Person of the Year

Who was the most important newsmaker of 2013? Read on to learn about the 15 nominees and to cast your vote for the TIME FOR KIDS Person of the Year. Be sure to make your choice by January 1! We will announce the winner at timeforkids.com and in TIME For Kids magazine.

Go to the link below and cast your vote. After you've voted come back here and explain who you chose and give me 3 pieces of evidence to support why they should be person of the year! 

http://www.timeforkids.com/news/person-year/133841

What Most Schools Don't Teach...

This week we will be participating in an hour of code. Here is the first activity to introduce us this year:

Light Bot
http://light-bot.com/hocflash.html

Tutorials for beginners

http://learn.code.org/hoc/1
http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/editor/?tip_bar=hoc
http://www.tynker.com/hour-of-code/
http://csedweek.org/learn
http://codehs.com/hourofcode/
http://www.codeavengers.com/javascript/9#1.1
http://codecombat.com/play/level/rescue-mission?hour_of_code=true

Tutorials that teach JavaScript

https://www.khanacademy.org/hour-of-code/hour-of-code-tutorial/v/welcome-hour-of-code


Maybe coding will turn into your passion. Maybe you will share it with us during genius hour. Who knows!

What traditions do people celebrate?

Your student is beginning a short research project that will be due DECEMBER 17^th. Students will be researching any holiday tradition from any culture, country, or religion of their choice.  Students will research their chosen tradition and create a TYPED summary of the information they researched. Students will also print a picture, make a comic strip, create a poster, or another form of visual aid to present their information. I will be assessing students on their presentation, effort, and research. I will be providing students will additional time in class to complete this project in case resources are not available at home. I do not want this to be stressful. I understand each family has a different schedule. If there is ANYTHING I can do to help, let me know!

On the document attached (named Holiday Tradition Family Letter) you will find…

-          Due date

-          Expectations

-          What students need to do

-          What students need to turn in

-          How to complete the project

Please let me know if you have any questions at all!

(I will also send the attachment of the document I sent the students named Holiday Tradition Research).

I am excited! Students will present their final projects in front of the class. :)

Here are a few links to get us started! 

Christmas Around the World
http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/

http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/

http://www.portharbor.com/santa/xsatrad.php

Christmas in Kansas City

http://www.kcparent.com/KC-Parent-Blogs/KansasCityHolidayFunGuide

Christmas Train
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/09/05/kansas-city-southern-announces-13th-annual-holiday/

Odd Traditions
http://www.history.com/topics/christmas-traditions-worldwide/videos#strange-christmas-traditions



Presentations Tools

http://www.powtoon.com/

http://toondoo.com/

https://www.smore.com/

http://prezi.com/

http://www.tagxedo.com/

Microsoft Publisher

Year Round School?

Our students are learning to develop thesis statements and defend their ideas. Below you will see some comments that share our students reactions to the idea of year round school. Feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts!


North Kansas District considers year-round elementary schools - KCTV5

Missouri Government Study Guide

Let's use this link to try to answer questions #5.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/state-and-local-government

Veteran's Day Celebration

Today is Veteran's Day please watch the clip below:

http://www.history.com/topics/veterans-day-facts/videos#bet-you-didnt-know-veterans-day


Use the websites listed to look for information to answer these questions. Once you have found the answer to 5 questions you may post them on the comments below! (Remember you will need to sign in to your Google Account!)

HONORING OUR VETERANS:
http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

 
1. Who declared a national holiday in 1938, this holiday was dedicated to remembering
Veterans of World War I?

2. This U.S. president was the first to declare November 11 a holiday.

3. In 1954, which U.S. president changed the name of the holiday celebrated on November
11 to Veterans Day?

4. November 11 was chosen as the day for honoring U.S. veterans because which war ended
on November 11, 1918?

5. This year, Americans will celebrate Veterans Day on this date.

http://www.usflag.org/colors.html
6. What do the colors of our flag stand for? 


http://www1.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/flagdisplay.pdf

7.During what types of weather should a flag not be flown? Why?


8.How should a flag be placed over a casket? 


9.  List 3 things one should never do, out of respect, to the flag

What Does Great FreeWriting Look Like

Today we are going to look at great free writing and how it can make us a stronger writer:

Qualities of Good Freewriting

·         The writer keeps writing freely, letting any thoughts come out.

·         The writer seems to try to make ideas that get better and better as she writes longer.

·         The writer sometimes compares things to make you get what she means.

·         The writer doesn’t cross stuff out.

·         The writer sometimes says the big idea over and over and over again (in different ways) as if trying to get it right.

·         The writer stays for a long time on one big idea.

·         The writer goes from big ideas to small examples back to big ideas.

·         The writer adds new ideas.

·         The writer raises questions