The Power of Images

The Power of Images

Below are 3 powerful and and thought provoking photos and images.

Photography and Images can often have a far greater impact on the viewer then a cleverly worded essay.  Study and observe these images.  Look deep into the photo/image get beyond the obvious and look for specific subtle yet revealing detail.

1. Pick which image delivers the greatest impact and explain why with specific pieces of evidence.

2.  Highlight a very specific detail about any of the three images that you found very telling and powerful.

3. Explain what is the moral of the image you have not yet discussed in the previous questions.

Journal Prompts

What are the main benefits of the internet to society?  and what is one of its negative benefits? Support your answer with two specific examples for the positives and one for the negative. 

Display a tally chart at the end and write out the high end vocabulary

Post your Answer ( Recall the key elements: paragraphs, punctuation, vocabulary, mini research)

Then engage in dialogue with 2 other students about the negative impact of the internet 

As well post a link to a cite/video/facts that you used in the your response and highlight what information you found and used. 

Narrative Writing / Remembrance Day

Study the 3 pictures

Choose one to write and construct a vibrant narrative about what is happening directly and indirectly.

Incorporate the things we have been using in our writing prompts all year! Effective plan, rich vocabulary, variety of punctuation, maximize devices, dialogue, poetry...

In A Word

Describe David in 5 words

Select 5 accurate but high end words that describe David, but keep in mind that sometimes the best sophistication is simplicity itself.

Pick 2 students to engage in debate and seek justification for the words they have selected.

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

We don't see things as they are,

we see things as we are.
-- Cicero, Philosopher

1. What does this quote mean? Demonstrate with an example.

2. How does this relate to the last chapter we read in Rebound (the sidewalk fight)?  Highlight an example from the book that emphasizes this point.

3. Make personal  school connection to this quote

Rebound - will David walk again?

1. Will David walk again? why do you think that?

Rebound high school confrontation

1. Did the two high school kids do anything to provoke David?  David is certain they were mocking him! Sean was shocked and surprised and hadn’t seen anything! The high school kids were equally perplexed and confused!  So did anything really happen?  Why do you think so, support your position with evidence from the book? 

Rebound Posters

Great Job 80 AYYY making composing and editing your Rebound posters!

The end result is some awesome and magnificent posters. 

Let's take a moment to appreciate and evaluate your work and your peers work.

Explore the pictures and answer the following questions and provide feedback on two of the pictures. 

Which ones are the most powerful and vivid? Why do they resonate with you? 

Which one provides the greatest recall for you.  Meaning as you see the picture the story of Rebound rushes to your memory. 

Things to consider when critiquing the photo composition, use of blur, use of lettering, relevance of photo, realism how well it tells the story of rebound 

PICTURE 1A

PICTURE 1B

PICTURE 1C

PICTURE 2A

PICTURE 2B

PICTURE 2C

PICTURE 3A

PICTURE 3B

PICTURE 3C

PICTURE 4A

PICTURE 4B

PICTURE 4C

PICTURE 5A

PICTURE 5B

PICTURE 5C

PICTURE 6A

PICTURE 6B

PICTURE 6C

Amazing photography and tremendouse connection to the chapters in the book! 

Homework

1. How much homework is the right amount of homework?

2. Construct a detailed and realistic homework expectation for grade 8 at BHJMS 

Check out the News Report, stats, picture and comic to help formulate your position.

Then engage in debate with two other students that have differing opinions and plans for homework

http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/26550776/do-our-students-have-too-much-homework-or-not-enough

Education / Reform / Creativity

The Need for educational reform...hmmm

Watch this clever and artistic video on the current state of education.  Its main idea is that education is destroying creativity and that children need to learn differently.

1. Retell 3 main or interesting bits of evidence that the video showed

2. Do you agree or disagree

3. How are you able or unable to be creative at school? 

Answer all 3 questions

Pick 2 other students to engage in dialogue with and debate the issue of creativity.   

Rebound Chapter 3/4

Hey 80AYYY

We are getting to know more things about David.  He is obviously skilled and knowledgable in the game of basketball .  Sean threw the ball soft and slow just as Mrs Burke had spoken loud and slow to David. It seems everyone instincevly displays pity towards David.  

Is it ok for Sean, Mrs Burke, Mr McCulley, or anyone to feel sorry for and act accordingly for someone who is handicapped? 

Things to consider in your response ; how would you act , what are the cultural expectations, conscious and unconscious bias, create a hypothetical situation and evaluate. 

Make your response and respond with 2 other posts.  

Rebound

Rebound Chapter 3 / Sean and David

Hey Team 80AYYY, this is your first blog of the year.  

To introduce ourselves to blogging we will simply answer one question

1. Why do you think Mrs. Burke spoke loudly and slowly to David? And strangely why was David all smiles when Mrs. Burke touched his chair after erupting at Sean for doing the same thing?

Answer the question and post your response 

Read over 2 other students responses and post a reply to their response 

Question their logic , share your opinions, give supporting or counter evidence, importantly engage in debate 

The Cheat - Sarah final poem

Sarah and her final poem.

In the epilogue to end the book we never heard from Katie or Sarah upon Jakes anticipated return from saving the school from suspension for walking out and skipping school.  Write the poem Sarah wrote to describe the ordeal with Jake and his return to school and his new found game and acceptance. 

That Katie Tomatie

Peach of my eye

Most other potaties

Would not even try.

What a gal, what a pal.

