Hi

Hey guys just seeing how your going. In Costa > Rica right now... so I´"ll see you soon!

¡Australia 202!

School

So back to school, getting up early, homework, tests, quizzes! Being in 8th grade! At least we get the lounge!

Please post something!

Maddie

Happy Summer!!!!

Hey everyone! I hope your all having a great summer! Right now I'm not doing anything exciting... the most exciting thing I've done this summer is go to Oklahoma, which was really boring. You really don't want to know how boring. It's pretty sad, so I'm hoping maybe I can live through some of your guys excitment. So if you're doing anything exciting, let me know so I have something to do besides google things like "cheese pants." So Mr. Lawrence, how are you? I absolutely LOVE the slideshow!!!!!!! Thanks for that!!!!!! I know, I know, I only really need one exclamation point, but I'm so excited I just can't hide it!!! lol talk to you peeps later!!!

Emma/Elf/Totally Awesome Person

Paint me Like I am

Hello everyone!
I have written a poem like the one we read in class that day. Please can you tell me what you think of it!

Paint Me Like I am
By Shannon
Inspired by Delia Garcia


Why don’t you paint me
Like I am?
Paint me courageous,
Bravely, walking through the jungle.
Paint me with a smile on my face.

Paint me with a safari hat
And ready to explore.
Paint me tall trees, rivers, and bushes.
Paint me with Tigers, Lions, Monkeys, and Crocodiles.
Paint me somewhere wonderful.
Somewhere where the sun smiles and
The moon sings you to sleep.
With hummingbirds floating,
Around the deep blue sky.

Paint me without shyness.
Paint me without hatred.
Paint me without depression.
Paint me so I will never frown.

Can you see the face telling you to paint me courageous?
Paint me with happiness, but most of all
Paint me free.

copyright 2008, by Australia 202.

Hoped you liked it!

Hi

Hi everyone I was just wondering how everyone is?!
Okay bye
Maddie

Hello!

Hello people!!!!!!! How is everyone? Mr. Lawrence, I hope that you are doing well! I've got a slight problem, or should I say problemo. See, now whenever I try to sign in, it's all in spanish. And I'm confused. So if you know how to fix this, I would appreciate some info. Aidios! I think...
Emma

New Accafe Video's out!

Hi all, New Accafe video's out.

We have 2 new videos.

The Plan and The Party

You might have to watch our beginning videos first before you watch these so it will make sense.

Just go to www.youtube.com/accafe to see our videos.

Here they are.

The Plan:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9wbF6rg7oyw

The Party:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E4BDsGF6iU

See you all at school.

Will

Yes, go nuts! Post all you want. I have sent invitations to everyone who gave me their email...

Can we post yet?

Hey Mr. Lawrence,

Just wondering if we can post yet.

If I wasn't aloud to post I'll delete this.

Will

I need your email!

If you give me your email, I can send you an invitation to be an "author" for the blog, so you can add your own posts . . . I sent one to Maddie because I had her email...

DEAR SEVENTH GRADE,

I am sorry I did not do a better job speaking to you about you before leaving.

I am honestly not kidding or exaggerating when I say that this is the best 7th Grade I have ever worked with. It is not even a fair contest; you are so far ahead of the second place class. What separates your grade from all of the others is your spirit. The greasers and socs costume idea was great, and you put it together very quickly. That is my experience with you. You have great ideas; you show energy and humor and kindness every day. I have enough experience with 7th graders to know that you also went out of your way to be kind to me—Mr. Lawrence— specifically. I noticed that from the first day. You had no way of knowing me from two years ago when you were at the other end of the building as 5th graders. If you saw me last year, I must have been just some former teacher you did not know. Yet, when I returned this year, you were kind and friendly and energetic toward me. I also noticed that when a class became too loud or wasn’t listening that you corrected one another as a way of showing respect for me.

This still amazes me. This took courage, strength, patience, and maturity. I wish I had been able to thank you in person. I am tremendously grateful to you for being so kind to me. I am honored and proud to know you.

I know that not everyone understood my teaching style. My number one goal was for you to enjoy English. I want you to enjoy reading and writing so you will do it forever. (The quotation stuck to the board above my desk explains this perspective another way.) Journals were about communicating that you have wonderful stories to tell, that your lives are important right now. I tried to make good writers little Allendale celebrities. The world takes good writers very seriously.

