Guthrie & the Rebels' Daily Blog

Testing...1...2...3

2012-02-09T07:43:00.000-08:00

Please pardon our absence this week: South Page students are deeply embroiled in ITED and ITBS testing this week, and I didn't want anyone distracted by their blogs. I am discovering that I miss it quite a bit, however, so we'll likely be back to blogging early next week! I'd better spend this week researching great new topics for the rest of the school year.

Okay to Lie?

2012-01-06T05:16:00.000-08:00

"Does this dress make me look fat?"
"Did you eat the last Oreo cookie?"
"Did your big brother sneak out of the house last night after curfew?"

Click on the link below to read this article from Scholastic's online magazine and offer your opinion through your blog. When, if ever, is it okay to tell a lie?

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/magazines/scope/pdfs/SCOPE-010912-EssayKit.pdf

Holiday Tradition

2011-12-13T05:07:00.000-08:00

For today's post, I would like you to do a little research first...just a little, though! I want you to look up a holiday tradition--preferably one that is is new to you. It could be from this country or others, but I want you to find something and write at least four to five sentences about it on your blog.

Sophomores, pay close attention to the information you discover because you will be using it to write a five-paragraph essay. In your case, your blog will lead to your thesis statement for the next essay which you may begin working on as soon as you're finished blogging today.

Merry reading to all, and from all a good write!

Monday Afternoon

2011-12-12T10:45:00.000-08:00

Sixth period Freshman English: I apologize for my abrupt departure today. If you have any questions over the review, please e-mail me, and I'll do my best to answer them. You do have a test tomorrow.

Seventh period ES English: You are to continue reading A Christmas Carol today. I don't believe you'll finish the next stave today; however, if you do, please write a decent summary and e-mail it to me.

Ninth period Junior English: I know we have not yet discussed "The Open Boat." Rest assured that Wednesday will be a day of catching up for us. And one that I look forward to! Today, you will read "The Catbird Seat" which is a great short story by James Thurber. It is in your text, but also linked on my site. I will leave another tale for you via Mr. B tomorrow, which means that on Wednesday, we've got a lot of tales to discuss. Quizzes are still a possibility...

Future Transportation

2011-12-07T13:22:00.001-08:00

In 1900, Orville and Wilbur Wright were just beginning their experiments with gliders and the notion of people taking flight. Since then, inventors have come a long way with their visions and realities for human beings and their various modes of travel. Imagine the Boeing 777 that can carry three hundred passengers!
Writers can be like inventors in that they fine tune their work until it is better. Writers use descriptive devices like adjectives, adverbs, and literary devices to be more specific.
Imagine a transportation that has yet to be invented. How will we travel in the future? It may be for ground travel or air travel, but I want you to write a paragraph that describes what it does and how it looks. Be sure to use plenty of description to help us visualize your invention.

Dress Codes

2011-11-21T04:58:00.001-08:00

I recently read an article which discussed the advantages and disadvantages to having a dress code in high school. Don't click away from the page! There are more positives than you may have considered. Read the article and consider the points it makes. Then blog about your point of view on the subject, but be careful to really think about both sides of the issue.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/magazines/scope/pdfs/SCOPE-112111-EssayKit.pdf

Sleep Matters!

2011-11-14T17:01:00.001-08:00

So, we all know that most of us don't get enough sleep, but are you aware of some of the problems that can arise from a lack of sleep? You can be more likely to catch an illness, have difficulty concentrating at school, and most importantly, you can become more irritable with the important people in your life like your parents, siblings, or even Mrs. Guthrie! Yikes!

I read this short article about some schools who decided to move the school day start time back to 8:30 a.m. in order for students to get an extra half hour of sleep, and I thought you'd find it interesting. Click here to read it, and then give me a response on your blog.

Snowfall

2011-11-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

Snow fall was not what I had in mind for last night, but since it had to happen I guess I do have a few favorable thoughts. I like building snowmen, too, but I'm growing a little more wimpy as I get older about the cold--so I just enjoy the snowmen my kids build. I am a GREAT fan, as I see some of you are, of cocoa. I like to make it the real way with milk and melted chocolate on the stove, and I think I prefer whipped cream on top to marshmallows. My kids say, "Why not have both?" Good point. Of course, sledding is the greatest, except for the walk back up the hill, but I have yet to try "ultimate sledding." I'll refer you to the Wheelbargers for an explanation on that? Maybe they'll comment on my blog to explain...

