Animal Rights

After reading the story "The Dark Ones" I am more aware of how cruel humans are to animals. In the story, the seal was chased and shot several times. It was unnecessary and inhumane. Why did the hunters feel the need to laugh and joke while the animal was dying? This kind of cruelty makes humans seem like monsters. Why don't we treat animals with the same respect as we do humans? I have posted a link to the PETA website which shows how we can help and how many celebrities are tying to make a difference in the way we treat animals.
http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2012/02/09/how-to-save-animals-with-social-media.aspx

This photo was taken from: http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/blogs-prod-photos/8/1/b/9/3/81b93b8b9af46ca688728c33dcccfa2f.jpg?stmp=1295457992

Dumbledore's Character Traits

When you write your post for your character you need to create a paragraph out of the 3 traits and 3 proofs you used to create your Bitstrips. Here is an example:

     In the first 5 chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone we are introduced to the character of Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore is a smart man. He was asked to be the head of the Ministry of Magic but turned down the job. Also, Albus Dumbledore is a powerful man. When Voldemort tried to take over, Dumbledore was able to protect Hogwart's from his evil powers. Lastly, Dumbledore is a gentle man. When he had to make the tough decision to leave Harry with his parents, he became quiet and started to cry a little. Therefore, in the first few chapters of the book we learn a lot about Albus Dumbledore.

Moving from blogging to community building: how to comment on a blog

As our class is well into blogging, we are now going to start commenting on each other's thoughts. As we do this, there are a few rules to keep in mind so that we promote a positive and safe environment in our virtual classroom. Let's read a few rules (rules provided from Ms. Edward's wiki):

Keep safe. Never post your personal information or information about someone else. Keep things like ages, addresses, phone numbers, names of towns, or even places we work off the Internet. Remember that information on the internet, especially embarrassing information, may still be around after you've deleted it. Be careful not to post things that may come back to haunt you later. 

Be truthful. Write things you know to be correct using facts from research from reliable, credible sources. 

Ask first, then give credit. Ask an author's/artist's permission to post their photos, pictures or pieces of writing. Never use first and last names of people that could identify them in a photo or video. You must also ask permission when using an idea from a friend, a family member, or even from an acquaintance. After you have his/her permission, then you must ask if you can post his/her name to give him/her credit. If you know anyone who is breaking any part of this rule, it is very important to tell someone who can help immediately.

Be nice. The most important thing to remember is sarcasm hurts. Be overly friendly and be positive. Remember ... treat others as you would like to be treated.

Read, re-read, and proof-read before you click ENTER. Don't rush to make that final. Once you press that button, you can't bring it back. Look everything over and use your spell check to be sure everything is accurate. When you are certain that the editing is complete, then save to publish.

Information please. The Internet is a great source of information but information is only useful when it is accurate.

Be brief, to the point and logical. Use breaks in your text and formatting elements to make the page easy to read and understand.

Follow Directions. Be sure to follow the directions that are given for the assignment -- be creative, but within the parameters set forth on the page.

Keep it on topic - classroom oriented. This isn't the place to discuss after school plans or make comments to friends.

 Taken from: Ms. Edwards - wiki etiquette for students http://bit.ly/nj6Uob

My new grade nine class

What an amazing start to a new school year! I was thrilled to walk into a class with so many eager and positive students. I am excited to start this year with such an enthusiastic group. We are fortunate to be in a computer lab this term and I know that it is a wonderful opportunity for the students to explore social media. Perhaps we'll even make some connections with students outside the school. Let's see where our networking can take us.