Year end reflections

When we come back to school, it will be 2012. Reflect on the quarter here at Tech Academy and year. Think of both your academic progress and personally how your year went.  What are your goals for the following year? Do you have any new years resolutions or goals for the upcoming year?

Saving holiday dollars

We all know the economy is bad and money is tight. How do you, your family, people in your circle save money during the holidays? What's your secret?

Also, If you won the lottery or even found $100 bill somewhere right before Christmas who would you spend it on and why?

Holidays

Everyone's holiday looks a little different. For example, as a young adult my family never celebrated Christmas.  This time of year is a regular time for my family, where the stores happen to be totally full of shoppers or completely closed on Christmas. It has changed little as an adult.

What is your holiday usually like? What is unique about the way they people around you (family, friends, guardians) celebrate Christmas or the holidays?

Be as descriptive but appropriate as possible.

Ms. L.

My Weekend

Reflect on your weekend. 

What went great?

What could you have done better?

What could have gone better?

Did you dare go to the store and be part of the chaos that comes with Christmas shopping.

Was there anything interesting that happened?

Guided Imagery

Guided Imagery is a technique where you use positive thoughts or visualizations to promote a positive outcome or vision of something.

So...if you think positive thoughts about something like a meeting with your P.O or outcome of a test, you can get positive results.

Another example is using guided imagery to help you visualize something. For example you want to draw an orange. You close your eyes and really visualized an orange, how it looked and tasted and felt in your hands, you can really see it.

Tell about a time when you used guided imagery to visualize something or get positive results.


Tell a story but keep it appropriate.

Your Most Recent Book

What is the last book or novel you read? If there are a few, pick one that you really liked. 

Pretend the person reading this knows nothing about the book.

Tell them in a two paragraph blog what it is about.

What did you like about it?

Do you recommend it to someone else? Why?

Lunch with a famous person

If you could have lunch with any famous person who would it be? 


What would you talk about with this person?


Why did you choose them?

Worst Thing You Ever Ate

If you were here yesterday, you got to see a mammoth sandwich made by Sandra that included every ingredient we had in the classroom. Our fellow classmate took a bite.

Was it the worst thing he's ever eaten?

What's the worst thing you have ever eaten?

Use imagery (details that help the reader imagine what you are writing about) and sensory details (what you feel, taste, smell, hear, see) to describe the worst food you've ever eaten.

Have fun with your writing but keep it class appropriate.

Your weekend

I know Monday's can be hard, especially when you've had a fabulous weekend. 

Write a summary of your weekend.

• Did you meet someone new?
• Did you catch up with an old friend?
• Did you do something you have been really wanting to do?

Keep it real but keep it clean!

The Best Gift Ever (keep it appropriate)

What is the best gift you ever received?
Give some details about the gift?
Who gave the gift to you?
What made it so special?

Sweatshops

We will continue to discuss China and our country's import of goods from there. One problem that arises from our importing of goods is the conditions the workers face who produce them.


Write a blog about what your understanding is of "sweatshops." What countries can you find them? What is their purpose? How do you think we benefit as a country?

A walk through your 'hood

Walk someone through your neighborhood who has never been there. Write an accurate description of your 'hood that gives someone a real sense of what it's like if they stepped out of your house and walked down the street or took the bus. 

Describe some of the sights, sounds and smells. What does it feel like? What is a great neighborhood place to eat where the food is amazing? What kind of food would you order when you go there and what does it taste like?

Let's see how detailed you can be. This post should be a minimum of  FIVE full sentences for the maximum 10 points. Your blogs are pretty awesome. KEEP it appropriate and keep it going.

Wrong First Impression

Write about a time when you made a wrong first impression about someone. Meaning, you made a judgement about them without getting to know them and realized later that it was not correct. Have you ever had a time when that person you misjudged ended up being cool or being a friend?

Tell a story but be appropriate, remember you are at school.

My Weekend

Write about your weekend.

What was good about it?

What could have been better?

Did something surprising happen?

Tell a story but keep it appropriate.

Morning Motivation

What motivates you to go to school in the morning?

Is it something you eat or drink?

Is is someone in your life?

Is it the alarm clock?

Is it so you don't have to stay after school to make up time if you're late?

Keep it appropriate!

My Role Model

Prompt #1

Who is your role model in your life? Who is the person that has the most POSITIVE influence on you? Why are they such an important factor in your life?


