Mr. Blount's Classroom

Mr. Blount is a National Board Certified Teacher!

2008-11-21T18:07:00.006-05:00

Last school year I applied for certification in Early Adolescence/English Language Arts with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. It was an intensive process requiring that I build four portfolios to document my ability to analyze student growth in reading and writing, facilitate small and whole group discussions, and document my educational and instructional accomplishments. Upon completion of the portfolios, I took a timed computerized essay test addressing the areas of literary analysis, universal themes, teaching reading, language study, analysis of writing, and teaching writing. The results were announced online today, and the above screen shot shows what I saw when I logged into my account. The congratulatory letter below provides additional details about this accomplishment.

I wish to thank all of my 2007-2008 Tomlin Middle School students and colleagues for supporting me in this endeavor and my parents Roland & Evelyn Blount for hosting my writing marathons on their living room floor. My eternal love and gratitude, however, goes to my two NBCTS mentors, Vickie Gunn and Tracy Stanley, without whose support and assistance I would not have been able to earn this honorable designation. Thanks, girls! You KNOW you pulled me through!

Focus Titles: Love That Dog & Hate That Cat

2008-11-03T06:48:00.010-05:00

Wooo Hooo! The sequel to Love That Dog, entitled Hate That Cat, was published last month. Nick, one of my students, found it online and shared the exciting news with our class. Of course I put the book on hold at the public library, read it aloud to my reading classes, lent it to a teacher friend, and went to Barnes & Noble to buy my own first edition.

Thanks, Nick!

In case you're wondering what all the hoopla is about, I'll tell you. Every year we read Love That Dog by Sharon Creech as an introduction to poetry. A couple of years ago I bought a class set of books from Scholastic Book Clubs so all of my students could share in the experience. Love That Dog is a short novel written in the form of a communication journal between Jack, a fourth-grader, and his teacher Miss Stretchberry. Jacks journal entries are written in free verse form and chronicle his awakening to reading and writing poetry. You can read the book straight through in less than an hour, including discussion time. I always begin by reading the poems used by Miss Stretchberry in the appendix at the back of the book. This way my students are familiar with the poems Jack mentions in his journal entries. My class especially enjoys the Robert Frost poems "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "The Pasture." Another popular poem is an excerpted stanza from the poem "Love That Boy" by Walter Dean Myers. The full poem is published in his book Brown Angels. Prolific young adult writer and poet Walter Dean Myers even makes a guest appearance in the story.

After reading Love That Dog, my students choose a poem from the appendix to memorize and perform for our class audience. Then we start writing poems of our own beginning with couplets, then quatrains, and free verse. Sharon Creech's web site is a great resource for readers and teachers alike. Interested teachers may want to download a free special teaching guide for Love That Dog and Hate That Cat.

Sharon Creech

http://www.sharoncreech.com/

Walter Dean Myers
http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/

The Best Kind of Gift

2008-10-06T07:22:00.010-04:00

Last Friday I celebrated my 50th birthday. The people I love and the people who love me back made it a wonderful day from beginning to end. During the preceding week I received some nice gifts from family members and friends, but on Friday I received several of my favorite gifts . . . gifts of writing.

The first written gift of the day was from my 7-year old nephew Nathan who lives in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and is a 2nd-grader at Montego Bay Christian Academy. He is the center of my world and I miss him so much. Several days before my birthday I received an envelope in the mail from Jamaica, and written on the seal were the words: Do not open until October 3rd. So I obeyed, and the envelope waited on my kitchen counter until I opened it Friday morning. Inside was a handmade card from Nathan. His words and the care he took with his beautiful cursive handwriting brought tears to my eyes.

Friday morning is breakfast day at Fred's Market Restaurant for Tomlin teachers. When I arrived several of my colleagues were already there, and they started singing "Happy Birthday" to me. Soon more teachers came in and joined in the celebration. When Dianne Stevens, Tomlin's technology teacher, arrived she walked right up to me and handed me a gift bag. Inside was one of those dragonfly ornaments that balance perfectly by the nose. As I took it out of the bag, Mrs. Stevens began to read aloud a poem she had written for me that morning while driving (not recommended, by the way) to breakfast .

Dragonfly

dainty
ferocious
aerial trick flyer
yet sits perfectly still

balanced
like us—

balance
work play
song silence
joy sorrow

Happy Dragonfly Birthday, Howard

—Dianne Stevens

I had no idea my friend and colleague was a wordsmith who could generate something so lovely and poetic and meaningful on the spur of the moment. Thanks, Dianne!

Later at school, Cindy Petersen, my teacher friend from down the hall along with some of her students filled my room with balloons and other decorations. It made for a festive feeling that lasted all day. Thanks Cindy!

A festive desk.

At Tomlin, our school day begins every morning with a closed-circuit television show. I was working at my desk when suddenly, I heard Mrs. Susan Williamson talking about me. When I looked at the TV screen, I saw she was sitting beside Krislyn, one of my precious language arts students. Krislyn began to read aloud a poem she had written for my birthday. As I listened to her sweet words, the tears began to flow again . . . .

Krislyn

50

Although he's 50, it's plain to see
His heart's as young as you and me

I've only known him a short 9 weeks
But he has your attention from the moment he speaks

Just like us you were once sitting in a class
Now the big 50 has caught you at last

It's oh so real, you're over the hill
But in your heart, you're as young as you feel

A teacher like no other, this is true
He brings out the very best in you.

Here's wishing you 50 more
To make the minds of more kids soar.

Happy birthday, Mr. Blount!

—Krislyn

For lunch, my unparalled colleague Mrs. Gunn prepared one of my favorite meals of Cuban mojo pork and for dessert a homemade carrot cake. Throughout the day my former students, both seventh and eighth-graders, found creative ways to stop by my classroom and wish me happy birthday. Several students gave me birthday cards, most of them homemade, my favorite kind! One of the cards contained a free-verse poem written by my student Eliza.

Eliza

A Poem to Mr. Blount

I've known you
Only for a short while,
But I still love you so.

You showed me that
Poetry is fun.
I love to write poems.
They make me happy.

And to you, my dear teacher,
have a happy, happy
birthday.

Love, Eliza

I don't think it was a coincidence that we started reading our newest focus title, Poetry Matters by Ralph Fletcher, this week. In the introduction to the book he tells a moving story about how as a young man he started giving gifts of writing, and how they touched the lives of the recipients. I am hoping that my students will learn that they don't need money to buy expensive gifts for special occasions. All they need to do to give the gift of writing is pick up a pencil and pour out their hearts on their papers.

As I look back over the past fifty years of my life, there are many times people have given me gifts of writing. One of those gifts was a poem my father wrote for my tenth birthday when he gave me my first watch. There are hundreds of cards in storage at my house where friends and family members have written personal, meaningful notes to me at special times. These gifts of writing are irreplaceable treasures to me.

Plate Tectonics with Mrs. Gunn

2008-09-30T07:01:00.004-04:00

Mrs. Gunn, my next-door colleague, is an amazing teacher. While my strength in teaching is lecture and discussion, Mrs. Gunn teaches primarily with collaborative groups and hands-on activities. Several times per week we co-teach geography with our homeroom students. One day last week I hosted Mrs. Gunn's class while they illustrated the water cycle in their interactive notebooks, and my students went to her classroom so she could teach them a hands-on lesson about plate tectonics using cake frosting and graham crackers. The best part of the lesson was that at the end they would get to eat their activities. Now that's a way to keep students attentive!

Mrs. Gunn teaches near Sean's table.

An edible activity. Yum!

Aaliyah and Anisha get in the mix.

Mrs. Gunn gave the students the following four definitions for their interactive notebooks:

plate tectonics - the theory that pieces of the earth move and change shapes

convergent boundary - when two plates collide

divergent boundary - when plates move away from each other

transform boundary - when plates slide past one another

Mrs. Gunn demonstrates a transform boundary at Shayla's table.

Michael enjoys eating his project.

Aaliyah and Shayla think it was a sweet lesson!

Thank you, Mrs. Gunn!

Focus Titles: Prairie Songs and My Daniel

2008-09-14T21:54:00.007-04:00

We have almost finished the first two focus titles of the year, both historical novels set on the Nebraska prairie, by children's author Pam Conrad.

The AM class has been reading Prairie Songs, a coming-of-age story about a young girl whose life is changed by the tragic life of a young doctor's wife from New York.

The PM class has been reading My Daniel, a heart-rending story told in flashbacks by a grandmother taking her two grandchildren through the Museum of Natural History in New York.

A third Pam Conrad book, Prairie Visions: The Life and Times of Solomon Butcher, is a related nonfiction title about a man who photographed the people who lived on the Nebraska prairie in the late 1800s. The book is a great visual for Pam Conrad's readers, giving us a peek back in time to see what prairie soddies and the pioneers who lived in them were like.