If I look at everything I have learned in my life, my advice to you is this:

1. Be good to other people. Nothing else matters. Money means nothing. Neither does fame. Add goodness to the planet by being kind to other living things—cats and plants included—and you will have lived well.

2. Don’t ever give up.

I will try to follow my own advice; I will use your example as inspiration.

I will never forget the goodness you added to my life.

Sincerely,

J.Law

To My 8th Period 7th Graders,

I greatly appreciated the energy and enthusiasm you brought to class. You deserve more of the credit for the laughter we shared. I enjoyed the time we spent together. I hope you did notice that I am serious about good reading and good writing. There are so many great stories worth reading and worth writing. Many of the things you enjoy most in life—t.v., movies, music, books—were created by writers. There is no reason you cannot become one of those writers some day.

I hope you noticed that I respect you greatly as individuals. I let Krystal be Krystal, Sonya be Sonya, Brian be Brian … etc. I did not try to force you to be one type of person. (Hey, I even let Krystal be Billy.) Don’t wait until two weeks before graduation in 12th grade to notice that there are many great and funny and talented people in your grade. They don’t always have to look like you and dress like you, for you to joke and laugh and enjoy life together.

Please be kind to the substitute and be kind to me in my absence.

To My First Period Seventh Graders,

Thank you. You made my day every day. We laughed AND made progress every day. You arrived with energy and good humor and you left the same way. My only regret is that we didn’t do more; I should have answered more fake phonecalls during class from Ian’s mom and Mr. Hertrick, I should have asked my doctor for other prescription pills for things like outlines and homework too, we should have gone to Liquid together more often—not just on Ladies’ Night (although, boy, the drink specials are really good on Ladies’ Night, right?), we should have listened to the radio more often. We should have had Omar imitate things like water fountains and fire earlier in the year.

Pps. The substitute is really great. She is nice and very smart. You will like her. I had not met her yet when I saw you on Friday.

??????????????

Somebody give me an idea for the name of this blog. I want to change it often.

p.s., the sequel VANITY PLATES

Please post your vanity plates here with their translation.

eg.

for Cherry <<"red hotty">> which means that Cherry is a very nice girl. And she has red hair. =) Sorry, that's all I could come up with off the top of my head.

Easter!

No homework for today. See you tomorrow. We will have a book test this week--on the whole Outsiders book. Be sure to be caught up with your reading. Bring your Outsider book to class. What did you think of the movie so far?

p.s.

I will not be in school tomorrow--Thursday. The sub will give the spelling quiz and then show the movie the old-fashioned way with a t.v and dvd player. Sorry about the technical difficulties today. We rarely take the time for videos, and I was excited for you to see the movie. (I went to Blockbuster last night at 10:00 to get it.) It was very frustrating that neither 7th grade got to see it, and we were not able to get other things done because I was wrestling with the computer. Please be kind to the sub and be kind to me in my absence.

Author! Author!

Does it matter that a 16-year-old girl, who had never been in a gang, wrote this book? Does it make it less true?

Journal questions. Write your answers in your journal

1. What was your reaction to the ending?


2. Is this book realistic?


3. Is this book too mature for 7th graders?

Write at least 10 sentences total (3+ sentences for each question) in response.

Greasers vs. Socs: A Survey

Begin by saying whether you think the statement is true or false, then add at least two sentences of explanation for each. Use the book and your own life for examples.

1

In any city or town, tensions exist between the wealthy and the poor.

2

Gangs are necessary for safety and protection.

3

Teenagers should stay with their own kind.

4

People should be judged, in part, by their appearance.

5

The way to stop violence is revenge.

Here you go, Davey. Everyone should know Underdog.

Just push play to watch the video!

Trapped

You are trapped on a deserted island, with which of the following cartoon characters would you want to be trapped?

Bart Simpson , Mickey Mouse,
Eric Cartman , SpongeBob, Dora,
Bugs Bunny , anyone from Family Guy,
Fred Flintstone , Homer Simpson
Underdog , Mighty Mouse,
Others??

Please explain why? You may choose a character someone else has chosen, but you should create your own reasons for your choice. Please write in complete sentences.

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