Sports Cars, Dreams Cars ... You Pick!

So this suggestion has been on the WallWisher for a while. What is your dream car? Or maybe, what sports car is the best out there? There are links below if you'd like to browse some of the top cars in the United States. Check out the links and report back on the Blogger.

Audi

Nissan

Lexus

Acura

BMW

(Post suggested by Xavier 317)

Sonic vs. Mario ...

So here it is ... Sonic vs. Mario. What's your take on the video games? Which one is better? I don't know what else to ask because Ms. D is not too familiar with this topic. Add to the conversation by sharing your knowledge and have fun.

(Post suggested by Xavian 319)

Children's Day ...

So Ms. D missed some parts of Children's Day because she was running a game in the gym. Share your memories from Children's Day and let Ms. D know what she missed.

Reality T.V. Shows Craze

Reality T.V. shows like Biggest Loser, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, the Voice, are the things to watch these days. Have you watched any of these? Do you like watching them? And are there any others I did not mention that you'd like to include?

Why do Americans love their reality T.V. shows?

(Post suggested by Gissele 317 & Jacky 319)

Favorite School Memory

What is your favorite 2010-2011 school memory? For me, it might have to be when I found out a student said that it would be best if teachers were robots, so that you could turn them on and off. Really?! I'm thinking that would be nice if it were for students ... oh whoops! Did I say that out loud?

What's YOUR favorite school memory this year?

Summer Plans Anybody?

School is wrapping up, and summer vacation will be on. What are your plans for the summer, whether fun or even goals for keeping up with your education? Believe it or not, I will be doing a lot of classes and workshops to prepare the computer lab for next year. So I have some school to do, but I will have my fun :0) What about YOU?

(Post suggested by Edwin 308)

Which One Is YOUR Favorite?

So when it comes to video games, which gaming system is the best? We have the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation, or the XBox 360? Am I missing a system? If I did, introduce it into the conversation.

(Post suggested by Edwin 318)

If We Had Recess ...

If we had recess, ... here are some ideas for conversation:

• If we had recess, would you work harder and stay focused on schoolwork?
• If we had recess, what would you like to do to take a break from schoolwork?
• If we had recess, would you look forward to coming to school more?

What are your thoughts? Feel free to add on to this.

(Post suggested by Razan 311)

What Are YOU Good At?

I thought this was an interesting and fun idea for everyone to share what one thing they are good at. What makes you proud because you are good at it? All of us have gifts and talents and sometimes we overlook them and only see the negative in each other. Let's do the opposite and share what we are good at ...

Something Ms. D is good at is playing the piano and leading at her church. I LOVE doing it!

(Post suggested by Kenneth 308)

Sponge Bob Anyone?

Did you know Sponge Bob is the only Nickelodeon show that started in the 1990s and is still on the air? I definitely did not grow up with Sponge Bob, but you guys did. Share your favorite shows, characters, and laughs. Have at it!

(Post suggested by Noelani 302)

How Serious are YOU About Your Health?

Take a look at this BrainPop video to take a closer look at what being healthy means. Write back and tell us what you learned and what you think about the issues. Is it just eating healthy, or is there more to living a long and healthy life? Is it hard to live in a healthy way? Is it important enough to you that you're already living healthy? Feel free to leave your ideas and tips ...

BrainPop

(Post suggested by Layla 317)

Your Favorite Place To Go ...

If there was one place I'd like to go, it would be a window seat to stare and think. It may seem odd, but sometimes I need to think, away from all the craziness of life. Where would you go? What is your favorite place to go where life seems at peace and normal for you?

(Post suggested from Sophia 306)

Eastern Conference Finals ... Who Will Take It?

I know many of you are itching to talk about the series against our very own Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat. Ms. D. has dibs on the Bulls, of course. Talk about whatever it is you need to get out of your system. It's going to be a tough road to the NBA Championships ...

(Post suggested by Timothy 305)

Year-Round School Anybody?

Rumor is flying around that year-round school will be coming in the future. How soon? We don't know yet, but there are pros and cons for it. Read a few these, and write your thoughts or ideas.

Pros
1. Shorter summer breaks will help students not lose all that they learned in the previous year.
2. There are more breaks and longer breaks (i.e. winter break = 3 weeks, a fall break = 1 week)
3. The breaks give teachers and students time to get refreshed for more, versus being burnt out.

Cons
1. Keeping schools grounds will cost more money because school will be open longer.
2. Teens who work may have difficulty holding or finding a job.
3. A shorter summer

When I Grow Up ...

Here's an interesting thought ... have you ever been asked what you would like to be when you grow up? Well, I'm asking ... what do you picture yourself doing when you grow up? Tell us why or what gave you that inspiration ... Plus, it's good to have that goal in mind as you come to school every day because it's your choices today that direct where you go in the future. Here's mine.

When I was little, I wanted to be a nurse because not only did I like being on my feet, but I also loved helping people, making them feel comfortable. I also knew I'd get paid well, and I liked the idea of going to work in gym shoes, not having to dress up.

So what about you?

Cartoon Craze

Back in the day, I would watch cartoons like the Smurfs, Gummi Bears, and Tom and Jerry. Nowadays, I have no idea what's out there to watch.

What are some cartoons you like to watch? What time and channel are they on? And why do you like watching it?

(Post suggested by Adam 319)

Bully Alert!

Recent studies show that:
1 out of 4 kids is bullied.

Every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervention - 4%. Peer intervention - 11%. No intervention - 85%.

8% of students miss 1 day of school per month for fear of bullies.
77% of the students said they had been bullied.

More bullying occurs on school grounds than on the way to school.

These are statistics. I share them because I know we have had bullying situations here at Falconer. It's a very serious matter, and I think we should work together to stop it at Falconer.

What are your thoughts or suggestions about bullying? Why do people bully? What should we do to get rid of bullying behavior here at Falconer?

(Post suggested by Hector 317)

Making School Longer ... That Means Extending It

Rumor has it that the newly-elected mayor, Rahm Emanuel, wants to make the school day longer. How do you feel about that? We all thought getting out at 1:45 pm was nice, but it might not stay that way for long. What are you thoughts, positive or negative, about this possibility? I can already hear some of you groaning and complaining ... :0)

Read the article below to get some more details before you leave a comment.

Extending the School Day

(Post suggested by Darius 302)

What's for Breakfast?

On April 29, 2011, Falconer begins their new breakfast program. How is it going so far? Do you like the choices? Do you like or dislike that you have to eat breakfast? And do you think it's helping you out by giving you energy for school?

They say breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day ... what do you think?

Royal Wedding Bliss

April 29, 2011, marked a historic day for England ... Prince William gets married to Kate Middleton. When his grandmother (Queen Elizabeth II) and his father (Prince Charles) pass away, he will be the King of England.


Check out the link below to take a look at the wedding, its preparation, and what happened after. Write back your thoughts. Would you want to have been there? What must it feel like to be royalty? I think about that a lot ...

The Royal Wedding

Spring Break!!

Spring break is finally here! What are your plans? Or what would you do if money was not an issue or obstacle?

3rd Quarter Report Card Is Out!

Another report card down, which means one more quarter left. Let's talk about how 3rd quarter grades went. Were you happy with your grades? Were you disappointed or surprised? Is there anything you would do differently in the next quarter?

Maybe your parents rewarded you ... maybe they grounded you. How did it go?

(Post suggested by Rosa 323)

Teach Ms. D About Pokemon

When I was growing up, Pokemon was not around. Rainbow Brite, the Smurfs, G.I. Joes ... those were around. Teach Ms. D about Pokemon. I see a lot of students with the cards, but I just don't get it.

Here's your chance not only to talk about Pokemon, but to teach Ms. D. about them. Who knows, ... maybe I'll make up a project around Pokemon someday.

(Post suggested by Jamiel 309)

Anyone Have Free Time?