In addition to reading these great books, we have been studying Pam Conrad's writing craft, particularly the way she writes original similes and metaphors to create visuals in the reader's mind. We are learning how to recognize these figurative literary devices in writing and also how to use them in our own writing.

In Prairie Songs, Louisa, the main character, memorizes a poem by Tennyson to recite at the Fourth of July festivities. We are memorizing the poem, too.

The Eagle: A Fragment

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

There are a few surprises yet to come in our Pam Conrad prairie unit, but if I revealed them now it would spoil all the fun. So stay tuned and perhaps there will be a follow-up post.

Back to School 2008-2009

2008-08-18T00:00:00.001-04:00

On this, the first day of the 2008-09 school year, I want to extend a huge welcome to all of my incoming sixth-graders! Welcome to Tomlin Middle School, the Lion Team, and most of all Mr. Blount's classroom. It was great to meet many of you and your parents at orientation last Friday. I hope you are as excited about the new school year as I am. We will be doing lots of new things together this year, such as interactive notebooks and SpringBoard, but we will continue to immerse ourselves in the strong traditions of reading and writing literature as well. Get ready to write poetry, and essays, and read more books than you have ever read in your life!

Those of you who attended orientation already have a list of school supplies, and of course I will be sending a list home with all of you who need it in class. But in order to make it convenient for parents, I am posting our school supply list here as well.

Parents, in addition to basic school supplies, your child will need the following materials for this class:

• 1 spiral notebook: 5-subject, college-ruled, super-strong coil

(for reading/language arts)

• 1 spiral notebook: 1-subject, college-ruled, super-strong coil

(for Mr. Blount’s geography class only)

• wide-ruled notebook paper
• folder or small binder for storing notebook paper
• hand-held pencil sharpener with cover
• package or box of #2 pencils (mechanical pencils okay)
• package of red pencils or pens
• pen-size fluorescent highlighter
• set of colored pencils
• set of broad-line markers
• set of fine-line markers
• large solid glue stick
• 2” Post-It notes
• box of tissues (homeroom only)
• roll of paper towels (homeroom only)
• bag of hard candy such as Jolly Ranchers for rewards

You will need to purchase a rhyming dictionary through Scholastic Book Clubs in the near future as they become available (required).

Please do not purchase Trapper Keepers® or correction fluid for school use. These supplies do not lend themselves to our approach.

From time to time you may be asked to send additional materials from home for classroom activities. Your assistance and support of your child’s education is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 757-9400, ex. 306, or send me a note. You may also e-mail me at (roland.blount@sdhc.k12.fl.us).

Welcome to the Lion Pride!

Summer Reading: Elephant Run

2008-07-13T09:36:00.007-04:00

Chance AKA Fidelis, one of my wonderful former students, bought me Roland Smith's newest book, Elephant Run, at the Scholastic Book Fair last spring. I was completely taken by surprise with his gift because typically book purchases work the other way around. When I asked him why he would spend so much on a pricey hardcover, he told me he knew I liked Roland Smith, and he knew I would like this book. That made the gift of this book especially meaningful to me because I knew Fidelis had put some thought into it, and it showed how well he knew my literary tastes.

I wasn't able to start reading the book until this summer, but I am nearing the halfway point of Elephant Run, and Fidelis, you made a good investment with your gift. Not only is this book another great adventure novel, it is also historical and set in Southeast Asia during World War II. And I love historical fiction!

Thanks again, Fidelis!

Focus Titles: Peak and Stepping On the Cracks

2008-07-12T23:30:00.007-04:00

We had to have a major read-a-thon the last couple of days of school in order to finish our final two focus novels of the year, but we knocked them out. The AM class read Peak by Roland Smith, and the PM class read Stepping On the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn.

Roland Smith is one of the most popular current writers in the adventure fiction genre, and this story about a young man who makes an attempt on Everest is one of his best. I'm glad we were able to fit this novel in before the end of the school year, although we definitely cut it close. Two of the commonalities among the characters that populate Smith's books are a young person in some kind of trouble and an older wise person who fills the role of mentor. Another feature of Smith's books, in addition to the action-filled plots, is that they usually include international or domestic air travel. As a teacher, I can appreciate this element because it creates an inclusive worldview in the minds of young readers and by default teaches them not to limit their potential.

Stepping On the Cracks is a perennial favorite of mine. Set in a suburb of Washington, DC, during the Second Great War, this novel was the perfect follow-up to our World War II and Holocaust unit. Complete with bullies, a mysterious stranger, and engaging dialogue, this novel shows the internal and external conflicts of both soldiers and civilians on the homefront while the war raged overseas.

Written Book Responses: Narrative Poems

2008-07-10T07:14:00.003-04:00

The final written book response of the year is always the greatest writing challenge for my students. Their assignment is to write a rhyming or free verse narrative poem based on the books they read. This requires that they draw on the poetry-writing skills they have learned throughout the year in order to tell their stories.

I got this idea from a colleague of mine, Mrs. Vicki Callicut (Swinger), several years ago. It is a perfect way to integrate the disciplines of reading and writing.

My students worked very hard on their poems, writing several drafts and participating in conferences with me. The poems published below are some of the best written this year. I selected these poems with input from students in both AM and PM classes. The poems are positioned in no particular order.

“Alias, ‘Uncle Ricardo’”
Ten True Stories of World War II
By Paul Dowswell
(a free verse narrative poem by Ian)

Adolf Eichmann...
Such a cruel, cruel man
He thought the right path
Was to kill...
Kill Jews.
That’s all he wanted to do.

Simon Wiesenthal...
The opposite of Eichmann, matter
Of fact, he hunted Eichmann

A deceiver...
Simon sends a deceiver named Heymeck Diamont.
Diamont finds a picture of the culprit.
Next...
He visits Maria Messenbacher.
She is as cruel as Eichmann
Lies...
All of her words are lies.
So cruel in fact, she reports her own husband dead.
But wait...
What’s this...?
His name is still on the wanted list
Mixed emotions run through Simon’s head
Isn’t Eichmann supposed to be dead?
Oh, no!
Eichmann is far from dead
In fact he lives in South America
Argentina to be exact
On the corner of Garibaldi St.
Under the name of Uncle Ricardo
8 years...
8 years have passed until Eichmann is
Tested...
Tested in court...
What do you think the outcome will be?
Condemned...!
Condemned to death by hanging
I think such a man deserves a sentence as such
Don’t you...?
Or do you...?

Stuck in Neutral
by Terry Trueman
(a free verse narrative poem by Aramis)

I am paralyzed. I can’t move any part of my body
People think I’m a retard, but I remember everything I hear
Even though my Dad can’t stand my seizures . . .
I love them . . . it’s then when my soul leaves my body
I hear my dad is planning to kill me
And I can’t tell him if I’m ready or not
He says he wants to kill me because . . .
He loves me

My Dad believes you can’t teach retards
I too agree, but can’t he give them a chance?
Even though we are unteachable . . .
Crackle-crackle-crackle . . . red light, blue light
My Dad hears about Earl Detraux
He killed his two-year old retarded baby
He said it was because he loved him . . .
Yes, because he loved him
I always thought there was no reason for me to live
So I really didn’t know if I wanted to die or not
But now I know there is a reason . . .
And I want to live

My sister Cindy has a new friend spending the night
Her name is Ally Williamson
She is perfect; she has blondish-brown hair and all I do . . .
Is dream about her

I remember when my brother Paul saved my life
Bullies were going to set me on fire
But then Paul came to the rescue . . .
And he saved me
My mom is leaving for Spokane with Cindy and her friends
They will watch Spartans take on the Fighting Knights
But before they leave they yell.
Go Spartans!
Since I can’t take care of myself
Whenever I’m home alone
A girl comes to babysit me . . .
Her name is Vonda

Suddenly there is a knock on the door
It is Dad
Since Dad is here, Vonda leaves
It is the first time my Dad and I are alone . . .
I’m afraid he’s going to kill me

My dad comes into my room
He came to talk to me
He talks to me about when I was born . . .
And how he prayed

Words are starting to fade from my Dad
Crackle-crackle-crackle
Red light, blue light . . .
Seizure

Deep Down Popular
by Phoebe Stone
(a free verse narrative poem by Hannah)

Jessie Lou, not your average girl
Gets to walk Conrad home from school
He hurt his knee, so he wears a brace
He needs help to and from school
He keeps talking about this dumb doctor
“Oh, he’s going to fix my knee!”
I want to be able to walk with him.

So, snip, snip, snip, my hair is to my shoulders.

My sister Melinda is in a beauty pageant
So of course she gets all the attention
Everything she wants, everything she needs
Melinda this, Melinda that.
I’m glad she didn’t win, real glad
But she was so sad we didn’t go to the carnival.
It’s so not fair. I hate her.

So, snip, snip, snip, my hair is to my chin.

