Wise Words....

Mark Twain sums it up best....

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that 


you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail 


away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. 


Dream. Discover."

Hope everyone is having a great vacation!

Hey all - hope you had a terrific Christmas (to those who celebrate), and of course a wonderful time off from school (everyone celebrates that!!).  I cant wait to hear what you all did over break!  (Hopefully its more than just play video games!)

Not to rain on your parade, but I cant wait to get back to school!  A few of us STILL have to finish our projects (I dont know how....), but we'll be starting a bunch of new topics soon.  Social Studies brings us to China, we progress in Math, and continue looking at the inner and outer planets in Science.

And, in reading, we start our unit on Historical Fiction!  It's one of my favorite units, and I hope you'll enjoy it too!

But, in the meantime, stop in and say hello, and enjoy the rest of your break.

How Cool is This?

I love videos like this - ones that make you THINK.  Enjoy!

Remember your Apollo 13 Permission Slip!

Just a reminder - be sure to remember to bring in your signed permission slips to watch Apollo 13!!  It's a great movie, and fits well with our unit on Astronomy and missions to the moon! 

Just to get you going, here is the trailer for the movie:

See you all tomorrow!

Sometimes We All Need a Helping Hand....

Thanks for helping out!!

Thanks for Another Terrific Week!

I just wanted to stop by and thank everyone for a terrific week of school - we had the least amount of yellow cards all year, and I am hoping that number will continue to dwindle as the year goes on.  I know many of us were proud of our performance and behavior this week, and I hope it continues!  Additionally, I want to thank you for your flexibility on Friday afternoon as I had to leave at 2:55 to attend Liam's Parent-Teacher conference..

Enjoy the video below of your WELL-EARNED Friday free time!



As for the upcoming week (SHORT week!), we will be spending a good amount of time working on our two projects - our research project on your personal topic, and our newspaper article on Elmer Avenue.  So, rest up, come prepared...and I'll see you tomorrow!

Goodbye Shaniyah!

Today we bid farewell to Shaniyah - she is moving to Menands School on Monday.  We were only together as a class with her for  a short two months, but she certainly left a mark!  We'll miss you - keep in touch!

TERRIFIC Job today!!!!!!

Wow---what an impressive showing today!  I am so proud of all six candidates for office!  You should all feel good, no matter the result!  You went out and spoke in front of nearly 100 students!  And seven adults!  Terrific work today, boys and girls!

And no, I dont have the results yet - Mr. Inglee will count them and tell us the results tomorrow morning.  But, in the meantime, enjoy the clips below from today's debate. (Oh, and these are unsearchable on Youtube, so it's safe)

President

Vice President

Secretary

Congratulations to ALL the Candidates!!

I just wanted to take a minute and thank ALL the candidate who ran today - you all did a terrific job!  The speeches were well-written and were evident of terrific work!  It take a great deal of courage to stand among your peers and perform, and you all handled it very, very well.  Everyone who performed today should feel tremendously proud!

A special congratulations to our winners!  It was a trio of close races, but Alex, Alyssa H. and Pamela will compete against Mr. Bogosian's class this THURSDAY.  Good luck!

(Below are the speeches from today's election)

Class President

  Class Vice President

Class Secretary

Primary Day!

Tomorrow is the big day - the in class elections!  I was pleased to see so many of you want to run for office - it really shows you care about how this year is going to evolve!

I cant wait until tomorrow when all of you fight off your nerves and stand up in front of everyone and tell us all what you want for this year.  See you all soon---sleep well!

Friday Free Time

I hope you all had a terrific week!  We sure ended in a good way...and I have the pictures to prove it!  :-)

Remember, it is up to you to earn this free time on Fridays - some days it may be music, maybe games, a movie, etc.  I hope next time all our friends can earn all the time!

Have a terrific weekend!

Do Your Part!

In the immortal words of President John F. Kennedy...



"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country..."  Powerful words that carry terrific weight.  After today's events in class, it got me thinking - how would this message translate to our everyday lives?   In 1961, when President Kennedy was elected, the message referred to the volatile times in American history - the racial equality movement was in full effect, our competition with the Soviet Union was becoming more and more tense, and the country was entering the radical 1960's.  But the message was clear - to have success, we need to look outside ourselves and start thinking of the greater good.  If people want change, if people want a good environment - they seize it and take care of their own business.

That leads into our class - Ive been mentioning the phrase "Do Your Part" a lot recently.  It's very simple - each student needs to take care of themselves first and foremost, but also a little bit of necessary work to make the class a terrific environment for everyone.  It starts small - making sure you are following directions and working attentively.  Then, it translates to making sure you are prepared for the day.  Eventually the focus takes place on helping others, and the classroom as a whole.  Many of you are already doing this by putting all the chairs up at the end of the day and helping clean our area in the lunchroom - after all, it is not Mrs. Evers' mess or Mr. Luciano's mess - it is our mess!

So, how else can you "Do Your Part"?  Perhaps it is reminding a friend not to talk or fool around in the hallway.  Maybe it is lining up AWAY from your friends for the short walk to lunch or a special.  Maybe it is helping a classmate with his or her classwork or homework....or maybe keeping a comment you were going to have quiet...or making sure to raise a hand in class...or I could go on and on and on.  But I think you get the drift - there are tons of little things we could all do to "Do Your Part".  It will help have that successful year that I know you and I all want.

