December

We just have to get through three weeks until vacation!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for?

What are you doing for the long weekend?

Happy Halloween

Doing anything for Halloween?

The Fall Blogs...

Is summer over? Say it ain't so! I was in the ocean on Sunday and it was chilly.
What are we all going to do when it gets cold?
Spend as much time outside as possible!

Continue Blog?

Well, I'm not sure I will be doing this blog with my classes...
I am only teaching math! (And word works.)

I'm not sure I can think of interesting topics for math....

I do like teaching math all day, though. It's fairly simple and straightforward.

Enjoy your schools!

- Mr. Byrd

First Day of School

I hope you all have a great first day of school.

I know it can be tough, but after a few days you'll get the hang of it for sure...
I have three new classes coming at me this Tuesday.

Good luck to everyone!

The Dogs Days of August

Hey, everyone! How is the summer treating you?

Summer is Here! Hello July!

The last day was tough for some of you. I hope you have a great summer.

I spent the last day at the beach, swimming in the ocean. I thought it was a great way to start the summer right.

What exciting things are you doing this July?
(I thnk I'm going to be working!)

You've Graduated!

How does it feel? How did you like the ceremony?

I am so glad it's over, but I hope you had a good time.

Mrs. Hazzard

It's time to send out your positive comments to Ms. Hazzard!
(She missed the circle of positivity)

Prom Night, Er, Afternoon

So...What do you think about the prom?

Sorry I didn't post this sooner! I just realized it is a very interesting topic (for all of you perhaps.)

Thoughts?

School Staff

Who are your favorite adults in the building? (not including teachers.)

Why?

Graduation

What will be the highlight of the graduation ceremony?

I am always very nervous about the ceremony going smoothly.

It is a very stressful time for teachers!

I hope you all have a great time! You have been a very special class to me.

(Ms. Shulman's class is included in that, of course.)

Father's Day

Father's Day is Sunday.

What is everyone doing that day?

PS161Q

The Internet connection has been weak at school,
so I had to post from home. Here's the next topic:


What will you miss most about PS161Q?

The Talent Show!

What was your favorite act and why?

School Jobs

If you worked in a school, what would your job be?

(Be specific, please!) Explain!

Summer Reading

Summer's coming!

I definitely set aside a few books for the beach or the pool.

I always need reading material for when I'm traveling. I hate sitting in an airport or train station just staring at people's shoes!

What books do you recommend?

The Heat is On

How do you keep cool on a hot day?

What activities do you enjoy?

What do you do if you can't partake in those activities?

BBQ

The school barbeque!

What did you like most?

Senior Trip

So? What are your thoughts about the Senior Trip?

What was your favorite part?
What was the funniest?

Share your thoughts about this special day!

Memoirs

We're in the final stretch of memoirs. Please try to have your best version completed so they can be handed in for a grade.
Try to have them typed and saved so you can edit them in class.
If you save them in googledocs, you can edit them in class without having a memory flash drive.
To put your memoir into googledocs:
Just go to docs.google.com - use your gmail account and paste or type in your memoir.
Then you can access it from any computer without saving it on a flash drive. You can also also "share" it with others. I would like to do this so we can edit each other's work on the computer!

Careers!

What do you want to be when you grow up? Why?
What will you need to do to get there?

What are your other choices?

Comic Strip!

Turn your memoir into a comic strip!
What were you missing?
Make sure you have all of the description you need to "paint the picture."
THEN:

Give us a few sentences of good description from your memoir!

What scares you?

People who vote but haven't examined any facts!
That is scary to me.

What scares you?
(Be careful - I did not ask
"What would scare you?")

Movie Posters!

Try to use
hugebiglabs.com to make your movie poster cover for your memoir.
Post the link to it here so we can see it.

What do you think about sixth grade?

What are your thoughts?
I am glad I teach sixth grade. This is because the students are older and they are capable of a lot of things!
What do you think?

I Love Long Weekends!

What are you doing this weekend?
I am going to the beach!
It is the first weekend of the season!

What's So Funny?

What are the funniest moments you remember from sixth grade? Fifth grade?
Fourth?

Favorite TV Shows

What are your favorite TV shows?
Why>?

D'oh!

To which Simpsons character do you most relate?

I think I have (or have had) shared traits with all of them...
What about you? Tell us why!

TV Show

If you could write a TV show, what kind would it be?
What would you call it?
What would be the main premise?

Kindness

Tell about an act of kindness that affected you. What happened? How did it make you feel?

Back to...?

If you could repeat any age? What would it be? Why?

Time Travel

Write about a trip that you could take back in time to meet one famous person.
Who would it be?
What would happen?

Wishy Washy

If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

Stranded!

If you had to spend a year on a desert island with one person, who would it be? Why?

Reflection

Try these prompts when creating a memoir!

I remember when…


It made me feel…
I think that…
I learned that…

Do this for as many memories as possible!

Happy Mother's Day

What do you plan to do for Mother's Day?
What are your favorite memories of your mother or other family members?

It's in the Details!

Your memoir should take the reader to those moments in time.
How can you do that if you don't give us details!

Try using the five senses to bring the memory back to the present!
What sounds, smells, and other senses can you tell us about?

