I'm Off to Nashville; Mr. Duncombe's Back!

First of all, I hope you all dazzle Mr. Duncombe with your work ethic and polite manners. I've scheduled in reading workshop for Thursday, so you'll have a chance to read at length and get into your new book, either Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry or The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. We have fewer of the Thunder books, and even though most of you have already checked one of them out from me, those of you who are left may not have a choice. Both books are great, really, but you may also find both of them at the library. They are easy to read, and you may choose to read both. Why not? After all, they count toward your goal of 100 pages a week.

That brings me to one of the questions on your blog, I think from Dubbie. Anyway, formal book responses are not required this quarter. You have the blog up and running, and it is a wonderful place to discuss and share opinions about the books you are reading. That's what it's for, but some of you worked ahead on artwork for a second quarter book response, and I think it would be great to upload it onto our blog. We can check out a digital camera from the library for this purpose. If you are interested, let me know. Please keep track of your reading, the titles, authors, and pages you've read. I'll pass out a form to help you with this when I return.

So...Thursday you'll be reading, and I hope it's helpful toward getting into your books. On Friday I signed us up to go to the lab, but I hear it's dissembled while new desktops are being installed. That's why the large mobile lab is still in our room. As you know, some of these computers don't work, although I had technicians up in the room Wednesday, and they were able to get most of them running. As it turns out, the Internet cable outlet behind my desktop computer is defective (We've had bad luck, haven't we?) and there is only one good Internet outlet instead of two - one for my desktop and one for the lab. Anyway, Mr. Duncombe can make sure that the long, black lab cable chord is plugged in, and you'll be ready to go. You have an assignment of exploring a list of sites I think you'll find interesting. Some of you may need to work in pairs, but everyone must keep track of your findings on an analysis sheet Mr. Duncombe will provide you with. Have fun!

I'll be thinking of you guys. I don't know that I'll be able to post on Friday, but now you've got a handle on the events coming up. I understand that Friday is the cutoff for the first grade check. Be sure you get your blog self assessments turned into the homework bin if you have not already. I wanted to include these on the grade check, but since so many of you were having trouble printing out your posts, I'll have to add them in next week. (Be sure that you staple a print out of the post you've chosen to evaluate behind your assessment.)

Be good. Some of you need to get a grip on the talking! Happy reading!