The Hoggatteer Experience - THE HOGGATTEER REVOLUTION

Free the Pencils!

1/15/2015

Hoggatteers are continuing to use technology in our class. We started this week with a little different strategy for writing. Students went in a number of different directions when I gave them some freedom to choose their activities. Some chose to listen to music as inspiration to their writing. Others chose art or photographs to get them started. Still others started to create projects that may take a little longer to complete.

When time was up, and after working through recess, I asked students what they didn't like about writing in this way. Their only answer to this question was, "Stopping. We didn't like having to stop."

I hope their enthusiasm and focus grows from here. I've provided them a tremendous gift that may or may not continue in the coming weeks. They took it and ran with it, and I hope it doesn't wear on the with repetition. We won't do things this way every day, as I need to stop for instruction and practice, as well.

I also hope this will free me to talk individually with more students - to be able to give them some of my time and to be able to direct them in the specific areas in which they need my attention.

Math League: Competition Information

1/14/2015

Bolivar Math Contest Permission
File Size:	24 kb
File Type:	doc

All Math League members will travel to Bolivar for the first of our two competitions, on Saturday, January 31. Please refer to the notes I sent home with out super mathletes, Monday. I need to have the signed permission slip returned to me as soon as possible (also linked at left).

This week, we reviewed the various tests students will take at the contest. The following is from the mathleague.org website. What is the best strategy for each test?

Number Sense - This 10-minute test consists of 80 problems that are designed to be solved mentally. More information about Number Sense (including the scoring procedure and how answers must be presented) can be found here.
Sprint Round - This is a 40-minute multiple choice test consisting of thirty questions. Students may not use calculators on this test. 4 points are awarded for each correct answer and 1 point is subtracted for each incorrect answer, with no penalty for skipped questions.
Target Round - Four pairs of problems are administered, and students have 6 minutes to complete each pair. Answers must be fully simplified and, where appropriate, given in the format asked for in the question. Although measurement units are not required unless specified, any units written by the student as part of the answer must be correct for the problem to receive credit. Students may use any calculator allowed for use on the SAT. 10 points are awarded for each correct answer, with no penalty for skipped or incorrect answers.
Team Round - One to four team members work together for 20 minutes to answer ten questions. Answers must be fully simplified and, where appropriate, given in the format asked for in the question. Although measurement units are not required unless specified, any units written by the student as part of the answer must be correct for the problem to receive credit. Students may use any calculator allowed for use on the SAT. 10 points are awarded for each correct answer, with no penalty for skipped or incorrect answers.

Music Appreciation: Proud

1/13/2015

Students are often called upon to read "chorally".
That is, they read together simultaneously as a group.

Repeating this practice assists young readers with reading fluency -
the speed, accuracy, and inflection of oral reading.

Why not, since it's called "choral" reading anyway, actually read the chorus of a song?

Dull Nubs

1/12/2015

Last year, by this time we were still battling the rages of a snowy and icy season. In fact, we had already missed enough school days that we were discussing how the state "forgives" certain days after a certain number have been called off for weather issues.

Now, we have been back to the grind for a week, and have not missed any days for the weather yet. Our pencils are taking a beating. With Joplin Schools' emphasis on writing, this year, I am attempting to provide more opportunities for sustained writing time during our afternoons. For the sake of our pencils, some students and teachers are hoping for a few snow days peppered throughout the next month or two. Just look at those poor, abused pencils in the photograph here! Imagine Sarah McLachlan singing a sad, slow song in the background of your mind. With our combined efforts (and not pennies a day), we can bring about snow days and rescue these wood and graphite Number Twos!

Seriously, though, we are writing more and more in an effort to improve. There are many, many facets to good writing. Some people say it is something that must be learned, while others believe it is a natural talent. In reality, good writing must be the result of both of these. Hoggatteers are working hard to develop their inherent skills and learn new ones. One way to do this is to practice, practice, practice. May the sacrifice of a few pencils be for a good cause!

Site Update: Troubleshooting for Writing

1/11/2015

I have added a page to our website. Hopefully the page will help students with their informative writing. I know there are upgrades needed on the page, which bears the same title as this post, but the whole website is constantly in a state of revision. Head on over to this new troubleshooting page to familiarize yourself with its content.

You may always find this helpful page on our Writing page under the Exploration tab.

Book Review: Liar and Spy

1/10/2015

It's one of the more well-written books of this year's Mark Twain Award nominees. Readers will be confused by the title from the very beginning. Who is the liar? Who is the spy? And the answer will not come until the end of the story.