MIA

2011-11-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

So...Mrs. Guthrie's home with a sick child on Thursday. The juniors are going to call me a liar again because I won't be there eighth period OR ninth period, but I guess I can live with it...this time. In my absence, however, I'd like for you all to keep writing. So I pondered some blog topics from the comfort of my home. I debated choosing different topics for all of you (junior high through juniors), but at last a topic struck close to my heart: Thanksgiving. Halloween is behind us now and Christmas looms not only on the horizon but also on the shelves at Walmart and on my Cartoon Network during every commercial break. So what about the forgotten holiday?
What are your feelings about Thanksgiving? Love it or indifferent to it? Do you have any good traditions that you associate with Turkey Day? And perhaps most importantly, will you be rooting for the Hawkeyes or the Huskers during the football game on the day after?
Feel free to e-mail me today; you still have assignments appropriate to your class besides the blog, and I'll be checking my e-mail periodically as illness permits. Happy writing! And may you write as much as your absentee instructor did!

Why Share Blogs?

2011-11-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Our Junior High English class is currently gearing up to interact with some junior high classes from Central Decatur Middle School. I asked my students today to consider what are some of the possible benefits to getting involved with another school district in this way.
My thoughts? Well, as their instructor, I'm hoping that we can have the opportunity to read some of the same works of literature and share ideas across the miles. We can share our thoughts and opinions here in the classroom, but with Mrs. Readout's help, we can also read what the students at Central Decatur have to say about the same works of literature. And we all know that adding more minds to the mix often helps to broaden our own thinking process. "Two heads are better than one" really is true!

My Favorite Book(s)

2011-10-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

So I guess I have a little catching up to do. I've been enjoying reading my students' blogs but realized that I've been neglecting my own writing, so out of the past few suggestions I've made for all of you to write about, I'm choosing to discuss my favorite book. Only I have a little problem: I couldn't decide where to start. I love to read. I'm addicted to it, I admit it. When I was a kid the favorites were Anne of Green Gables, Nancy Drew, and Little House on the Prairie. I learned to love classic novels as I grew older, especially those with a bit of a twist (To Kill a Mockingbird and Pride and Prejudice--though my husband prefers Pride and Prejudice and Zombies...) These days, I find it more relaxing to sit down and read a murder mystery or a Harry Potter novel (the best one was Death Hallows!). I just finished reading Rick Riordan's The Son of Neptune, which is listed as my current recommended read. If you like Greek/Roman mythology, you'd love it!

I went a little overboard, but it's just way too difficult to choose ONE favorite book. Who assigned this blog, anyway?

Commenting on Comments

2011-10-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

I've asked you all to consider proper grammatical usage when composing a post for this site. That includes using capitals correctly, punctuation, and spelling. We're still working on it!

Remember that these rules also apply when composing a comment on someone else's blog. When you're writing for Mrs. Guthrie's blogs and/or the blogs of fellow students, it is NOT fair game to simply comment "LOL. That was great, Dude! TTYL" and call it good...Choose a post to respond to that you actually FEEL a response to, and then share it! Good luck!!

My Favorite Music

2011-10-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

Today I asked my students to tell me about their favorite music. I learned that many of them have a wide variety of interests. So, I guess I will share with them that I do, as well. I have always had an interest in popular rock (and yes, that began with 80's music!), but I appreciate a lot of current pop, as well. I loved the hair bands, but believe it or not, I can get lost in classical, too. (Think Mozart and Bach...)
I like a little of everything, but I draw the line at most rap and anything so hard it hurts my head. I like Broadway, Country, and I think the Beach Boys and the Beatles were once the rulers of the universe, so to speak. I also think that much of the 90's was a musical wasteland...beginning with Nirvana. Ick.

A Day at Teacher Inservice

2011-10-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Today I learned how to create a blog, which my students will be using to post comments and questions about the subject matter we study in class. Students should use this site to respond to prompts from class, initiate group discussions, and respond to each other's academic thoughts. It is a site devoted to the English subject matter of Mrs. Guthrie's classroom.