Honk if You Hate Bullying

"Honk if You Hate Bullying"

When Jose Lagares found out his 4th grader was bullying other kids, he punished his son.  He grounded him and even made him do hard labor, but nothing seemed to work.  Then Mr. Lagares came up with a creative idea.  He made his son stand on a street corner with a large sign that said: "I'm a bully. Honk if you hate bullies."  Mr. Lagares said "It was just the final straw, and it seemed to work."

When other people found out about this news story, there was a public outcry.  Some people thought this was an awful idea and that Mr. Lagares was bullying his own son.  Others supported Mr. Lagares unusual idea.  But Mr. Lagares still believed in what he did and stood out on the corner with this own sign that said, "I'm not sorry. Honk to stop bullying."

You may read the full article here:  http://www.kcentv.com/story/23602173/bullys-father-responds-to-critics

What do you think about this unusual punishment?  Do you agree or disagree with this idea?  Do you think this idea will help stop bullying?

Your assignment:

Give your opinion and why you feel the way you do.  Write at least 6 or more sentences:

WRITE:

I think Mr. Lagares' creative idea to punish his son for bullying other kids is a good idea.   Making his son stand on a street corner and hold up a sign that says, "I'm a bully. Honk if you hate bullies." will help stop bullying because...

OR:

I think Mr. Lagares' creative idea to punish his son for bullying other kids is a bad idea.   Making his son stand on a street corner and hold up a sign that says, "I'm a bully. Honk if you hate bullies." will not help stop bullying because...

THEN: Explain the reasons that support your opinion.


IMPORTANT: Make sure you have a solid argument. Use FACTS as much as possible to support your opinion.


 HOW TO POST YOUR COMMENT:

1. TYPE YOUR COMMENT INTO WORD AND SAVE IT AS BLOG IN A NEW LEAD FOLDER
2. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG POST, CLICK ON "COMMENTS"
3. COPY AND PASTE YOUR COMMENT FROM WORD INTO THE BLANK BOX
4. TYPE THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS YOU SEE IN THE SMALL BOX
5. CLICK NAME/URL
FOR YOUR NAME WRITE YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST INITIAL AND BLOCK.
For example: If my name is Rebecca Ekstrom and I have LEAD I2, I would put this for my name: RebeccaEI2
6. LEAVE THE URL BLANK
7. CLICK PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT

(YOUR COMMENT WILL BE POSTED ONCE MRS. EKSTROM APPROVES IT.)

A video from the news can be seen here:  http://www.kcentv.com/story/23584683/kid-learns-lesson-the-hard-way

Photo above taken from:  http://www.thegailygrind.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bullyys.jpg

Colorado Elementary School Has Controversial Bullying Solution

Colorado Elementary School Has Controversial Bullying Solution (Commenting on a Blog)

 It seems that bullying is on the rise, especially because of the increase of cyberbullying incidents.

One elementary school in Colorado, James Madison Charter Academy, has a creative way to put kids in the shoes of those kids who are bullied, but not everyone is happy about it.

Some students in grades 4-6 have been randomly selected to wear a sticker on their collar, which means other students are told to ignore them.  The school says this will help kids understand what it's like to be bullied and ignored.  One parent says that this has made her child feel even worse at school, because he has been bullied in the past.

Do you agree or disagree with this idea?

Read the article below:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/16/the-controversial-way-a-colorado-elementary-school-is-teaching-students-about-bullying-and-upsetting-some-parents-in-the-process/

Your assignment:

Give your opinion and why you feel the way you do.  Write at least 7 or more sentences:

WRITE:

I think James Madison Charter Academy's unusual approach to bullying is a good idea.   Selecting students to be ignored so they can experience bullying is a good idea because...

OR:

I think James Madison Charter Academy's unusual approach to bullying is a bad idea.   Selecting students to be ignored so they can experience bullying is a bad idea because...

THEN: Explain the reasons that support your opinion.


IMPORTANT: Make sure you have a solid argument. Use FACTS as much as possible to support your opinion.


 HOW TO POST YOUR COMMENT:

1. TYPE YOUR COMMENT INTO WORD AND SAVE IT
2. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG POST, CLICK ON "COMMENTS"
3. COPY AND PASTE YOUR COMMENT FROM WORD INTO THE BLANK BOX
4. TYPE THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS YOU SEE IN THE SMALL BOX
5. CLICK NAME/URL
FOR YOUR NAME WRITE YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST INITIAL AND BLOCK. 
For example: If my name is Rebecca Ekstrom and I have LEAD I2, I would put this for my name: RebeccaEI2
6. LEAVE THE URL BLANK
7. CLICK PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT

(YOUR COMMENT WILL BE POSTED ONCE MRS. EKSTROM APPROVES IT.)

Image taken from MS Word clip art.

Trick or Treat! (Mrs. Reese's class)

Trick or Treat! (Mrs. Reese's class)

Justify your position by taking a side and write at least 5 or more sentences:

Halloween is/is not dangerous and should/should not be outlawed.

Use details! Present a firm argument! Give solid reasons!

IMPORTANT: Use your blogging rules handout! Make sure you have a solid argument that does not involve whining. Use FACTS as much as possible to support your opinion.

TO POST YOUR COMMENT:

1. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST, CLICK ON NO COMMENTS
2. AFTER YOU HAVE TYPED YOUR COMMENT INTO WORD, COPY AND PASTE IT INTO THE BLANK BOX
3. TYPE THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS YOU SEE IN THE BOX
4. CLICK NAME/URL
FOR YOUR NAME WRITE YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST INITIAL AND BLOCK.
For example: If my name is Rebecca Ekstrom and I have English C2, I would put this for my name: RebeccaEC2
5. LEAVE THE URL BLANK
6. CLICK PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT

(YOUR COMMENT WILL BE POSTED ONCE MRS. EKSTROM APPROVES IT.)

Trick or Treat! (Mrs. Mainella's class)

Trick or Treat! (Mrs. Mainella's class)

Justify your position by taking a side and write at least 5 or more sentences:

Halloween is/is not dangerous and should/should not be outlawed.

Use details! Present a firm argument! Give solid reasons!

IMPORTANT: Use your blogging rules handout! Make sure you have a solid argument that does not involve whining. Use FACTS as much as possible to support your opinion.

TO POST YOUR COMMENT:

1. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST, CLICK ON NO COMMENTS
2. AFTER YOU HAVE TYPED YOUR COMMENT INTO WORD, COPY AND PASTE IT INTO THE BLANK BOX
3. TYPE THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS YOU SEE IN THE BOX
4. CLICK NAME/URL
FOR YOUR NAME WRITE YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST INITIAL AND BLOCK.
For example: If my name is Rebecca Ekstrom and I have English C2, I would put this for my name: RebeccaEC2
5. LEAVE THE URL BLANK
6. CLICK PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT

(YOUR COMMENT WILL BE POSTED ONCE MRS. EKSTROM APPROVES IT.)

"Honk if You Hate Bullying"

 "Honk if You Hate Bullying"

When Jose Lagares found out his 4th grader was bullying other kids, he punished his son.  He grounded him and even made him do hard labor, but nothing seemed to work.  Then Mr. Lagares came up with a creative idea.  He made his son stand on a street corner with a large sign that said: "I'm a bully. Honk if you hate bullies."  Mr. Lagares said "It was just the final straw, and it seemed to work."

When other people found out about this news story, there was a public outcry.  Some people thought this was an awful idea and that Mr. Lagares was bullying his own son.  Others supported Mr. Lagares unusual idea.  But Mr. Lagares still believed in what he did and stood out on the corner with this own sign that said, "I'm not sorry. Honk to stop bullying."

You may read the full article here:  http://www.kcentv.com/story/23602173/bullys-father-responds-to-critics

What do you think about this unusual punishment?  Do you agree or disagree with this idea?  Do you think this idea will help stop bullying?

Your assignment:

Give your opinion and why you feel the way you do.  Write at least 6 or more sentences:

WRITE:

I think Mr. Lagares' creative idea to punish his son for bullying other kids is a good idea.   Making his son stand on a street corner and hold up a sign that says, "I'm a bully. Honk if you hate bullies." will help stop bullying because...

OR:

I think Mr. Lagares' creative idea to punish his son for bullying other kids is a bad idea.   Making his son stand on a street corner and hold up a sign that says, "I'm a bully. Honk if you hate bullies." will not help stop bullying because...

THEN: Explain the reasons that support your opinion.


IMPORTANT: Make sure you have a solid argument. Use FACTS as much as possible to support your opinion.


