Debate Score Guides Available

The debate score guides that students e-mailed to me are now available on the handouts page of the blog. Feel free to review them. I have also added two links to helpful citation websites for your upcoming essay. I will share more information about the persuasive essay on Monday.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
~Ms. Occean

"Don't Buy It!" -- An Extra Credit Opportunity

If you found the segment of class that focused on our critical study of the media interesting, here is an interactive way to continue your learning! Visit "Don't Buy It," an educational website by PBSkids.org. On this website, you will learn different ways advertisements, commercials, and television manipulates information and sends strategic messages to its audience i.e., consumers and viewers.

Browse through the website. Try some of the interactive quizzes. Then, write a one paragraph summary of something you found interesting during your search. Make certain the paragraph has a clear main idea --topic sentence. No "I statements" in the topic sentence please. No contractions either! Submit by Monday, June 6th, and you will receive up to 4 points!

Link: http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/entertainment/
Feel free to post comments of your thoughts about the website on the blog :-)

Open House Tonight - March 31st (6-8 pm)

Students bring your family to tonight's Open House at the school and show them the secret room book exhibit. There you will be able to explore and show the display of the many secret room books the entire seventh grade class created. More importantly, you may present and share your personal work to your biggest supporters -- your family. The books showcase the wonderful work students have done with poetry and artwork. Unfortunately I will be unable to attend the event due to some work I am doing in Washington D.C. with the Boston Writing Project. Parents feel free to e-mail me about any questions or concerns you may have about your child's performance in Writing class.

Best,
~Ms. Occean :-)