Prompt#2
What are your thoughts on the Interrupters? Can you relate the documentaries' topic of how violence that destroys neighborhoods to something that is going on in your neighborhood? Who would be "interrupters" in your neighborhood? What organizations (it's not necessarily going to be the police) do you know of that work to improve your neighborhood?

Here is the link to it if you want to watch it again.


http://interrupters.kartemquin.com/

Your favorite food using sensory details

Write a blog about your favorite food. Wait....don't just write what that food is, but use sensory details. Sensory details are touch/feel, smell, taste, see, hear when you eat that food.

So, if I was going to write about paletas de chile lolipops I can talk about the texture of the lolilop before all the chili dissolves, or the deep rich red color. It doesn't really have a smell but it has an intense flavor that goes from spicy to sweet.

BE CREATIVE.

Picture that Impacts you

Before you start...
Before you consider a picture that is not appropriate...
We check the blogs so keep it cool.

Your assignment today, find a picture on the internet that impacts you. Save it to your desktop then upload it using the "insert image" button. Tell why you chose this picture? How do you feel when you see it? Why did you choose this picture? Write at least SIX sentences.

Here is my image. I chose it because it symbolizes the strength and struggle of the Palestinian people and their fight for their rights and freedom in their own country. Their struggle has come at a huge cost, with thousands of Palestinians who have died over the 64 years fighting with Israel. The picture also represents the disadvantage the Palestinians also battle (the Palestinian is holding a rock, and the Israeli soldier is operating the tank).

http://electronicintifada.net/

November Break

Good Morning!

Reflect on your four-day break.
What was the best part about it?
What could have been better?
How did you feel during this event or participation in this event.

Tell a story...

Here are some potential topics:

• turkey 'til you burst
• shopping
• familia
• anti-turkey (in case you don't like it, did you have something else?)
• tamales
• what else you did with your well-needed break

Choice of gratitude

What is something you overcame in your life? What is a choice that made in your life that might have been difficult or hard in the moment, but when you look back you are thankful you made that decision? What was so significant or important about the choice you made?

Pet Peeves

What truly irks or bugs you? A pet peeve is something that truly annoys you. It is something that may bother you more than it would someone else. What is a pet peeve you have already developed as a young adult you are sure you will never let go of as you get older? What is it about your pet peeve that annoys you? Here is a partial list of pet peeves courtesy of getannoyed.com

Drivers who don't use a turn signal. 
People who read out loud what they're typing in an email or letter.
Kids who tease dogs through a fence.
People who drink directly out of the milk/orange juice containter.
Couples who sit on the same side of the booth when there is no one on the other side. 
Parents who bring their young kids to R rated films.
People that don't use coasters.
People who blame anything but themselves for THEIR failure.
People who sit next to you on public transportation even when there are other seats available.
Noisy eaters.
Students who prolong class by asking the most inane questions.
Women who wear jewelry that clinks and clacks and makes noise when they're at their desk or keyboard. When people take 20 napkins, use one, then throw them all away. 
Going through the drive thru, then having to go back when they screw your order up.
People walking around in ridiculous 'fashionable' shoes that are clearly hurting their feet.
Whenever anyone says "Ya, know what I'm sayin"...
Using speaker phones in public areas at work.
Roadmaps that aren't folded correctly.
Finding a shoe and not finding its mate next to it
Made up car names that are not even real words.
People who are mean to animals.
When a person makes a sucking noise with a straw when the cup becomes almost empty.
People with bad table manners.
People that snoop.
People who read the paper while driving. 
People that interrupt you when your telling a story and then they continue to tell you their story and then ask you in an uninterested tone to continue on with your story when they are finished talking. 
Drivers who won't turn right on red.
Vulgar talk at the dinner table. 

Your weekend/Your week

Prompt 1
What was the best/worst part about your weekend

Prompt 2
What is your experience with Black Friday.
What do you usually shop for?
What are your feelings on the massive advertising the week before versus what you really experience.
Find an interesting article you can link to your blog.

RESPECT...find out what it means - 11.18

What is Respect? What is your definition What are ways you give respect to people and what is a way to earn it? Think of your interaction with people in your life everyday and what role respect plays in your relationship.

KEEP IT Appropriate.

Writing prompts for 11.17

How can you get your message/blog across without cursing? Please keep it appropriate....

Prompt #1: What are acceptable table manners? What is unacceptable to you? What are the worst table manners you have ever seen? Find an interesting table manner from another country.


Prompt#2: What would be your ideal job? How does this feed into your passion for a career? What is the best/worst job you've held so far?


Prompt #3: The National Basketball League (NBA) and the Players Association (NBPA) are still having problems about how to split the profits made by the league. This dispute has caused the delay of the season which, players aren't getting paid what they usually do and they are heading overseas to play. What are your thoughts on this. Here is a link to a related story.http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AsqfifRYE.8r80AZBe28Dae8vLYF?slug=mc-spears_nba_lockout_overseas_players_111711

Occupy!

What are your thoughts on "Occupy Wall Street" protesters all over the country? Do you think that what the government is doing following the shootings and looting is fair? Do you think there are other ways people protesting can be more affective?

Copy and paste the LINK to an article that you read that influenced or backs your opinion and write why you chose it

You can also choose to write about your experience at a protest. What was it like? What do you remember?

Here is a link to support my thoughts (type in link or use the link button)

What are you thankful for

What are you thankful for and why?

If you could send a letter thanking someone from your past who would it be and why?
(think of an old teacher, adult figure, friend and why)

Our Competitive Human Nature

There is a big game today in San Diego. The Raiders, notorious for the overzealous fans have descended on San Diego to play the Chargers.  However with the former the Los Angeles Raiders fans that still reside here, it will not necessarily mean that that the Chargers have home-field advantage.

As these Raiders fans travel to support the "Silver & Black" comes that stigma that they are the rowdiest fans in the NFL. After the shooting and beating incidents that occurred during and after the game with the 49ers, the Raiders did little to refute the people who challenge them. As I watch the game with a mixed crowd of fans tonight, I hope it will be a healthy evening (not food-wise when watching the game) full of competition and smack talk. 

Fiery Words: Blog Prompts (Thank You Ms. Eddy)

Fiery Words: Blog Prompts (Thank You Ms. Eddy): 1. Pretend that you are talking to a blind man and have to describe for him what "red" is. You should use narrative and descriptive writing ...

Fiery Words: Motivation to blog

Fiery Words: I woke up with a bit of a headache this morning th...: I woke up with a bit of a headache this morning thinking about how can I get students at Tech Academy interested in BLOGS. I've been getting...

Blog Prompts (Thank You Ms. Eddy)

1. Pretend that you are talking to a blind man and have to describe for him what "red" is. You should use narrative and descriptive writing techniques, and try to appeal to his other senses! 

2. How does competition function in our society? To what extent is it healthy/unhealthy? Offer some real world examples taken from your life, community, culture, state, nation, or world. 

3. How have you taken something that you have learned in the classroom and integrated it into your nonacademic life? 

4. If you could go back in time and be someone in history, who would you choose to be? Why? 

5. If you had the responsibility to decide where $1 million should be spent to improve conditions somewhere in the world, what project(s) would you choose? Why? 

6. How have you tried to effect change in relation to an issue of personal, local, or national significance? 

7. If you could introduce one new idea or material thing to a primitive culture, what would it be? 

8. If you were to describe yourself using a quotation, what would that quotation be? After you have chosen a quote, then write a bit about how it relates to you and reveals what kind of person you are. 

9. Given the authority to establish a holiday, what would you choose to commemorate? Why? What would the celebration look like? 

10. What is the best advice you've ever received? Explain. 

11. Ask and answer the one important question that a university won't ask you, but you wish they would. 

12. Your life is a movie. Describe the first 15 minutes. 

13. Write a letter to your future college roommate introducing yourself and your background. 

14. Please describe your reactions/ideas to the following quote: "He does not possess wealth, it possesses him." 

15. What is the most valuable contribution you could make to a college campus? Explain. 

16. Explain a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dillema you have faced and its impact on you. 

17. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you. 

18. If you could choose two things to change about our high school campus, what would they be and why? 

19. Should school attendance be mandatory? In your answer, be sure to explore what the function of education is, and what our nation would look like if the masses were less educated. 

20. If you had the ability to talk to one species of animal, which animal would you choose to communicate with? Why? 

I woke up with a bit of a headache this morning thinking about how can I get students at Tech Academy interested in BLOGS. I've been getting comments like "I don't want to blog, I think it is stupid." Or, "What is the point of this, it's too much work."

Well, I thought, todays high school student is tomorrows future. They are our journalists and our storytellers. The students are the soldiers on the street and they have a great way of "telling us how it is" by being real. However their writing and thoughts don't travel beyond the class and sometimes beyond their brains. I realized this is a great way to reflect on and share thoughts that could otherwise get trapped and lost forever.