Swanson is Gone! “Oh good for you!”

June 14th, 2009 · No Comments

Hey guys. Don’t forget, even though that I’m not there I still expect the best from you. I may even poke my head in at some point with another post.

First, read this prompt and respond in a well developed response of around one typed page.

What with the Interwebs and 24-hour cable news channels, avoiding the headlines is, well, difficult. The nonstop coverage can be maddening—how to discern the truth from the truth-ish; discover the real story within the overblown over-analysis; and, at times, try not to lose your faith in humanity.

How do you get your news? How does the news influence your life? How do you keep the influence the news has on your lives in check?
Stolen from SoulPancake

Make sure when you save it, it is in both YOUR Portfolio folder in the U: drive and MY Inbox (swanssa) (in the Summer School Folder) on the I: drive (teachers on galibdci1)

The file needs to be named “Your name – news response” example “Jeff – news response”

Next: go to The Gazette to read an article about a Cheetah preserve. You need to open a new word document and fill out the information:

Headline
Byline (who wrote it)
What article is about?
Who its about?
Where it happened?
When it happened?
Why it is important enough to be in the newspaper?

Once again, save to YOUR Portfolio and MY inbox. File name: “Your Name – Article”

Finally: You will write your own article about the school. Mrs. Vatalaro will give you some ideas you could do, but feel free to come up with your own.

Decide what your article will be about.
Research the topic of your article.
Write your article using the template below.
First paragraph: In the first few sentences, answer these questions!
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
Grab the reader’s attention by using an opening sentence which is a question or something unexpected!
Now, give the details. It is always a good idea to include one or two quotes from people you interviewed. Write in the third person (he, she, it or they). Be objective. Use active verbs so the reader feels things are really happening!
Last paragraph: Round off your article. Try ending with a quote or a catchy phrase!
By-line: At the end, state who wrote the article; ‘By ….’.
Decide if appropriate illustrations/pictures are needed
Proof-read your article and edit where needed.
Spell check your article!

Stolen from Bedfordshire Libraries

Make sure you save your article once again to YOUR portfolio and MY inbox. File format “Your name – my article”

Click to continue reading “Swanson is Gone! “Oh good for you!””

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Good Morning Summer Schoolers

June 10th, 2009 · No Comments

Today’s Plan! We’re going to go out as a group and film the stuff that will take up a lot of staff time and require special access.

IF YOU ARE NOT DONE WRITING: You’ll be coming along with a piece of paper to finish.

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Thanks for a Great Year

May 29th, 2009 · No Comments

I tried to tell as many of you as I could during the yearbook signing, but thank you for a fantastic year.

You all are great and I look forward to seeing you all next year! Enjoy your summer. This blog will probably be pretty dormant, but if I run into something interesting I might post it.

See you in August.

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How To Save

May 20th, 2009 · No Comments

File format: Your Names – Disaster type – period

Example: Swanson Nigro McClain– wildfires – period 1

Make sure it’s in both your U: drive and my Inbox (swanssa)

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Project Guidelines

May 18th, 2009 · No Comments

Guide for Each Slide

Slide 1: Title: Colorado Disaster (be specific)
Name Date and Period

Slide 2: Picture and Detailed Disaster Information

Slide 3: Essential Question: How do disasters affect me, my family and the community?

Slide 4: Five Important Disaster Facts

Slide 5: Five More Important Disaster Facts

Slide 6: Disaster Pictures with Explanations

Slide 7: Five Important Pikes Peak Region Disaster Facts

Slide 8: Five More Important Pikes Peak Region Disaster Facts

Slide 9: Pikes Peak Disaster Pictures with Explanations

Slide 10: Preparedness: Get A Kit “What do you need to have to survive?”

Slide 11: Preparedness: Make A Plan “What do you need to do to survive?”

Slide 12: Preparedness: Be Informed “What do you need to know to survive?”

