9/28-10/2, 2015

It's Homecoming Week!  Things are going to be a little crazy as we Demolish the Warriors, so here's how it will all shake down in Mrs. E's class this week:

5th GOAL:  5th graders are learning the basics of cricket this week through articles and videos.

6th-8th GOAL:  6th-8th graders are starting their read aloud books (Okay For Now for 6th, The Cardturner for 7th, and To Kill a Mockingbird for 8th).  They will also be continuing their unit on Comics, Cartoons, and Graphic Novels.  We'll assess their reflections from last week's field trip using the expectations for elaborated communication, we'll finish up our eyebrow & texture pages, and we'll start exploring all kinds of graphic novels from both our library and the AEA.

Mrs. E's homeroom will have teambuilding and door decorating for homecoming on Wednesday afternoon, and on Friday afternoon, everyone will have our big Homecoming pep assembly!

New School Year: My Hopes for You

In my search for a topic for this week's Deep Thinking Friday, I came across this TED talk by John Green.  I found myself in tears for most of the talk.  I'm not kidding.  I had so many thoughts in my brain that I started writing on post-it notes as I watched.

My brain was full of these thoughts:

• Why are you here?  
• Are you bored?  Do something about it!  
• Be an advocate for yourself, and take charge of your learning.  
• Find your community of learners.
• Where might the map of your life lead?

My brain was full of thoughts, and my eyes were full of tears, because this TED talk encompasses my hopes for you, my students, for this school year.  I hope that GOAL becomes your community of learners.  I hope GOAL inspires you to seek out your own communities of learners beyond our school walls.  I hope you love learning, in whatever form you seek out for yourselves.  I hope you grow your brain this year, and I hope you share with us how you did it.  I hope.  I hope.  I hope.

Watch this, and let's have a great school year.