Thank You, Parents and Families!

I'll be honest - I love Back to School Night!  It is a great opportunity for me to meet parents and families and share all the terrific work that we are doing on a daily basis!
So, a huge thank you to all that came tonight - please do not be a stranger.  My door is always open, and you can always call, send a note in, or email me!

So, to all---welcome back to school!

One Full Week Down....

Hey all....just saying hello on this wonderful Sunday morning!  Hopefully many of you have taken advantage of this nice weather and gotten a chance to go outside and enjoy it!

I cant wait to see you all tomorrow - get some rest!  We'll be in full swing now, and I am expecting to see more  consistency from everyone.  We should be used to the routine now....that said, I will be looking for more accountability and responsibility from everyone, from homework, to class schedules.  I know you guys can do it!

See you all tomorrow!

Mr. Sheridan

Welcome Back, One and All!

 

Hello students, new and old!  Most of you are now coming to the realization that school is fast approaching….I apologize.  Don’t take it out on me  

I hope that this finds you well-rested and ready for a new school year – your last at Elmer Avenue!  I hope that you all enjoy everything this year, because if you ask everyone from last year, the year goes by VERY quickly!

I know we’ll have a terrific year together, but I want to remind everyone that the time we have together WILL BE WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT!  You will hear it a lot from me this year, but I really try to emphasize three important guidelines:  respect, honesty and responsibility.  Those are three important issues, as you are aware of, but they will be referenced daily in our class and will take on many applications.

Once again, feel free to comment on a post (Click here to learn how to do so…), or email me.  Can’t wait to see you all soon! 

(Oh, and since my son Liam is 2, he’s into Sesame Street.  A LOT.  So, enjoy the following about The Count’s first day at school!)

See? School is fun :-)

Learning is Forever…

What a terrific video!  I hope you are all having a great summer….enjoy, and say hi once in awhile!

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

How's the Summer Going??

Hey there everyone!!  Hope we're all having a terrific summer - and reading!  I know I have been--lots of traveling, day trips, parks and keeping up with the little fella!

Anyway, just wanted to say hi---hope you're making the most of the summer....it's going fast!!

(Oh, and enjoy the video below - filmed in a large city, and never stopped the camera!!)

To all.....

I always have this surreal feeling on the last day of school - its usually more of a "Nah, it's not real...we'll be back on Monday" feeling.  But, alas, there I sat, talking about how "It's already March..." and "It's already April..." and so on.  Well, it's already June 23, and your days at Elmer Ave. are over.  I hope you had a terrific year, weathered the ups and downs, and feel like you are all better members of society after this year.  I hope you all take some of the things I said seriously - I'm not that old :-)

Anyways, please stop by soon....feel free to email or check the website.  I love hearing and SEEING my old students, so my door is always open, if you need to say hello, ask a question, or need some advice, please stop by Room 302.

And in the meantime, enjoy the slideshow below:
(Its not a great copy, for whatever reason...i'll work on that!)

Mr. Sheridan's Class 2010-2011 from Mr. Sheridan on Vimeo.

Let's Remember WHY We Have Monday Off....

This Monday, the United States observed Memorial Day, a day to remember all of those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.  I hope that during this year, while you have been watching CNN Student News and other current events, you have recognized how lucky we have it in this country.  People in other countries are willing to give their lives simply to try to gain some of the rights that many of us take for granted.

So, tomorrow, as you are out at a barbecue or other family gathering, please remember why we have the day off.  And, if you need some reminders, take a look below:

Happy Sunday to All....

Now, i know what some of you are thinking - he still checks here?  Well, I admit, with everything that happened with my Dad keeping me busy, I sort of neglected some things - here, included.  Well, that changes tonight!

Hope everyone had a good weekend - and managed to stay dry!  See you all tomorrow!

(Oh, and enjoy the video.  Amazing what you can accomplish with some cardboard boxes, small motors and cotton balls.  It sort of makes you lose focus!)

Zimoun : 138 prepared dc-motors, cotton balls, cardboard boxes 40x40x40cm, 2011 from ZIMOUN VIDEO ARCHIVE on Vimeo.

Social Studies Review Sheet - Find it here!

So, I heard from some people that they *might* have left their review sheet at school...Hope this helps!

WOW----ANOTHER Snow Day??

Can you imagine that there are people in this country that dont have snow days?  Probably a good 2/3 of the country have no idea what one is.

Too bad for them!  Im home - poor little Liam was sick all day yesterday, so we have a great day to relax and help him get better! Other than that, I plan on shoveling the driveway (lots of fun!) and getting some schoolwork done.

Hope you all have a terrific day - let us know what you plan on doing!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 - Rodrick Rules!

The preview is out - loved the first one!

Remember - Social Studies Test on Greece - Tomorrow!

Be sure to study for the test for tomorrow--the review sheet should cover it.  And, if you forgot it, you can download a new copy here.


Καλή τύχη!