Slide 13: Additional Information

Slide 14: Conclusion

Slide 15: Bibliography

and the Rubric…

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Sequencing of Information	Information is organized in a clear, logical way. It is easy to anticipate the type of material that might be on the next card.	Most information is organized in a clear, logical way. One card or item of information seems out of place.	Some information is logically sequenced. An occassional card or item of information seems out of place.	There is no clear plan for the organization of information.
Background	Background does not detract from text or other graphics. Choice of background is consistent from card to card and is appropriate for the topic.	Background does not detract from text or other graphics. Choice of background is consistent from card to card.	Background does not detract from text or other graphics.	Background makes it difficult to see text or competes with other graphics on the page.
Cooperation	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively all of the time.	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively most of the time.	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively some of the time.	Group often is not effective in delegating tasks and/or sharing responsibility.
Content – Accuracy	All content throughout the presentation is accurate. There are no factual errors.	Most of the content is accurate but there is one piece of information that might be inaccurate.	The content is generally accurate, but one piece of information is clearly flawed or inaccurate.	Content is typically confusing or contains more than one factual error.
Originality	Presentation shows considerable originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in a unique and interesting way.	Presentation shows some originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in an interesting way.	Presentation shows an attempt at originality and inventiveness on 1-2 cards.	Presentation is a rehash of other people’s ideas and/or graphics and shows very little attempt at original thought.
Text – Font Choice & Formatting	Font formats (e.g., color, bold, italic) have been carefully planned to enhance readability and content.	Font formats have been carefully planned to enhance readability.	Font formating has been carefully planned to complement the content. It may be a little hard to read.	Font formatting makes it very difficult to read the material.
Save	Final Project is saved with the name in the format “Names – Period – Topic.ppt” format in your U: drive	Final Project is saved with the name in the format “Names – Period – Topic.ppt” format with one mistake in your U: drive	Final Project is saved with the name in the format “Names – Period – Topic.ppt” format with two or more mistakes in your U: drive	Final Project is NOT saved with the name in the format “Names – Period – Topic.ppt” format or NOT in your U: drive

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Newest Project

May 13th, 2009 · No Comments

We’ve started in our final unit, examining how disasters affect the individual. Each group of scholars will be preparing a presentation on how to uniquely prepare for each potential disaster of

thunderstorms/lightning
tornadoes
extreme cold/blizzards
landslides/avalanches
fires and wildfires

Should be interesting.

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Final Noteworthy News

May 8th, 2009 · 2 Comments

Today we are doing noteworthy news digitally. First thing you need to do, save the Noteworthy News digital worksheet to your U: drive in the format “your name-news-may8.doc”

You may edit only the gray fields on this document, but you should have enough room to fit everything in.

Next, READ the article, it is about Google harming the environment. OR You may choose (For five bonus points for Mr. Swanson anyway) President Obama reviewing NASA’s manned space program.

Then, fill out the worksheet. Make sure you save as you work. When you are finished, save it both in your U: drive and the teacher’s Inbox on the I: drive in the same format as above. IF YOU NEED HELP, JUST ASK!

Mr. A’s scholars: you may also need to print it.

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The Culture of the Inca Webquest

May 7th, 2009 · No Comments

The Culture of the Inca

The empire of the Inca existed for many centuries in Peru. Today the descendants of these people continue many aspects of the culture, including traditional language, stories, folk songs, dance, and farming practices.

Begin by looking at the photographs being projected.

Did you notice llamas in the pictures you looked at? The llama was the most important animal to the Inca, and is still important today. To find out why, go to the llamapedia and List at least 5 ways the Incas used llamas in your notebook. (if you’re desperate, check wikipedia as well)

The descendants of the Inca still live in Peru. Their language is still alive, it’s called Quechua. Go to the History and Geography of The Language page.

1.Where did the language begin? 2.How did it expand? 3. Why are there two seperate branches of the language?

Adapted from Scholastic

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