Blog #4

What is your favorite winter holiday memory? Be detailed as you explain what happened, who was there, when this occurred and why it was taking place. Try to evoke the senses in your description. 

Every year on Christmas Eve my entire Italian family gets together for a Christmas Eve feast, there are usually sixty people but every year it gets bigger and bigger as people get married and babies are born. It is tradition in the town that my Nonna and her nine siblings grew up in to have fish and no other meat on Christmas Eve. My Nonna works hard the week before Christmas Eve to prepare the meal for all of us. She makes stuffed squid, baccala (salted cod), mussels, prawns, salmon and of course several pasta dishes; lasagne, spaghetti, gnocchi and ravioli. Everyone arrives around seven pm and dinner usually lasts three hours. After dinner and dessert and lots of laughter everyone gets ready to head to midnight mass. This is a family tradition that has been passed down for generations and it is something that everyone looks forward to each and every year.

Ms. Harstone

300 words

Due Friday December 5th

Blog #3

What do you think  is awesome? For this blog you will need to check out the blog 1000 Awesome Things blog. Go through the list and find one that is appealing to you. Your job is to write about that. Remember, you can be creative and your post does not need to be true. So, what will it be... #390 Being waited on hand and foot or maybe #392 Catching the ice cream truck! You have 1000 choices so find one that you like best.

Please include the number and title of the blog you are using as inspiration in your post!

Ms. Harstone

You must post by Monday November 3rd 2014
Minimum of 300 words

Blog #2

It was 2:43am. We had been cutting and folding and pasting since 7:00pm. We were beyond tired. The coffee we had made had long since lost its effect. We were tired. We had to get this done though...Sitting there around the kitchen table we only had a few more to make. I looked at my cousin and she didn't do anything or say anything but just looking at her made me laugh. Then my sister started laughing and in between laughs she tried to ask what was so funny but I could barely breathe I was laughing so hard, there was no way I was going to be able to form words and explain. Tears had begun to stream down my face and my stomach hurt so bad but I could not stop laughing and I had no idea what I was laughing about. By this point my cousin had joined in. My sister was on the floor in an uncontrollable fit. There was nothing to even be laughing about but it was hilarious.

Staying up so late that everything becomes funny...Awesome!

Ms. Harstone
Due Oct 7 2014
Minimum 300 words

Blog #1

Camping 

The campfire is crackling and you have your favorite flannel jacket on. You have organized your graham cracker and chocolate and now you are slowly turning your marshmallow watching as it slowly turns the perfect shade of golden brown. Next to you your  best friend is making hot chocolate and another is pulling out his guitar. The stars are out. The moon is shining. It could not be a more perfect night.

Write about your favorite camping memory. If you have never been camping make it up. Be very descriptive as you recall the details of your camping memory.

Ms. Harstone
Minimum 400 words
Due September 23

Intro to Blogging

Blog Introduction

Blogs offer students a chance to easily read each others' ideas, as well as draw from internet resources. Many students prefer to write on a computer as it allows for more convenient editing and provides the option of using tools such as spell check, grammar check and thesaurus.

Please remember the following guidelines for blog use:

1. Everything you write on your blog must be considered PUBLIC. Do not include ANY information or opinions on your blog that you would not be comfortable with anyone else (in or outside the class) reading.

2. Please follow the proper expectations for writing in English 11. It is natural for students to become careless in their writing when working in an internet environment. Do not use FB or Instagram (#thisisEnglishclass!) abbreviations and style. Formal grammar, punctuation, and appropriate word choice must be used at all times.You will be graded on your blogsite throughout the year. Part of your mark will be based on having all blogs complete. Part of your mark will be based on your writing skills and the effort and detail that you have put into your work. Finally, part of your mark will be based on the comments you write on the posts of your peers. Comments must be appropriate and thoughtful. Any inappropriate comments will result in a mark of zero for that blog.