Day 6 - Half Way There!

Today we set goals for vocabulary and math.  You will have independent work time in class to make progress towards your goals.  Also, you can work from home.  Please notice that there are links to everything you need on this blog.

We were fortunate to have Mr. Havener, the new principal of KHS, come and spend time with us.  He welcomed everyone to the school, talked about some of the fun and exciting things you have to look forward to over the next four years, and reminded us of the hard work required to make your time here successful.

As a group, we brainstormed ways to study/learn vocabulary:

flashcards

putting definitions in your own words

computer games

working with a partner

get tutoring

writing definitions 5 times

watching related videos (there are some posted on the Reading Junkie Ning)

For today's comment, please let me know the location at KHS that you most want to see on our tours.  Make your comment by the end of the day Thursday, June 30.

Tired Tuesday

Despite my exhaustion from taking care of a sick puppy last night, we had a productive day.  In case you are curious, my puppy Freeman is starting to feel much better and he is getting back to his old self - playing with our other dog, chewing on sticks, and chasing after tennis balls.  Here's a picture I just took.

In class today everyone got signed up and started working with Khan Academy (see links section).  I think it was a big hit!  This website is great for math all the way up to calculus, so if you have difficulty remembering how to complete a problem for homework one night, you can just look up a short video or do some practice problems.  There are some science topics there as well and more is being added all the time.  I suggest you bookmark it at home to keep as a resource throughout high school.

We also started talking about Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, and we will continue those conversations for a few days.  Most of you already know the basics of the story, but struggle with the language (which is true for most anyone).

We toured many of the offices on campus, and even saw one of the principals, Mr. Mike Wade.  Did you know that's who we saw?  Do you know which grade level he is principal of?

Your comment for today should be about this blog posting.  Your comment is due by the end of the day on Wednesday, June 29.

Name one tip I just gave about Khan Academy.

Rainy Monday

It's not easy to get out of bed early on a Monday morning in the summer when it's dark and rainy outside!  So for all of you in my class who made it in and participated in the lessons and activities, I thank you.

Today we talked about The Learning Zone and played a ring toss game.  Some of you earned rewards for your efforts, and all of you did a great job of appropriately participating in the activity.  The best part for me as your teacher is that you all understood the idea of The Learning Zone and where that might be for you in a variety of areas.

We added the following Efficacy Principles to our growing list:

#6: Thoughts determine actions.

#7: Use feedback to find your learning zone.

We took our first tour of KHS and viewed the core curricular hallways.

We are still working through some technology glitches, which is what I would like you to comment on today.  Please make your comment by the end of the day on Tuesday, June 28.

How do you feel about technology use in the classroom?  Does it help you learn, or is it too much of a distraction?  What are your favorite ways to learn through technology?

Fantastic Friday!

You guys were awesome on Friday!  I could not have wished for a better class day.

We had quite a variety of lessons and activities.  To refresh your memory:

We continued our talks about efficacy and watched videos from House, Big Bang Theory, and Britain's Got Talent.   You can use the links to watch them again on You Tube.

We added the following Efficacy Principles to the list:

#4 - Do not bring low.  Build up.

#5 - Think you can, work hard, GET SMART!

We were fortunate to have one of the KHS librarians, Mrs. Seibel, take time out of her summer break to come in and give you a mini-orientation of the library.

We read the short story, "So I Ain't No Good Girl" by Sharon Flake (I've added her website to the links list of this blog - top right), and you completed a reflection assignment.

On Monday, we will look back at this story and work on a discussion thread that Mrs. Heyl has posted to the Ning.

Lastly, you worked on a KHS website scavenger hunt (see links), which we will finish on Monday.

Phew!  We really accomplished a lot!!

I already gave you a heads-up about what your comment to this post will need to be about.  Here it is:

What did you learn from Mrs. Seibel's mini-orientation of the library that you will find useful next year?  Your comment is due by the end of the day on Monday, June 27.

TIP:  Remember, you are writing for an audience - your peers, your teacher, and your guest speakers.  Please check your spelling and use appropriate language (no techno-slang).

For Monday, DON'T FORGET YOUR HOMEWORK AND YOUR SIGNED HANDBOOK FORM!