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From the third graders in room 12 at Arbor Heights Elementary

roomtwelve.com

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by Mark Ahlness
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Arbor Heights School
2005-06 roomtwelve.com
Edinger House, NYC
Mr. Crosby's 4th grade, Nevada
Mr. Brune's 5th Graders, NY
Write on! 5th grade, MN
Mr. Noon's 6th grade, AK
Mrs. Cassidy's 1st Grade, