Hi Boys and Girls,
One of the most important independent activities I can think of---is reading. Why? Besides the obvious [fluency, vocabulary acquisition, knowledge, improved writing skills, etc.] reading articles raises your personal bar, particularly reading articles from the New York Times; it is just plain paramount. In one day I have discovered topics from "Drones, Kilian Jornet, asteroids, to headlines such as: So You’re Extinct? Scientists Have Gleam in Eye. The list is just exhaustive and that's a good thing.
So, again, why should you care? Because learning is in YOUR hands. You accelerate it or you diminish it. Yes, there is always school where much learning takes place, but reading independently at the young age of 10, or 11, or 12 has benefits that are more than ten-fold.
Can you imagine sitting down to take those darn standardized tests, and here you are clueless because you have no idea how to bring in factual evidence to defend an argument or claim. Those rich ideas do not just float onto the paper. Those ideas are the work of collected independent readings you have done over a period of time. When you least expect it, you will need an idea. Plus, reading one article brings new ideas to you and allows you to construct another idea and another and another. That is called THINKING. Those thoughts push you to new unexplored terrains and take you anywhere you want to go.
So let's consider the above topics. Let's bring in a closer lens to these ideas and turn them into persuasive and argumentative writing prompts.
Should the government continue to use drones? What are the pros and cons? Where do you stand on this topic? Why?
Should experiments be conducted to bring animals once thought extinct back to life? What are the pros and cons? Where do you stand on this topic? Why?
What underlining lesson does Kilian Jornet champian mountaineer really teach us? What does nature have to do with his success?
How does one calamity [disaster] bring opportunity or does it? What does this tell you about the human condition?
These are but a few ideas to consider. Find a place, bring your iPAD along and tap into the New York Times, and maybe National Geographics. Make it a habit. You will be amazed at how much is out there, and you do not want to miss the boat! You want to ride in it, all the way, take it as far as you can. Even if you only read a headline, a paragraph, two paragraphs, in time you will find yourself THINKING.
So, in closing, I recommend you read one or two of these articles, or check out today's New York Times and send me a headline worthy of mentioning on this blog!
What could be better!
Be well Kids!
The Teach
Can you imagine sitting down to take those darn standardized tests, and here you are clueless because you have no idea how to bring in factual evidence to defend an argument or claim. Those rich ideas do not just float onto the paper. Those ideas are the work of collected independent readings you have done over a period of time. When you least expect it, you will need an idea. Plus, reading one article brings new ideas to you and allows you to construct another idea and another and another. That is called THINKING. Those thoughts push you to new unexplored terrains and take you anywhere you want to go.
So let's consider the above topics. Let's bring in a closer lens to these ideas and turn them into persuasive and argumentative writing prompts.
Should the government continue to use drones? What are the pros and cons? Where do you stand on this topic? Why?
 |
| How large are these drones? |
Should experiments be conducted to bring animals once thought extinct back to life? What are the pros and cons? Where do you stand on this topic? Why?
 |
| Can you guess what extinct animal this is? |
What underlining lesson does Kilian Jornet champian mountaineer really teach us? What does nature have to do with his success?
 |
| In one word, describe Kilian's trait. |
How does one calamity [disaster] bring opportunity or does it? What does this tell you about the human condition?
 |
| Consider: Is that object strong enough to tear a hole in someone's jacket? Of course it is! Now consider thousands of these raining down! What story could you tell that incorporates these space nuggets? |
These are but a few ideas to consider. Find a place, bring your iPAD along and tap into the New York Times, and maybe National Geographics. Make it a habit. You will be amazed at how much is out there, and you do not want to miss the boat! You want to ride in it, all the way, take it as far as you can. Even if you only read a headline, a paragraph, two paragraphs, in time you will find yourself THINKING.
So, in closing, I recommend you read one or two of these articles, or check out today's New York Times and send me a headline worthy of mentioning on this blog!
What could be better!
Be well Kids!
The Teach