My on and off friend Tiny Bailey
Is making a plane for the parade
He’s been sneaking into the old barn
I think I’ll use him for the discovery project
His plane idea wasn’t a huge hit for the parade
I thought it was good, though no one else did

So, snip, snip, snip, my hair is at my eyes.

Its raining outside, its such a
Slow and gloomy day
Until Conrad’s a-knockin’
On my door, asking to be my date
I run upstairs, jumping into clothes
So he won’t have to wait
We go to the dance, laughing and playing
At the end he kisses me

And I feel Deep Down Popular.

War of the Rats
by Paul Dowswell
(a rhyming narrative poem by Jeff )

In Stalingrad war rages on
Can the Germans be withdrawn?

Both forces will fight through and through
Who do you think withdrew?

The German Sixth Army arrives alive
Can the battered Russians survive?

The battlefield, like a vision of Hell
For the Nazis it's not going well

The most lethal soldier of all, the sniper
The best one of all, Zaitsev, a deadly viper

Zaitsev got forty kills
Due to his amazing skills

Zaitsev takes on another sniper
Which one will need a body diaper

At the end of the battle
The Nazis are rattled

For the Führer, their boss
Has suffered his first major loss

Waiting for Anya
by Michael Morpurgo
(a free verse narrative poem by Cristina)

German soldiers invaded my town
They destroyed Jewish families
Then I met Benjamin
He trusted me
Told me he was Jewish
Had a daughter named Anya
Waiting for her to come
Benjamin took children to Spain for freedom
I knew I had to help
Food
Clothes
They gave me money to buy supplies
German soldiers multiplied
Like cockroaches
Checking every house
We had to hide the children
Dad came home from war
And helped Benjamin
They took the children to Spain
To be free
Like a bird
They made it safely
Every child
Then something went wrong
German soldiers found Benjamin
My dad and I could do nothing
That hurt my heart
Like a big empty hole
They took him to a camp
A concentration camp
Soon the German soldiers left
Left the town
They can't hurt Jews
And make more rules
German soldiers who hurt Jews
Made Jews' lives like hell
Then the day came
She was here
Anya
She is here
But her dad gone
All this time he waited for her
But now he is gone, probably dead

A Friend Called Anne
by Jacqueline Van Maarsen
(a rhyming narrative poem by Calista)

When war started in Amsterdam
That's when Jacqueline met Anne

She walked with Anne to her house
All dressed up in a nice blouse

On the day of Anne's party
A few people arrived tardy

Jacqueline called Anne to play
This is what Anne had to say

I am busy, I can't talk right now
But I'll call you later somehow

Jacqueline wondered where Anne went
Because she left without a hint

Jews started to leave the town
Then the population went down

On the day of liberation
The biggest problem was starvation

Anne's father came home with news
That would make them both blue

He said Anne and Margot died
Then later Jacqueline cried and cried

Jacqueline got to read Anne's diary
That made her very merry

Mr. Frank decided to publish it
Then it became a big hit

Mr. Frank was a good guy
But then cancer made him die

Holes
by Louis Sachar
(a rhyming narrative poem by Tyler)

Stanley Yelnats has a horrible curse
It takes him to the worst place in the universe

The place is called Camp Green Lake
Digging all day just makes him ache

Only the warden know why they dig
Maybe she is looking for something big

He meets a kid named Zero
Can he help Zero read and be a hero?

One day Zero runs away
People thought he was going to decay

In the desert, Stanley found him
Their chances in the sandy oasis were dim

They decide to climb God's Thumb
While the pair are climbing, they become glum

After resting on God's Thumb for a while
The pair walk back over a mile

A couple of hours before daybreak
They are digging around Camp Green Lake.

While the pair are digging for treasure
Stanley falls into a hole with displeasure

There are toxic lizards in the hole
At least they aren't out of control

While lying in the hole with the blues
Stanley's lawyer comes with good news

"You're leaving Camp Green Lake,
and it looks like you have a suitcase to take."

Right before Stanley's very eyes
There is a suitcase with his name on it nearby

Stanley and Zero open the suitcase
They meet a lot of money face to face

Zero goes with Stanley to his abode
Off in a nice car they rode

Most students and I agreed that the best poem of the year was written by Ismael. His poem was written in quatrains and was based on the book A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer. Because of the mature nature of the book and poem, I elected not to publish it on our class blog. Congratulations to all my young readers and writers for a job well done!

Anne Frank at Plant City High School

2008-05-14T07:16:00.011-04:00

The Plant City High School Players' presentation of The Diary of Anne Frank was scheduled at the right time for Mr. Blount's Class, right in the middle of our Holocaust unit of study and the day after our visit with Holocaust survivor Mr. Salomon Wainberg. So we decided to take an after school field trip to the Thursday night performance. There were twenty students, parents, and friends in our group, and we met at the PCHS auditorium for a powerful performance.

Kristin at the box office.

Brad and Robby at the door.

PCHS made us feel welcome.

A part of our group before showtime.

Alix and Allie

Victoria, Michael & Ashley

The Plant City High School auditorium held many memories for me. For one, it was the very stage where I performed many times as a junior at PCHS during the 1974-75 school year. Secondly, it was great to see many of my former students such as Kristin, who greeted me and sold me my ticket at the box office. Kristin has a beautiful voice and sings with the vocal ensemble Montage at PCHS. It is the same group, formerly named Opus I, that I sang with when I was in high school. I didn't teach Brad and Robby, but I taught Brad's brother Chris and I knew Robby from the Tomlin hallways. I have great memories of the year I taught Alix and Allie. No one enjoys a laugh quite like Alix; I can still picture her with her head thrown back cheering our knight during the Medieval Times field trip that year. And how could I forget Allie? I remember thinking the first day she sat at her desk in my classroom that she had the biggest smile I had ever seen. (Her brother Jeff is in my class this year.) Victoria, Michael, and Ashley are three of the five Watkins siblings I taught. Ashley is a former Strawberry Queen and currently attends Southeastern University, my alma mater. Allie, a senior at PCHS, was not at the play because she was on her way to the Miss Florida USA pageant. Joie Cleckler, first cousin, played Margot Frank in the play. Victoria and Michael are the youngest members of the Watkins clan, all of whom were great students when they were in my class.

Mr. Frost, director, introduces the play.

An amazing, authentic set.

Anne writes in her diary by lamplight.

The Frank and Van Daan families celebrate Hanukkah in hiding.

Thomas, Saulo, and Benji enjoy intermission.

The Plant City Players gave an amazing performance. Hats off to PCHS, Mr. Frost, and the entire cast of The Diary of Anne Frank!

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

—Anne Frank
1929-1945

A Holocaust Survivor Visits Our Class

2008-05-11T19:25:00.002-04:00

My class was blessed with a rare and memorable experience last week when Mr. Salomon Wainberg, a Holocaust survivor, visited our class and shared his amazing story. Mr. Wainberg's visit was the fulfillment of a dream I had carried for many years to actually host a survivor in my classroom. Through all the years I have been teaching Holocaust education, only once did my students hear a survivor's story in person, and that was when we took a field trip to the Florida Holocaust Museum several years ago and heard Sam Shryber give his testimony. In fact, it was only through my participation in the Holocaust and Jewish Resistance Teacher's Program in Poland and Israel that I realized hosting a Holocaust survivor in my classroom was a very real possibility.

Salomon Wainberg was born April 15, 1936, in Zelechow, Poland, to a Jewish family who owned a food store and warehouse. He was only three when the Germans invaded Poland in 1939. Soon after invasion, the family home was enclosed in the Zelechow Ghetto, and a family of four from the country was forced to move in with them.

On Tuesdays, non-Jews were allowed to enter the ghetto market, and rumors began to trickle in from farmers who lived near Treblinka about full trains entering the camp and empty trains leaving, sparks at night from the chimney, and the smell of burning flesh. Then, in 1942, a cousin of the Wainberg's escaped Treblinka and confirmed the horrible news.

Mr. Wainberg's father made contact with a Mr. Edvard Turek to arrange for a hiding place in the country, but before anyone was able to leave, Mr. Wainberg was picked up by the Nazis and taken with a work crew out of the ghetto. Before he left, he directed Mrs. Wainberg to send their two daughters to a Mr. & Mrs. Sokol's farmhouse that night, and for her to leave with the two boys the following night. The girls escaped, but the next morning was two days after Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and the Nazis had selected that day to begin liquidating the ghetto. Mrs. Wainberg fled down the street with her two boys and hid in an attic with 36 other people for 16 days while the Nazis looted the ghetto. Eventually Mrs. Wainberg and her sons were able to escape, but she got lost and they had to spend the day in the loft of a barn. The next night when they finally arrived at the farmhouse they were reunited with the two girls and surprisingly, Mr. Wainberg, who had gotten away from the work detail.

The Wainberg family hid in the cellar of the farmhouse with a total of 24 people. Every day Mr. Sokol would bring them buckets of soup and water, and he would take out their buckets of waste. The conditions in the cellar were very difficult. Some people smoked, and in April of 1943, one of the men died from tuberculosis. They were unable to bury him for three days.

