Saturday, January 30, 2010

The Skill of Summary




Students, there were so many examples of great work on Summary, a Unit Goal for Reader's Workshop. Check out three things: 1) some great student note taking (processing pictures before text); 2) an Example of Summary from Patty in 6th period (Way to Go, Patty!) and finally what the State of Washington has to say about the Skill of Summary. Can you spot how many ways Patty's work aligned with the State Standard? Questions for you. Why is Summary Important? How will this Skill apply to your life, especially in a Digital Age where there is so much information overload?

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Sample Scavenger Hunt Essay






One Text Draft: Best Times Bobber Project – Mr. Mauel Intro: (Three questions, Pivot Sentence, Thesis Statement)


Have you ever had a life-threatening experience? One that cast a tall thin shadow on the way you look at innocent things in the future? Like a river? When my best childhood friends came by my parents’ house and snuck me out of my room, I never expected it to be perhaps the last time I would see them alive. Sometimes life’s best lessons come to you in strange forms and places.


Body paragraph 1 (TS, CD, CM, CM2, CD2, CM, CM2)We walked a half mile from my parents’ house to the river. Along the way, I wondered what the river would like. Would it be as black as the night sky over our heads? We stood on the shore – five thirteen year olds at midnight. We got down to nothing but our swim trunks. We looked out. Anxiety knotted up my stomach. This stretch of the Spokane River’s surface was covered completely with large bundled logs. Under starlight, I saw that the logs were skinned. On the water, they looked like large white bones. Body Paragraph 2 It was a game of chicken. Five boys seeing how brave we could be... how far we could swim under water before turning and swimming back. We dove into the blackness. The view under the logs took my breath away – breath I knew I could not afford to give up. Louvers of silver light slanted down between the logs. Illuminated in sections the dark water, the fish that now looked strangely metallic, the sand at the bottom that now sparkled like something suddenly very valuable. The river water was warm, like oil. I intentionally swam to the bottom. I liked feeling how cool the river bottom was compared to the surface. I thought the feeling of sand along my stomach would make the seconds go by faster… help me calibrate how far I had traveled. I swam with my lips shut tight. I did not want to run out of air. Slanting sheets of light told me the logs were still bundled tight fifteen to twenty feet above my head. Body Paragraph 3 I looked to my left and right. Where I had seen my best friends before, I could not see them now. It was not for pain that I was scared now. It was because I was alone in the black. I never missed them more than I did now. Had I swum too far? Did I have enough air to swim back? I had to make a decision in the darkness. Swim on or turn back. I did not need my throbbing lungs to inform me that I did not have time. I swam forward. Along the river’s bottom as far as I could. My muscles tightened up. I suddenly felt light. I honestly wondered, ‘Is this where I am going to die?’ The water darkened even more. I was passing out. I closed my eyes. For the first time in my life, I kicked my legs as hard as I could. My arms were locked straight in front of my face but I could not see them. Suddenly, I felt my arms collapse. They were now flailing uselessly in front of my head and now my side. I told myself, ‘I don’t want to die. Not like this.’ I forced my body to float up. My eyes shut, my arms hanging like broken branches by my side. I lost sense of space and time. Blacking out… Thunk. The back of my head hit a log. I thought, that’s it. Body Paragraph 4 (Do I have to have four paragraphs? No. But I needed one to complete my thoughts). Suddenly, a painful shock hit my lungs. I realized after five or ten seconds of the needles that I had made it to the other side. I could hear sounds from the other side of the river. My friends yelling and running over the logs. I opened my eyes. I will never forget the look of my best friends sprinting over slick white bones. The sounds of their falling down and getting back up. Starlit images and sounds… Knees knocking on hard wood... I was alive. I wished I did not have to be this-close-to-drowning to remind me how much our group of friends meant to each other. Conclusion: (Thesis Restated, Topic Sentences Summarized, Memorable Statement) That night taught me that life lessons – more often than not – can occur in the strangest places. For me, that place was twenty feet below a warm Spokane River at midnight… looking left and right… wondering what to do. Alone… For as many sensory images that filled that memory, there was one that resonated inside my heart. I did not want to lose people I cared about and, to this day, am glad I didn’t.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Expositional Essay Prompts



