Live in a dream

It's been awhile since our last entries. Thank you Nico for constantly reminding me about the blog.

This week, imagine you could live in any fictional world-- perhaps from your favorite book, television series, or movie-- what would you choose? Why? What would you like about living there? How is that world different from the one you live in today?

Last hour on earth

Congratulations! We are nearing the end of the first quarter. :) For this week, pretend you're leaving Earth to spend the rest of your life on a spaceship, charting the galaxy. 

Here's the catch: You only have an hour left on this planet. What are you going to do with your last hour? Why?

Write a meaningful last entry for the first quarter!

Deadline: Thursday: 7PM

Let's play Taboo

Have you ever played the board game, Taboo? Taboo requires you to describe a given word without using some descriptors that are common to the word. 

For this week, 

describe an apple in five to seven sentences (no more, no less!) without using the words: 

fruit, red, sweet, juicy, crunchy,  yellow, green, small, big

Use figurative language and be creative!

The student with the best description gets additional points :)

photo credits: http://appleadayproject.wordpress.com/

Dear ______,

Dear class,

For this week, write a letter to your future selves. Write about what you hope to have learned a year from now or about a particular habit you hope to develop (or break). Write in no less than seven sentences!

Good luck!

                             From,
                             Ms. Cath





                                                                  

Sensory details: Describing a fruit

 photo credits: www.modamee.com

If you could combine two fruits into an awesome superfruit, which two would you combine and why?

What would it taste, look, and smell like? What would you call your new fruit?

Answer in no less than seven sentences!

Opinion Poll: Would you trade your paper books for digital ones?

If you "like" the Bannister Academy page on Facebook, you might have noticed the poll we conducted the other week entitled, "Which do you think students can make better use of in high school?" Options included the iPad and Kindle.

This week, in no less than 10 sentences, share your thoughts about e-books and e-readers in general. Read the New York Times article and questions below. The article can also be found at: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/would-you-trade-your-paper-books-for-digital-versions/

Would You Trade Your Paper Books for Digital Versions?

Do you own an e-reader or read books on your phone? Have you ever used an electronic textbook? Studies show that while young people are interested in e-readers, two-thirds of them do not want to give up traditional print books. What do you think? Should students be given a choice? What are the benefits and drawbacks of print books and textbooks? How do you think reading on an electronic device would change reading, studying and learning for you?
In the article “In a Digital Age, Students Still Cling to Paper Textbooks,” Lisa W. Foderaro writes:

The explosion of outlets and formats — including digital books, which are rapidly becoming more sophisticated — has left some students bewildered. After completing the heavy lifting of course selection, they are forced to weigh cost versus convenience, analyze their own study habits and guess which texts they will want for years to come and which they will not miss.
“It depends on the course,” said Victoria Adesoba, a pre-med student at New York University who was standing outside that school’s bookstore, a powder-blue book bag slung over her shoulder. “Last semester, I rented for psychology, and it was cheaper. But for something like organic chemistry, I need to keep the book. E-textbooks are good, but it’s tempting to go on Facebook, and it can strain your eyes.”
For all the talk that her generation is the most technologically adept in history, paper-and-ink textbooks do not seem destined for oblivion anytime soon.
According to the National Association of College Stores, digital books make up just under 3 percent of textbook sales, although the association expects that share to grow to 10 percent to 15 percent by 2012 as more titles are made available as e-books.

Students: Tell us your thoughts on the growing offerings in digital books and textbooks. Do you like the idea of having your books on a Kindle, Nook, iPad or other device? What might be the drawbacks? What percentage of textbooks do you think will be digital 10 years from now? Do you think you’d read more if you had access to e-books? How do you think e-books will change studying and learning?

Deadline: Thursday (June 30), 5pm

Word of the Day!

expliscate
(ek-spuh-skayt)

v. to find out by thorough and detailed investigation

Discussion #2: Figurative language in songs

The other day, I was listening to Katy Perry's Firework and I realized that the song contains a lot of figurative language. 

Photo credits: coverlandia.net

For this week, introduce us to other song lyrics that contain similes and metaphors.

Instructions:
1. Think of a song that contains figurative language. Find it on YouTube and add the link.
2. In exactly five sentences, explain what the song is about.

Deadline: Friday, 5 pm

Quick writing tip: Including similes and metaphors are a great way to create more vivid descriptive essays. 

Discussion #1

Welcome Nicole, Nico, Miguel, Larry, RJ, Joseph, Jaime, and Pancho! :)

What does it mean to write CONCISELY?

Instructions for this week’s blog entry: Introduce yourself in exactly seven sentences (no more, no less!)

Deadline: Friday, 5:30 pm