Leads and Endings

A good memoir has a good lead!
Think of how your memoir should start and write your first sentences here!

Then think of the last sentence. Share it with us!

Have You Changed?

One way to think about ideas for a memoir is to think about your own character traits.
How have you changed?
Now think about a memory or memories that have caused this change.

Podcasting!

We can publish your podcasts here!

1. Register for free at www.gcast.com
2. Create a short audio file and upload it to gcast.com
You can call your file in by phone!
3. Then post the link to your file here. (My link is at the bottom of this post.)

If you want to create an audio file on your computer, you will need a
microphone.
If you need recording software,
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ provides free recording software.

You will then have to download the free MP3 encoder.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&i=lame-mp3

Here's the link to my podcast:
http://www.gcast.com/u/dbyrd2/main

Memories That Made You

Describe a memory and explain how it made you what you are today (in some way).
Did you think differently back then? How so?
How did that time change you? Add to your life?

When I look back at pictures, I remember how I used to be - and how I've changed since those pictures...

That's one technique

MMMMMemoirs!

Look back in your writer's notebook.
Mark off interesting or important memories.
What small moments reveal something about you?
Were there any "teaching moments?"

We Are Family

List each person in your family. Write one positive thing you like about each one.

Dream On!

Write about a dream or goal you have for yourself.

Promises, promises...

How important are promises to you?

We Missed Earth Day

What is your responsibility in keeping the earth clean, healthy, and safe?

Vacation Time

What are you doing with yourself?
Enjoy!
Relax!
Take a good book with you on your travels...
If you like to write, don't forget that pad and pencil!

New posts will be arriving in bunches from time to time...

What Excites You?

Describe what makes you happy, excited, thrilled, etc.?

Post your feelings!

Pet Peeves

Here's an interesting topic: Pet Peeves...

What little things irritate you?

Here's one of mine: shredded lettuce!

Who's Special?

Who is special to you?
Why? Submit a poem or even just some thoughts...

It's Rhyme Time!

Can you think of two lines that rhyme?
Can you make a poem that makes sense and has rhythm?

on the weekend
flying high
to the beach
to see the sky

no clouds today
the waves are white
I'll dream of this day
when I get home tonight

Remember - use sounds that are easy to rhyme!
use the alphabet plus: br, bl, cr, chr, dr, fr, fl, gr, etc.
Try to use more that one syllable...

A Special Place

Imagine a perfect place or a place where you can escape your troubles and worries!
Use the five senses to describe it! Post a poem or just some thoughts about it!

Here is a poem I wrote after imaging a place:

Hiding Place

In a bubble on the bottom
of the smooth floor
of the salty sea

the currents caress the hairs on the back
of my neck, diving and swirling against my skin

tiny capsules of air dance euphorically
rising beyond my view
toward the light

I can float to the surface
as the light gets brighter
and I break through
to the scent of mangoes

I am home

Misty, Water-Colored Memories at PS161Q

What are your favorite memories of class this year (or before)?

Which moments would you like to forget?

(Christine R.'s idea)

Feelings, Nothing More Than Feelings

Poetry is a great way to get out your feelings.
Think about a time when you experienced some emotion.
How did you feel?

How does it feel when you're anticipating a party or vacation?
How does it feel when you accomplish a goal?
How does it feel when someone insults you?

Insult by Mr. Byrd

An insult is a swift slap
burning my cheeks as my head hangs low
shoulders hunched
doubting myself

Why can't I let it go?
an insult is a sharpened arrow
straight to my heart,
straight to my thoughts
and it's nagging me again

An insult pounces
and I am thrown down
waiting for the strength to stand

I hear a call -
a dependable friend of mine
I bet that insult will soon
drift off like a blue balloon escaping from a child's hand

Share your feelings and good times, bad times, etc.!

Adjectives: Happy Versus Joyous

Here is a challenge:

Let's share adjectives that we could put into our poems.
Keep in mind:
Each adjective should be new and interesting.
Each adjective should fit smoothly into the poem when read aloud.

Good luck!
Here's one from me:
malicious

The malicious night took over the sunset

More With Metaphors

I saw some great metaphors on the other post!
Keep it up!
Remember, metaphors compare two things. Try this format:

Now fill in the blanks! Here's an example:

Joy is a
sleek surfboard
riding on white-capped waves,
balancing beautifully between the ocean floor and sky

See what I mean? I could now keep going with my metaphor, or I could find new ones for joy. Try it out!

**Did you notice the alliteration?
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alliteration

Join Our Blog

Check out comments to each entry!
I have posted a picture of a place that inspires me.
Can you guess where it is?

Similes, Metaphors, Imagery, Oh My!

Write down your best metaphor, simile, etc....

Here's one of mine:

The tiger pounced as quickly as an arrow
towards the unsuspecting rabbit
waiting like the deserts waits for the rain

Welcome to Blogging!

Why should we use blogging as a class?
What skills do you think you will use when blogging?

Advertisement for a Friend

What qualities do you look for in a friend?

I think it's important for a friend to be supportive.
When I want to do something different, I want my friends to say,
"It's worth a try!" or "Go for it!" I don't like people who scoff or discourage me in any way.

What do you look for in a friend?