Monthly Archives: October 2012

Philanthropy Kids Magazine Contest

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Amit Banerjee is a former student of mine who created a magazine last year as a part of his Eagle Scout Project, who will be a speaker  at TEDxKids @ SMU about this new magazine Philanthropy Kids.  

 

Philanthropy Kids is a brand new magazine dedicated to promoting and highlighting the values of philanthropy in kids. All the articles are by kids, about kids doing good.

We want your story!
http://www.formstack.com/forms/?1291897-yQUVV30oxy

The contest will run from October 1st to November 12th and winners will be announced at TEDxKids @SMU on November 30th! The winners will be published in the next issue due out February 2013.

Open to ages 19 and under.

Elementary school: 150 – 500 words
Middle School: 250 – 500 words
High school: 500 words

Photos are encouraged!

All stories submitted can be published by Philanthropy Kids and no monetary compensation should be expected by the authors.

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/philanthropykids/home
Questions? Please email: PhilanthropyKids@yahoo.com

 

Note from Amit-
I am Amit Banerjee, an Eagle Scout with Troop 51 in Frisco, TX. I have started a magazine that recognizes and promotes philanthropy among kids. The magazine publishes stories from kids who have engaged in activities like volunteering, fundraising for a cause, or simply helping someone in need. So if you have helped the community in any way – raising funds for a hospital, walking for a cause, helped someone in need, donated your toys – anything that has made a difference in someone’s life, please send in your stories. You stories will be considered for the upcoming issue of the magazine.

http://www.formstack.com/forms/?1291897-yQUVV30oxy

The Elements of Style

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“Asserting that one must first know the rules to break them, this classic reference book is a must-have for any student and conscientious writer. Intended for use in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature, it gives in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style and concentrates attention on the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated.” (www.bartleby.com)

Here’s a “go-to” resource for composition and grammar: The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.

Khan Academy

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“A free world-class education for anyone anywhere.
The Khan Academy is an organization on a mission. We’re a not-for-profit with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education to anyone anywhere.

All of the site’s resources are available to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are a student, teacher, home-schooler, principal, adult returning to the classroom after 20 years, or a friendly alien just trying to get a leg up in earthly biology. The Khan Academy’s materials and resources are available to you completely free of charge.”

http://www.khanacademy.org/

 

Frisco SAGE G/T Game Night and Duke TIP Parent Presentation

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When? Wednesday, October 10, 2012
6-8 PM

Who? G/T Parents and Students OR Any Parent who is interested in the Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP). For more information, visit www.tip.duke.edu.

What? Bring your favorite strategy board game and meet other G/T students. Make new friends! A pizza dinner (pizza, fruit, drinks) will be available with RSVP for $4 per person.

Duke Talent Identification Program. Overview of 4th-6th grade program will start at 6:15 PM; overview of 7th-8th grade program will start at 7 PM.

Where? Clark Middle School Cafeteria
4600 Colby Drive Frisco, TX 75035

Please RSVP to FriscoSAGE@gmail.com with the following information:

  • Number of people eating
  • Number attending parent program
  • School(s) / Grade(s) of Students

Personal Narrative Examination: CSI (Conventions Sentence Investigation)

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With each sentence in your narrative, you will need to conduct a careful examination of the sentence construction and its details. You will revise each sentence so that it is the best possible sentence that you could/should have written.

Steps:

1.  Star the sentence that you think tells about the change in you as a result of the incident and write the word CHANGE to the left of the margin.

2.  Star the sentence that you think identifies the incident and write the word INCIDENT to the left of the margin.

3.  HOOKS: If you used one of the strategies for beginning your narrative (AQQS, pg. 29, SB), bracket the hook sentence and identify the strategy that you used and write the name of strategy to the left of the margin. Revise or create a hook sentence. (Homework)

 

Steps 4-9: Revise your sentences so that it uses one of these elements:

4.    VERBS:  Double-underline the  verbs in all of your sentences. Circle the main verbs. Did you use a verb like “ran” in your sentence and maybe added the adverb “quickly” so that the reader would know how fast you ran? Perhaps you should have used the verb “sprinted” or “bolted.”  Don’t those verbs give you a more VIVID picture of that moment in your narrative?  Did you use the verb “said” every time you used dialogue in your narrative, but you also used an exclamation point?  The verb should be changed to reflect the excitement of the exclamation point.  Homework: Choose at least 5 sentences for this step. (You may do more if you choose.)  If the sentence could be made more alive or descriptive by using a VIVID verb, make that change. Write the VIVID verb above the one that is being changed.

5.   ADJECTIVES: Highlight in yellow the adjectives in your sentences. Did you use the tired, old adjectives such as “sad,” “happy,” or “bored”?  Did you add the adverb “very” so that the reader knew to what extent you were sad, happy, or bored? Perhaps you should have said that you were depressed, ebullient, or disinterested. Don’t those adjectives paint a more VIVID picture of your emotions/feelings at that moment in your narrative? Homework: Choose at least 5 sentences for this step. (You may do more if you choose.) If the sentence could be made more alive or descriptive by using a VIVID adjective, make that change. Write the VIVID adjective above the one that is being changed.