I hope you are all having a really wonderful, fun, and relaxing summer vacation. As part of your summer activities, I have assigned a book for you (Middle School students) to read…I hope you all received the letter I sent. If you didn’t- or if you want to re-read it- I have attached it. See you soon!
Ms. Risch
…The perfect time to settle down in a lawn chair or head to the beach with a good book! Here are some recommendations from our middle schoolers:
City of Ember Series, by Jeanne Duprau
“It is a page turner with a plot that will keep you guessing.”- Alex
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
“This is one of my favorite books. It’s about a girl living in Nazi Germany during WWII. Even though it does get sad at some points, it’s still a good book to read.”- Burak
The Harry Potter Series, by J.K. Rowling
“It is, so far, the best book series I’ve read. Pick this up if you like magic, adventure, and humor.”- Johnny
“I recommend this because it is a fun and adventurous book that has a lot of different good morals.” -Ilkin
“All of these books are good and make you just want to read them all day.”- Mollie
Redwall Series, by Brian Jacques
“…it’s a book with great description and imagery. This is probably my favorite series of all time.” -Henry
Soul Surfer, by Bethany Hamilton
“I recommend this book because it’s a fun, true story…it takes place in Hawaii and has great detail. It’s also about a girl within the age of middle school so it has a relatable writing style.”- Taylor
Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
“The imagery is fantastic, and though there is magic in the story, the conflicts and feelings the characters experience are as human as you can get. Recommended for patient, thoughtful readers.”- Elisa
City of the Beasts, by Isabel Allende
“A good adventure, and definitely a page turner.”- Ben
The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart
“This book has amazing characters (one stubborn and all very smart) and a unique plot that includes thoughts entering other people’s heads without them noticing.”-Cassie
Sold, by Patricia McCormick
“I liked it because it was very well written, and it made me more aware about what’s happening around the world.”- Maddy
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli
“This is one of my favorite books of all time. It is witty, exciting, and a great book for everyone. Seriously, you should read it.”- Sophie
House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer
“I thought this book was really good. The book is sort of in an intermediate level; although it isn’t really advanced or mature, the ideas it proposes and the things that take place in it are really provocative.”- Raphael
Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
“It’s a sci-fi adventure that is a higher level read for middle schoolers. It is exciting and thrilling, and makes you want to take part in the adventure.”- Zeya
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Caroll.
“It’s a really cool story and is really good at making you feel like you are there.”- Mollie
Peak,by Roland Smith
“I recommend this book to all people because if you have a passion for something, stick with it, and don’t stop it. This book shows kids that you need to pursue a goal, and don’t give up.”- Cole
The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick
“This book is an interesting read; it has beautiful sketched out pictures in it about what’s going on in the story… This is one of my favorite books, so I recommend it to anyone who likes some sad, exciting, and interesting books.”- Cheyenne
The Lovely Bones,by Alice Sebold
“This book is the inspiring story of a young girl named Suzie Salmon who gets murdered at the age of 14. Although she is gone, the story shows how she impacts her family’s and peers’ lives, even in death. Even though it is an adult book with some upsetting and vulgar topics, it is a moving novel that I recommend to anyone who is up for a challenge.”- Nathan
The Thief Lord,by Cornelia Funke
“This book is my all time favorite! It is really, really good. It is a mystery, with a ton of adventure, and that’s what makes the book awesome.”- Aaron
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
“This book is full of excitement, intensity, and full on adrenaline. It will make you want to read the book from beginning to end as fast as you can.”- Allie
“This book is very intense. It keeps you wanting to read more and more, without putting the book down. You might also feel that you are actually experiencing everything going on.”-Isabelle
Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld
“I recommend this book because it has a lot of really cool concepts and weird ideas. It’s a fiction novel that takes place during WWI. Once I got into this book, I just couldn’t put it down.”- Tripp
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
“This book is probably better for older kids and adults… This is a kind of book that makes you laugh and cry.”-Isabelle
Becoming Holyfield, by Evander Holyfield.