 HOW TO POST YOUR COMMENT:

1. TYPE YOUR COMMENT INTO WORD AND SAVE IT AS BLOG IN A NEW LEAD FOLDER
2. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG POST, CLICK ON "COMMENTS"
3. COPY AND PASTE YOUR COMMENT FROM WORD INTO THE BLANK BOX
4. TYPE THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS YOU SEE IN THE SMALL BOX
5. CLICK NAME/URL
FOR YOUR NAME WRITE YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST INITIAL AND BLOCK.
For example: If my name is Rebecca Ekstrom and I have LEAD I2, I would put this for my name: RebeccaEI2
6. LEAVE THE URL BLANK
7. CLICK PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT

(YOUR COMMENT WILL BE POSTED ONCE MRS. EKSTROM APPROVES IT.)

A video from the news can be seen here:  http://www.kcentv.com/story/23584683/kid-learns-lesson-the-hard-way

Photo above taken from:  http://www.thegailygrind.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bullyys.jpg

Colorado Elementary School Has Controversial Bullying Solution

Colorado Elementary School Has Controversial Bullying Solution (Commenting on a Blog)

 It seems that bullying is on the rise, especially because of the increase of cyberbullying incidents.

One elementary school in Colorado, James Madison Charter Academy, has a creative way to put kids in the shoes of those kids who are bullied, but not everyone is happy about it.

Some students in grades 4-6 have been randomly selected to wear a sticker on their collar, which means other students are told to ignore them.  The school says this will help kids understand what it's like to be bullied and ignored.  One parent says that this has made her child feel even worse at school, because he has been bullied in the past.

Do you agree or disagree with this idea?

Read the article below:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/16/the-controversial-way-a-colorado-elementary-school-is-teaching-students-about-bullying-and-upsetting-some-parents-in-the-process/

Your assignment:

Give your opinion and why you feel the way you do.  Write at least 4 or more sentences:

WRITE:

I think James Madison Charter Academy's unusual approach to bullying is a good idea.   Selecting students to be ignored so they can experience bullying is a good idea because...

OR:

I think James Madison Charter Academy's unusual approach to bullying is a bad idea.   Selecting students to be ignored so they can experience bullying is a bad idea because...

THEN: Explain the reasons that support your opinion.


IMPORTANT: Make sure you have a solid argument. Use FACTS as much as possible to support your opinion.


 HOW TO POST YOUR COMMENT:

1. TYPE YOUR COMMENT INTO WORD AND SAVE IT
2. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG POST, CLICK ON "COMMENTS"
3. COPY AND PASTE YOUR COMMENT FROM WORD INTO THE BLANK BOX
4. TYPE THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS YOU SEE IN THE SMALL BOX
5. CLICK NAME/URL
FOR YOUR NAME WRITE YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST INITIAL AND BLOCK. 
For example: If my name is Rebecca Ekstrom and I have LEAD I2, I would put this for my name: RebeccaEI2
6. LEAVE THE URL BLANK
7. CLICK PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT

(YOUR COMMENT WILL BE POSTED ONCE MRS. EKSTROM APPROVES IT.)

Image taken from MS Word clip art.

AMS Celebrates its 11^th Annual Read All Day with a Special Guest:

Author Jennifer Roy!

 

Read All Day is a special day set aside to celebrate books, literacy and reading at Algonquin.  AMS Principal Mr. Messia kicked off Read All Day by reading a short story to the whole school, along with a humorous PowerPoint presentation he made for the story.  Special guest readers, (administrators, faculty and students), generously volunteered their time to read to large groups in the auditorium.  Readers included Mr. Rhode, grade 5 Poestenkill Teacher, Mike Ainsley and Logan Fahrenkopf, APHS students, Mr. Bishop, APHS Assistant Principal and Athletic Director, Mr. Anderson, grade 7 Social Studies Teacher at AMS and Mr. Sibson, Miller Hill-Sand Lake Principal.  Teachers also had the opportunity to take a portion of their class to read aloud to their students. 

Award winning author Jennifer Roy was Algonquin’s special guest for Read All Day.  Mrs. Roy lives in Saratoga Springs and is the author of 35 educational books, along with fiction books Yellow Star, MindBlind, Trading Faces, (book one of a series of four books written with her twin sister Julia DeVillers) and Cordially Uninvited.  Generous support for this author visit was provided by Student Council.

