I've Missed This...

Since we've been reading class novels together for the past few weeks, we have not had a lot of time to JUST get lost in our own books.  Thank goodness Mrs. Cain  realizes how important pleasure reading is and gives the kids time for it in in her class.  If she didn't, I would not be able to spend weeks at time using my entire class period for intense experiences with fantastic novels. So, THANK YOU MRS. CAIN!

Today, there were quite a few kids out because of our district UIL meet and I didn't want to continue in The Watsons Go to Birmingham without them. So today was a day to JUST read for the entire period.  We hadn't done it in so long, that I was worried people would be off task or playing around--especially since it's Friday.  I'm not sure WHY I thought that--as soon as they got settled in their desired spots, a wonderful calm just kind of descended on the room as one by one, each of us got picked up and carried away to wherever our books wanted to take us.

I sat at my desk, reading my own book, and when I looked up, I couldn't help smiling at seeing Joseph's facial expression as he listened to The Watsons and followed along in his book.  He was absent yesterday--so today, he had to get caught up.  Then my eyes traveled around the room and and I felt like the Grinch at the end of the movie when his heart swells with love.  

Angelica and Alexandrea were sitting side by side.  Alexandrea was on her Kindle, listening to music while she read, while Angelica sat next to her, captivated by Cirque du Freak.  To their left was Ethan, lost in his story collection--I can't remember the title, but there's a picture of a toilet on the front of it. :)   As my eyes traveled around the room, I saw each kid, in a different place in the room--and all of them were oblivious to me--and each other.  I took as many photos as I could without moving from my desk because I didn't want to disturb them.  For the last few, I had to walk around the room a little.  Not ONE person noticed I was taking pictures--and NONE of the pictures are "faked."  This is literally what went on for almost an hour today.

Have I mentioned how much I love teaching sixth grade Reading?  Yeah, I know...people probably get sick of hearing me say it.  Oh well, I do--and I'm not afraid to say it!

My Year So Far at Pettus Jr. High, by Jodaya

This year has been great, because I made two new friends named Ceaser and Alex. They’re really cool when you get to know them. Ever since I met them we’ve always done stuff together. We always have weird holidays just for us. For example last week we had a “brother holiday” and we gave each other gifts.

This year we also read a book called The Giver. It was a really good book. The part I like the most is when Jonas saves Gabriel and takes him with him to escape. The part I didn’t like was when Jonas found out that his dad killed the poor little twin. 

I don’t like that my friend Ceaser is moving. Me and Alex are sad that we won’t be the three musketeers any more, but we are just going to have to live with it, just like Jonas lived with it when he found out his dad was a killer. Plus, Ceaser wasn’t really like my brother, Alex was. So I’m not that sad that Ceaser is moving to where ever he’s going to. Just as long as I got my brother Alex I’m alright where I’m at and I won’t move on till my brother Alex does.

My Year Back in Pettus..So Far, by Alex

This school year has been a blast. I met three awesome friends. Their names are Cesar , Jodaya and Hudson.

This year we read the book called THE GIVER ,and it was a great book. My favorite part is when he was saving Gabe. The part I did not like was when the dad killed the twin. 

This year is also sad for me because my best friend Cesar moved over the Christmas break. Cesar was like my brother sort-of and I wish his mom would have changed her mind. 

I hope next year in football I get the postion I want. I want to be a punter. I read a lot of books but so far my favorite is CRACKBACK. Right now I am reading a book called PAYBACK TIME. Mr.Schauer makes me read a lot. Before this year I did not read much at all,  but now I do .

6th Grade So Far, by Mallory

Hey it's Mallory here-- and sixth grade so far is pretty cool. I still have the same friends from last year so that’s cool. 

My favorite class is Mrs. Schauer's class. The book The Giver is very good--just PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY ARE SAYING.  At first, it seems pretty boring, and half the class wanted to fall asleep, but once we got into it, we kept wondering what was going to happen next.  

I was sad when I found out that we don't get AR parties anymore once we got to Jr. High.

Sometimes Math gets really hard but you just have to listen. Mr. Flores for History class is easy because all we really do is write notes. 

So Far This Year, by Jacob

So far this year we have watched lots of science videos in Mrs. Camden's  class. We got to watch free videos to like the Criminal Minds and CSI. I like it a lot it in there. One time we got to look through telescopes--that was awesome J. 

In Mrs. Schauer's class we just finished reading The Giver. It was a boring book at the stat but got better at the end of it when they get to Elsewhere. The people in Jonas’s community were all like zombies because they did not know what pain or love was. 

We like to play music in the band hall.  It is hard but fun. Lots of people fail music and say that it is really hard and that I shouldn’t do it. We are almost to line 60. 

In P.E we have to run sometimes but on Fridays we sometimes get to play something called Quarterback Football and Capture the Flag.

6th Grade is Flying By! by Timothy

I can’t believe how fast this year has gone by! In elementary it seemed like forever for the day to go by, but it feels much shorter now! In eight different periods it is divided out, rather than one class, then another, then lunch and P.E, Rotations, then a class, with tutorials last. The time periods are 

• 1^st period is 8:00 to 8:50 
• 2^nd is 8:55 to 9:45 
• 3^rd is 9:50 to 10:40 
• 4^th period is 10:40 to 11:35
• 5^th is 11:40 to 12:30 
• Lunch is 12:35 to 1:00
• 6^th is 1:05 to 2:00 
• Tutorials is 2:05 to 2:35
• 8^th period is 2:40 to 3:30.

In the morning when we get here we go to class or get breakfast from the cafeteria or bring breakfast. During tutorials we basically get free time or if we have 74 or lower in a class we have to go there.