Discovering the World Around You

This afternoon, the phrase "discover the world around you" popped into my head. I see it on everything from food commercials to nature magazines. Today, though, it stuck in my mind because of what I was doing. I was drawing and painting out in the world. I was actively looking around me to describe my environment.

"Discovering the world around you" is an active task. It means one has to get up and be mindful of what is going on.





It also spans across disciplines. On a scientific end, one can be aware of the weather and how air currents bring change in temperature, pressure, etc. At the same time, one can be aware of how all the different plants and animals come together to create unique ecosystems. On another side, the history of an area can help bring awareness as well. The people and communities that helped shape an area can linger in the mind while studying the current scene. In an artistic sense, the viewer can be aware of the interplay of light, color, shape, and composition. They were influenced by history, science, culture ...

The goal of a teacher should be to create a student who is viable in the world -- one that is curious about at least one part of it and is willing to use other aspects of knowledge to develop a fuller understanding of that curiosity. The kid who likes to skate may enjoy lessons in momentum and in geometry. Students who like comics may like creating their own in art or using mathematical shapes to describe their world. Those who like music may like poetry.

It's always more interesting to link an experience with knowledge. Catalog and link knowledge as you go throughout your daily lives. Make it an active point to learn and connect everyday.

Target Audience Lesson Survey

Please take the time to complete this survey. It is voluntary, and you may submit anonymously. Just put your answers in the comments section. Thanks!

Rank these 1-5 with 1 meaning "Strongly disagree" and 5 meaning "Strongly agree."

1.) The lesson was easy to follow.
2.) I understood the lesson.
3.) The homework was understandable.
4.) The homework was challenging.
5.) The definitions were clear.
6.) The links were relevant to the information.
7.) The time frame given was enough to do the work.

If you have any other comments, please include them. You may also e-mail your comments to me at natebillings@gmail.com. I will not give out your answers. They are for the improvement of the lessons only.

Thank you,
Mr. B

Grammar, is that logical, Captain?

It has often been said that English teachers were born with impeccable grammar, often leading to their natural inclination to become English teachers.

I must confess, though, I wasn't always so perfect in my grammatical endeavors. And, I suspect there are many teachers out there hiding such a horrid, ungrammatical past as mine. In some ways, grammar is learned naturally, and in others it is pounded into the head through various means of torture. I mean, uh, the English classroom. Seriously, however, it takes time to learn the writing process. That is why we started grammar quizzes last week.

So, your assignment is to respond to this post sometime in the next couple of weeks. (Let's shoot for by October 8.) And discuss some grammar issues.

Your responses should correspond to these items:
(Remember, there are no right and wrong responses. These are just here to provoke discussion.)

Grammar is learned from our surroundings.
Grammar is learned from an educated person.
Everyone has the same grammatical sense.
When a person's grammar is off it means that person isn't as educated as another.
Everyone can tell where someone is from based on the person's grammar alone.
Grammar is universal, rigid, and follows logical rules.

Nonfiction, what does it mean to you?

This might be a quick post, but I need for everyone to pick a nonfiction book by Friday in order to get ready for some reading days. I won't be too picky about what you choose, but I would like for you to pick something you're interested in. And, I want it to be of a decent length. So, I would suggest looking for some biographies, autobiographies, or even a few topical books such as Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation which focuses on those who partook in WWII. But, it is some heavy reading.

Also, I would like everyone to start thinking about the different types of nonfiction encountered everyday. Post your responses to this entry sometime within in the next couple of weeks, and we'll use it in class.

Your responses should coincide with the following questions, but they don't have to answer all of them. Just mull on them a bit ...


Where do you find nonfiction sources?
What constitutes nonfiction?
Do you like nonfiction?
What do you think when you hear the term nonfiction?
Is television nonfiction? Are newspapers?

Hey, what's he saying?

Well, class, it's that time of year again. That's right, it's time to add new music to your iPod. So, you systematically organized every song into its proper category according to style, genre, artist, and singer. Wait? You don't know the lyrics to your favorite song?

Okay, so we don't actually do this, but it does bring up an interesting problem related to the English language. Our understanding of language is often based on our preconceptions. That means we often hear something we think we hear instead of what we actually hear. That might be a bit confusing, but think about knock-knock jokes. They are based on what we want to hear and what we think we hear at the same time. For example, "orange you glad I told you this" is a proper knock-knock punch line. Orange stands in for aren't, which is just one of several words we slur every day.

Assignment:
Write up a list of words and phrases you often confuse with each other. A good list is about ten pairs, since everyone should have different variations. Have them ready to turn in on Monday, because we'll be using them to compare them to actual lyrics from actual songs sometime in the week.

You can see for yourself...

Hello Folks!
They always say that a picture says a thousand words. So, for Monday's work, we will be talking about descriptive words and phrases. What does that mean for you? Well, it means you will be asked to describe the picture above without naming any item in particular. That means you cannot write the words church or steeple when describing this picture.

Now, you might be asking me why I am asking you to do this without specific names. Well, first of all, when a person names something, it automatically gives an impression of that object which may or may not be accurate. For example, if I were to tell you I see a bird, and it is black and white, you may assume it's a woodpecker. However, I saw a penguin. But, in that respect, there are many varieties of penguins as well.

So, your assignment is to come in on Monday with a paragraph describing one aspect of this picture in as much detail as you possibly can put into it. Remember, don't name it or give anything else in the paragraph a name. Don't worry about getting everything correct; the point of the exercise is to get your minds working. And, you'll get some participation points out of it too.

Oh, and, yes, that is Notre Dame Cathedral. I have a (teacherish) surprise waiting for you on Monday as well!

First Discussion

Scenario:
You and your friends are playing a game based on H.P. Lovecraft's works. Lovecraft wrote horror and science fiction works in the early thirties. A discussion comes up about how older horror stories are not as scary as the ones they write today. You and your friends decide to put the argument down on paper and discuss it later when you have time for such things.

Assignment:
Briefly post your opinion in the comments. Please keep it to one or two sentences. Then, write a one-page paper explaining why you feel the way you do. Give specific examples, and remember to use logic. These papers are due on Thursday, and we will discuss them on Thursday.

Here is a site for more information on H.P. Lovecraft! It's a great way to kick off October.
H.P. Lovecraft Archive