“This book is about a fighter’s journey through what he had go through before he was a fighter. It talks about independence, loyalty, and importance.”- Matt
The Snow, by Orphan Pumuk
“Orphan Pumuk has become one of my favorite authors this year; his writing is beautifully worded… The Snow is more of an adult book, but an avid reader in middle school could also complete this book quickly. A journalist returns to his home town, Istanbul, Turkey, falls in love, discovers the mystery of death, and discovers himself.”- Ella
Gregor, the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins
“Gregor the Overlander series is amazing. It is an adventure and you definitely want to keep reading and reading.”- Doug
On the Run Series, by Gordan Korman
This is a book about a brother and sister who are sent to a juvenile detention center because their parents were accused and convicted for selling government data to terrorists. They escaped from the juvenile detention center to prove their parents innocent.”-Joey
The Percy Jackson Series, by Rick Riordan
“It is very adventurous and exciting. It is about a 12 year old growing up. He feels he has no purpose until his unknown father is in trouble. He is afraid to grow up because something big will happen to him on his 16th birthday.”- Pyetha
“The Percy Jackson books have adventure and action.”- Myles
I Am The Messenger, by Markus Zusak
“This book has great imagery and funny characters. Plus, it’s a mystery.” -Sophie
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
“This book is really fun and is a page turner. It makes you think a lot about time travel and about unknown planets.”- Chameli
Alex Rider Series, by Anthony Horowitz
“I recommend the Alex Rider Series because it keeps you on the edge of your seat, you don’t want to stop reading. It’s about a 14 year old spy, important missions, and a lot more cool spy things. I think that Scorpia or Ark Angel are the best ones. I usually don’t like reading but when I start reading I can’t put it down.”- Hunter
Alabama Moon, by Watt Key
“This is a sad but happy book…The boy’s adventure is very successful and rewarding. “- Ilkin
Maribito-Guardian of the Spirit, by Nahoko Vehashi
“This book is an adventure book but a lot of the things used refer to Japan where it was written. It’s interesting because it has different people and monsters/animals that I have never heard of before.”-Emily
Totally Joe, by James Howe
“I love this book. The characters are super funny, and it deals with big issues like name calling, being different, and homosexuality.”-Sophie
Warriors Series, by Erin Hunter
“It has a twisting plot that keeps changing with unforgettable characters. I liked it because the characters stay with you, because of the lessons it teaches you, and the plot line that makes you want to keep going.”-Alex
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
“This book is very good, but also a little sad. It makes you feel grateful for what you take for granted.”- Chameli
Holes, by Louis Sachar
“This is about a boy who has an adventurous time at a horrible camp. This book really shows how powerful friendship is.” -Doug
My Name is Red, by Orphan Pumuk
“This is a mind playing book, it will twist and turn the reader’s perspective. This book is translated from Italian, French, and Turkish. There are multiple narrators including: a corpse, Satan, and the color red… Good, interesting read.”-Ella
Maximum Ride (Series), by James Patterson
“You’ll be on the edge of your seat when you read this. It will feel like you are actually with the characters every moment, intense or not. My absolute favorite for middle schoolers.”- Allie
Dragon Rider,Cornelia Funke
“I read it when I was going into 6th grade. It is kind of sad, but then it gets really good. The book will keep you on your toes, and it has a great ending.”-Aaron
The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks
“I recommend this book because it is exciting, cute, and fun. The characters in here are really cute and so is this story! Boy! It is an adventure.”- Cheyenne
Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridely Pearson
“This is the first book in a series, and the other books are great as well. It is lengthy, but an easy, light read. The story and quick pacing of the author will keep you on your feet throughout Peter’s journey.”- Elisa
I have created my first wiki site…a site that encourages communication and collaboration. In order for students to access this google site, they need to have the e-media usage agreement form signed and turned in.
I am having fun learning how to use and alter templates and add pages and links. I was very pleased when I got the daily weather report added and a YouTube video of Joshua Tree! Now I look forward to having student input on the site.
Many of you may have seen the news article about the middle school teacher who wrote on a student’s paper “-20% for being a loser“. Some parents in that North Carolina school are very upset; others defend the teacher saying it is just his way of relating to his students. I brought this news item to my middle school students today and am curious about what you think. Is this an appropriate or okay way to relate to this age group? Is sarcasm an effective way to communicate? If this is the way middle schoolers talk, joke, relate to each other, is it acceptable for teachers to use this style? What do you think?
Students were asked the question, “Who are you?” and they responded in poetry. This is what some had to say…
I was…
Ignorant
Not thinking
Scared
Confused
Funny
Hiding.
I am…
Smarter
Starting to think more
Still a little scared
Figuring things out
Still funny
Seeking
I am one of a kind.
-Johnny
I am like a wave
I come along the bottom
Rising and forming, trying and trying
Soon at the top
Rolling and gliding
Building higher and higher
Never alone
I am always with people
Interacting, playing, entertaining them
But soon I break
Forgetting everything
Starting over
Trying something new
Going left instead of right
Playing with crabs instead of people
Here I am.
-Ben
What am I?
I am something.
But What?
I am the sounds of rain pattering steadily on a rooftop
An overcast, maybe even rainy day.
I am big books read on a cold windy day
Pasta with pesto
The ringing sound of bagpipes
A ball with a goal
A pencil on paper
An “A” on a test but a “B” on common sense
I am a bird trilling endlessly away on a tree branch hidden from sight
A clock ticking
A trampoline being bounced on,
And someone bouncing on a trampoline
I am Windex scrubbing away at dirty spots on windows
A watering can giving a drink to a thirsty plant
A leash that keeps dogs near
A recycling can being walked down to the curb, ready to be filled up with new things every day
I am funny,
I am quirky,
I am crazy,
I am all these things put together,
Henry.
