The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Reflection

Reading has always been a favorite past time for me. My mom would find me lying on the bed or the trampline outside devouring books. That is how I spent my summer vacations. Thinking back on those experiences, I could have become a much better reader and writer if I had participated in a book club of some sort. I encourage anyone that enjoys reading to experiment with weblogging as we have this past semester. It may take some adjustments in scheduling and cooperating with other members to stay on track. As adults, we would have been able to better use this communication vehicle better if we were reading a novel from Faulkner or Shakespeare. We could have created more thoughtful pieces and dialogue if there was more of a challenge. Faulkner has so much symbolism in his works. That's great for connecting and predicting.

All in all, I loved working with my group. They were sensitive, thought provoking, and diligent in their comments and postings. This book didn't provide too much influence in my teaching before, but now, I will use it whenever possible to link with Social Studies and all the other subject integration ideas I searched for on the Internet and those brought to the discussion on the weblog. Sharing helps me produce better ideas and build on existing work in progress.

Final presentation

I was so impressed with everybody's final project. Our group really came together and shared the responsibility of finishing this presentation. Sunni did the brochure, Stormy the powerpoint, Candice the bulletin boards and the pies while I made the storymap. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed working with these ladies. I liked how this project was kept openended so we could do with it what we wanted. My favorite project (other than our own of course) was when The Giver group reenacted the Ceremony of 12 for us, and by doing so taught us more about the book. Tom played a great Nazi while Joan looked right at home on the farm. If we loved dressing up and presenting our books this much, just think how great our students might feel when they get to own a project of this magnitude to themselves. I felt proud to present our Newbery book project but I feel even more proud that it is COMPLETED!

Weblog Possibilities - SM

This story allows for social studies, language arts, and weblogging to intergrate fairly easily.  Students can create timelines, and newsletters set in this era, and post it or thier links.

To intergrate math and weblog, student could pose problem solving questions to each other based upon the story.  Students can ask questions about time, using the age of Kit and the months discussed throughout the book.  The students can also find out the cost of living in that era and create a cost-of-living handout.  The students can pose money questions to each other online using this information.  For example, a student can write 'How much was the cost of flour using the cost-of-living conversion handout.'  It would be the other students role to comment with the answer.

-mera">digital camera <br/> http://www.digital-cameras-esite.info/ http://www.digital-cameras-esite.info/ digital cameras <br/> http://www.golf-e-course.info/ http://www.golf-e-course.info/ golf <br/> http://www.golf-clubs-e-course.info/ http://www.golf-clubs-e-course.info/ golf club <br/>...

Honor , thy Sister? - SM

In chapter 19, the reader catches a glimpse of how honorable Kit is.  She was willing to give up her life before she told the judge why she had written Prudence name on the board over and over.

This brought to mind the times when I had been asked to repeat what a friend or sister had told me in secrecy.  For instance, I remember when my sister had went to a party , instead of the movies.  She told me where she was going and asked me not to tell mom.  Well, my sister went an hour past curfew that night and my mom had started to wonder if anything had happened to her.  My mom asked me if I knew whether my sister was going anywhere else after the movies, and unsure of what to say I just shrugged my shoulders.  Happily to say, that nothing dastardly happened to my sister that night, except her punishment.  But, what if something had happened?  Should I have told my mom where my sister had went even though I would have been breaking my honor towards my sister?

Fat Question - Chpt 19 - SM

If you were living during this time period, would you have allowed yourself to be convicted of witchcraft without defending yourself when you have the means to do so?

Here's an Idiom for You-Chpt 6 - SM

In chapter 6, page 65 Kit felt her cheeks growing hot.

Cheeks growing hot is how we say someone blushes or becomes embarrased.

My cheeks grew hot after I stumbled on the sidewalk.

Can you think of a sentence to use this idiom.

 

The Good and Bad- Learning Reflection -SM

Weblogging allows for students to interact with others in a positive manner.  Using literacy as a brigde, the students are able to post their views and opinions for thier peers to comment.  I can see how multiple opportunities for learning can be included in just this one assignment.

I think weblogging is a good ideas as long as their is enough time to do the postings.  This is an activity that I would only require students to do in class.  Assigning this as homework can create several problems.  The first one is some students may not have access to Internet at home, so you run into a problem with having some students do the work and some who cannot.  Another problem I see with weblogging outside the class is that it can consume so much of the students time that they will get to a point where they do not want to read and post about the book.  Believe me, I was there!  Make the readings of the book appropriate for the reader.  Stretching the book out over two months is not a good idea if the only thing the students must do is read and post.  This becomes tidious and is look upon as a hassle.  Instead, allow students to do hands-on, creative activities.  Some of these activities can be found on this posting page.

This is what I think CN

I wasn't interested in beginning this novel at first, but then I began to read and love it. I would like to share it with every class that I have. It has a wonderful connection to Social Studies and the colonial America. This helps live the time and the frustration as an outsider. Discussing this with others that are reading it too has help me see other view points of the words, passages, connections, and how to implement this novel.
I do more structure in making my entries. Maybe if by every Tuesday one posting had to be made I would do it. I tried to create a schedule for myself but it didn't work without the group doing the same also. Although, I must say that I have seen some great postings and comments.

Wouldn't like to have seen her face?

One page 221, the scene is when Prudence read from the Bible for Dr. Buckley at Kit's hearing. Goodwife Cruff is denying that the child could read and it is withchraft. Then, Mr. Cruff speaks up and tells her to hold her tongue! I was so happy at that moment. Now maybe the litlle girl will be cared for and educated.

What did you say? CN

Page 164, last paragraph. "The three ringleaders are cooling their heels now in his shed, and on lecture day they will sit for all to see in the town stocks."

Cooling their heels refers to the quick pace movement of the feet. They are now still, therefore cooling.

While the business was slow during the hours of 2 to 4, we cooled our heels until the dinner rush began at 5.