Lit Circles

During the next few weeks, students will be working in literature circles ("lit circles"), which are a bit like book clubs. They'll be reading and discussing a variety of novels and non-fiction books. Every book is focused on the Holocaust, and this week, we're gaining background information and basic vocabulary to deepen the lit circle discussions. Here are some of the books students are reading:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Maus by Art Spiegleman
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
I'm looking forward to some great discussions!

In Language Arts...

In Language Arts, students have been studying Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and using their understanding of the theory to study a variety of literary terms and devices. We're also exploring how the terms and devices show up in a variety of poems and short stories, discussing and exploring a range of literary pieces. Here's a link to the list of literary terms that guides our study and discussion.
Also, here's a reminder that the third quarter end on Friday, March 14th.

Persuasive Essays

Over the next several weeks, students will be working on persuasive essays. Here's a link to a Persuasive Essay Packet we'll use to guide us through the process of writing a persuasive essay. When students have gone through the writing process and finalized their essays, they'll select the best essays to be published in the Capital City Weekly, so this is an opportunity to reach a broader audience and share ideas. Here are some links to essays published by former Dryden students: one about study halls, one about teaching gun safety in schools, one about building a second ice-hockey rink in the valley, and one about bringing laptops into the classroom.
I'm looking forward to the writing and discussions to come!

Welcome Back & What's Ahead in Language Arts

In language arts classes, we're continuing our exploration of the media this week and next, looking closely at some aspect of the media, both through the lens of our personal use and through research about that media source. We'll be discussing research strategies and writing about our discoveries. I've enjoyed talking to students about different aspects of the media, and I', looking forward to reading the essays that come of this work.

Another fun event we have coming up this month is our team trip to Eaglecrest! This is a great opportunity for team building, exploring our amazing home, and learning something new outside the classroom. The stories and memories will long outlast the winter. Permission forms will go home this week, rental fittings will take place at school next week, and we'll be going to Eaglecrest the following Thursday and Friday: January 23rd and 24th.

Also, the annual creative writing contest hosted by the Anchorage Daily News is still open. Check out the details HERE!

I'm looking forward to another great semester of learning!

Enjoy...

Thanks for a great first semester. Enjoy the winter break.  I look forward to seeing everyone again in 2014!

Another Contest!

Here's a link to information about the annual Creative Writing Contest hosted by the Anchorage Daily News and the University of Alaska Anchorage.
I encourage folks to enter!

Research Links

Here are some links to websites with information that may help with media research:
Links to Information about Advertising
Links to Information about Social Media

And here's a link to a helpful site for citing sources.