Expert Project

So far I am very impressed with the results of our 'Becoming an Expert' project. For an example, check out Adora's blog. Good job citing your references, Adora. I also really love your humorous asides.

Poetry is a pastime-posted by Adora and Felisa

Poetry is...
a pastime.
Poetry is...
a summing up.
Poetry is...
a medium to vent our emotions.
Poetry is...
a potential political or religous weapon.
Poetry is...
a caricature of life.
Poetry is...
life condensed.
Poetry is...
canned life.
Poetry is...
a doorway.
Poetry is...
a paradox.
Poetry is...
a collage.
Poetry is a pantheon.
Poetry is...
monkeys crying sorrowfully above.

Link

link name
Watch Adora on Adora TV

wikipedia.org

Today's Activity

Activity: Update

Now that you are well on your way to becoming an expert on your subject, it’s your job to keep your readers updated. Take some time today to read about your subject in one of your books, or via your Google alert feed. Share your information with your readers.

First, answer the following questions:

1. What new thing have you learned regarding your topic?
2. Where did you learn it? (if website, include link)
3. What does it make you think of?
4. How does it make you feel?
5. What new questions does it raise?

Now, open a blog post, title it ‘Update’ and transcribe your answers into your post in complete sentences.

When you are done writing, use your self-editing checklist and publish. If you have time, visit your classmates’ blogs and read their posts. If you have any questions about their posts, you can leave them in the comments section.

Time Capsule

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the Czech Republic? Or are you thinking "What the heck? Where in the world is the Czech Republic?" I've got the answers to both of those questions, and quite a bit more. The Czech Republic is located in Europe, South of Germany and Poland. It used to be connected to Slovakia (which is right next to the Czech Republic), so the Czech Republic used to be called Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic's people speak Czech (of course). The Czech Republic holds many ancient castles and buildings; it is a country filled with history. Most people in the Czech republic play violin. The Czech Republic is a country filled with culture. I chose this topic because I believe that the Czech Republic is a very interesting country. I also chose to write about the Czech Republic for my topic because some of my ancestors came from the Czech Republic, and I thought it would be nice to know more about the Czech Republic.

My questions about the Czech Republic: What kind of architecture is predominant in the Czech Republic? What are some historical sites in the Czech republic? What words are hardest for Czech children to learn? What artists have come from the Czech Republic? What kind of food is in the Czech Republic? What inventions have Czech people made?

Menu
Soups
zelná polévka (sauerkraut soup)
bramborová polévka (potato soup)
česneková polévka (garlic soup)
koprová polévka or koprovka (dill soup, made from sour milk)

Side Dishes
vařené brambory (boiled potatoes)
houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings)


Desserts
borůvkové knedlíky (blueberry dumplings)

Blog Evaluation

Have you ever read a blog with borders that looked like sweaterneck designs? If so, I sympathize. The blog www.instapundit.com, a political blog, is not only fringed by these drab borders, but flashy ads matching its sensationalist tone. I was not impressed by www.instapundit.com, and I realized the importance of choosing designs and advertisements with taste.

One blog that I found particularly interesting was www.worldhistoryblog.com, about, evidently, world history. Their sky background is nicely staying in the background and not drawing attention away from the subject. The unobtrusive sky colors of blue and white also compliment the blogger's speculative tone. I liked the subject matter but I was disappointed that many posts were articles he recommended that were written by other people, instead of his own work. This blog helped me learn that displaying your own work makes your blog more unique, and that images are essential to helping readers get a good grasp on the subject matter.

Www.classic-literature.blogspot.com, a blog about classic literature, has a lack of images and is set against a plain dark blue background that emphasizes the blogger's serious tone. I felt that the blogger did not address us and I was somewhat pushed away. I thought that the blog, while focusing on interesting subject matter, was slightly boring. I knew after reading this blog that addressing your readers or their key interests directly helps "pull people in."

Blog Eval

Blogging is about more than just creating an online journal; blogging is about communicating with other bloggers, and learning new things from the feedback you receive in your comments section. Exploring other blogs is a part of being a successful blogger. We can learn from other blogs. Which blogs do you like? Which blogs do you dislike? Why?

Activity:

Vocabulary:

Tone- the characteristic style of a piece of writing, the way somebody says something

Examples: optimistic, pessimistic, light-hearted, gloomy, casual, formal, academic, gossipy, sarcastic, warm, serious, facetious, dramatic, dry, outraged, enthusiastic,

1. Visit a blog that specializes in a specific topic.

2. Explore the blog for a few minutes. If you like it, stay a little longer.

3. Answer the questions below.

4. When you are done, continue exploring the blogs on your blog list. In your notebooks, answer the blog eval questions for each blog.

Blog Eval Sheet-

1. Name of blog:-----------------------------------------------

2. Is the blog visually appealing? ---------------------------

3. Are there many images? ----------------------------------

4. Do you like the way the blog looks?--------------------

Describe the way the blog looks:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. What is the blog’s primary topic? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. What kind of tone does the blogger use? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------