-Henry
I am the seed. I started all.
Those are the roots. They expand our knowledge of how.
It is the stem. New to the world.
They are the sun, air, light, and water. We cannot live without it.
Much of this makes us a trunk. We are experienced.
All of them are the branches. They are helpful to the tree, but the bad ones will fall.
The leaves are the final touch. They make it nice and friendly, but they too can fall.
We are now a tree. We can make it through the rain and the snow together,
The heat and the drought together,
But we cannot pass death. Death will come when it’s time.
That is…
Until someone plants a seed again
And that is me,
The seed that starts all.
-Joey
The first day of middle school…
I was nervous, embarrassed, tense, stressed, scared of change, always pleasing others.
And now…
I am still stressed but I am also confident, relaxed, ready for change, adventurous, friendly, now I want to please myself.
-Ilkin
I hear my creativity inside
I can see the splashes of color
The textures, shapes, and movements in my head
I show it through my hands.
I am ambitious and excited, worried
I tell who I am through it
I am art
I am Allie.
-Allie
I am just a kid in a maze with no end, going everywhere for the finishing prize
I strive for a goal that isn’t there, hoping and wishing it is
I am playing baseball with 5 on my team and 12 on the other
I was a white ball with stitches; now I am a green ball with fuzz
I am in a race on a path that never ends
I am the face of a book with many different covers that keeps changing…
Non stop
-Pyetha
A piece of me grows tall as the grass in the meadow
Another cowers in terror waiting, while the dark, dank center of the storm draws nearer and nearer
A different piece stands there tall, unmoving, always there, stationary
Another is always thinking, contemplating matters of the highest and the lowest on my list of priorities, contemplating everything from math to understanding the mysteries of the heart
All of these combine and there, standing in front of you is me…
But is it really?
-Cassandra
First time at TCPS…
I was scared,
nervous,
tense,
unsure,
judgmental, and curious,
out of place,
concerned,
scared of change
And now…
I am still a little judgmental,
ready to conquer everything,
serious about learning,
ready to make new friends.
-Cole
I am… a dove
From a world full of hate
Soaring the sky for dream clouds that don’t exist
To listen to the last breaths of a new born child
Who will soon die in her mother’s arms
Those are the things I see
An ominous fate but it’s the way life is meant to be
So I lend my wings
A desolate world for a dove that soars the non-existent clouds above
Time is older than I; it must have learned to watch things die
But I cannot.
So I lend my wings
Hate is in this world too.
Wars between angry men who seek revenge
Bombs that turn the seas an angry blue.
So I lend my wings
I lend my wings, and my broken past in the hope for change
The hope to see something new
Because one day I hope to see dream clouds form,
One day I hope to soar, to finally be able to spread these white feathers
But for now I lend my wings for those who need them more
For those who cannot sing
Until I hear their songs
Until I hear them sing
I am and will be their broken wings.
-Ella
We’re back from Winter Break and Middle Schoolers have begun reading new novels for the new year!
The sixth graders are reading and listening to the audio tape of the classic tale The Wind in the Willows. In addition to the beautiful language and imagery, the story and characters offer opportunities to discuss social status, personalities, and virtues such as hospitality, forgiveness, compassion, generosity, and humility. Kindergarten is also enjoying this book, and Ms. Price and I are excited about a cross-age project with our two classes.
The seventh graders are reading the ever popular book The Outsiders which is the story of rivalry between two groups of teenagers, the Socs and the Greasers. The story illustrates the difficulty of fitting in and the need to belong to a group.
To Kill a Mockingbird is being read by the eighth graders. This classic coming of age story engages students in exploring prejudice, injustice, courage, and integrity.
more later….happy reading !
I want to wish you the warmest of holiday cheer! I feel blessed to have you all in my big “family”. See you next year…2010!
Much love,
Ms. R.
As part of our study of Shakespearean plays, the seventh and eighth graders chose and memorized famous sonnets and monologues. Enjoy a few snippets fom their recitations.
In Language Arts we are studying prepositional phrases and parts of speech. Our assignment today was to write a ten line poem using prepositional phrases. This is our poem…
According to sources,
the tomato flew inside the house,
under the bed, past the dog,
through the window,
into the pool, out the drain,
into the sewer, out the manhole,
under a car, past the market place,
across the river, into the dump,
opposite the airport, onto the plane,
through the turbine, and SPLAT!
by Henry, Hunter, Mollie
Every writer struggles to find the perfect words…In class we talked about varying our word choices. A thesaurus or a dictionary can help us come up different ways to express an idea.
Afterwards, we took time-honored nursery rhymes and “played around”. We hope you enjoy our versions… 
Click below to read a few, or stop into our classroom to see the book we made!