Today they draw for over $350 million dollars in the mega millions..... What would I do if I won that money?

1. Make a trip to the bank and pay off all debts with mine or Lewis' name on them.
2. Pay off debts of family members.
3. Buy new cars for the entire crew.
4. Donate. Philanthropy is important. Would this little church that I attend accept the money won from the lottery?
5. The cheerleaders at Marshall. Donate money to them
6. All athletics at Marshall
7. Classrooms at Marshall new items for them. I am very thankful for the privilege of working at the Marshall schools.
8. Elementary classes at Timbo would receive substantial amounts to improve their libraries
9. A new house with a vaulted ceiling. I can just see it. It will be rustic. with all new furniture.
10. Pay off all my credit cards.
11. I think I would buy a more expensive camera. Picture taking is something I enjoy so I think that getting extra special equipment would be nice.
12. Maybe an ipad
13. Hire someone to fix my book work because I absolutely hate book work. Computers are for playing on in my world. Not keeping books.

Today I was the most scared I have been in a while. I mean I was fearful of my face being torn from my body--visions of the woman who had faced the crazy chimp flashed through my mind.

While I was on my way to pick up Tyler's car, I encountered a barking dog. His tail was wagging so I preceded forward eventhough he was barking fiercely. As I got closer the mechanic's shop, he began to flash his teeth, gnarling at me with all intensity. I tried not to make contact but dared not take my eyes off of him. Torrie who had dropped my off sat unknowingly in her car. I would motion for her to back out of the drive and enter through another one to come around and pick me up. No movement from her car. I was hoping the mechanic would come from his home and rescue me but I guess he was too involved in his own lunch to be concerned about a little barking from the red dog that guarded his property.

Still standing at the door of the shop, I was so frightened I could not take not one step. I would motion to no avail at Torrie. Barking and retreating, Barking and moving a step forward, teeth gnashing. I knew not how I would escape the terrible destiny that had become my own. Cell phone in hand, I looked down, hopeless, thinking there is never any service in this area. To my relief, I had a few bars. I dialed Torrie's number and frantically explained my plight with the horrific creature. She quickly exited one drive and entered the other to come and pick me up.

My head hurt from the fear that had pounded all through my body. I can still feel the fear that I felt as I watched the beautiful red dog barking at me baring all his canine teeth to protect what he deemed his own.

Today we read chapter 2 in Feathers by Jacquline Woodson. There is a lot of language to take in. I like the way Frannie says Mr. Hungry was talking when she was hungry and ready to go to the lunchroom. I liked the discussion we got into talking about the words "putting on airs." We came up with some really good words that kids use like Diva, Drama Queen, and Snotty. What about me telling you we use to say "you think you are hot snot and all you are is cold buggers." I remember saying that when some of my friends got "too big for their britches."

I hope we are growing as writers and thinking about keeping our writing in the past tense and also start to think about writing with such beautiful words creating mental images.
I think it is important that we chose words that make our writing stand out along with vivid verbs and outstanding adjectives.

Creating mental pictures for the reader is so important. All kids have to use their 5 senses when they read and I hope that they start letting their writing express what they can see in their minds. I hope they let their writing show their 5 senses.

March 7, 2011

There are a few of the kids that are really starting to make me worry. They just want to write anything down on the paper. It is just so frustrating and there is so little time left. I almost don't want to look at the papers but I must.

Looking at the papers is where we are going to begin. I have certain ones that weigh heavy on my mind.

Tomorrow we will do some editing. Maybe that will be a start.

Web 2.0

I have been playing around on the computer and found some excellent game resources for my classroom. Classtools.net is an excellent website for creating gaming to use in the classroom. I will be returning to this website this afternoon to work on a game to use tomorrow in class. Hopefully it will not be blocked and my kids will be able to get to it from their notebooks. I am very excited about what is rolling around in my mind.

Secondly, I have found some pretty interesting whiteboard lessons that teach you how to work Smart Notebook. Eventhough they are about Smart, the Interwrite can perform a lot of the same activities so I will be working on that.

Last but not least, while it is on my mind...... I better remind myself of the lessons I taught last week so I can put them in teacherease.


Monday-Writing to a picture prompt.
Tuesday=Compound words and compound subjects HOmework for ACTAAP
Wednesday-Negative double negatives
Thursday-Making our writing more visual.
Friday worked on an essay