So when all your homework and your chores at home are done, ... what do you like to do with your free time? When we talk about these things, let's try to stay away from video games. We all know you guys LOVE video games! What are some other things you love doing with your free time?

Post Suggested by Angelica 318

Earth Day

Earth day is April 22nd, and April is totally Earth awareness month. Check out any of the links below and share a tip that Falconer students can use in their everyday life.

If we're going to live on this Earth, we need to make sure we take care of it. Let's share some ideas here and live them out everyday! Who's with Ms. D?!

The Greens

Time for Kids

BrainPop (Earth Awareness)

Energy Star Kids

(Post suggested by Destiny 304)

A few of the 4th grade classes just got done podcasting about tips for online safety. Please join them in making a gigantic list of tips students can use to stay safe on the Internet.

Remember, we may LOVE the Internet, but it can be a dangerous place. If we don't know how to protect ourselves, some pretty bad things can happen.

Check out the links below, watch the videos, and make a humongous list for future students to learn from.

Netsmartz Kids (4-5th)

Netsmartz Tweens (6th)

(Post suggested by Lizbeth 308)

iPad Apps ... Which Ones Should We Get?

So, ... we ARE getting the iPad 2 at the end of May. We might not be able to use them much this year, but that gives us, the teachers, time over the summer to get these ready for you, the students.

We want your help in selecting education apps (applications) to put on our new iPads. Here's a few links to get us started. Take a look at an app, read about it, and decide if we should get it. It's like your the critic.

Apple Education

Kevin's Page

Because this post was suggested by Kevin 311, we also want to check out his web page up above. Click on it and give him your helpful feedback.

(Post suggested by Kevin 311)

Math Madness

When I was a student I loved math! Let's use this space to talk about something we enjoy about math, or about the things we have a hard time getting. Even though I loved math, there were things I did not get. So let's help each other out here.

If someone is struggling with something, let's give them some tips to help them understand. Besides, math is used every single day of our lives. Think about it, ... everything we do involves numbers.

(Post suggested by Fatima 304)

Why Famous People?

What exactly does it mean to be famous? We make such a big deal about celebrities and famous people. Why? What is it about them that draws us to them? Because we aren't famous, is there something we don't have that they do?

Talk about a famous person you look up to or admire. Why do you? What's the big deal?

(Post suggested by Diana 304)

Tsunami in Japan

Let's use the blog to talk about things around the world. Less than 2 weeks ago, Japan was hit with a devastating tsunami, caused by an earthquake in the Pacific Ocean. Check out a BrainPop video on tsunamis or click on the link below to get a sense of how much tragedy there is in Japan.

CBS News

BrainPop

(Don't forget to log in on BrainPop)

Learn and show that we can be aware and sensitive to what's going on in Japan.

(Post suggested by Noelani 302 & Adriana 306)

International Flavors

What in the world does 'international' mean? It means looking at the global community, or looking at countries outside the U.S. The fact is, we all represent a country. I represent Poland, because I am Polish. Even though I think I'm Irish, I am fully Polish because both my parents were born there.

So let's talk about your country and your family. Where is your family from orginally, and what are some things you do to celebrate the culture you represent? Because I think I'm Irish, I know I celebrate St. Patrick's day (March 17th). How about you?

(Post suggested by Adriana 306)

Sugar Crazy!

There's no doubt, everyone loves sugar. But I have to believe you, students, do a lot more than adults.

Use this silent conversation to talk about your favorite candies are sweet and packed with sugar. You know Ms. D loves chocolate and her favorite candy bar would have to be the Twix. Blog away!

(Post suggested by Steven 318)

How Are You and Blogger?

It's been over a month since the Falconer Blogger has been up. Let's talk about what you like and what you don't. If there's something you don't like, please be responsible and write it in a way that is respectful.

Here's another question ... what can we do to improve the Blogger, so that it's BIGGER and better?! I LOVE ideas!!

