Motivation Strategies in Literature and Life

Today, we had an awesome class in which we compared and contrasted the motivations strategies that we found in THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE by Kathryn Erskine and in a two-minute film clip from the movie RUDY.

We see, in our novel, that MIKE is trying with great diligence and persistence to get Poppy off his chair and active. In the film, we see the janitor try passionately to get Rudy NOT to quit the football team even though he has never played in an actual game.

We made a Venn Diagram and charted the similarities and differences that we found between the film and the novel, and then explored motivation in a bigger way--relating it even to our own lives.

Here is a snapshot of on of the compare/contrast diagrams from two classes today:

And here is the link to the RUDY film clip we watched, in case you were out OR you loved it so much that you want to watch it again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qoh3YkxuwVo

Our word of the day today was ASPIRE, which means: to work hard towards a certain goal; to dream; to hope for something.

For tonight, read Chs. 9 and 10 in MIKE (pp. 69-84).

Have an awesome evening!!

Peace,

Mr. R

Standing and Speaking to Create Synapses!

Today, you each stood on your chair--one at a time--and spoke your line using one of our perspicacious vocabulary words. The connection between moving our bodies and helping things stick in our brains is so important! And you each spoke with confidence, clarity, and boldness. I loved watching you say your lines aloud, and hearing your voices fill Room 340. Thank you.

After our standing and speaking study session, you took our vocabulary quiz, during which you explored connections to Mike and how Mike and Moo's relationship is going thus far in the novel.

For tonight, be sure to read Chapter 3 and put your best inferences into the web I passed out in class. Here is a picture of the web in case a zombie devoured yours on the way home, or in case an undaunted yet ferocious puppy attacked you and demanded your web, or in case Spiderman said he was all out and asked if he could borrow yours.

Our word for the day was ASPIRE, which means to work towards something high and great. I aspired to be an astronaut when I was five; when I was ten, I aspired to be a teacher. Now here I am, living my dream!

Our quote for the day was from poet Walt Whitman: "Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."

Have a fabulous evening!