From the author's website:

When seventh grader Georges (the s is silent) moves into a Brooklyn apartment building, he meets Safer, a twelve-year-old coffee-drinking loner and self-appointed spy.

Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: how far is too far to go for your only friend?

Liar & Spy is an inspired, often-funny story about destiny, goofy brilliance, and courage. Like Stead's Newbery Medal-winning When You Reach Me, it will keep readers guessing until the end.

At times this book becomes more about bullying and teasing, and at times it's about choosing right from wrong. The bullying concept seemed a bit forced into an otherwise well-told tale.

This is also an example of an author who should have written a female main character (and it wouldn't have changed the story; with Stead's writing style, a girl would have made the character seem more real.

First Semester: With Honors

1/9/2015

I am thrilled to announce that 15 of the Hoggatteers have achieved either straight A's
or a combination of A's and B's on their second quarter report cards. Those results follow:

Straight A's

JAYLA
EMILY
MAYCEE
MICHAEL

ALEXIA
EMMA
NEVI

A's and B's

MAX
ADDISON
ANDREW
JACK

DANIELLE
KAYDEE
ETHAN
MORGAN

Contrasted with the first quarter, we see improvement in the grade cards: during the first quarter,
there were only 13 Hoggatteers on this list, with only two students with straight A's.
That being said, the third quarter stretch always seems to be the longest and the most difficult.

Report cards will be sent home with students, today (Friday).

Positive Behavior Conversation: Slap Her

1/8/2015

When do you do what someone tells you to do, and when do you refuse? Where do you draw the line?

Take three and a half minutes to watch this video:

Now for some questions:

How hard is it to compliment a stranger? Is it harder when the stranger is of the opposite sex?
What is the purpose of this video? Did the makers make their point?
What do you think about people who slap other people?
Are there different standards for slapping boys and slapping girls?
What's so hard about this message for some people?
What does being "a man" have to do with not hitting a girl?
Do you ever find yourself doing things just because someone told you to?

Spelling Bee Buzz

1/7/2015

We will soon find ourselves in the process of determining the top two spellers from each fourth and fifth grade classroom to compete in the school spelling bee. The winner of that bee will be eligible to compete in the regional spelling bee, help at Missouri Southern State University (MSSU), during Spring Break.

If you want to prepare, or help someone else prepare, the words are provided on the Joplin Globe's Newspaper in Education website. Please note, competitors at the regional level will be responsible for studying all grade level words (plus the lists of hard, harder, and hardest words).

MICHELLE, a student in my class a few years ago, qualified for and conquered the regional competition at MSSU. She is still featured in the photograph at the top of the Spelling Bee webpage. It's interesting to note that more than a couple of Hoggatteers have won the Cecil Floyd contest, beating out all other fourth graders as well as the fifth graders.

Book Review: Capture the Flag

1/6/2015

This is the first in the Silver Jaguar series of books by Kate Messner. Capture the Flag is a predictable, yet fun, story. It pretends to be a sort of National Treasure story for kids, but at times takes unbelievable routes into areas of the airport that seem to be less secure than they should.

From the author's website:

Anna, José, and Henry are complete strangers with more in common than they realize. Snowed in together at a chaotic Washington DC airport, they encounter a mysterious tattooed man, a flamboyant politician, and a rambunctious poodle named for an ancient king. Even stranger…news stations everywhere have announced that the famous flag that inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner” has been stolen! Anna, certain that the culprits must be snowed in, too, recruits Henry and José to help catch the thieves and bring them to justice.

But when accusations start flying, the kids soon realize there’s more than a national treasure at stake. And with unexpected enemies lurking at every corner, do Anna, José, and Henry have what it takes to solve the heist?

I did not believe the premise that a flag that large and that old would be so easy for someone to steal. This particular flag would be too brittle to fold in such a way, and it bothered me that someone cut off a piece.

As for the Silver Jaguar society, contrived solely for the purpose of linking the characters and their adult counterparts, it seems a little more coincidental that necessary. Still, you should enjoy reading this 2015 Mark Twain nominee.

First Semester: Multiplication Masters

1/5/2015

Eight students have set themselves apart from the rest of the Hoggatteers by becoming Multiplication Masters (making 100% scores on three timed 100-problem quizzes).

EMMA, NEVI, MAYCEE, DANIELLE, JAYLA, MICHAEL, MORGAN, BREYDON

I would love to see more names added to this list.

Watch Like a Reader: Lite Brite

1/4/2015

When we break apart the skills involved in reading comprehension, we are constantly amazed at how many skills there really are. We use the same skills when we watch TV shows, listen to music, and view advertisements.