(Post suggested by Anonymous)

So Now That They're Over ...

ISATs are done!! I'm sure everyone, students and teachers, are exhilirated that all the pressure is off.

So now that they're over, are you happy, sad, or mad? How do you feel now that the biggest test of the year is over?

(Post suggested by Darius 302)

Will School Ever Be Fun?

Trust me, I know a lot of us don't like school because it can be boring. I was once a student, too. I also know and firmly believe school can be more fun than it is. I believe using more technology in your classrooms would make education more engaging and interesting.

I have tons of ideas, but let me hear from you. What are some things that discourage you about school? What are some things you'd like schools, and even Falconer, do? I know we teachers can learn from you. Be specific!!

(Post suggested by Maria 311)

Derrick Rose ... MVP!

So, ... it's been said that Derrick Rose (from the Chicago Bulls) should be this year's MVP (Most Valuable Player). Basketball is in season, and baseball is right around the corner.

What is your favorite sport? What are some things going on in your sport that you want to talk about in this silent conversation? Feel free to use the website below to see what is going on with your favorite sport.

ESPN

(Post suggested by Michael 319)

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears ... Oh My?

If you know you're movies, you know that the title of this blog comes from the Wizard of Oz. But we're not here to talk about movies again. This is all about your favorite animals.

What are they? Why are they your favorite animals? Would you and could you have them as pets? Would you take care of them or leave it for your parents?

(Post suggested by Yamaira, Carolina, and Jordan)

Any Movie Junkies Out There?

I LOVE watching movies! Some of my favorites include Anne of Green Gables, Pride and Prejudice, and Brave Heart. I know, I know ... you've probably not heard of them, but Ms. D. is old.

What are your favorite movies? Any favorite parts in the movies you like? (Post suggested by Raymond)

ISATs, ISATs, ISATs, ... What Are They Thinking?

So the ISATs have arrived. I know many of you do not like these tests, and trust me, the teachers don't either. Yet we do our best today because we know that every choice we make affects the choices we have later in life: choices that can either send us down a good road of life or a not-so-good one. The choice is ultimately our own.

How do you feel about the ISATs? What are your fears? What are things you do to prepare? Is there anything positive about taking the ISATs? (Post suggested by Alexie)

Books Are Awesome!

Have you ever wondeed why when you read a book and then watch the movie of it, that the book is 10 times better than the movie? It's because books are ridiculously awesome! It's sad that many of us think books are boring. If I could reverse time and go back to being your age, I would have read more books. Now that I'm older, I can't stop.

What are some of your favorite books? Tell us what they are, why they're awesome, and why you would receommend it to your fellow classmates. (Post suggested by Xavian)

Should We?

Should we really talk about video games? I know you play them all the time, so here's your chance to share some of your favorite games and have a silent conversation.

(Post suggested by Michael & Jair)

Super Hero It Is ...

So word has it that many of YOU want to talk about superheroes. Here it is. Talk to us about your favorite superhero and what makes them so 'super.'

(Post suggested by Xavian)

Spring is Almost Here!

I like spring because it means new beginnings. New grass comes out, new leaves emerge, new flowers blossom ... it smells fresh already. What's more spring break is soon coming. What will you do during your break? What will you do during the spring? Any thoughts on how you feel about spring?

(Post suggested by Abril)

Tiger Mom ...

Parenting ... it's one of the toughest jobs in the world. We don't know what it's like until we one day become one. Have you ever heard of a tiger mom? Check out this video link and decide what kind of parent you will be.

Tiger Mom

Snow Day Fun!

Chicago's 2011 blizzard came and went. We got 2 days off from school. The last time that happened was back in 1999. I know I enjoyed my 2 days off. What did you do? And how do you feel about making up those snow days by coming into school when you should have a day off? Any thoughts or ideas?

What do you LOVE?

February is the month we celebrate Valentines day. Tell us what things you absolutely love and why. Here is mine:

I LOVE chocolate because it is smooth and silky in your mouth. I could eat it all day!