For All of You Parents Out There

It’s a bit early to be thinking about heading back to school, but I just came across this video and thought some of you might be able to relate to it. Enjoy!

Sentence Contest – Final Week

Many, many thanks to everyone who has taken the time each week to vote on my students’ sentences. I’ve loved reading the sentences they’ve written, but I’ve loved watching them strive to do better each week even more.

Hmmm…I wonder if they’d like to continue this contest throughout the summer. No?

Anyway…since this is our last week of school, it will also be our last sentence contest. Appropriately, it will also be the theme of our last sentence contest. I gave students the sentence starter, “It was the last day of school and…” and asked them to finish it. They came up with some great ideas, several of which had me crying in a corner somewhere. Tears of joy, my friends, tears of joy!

Voting this week will close Wednesday, June 3rd, at 11:59 p.m. Our last day of school is Thursday!

The winning sentence from last week was:

I walked through the door and found the unlikely site of my brother working tirelessly over a feast of golden caramelized turkey, soft steamed vegetables, and an unknown desert that hid behind a cloud of powdered sugar.

Written by Laura

Sentence Contest – Week Nine

Another week has come and gone, with less than two weeks of school remaining. It’s hard to believe that my last days as a classroom teacher are going by so quickly. There’s so much I still want us to do!

I was thinking that this would be our last sentence contest, but I’m going to plan on doing at least one more. We may write our sentences on Friday so that we can give everyone plenty of time for voting. Keep an eye out!

Last week’s winning sentence:

The ferocious lion roared into the air, as his golden mane flowed around his face, challenging anyone who dared come near him.

Written by Alex

This week, students were asked to rewrite the sentence “My brother cooks” to create a much more descriptive sentence. Please help us select the best sentence. Thank you!

Voting closes Thursday, May 28th, at 11:59 p.m.

Sentence Contest – Week Eight

Since our school year is starting to wind down, there will be only two more sentence contests – this week and next week. Let me once again say how much we have appreciated your support and all of your votes these last several weeks. It’s wonderful to see students putting so much effort into their writing!

Without further ado, last week’s winning sentence was:

We all watched the thin boy, overcome with hunger, ungracefully chomp into the steaming pizza which just begged wordlessly to be eaten through the melting gooey cheese and grandma’s homemade tomato sauce that scented the air with a subtle hint of oregano.

Written by Laura

This week we are off to the savannah. Students were given the boring sentence, “The lion roared” and asked to make it much more descriptive. Please help us decide the winning sentence by voting for your favorite here:

Sentence Contest – Week Seven

Last week’s sentence contest was the closest vote so far! The winning sentence was:

Luke ran home with tears dripping down his swollen face; his body shaking violently as his mind replayed the moment where he was shoved into a locker and teased in front of half of the student body.

Written by Lindsey

This week’s sentences may force you to run to your local pizza parlor, post haste! If you could help us with a vote this week, we would greatly appreciate it. Voting closes Thursday, May 14th, at 11:59 p.m.

 

Sentence Contest – Week Six

For those who weren’t aware, yesterday was Star Wars Day…May the Fourth Be With You! So I thought I should come up with a Star Wars-themed beginning sentence for my students to work with. I had sentences that included Yoda, Darth Vader, Luke and Leia; there was even one that had Jar-Jar Binks as the subject. But knowing that I actually have a few students who have never seen any of the Star Wars movies (I know…it shocked me too!), I decided to go with “Luke ran home.”

The form for this week’s voting can be found below. We would greatly appreciate your vote by Thursday, May 7th, at 11:59 p.m. Thank you!

Last week’s winning sentence was written by Julia:

The majestic bald eagle soared slowly over the rolling hills dense with evergreen trees; gliding, dipping, and spiraling effortlessly before finally landing softly and silently on a high branch.

 

Sentence Contest – Week Five

I hope last week’s contest didn’t cause too many people to quit their diets and head out to the nearest ice cream store. The voting was especially close last week, but here’s your winner:

Dark chocolate sauce dripped down the cold French vanilla ice cream, rich and creamy, with a cool, perfectly sweet dollop of whipped cream on the top, stained bright red from the Maraschino cherry that lay buried in the cream.

Written by Katie C.

This week we head outside to watch eagles soar. Won’t you please help us decide the best sentence? Thank you!

Sentence Contest – Week Four

Many thanks again to everyone who voted in last week’s sentence contest. Students were given the sentence “The student cried.” The winning sentence was:

As she sat in the corner of the biggest bathroom stall, hugging her knees to her chest, the depressed, lonely student cried heavily, rivers of water pouring out of her mysterious, lost gray eyes and the salty drops rolling down her red face and stained cheeks.

Written by Izzy

This week I thought we’d do something just a bit different. On Saturday I went with a friend to Fenton’s Creamery in Oakland for dinner…oops, I mean for a mid-afternoon treat. My sundae was so pretty that I just had to snap a picture of it. My first thought after looking at the image…I am so totally using this for something in class. And here it is…this week’s sentence contest:

Please help us decide the winning sentence. Voting closes Thursday, April 23rd, at 11:59 p.m. Thank you!

Sentence Contest – Week Three

Many thanks to everyone who voted in our March 30th contest! The winning sentence was:

The sunset looked as if someone grabbed a brush and mixed the most beautiful colors together and splattered if upon the sky, letting the paint drip into the ocean.

Written by Sophie.

After a lovely spring break, we are back at it and hoping you might take a moment to vote for the winning sentence. This morning I provided my students with the sentence “The student cried.” I felt it was fairly appropriate as it was our first day back from break. Can you help us with a vote?

Voting will close Thursday, April 16th, at 11:59 p.m. Thank you!

Sentence Contest – Week Two

Thank you to all those who voted in our sentence contest last week! I did let my students know the winning sentence on Friday but forgot to post it here. My apologies! Last week’s winning sentence was:

The gooey, pearly white marshmallow melted on my tongue, sweet and creamy, reminding me of warm summer nights spent around the fire making s’mores.

Written by Katie C.

This morning I provided my seventh graders with the sentence “The sunset was pretty,” and asked them to paint me a sunset with words. It was not easy choosing only five to share with you, but I’m hoping you’ll be able to choose just one as this week’s winning sentence. Good luck!

We have a short week this week, so voting will close Wednesday so I can inform the kids on Thursday.