One day, in June of 1944, while the Sokol family was working in the fields, they heard boots on the floor above their heads. They were terrified, and two of the young men in the group who had guns announced that if anyone entered the cellar, they would begin shooting. They heard the closet on wheels that covered the hidden entrance moving and then a series of trap doors opening. When the cellar door opened, there was a shootout. Young Salomon blacked out, and when he awoke, the cellar occupants were lined up along a wall and blood was everywhere. Their captors were Polish bandits, not Nazis, and they wanted money. Mr. Wainberg fabricated a story about hidden gold in the ghetto, and the bandits believed him, but by the time they buried the dead from the shootout, including one of the Wainberg daughters and an aunt, it was nearing daylight. Mr. Wainberg convinced the bandits to leave and return at night so that he could lead them to the gold.

While the bandits were away, the survivors fled and began a 7-week journey wandering from place to place stealing from food storage caves and hiding in rye fields. At the end of July 1944, conditions worsened and they could hear the sounds of battle in the distance. On August 2, 1944, they met up with Russian troops who escorted them back to Zelechow. A man who had bought the Wainberg home from the Germans gave it back to them. Only ten of the 24 people who had hidden in the cellar survived.

In 1943 there had been approximately 15,000 Jews in the Zelechow Ghetto. By January of 1945, only 250 remained. One day that same month, Polish farmers came to market with pitchforks and sickles to "finish the Nazis' job." Nine Jews were killed, and 36 were wounded in the pogrom.

Eventually, through a twisted course of events, Salomon Wainberg made his way to the United States and became a CPA. He retired in 1998 and moved to the Tampa area to be near his grandchildren.

When asked about the Righteous Among the Nations status of his rescuers, Mr. Wainberg said that later, after the cellar occupants escaped, Mr. Sokol's rescue efforts were discoverd by the Nazis, and he was executed. The other rescuers requested that he halt efforts to seek righteous status for them due to the unpopularity of the honor among their neighbors.

My mother, Mrs. Evelyn Blount, videotaped Mr. Wainberg's testimony.

Our class is collecting money to send a donation in Mr. Wainberg's honor to the Florida Holocaust Museum in hopes of furthering Holocaust education in our area.

Links:

Memorial Book of the Community of Zelechow

Wikipedia: Zelechow

Yad Vashem

Medieval Times Field Trip

2008-05-06T21:57:00.008-04:00

Last week, the Wolf Team took a field trip to Medieval Times in Kissimmee. A fun time was had by all!

Charter buses beat school buses anyday!

Waiting in line.

Fidelis went all out.

Five jesters and a knight.

Lovely ladies in waiting.

The call to the banquet hall.

Ready for the feast and fun. Go Red Knight!

Dr. Carbaugh joined us for the event.

Shhh! The tournament is about to begin.

The knights parade in.

Focus Title: Daniel's Story

2008-05-04T08:08:00.006-04:00

We have been doing our World War II and the Holocaust unit of study for several weeks now, and we recently finished reading Daniel's Story, our unit focus novel. Daniel's Story is the official children's book of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Many teachers of Holocaust education prefer to use diaries and memoirs of the period rather than fiction with their students, and I truly recognize the value of first-person literature. Although Daniel's Story is fiction, it is based primarily on actual events, and it gives the young reader a great introductory overview of the period. I think it is a good story, and my students really enjoy it.

Our Holocaust unit of study incorporates many different resources including informational and picture books, slides from my trips to Holocaust sites in Poland and Yad Vashem in Israel, documentaries and movies, various learning activities, viewing of primary sources, and a truly special event you will hear more about this week. Of all the literary and thematic units I have conducted over the years, our study of the Holocaust is the one my former students seem to remember the most. As well it should be.

Mrs. Field Speaks During Geography Class

2008-05-03T23:50:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago Mrs. Field, our media specialist, visited our geography class to share about her travels to Morocco and Egypt. Her first-hand stories and photos gave gave us an authentic experience to supplement our study of the continent of Africa. Mrs. Field has not let an injury slow her down while meeting the media needs of our school.

Thanks, Mrs. Field, for visiting us and sharing your experiences!

Featured Student: Eddie

2008-04-26T22:08:00.002-04:00

I chose Eddie as our newest featured student because I am so proud of him. Eddie did not start the year well academically. Not because he didn't have the ability, but because he made some bad choices.

Even though it got him in trouble occasionally, I always admired his sense of humor. I recall once in class when we were talking about things mothers say that don't make sense, like "Don't you look at me in that tone of voice!" Eddie volunteered, "You shut up when you're talking to me!" I thought I would fall off my stool laughing. Of course, for the next few days I had to use Eddie's line every chance I got until I wore it out. I still use it if I get a chance.

As I was saying, Eddie's grades plummeted during the first semester primarily because he elected not to do certain assignments, including his book responses, which are weighted heavily in my class. When the third grading period started, Eddie decided to change his ways. As far as I know, it had nothing to do with anything I said or did as a teacher. Eddie just decided that he wanted to pass sixth grade and elected to get his act together

Last grading period Eddie made an A in both reading and language arts with no missing assignments, and he has kept it up so far this grading period. Eddie is also one of my best oral readers. Along with Landon, he helped me out a lot when my voice was out of commission while we were reading A Dream of Freedom during our civil rights unit.

Way to go, Eddie!

Susan Elijah Remembers Plant City During the Civil Rights Era

2008-03-23T18:21:00.007-04:00

Last week we finished reading A Dream of Freedom, the focus title for our Civil Rights thematic unit of study. Through our study of the Civil Rights Movement we learned about the Jim Crow laws and segregation in cities such as Birmingham, Montgomery, and Atlanta, but I wanted my students to know what it was like right here in Plant City, Florida, during that era. As I have for the past three years, I invited my dear friend and retired Tomlin media specialist Susan Elijah to speak to both of my reading classes about what it was like to grow up as a black child in Plant City during the 1950s and 1960s.

Mrs. Elijah shared her life story from birth through college and career with us. She was born in Tampa because Plant City only had hospital facilities for white people. Her grammar and high school education here in Plant City was segregated while she attended Simmons Elementary and Marshall High School. She explained how Plant City itself was segregated with the color lines being the railroad tracks that divided it running north and south and east and west. She recalled how blacks could work at the lunch counter in McCrory's dime store and in the kitchen at Snellgroves, but they couldn't sit at the lunch counter or in the dining room. If they wanted to buy food they had to go to the back door. Mrs. Elijah played trumpet in the Marshall High School band, and when it came time for the Strawberry Festival parade one of Plant City's two high schools led the parade and one was at the end. Of course Plant City High School was always at the front of the parade, and Marshall brought up the rear behind the horses. Mrs. Elijah summed everything up by saying that looking back she can see how unfair segregation was in our town during the civil rights era, but all things considered she said she still had a happy childhood growing up in Plant City.

Wolf Team Strawberry Festival Parking

2008-03-03T21:52:00.009-05:00

The Wolf Team parked cars for the Strawberry Festival on Sunday, March 2, and Friday, March 7. We want to thank our students, teachers, parents, and other volunteers who helped us raise funds to purchase supplies for our classrooms and incentives for our students.

The empty Ag field early Sunday morning.

The volunteers arrive and the lot begins to fill.

Mrs. Roberts and Mr. Blount

Mr. Woods, one of our volunteers.

The Ag hog pen provided a fragrant ambience.

Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Blount

A Funny Kodak Moment

2008-03-03T10:25:00.003-05:00

Jeff brought in a football-shaped cake for his creative book response on the book Crackback by John Coy. After everyone had been served, I snapped this picture of Hunter, Josh, Jeff, and Ian wolfing down the leftovers. I think Chandler was just observing them demolish the remains.

Medieval Times Field Trip

2008-02-23T15:01:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday, April 29, the Wolf Team will be taking a field trip to Medieval Times in Kissimmee. We will leave school at 9:30 AM and return before the school day ends so that students will be back in time for regular dismissal. The cost of the trip is $45.00. This includes admission to Medieval Times, charter bus fare, and a generous meal. Students may bring extra money for souvenirs, but it is not necessary. The absolute deadline for the return of permission slips and money is Thursday, April 3. We cannot accept money after this date due to reservation restrictions required by Medieval Times.

Focus Title: A Dream of Freedom

2008-02-23T12:23:00.006-05:00

The focus title for our Black History and Civil Rights Movement unit of study is A Dream of Freedom by Diane McWhorter. This full-color nonfiction book traces major events of the modern civil rights movement from 1954-1968. The author was a white child who grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, the most segregated city in the nation, during the 1960s. This background gives her an interesting point of view on the era.

So far we have learned about Plessy v. Ferguson (1892) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the two monumental Supreme Court cases that ruled on the doctrine of "separate, but equal." We have also studied the terms segregation, desegregation, and integration. Emmett Till, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are some of the key people whose stories we have read who each had their own "dream of freedom."

