Rebound -

Rebound - 

Twitter Feed Homework Undermines Education

Twitter Feed Homework Undermines Education

Good Morning Team, 

Go explore my twitter page, find and read the article about Homework that is titled "Homework Undermines Education".  After you have read the article answer the questions listed below.   

http://www.joebower.org/2012/12/homework-undermines-education.html

1. What is the central argument of this article?
2. Do you agree or disagree why?
3. How does the homework you are assigned fit into the homework he is talking about?  Another way of asking this is is your homework part of the solution or part of the problem?

Can Food Drive

Can Food Drive

Hey Team, it's time to get serious about the can food drive! Mr Cheney classes in the past have been outstanding at donating food and money to help our class goals of 2000-3000 items.  I really want 80B to define it greatness by surpassing the items raised by some of my top classes.  3035 being the highest grossing number thus far.

Use the space below to post thoughts on a suitable plan and also volunteer to take on positions of leadership to achieve our class goals!  The Can Food Drive is always a success because of STUDENT leadership.

LETS START PLANNING

#80Bkeepthedrivealive

Rebound - Punch in the Lip

Rebound - Punch in the Lip

Sean and David had an intense altercation with two high school students.  The end result was Sean throwing the first punch in the jaw of the boy who called him a coward and David a cripple.

1. Who started this fight?
2. What did David see? Did he react properly?
3. Why were the high school boys startled when David screamed at them the first time?  

IMovie

IMovie

Hey team check out this link to a series of tutorials on using IMovie to make movies.  They show tons of tricks to make authentic effects and make a movie come to life!

We are definitely making a Historical Drama on the Underground Railway 

but also want to maximize our skills and create a bunch of short films and clips.  We are in charge of the December character trait assembly and this will be a great opportunity to show off some improved movie making skills

Watch the videos and post the best ideas you see and want to try and use.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC83F526BD217A30D&feature=plcp

Creativity

Creativity

Hey Team, Its been a long time since we blogged.  One of my favourite things to discuss and talk about is Creativity.  Every teacher craves for the creative solutions and the projects.  BUT do teachers itself stunt the creative process more then help it?

check out the TED video:

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

What do you think about Ken Robinson? is his argument convincing?Do you agree or disagree?

How creative do you feel at school?

What inspires or distracts from your ability to be creative?

Answer these questions and engage in some debate with at least 2 other peers?

World War I

World War I

Good Morning #EIGHTYBEE

Making a full length movie may be impossible with me being away, but some small trailer like films using the green screen and explosion apps could make for some new and original trailers.  We can use this as training to make a film for Black History month.

Similar to Terry Fox we need to know the story before trying to tell the story.  Watch these 2 clips outlining Canada's role in World War 1.

Share interesting facts from the films and detail some potential scenes and story lines we could shoot to make a WWI trailer.

Self Esteem

Self Esteem

Hey EIGHTYBEE

This is an article outlining the 9 best traits of super positive people.  

Read the article and post a response picking the trait that is your favourite one.  Describe why it is your favourite? 

Also count and share how many of these traits are a part of your personality. 

http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/10/22/9-habits-of-super-positive-people/

Rebound - Roller Rink

Rebound - Roller Rink

1.    How should David react and act around Sean now that he has “bumped” into him at the roller rink?  

Think about how you would react to catching a friend in an awkward lie. Hmmm I wonder what you would do...

Rebound - Scott

Constructing Characters 

Hey Team, 

We have two characters in the novel Rebound that we know very little about.  In order to be a more engaged reader we want to construct who they are in order to make better sense of what will happen next and by extension discover how we view the world. 

Use either Janice or Scott and construct these characters.  List 5-7 character traits,  describe how they appearance, and importantly comment on what influenced your constructions. 

Twitter and Music

Twitter and Music

Hey Team, 

Go on my twitter feed and look for the article I posted on music and how it helps you perform. 

Read the article and post a 5 -10 sentence summary. 

Do not reply to others.  Just post your response. 

IRead

IRead - Main Characters

Hey Team, 

Who is the main character in the book you are reading?  Describe how they look, act and feel.  Highlight any similarities between yourself and that character. 

As well ask specific questions about these characters with other students and get some dialogue happening.  

Comment on 3 other posts.  

Rebound - Connecting to Characters

Rebound - Connecting to Characters

Share your response about what character you are most like and why from the novel.  As an extension also share what character you are least like and explain why.  

