It is Friday and we can all use a good laugh or two. . .
If you have ever driven an automobile, you may have heard of this awesome protection plan; the "Trunk Monkey". What is a trunk monkey, you ask? Well it's pretty self explanatory. This great piece of equipment is used for almost everything from theft protection to keeping your daughter safe on dates, and possibly getting out of tickets!
Now that you have a basic idea of what this is, I want you to come up with your own protection system for your car, home, life, etc. What would you call it? And most importantly, how would it work?
You have heard many things about words. Some of these sayings might be as simple as "words have meaning" and "your words become you." Here is a bit of a more complex thought: "Change your words and you change your world."
Take a look at how powerful changed words can be.
What did you think of the video? Do you believe that your words really can change your world? What kind of effect would the new sign have had on you? When you compose your reply, try to imagine that you are the man sitting there looking for help. Would the changed words meaning have an impact on his life? (3-5 Sentences)
As you may know, I am a fan of Beyonce and her music. She is hugely talented and genuinely seems like a decent person, one of those people you like to have as a friend. She is also noted as one of the most charitable celebrities in America. So, what's not to like about her?
Beyonce, however is involved in a bit of controversy with NASA over the use of a clip from the 1986 space shuttle Challenger disaster in her most recent hit "XO." Listen to her song and watch the video clip from the Challenger disaster .
In late January 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At seventy three seconds into the flight it exploded killing all seven crew members, including America's first teacher in space; Christa McAuliffe. The Space Shuttle program was relatively new and the launches were covered live on CNN and other networks. So not only did the people at the launch witness the disaster, millions watching it on TV saw it also. One of those was your teacher, a young Navy Lieutenant who would be deploying on a ship later that afternoon looking for and retrieving parts and pieces of the shuttle from the Atlantic Ocean.
Your assignment after watching the videos and reading the links is this: Is Beyonce insensitive to include this short clip in her song? Is her apology enough? Do you agree with those who say she should pull the song out of respect for the memory of the Challenger astronaut's families? Remember to proofread!
It seems that holiday music is everywhere these days. You hear it on the radio, in the malls, on television and sometimes, even in my classroom! Some local radio stations are playing nothing but holiday music.
Maybe you have a favorite artist of group that makes holiday music. Some artists like Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra produce mainly holiday music. Other artists (probably including your favorite) have done a holiday song or two. I have posted videos from three of my favorite songs. Take a look. Did you enjoy them? What is your favorite holiday music? Do you think it is over done or not done enough.
Who or what is your favorite Christmas/holiday artist or group? Do you have a favorite song? Let us know what it is! My favorite group is Trans-Siberian Orchestra and my all-time favorite song is "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John, with Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas" coming in a close second..
Kwanzaa begins the day after Christmas. Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, culture, and community. It lasts until January 1.
This celebration looks at seven principles that some have described as "the best of African thought and practice..."
Take a few minutes and peruse the official website of Kwanzaa. It has lots of great information and is quite interesting to read. There are many things you can learn about this celebration. I know the website is from 2012, but you can answer all my questions and do your research off this site.
Your assignment is to learn at least three facts about Kwanzaa. Put these facts in your post. This is an important celebration, so put some effort into this!
One of my goals as your teacher is to increase your awareness of the world around you. Take advantage of this opportunity.
Almost all the time the train wins in car vs train. I don't think that anyone reading this will disagree with me when I say that trying to get across the tracks before the train does is dangerous and not very smart. Unfortunately that is what happened to Untron Drew last week in Waverly. Check out the story on Wavy 10.
Mr. Drew is quite fortunate to be able to survive the crash.
Now for your assignment, After watching the two videos and reading the news article tell us your thoughts. Was Mr. Drew lucky? Would you try to beat the train across the crossing? Or, would you stop and let the train go through?
Maybe you have heard the song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." Sung by 10 year old Gayla Peevey in 1953, this novelty song was a big hit that year. You may have heard this song recently playing on one of the local radio stations that are playing Christmas music. For more information on this song, check the hyperlink.
A novelty song is one that is a comical or nonsensical song. It is designed to be funny and get you to smile or at least laugh. Did it have that effect on you? What do you think of the song? Do you want a hippo? Remember to give us at least three sentences. Enjoy your weekend.
Many thanks to Hunter Stephens for writing this. It was my idea but he helped.