(Good luck..im Greek!)

"Watson" - the Thinking Computer, on Jeopardy!

Did anyone watch tonight's Jeopardy?  It was the long-awaited match featuring Watson, the computer designed to "think".  Designed by IBM, Watson is a major step in data analysis and response...it represents a huge leap in the ability of computers to consider a question, look at possible answers, and deliver the answer - all within fractions of a second, and on a multitude of topics.

Enjoy the video below, explaining the background behind the project:

Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece

As we continue on our look at Ancient Greece, I hope you are enjoying the look at the ancient civilization!  Below are a series of 5 videos, titled the "Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece".  Enjoy!

Part I


Part II


Part III

Click HERE for Part 3!

Part IV


Part V

Snow Day - Wednesday, February 2

Well, Mother Nature wins again---with the forecast as bad as it is tomorrow, the school district has cancelled school for tomorrow---already!  Enjoy your off day tomorrow - read a book!

Remember, Ms. Longo will be in for me on Thursday - I want a good report when I see you Friday!

Math Unit 7 Test Tomorrow!

Remember everyone - we have a math test on Unit 7 tomorrow! It will cover the following:

• Modeling Percents
• Percents to Fractions (and vice versa)
• Percents to Decimals (and vice versa)
• Percent of a Number
• Estimating with Percents

The test will be quick - 8 Part I questions and 2 Part II questions. 


Have you been to http://www.msmath1.net/?  Its a great resource - the official online website from our math book.  You can click on Extra Examples, a Personal Tutor, Self-Check Quizzes, and more!'

It's a great place to prepare for the test, and just to keep up good practice.  Have fun!

And....a basic (yet good) game on changing decimals to percents and vice versa...click here.

More on the State of the Union...

Found a neat new thing called a "Qwiki" - an embeddable little nugget of golden information!

Press the play button, and enjoy!

State of the Union - the Wordle!

Have you ever seen a "Wordle"?  Basically it takes a bunch of text - think a speech, essay, story, etc. - and pulls out words from it that are used more than once!  So, if you mention a certain word a lot, it will be bigger....

Below is a Wordle I made from President Obama's State of the Union address,which we watched a bit of in class...

From Mr. Sheridan's Class

Notice how the words "America", "people", and "new" are bigger than the rest?  He said those words more than the others!  (Oh, and a Wordle doesnt count words such as "and", "I", "if", "or", and so on  - only bigger words. 

What do you think?

State of the Union Address

Did anyone watch President Obama's State of the Union address speech last night?  For those of you who dont know, the State of the Union is an annual speech given by the President to talk about the direction of the country.  But, did you know that it is part of the United States Constitution?

Article 2, Section 3 mentions:

"He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States."

Wow--neat!  So, every year, since George Washington gave the first speech in 1790, the President has done this.  The speech generally sets the tone for the year, and what he plans to do. 

If you missed last night's speech, watch the highlights below:

As always, let us know what you think of it!

Terrific Video - What if the whole world was 100 people?

In my internet travels tonight, I found a great video that highlights hunger and poverty in the world. Titled "The Miniature Earth", it examines the makeup of the world's population if it was reduced to 100, and the same proportions kept as today. Sometimes large numbers (7 billion people) get blurred a bit, and the true impact lost.

Enjoy the video below, and be sure to lets us know what you think!

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

Hope you all are enjoying the day off...and let's be sure to remember the reason for the day off - a man who gave the ultimate price to fight for what he believed in.

Enjoy the following, from Common and Will.I.Am -

Remember - Science Quiz on Inner and Outer Planets!

This Tuesday - remember the test!

And, in the meantime, enjoy below. Click the forward arrow to continue!

The Solar System on Prezi

This Week in Rap - January 14, 2011

Enjoy!

Jan 14th - The Week in Rap from Week in Rap on Vimeo.

SNOW DAY!!!!!

Enjoy the day everybody!

Wow.

Remember we saw on CNN Student News the massive floods going on in Australia?  Well, they are still going on in Queensland, Australia, and now a major city, Brisbane, is being threatened.

You can check out the Brisbane Courier Mail, the newspaper of Brisbane, Australia, here.

And, check out this video of destruction and force below:

This Week in Rap!

Enjoy!

The First Week in Rap of 2011! from Week in Rap on Vimeo.

Nice tower!

Ahh, such fun....

From 2011-01-09 School

Seven BILLION People...Wow.

I showed you this video in class the other day - it just shows you how large the world is getting.  As we approach SEVEN BILLION PEOPLE worldwide (sorry, had to capitalize that - that's a lot of people), the world is changing.  Although we are growing quickly in the United States, I am amazed when I see how fast parts of East-Southeast Asia (India-China) and Africa are growing.

Check out the National Geographic website about hitting the Seven Billion mark here.

And of course, the video about the series:



As always, let us all know what you think!

Social Studies Test on China - Tuesday!

Just a reminder about Tuesday's Social Studies test!  It will cover all of Chapter 4 in your textbook (China) - be sure to focus on a few major facts on each of the major dynasties. 

I will give you the review sheet today in class, but I will attach it here in case you lose it.

Click here for a review sheet!