In closing last week’s blog entry, I wanted to include the voices of students’ trace fossil papers. On Friday, I asked students if they would volunteer their favorite line or concept from their paper to represent a voice from the intellectual battle to reach “the good, the true, and the beautiful.” Featured below are words from your children, my students, our sojourning and emerging scholars:
“I believe that my trace fossil represents a good blending of who I am in today’s culture and artistry that I value from the past.”
“We fight until our toes bleed… Show them the wisdom our people had.”
“It has a lot of scratches in it. My mom hates the scratches, but I think they show the good use and the past of that piano.”
“Running my hands along the side of the piece, I notice a feel akin to that of bunched fabric: there are layers of protruding convex areas that create hills and valleys and a rippled, rhythmic effect, altogether affecting the smooth, contoured craftsmanship and appearance as a whole.”
“In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice and now that advice has made me the happiest person in the world.”
“Music is an essential part of my culture. Drums enhance the ideas, emotions, and traditions that are being conveyed in music.”
“ The ocean waters still remember Phyllis and me, but now it is I who am trying to get back to where she was.”
“I was very excited because it was one of the coolest phones I’ve ever seen.”
“Memories can be good or bad, but no matter what, they are there.”
“Time stands still for no one, but my pictures- my memories- they do.”
“It likes like an ‘Ollivander’s’ for dancers with boxes of pointe shoes stacked everywhere.”
“ In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me an item, red and small, but it filled my tiny heart with joy.”
“My crocs mean so much to me- I cannot imagine life without them.”
“My culture needs my racquet. I need my culture. Everything is connected.”
“My dad bought it for me.”
“Today, it has a chipped coat of hot pink coloring and one nose grip.”
“The surface of it looks like dozens of children have roller skated across the surface, leaving scuff marks at their tracks.”
“It’s black, it’s about the size of two shoe boxes, and it’s mine.”
“It looks like an overcooked quarter pound hamburger.”
“When people look at my trace fossil, they usually smile… unless they are Duke fans.”
“I share a love/ hate relationship with my pointe shoes.”
“To the red country and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains came gently and they did not cut the scared earth. If it were only true- the day I got my trace fossil.”
“To be or not to be- that is the question and my answer is to be.”
“Once upon a time, and a very good time it was, I received a small red item of which is now very precious to me.”
“It was a moment of complete and unutterable fulfillment which could not be described in words.”
“Your culture is not only what country you are from or what your traditions are, but what you believe yourself to be.”
“A fear of my culture is the breakage that I know one day will come.”
“The music beaming from every speaker and everyone dancing, laughing, having a good time; as a child not knowing a thing, I could feel the melody of the music playing and the loud sound of the radio.”
“It’s as if Gabi is sill in the past, even when the world around him is battling the future.”
“One word: Scars. And I will never fix them.”
“As Toni Morrison says, ‘All water has perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.’ I feel like the water always has a memory of me.”
“Music is a world of its own, a temporary escape from reality, and a way to express and deal with problems.”
“This is the bud of the bud, the root of the root, the sky of the sky, of a tree called liked that holds the force of keeping us together.”
“October is the cruelest month.”
“It simply crashes like a plane without warning.”
“Music makes us feel like we can do anything.”
“But, THUD… RRRRRRROSSSSSCCCCRRRR… This sound I could live without.”
“It’s simple. Black, silver, and very shiny.”
“It saved me.”
“There it was- bright and shining; a white polar bear.”
“I love my cell phone culture.”
“My trace fossil is not just a trace fossil, but an elusive spyglass to the unknown.”
“Fading memory. It is a fading memory.”
“I play like it won’t be there anymore.”
“Do what you love and do it good no matter what.”
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”
“In 300 years, my trace fossil will be a piece of junk.”
“My iPod is my shrink.”
“As I change, my trace fossil changes with me.”
These lines are but a small sampling of the work presented in students’ trace fossil papers. There were wonderful and compelling lines, thoughts, clauses, and ideas presented in each students’ papers. It was an honor to read, and while extremely challenging to grade in a weekend, the papers turned out to be a success. We take another step on our journey with the Road to the American Revolution. I invite all stakeholders to examine the handouts for this unit by clicking the hyperlink, "Upcoming tasks and assessments/ handouts for 7-1 Social Studies with Mr. Kannan" on the top left hand pane. Students should expect an exam on Chapter 5 to be administered the week of October 13. The writing task for this chapter will commence soon thereafter.
“I believe that my trace fossil represents a good blending of who I am in today’s culture and artistry that I value from the past.”
“We fight until our toes bleed… Show them the wisdom our people had.”
“It has a lot of scratches in it. My mom hates the scratches, but I think they show the good use and the past of that piano.”
“Running my hands along the side of the piece, I notice a feel akin to that of bunched fabric: there are layers of protruding convex areas that create hills and valleys and a rippled, rhythmic effect, altogether affecting the smooth, contoured craftsmanship and appearance as a whole.”
“In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice and now that advice has made me the happiest person in the world.”
“Music is an essential part of my culture. Drums enhance the ideas, emotions, and traditions that are being conveyed in music.”
