Current Event Talks

The second trimester has begun and along with the new trimester is the new format of current events. This week we began delivering the current events assignment in oral presentation form.

So...


* Share your experience about preparing or delivering the current event talk.
* Share your suggestions for delivering a good current event talk.
* Were you more/less nervous than you thought you would be?
* Did it go better/worse than you thought it would?
* Would you do anything different next time?

Those are just some suggestions for comments~ let's get some feedback!

Current Events: Struggles and Strategies

What problems are we experiencing when completing the Current Events Assignment? If you are struggling with the assignment post comments here and ask for help from fellow students. Is it selecting an article? Finding the key points? Or is it making a connection?

I want students to do two things in this posting- leave comments if they have struggles OR leave suggestions and strategies for those that are doing well on the assignment.

Current Events- Interesting topics??

Today, you handed in your third Current Events Assignment. This is going to be the first of two postings regarding current events. First, in this posting I want you to share some interesting headlines of stories that are going on around the world.

The articles you post are ones that you find interesting- they may or may not be appropriate to do a current event assignment on. I will let you know.

Write a short comment about something you read recently that other people may find interesting as well. If you know how to, create a link to the article that you are referring to…(copy and paste the website address to the comment- http://www…….)

Your comment should be in this format:

* Headline of the article
* A couple sentences about the article, or your opinion of the article
* The article’s web address (so other people can click on and read it)

Go Sox!!!

The World Series begins Wednesday night this week in Boston. If you are a New England sports fan- Patriots, Red Sox, or Celtics you are experiencing possibly the best time of the region’s sports history.

The Patriots are undefeated after their first seven games. The Red Sox are in the World Series for only their 11th time in history- but yet, twice in the last four years. And the Celtics have a powerhouse team that are predicted to do big things this year.

The Patriots have sold out every home game since 1994 and the Red Sox have the second longest streak of home sellouts, filling Fenway to capacity for the 388th consecutive time!

So many lessons can be learned through participating in sports, both as a player and a fan. I would like to hear stories about experiences that bring good memories to mind that are related to sports. What memories do you have or lessons you have learned because of sports?

Was it a great catch that you made in an important game?
Maybe, it was pending time with your grandfather by going to a PawSox game at McCoy Stadium?
Or, watching your sister compete at a dance competition.

Any and all memories, experiences, feelings, or lessons learned through sports are welcome!!

Let's get moving

I know that we have all been excited and preoccupied with the Patriots undefeated start and the Red Sox advancing to the American League Championship Series (not mention the Yankees being eliminated) but we need more participation in the upcoming team events.

The deadline for handing in tickets for the team breakfast at Applebee’s is fast approaching and if we do not have enough people coming then we may have to cancel it. Sell some or all eight of your tickets, return the unsold tickets and money to your homeroom teacher ASAP. Tickets are only $5 for a pancake breakfast!

IMAX field trip permission slip and money deadline is Wednesday 10/24. This is a firm deadline- if we don’t have a high enough percentage of students by then and we cannot cover the expenses of the trip that too will have to be cancelled. We currently only have 25 students who have handed it in. We also need 3 more parent chaperones to accompany us on the trip.

You wanted more “stuff” Panther team- now let’s get moving!

Temptation

This week we are beginning a look at Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey. The story is about the main character, Odysseus’s, journey back to his homeland of Ithaca, Greece. Along the way Odysseus encounters many situations that test his skills, values, and decision making abilities.

One such encounter was with the singing Sirens, sea goddesses whose voices were so beautiful that sailors would be drawn to them and then their boats would crash against the rocks and sink. Leading to the drowning death of everyone aboard.

Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation of the Sirens, Odysseus plugged his ears with melted wax so he wouldn’t be able to hear the Sirens’ singing voices.

Today’s Talker: We all have encountered situations where we have had to fight the temptation to do something that we shouldn’t or didn’t want to do.

If you fell victim to the temptation, why did this happen?

Or, if you resisted it, what strategies did you use to do so?

Big plans ahead!

Panther Students~

On Monday, we will have our team meeting and go over what's ahead for the week and review some of the key points of the survey. One of the big suggestions was more field trips and "fun" stuff.

Well, they are coming! We have 2 field trips booked before Christmas break and plans for two breakfasts in the morning (more details to come soon). And, as you know, we instituted activity period every other Thursday morning for a dodgeball competition.

Comments?? Ideas for other things??