our spring program rehearsals continue. it's nice seeing a show shape up from behind the curtain. ain't always pretty, but always interesting.
we finished 'imposters' today. whatta book! the kids now can't wait to start the next book tomorrow.
here is a good example of our usual 'happy or sad' ending writing response:
Whoa - that's a lot to take in. At the end, there is so many things that are revealed, and set in the right place. It's like the whole time you've been reading with a veil over your eyes, and at the end - it's been taken off. I think it was a pretty happy ending. Scary, sad, and surprising at some parts, but happy in the end. It's happy that Luke, (Lee) gets to go outdoors, save four other shadow children, and do what he does best - farming. I hope at the end of the series, there is going to be a big difference in how third children are treated - death, torture to death? We shouldn't treat them that way! We have a problem here, and we need to fix it. The question is how?
in math we're continuing with adding fractions. the kids are doing great and most reported that they helped teach a parent so that's great.
in grammar the students were introduced to the dash which is clearly the anne heche of punctuation: over-used, over-appreciated, and should only be used in an emergency. the book definition says it "is used to show a sudden change in thought or direction." i personally - dogs are better than cats - don't understand the need for such changes in direction. i imagine the unabomber used a lot of dashes in his writings. there is however-arby's is a delicious meal-a use of the dash that i am agreeable to:
"the dash will obstensibly muffle your volume and flatten your tone, but used carefully, it can do more to make a point than any page and a half of italics." - lynne truss
He learned the arts of riding, fencing, gunnery,
And how to scale a fortress - or a nunnery.
Byron, Don Juan, 1818-20
have a fantastic evening,
mr. schwengel