Daily Archives: April 26, 2016

4/26/2016

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Today, we read level 2, level 3, and level 4.

Remember that we watched videos about cars getting swept up in tornadoes, Scrooge McDuck, and even a clip of the tv show Hoarders (to show what people living in garbage looks like). I also threatened people with my mini-Cerberus! Three heads means he can bite people even more than a normal one-headed dog! Grrrr!

I will have a substitute on Thursday, so I’m cramming the information in today and tomorrow so that you can just have a quiet work day on Thursday with the sub.

As far as game play is concerned, during this research project, if you are working on the project, it won’t cost you any gold to listen to your headphones. Yes, I am a generous game mistress!

HELPFUL LINKS AND RESEARCH TIPS

Some helpful links:

  • A link that has been really helpful for me is TV Tropes. This is a webpage that takes devices, conventions, themes, or ideas that are used in pop culture.

First, go to the webpage and enter your search term in the top left hand corner. You will need to use BROAD terms, not specific.

tropes search

Then, you’ll get a few search result. Look at them and find the most general and broad one that fits your topic.

tropes results

When you get to the webpage, the examples will be further down the list. You’ll have options to choose from: television shows, real life, musicals, movies, comic books, manga/anime. MAKE SURE YOU DON’T PLAGIARIZE FROM THIS RESOURCE.

  • If you need to look up a character’s name (from a movie or tv show), look up the show in Wikipedia since you are blocked from IMDB.
  • Some search terms that might help you:
    • example of…
    • modern day…
    • cartoon character who are…
    • list of…
    • celebrities who are…
    • Choosing good search terms is essential when researching online. If you choose something that is too specific or too broad, you won’t find what you are looking for. If you are stuck, try changing your search terms. For example, you won’t find examples of “virtuous pagan” (It’ll just send you to summaries of Limbo), but if you good “good pre-Christian”, list of pre-Christians”, or even “cartoon characters who are cavement.”
  • 2013 Films, 2012 Films, 2011 Films, 2010 films, 2009 films, (you can search for any year by replacing the year you WANT in the link), list of Disney movies, or a list of cartoons.

I am going to repeat these helpful hints each day for the rest of this week. I hope that at least one person finds them useful.

Make Up Schedule May 2016

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At this time, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has granted only three waiver days due to last week’s flooding. Since the district missed five days, this will mean that two days must be made up. The plan for making up these two days, subject to Board approval on Thursday, April 28, 2016, is as follows:

  • Friday, June 3, will be a student instructional day;
  • Beginning Monday, May 2, the school day will be extended by 18 instructional minutes, five minutes before school and 13 minutes after school.

If TEA approves the two days, this schedule will be null and void.

Vistas Schedule starting on Monday, May 2nd

Vistas start time: 7:35

Vistas Dismissal   1:58  (1:53 for KO students Mon/Wed)

4/25/2016

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I am SO glad to see everyone today. Gladis, I missed you. I wanted to see your blonde hair! I hope everyone stayed safe and dry over the last week. We have a tentative make up schedule starting next week.

Welcome to Hell! Well, not really, But we are working with Dante’s Inferno this week and next week. This will take us the next two weeks and we will be doing a major grade called the Minos Project along with it. We are using The Virtual Tour of Hell, so we aren’t reading the poem directly.

As we read, we are answering the reading guide questions. Please do this, because this will help keep you from plagiarizing from the website when you do the Minos Project.

We talked about how Dante’s was an “old-school” Catholic, and that this story is his own design. It’s an allegory,  so this story is meant to be symbolic – a scared straight story to get people to act how Dante thinks they should act.

If you missed today, make sure you read the Dark Wood of Error, and Limbo and get those questions. If you still don’t understand what is going on, talk to me after class and I’ll get you straightened out. :) You also need to get the template for the Minos Project.

We also talked about The Minos Project today. Do a little bit each day – do not try to get this entire thing done in two days – it won’t happen. Make sure that you use the template that I provided for you in Google Drive. It’s there for a reason!

Make sure you don’t plagiarize. You won’t be able to pass if you copy from the webpage. Look at the student examples for assistance.

Remember – if you need help finding a person for a certain level, don’t be afraid to ask me for a person. If I give you a person, and you USE that person, it will only deduct (two) points off of your final grade of 150 points. Even if I were to give you every single person to use, you could still pass the assignment!

Try to think of creative examples that no one else is using!

MINOS PROJECT

The directions, examples, and a template are in Blackboard. This will be due on May 6th.

HELPFUL LINKS AND RESEARCH TIPS

Some helpful links:

  • A link that has been really helpful for me is TV Tropes. This is a webpage that takes devices, conventions, themes, or ideas that are used in pop culture.

First, go to the webpage and enter your search term in the top left hand corner. You will need to use BROAD terms, not specific.

tropes search

Then, you’ll get a few search result. Look at them and find the most general and broad one that fits your topic.

tropes results

When you get to the webpage, the examples will be further down the list. You’ll have options to choose from: television shows, real life, musicals, movies, comic books, manga/anime. MAKE SURE YOU DON’T PLAGIARIZE FROM THIS RESOURCE.

  • If you need to look up a character’s name (from a movie or tv show), look up the show in Wikipedia since you are blocked from IMDB.
  • Some search terms that might help you:
    • example of…
    • modern day…
    • cartoon character who are…
    • list of…
    • celebrities who are…
    • Choosing good search terms is essential when researching online. If you choose something that is too specific or too broad, you won’t find what you are looking for. If you are stuck, try changing your search terms. For example, you won’t find examples of “virtuous pagan” (It’ll just send you to summaries of Limbo), but if you good “good pre-Christian”, list of pre-Christians”, or even “cartoon characters who are cavement.”
  • 2013 Films, 2012 Films, 2011 Films, 2010 films, 2009 films, (you can search for any year by replacing the year you WANT in the link), list of Disney movies, or a list of cartoons.

I am going to repeat these helpful hints each day for the rest of this week. I hope that at least one person finds them useful.