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Words and Things.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Things said in Language Arts today:

- This morning one of my 6th grade students' pens fell apart and she asked me if I could get it back together. I tried a couple of different times until finally I told her to ask Mr. Burdick to do it since he teaches science and knows more about simple machines. No clue. Haha. One of my big skills is not how to get things back together.

- We did a book project last week where you brought in your favorite book and wrote down the first line anonymously on a sheet of paper. Then we all switched papers and students had to answer a series of questions based on that first line, concluding with answering whether or not they thought they'd like to read that book. I also participated, and students in both my 6th and 8th grade classes were super into my book once I told them what it was and what the plot is. I told them I couldn't loan anyone my copy since I've had it for a gazillion years and I read it at least every year, but I promised them I'd buy a copy for the class library. I ended up buying two copies so it could circulate through both grades simultaneously. The copies came in yesterday, and I took them to school today. There are now TWO WAITING LISTS for this book, one in each class. "Read fast," said one of my 8th graders to the 8th grader who ended up first on the list. I told the kids to not feel forced AT ALL to like the book, and, if once they start reading it and get a couple chapters in, realize it's not for them, not to worry about bringing it back to me since we all don't like the same things and that's okay. But I told them I hoped they'd all love it. Introducing new kids to my favorite book ... I love it! (Incidentally, the book is Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, which, basically, involves 10 murders. I discovered it randomly in 7th grade in the in-class library of my then-Language Arts teacher Mr. Strickland at Beverly Hills Middle School. Thanks Mr. Strickland!)

Things heard in Language Arts today:

- "Cinderella, who was as good as she was beautiful," "So it's Rumplestiltskin vs. the Miller's Daughter?", "... who is the fairest of them all?" "So was it when he got his sight back and saw her again?"

Yes, we're still studying fairy tales and are nearing the end of our lesson on fairy tales and short stories. It's been lovely.

And finally:

- I was talking to the 8th grade today about vocabulary. (They have a test tomorrow.) I was talking to them about their favorite words. I told them to be thinking about what their favorite word might be, and that one week I'm considering giving them a vocabulary test that is comprised of a favorite word from each of them, with some of mine thrown in there to supplement. I shared that one of my favorite words is "mercurial," someone else shared she likes a word that's the name of a scientific element because it's fun to say and one said "slab" because it sounds like what it is. Then another one piped up, "My favorite word has always been 'magic.'"

Thursday, for the win.


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