Nightjohn

2008-02-22T09:24:00.009-05:00

Book Cover

During the next few weeks our class will be doing a unit of study on Black History and the Civil Rights Movement. As part of our study we will be reading the book Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen, one of our favorite authors. I will be showing the class the movie Nightjohn based on the book of the same title. I have shown this outstanding Disney/Hallmark television movie to my class for many years, but it was brought to my attention recently that the movie is rated PG-13 for some scenes of racial oppression and abuse.

School board policy requires written parent permission for your child to view this film during class. Permission slips were sent home with students on Friday. Please return the signed permission slip by Monday, February 25. Students who do not return the permission slip will be given an alternative assignment. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me at 757-9400 ex. 306 or email me at roland.blount@sdhc.k12.fl.us.

DVD Cover

Strawberry Festival Parking

2008-02-22T09:21:00.015-05:00

Calling All Wolves!

It’s that time of year again—Strawberry Festival! The Wolf Team will be parking cars at the Ag field on Sunday, March 2, and at the bus ramp on Friday, March 7. The proceeds from parking cars are used to purchase classroom supplies, provide incentives, and fund activities. We have set up shifts so that we can share in the parking responsibilities. We appreciate any time you can donate to the team.

If you can participate, please send a note with your child to school or email me at roland.blount@sdhc.k12.fl.us with the dates, times, number of adult volunteers, and number of student volunteers who will be able to park cars.

Sunday, March 2 (Ag field)
9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

2:30 PM - 5:30 PM

5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Friday, March 7 (bus ramp)
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM

4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

8:00 PM - 12:00 AM
(Moonlight Madness)

Our Chinese New Year Celebration

2008-02-09T08:31:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, Mrs. Gunn invited our geography class to join hers for a Chinese New Year celebration. Her room looked almost like an authentic Chinese restaurant. It was decorated with red student-made Chinese lanterns and red spring couplets, and the tables were spread with red checked tablecloths and red plates. Several students even dressed in red, the official color of Chinese New Year.

Mrs. Gunn give directions for the celebration.

Hannah proves she can use chopsticks.

Our principal, Dr. Carbaugh, stopped by for a visit.

Jeff, Saulo, Alexis, and Andrea

Mrs. Gunn and Dr. Carbaugh

I want to send a word of thanks to the parents of Jack, Georgette, Chance, Aramis, William, and Tyler who brought or sent in food for our celebration. And of course the biggest thanks goes to Mrs. Gunn who made our celebration possible!

Chinese New Year Celebration Planned

2008-02-01T19:56:00.000-05:00

We will be celebrating Chinese New Year together with Mrs. Gunn's geography class this Thursday, February 7, as part of our current unit of study on China. We are asking students to bring in homemade or take-out Chinese food that day to share with each other. Parents, if you would like to deliver hot Chinese food on Thursday, please have it at school by noon. Mrs. Gunn will be providing the hot tea for our celebration.

Progress Reports and Conference Night

2008-02-01T19:48:00.000-05:00

Progress reports went home today. Parents, please sign and return them by Monday, February 4.

(sample)

Third quarter conference night will be Thursday evening, February 7, from 4:55-7:25. All parents are invited to attend conference night on a walk-in, first-come first-served basis. Hope to see you there!

Featured Student: Chance AKA Fidelis

2008-02-01T19:19:00.002-05:00

Chance is a fine young man in every sense of the word. He is kind to his peers, polite and respectful to adults, and cares about the things that matter.

Chance is also our resident dinosaur expert. Although he loves all animals and nature, dinosaurs are his specialty. On the fantasy side, Chance loves dragons, and his favorite books are the Deltora series.

Recently, Chance started his own blog, and he has been full of questions for me on how to add features to his site. If you read comments on this site signed by "Fidelis," you might want to know that is his alter-ego. I love the name Chance has chosen, because he is truly a "faithful" friend.

You can visit Chance's blog here.

FCAT Explorer in the Computer Lab

2008-01-26T09:23:00.000-05:00

Dear Parents,
I have scheduled my students in the media center computer lab one day per week to work on FCAT Explorer between now and FCAT testing week in March. Everyone started with Reading Island, the 6th grade program, but when they finish I want them to proceed to Reading Boardwalk, the 8th grade application. Please try to schedule time each day for your children to work on FCAT Explorer so they will be able to complete both sections before FCAT testing week.

Many thanks, Mr. Blount

Link to FCAT Explorer

PM Class 2nd Quarter Honor Roll Students

2008-01-26T09:02:00.001-05:00

Principal's Honor Roll
Cristina, Teresa

High Honor Roll
Calista, Thomas, Dustin, Landon, PJ, Christian, Jawan

Honor Roll
Chase

Straight A's in Citizenship
Teresa, Calista, Francisco, PJ, Carly, Jawan, Landon, Benji, Christian, Cristina, Thomas, Dustin, Chase, Ismael, Nick

Perfect Attendance
Cristina, Teresa, Francisco, Landon, PJ, Ismael, Dustin, Benji

AM Class 2nd Quarter Honor Roll Students

2008-01-26T08:49:00.001-05:00

Principal's Honor Roll
Josh, Billy, Jordan, Alexis, Holly, Sydney, Hannah, Aramis, Ian, Martha, Tyler

High Honor Roll
Andrea, Sara, Daisy, Hunter, William, Chance, Nallely, Georgette

Straight A's in Citizenship
Colton, Daisy, Georgette, Aramis, Hunter, Ian, Andrea, Tyler, Alexis, Jordan, Billy, Lane, Chance, Nallely, Sydney, Martha, Josh, Hannah, Sara, William

Perfect Attendance
Sydney, Andrea, Holly, Tyler, Alexis, Jordan, Nallely, Martha

How to Write an Expository Essay

2008-01-26T08:40:00.001-05:00

We have been spending a lot of our language arts class time preparing for Hillsborough Writes!, our district writing assessment. Patterned after Florida Writes!, the state writing assessment that eighth-graders must pass in order to be promoted, Hillsborough Writes! requires that students be able to write a 4-paragraph expository essay.

During the first semester our writing focused primarily on poetry, freewriting, creativity, sentence structure, grammar, and conventions. When we returned to school after the winter break, we started learning how to write expository essays. Isolated writing lessons are helpful, but I know that in order for students to understand the writing process, they must be able to clearly see how it works. That is why I model the process for my students from beginning to end. As a teacher, it is one of the most challenging tasks that I undertake, but I believe it is worth it. Several years ago, after attending a writing workshop, I made the decision to write a collaborative class essay with every writing class in order to model the process. This year was no different.

I began by teaching students how to brainstorm and do pre-writing, a process essential to effective writing, using my 4-square method. Then we read a model essay so students could see what a "6," the highest score a paper can earn, looked like. Students identified the essential parts of effective essays such as leads, topic sentences, examples, anecdotes, and conclusions. After that we discussed what to write about. The AM class chose to write about cruise vacations and the PM class decided to write about practical jokes. Together we wrote our 3-part prompts, and then students completed their individual pre-writing and wrote their own timed 45-minute expository essays. After I scored and returned their essays, we used their ideas to write a class collaborative essay. Students contributed their ideas while I, as recorder, wrote the class essay on the overhead. They were able to see exactly how to write an introduction, two sub-topic paragraphs, and a conclusion. When we finished, Sara typed up both essays, I proofread them, then we posted both essays on Tomlin Internal for other teachers to use in their writing classes.

In order to share our collaborative class essays with a broader audience, I have posted them here for our online readers:

AM Class Expository Essay: Cruise Vacations

PM Class Expository Essay: Practical Jokes

PM Class Expository Essay: Practical Jokes

2008-01-26T08:35:00.001-05:00

Don’t you just love the great rush of adrenaline you get when you’re trying not to get caught? You have just pulled off the perfect practical joke, and no one knows you were the culprit. The only problem is that no one but you is laughing. Has your prank been naughty or nice?

A harmless practical joke is when no one gets hurt, physically or emotionally. Harmless pranks should be fun for everyone involved including the perpetrator, the bystanders, and especially the victim. Traditional practical jokes include gadgets like the hand buzzer, squirting flower, pepper gum, and the ever popular whoopee cushion. Over the years, however, pranksters have forsaken the old-school devices and have designed more elaborate tricks. Last Halloween, my whole family dressed up like mummies. My parents stayed behind to give out candy and possibly scare a few kids with their bandaged bodies, while my brother and I went trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. Most of the houses we visited handed out candy, but a few houses were dark. We decided to ring their doorbells anyway, and run. It was our twisted version of ding-dong-ditching. When our candy sacks were full, my brother and I headed back to our house to sort through our loot. When we opened our bedroom door and switched on the lights, we saw a horrifying sight. Our room was completely woven with toilet paper from ceiling to floor like a giant spider’s web. As if that was not enough, our parents suddenly sprang from the closet and tried to grab us. We started screaming bloody murder! Mom and Dad had observed our doorbell prank and decided to get us back. Our room was a mess to clean up, but we all had a good laugh.

