Elementary school blogging contest

Hey Elementary School students: Meet Morty the Blogging Bee!

Are you opinionated? If so, you can join other students in sharing their opinions on the NIE Blogging Zone and enter our contest. The student who has the best idea for a column will win a “Morty the Blogging Bee” stuffed toy, donated by the local non-profit organization, Charity Works. Simply go to the Learning Together Category on the NIE Blogging Zone and start typing.

The Blue Ghost

The Blue Ghost by Marion Dane Bauer (Grades 3-5)

Liz’s grandmother is preparing to sell her old cabin, a place that has seen many generations.  Liz comes to help her grandmother and she awakens one night to see a mysterious blue light that becomes the ghostly figure of a woman. Liz   hears voices coming from the walls, which Liz can step through to go back in time. On the other side of the walls, she meets a family of children, in need of help.  Liz finds the connections between the past and the presence. This book is a mystery. There are lots of examples of mysteries on the pages on the St. Petersburg Times. Can you find one? Share the mystery you have found on this blog. What information needs to be discovered to solve this mystery?

Book chat: Did you enjoy reading this book? Do you believe in ghosts? Was the story interesting? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.

No Talking

No Talking by Andrew Clements (Grades 3-5)

Dave Packer’s fifth-grade class is called the “Unshushables” by their teachers who have tried for years to keep them quiet. Dave has just read about Mahatma Gandhi and learned that the man practiced silence one day a week to bring order to his mind.  Dave decides to give this idea a try.  The contest that ensues puts boys against girls and students against teachers creating some controversy. What is a controversy? Look up the word controversy in the dictionary. Next, look for an article, picture or cartoon in today's Times that focuses on a controversy. Discuss the controversy on this blog. Is there a simple solution to the controversy? Can a compromise be reached?

Book chat: Did you enjoy reading this book? Can you relate to the characters? Are the issues presented realistic? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.

The Missing Manatee

The Missing Manatee by Cynthia DeFelice (Grades 3-5)

While cruising in his small boat through the maze of Florida's coastal rivers, young Skeet Waters comes across a dead manatee. Close examination reveals that the manatee was shot through the head. However, when Skeet and a deputy sheriff return to the scene of the crime, they discover that the manatee has disappeared. Skeet is determined to solve the crime. Manatees are endangered. Manatees and other endangered and threatened animals often are threatened by man-made pollution, human intrusion into animal habitats and loss of natural resources in those habitats. If you were a scientist in charge of restoring a habitat, what actions would you take? Keep in mind that food, water, shelter and space are essential components of a habitat. What would you do to reduce pollution? What would you include in your special habitat? Look in the St. Petersburg Times for ideas on what to include and what to eliminate from the special habitat. Share your plan here.

Book chat: Did you enjoy reading this book? Did you learn anything new? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.

Stumptown Kid

Stumptown Kid by Carol Gorman & Ron J. Findley (Grades 3-5)

Charlie Nebras misses his father, who died in the Korean War; dislikes his mother's domineering, prejudiced boyfriend, Vern; and loves baseball but is cut from the premier Wildcats team. Into his life walks Luther Peale, a former Negro Leagues baseball player. The rest, as they say, is history. Baseball, and the world, has changed a lot since the days of segregation. Did you know the Tampa Bay Rays have the most African-American players of all the teams in the major league? Look for articles and photos in the St. Petersburg Times about people of different backgrounds working together. Share your thoughts about how diversity brings strength to a community.

Book chat: Did you enjoy reading this book? Can you relate to the characters? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.

Dexter the Tough

Dexter the Tough by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Grades 3-5)

While his father receives cancer treatments in Seattle, Dexter must live with his grandmother in Kentucky. In class, his teacher tells her students that she wants them to write a story that lets her know more about who they are. Dexter writes, "I'm the new kid. I am tuf. This morning I beat up a kid.”  His teacher encourages him to flesh out his story, asking Dexter questions that help him acknowledge his feelings. Robin, the boy Dexter hit, is also new to the school.  Imagine you are the new kid in school and you have to introduce yourself to your classmates. Look for a cartoon in the St. Petersburg Times that represents you. Tell all your new friends on this blog what cartoon it is and why you have chosen it.

Book chat: Did you enjoy reading this book? Can you relate to the characters? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.

The Sloppy Copy Slip Up

The Sloppy Copy Slip Up by Dyanne DiSalvo (Grades 3-5)

Brian Higman, has a big problem. He doesn't have the rough draft (sloppy copy) of his writing assignment ready to turn in. He has a reasons but his teacher isn’t listening to them. What's he going to do? Sprinkled throughout the text are headlines and articles that Brian imagines he would use if he were writing for a newspaper. A good headline can pull all of your thoughts and ideas together. When you are writing for a newspaper, you want headlines that will entice readers to read the entire article.  In today’s paper, pick out headlines that interest you. List your top five headlines here.

Book chat: Would any of the headlines in today’s Times help Brian with his writing assignment? Do you think Brian’s writing tips are helpful? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.

Rules

Rules by Cynthia Lord (Grades 3-5)

Catherine's brother, David, is autistic.  Catherine loves her brother, but she is also embarrassed by his behavior. Catherine creates rules to help David understand what is right and wrong with his behavior. Then accompanying David, to his therapy sessions, Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic who tries to overcome his disabilities by using a book of pictures to communicate. Overcoming disabilities requires a special kind of courage. Overcoming people's attitudes or prejudice requires even more. Look through the pages of the St. Petersburg Times to find an example of courage. Read the article and highlight the sentences that show the courage of the person. Share the sentence you have underlined and your reasons for selecting this article by clicking on the blog link.

Book chat: Did you enjoy reading this book? Can you relate to the characters? Have you ever had to overcome other people’s attitudes? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.

Listen!

Listen! by Stephanie S. Tolan (Grades 3-5)

Charley is having a difficult time coping with the death of her mother. Her story is inspirational though. Sometimes it is a good idea to keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings. Look in the St. Petersburg Times for an article that presents an emotional conflict. Use this blog to write a journal entry about the article you have chosen. What is the article about? Why have you chosen this article? How did it affect you? Has the article inspired you in any way?

Book chat: Write a journal entry about this book by clicking on the link? Did you enjoy reading this book? Can you relate to any of the characters? Do you have a pet that you share your thoughts with? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.

The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco

The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco by Janice Repka (Grades 3-5)

Phillip Stanislaw’s family members are circus performers. Phillip convinces his parents to let him stay with his Aunt Veola and Uncle Felix in Hardingtown, the unofficial Dodgeball Capital of the World so that Phillip can lead a “normal” life. But how normal can life be when you are playing dodgeball every day? Phillip thinks that dodgeball is a pretty violent game. Look for an article about a sport or game in the St. Petersburg Times. Is there any violence in the sport? Is this violence represented in the article? Share your thoughts about the idea of violence in sports by clicking on the blogging link.

Book chat: Did you enjoy reading this book? What are your thoughts about Phillip and dodgeball? Share your thoughts about this book with other students by clicking on the link.