They are everywhere: in magazines, in newspapers, on the radio, at the movie theater, and on television. It is important that we protect ourselves from marketing "tricks", which are intended to "hook" the viewers/readers/
listeners. Perhaps the product is cheaply made. Maybe it isn't as it appears. Is it worth the price? Is it something you need? Let's dive right in to a commercial and hone our reading skills along the way.

The commercial below is for a low-tech toy with lots of small parts - Lite Brite.

QUESTION
Who was Bozo the Clown?
How does one know where to put the pegs to form the desired picture?
Would this product appeal similarly to both boys and girls?

PREDICT
Different characters would be marketed for this type of product today.

INFER
With many little pegs, the parts of this toy may be easily lost.
There is any extra expense involved with the purchase of a light bulb (which is not included).
Small children could choke on the little pieces or burn themselves on the light in this toy.

CONNECT
Today, we make pictures using more advanced technology. How much has technology improved?

FEEL
This seems like nothing but a peg board with a light behind it - hardly innovative technology.
Once built, there was no way to save the images. Once the pegs are removed, one had to redo the whole picture to see it again.

EVALUATE
The song at the beginning of this commercial may have gotten stuck in one's head, making someone think of the product later, when the commercial is not playing. This is an effective advertising technique.
"Making images with light" may be a little misleading. The light shines through translucent pegs to make the image. The light by itself does not form the image.

For more information about these six reading skills, see Reading Like a Reader.

First Semester: 100% Homework

1/3/2015

Seventeen - count 'em - seventeen Hoggatteers have a 100% record
for returning homework for the entire first semester!

KAYDEE, JAYLA, DANIELLE, ESMERALDA, SARA, ALEXIA, NEVI, EMMA,
JACK, MICHAEL, BREYDON, ELI, ANDREW, JACOB, WILLIAM, BRODIE, ETHAN

This is probably a record of some sort.
What a super habit to develop!

Watch Like a Reader: Atari

1/2/2015

When we break apart the skills involved in reading comprehension, we are constantly amazed at how many skills there really are. We use the same skills when we watch TV shows, listen to music, and view advertisements.

They are everywhere: in magazines, in newspapers, on the radio, at the movie theater, and on television. It is important that we protect ourselves from marketing "tricks", which are intended to "hook" the viewers/readers/
listeners. Perhaps the product is cheaply made. Maybe it isn't as it appears. Is it worth the price? Is it something you need? Let's dive right in to a commercial and hone our reading skills along the way.

The commercial below is for the first video game system that really got things started - Atari.

QUESTION
Who are the actors in this commercial?
How much did these game systems cost?
How much are these systems worth today?
How many of these systems were sold?
Were these game systems fun to play?

PREDICT
Video games will become more realistic and involve more interactive in the future.

INFER
This was one of the first systems that worked on a TV at home. Where were video games played before this?

CONNECT
Technology, graphics, and interactions have improved greatly since this product was popular.
The baseball player in this advertisement is still being punished for unsavory activity within the sport - well after this advertisement was produced.

FEEL
I wish today's games were less violent. This may show a decline of our civilization since the more innocent themes of the original video game systems.

EVALUATE
This commercial is primitive by today's standards.
Using known stars of the day date the commercial.

For more information about these six reading skills, see Reading Like a Reader.

Resolute Thoughts

1/1/2015

Three questions up front:

Just because everyone else is making resolutions, that doesn't mean I have to (If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you follow them?).
Who said I can only attempt to improve yourself on January 1 every year?
Is there a rule that says I can't make more than one resolution?

That being said, if you are one to make resolutions, consider the following:

Get my child to school on time every day.
Ask my child every day about his/her day.
Diligently read every note that is sent home from school.
Listen to my child read every day.
Read to my child every day.
Start and maintain a back-and-forth "journal" with my child.
Help my child with homework when necessary.
Ask my child to explain his/her homework when s/he does not need my help.
Get both sides of the story before advocating for my child.
Set a good example for my child, knowing s/he watches the same screens I do, sees the places I visit, listens to my speech and my tone, and notices how I treat my spouse, family, and friends.
Attend family events when they are offered at the school.

I don't make formal resolutions, but I think and pray about these things every day. These suggestions, and others, guide me in my very serious task of parenting (Of course, I have a number of similar thoughts concerning the children I teach.).

May the new year bring with it new desires to improve, learn from mistakes,
and of course wonder, explore, and discover!

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