I Survived... IT'S HERE!

Click HERE to grab your own copy!

The newest installment of the "I Survived" series by Lauren Tarshis was released on Aug. 30, 2016. The title, "I Survived the Eruption of Mt. St. Helens 1980" marks an exciting departure for the author. The protagonist is female! The first 14 books in the series feature a male main character.

I am reading aloud this newest story to both sixth and seventh grade. As I read we focus on important literary elements and compare/contrast the previous editions with this one. Since these books are historical fiction they lend themselves to researching the actual history and information presented in them. "I Survived the Eruption of Mt. St. Helens" has already led to science discussions of what is a volcano and how is this eruption like the one in Pompeii (a book our seventh graders read in 5th grade).

Here are a few links for more research.

The British Museum timeline of events for the Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

Computer simulated coverage of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

As the students and I discover more links I will post them for all to share and enjoy.

First Digital Assignment grs. 6 and 7

The year has begun! Let learning commence!

Many assignments this year will be technology related. Seventh graders are issued a laptop on which to do their school work while sixth graders will be utilizing brand new Chromebooks during the school day. These are housed in a special cart that can travel from classroom to classroom. Ms. Bloom and I will be sharing these computers between our classes.

The first digital assignment of the year is ready to go for both classes. Students are asked to answer one question pertaining to their summer reading assignment:

Padlet Question Gr. 6 Summer Reading Preference

It will be a few days before the sixth graders will be able to access the assignment on our new Chromebooks. I am hoping to begin by Sept. 2nd.

Padlet Question Gr. 7 Summer Reading Preference

Seventh graders have completed their first digital assignment. Some students may be tweaking their entries as they read and re-read them.

This particular website, Padlet, is a favorite of mine. Interactive and simple, it quickly engages students in technology use. Little to no experience is necessary to still be successful. Be on the lookout for MANY more Padlet assignments throughout the year.

2016-2017 Classroom Reveal