So true and so blue.

That Katie , ma lady.

Oh thanka, thank you

Post your open and comment on 5 others.

The Cheat - Jake

The Cheat - Jake

1.        How cowardly is Jake?

2.        Tell me about an incident where you felt like Jake, when everyone was watching you and you felt inevitably everyone would ridicule you

3.        What lesson and can you learn and how could you apply it from Jakes plight? 

Answer the questions in 3 separate posts and then get involved in some dialogue with a minimum 2 other studnets    

Technology

Technology

Are netbooks, Ipads & Ipods, and the focus on technologies good for the classroom?

We have used technology to enhance Art, Math and language through blogs, photography and video production.  Many truly enjoy this use but many others appreciate traditional learning tasks and environments.  Do the pros outweigh the cons of using technology in the classroom. 

Read the below blog discussing the overuse of technologies and then answer the question and discuss: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erin-whitten/technology-there-is-no-av_b_5113400.html?&ir=Education&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000023

Practical Wisdom

Practical Wisdom

This is an interesting video and argument on the need for practical wisdom.  It challenges the concept of rules and regulations and offers an alternative opinion to how things in society and education can be done well.  Watch the video and post your reflection about whether you agree or disagree with his argument?  Are rules beneficial or counter productive?  Use evidence from the video and your own experiences to justify your response.  Engage in dialogue with 2 other students to flush out the details of your position. 

The Cheat

Hey Team here are two conflicting and opposite opinions about the book the Cheat. 

Read the reviews and then write your own mid way review of the book The Cheat (pretend you are writing your review for the school newsletter and you are trying to inform other students in grade 7 and 8 about the book.) 

Review 1 

This is a middle school book about cheating on a geography midterm. What makes it charming and thought-provoking is the fact that it's told from the points of view of six kids who were involved, with 2 or 3 pages of text at a time told in each kid's distinctive voice. The voices are great: they make the book.

Review 2

This is a book that I picked up as a MS reading teacher. I try to read books to recommend for my students. I would NOT recommend this book. The book focuses on a group of friends who get caught (some not caught) cheating on a midterm. The narration moves from person to person. I felt like there were too many voices--4 main, 2 supporting--for middle school students to follow. Because there were so many voice, the characters, in my opinion, were never really developed at all. I found myself asking, "Wait, is she the one who's dad died? or did he leave her mom? Which one was that again?" I also felt that there was no real resolution to the problem. The book explained what happened, but nothing was really resolved. Overall, a quick read, but not one that I would recommend to my students

Comment on 2 other reviews.  Do you agree or disagree why?

Epic Rap Battle Epic Rap Battles of Black History (Class Project) Parks ...

Finally figured out how to post our videos to the blog!

Out of Sight - Word Problem

OUT OF SIGHT 

Here is a picture from our problem of the week.  

What was the biggest obstacle to finding a solution?

How did you overcome the obstacle?

Share your brief narrative and then respond with two other students. One from your group and the other from another. 

The Cheat

The Cheat

Sara is stuck.  She is suspended until she reveals who she got the quiz from.  Dan and Rob have been given consequences for their role and Katie nervously tries to convince Sara that she is not responsible for Mr. Teacher discovering the cheating. 


Will Sara rat on Jake to save herself from suspension?  Why or why not? Respond and discuss...

Have you ever been in a dilemma like this?  What did you do?

Creativity

Creativity

Welcome  #80BEE

Check out this video on Creativity by Ken Robinson 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&list=PLuUI-SqNjGNE6GKFC_X042W4sVf51-rWu&feature=player_embedded

This video is challenging the role of education and the need for reform!

1. Do you agree or Disagree with the arguments he makes? be specific and make connections from BHJMS.

2. How could you apply any of the suggestions he makes at BHJMS?

3.  How did you like video? The style it was shot in to grab your attention

Application:

My class used this video as an inspiration for making their own RSA video's ! some were amazing but others struggled and some never got finished.  It was the most challenging video production from last year.  (ill show you some of the finished and unfinished projects)

We are going to make a RSA video like this - the questions will be in regards to what subject

Rebound - The End

Rebound - The End

We finished our first novel study.  Let shave our final on line debate and share session.  The book was filled with highs and lows and many exciting and realistic moments.  Most of us anticipated a happy ending for David but as the story progressed it became obvious David was not going to walk again.  This was a great learning moment to see that sheer desire and determination do not always bring you the results you crave but even that should not stop you from dreaming and working to achieve.  

Rate the book out of 5 and justify why.  Assume 1 is the lowest possible mark and 5 is the highest possible mark.

Debate and engage with 2 other students specifically those with different ratings then you.

Rebound - Walk Again

Rebound - Walk Again 

David is living his life by believing he will walk soon.  He does the research and understands the science.  A cure could be discovered at any moment.  Sean and most have you also believe he will walk again soon.

David's mother has passionately argued at the dinner table that David can not live his life on a hope and prayer that he will walk again.  He must move on and accept who he is now as he may be this way until he dies.  

answer the following questions:

1. Is David's mother right to think this way and to want David to think the same way?

2. Should David stop researching and living his life expecting to walk again soon and learn how to live life in a wheelchair - accept who he is?

3. What should Sean do? encourage David and support his belief he will walk soon OR take the same position his mother has taken and help David accept his new reality.  

Then respond with 2 other people to spark some dialogue.  Find people that have taken opposing views to comment with.