Self-Scavenger Hunt for Writing Topics


· Best thing(s) that have ever happened to you:
· Worst thing(s) that have ever happened to you
· Thing(s) that you are proud of:
· Most memorable moment(s) with family and/or friends:
· Learning experiences in life or school:
· Funny moment(s) that still bring a smile:

FOCUS POINTS OF THE DAY: (all/Mauel/your class/writing prompts)

  1. MLA Style - see class example
  2. Conclusions: See your class's folder in the public drive.
  3. Due typed, double spaced, 11 point font end of class.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Red Robin's Bird is the Word!

Red, the Red Robin Mascot, chose to take roost at our school this morning. His purpose? To celebrate Poetry and Writing Contest Winners! Look for a student-made video on this site which showcases some work and hilarity. Thank you Red Robin for supporting so much student learning!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Funniest Things Ever...


All Right Students, one simile, one metaphor, a paragraph on the funniest thing you have seen happen at TJH or before. Remember, School-Appropriate!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Readylist for Monday/Tuesday of Next Week!




Class: here is what is due Monday/Tuesday (3/23 and 3/24). You need to log onto your blogger and send me a comment that let's me know you understand what is expected for Monday and Tuesday. That task is your five (5) points readylist points for the day!







  1. Holocaust Project completed and ready to turn in (see your packet rubric for questions) . Note: use bibme.org for your Works Cited Page and put four things in the upper right hand corner (using a header). Second Note: You turn in your Works Cited Page with your note cards Monday/Tuesday beginning of class.
  2. Essay Contest Entry (typed, double-spaced, and with four things in the upper right hand corner). Two reminders: use your contest number instead of your name; and make sure you have two (2) similes and two (2) metaphors.



Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Mr. Mauel's Creative Writing Contest








Entry Rules - 7 of Them:




  1. Expositional Essay Rules (i.e., organization, content, etc.)


  2. Sit in the same row as your team members (LIONS, TIGERS, BEARS, OH MYS).


  3. ONE CAPTAIN FROM EACH TIME: Receive E-MAILS from your other TEAM members. In your e-mail, include your name and e-mail address.


  4. Example: Paul Mauel - pmauel@tahoma.wednet.edu


  5. SEND e-mails to CAPTAINS


  6. CAPTAINS, SEND E-MAIL TO ME AND YOUR TEAMMATES with EVERYONE'S email in the Subject: line of your email.


  7. Turn off your computers and take out your log-books.


Next Steps:





  1. YOU choose the topic from your Writing Territories.


  2. Create an Entry in your TOC/Assignment Page: Pre-Write for Essay Contest.


  3. PRE-WRITE: Generate 2-3 CDs and (CMS on those CDs) per body paragraph (See example).


  4. Get Stamped. That stamp is permission to turn on your computer.


  5. Pre-Write is to be done and stamped in your Logbook before you can begin typing.


  6. Once your pre-write is stamped, you will be assigned a contest number. Keep your contest number a secret!!


  7. wRiTInG THE ESSAY: You must use at least two metaphors and two similes - otherwise, you will be disqualified


  8. Writing Contest Entries shall be due March 12th (typed, double-spaced and stapled), 2009 at 2:15pm with FOUR THINGS IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER [of your header]: 1) YOUR CONTEST NUMBER (not name), 2) period number, 3) date, and 4) team name.


  9. LAST 10 MINUTES: PRIVACY SETTINGS DISCUSSION FOR CONTEST. Everyone go to Dashboard/Settings/Permissions. Only People I Choose, Copy and Paste Your Teammates's email addresses + your parent's + Mr. Mauel's (pmauel@tahoma.wednet.edu) into your allowed list. THEN, go to Dashboard/Edit My Profile (no last names, no ages, no mention of Tahoma or Maple Valley). Watch pictures!


  10. Everyone will post their Essays (along with a symbolic image) to their blogs once Top Ten finishers have been recognized.


  11. ENTRIES ARE DUE, TYPED, DOUBLE SPACED, WITH HEADER OF FOUR THINGS, ON MARCH 12th, 2009 at 2:15pm. GOOD LUCK!!