I want you all to know how proud I am of your progress in writing for a blog.  The purpose of this blog has been for you to write for a global audience.  By writing for a global audience, it has gotten most of you to think twice before writing.  At first many of you were submitting what seemed like really, REALLY rough drafts.  Over time, and after I wouldn’t approve some of the comments until they had been corrected, I started seeing the quality of your writing improve. 

Some of you wrote just because it was an assignment and you had to “get it over with”.  Others of you took a lot of pride in what you were writing and tried to get others to respond back to  you.  That’s one of the signs of a well-written comment.  I know that I enjoyed reading the comments that “challenged” others to figure out things from the book!  In other comments, I could certainly “hear” the “voice” in your writing.  All of us can read a comment from jordiegirl and know it’s hers! 

I hope all of you will continue to add to the blog throughout the summer.  You can read and recommend books under “S.U.R.F.’s Up”, and I will add a page that will be just for sharing what you are doing.  I plan to keep this blog up and running next year, but will have another blog for my kindergarteners.  I hope to see some of you start your own blogs, too. 

Have a wonderful summer!

Mrs. Berry

As I mentioned on the front Welcome page, I am off on a new adventure after 30 years…..I will be teaching kindergarten in August.  I welcome any tips, tricks, words of encouragement on how I can continue to use meaningful technology with my youngsters!

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Another choice: You may predict how Number the Stars is going to end. 

You want to write in a different genre?  How about creating an eighth wonder for The Seven Wonders of Sassafrass Springs by Betty Birney?!  

We are now well into our 31-Day Comment Challenge to write more and BETTER blog comments.

As a teacher who is new to blogging, I can already see what is working/not working on our blog.  I am sure you can also see for what yourself the types of comments you like to read and those that don’t capture your interest. 

In these last 2 1/2 weeks of the 31-Day Challenge, I’d like for you to add your thoughts about:

• what makes a good blog comment

• Ideas for using blogs in the classroom

But before you comment, take a look at some of the blogs of the other classes taking part in this challenge:

• Navigator’s Blog Page from New Zealand  – I particularly like what the teacher says about constructive criticism and blog comments:  “In our class we expect that feedback or criticism is honest, supportive and given in a way that does not make the person feel defensive … these are MASSIVE skills to learn.” Take a look around some of the students’ blog pages listed on the right.  Choose one or two to comment on.  To comment, click on the word “comment” under each posting and it will take  you to another window where you can add your comment. 

• Kathy Rice’s class in British Columbia, Canada - Be sure to take a look at these posts: Earth Hour and Blogging Survey.  Comment if  you feel you have something to add.

• Chris Stott’s class in the United Kingdom (i.e. England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland):  Be sure to check out Class 3’s “Rules” ,  ”Tom’s Midnight Garden” which is an alternate ending to a story the students are reading in class, and some of the individual student’s blogs.

• M3’s Class Blog - from New Zealand: Take a look at their teacher’s assignment for the 31-Day Challenge. 

• Wormbins – from Sydney, Australia:  This blog is also an Edublog’s blog (like ours).  This blog template is fun!  Try clicking on the little thumbnail photos at the top and watch as the background changes!  Once you’ve played with that, then look at the content on the website.  Be sure to check out their separate blog on “Speeches”, available by clicking on World of Speeches on the right menu, then clicking on the word Speeches.  I think you’ll also enjoy the students’ podcasts for Charlotte’s Web.  If you hear one you particularly like, comment on it! One post that is particularly interesting is “How to Worm Farm” under Projects on the right menu.

  Your Job:

1. Look at some of the blogs linked above that are also taking place in the 31-day challenge.  Leave comments on blogs that you find interesting and be sure to be specific and use your best writing skills.

2. Take notes on ideas for how we could use our blog in new ways in the classroom.

3. Leave comments on this page telling about some of the ideas you got while looking at the other blogs.

After reading

Do your choices and actions affect anyone else’s life? Why or   why not? Explain.

 One of the activities I am looking forward to when summer vacation arrives is that I will have time to read, read, read to my heart’s content!!!  The list of books that I want to read keeps on growing!  The latest one added to my list is the novel that our reading book story, “Passage to Freedom: The Sugihari Story” by Ken Mochizuki, is based on. 

Since I was a little girl, I’ve loved reading.  When I read, it takes me away to places I haven’t visited, introduces me to “people” I’ve never met, and I often finish books feeling as though I have “lived through” a character in the book. 

Some of you have shared with me how much you love reading also.  A couple of you have become “speed readers”, I think.  I know that Zac may have read more than all of us put together! :-)  Summer is just a month away and I’d like to issue a challenge to you:  For 30 minutes a day, walk away from the TV, computer, video game, etc., and READ!  Now, isn’t that a NOVEL idea…..PUN INTENDED!  I guarantee that you will find you might actually  enjoy the break, it will keep your reading skills from getting rusty, AND it may even raise your reading level.  One thing’s for sure, it will make getting back into reading in the fall a bit less difficult! 

Your Blogging Task:  

1. I’d like for you to recommend some books to your friends.  

2. Just tell the name and author of the book, genre, a very brief intro to the book, and what kind of student you think would enjoy the book.  

3. Also, if you read something you like this summer, how about taking five minutes to tell us about the book in this blog? 

*S.U.R.F.’s Up: Silent Uninterrupted Reading for Fun

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