Mrs. Roy presented to each grade and spoke specifically about her book, Yellow Star, a fiction book based on her aunt Sylvia Perlmutter’s Holocaust survival story.  Incredibly, her aunt was one of 800 children who entered the Lodz ghetto in Poland, and ended up being one of the twelve children to survive.  During a special Q and A session, Mrs. Roy answered many questions from our curious students.

Students had an opportunity to meet Mrs. Roy and talk with her as she signed their books after school.  She gave Algonquin students, faculty and staff a memorable day they won't soon forget!  

Check out this animoto video to get an inside look at Read All Day: 

http://animoto.com/play/yYYXe6zNY1i5exXXxiktOw

Read All Day was coordinated by Mrs. Ekstrom, AMS Librarian and Mrs. Conti, grade 6 AMS Literacy Teacher. 

 

What is Bullying and Cyberbullying? (Using MS Word)

What is Bullying?

Note: Typos added for MS Word processing/proofreading purposes.

Bullieing includess behaviors that foccus on making someone else feel inadequate, or focus on belittling someone else.Bullying includes harasment, physicall harm, repeatedly demeaning speech + efforts to ostracise another person.  Bullying is acctive, and is done wiff thee intention oof bringing another people down.Its important to realise that there are diferent kinds of bullying:

• Physical Bullying: This is the most obviouss from of bullying.  In this type of bullying, the instigater attempts to physically dominate another teen.  This usually includes kicking, punching and other physically harmful activities, designed to instill fear in the one bullied, and possyble coerce him or her to do something.

• Verbal Bullying: When someone verbally bullys another, he or she uses demeaning language to tear down another's selfimage.Bullies who use verbal techniques excessively teasse others, say belittling things + use a great deal of sarcasm witf the intent hurt the other person's feelings or humiliate the other teen inn front of others.

• Emotional: This is eveen more subtle than verball bullying. Teenage bullying that includes emotional methods aims at getting someone else too feeel isolated, alone + may even prompt depressionThis type of bullying is dessigned to get others to ostracize the person being bullied.

    

• Cyber Bullying: Electronic bullying is becooming a veryy real problem for teens.  This type of bullyng uses instant messaging, cell phone text messages and online social networks too humiliate and embarrass others.This can be especieally devastating to the people being bullied, sinse they canot even finde a safe place in the virtual wordle.

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is bullying that tak place using electronic technology.         Electronic technology ncludes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tols inclooding social meedia sytes, textt messages, chatt, and web       sites.

Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.

Why Cyberbullying is Different

Kids who are being cyberbullied are often bullied in person as well. Additionally, kids who are cyberbullied have a harder time getting away from the behavior.

• Cyberbullying kan happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and reach a kid even when he or she is alone. It can happen any time of the day or night of the day or night.
• Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source.
• Delleeting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts, and pictures is extremely difficult after they hav been posted or cent.

Effects of Cyberbullying

Cell phones and computers themselves are not to blame for cyberbullying. Social media sites can be used for positive activities, like connecting kids with friends and family, helping students with school, and for entertainment. But these tools can also be used to hurt other people. Whether done in person or through technology, the effects of bullying are similar.
Kids who are cyberbullied are more likely to:

• Use alcohol and drugs
• Skip school
• Experience in-person bullying
• Be unwilling to attend school
• Receive poor grades
• Have lower self-esteem
• Have more health problems

Information from: http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/teenage-bullying.html and http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/
(typos added for MS Word processing purposes)

Image from:
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?cn=110&id=48639&type=doc

Bystander Summary by James Preller (Using MS Word)

Bystander by James Preller

Note: Typos added for MS Word processing/proofreading purposes.

Ericc is the the new kid in seventh grade. Griffin wants to be his friend. When you’re new in town, hard to know who to hang out with—and who to avvoid. Griffin seems cool, confident, and popular.

But something isn't right about Grifffin. He always seems to be in the middle of bad things. And if Griffin deosn't like you, you'd better watch your back. There might be a target on it.

As Eric gets drawn deeper into Griffin’s dark world, he begins to see the truth about Griffin: he’s a liar, a bully, a thief. Eric wants to break away, do the right thing. But in one shoking moment, he goes from being a bystander . . . to the bully’s nexxt victim.

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Eric is just starting seventh grade at a a new school in Loong Island, New Yorke, moving from Ohioo after his parents split up. The first kidde his age that he sees is a kid running frantically by hime while hess shooting hops on a nearby court. Shee asks the kid, who looks like he's runing for his life, if he's OK. The kidd says yess and keeps on running. Shortly after A few boys come byee riding their biiekes, and Eric concludes they must be the ones chasing the boys. THE ring-leader aree a good looking kid named Griffin, and the three other boys with hime seemmingly would do anything to impress Griffin.

