The Pelican

Prompt 2: Extend a reflection on a single moment (statement, activity, rap, muffin, or termite) from the SI (summer institute)--how is that moment sitting with you today?

Well, we talked a lot about cross curriculum writing and I have been thinking about this a lot lately. After I attended the Writing Project Summer Institute, I spent four days in St. Louis doing training for our science curriculum.

The CEO of the company made a statement on the very first night that has stuck with me, "This curriculum is solid if taught as is, but is even better if taught using current events, writing, and other resources."

As we were discussing writing within science, many of the teachers were stuck on having students write the process of the experiments we would be doing. So, with a bit of encouragement from a colleague, I spoke up.

We had studied a whole lesson about pelicans and we were purposing ways to write about this lesson. So I suggested these different avenues:
           - Argument: You could write an argument to save the pelicans ecosystem
           - Informative: A brochure about the Pelican
           - Explanatory: Write about how birds adapt to where they live based on their beaks and
             what they can eat with their beaks (this would be explaining the experiment, but don't have
              them do this in "step one, step two" format)
           - Narrative: Write a narrative from the pelicans point of view about why they live in that
            specific ecosystem.
Teachers from all over the nation that came together for this training, sat there and stared at me like I was an idiot for my suggestions. However, their spoken reaction was, "Wow, how do we come up with different things like that for each lesson? I would have never thought of that." My answer was, "now you see how limitless writing can be, collaborate and ask Sangari people for suggestions, they can help us all network to provide a medium to share our ideas.

I got off into a little tangent there, but this all took be back to the writing project. I see writing as so much more than a process now. I see it as a way to express feelings and a way to share what we understand but the format doesn't have to be the same to do so. Writing does not always need to be graded for perfect grammar, especially within content areas. Students should be able to write freely without being marked about with red marks, but students should also be taught to write properly. Each paper has a different purpose, and I think it is important to help students determine those purposes.

Geeked about...

To readers -- The group I worked with in the writing project are working on blogging regularly. We throw prompts at each other.

This weeks prompt:

We're going to explore what's holding us back. Maybe this time it's not about teaching or writing. or maybe it is. It's about whatever you're really geeked about or would like to be, if only. what's the "if only"--you? them? the universe? maturity? if you're pursuing this thing (actively or passively), where are you now in the journey? if you're just thinking about it, what's the allure? what are the factors that keep the thing at a distance? what are the factors that (might) persuade you to (further) action?

This question was posed to me about 2-3 weeks ago. I wanted to write about it immediately, but was bogged down by other things. In the meantime, I started to think about this "thing" that is holding me back, the "thing" that I want to do, but just haven't.

Some people know, that I am very enthusiastic about drawing, sketching, and painting. I don't typically show off too much of my art, but began to wonder why. I started drawing a long time ago when I bored at my grandparents house. Then it turned into something I did when I didn't want to leave my bedroom. I left for college, and it all disappeared. Until one day I started using a ruler to draw an entangled star. The next day it was a dream catcher, the next day was a little bear, then it stopped again. After some time, I started drawing more, but usually trashing everything I drew.
I moved into a new place and realized I had a lot if empty walls and would always spend a lot of time looking at canvas art. Nothing seemed to be what I wanted. I went to art supply store, bought two canvas, paint and started painting the canvas for my bedroom. Those two canvas are the only two pieces of art I currently have displayed.

From there, I started painting on canvas paper. I did this on and off for a long time. The school year started and I only managed to produce art on weekends or vacations. Along the way I started looking at more art online, looking at different techniques, and realizing I was getting bored with what I was doing.

After reading this writing prompt. I realized I knew what I wanted to do, but wasn't sure if there was something holding me back and if there was, what was it? I had researched a lot about mix-media art, which can be defined in several ways. It is basically the technique of using multiple textures or multiple types of art within one piece. Last week I worked on my first mixed media art and believe it or not, I enjoyed it a lot. It was fun and limitless.

Part of mixed media art is photographs. I like my work to be authentic. I want my own photos. Well I do not own a camera that can produce quality photos. Not only do I like talking awesome photos, I like to incorporate them in my art. Long story short, my new camera is in route to my house via UPS.

I can't really say what held me back from this passion, perhaps doubt or lack of confidence. However, the pay off, which to me is fulfillment in creating art and the relief of stress it provides me, completely outweighs what has held me back.

Totally geeked out about art. #Nerd

P.s. I relate everything to my teaching. My students will be doing writing about art at least 3 times a week.
 

O.R.E.O

O. Opinion
R. Reasons/Research
E. Example
O. Opinion

You can use this format for any opinion piece (could be about something silly, could be about something scientific, mathematical). It is like the hamburger writing.

O. Students write their opinion.

R. They come up with 3 reasons they have that opinion (usually based on research or something they have read or heard depending on grade level)

E. Students give an example to back up their opinion

O. Students restate their opinion. Must teach students to write the same opinion as they did in the beginning, but using different wording.
*Note: Some students change their opinion while writing, I think that is important to recognize and not dismiss. We all explore, learn, read, and change our minds regularly. That is higher level thinking if students can recognize the changing of opinion.

Clarifying (I pulled these off Google, there are others on Pinterest. I made my own for students with lines on it but of course can not find the document.)

Zoom Zoom Zoom

Time is going by so quickly.
I am not updating like I said I would.
Coming Soon....
-Weekly prompt response
- Lesson plan ideas/strategies by category based on Writing Project Presentations and discussions (this is a big task)
- Everyone's essential question from Writing Project in a blog with a synopsis of the "solution"
- Mentor texts - suggested text and description of each text.


In the meantime this is what has been happening ---------------
- I travelled to Nebraska to visit family
- Went camping at a lake with friends on the 3rd
- My home town put on a decent firework display
- My nephew has learned what it means to tickle someone (he is 2)
- My nephew spotted a coyote in the distance - young eyes!
- I bought a CD (first one in years!) because the radio stations up there are so terrible...
- That CD is stuck in my brothers pickup CD player
- Playing Blitz is more fun than I ever thought it could be.
- I learned if you don't know how to an answer "on a scale to 1 to 10" question with doctors, "Just say 8"
- I bought children's CD's for my classroom at goodwill
- My mom and I sang kids songs for an hour from Hastings, NE back to Superior, NE
- I miss children's songs!
- My mom bought about 50 books for my classroom library for 50 cents each (awesome donor to students education)
- Dirt track races become more interesting when it rained that day
- It is impossible not to run into cars when it has raced
- My 15 year old cousin can not drive well and I fully understand why my mom hated me when I was learning to drive.
- Pit crew guys really don't know what to do when something happens, they just put on an awesome show!
- Lea, at La Trap Nails in KCMO, does AWESOME work!
- State Line Nissan sucks - don't go there! McCarthy here I come!
- Always ask to see your cars tires when getting an oil change and watch for the wear on them yourself, you can't rely on anyone!
- 220.00 on bad service can make you say dumb things.....
-"I maybe 23 and a female, but I'm not a damn yuppie" did come out of my mouth this week....
- The closer you drive to St. Louis, the faster people drive, but they still aren't terrible drivers.
- When the speed limit says 60, and most people are driving 80, you speed.
- The Busch Stadium is DOWN TOWN...
- The arch isn't as big as the post cards make it seem.
- The Mississippi River smells like Brush Creek
- Italian Ice Cream is the best ice cream
- The Drury Inn in is pretty spectacular, never would have thought it was this nice
- Science teachers are not boring
- Having a hotel room to yourself is not nearly as fun as sharing
- The Old Spaghetti Factory is a great place!

That is all for now - very random - but nice for me to reflect on. Real Writing to come this week!