Not all practical jokes are fun. Some pranks can be harmful to everyone involved. Practical jokes cross the line when the victim, bystanders, or even the perpetrator gets hurt physically or emotionally. If property is damaged in the process, the prank is called vandalism, and that is against the law. When I was in fifth grade I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I was trying to have fun, but when it was all over the joke was on me. I was walking home from the store when I met up with some kids from my neighborhood. One girl was holding a carton of eggs, and I could tell they were up to something. “I dare you to throw an egg at Old Man Jenkins’ house,” somebody said. That sounded fun, so I grabbed an egg, wound up, and fired away. The egg splattered all over Mr. Jenkins’ front door. But before I could even laugh, I was all wet. When I looked up, my elderly neighbor was aiming a garden hose straight at me. Apparently, he had been waiting in the bushes to see what we were up to. The next thing I knew, my “friends” disappeared and a police car slid into the driveway. Mrs. Rodriguez from across the street was standing on the porch with her phone in her hand. I was SO busted, but in the end Mr. Jenkins agreed not to press charges if I cleaned up the mess. Did you know there is nothing that smells more disgusting and is as hard to scrub clean as dried raw egg?

Even though many practical jokes are harmless, it is important to make sure that they don’t turn into harmful pranks or even vandalism. Such is the case with TP-ing. If you decide to TP a friend’s house or yard, you better pray it doesn’t rain! Better to be a clown than a bully.

AM Class Expository Essay: Cruise Vacations

2008-01-26T08:27:00.001-05:00

Some people enjoy them and some people hate them, and I’m not talking about sushi bars. I’m talking about cruise ship vacations. You may think cruises are all about sea, sailing, and sunshine, but there is also a dark side to those sleek Leviathans.

I’ll be the first to admit that cruise vacations can be a lot of fun! Because my father is a cruise wholesaler and can get tickets at heavily discounted prices, my family has taken many cruises and enjoyed most of them. There are innumerable reasons to love cruises, but I especially enjoy the on-board activities, the never-ending supply of food, and visiting exotic ports. The last cruise my family took was a five-day tour of the Western Caribbean on the Carnival Inspiration, and the experience could not have been better. On our first day at sea I decided to participate in the no-boundaries scavenger hunt. I didn’t win, but I had a blast exploring that monstrous ocean liner. When we finally arrived in the Mexican port of Cozumel, we took a day trip to the San Gervasio Mayan ruins. The jeep trip through the jungle and touring the ancient temple was an unforgettable experience. All cruises have food available 24-hours a day, and I always eat my fill. But the best dining experience to me on this trip was the Captain’s Dinner. I ordered steak AND lobster while watching the entertainment provided by our servers. As we left the dining room that last evening on board, the ship captain shook everyone’s hand. I remember thinking, wouldn’t it be great if all cruises were like this one.

Unfortunately, all cruises are not as heavenly as the Inspiration. In fact, some cruises seem to have surfaced from Davy Jones locker. My first cruise on the Carnival Liberty almost ruined me because I was sick the entire time. To tell you the truth, 700 people, including passengers and crew, came down with the Norwalk virus. The symptoms were headache, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Everyone on the ship who was sick had to be quarantined in their rooms. My family had reserved a tiny inside room in the belly of the ship, and that led to my next problem---claustrophobia. I thought I would climb the walls! Sad to say, I had no strength to even move. Without a balcony or porthole, I was trapped. Even after I started to feel better and went out on the Lido deck, I still felt imprisoned because I had two days left at sea. Then I started worrying that the ship would sink. To make matters worse, the featured movie that night was Titanic. Unlike most of the ship, my illness lasted only three days. That’s when I realized that the ticket price was not all-inclusive. At every turn, ship staff members were bugging us by taking our pictures and then trying to sell them to us, hawking souvenirs, and advertising spa treatments. (Not that I didn’t need one.) In desperation, my dad exclaimed, “These people are going to nickel-and-dime me to death!”

Even though I’ve had some bad experiences on cruise vacations, when I remember them now I can look back and laugh. And I can’t help getting excited whenever my dad walks in the room with a big smile on his face and announces, “We’re going on a cruise!”

Featured Student: Holly

2008-01-14T08:39:00.001-05:00

I knew Holly was a gifted writer when I first read her freewriting homework and poetry at the beginning of the year. She truly has the heart of a poet and knows how to put her thoughts on paper. She is self-motivated and writes from an inner drive rather than because of a class assignment.

Holly has started a blog to publish her poetry online. One of my dreams when I started the Mr. Blount's Classroom blog was to hopefully inspire my students to start blogs of their own and encourage independent writing. Holly has done that. You can visit Holly's blog, Next Great Idea With Hollister by clicking here.

This week we received notification that Holly's poem "Autumn Leaves" will be published in Creative Communications' A Celebration of Young Poets anthology. Holly had submitted her poem earlier in the year without my knowledge. I think she had forgotten about it too.

As her teacher, I am so proud of Holly for being true to herself, designing her own blog, and for getting her first poem published.

Focus Title: Woodsong by Gary Paulsen

2008-01-13T10:43:00.001-05:00

Our latest focus title, Woodsong by Gary Paulsen, is a memoir of his adventures with a dog team. The first section of the book gives an account of how both domestic and wild animals taught him about nature. The second section is a daily log of the first time he ran the Iditarod, an 1122 mile dog sled race across Alaska, in 1983. Gary Paulsen is the author of the modern young adult classic Hatchet and many other fine books for both children and adults.

Click here for Gary Paulsen's 2008 Iditarod profile and links to other official Iditarod information. Another link is Gary Paulsen at Random House.

An older Woodsong cover

The newest Woodsong cover

The original Woodsong cover

Adult readers who enjoy adventurous nonfiction may enjoy Gary Paulsen's Winterdance. This book tells the same story as Woodsong, but it is written for a more mature audience. I read the book years ago and loved it!

January Scholastic Book Clubs

2008-01-12T08:35:00.000-05:00

January Scholastic Book Clubs newsletters go home Monday, January 14. All book club orders are due by Tuesday, January 22.

Follow the link below to place your order online. You will find the class user name and password on the memo sent home from school. Online orders are due by Monday, January 21.

Scholastic Book Club Online Orders

It's FCAT Time Again!

2008-01-07T16:01:00.000-05:00

When students return on Tuesday, January 8, we will begin hitting the Reading Sunshine State Standards hard in preparation for the 2008 FCAT. We will also be learning to write expository essays to prepare for Hillsborough Writes! Although we have introduced much of the content in the first half of the school year, this is the time we must buckle down in order to do our best on these state and district assessments.

Parents, please make sure your children are setting aside time for daily independent reading and also working on FCAT Explorer. It is my goal that all my students complete the Reading Island module that focuses on 6th grade benchmarks. I also encourage students to go further and complete the Reading Boardwalk module that addresses 8th grade benchmarks. All of my students are in advanced classes and should be able to handle the material. My students have been given their sign-in names and passwords, and they can access FCAT Explorer from any computer. Let's blow the FCAT out of the water this year!

Read & Feed and a Visit from Nathan

2008-01-07T14:47:00.001-05:00

AM Class

We held our first Read & Feed of the year on the last day of the first semester. A Read & Feed is when students bring snacks, drinks, and books and read and feed for the whole period. The last day of the semester was an early release day, but our students enjoyed this assignment-free activity even though the periods were much shorter. I believe Read & Feeds are just one more way children can find pleasure in reading.

PM Class

A highlight of the day was when my one and only nephew Nathan stopped by for a visit. Nathan is the son of my sister Carla and Mrs. Gunn's cousin Todd Hood. The Hoods are missionaries to Jamaica, and they were able to come home for Christmas this year. My students hear me talk about Nathan so much they should be sick of it, but they all seemed so happy to meet him. Nathan, who is a first-grader at Montego Bay Christian Academy, made himself at home and read a couple of books himself. It was a special day in many ways and the perfect ending to the semester.

Nathan reading The Tub People's Christmas

Nothin' better!

Chance, thanks for taking an interest in Nathan and making him feel right at home!

Haley Demonstrates Public Speaking

2008-01-07T14:26:00.000-05:00

Haley is our 2007-08 FFA president and also our current PTSA president's daughter. In the days preceding the FFA sub-district public speaking competition, we invited Haley to share her speech with us. Haley, who by the way is a natural on camera, presented her speech on hydroponics in both our AM and PM classes. She demonstrated to our students how to speak with confidence, clarity, and emotion. Haley placed second at the sub-district competition. Congratulations and many thanks, Haley!