Grifffin is a charmer who can sweeet talke parents and his teachers, but Eric never really trusts him. Especially after Griffin comes over his house + the next day he realizes a CD his father gave him is gone and his brother IS missing $2,700,000.

Erick witnes severall occcasyons that Grifffin bullies kids and hee + other students don't step inne. Not that they initiatee the bullying, but is being A Bystander just as badd? Very, very, very thought provoking story recccommmended for middle school students.

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The booke Bystander by James Preller was an excellent book. The plot in this story moves alonge at a phace where the readers kan follow along easillyy. Then confflict in Bystander is Erick Hayyes moved to Long Island and meets Griffin Connelly. Griffin is the bully at school, but he wants to be friends with Eric. Eric is all right with being friends with him at first but sees griffin bullying a kidd thenn decides she doesnt want too bee friendes any more. Soo,,, Griffin starts too bully Ericke.

Thiss story is very believable. Bystander is not like a “Harry Potter” book, where there were wizards and dragons. bystander is what I think most teens are going through. when I was reading this book I thought I was actually Eric Hayes. I thinke this bok was one of the most entertaining books that I’ve read in my life.

Then characters inn thise boook were ones that I could relate too. Eric doesn’t know if he should go tel someone about Griffin’s bullying. I think kids who are bystanders in bullying don’t no whatt theiy should do, so I think kids can relate to Eric. James Preller took thyme inn developing these characters. james made sure that each of the characters woul be as realistic ask possible.

james’s style in this book is verie good, which mad it where Eye wanted to finish the book as fast as i could. Thee style iss great for young adultes; itt has a style that keppt mee into the booke. Jamess has a very good voice in Bystander. i could sey that thiss was a excelent book and i would give it 5 stars.

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First summary from book jacket of Bystander by James Preller (with minor changes for MS Word processing purposes)

First image from MacMillan Publishing.

Second image from:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609550-bystander

Wordle made by Mrs. Ekstrom's LEAD students

Book reviews from: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609550-bystander (with minor changes for MS Word processing purposes)

Colorado Elementary School Has Controversial Bullying Solution (Commenting on a Blog)

Colorado Elementary School Has Controversial Bullying Solution

It seems that bullying is on the rise, especially because of the increase of cyberbullying incidents.

One elementary school in Colorado, James Madison Charter Academy, has a creative way to put kids in the shoes of those kids who are bullied, but not everyone is happy about it.

Some students in grades 4-6 have been randomly selected to wear a sticker on their collar, which means other students are told to ignore them.  The school says this will help kids understand what it's like to be bullied and ignored.  One parent says that this has made her child feel even worse at school, because he has been bullied in the past.

Do you agree or disagree with this idea?

Read the article below:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/16/the-controversial-way-a-colorado-elementary-school-is-teaching-students-about-bullying-and-upsetting-some-parents-in-the-process/

Your assignment:

Give your opinion and why you feel the way you do.  Write at least 5 or more sentences:

WRITE:

I think James Madison Charter Academy's unusual approach to bullying is a good idea.   Selecting students to be ignored so they can experience bullying is a good idea because...

OR:

I think James Madison Charter Academy's unusual approach to bullying is a bad idea.   Selecting students to be ignored so they can experience bullying is a bad idea because...

THEN: Explain the reasons that support your opinion.


IMPORTANT: Make sure you have a solid argument. Use FACTS as much as possible to support your opinion.



HOW TO POST YOUR COMMENT:

1. TYPE YOUR COMMENT INTO WORD AND SAVE IT
2. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG POST, CLICK ON "NO COMMENTS"
3. COPY AND PASTE YOUR COMMENT FROM WORD INTO THE BLANK BOX
4. TYPE THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS YOU SEE IN THE SMALL BOX
5. CLICK NAME/URL
FOR YOUR NAME WRITE YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST INITIAL AND BLOCK. 
For example: If my name is Rebecca Ekstrom and I have LEAD I2, I would put this for my name: RebeccaEI2
6. LEAVE THE URL BLANK
7. CLICK PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT

(YOUR COMMENT WILL BE POSTED ONCE MRS. EKSTROM APPROVES IT.)


Image taken from MS Word clip art.