Is it Right?

On page 180 of Hoot, Roy was feeling sad and angry about the Mother Paula's situation, and the fact that they had the 'proper permits' to bulldoze the home of the burrowing owls. He thinks to himself, "Just because something was legal didn't automatically make it right."

Think about Roy's statement and write a response to it: Do you agree with this statement? Can you think of examples in history where this statement has been proven true? Are there issues today where you think this statement is true? When blogging your response, be thoughtful about your beliefs and use examples for your evidence.

Brain or Heart

"Sometimes you're going to be faced with situations where the line isn't clear between what's right and what's wrong. Your heart will tell you do one thing, and your brain will tell you to do something different. In the end, all that's left is to look at both sides and go with your best judgement."(160)

Roy's mother gives him this advice after she learns about the situation of the burrowing owls. Think about a time you had a problem and your heart told you one thing while your head told you another. Describe how you solved your conflict.

Your introduction should be a description of your problem. Your first paragraph should be a description of what your brain told you to do and the analysis of this (why would listening to your brain be a good choice). The next paragraph should describe what your heart told you to do, and the analysis of this side (why you felt this would be a better choice). Finally, your last paragraph should describe how you finally solved the problem and what the outcome was (How did this choice work out for you?)

The Power of Persistence

Roy is a persistent young man; that is, he wants to find out the mystery behind the barefoot boy, and he stands up to bullies and stays brave against electrical storms to do so. Thanks to his determination, in Chapter 7 he finds out more about Mullet Fingers than he ever imagined.

Think about a time that you showed the power of persistence. Perhaps you kept practicing a skill like basketball or singing until you were finally proficient. Maybe you believed in something strongly--like rescuing a homeless animal or riding your bike to the park--and you stood up for your cause until you were successful. Or perhaps, thanks to your persistent investigation, you solved a mystery of your own.

Using the graphic organizer you completed in class, blog about the time that you showed the power of persistence.

WELCOME BLOGGERS!!!

Welcome to ESL. This is just a beginning, but throughout the year our learning community will flourish as readers, writers, speakers, and communicators. This blog will help us to explore our thinking and growth as communicators. Have Fun!

Photo credit : http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/huron.mash/files/pencil.gif

So Much Depends Upon...

Hi Class. For your first post, I want you to post your poems and a picture that follow the same format as William Carlos Williams' The Red Wheelbarrow:

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.