Mr. Blount and PTSA on TBC

2008-01-07T14:08:00.002-05:00

As you read in an earlier post, our homeroom class was recognized for having the highest PTSA membership in the school. On Tuesday morning, December 18, PTSA representatives presented Mr. Blount with a $25.00 Barnes & Noble gift card live on the TBC morning show. Thanks once again to our wonderful, generous PTSA for the many ways you support students and teachers at Tomlin!

Shared Creative Book Responses

2008-01-07T13:27:00.001-05:00

Georgette, Josh, Aramis

The last week of school before Christmas Break, several students visited Mrs. Sykes' AM and PM classes to share their creative book responses. I selected several students I thought had created original visual or performing art activities for their selected books and also students I believed would present their responses clearly and confidently. All of the students I asked to share with Mrs. Sykes' classes accepted the challenge, conquered their fears, and presented their projects to an unfamiliar audience. Mrs. Sykes rewarded each of the presenters and communicated to me what a great job they had done. We hope Mrs. Sykes' students will be encouraged to read some of the books we shared with them.

Hannah, Billy

Landon, Christian

Ismael, Eddie, Teresa

Thomas, Chase

Geography: Comparative Religions Venn Diagram

2007-12-15T10:31:00.001-05:00

In geography we have been studying the countries of the Middle East. As part of that study we examined the three major world religions that originated in the region and compared their beliefs. We took the familiar double Venn diagram graphic organizer to the next level and used a triple Venn to organize our findings regarding Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students used information from the geography textbook and research from the internet to complete this task, and each student's Venn was different. I thought Aramis did a great job by including many interesting facts and neatly organizing his findings.

Wildfire!

2007-12-15T07:52:00.001-05:00

Standing L to R: Chandler, Hunter, Jeff
Kneeling L to R: Josh, Ian, Aramis

When school started, Ian was not an avid reader. But when you have a "mean" teacher like Mr. Blount who makes you read at least three grade-level books and do three book responses per grading period, you have to find books that interest you. Ian discovered the Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan in the Tomlin media center, and the rest is history. His book responses have had nothing short of a wildfire effect in class, and now no less than five or six other students are currently reading the series, which is exactly what I wanted to happen. I am not a fan of the horror genre, nor do I promote it, but I am always happy when my students catch the reading spark.

Another book making the rounds in both AM and PM classes is Stuck in Neutral. I read this short novel a few years back when it was recommended at a workshop I attended on professional study day. I had a hardcover copy of the book in my teacher library, but it was not available in paperback from Scholastic Book Clubs until this year, so I ordered several copies for the classroom library. I knew the book would get the attention of my readers when I shared the dustjacket blurb.

My name is Shawn McDaniel.
I'm 14 years old.
I think my father is planning to kill me.

Shawn is confined to a wheelchair and appears to be a human vegetable. What no one knows is that on the inside he is brilliant. Shawn has seizures, and his father can't stand to see his son suffer. Sound like an intriguing plot?

While I'm at it, I want to mention a couple of authors whose books caught fire last year when Mr. Blount's Classroom didn't have a blog. Robby introduced the class to the Mike Lupica sports fiction titles. Miracle on 49th Street is the latest Lupica title available from Scholastic Book Clubs.

Nick R. started the Sharon Draper Hazelwood High Trilogy fire. Perhaps the Draper titles will reignite this year.

A Note From Our Principal, Dr. Carbaugh

2007-12-12T08:27:00.000-05:00

Howard, congratulations--PTSA was singing our membership praises today--seems you have the highest number of students, parents, family members, etc., of all our teachers!!! We love it!!! Bev

Beverly Carbaugh, Ed.D.
Principal
Tomlin Middle School

Focus Title: Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle

2007-12-12T07:20:00.001-05:00

Some of you may remember Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle, the popular anthology of modern verse from the 1960s (original cover shown below). The second edition has been updated and revised, and we have been reading it for several weeks now. This collection of poetry contains some of the best and most familiar modern poems in print, and each section has an unwritten theme we try to decipher. We will continue to read through this volume in small doses into the new year, and students will be selecting a new poem from this collection to memorize.

The first poem all students memorized this year was "The Eagle" by Tennyson. The poem was used in the the novel Prairie Songs by Pam Conrad, AM class's first focus title of the year.

Later, when we read Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, students selected one of the featured poems in the book to memorize. The favorites were "Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening" and "The Pasture" by Robert Frost, as well as "Dog" by Valerie Worth.

Best Written Book Response: AM Class

2007-12-11T13:20:00.001-05:00

During the first grading period students completed story frames for their written book responses. For the second nine weeks I assigned students to write a simple one-page summary of their books. This was a stretch for some students, but of course my job is to nudge them to new levels. We have discussed periodically how good summaries tell the beginning, middle, and end of a story, and they must leave out lots of details. I selected Ian's paper as the best written book response for the AM class because he summarized the story well, and he wrote with complex, complete sentence structure. Over the past few weeks we have focused heavily on sentence structure by analyzing, critiquing, and practicing how to write complete sentences so we will be ready to begin constructing solid paragraphs for expository essays when we return to school in January.

Cirque Du Freak #12:
Sons of Destiny

by Ian

In the beginning of the book Darren, Debbie, and the circus members are standing around Shancus, Evra Van's son who was killed by Steve Leopard, the Vampeneze Lord. So, Darren, Vancha, and the other circus members quiz Darius, Darren's nephew, about what Steve was up to. Later, Darren, Darius, Vancha, and Alice visit Annie, Darren's sister. After they meet with Annie, Darren re-bloods Darius so that Darren's vampire cells and Darius' Vampeneze cells collide, and Darius becomes a vampire. Annie later tells Darren that his friends are being held in the stadium. So Darren and Vancha arrive at the stadium. There they spotted Steve and Gannan Harts speeding for the exit. Then when Darren catches up with Steve, Darren and Steve start fighting to see who becomes the Lord of Shadow. Darren ends up killing Steve, but later he finds out Steve is his brother! Near the end, Darren travels back in time to scare off young Darren Shan away from the Cirque Du Freak, therefore altering the timeline. Afterwards, Darren ends up dying on the roof of the Cirque, finishing off with, "Good-bye world, I'm going . . . I'm going . . . gone."

Best Written Book Response: PM Class

2007-12-11T13:10:00.001-05:00

Nick's summary was selected as best book response from PM class. He summarized well, wrote with complex sentences, and seems to show mastery of capitalizing proper nouns (a major problem with many students this year).

Dragons of Deltora #1:
Dragon's Nest

by Nick

Lief, Bardaj, and Jasmine have started a mission to track down and annihilate the four sisters who are evil inventions created by the Shadow Lord, and they are poisoning Deltora. To finish the mission they have to find and awaken the last ancient seven dragons of Deltora.

The seven Ak-baba, another of the Shadow Lords evil accomplishments, hunted the seven dragon tribes near the point of extinction. At the end of the hunt only one dragon from each domain, separated by gem type, remained alive. To save the seven dragons, the best known adventurer in Deltora, Doran the Dragon Lover (one of the dragons' best friends), talked them into sleeping until a king, wielding the magic Belt of Deltora, called them to awaken. He made each dragon promise not to take advantage and conquer each other's domains while they were in their magical sleep.

The Sister of the East is located at Dragon's Nest. Once Lief and his companions locate Dragon's Nest, they find out that the Sister of the East is a giant egg. To kill it, they give the ruby dragon, Joyou, all of their strength. Joyou releases a giant fireball, and the Sister of the East is annihilated. Then they find a map showing them where the Sister of the North is located, and on the map it says it is at the Shadowgate.

Six Students Honored at Outback Steakhouse

2007-12-08T09:22:00.001-05:00

Last week, six of my students were recognized along with several other Tomlin students for selling over $300 each during the PTSA's annual fundraiser. Nick B., Sara, Chase, Holly, Tyler, and Alexis K. were treated to a Hummer limo ride and a luncheon at the Plant City Outback Steakhouse. When they returned, I couldn't resist snapping a picture of them in their cool Outback t-shirts. Congratulations, kids, and a special thank-you to our business partner Outback Steakhouse!

Hanukkah

2007-12-08T09:10:00.001-05:00

This week we recognized Hanukkah and read the historical story of the Maccabees and their battle for Jerusalem and the Temple, as well as the miracle of the oil. William brought a small menorah to class to share. The celebration of the Feast of Lights tied in well with our current study of Israel in geography.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

2007-12-05T07:28:00.001-05:00

Last week we read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Because of its authentic voice and engaging characters, I must say this book is my favorite read-aloud "ever." Originally published as a short story in McCall's magazine, this 7-chapter novel is nothing short of a contemporary literary masterpiece.

I had the privilege of meeting and spending time with Mrs. Robinson when we were featured speakers at Frank Hodge's Let the Reading Begin XII in Albany, New York, ten years ago. We shared conversation over dinner with author and my dear friend Dr. Gloria Houston. Barbara even bought one of my books for her daughter who is a teacher. We were able to continue our conversation at the airport on the day we flew out. After I returned home, Barbara sent me a manila envelope of materials, including copies of the original story from McCall's and subsequent reprints. It was a great privilege to meet the lady who wrote one of my favorite stories "ever."

