To Suspend or Not To Suspend...That is the Question

Today we had impassioned and enlightening conversations about the big question thus far in Nothing but the Truth: was it right for the school to suspend Phillip Malloy?

Embedded within this question are others regarding what truth is, where respect and individual rights meet, and how students and teachers interpret school rules and school communication. It was fascinating to hear your thoughts, and I look for ward to Monday when we'll use our class symbol of the iceberg and apply it specifically to the events of this novel.

We also did a Quick Write today about the relationship between truth and trust.

Over this weekend, be sure to read Chapters 15 and 16 in Nothing but the Truth, and we'll continue our conversation and do an iceberg activity on Monday.

Our word of the day for today is CONCEDE, which means to admit something is true or valid; to yield or surrender. An example of the word in a line is In any intense argument, compromise can start to be reached if each side concedes some points.

Have an awesome weekend!

Peace,

Mr. R

The Writing PROCESS

It was great to see all of you again after the weekend! Today, you all handed in your first big writing project of the year--your original short stories. As we discussed in class, these first drafts will come back to you with many comments, notes, and revision ideas, but without grades. The key in a first draft of any writing project is to get your ideas down. In the second draft, you will revise and rework your stories. Your second drafts--based on revisions and ideas for clarity and change--will be the first time you'll see a grade on the stories.

We also did a Quick Write based around the prompt, If you could live anywhere in the world for a week, where would you live and why?

You each completed a seven-second story using an object from the classroom and your imaginations. And our word of the day was exult, which means to rejoice.

Tomorrow, we have our fourth Vocabulary quiz, which will involve creativity and imagination. And keep reading your independent reading books! And the exciting news about our first whole-class novel is out! We will be reading the wonderfully powerful novel by Kathryn Erskine entitled The Absolute Value of Mike. Here's the photo of our lovely books waiting to reach your hands early next week!