Create your own coat of arms

Hey Kids!

Here is a website where you can create your own coat of arms.  As we study the Middle Ages, we learn that symbols on the coat of arms stand for qualities that the knight is said to possess.

What symbolizes your best characteristics?   Check out this website and find out!

http://www.imaginon.org/fun/whippingboy/createacoatofarms.asp?themeid=2&activityid=8

Have fun!

Pretioles for everyone!

Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!  All citizens and friends of Hey, Kids!  Today we begin preparations in earnest for our Medieval Fair, an event to commence with great fanfare!  Let it be known throughout the land that from this day forward, until the 20th of November, the town crier will bring news of these days and times to all in the kingdom.

Today the subjects of our fair land enjoyed Pretioles, a treat introduced by monks in the early middle ages.  Baked in the shape of children with their arms crossed over their chests in prayer, pretioles, Latin for “little reward”, were given to children when they had learned a prayer.  The three holes in the middle represented the three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Our modern word pretzel comes from the Latin, pretiole.

What do you know about life in the Middle Ages?

Join us on our journey as we read Crispin and Beowulf, and as we prepare for our Medieval Fair.  Huzzah and Good Speed!

Top Ten Reasons We Love Blogging

Connecting with Mr. Miller’s class in California

10. Even when we are sick, we can see what’s happening in class.  ~Hannah

9. Our family and friends can see what we do in school.  ~Brooke

8. We can see slide shows of ourselves.    ~Mrs. Donofrio

7. It keeps us in touch with our class.  ~Kyle.

6. Blogging teaches us reading and writing skills.  ~Mallory

5. It helps with grammar and spelling skills.  ~Molly

4. We learn map skills.   ~Mrs. Donofrio

3. We’re learning through a new technology.  ~Mrs. Donofrio

2. We learn to set and work toward goals.  ~Mrs. Donofrio

And the number one reason we love blogging…..

1. We can interact with other classes and people.  We can learn about other places in the world and what they do.   ~Cogan and 83 % of the class

Although the above words are Cogan’s, her sentiments were shared by five sixths of the class.  Here’s what Kelsey said, “I like blogging because of how connecting it is.  I don’t ever think of it as an assignment but as fun!”

Blogging on “Hey, Kids!”

Clearly, the kids love connecting with other kids, and I do, too!  But I also love how we can work with writing skills through blogging.  In the past, we have practiced our writing exclusively with long assignments like essays and book reports.  Sometimes it is overwhelming to get so much feedback on our writing all at once.  Students only look at the grade, and place the paper into their binders, never to be seen again.  AAGH!  All that work offering suggestions for improvement gone to waste!  Blogging changes all that!  By writing shorter pieces we can FOCUS on our writing in a more precise way.  We have learned the importance of focus, organization, content, usage and style.  We see the importance of quality writing over quantity of writing.  

Today we learned that just because a piece is longer, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is stronger.  We learned that “gobbledy gook” whose only purpose is to fufill a word count or a paragraph requirement isn’t good writing.  Writing and reading comments on blogs helps us learn what makes good writing.

What do you like about blogging?

Which tools are stronger?