and talking with never a care
Joking around, smiles for all
A really great guy, standing tall.

Renasha

Helps everyone
Especially giving
Loves to make people happy
Puts others first
Full of kindness
Unusually quick to assist
Lots of good in Renasha

Camo Will
wearing his camo jacket
blending in with the crowd
not wanting to be noticed
with so much to show
but staying hidden

Always Kailey
Always working hard
Always smiling
Always friendly
Always caring
Always giving her best
Always trying
Always nice to everyone
She's always Kailey

Madison's New Home School
Came from a disaster
two years home schooled
No school building
No classmates
No friends
No work
No success
Just her and the computer

Came to Salt Creek
here in sixth grade
An old building
Lots of classmates
Lots of friends
Lots of work
Lots of success
And made it her new home school


Two Sides to Kaleigh?
She's so so quiet
with almost nothing to say
Never raises her hand
or volunteers in any way

Then I saw her that time
going crazy at the dance
all over the floor
I watched her prance

Sometimes conversation seems
like such a chore
but I can see inside
there's so much more

One day she jumping jacked
with hop after hop
while the whole class watched
until I made her stop.

I've been studying her
for this whole year
and somehow I know
the shyness will disappear.

The quiet side
will someday go
and the outgoing Kaleigh
will forever show.

Jonathon has Heart

When I         think of 

 Jonathon,     I think of  

heart. He is kind and he 

likes people. He smiles 

all the time, and he 

shows  people 

how much

he cares

about

them

Josie's Smile
the nicest smile
always on her face
the best kind
that comes from inside
showing she cares
and that you matter
causing people to smile
and feel so special
on the inside 
from the nicest smile

The Friendship of Ella and Brooke
Twins but not sisters

Making each other
Strong and successful 
Sharing laughs
Whispered conversations
Grins of understanding
That only happens 
with the best of friends

Sydney's Story
Like an iceberg
not the cold part
she's plenty warm
but the little seen part
just a small bit showing
but so much more
beneath the surface

Be Like Bryce
Hello Mr. McGuire,
he says with a smile
How are you, Mr. McGuire?
he says with a smile
whatever he says
he says with a smile
It seems real nice
to be like Bryce



Miss Mariah
Easing into life
Cautious and thoughtful
Caring and determined
Working hard
A young lady
that you could pass by
but so amazing when you don't

Wiggly Wyatt

Wiggly all over the place
Yanking himself to and for
Always on the go
Twisting this way and that
Trying so hard to sit through another class


Cheering Calla
Competition cheerleader
who goes through life every day
cheering on others
to have a great day

Enthusiastic and smiling
cheering one and all
being everyone's cheerleader
is definitely her life's call