“ The ocean waters still remember Phyllis and me, but now it is I who am trying to get back to where she was.”
“I was very excited because it was one of the coolest phones I’ve ever seen.”
“Memories can be good or bad, but no matter what, they are there.”
“Time stands still for no one, but my pictures- my memories- they do.”
“It likes like an ‘Ollivander’s’ for dancers with boxes of pointe shoes stacked everywhere.”
“ In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me an item, red and small, but it filled my tiny heart with joy.”
“My crocs mean so much to me- I cannot imagine life without them.”
“My culture needs my racquet. I need my culture. Everything is connected.”
“My dad bought it for me.”
“Today, it has a chipped coat of hot pink coloring and one nose grip.”
“The surface of it looks like dozens of children have roller skated across the surface, leaving scuff marks at their tracks.”
“It’s black, it’s about the size of two shoe boxes, and it’s mine.”
“It looks like an overcooked quarter pound hamburger.”
“When people look at my trace fossil, they usually smile… unless they are Duke fans.”
“I share a love/ hate relationship with my pointe shoes.”
“To the red country and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains came gently and they did not cut the scared earth. If it were only true- the day I got my trace fossil.”
“To be or not to be- that is the question and my answer is to be.”
“Once upon a time, and a very good time it was, I received a small red item of which is now very precious to me.”
“It was a moment of complete and unutterable fulfillment which could not be described in words.”
“Your culture is not only what country you are from or what your traditions are, but what you believe yourself to be.”
“A fear of my culture is the breakage that I know one day will come.”
“The music beaming from every speaker and everyone dancing, laughing, having a good time; as a child not knowing a thing, I could feel the melody of the music playing and the loud sound of the radio.”
“It’s as if Gabi is sill in the past, even when the world around him is battling the future.”
“One word: Scars. And I will never fix them.”
“As Toni Morrison says, ‘All water has perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.’ I feel like the water always has a memory of me.”
“Music is a world of its own, a temporary escape from reality, and a way to express and deal with problems.”
“This is the bud of the bud, the root of the root, the sky of the sky, of a tree called liked that holds the force of keeping us together.”
“October is the cruelest month.”
“It simply crashes like a plane without warning.”
“Music makes us feel like we can do anything.”
“But, THUD… RRRRRRROSSSSSCCCCRRRR… This sound I could live without.”
“It’s simple. Black, silver, and very shiny.”
“It saved me.”
“There it was- bright and shining; a white polar bear.”
“I love my cell phone culture.”
“My trace fossil is not just a trace fossil, but an elusive spyglass to the unknown.”
“Fading memory. It is a fading memory.”
“I play like it won’t be there anymore.”
“Do what you love and do it good no matter what.”
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”
“In 300 years, my trace fossil will be a piece of junk.”
“My iPod is my shrink.”
“As I change, my trace fossil changes with me.”
These lines are but a small sampling of the work presented in students’ trace fossil papers. There were wonderful and compelling lines, thoughts, clauses, and ideas presented in each students’ papers. It was an honor to read, and while extremely challenging to grade in a weekend, the papers turned out to be a success. We take another step on our journey with the Road to the American Revolution. I invite all stakeholders to examine the handouts for this unit by clicking the hyperlink, "Upcoming tasks and assessments/ handouts for 7-1 Social Studies with Mr. Kannan" on the top left hand pane. Students should expect an exam on Chapter 5 to be administered the week of October 13. The writing task for this chapter will commence soon thereafter.
From trace fossils to Scholarly Sparknotes, to Concept Attainment and Polar Opposites, this will be an interesting unit with interesting challenges to all students.
Progress Reports in Language Arts and Social Studies were distributed out last Friday and the signed cover letters are due on Wednesday of this week. Midterm progress reports in all classes will be sent home with students on October 10. Finally, those students who will be having their Student- Led Portfolio Fall Conferences with me will be receiving written confirmations this week. My Conference List is posted under the "Upcoming tasks and assessments/ handouts for 7-1 Social Studies with Mr. Kannan" hyperlink. For those who wish to meet with me and have conferences with another team 7.1 teacher, you can examine which times I have open and contact me so that I can expect to see you.
Writing extensions, exams, authentic assessments- To quote the great football coach, “Is this fun or what?
All best and Happy hunting!
Mr. Kannan
Progress Reports in Language Arts and Social Studies were distributed out last Friday and the signed cover letters are due on Wednesday of this week. Midterm progress reports in all classes will be sent home with students on October 10. Finally, those students who will be having their Student- Led Portfolio Fall Conferences with me will be receiving written confirmations this week. My Conference List is posted under the "Upcoming tasks and assessments/ handouts for 7-1 Social Studies with Mr. Kannan" hyperlink. For those who wish to meet with me and have conferences with another team 7.1 teacher, you can examine which times I have open and contact me so that I can expect to see you.
Writing extensions, exams, authentic assessments- To quote the great football coach, “Is this fun or what?
All best and Happy hunting!
Mr. Kannan
1 comment:
OMG!!! That is so cool!!! Did we do this with the Don Quioxe! I wish I did the trace fossil thingy, I would probably do my favorite stuffed animal that Anna gave me. It's name is Kitty!!!!
-Patty
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