It’s May 16. 
Today is “Wear Purple for Peace Day.”  Are you celebrating with what you chose to wear today?

Trivial Fact of the Day:  Egypt’s Cleopatra made it very well known that her favorite color was purple, and the actress most famous for playing her on film—Elizabeth Taylor—was famous for having rare, purple eyes.  Coincidence?

Interesting Quote of the Day: “When people say, 'She's got everything,' I've got one answer - I haven't had tomorrow.” –Elizabeth Taylor (American actress)
Vocabulary Word of the Day:  eclectic (adjective) – this word describes a collection of people or things that shows a great variety of different elements. You can have a very eclectic collection of music, or a diverse group of friends can be labeled this too.

Marvelous Mustang Monday!!!

Today we are going to discuss Apartheid of African slaves and the African slave trade and Nelson Mandela.

It’s May 13. 
Today is International “Leprechaun Day.”  Why do you suppose we celebrate this day is in May instead of March? 

Trivial Fact of the Day:   Bet you didn’t know that leprechauns are the shoe-makers or cobblers for fairy folk.  They are often depicted with a leather apron, holding a shoe.
Interesting Quote of the Day:  “My two favorite colors of the rainbow are gold and leprechaun.”  --Jarod Kintz  (American author)
Vocabulary Word of the Day:  candor (noun) – if you are a person who shows this characteristic, you show great openness and honesty. What character from a book you’ve read recently shows the most candor?

Happy Friday the 13th!!!

Today we are going to finish our $2 presentations. Then read Ch 20 & 21.

 

 

It’s May 12. 
Today is “National Doodle Day.”  What images can you doodle best?

Trivial Fact of the Day:   You may think that doodling is a sign that someone’s mind is wandering when they should be listening, but a 2009 study concluded that doodling while listening can increase remembered details by up to 29%.

Interesting Quote of the Day:  “I only know two tunes.  One of them is Yankee Doodle and the other one isn’t.”  --Ulysses S. Grant  (18th President of the U.S)
Vocabulary Word of the Day:  illicit (adjective) – use this modifier in front of a noun that is forbidden or not permitted.  Have you ever had a teacher say that doodling was an illicit classroom behavior?  How might you present an argument  to that teacher based on today’s trivial fact?

Happy Terrific Thursday!!

Today, we are going to continue our adventure into East Africa. Please get a textbook.

It’s May 11. 
Today is “Eat What You Want Day.”  List and describe all of the favorite foods you would place in “buffet of your dreams.”

Trivial Fact of the Day:   Pizzerias in the United States purchase 4 billion dollars worth of cheese annually.

Interesting Quote of the Day:  “There’s no better feeling than a warm pizza box on your lap.”  --Kevin James (American actor)
Vocabulary Word of the Day:  avarice (noun) – this fancy noun means excessive greed, and someone who shows avarice cares about accumulating money more than anything else.  What would be a perfect, original name for a book character who shows avarice?

Happy aren't we glad we are not testing day!!

We are going to continue our discovery of Africa. We are also going to try to grasp the horrors of the genocide on Rwanda. As soon as you finish reading this, get a textbook, and find the vocabulary for this unit (6).

 

It’s May 6. 
Today is “No Homework Day.”  What would convince your teacher to celebrate this day with you?

Trivial Fact of the Day:   The pencil was invented more than 425 years ago in 1565.  A typical pencil today could draw a line 35 miles long.

Interesting Quote of the Day:  “Being a writer is like having homework every night for the rest of your life.”  --Lawrence Kasdan (American film producer and screenwriter)
Vocabulary Word of the Day:  subterfuge (noun) – here’s a really fancy noun that means cheating.  Even though you shouldn’t have, when is the last time you committed subterfuge on a homework assignment?  Why did you do it?

Busy, busy Friday!!!

Today, we are going to finish reviewing our documents and looking at our vocabulary. Then, take a test over or documents and vocabulary. (Don't worry!)

 

 

It’s May 5. 
Today is “Cinco De Mayo.”  How would you describe your favorite Mexican food dish to someone who has never tasted it?

Trivial Fact of the Day:   A Mexican tamale called the zacahuil is three-feet long and weighs 150 pounds.  How many people do you suppose that feeds?

Interesting Quote of the Day:  “I proved to myself that if I believed in something and set my mind to it, I could accomplish it.”  --Salma Hayek  (Mexican actress)
Vocabulary Word of the Day:  abnegation (noun) – this fancy word means the public act of renouncing or rejecting something.  About what at your school would you like to make a formal abnegation?

Cinco De Mayo!!!

What is Cinco De Mayo? Today you will find out!!

It’s May 2. 
Today is “Baby Day.” What would be the best and worst thing about being a baby again…for just a day?

Trivial Fact of the Day:   Babies don’t have kneecaps.  They are born with a cartilage structure that resembles a kneecap, but their patella bone doesn’t actually form until they are 6 months or older.

Interesting Quote of the Day: “The only time a woman really succeeds in changing a man is when he is a baby.”  --Natalie Wood (actress)

Vocabulary Word of the Day:  erudite (adjective) – apply this fancy word to nouns (people or things) that show great knowledge.  Complete this sentence: The erudite scholar ___________.

Marvelous Monday Mustangs!!!

Today, we are going start a study on imperialism in Africa.  Have your notebook ready to copy some vocabulary words. 

 

It’s April 26. 
What’s shaking?  Today is “National Richter Scale Day.”  Whose fault is this holiday?

Trivial Fact of the Day:  In 1960, the strongest earthquake ever recorded, at 9.5 magnitude, occurred off the coast of Chile.

Interesting Quote of the Day:  “You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake.”  --Jeannette Rankin (First female elected to the United States Congress…in 1916)

Vocabulary Word of the Day:  dynamic (adjective) – describe a person, place, or thing that is constantly changing with this adjective.  Could you argue that earth’s tectonic plates are dynamic, or do they move too slow in your opinion?

Totally Terrific Tuesday!!!

We are going to start with our presentation walk. Then continue our Africa unit with resources of Africa. We will use our textbook for this, so grab one after reading this blog. 

It’s April 25. 
Today is “World Penguin Day.”  Waddle you do to celebrate these short-legged, flightless birds today? 

Trivial Fact of the Day:   The largest species of penguins—the emperor penguin—can weigh up to 90 pounds.  The smallest—the fairy penguin—weighs only 2 pounds!

Interesting Quote of the Day:  “Life is a zoo in a jungle.”  --Peter De Vries  (American writer)
Vocabulary Word of the Day:  denigrate (verb) – this action word means to belittle or talk down someone else’s opinion of something. How could you directly denigrate a penguin, or how could you denigrate a person who does not think highly of penguins?

Mustang Monday!!!

Today ,we are going to begin our study of Africa. We are going to color a map of Africa and choose a physical feature to present.

It’s April 18. 
“Fore!”  Today is “National Golf Day.”  Are you teed up to celebrate?

Trivial Fact of the Day:   Teed up?  An acre of cotton plants yields enough material to make 1200 t-shirts! 

Interesting Quote of the Day:  Tea-d up?  “A woman is like a tea bag – you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”  --Eleanor Roosevelt (former First Lady of the United States)
Vocabulary Word of the Day:  Tear-ed up?  catharsis (noun) – a catharsis is the human process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong emotions that have built up.  Aristotle taught that good dramatic plays should bring out a catharsis in people.  Has a movie or play ever made you cry?

Mustang Monday!!

Today, we are going to start our project presentations. I can't wait to see the finished products! Don't forget: Wednesday is our capitals and states quiz. There is a quizlet on my Moodle page.