Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

Next week, we will meeting Steven Layne, author of many children's and young adult books.  Learn more about him here.  Below is an "on the spot" interview from a couple of years ago with Dr. Layne discussing some of his books. 

After learning a little about Steven Layne, take a moment to think about what it means to be an author.  This week you have two choices:

1) Post 3 questions that you would like to ask Dr. Layne (or to any author for that matter)

or

2)  Answer 1 of the following questions:

• Is being an author a difficult or easy job?  Why?
• If you became an author, what lessons would you try to put into your books?
• Where do you think authors get their ideas for writing?

Posts are due by Friday, April 29.

The Power of Words

This week we are thinking about lessons learned from Mr. Peabody's Apples.  In the story, Tommy sees Mr. Peabody take an apple from Mr. Funkadeli's fruit market without paying for it.  Pretty soon the entire town believes that Mr. Peabody is a thief.  

Mr. Peabody asks Tommy to cut open a pillow and shake the feathers out.  Thousands of feathers cover the field, and Tommy is asked to collect them.  Realizing that he can not, Mr. Peabody says that each feather represents a person in Happville that now believe the rumor Tommy started. 

Look at the picture of the crumpled heart at the beginning of this post.  Even though we could flatten it out a little bit, it will never look as clean and crisp as it was when it was first cut.  When we don't think about the words we say, we begin crumple hearts around us. 

Think about the questions written below.  Choose two to answer in the comments.  Comments are due by Friday, April 22.

• What was the meaning of having Tommy cut open the pillow and letting the feathers fly?
• What should Tommy have done when he saw Mr. Peabody take the apple?  Why?
• How are words powerful?
• Can Tommy ever repair the damage? 
• After the feather scene, what would you do if you were Tommy?
• Has anything like this ever happened to you?

I Believe in You.

“I can do anything…
be anything …
create anything …
dream anything …
become anything …
because you believe in me."

- Dalton Sherman

As a 10 year old boy from Dallas, Texas, Dalton Sherman was asked to address a crowd of teachers before the beginning of the school year.  In his speech, he asks teachers to believe in their students.  Watch the video below a post your responses in the Comments.  Comments are due by Friday, April 8.

Next week, you will be facing the MAP test.  As you go into it, be ready for some tough stuff.  But, know this:  you are ready for it.  You have practiced.  You have grown. You are capable. And, I believe in you.