Yesterday we watched the film adaptation of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Students took notes to compare and contrast the book with the movie. On Monday, they will complete Venn diagrams to illustrate their observations.

Creative Book Responses

2007-12-05T07:12:00.000-05:00

Creative book responses will be presented in class beginning this Monday, December 10 through Friday, December 14. This will be the last book response of the second grading period, and as a formal project it is weighted equal to a test grade. Students have a choice of visual and/or performing creative book response modes keyed to Bloom's Taxonomy. For more information see the handout distributed in class. As always, students will need a copy of the book or a printed cover of the book to share when they do their presentations.

Writing Sentences with Series

2007-11-29T06:30:00.001-05:00

For several weeks we have been learning how to make our writing more descriptive with precise nouns, strong verbs, and vivid adjectives. I have found that integrating parts of speech with writing lessons is more meaningful to students than isolated grammar lessons. Let me show what I'm talking about.

Instead of writing . . .

She smelled the flower.

We have learned it is more descriptive to write . . . .

The lonely hiker inhaled the fragrance of the wild rose.

Before Thanksgiving I introduced a lesson on commas with the book Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. With hilarious illustrations, the book shows how comma placement can completely change the meaning of a sentence. I always tell my students that commas are like traffic signs. For example, a period is like a stop sign, and a comma is like a yield sign.

This week we learned how to use commas when writing a series of three or more parts, so I decided to build on what we had learned about parts of speech by combining the two. For homework, students were assigned to write four series sentences: one each with a series of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. I selected the best four sentences from homework to illustrate the task in this post.

Carly wrote the best series of nouns:

I've been through three pairs of socks, two shirts, five pairs of pants, and four pairs of underwear in one day.

Teresa wrote the best series of verbs:

My friend imagines, builds, and shows off his stunning art.

Billy wrote the best series of adjectives:

The seats on the airplane to Maryland were leather, plastic, and metal.

Jeff wrote the best series of adverbs:

I quickly, accurately, and efficiently cleaned my pigpen of a room so I could go play with my friends.

In case you're wondering about writing series with the remaining four parts of speech, we have studied one example with prepositions, but we decided that series of pronouns, interjections, and conjunctions don't make much sense!

Conference Night

2007-11-27T22:19:00.000-05:00

Conference Night was a great success! It all started with a hearty lasagna supper for teachers sponsored by our always-wonderful Tomlin PTSA. Then, in two and a half hours I was privileged to meet with the parents of eleven of my students. I send a huge "thank-you" to all the parents who came out for showing your support. I truly appreciate all of your kind words to me as a teacher and the genuine concern you have shown for the welfare and educational growth of our children.

Thanks again!
Mr. Blount

Thanks for the Mini-Grant, Tomlin PTSA!

2007-11-26T21:58:00.000-05:00

The always-supportive, ultra-generous, tireless, best-ever Tomlin PTSA board has awarded our class the funds to purchase a class set of 26 hardcover copies of the award-winning adventure novel Peak by Roland Smith.

(Can you tell we have been writing sentences with series of adjectives in class?)

The books arrived from Scholastic today, and Peak is scheduled for May 2008 to be our final focus novel of the year. Several students in our class have read Peak already this year, and all of them have given the book high ratings.

"[When] Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he's left with two choices: wither away in Juvenile Detention or go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand. But Peak quickly learns that his father's renewed interest in him has strings attached. Big strings. He wants Peak to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit--and his motives are selfish at best. Even so, for a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. But it's also one that could cost him his life."

— Peak blurb from rolandsmith.com

Video: Roland Smith Introduces Peak

Further background on the mini-grant . . .

A few weeks ago Tomlin PTSA president, Mrs. Sharon Ours, caught me in the parking lot and encouraged me to apply for a PTSA mini-grant, letting me know that funds were still available. One reason I had not applied earlier was because Tomlin PTSA had been so generous to me last year when they contributed to the expenses for my Holocaust Summer Seminar in Poland and Israel. This award was completely unsolicited and unexpected, and PTSA surprised me when they presented me with a substantial check at the faculty luncheon during pre-planning last year. When I remembered that hardcover copies of Peak were available from Scholastic for $5.95 each, I decided to submit a mini-grant application to the PTSA for a classroom set. The rest is recent history.

Thanks again, Tomlin PTSA! You are the BEST!

The Great American Teach-In 2007

2007-11-23T11:40:00.001-05:00

Tomlin Middle School hosted its annual Great American Teach-In last Wednesday, November 14. Our own career specialist, Mr. David Horn, did an amazing job booking and scheduling speakers as he has for the past ten years. A total of 121 guest speakers conducted 256 presentations school-wide. A special thank-you to Tomlin PTSA, Mrs. Carol Field, Mr. Horn's mom, and everyone else who assisted with this beneficial event. Early on, I asked Mr. Horn to give me a full slate of speakers for every period, and he did. Thanks, Mr. Horn!

First period, our extra-special guest speakers were my parents, Roland & Evelyn Blount. They are newly-retired career missionaries, and they have been visiting my class each year for as far back as I can remember. Their message to my students is always about overcoming adversity in our lives. My father went blind when he was 10 years old. He graduated from Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, and then went on to earn a ministerial degree at Southeastern Bible College. He is a musician, singer, carpenter, pastor, missionary, audio technician, translator, and the best man I know. My mother is a sharecropper's daughter from right here in the Plant City area who overcame poverty to become the first person in her family to graduate from high school. Later, she became a television producer, director, and ordained minister. She is the most beautiful woman in the world to me and the best cook anywhere!

Other guest speakers were Mr. Galvez (internet marketing), Mrs. Girling (optician), Mrs. Spencer (cosmetology), Ms. Rodriguez (dog grooming), and Sensei Parker (martial arts). As a follow-up to this special day, I reviewed the five parts of a friendly letter, and the students wrote thank-you letters to our guests. We send our sincere thanks to all of our speakers for sharing your time and your careers with us!

Written Book Responses

2007-11-19T20:41:00.000-05:00

Written book responses are due Wednesday, November 28. For the second quarter students will be writing a simple one-page summary of a recent novel or nonfiction title they have read.

Blog Parent Consent Form

2007-11-19T20:01:00.000-05:00

The consent form for parents to allow student information to be posted on this blog was sent home today. If you as a parent wish to give consent for your child's first name, work, photo, or video clip to appear on this site in the future, please complete, sign, and return the form to school tomorrow.

Mid-Quarter Progress Reports and Conference Night

2007-11-19T19:54:00.000-05:00

Progress reports were sent home today. Please sign and return them to school tomorrow.

(sample)

Second quarter conference night will be Tuesday evening, November 27, from 4:55-7:25. All parents are invited to attend conference night on a walk-in, first-come first-served basis.

December Scholastic Book Clubs

2007-11-19T19:38:00.001-05:00

December Scholastic Book Clubs went home today. All book club orders are due by Monday, December 3.

Click below to view the memo and learn how to purchase Christmas gifts from Scholastic Book Club and keep it a secret. Shhh!

Follow the link below to place your order online. You will find the class user name and password on the memo sent home from school.

Scholastic Book Club Online Orders

Focus Titles: Zach's Lie and Jack's Run

2007-11-17T17:52:00.002-05:00

The PM Class is currently reading Zach's Lie, an adventure novel by Roland Smith about a boy whose family must be placed into the Witness Security Program after his father is arrested for illegal drug trafficking. The AM Class is reading Jack's Run, the equally engaging sequel.

I have encouraged my students from both classes to read independently the companion novel the other class is reading so they can know the whole story. Some students have already started, and at least one or two have finished the other book already.

Roland Smith is the author of several other adventure novels. For more information visit his web site at this link:

http://rolandsmith.com/

Both titles are available from Scholastic Book Clubs. December book club newsletters will be distributed Monday, November 19, and the deadline for orders is Monday, December 3.

Mr. Blount's Classroom Goes Online

2007-11-17T17:26:00.001-05:00

Since school started this year I have been attempting to find an electronic communication medium to suit the needs of my classroom. At first, I thought I would be able to start a class blog similar to my three personal blogs. It would be relatively simple to update the site regularly from school. Unfortunately, “personal networking sites” are blocked on school computers. So, I attempted to get special approval to unblock either a specific hosting address or my classroom computer. Categorically denied! Then, I tried to become a blogger on Scholastic.com, but alas they had already selected their five teachers for this year. My next attempt was to create a homeroom page on Scholastic.com, but the miniscule limits on uploads shot that down. I don’t really care for the format and features of the Tomlin Middle School official site, so I went back to square one and decided to initiate a class web site at blogger.com and run it from home. It will require more work for me, but hopefully I won’t run into anymore roadblocks, and we can get this thing up and running.