Make sure you comment and dialogue with 3 other students.

Twitter/Study Skills

Hey Team.

Twitter / Study Skills

Great Blog yesterday!

Lets follow up on these study skills.  I posted 2 articles on my twitter feed on tips students should use top be successful (Grit and being Active).  Read 1 and share your thoughts on it? 

Are you active enough?

Do you have enough Grit?

Character Education

Character Education 

Hey Team lets explore study tips in our first Character Education Class.

Watch the video and post your thoughts on what tip you thought was the most beneficial.

Also post your advice on a useful study tool not mentioned in the video.

Then get some dialogue between a few other students?

#The Blog is on Fire

Twitter Stories

Twitter Responses

Hey Team, I posted a few articles over the weekend on my Twitter account.  Read the article on homework and post your thoughts (Do you agree or disagree?)? As well answer these questions:

What do you like about homework?

What do you dislike about homework?

How would you improve homework?

Rebound 4 - David

Rebound 4 - David. 

We have met and seen David.  He seems to have a variety of traits and seems COMPLEX.

1.  What are your first impressions of David?

2. Is his character realistic?  Do you know people that lash out in the same way?

3. Could you be his friend? explain why or why not. 

Post your responses/pick 2 others to have discussion with/

Terry Fox

Terry Fox

The Terry Fox Story directed and produced by Steve Nash.  

This is the most current biography of Terry Fox.  The 1st clip is the 3 minute long trailer and the 2nd clip is the hour long biography.  

In order to truly appreciate the work we want to accomplish with the Terry Fox assembly we need to have a firm understanding of what his story is and thus truly appreciate why we participate in this important event every year. 

This connects with our talks on hypocrisy.  How can we encourage and ask others to donate and participate if we don't know why we should get involved.  

1.  In ONE word how did the documentary make you feel?

2. have you learned any lessons from the movie?

3.  How can you APPLY the lessons learned to your real life  

4. Now go back and start some dialogue with your peers asking them to explain why they choose THAT word.

http://beaumondeterryfoxwalk.blogspot.ca/

Self Esteem / Twitter Feeds

Self Esteem / Twitter Feeds

I posted an article on my twitter account on self esteem.  Self esteem and confidence is an issue and character trait all people deal with on a daily basis.  It can be easily built up but just as easily toppled down.  Unfortunately a lack of self esteem and confidence can cripple a students progress and importantly willingness to take risks and grow intellectually.  

-Read the article on twitter

1. Do you agree with the idea of failing forward described in the article? Do you have a personal example of this?

2. Post tricks you use to stay confident and full of positive self esteem

3. Comment and share dialogue with 3 other students.

Rebound Chapter 2 - Equal/Fair

Rebound Chapter 2 - Equal/Fair

Eden posed this great question on the blog but only a few got a chance to answer it.  Lets explore this situation and post a comment.

"Imagine that the kid in the wheel chair was not in a wheel chair. And was a student that had no history of fighting or getting in trouble and got in a fight with a kid that has a long history of fighting.

Would you expect the same punishment for both students?"

1. Share your response.
2. Post comments with 3 other people. (if the blog gets big fast, speed read other commenets but stay focused on the 3 comments you are following)  When the blog goes VIRAL it's difficult to follow each response with the same attention.  Create a plan to cope.  

Rebound 2 - The Punishment

Rebound 2 - The Punishment

Chapter 2 was a eye opener to how we make judgements, use our bias, and make moralist stands while sitting at our desk.  

1. Do you believe me that you are Mr. McCully and would have acted the same way?
2. Sean commented that people will see it "wrong" is this true?
3. Is this fair for Sean?  What should his punishment be? If any?

Rebound 1 - The Fight

Rebound 1 - The Fight

Sean and the boy in the wheel chair have met, perhaps not in the best of circumstances! Building upon our predicting lessons what do you think is going to happen next? 

Be specific and add detail in your thoughts.  Keeping it simple, simply demonstrates your simple thinking!

For those of you that know the story take the post as a time to work on interacting and questioning your peers.

Welcome to Grade 8

Hey hey 8B

Welcome to Grade 8 and welcome to the land of blogging.

Check out this humorous video about the first day of school:

Now please post and share 1 goal/expectation/fear for the upcoming year.  As well please respond to 2 others about their post.

Welcome to the Blog 2013

Mr. Cheney