Happy Catholic Schools Week!!!

We will be celebrating Catholic schools in many ways this week: Monday Door decorating The peanut relay race Be sure to bring in food for our food drive Tuesday All School Mass at the primary building Performing the parts of speech dance routines for the 4th graders after the all school mass (approximately 10:15 at St. Peter Church); parents are invited! More door decorating Bring in more food Wednesday Door judging at 9:00 am Awards assembly at 11:15 at Our Lady of Fatima church; parents invited! Free throw competition at 12:15 in the gym Bring in even more food! Thursday Crazy tie tie (worn with your uniform) 100 Ways in 100 Days, an all-diocesan mass celebrated by Bishop Skylstad at Our Lady of Fatima Church at 10:00 am Keep bringing in food Friday Class color day: wear a blue shirt with your uniform pants Soccer relay race at 12:15 Assembly at 2:40 in the gym

Explication Due Tomorrow

Remember that your explication of the Declaration of Independence is due tomorrow. Today's schedule: Reading: Paraphrase: None The Princess Bride Independent Reading English: Parts of Speech project

Keep Working on the Declaration of Independence

Don't forget that tomorrow is Independent Reading day, so make sure you have your book with you. Today's Schedule : Religion: The Rhythm of Life The Book of Genesis Adam as Son Adam as Failure The Protoevangelium Reading: Paraphrase: "Our duty is to be useful, not according to our desires but according to our powers." Henry Amiel The Princess Bride Finish paraphrasing the Declaration of Independence One sentence summary Homework: Explicate the Declaration of Independence for Wednesday English: Impromptu speaking Introduction to the Parts of Speech music project

Great Concert!

I really enjoyed the band concert last night. It was one of the best All Saints concerts I've ever heard. Great job! And good luck to all our sports teams this weekend. Today's Schedule: Religion: The Rhythm of Life Introduction to Genesis Creation The Sabbath The Fall Homework: Read Genesis 2:14-4:26 Reading: Paraphrase: "Character is what you do in the dark." Anonymous The Princess Bride Francis Bacon explications Paraphrasing the Declaration of Independence English: The Rhythm of Life Impromptu Speeches

Independent Reading Tomorrow

Be sure to bring a book to class tomorrow for independent reading. I'll be gone all day at a diocesan technology meeting, so I'll see you again on Friday. If you have any questions about the Francis Bacon explication you can email me tonight or tomorrow. Here is what we did in class today: Religion: The Rhythm of Life The Bible: What is Salvation History? What is a covenant, and how is it different than a contract? Reading: Paraphrase: "Sell not virtue to purchase wealth." English proverb The Princess Bride Paraphrase of Bacon's "Of Studies" One or two sentence summary of Bacon's paragraph Homework: Bring your book to class tomorrow to read; explicate the Bacon paragraph for Friday English: Impromptu speeches

Impromptu Speeches Begin Tomorrow!

That's right, tomorrow a lucky few of you will be asked to speak in front of your peers for 4 minutes, after having only 60 seconds to prepare. Good luck! Today's schedule: Reading Paraphrase: "When all think alike, no one is thinking." The Princess Bride Learning to explicate a longer text using an excerpt from Francis Bacon's essay, "Of Studies." Homework: Finish paraphrasing the Bacon quote. English The Rhythm of Life Introduction to Peer Evaluation of Impromptu Speeches Final thoughts on impromptu speaking before tomorrow's speakers Homework: Practice! Practice! Practice! Bonus! Here is part two of Fr. Roderick's experiences with the Nintendo Wii:

Enjoy Your Three Day Weekend

I hope you all have a restful weekend. Don't forget the reason for the day off: Martin Luther King, Jr. Here is his famous "I Have a Dream Speech": Today's schedule: Religion: Prayer/Attendance The Rhythm of Life Da Vinci Code discussion Reading: Paraphrase: "The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil." Hannah Arendt The Princess Bride Turn in explications Creativity Activity Homework: Explicate a quote of your own choosing. Due Tuesday. English: The Rhythm of Life Impromptu speaking practice

Leo Laporte at MacWorld 2007

Yesterday at MacWorld 2007, Fr. Bill Holtzinger came across Leo Laporte, whom you may have seen on TV or heard on radio talking about technology. You can see his special message to Fr. Roderick by watching the video below:

Yesterday's Paraphrase

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday's schedule, but I at least wanted to post the quote we paraphrased for those of you who may have been absent: "It is better to be alone than in bad company." George Washington Also, here's part two of Fr. Holtzinger's special coverage of MacWorld 2007 for SQPN:

Catholic Minute Now on YouTube!

Fr. Roderick has made his Catholic Minute video podcasts available on YouTube now, so I will continue posting them here for you to watch. Remember, you can always download a higher quality video from SQPN.com, where you can also subscribe to them for free! Here is the newest video, a special report by Fr. Bill Holtzinger from MacWorld 2007: Today's schedule: Religion: Attendance/Prayer The Rhythm of Life Part I of "The Davinci Hoax" by Carl Olsen Discussion Reading: Paraphrase: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein The Princess Bride Turn in explications Begin working on next explication, due Friday. English The Rhythm of Life Impromptu speaking practice

Group Explication Due Tomorrow

Today's schedules: Reading: Paraphrase: "No one is bored when he is trying to make something that is beautiful, or to discover something that is true." William Inge Hand back Lincoln explication and discuss Independent Reading Homework: Group explication due tomorrow English: The Rhythm of Life Impromptu speaking rubric Impromptu speaking tips Examples from Dr. Matt McGarrity's Communciations 220 class at the University of Washington (click to watch): An excellent impromptu speech about requiring students to attend college classes A good impromptu speech about requiring students to attend college classes

First Day in the New Cafeteria

Thank you for all your help in the cafeteria today. The noise level was kept down, and you all did a good job cleaning up after yourselves. Religion: The Rhythm of Life Collect Bible homework Continue reviewing the canonization of the Bible Reading: Paraphrase: "Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of the imagination." John Dewey The Princess Bride Collect Lincoln explications Group explication on a Thinking/Philosophy/Science quote Homework: Finish the group explication for Wednesday Bring a novel with you to class tomorrow for independent reading English: The Rhythm of Life Discussion of test on verbals Gonzaga Prep speech tournament Introduction to Impromptu Speaking

Remember to Support Catholic Charities

Please remember to bring in peanut butter and diapers for Catholic Charities. Class outlines for today: Religion: 100 Ways Assembly Homework: Bible worksheet, due Monday Reading: Paraphrase: "He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help." Abraham Lincoln The Princess Bride Small group sharing of homework Whole group practice in explicating the Abraham Lincoln quote Homework: Write an explication of the Abraham Lincoln quote using the template and the Lord Acton example as models. Due Monday--be sure to use MLA format English: Test on verbals Silent work time after test

Fr. Roderick's New Video Podcast!

Fr. Roderick, the priest behind the microphone in The Daily Breakfast podcast, has just released a new video podcast series called Catholic Minute. Why don't you give them a look? Here are links to the first three episodes: Episode 01: The Swiss and the Swedes Episode 02: Sneak Peek at the SQPN Studio Episode 03: What’s in the Box? If you want to see more as their released, click on over to the Catholic Minute website. You might even get to see Fr. Roderick playing his new Nintendo Wii!

Catholic Charities at School Tomorrow

Scott Cooper of Catholic Charities will be at school tomorrow to talk about the 100 Ways in 100 Days service project. This year we will be collecting diapers and peanut butter. Please bring in what you can to support Catholic Charitites. Today's Schedule: Religion: The Rhythm of Life Introduction to the Bible Development of the Biblical canon Homework: none Reading: Paraphrase: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton The Princess Bride Introduction to Explication Sample explication of Acton's quote Explication grading rubric Explication template Homework: Write the "In other words" paragraphs for quotes 2 and 6 of the Learning/Education quotes. English: The Rhythm of Life Practice diagramming verbals Bookworm

Wednesday before Epiphany

Religion: The Rhythm of Life Review Spirit Infinite Spirit The Trinity: Father and Son Reading 11: Holy Spirit Reading: Paraphrase: "The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled." Plutarch The Princess Bride Group Coaching Class discussion Homework: Paraphrase quotes 5, 7, 8, and 11 on loose leaf paper to be turned in tomorrow English: The Rhythm of Life Check homework Sponge Activity Homework: Prepare for Friday's test on gerunds, participles and infinitives

Happy New Year!

Reading: Paraphrase: "The mind is but a barren soil...unless it be continually fertilized and enriched with foreign matter." Sir J. Reynolds The Princess Bride Introduction to The Art of Reading Review of paraphrasing Homework: Paraphrase quotes 1, 2, 3, and 6 on the Learning/Education quote handout English: The Rhythm of Life Review of Verbals Practice for the test on verbals Homework: Finish the Verbal Practice handout