Blog launch

Our blogs are beginning to take shape. We have learned how to add photos to our posts and a ClustrMap to our blog. Both are fun to see. In the weeks to come, we will clean up the sample information, write a new About page, read other student pages, and begin a system of responding to comments. We are striving to do our very best at all times.

What do you think makes a great blog?  What is your favorite blog?

Skyping success! Huzzah!

Winter morning    

Photo Credit: blmiers2 via Compfight cc

Thanks to a Saturday morning Skype visit with Oustanding Educator, Mrs. Jan Smith, at Huzzah! I was able to add this photo,with correct attribution, from Compfight to this post! This newfound knowledge will open up many doors for us as we navigate our way around our student blogs. We will be able to add photos from around the world to the repertoire of pictures we have taken ourselves. I am continuing to learn, and there is still a wide world of blogging out there yet to discover. Many, many thanks to Mrs. Smith for spending an hour and a half of her Saturday helping all of us at Hey, Kids!

Reaching our Goals, Top Ten, and Extra Credit

After blogging for five months, we have attained our second goal: at least one visitor from all 50 states.  Vermont was the last hold out.  We are so excited!  YAHOO!  Here are some other HIGHLIGHTS from our blogging adventures:

10. We had a blogging party to celebrate reaching our goal.  We set up the cafeteria like a movie theater with a concession stand.  We had a theater style popcorn maker, soda, candy and chips.  We watched a great movie, Facing the Giants.  (We give it 5 stars.)

Extra Credit: What was your favorite scene in the movie? Why did you like it?

9. Also, as of today, Hey, Kids! has: 3429 visitors from 97 countries.

8.  All 70 Kids have their own student blogs.

7. We’ve been consistently corresponding with the students and Mrs. Smith at Huzzah! and with Mrs. Krebs’ Class.

6. We’re getting ready for our first Family Blogging Month in February.

5. With the help of Hey, Kids! students and our blogging buddies at Huzzah!, Mrs. Donofrio gave a presentation about blogging at a conference at Disney World.

4. We are improving our writing and map skillsCheck out the photo of our push pin map.

3. Our Teddy blog has 210 visitors from 8 states and 8 countries.

2. PhotoPeach slideshows.

and our number one highlight:

1. After 20 years, Mrs. Chonody reconnected with her friend due to our blog!  See the comments in “A Diagram Race”.

Have you ever set and attained a goal?  Tell us about your goal and how, or if, you celebrated your accomplishment.

A Diagram Race

Middle school students divide into teams to diagram a sentence. After putting one line and one word on the board, they hand off the marker to someone else on their team. The first team to finish with a correctly diagrammed sentence wins. We write their time on the board and compare it to the teams of the other middle school grades. In this race, the 7th and 8th grades tied, diagramming their sentences in 1:37 (one minute and 37 seconds). The winners get Smarties candies!

Do you know how to diagram a sentence?

Time yourself.  How long does it take you to diagram the following sentence?  Correct answer will be given on Monday.

Mrs. Donofrio gave me the book, Elijah of Buxton, and I put it into my backpack.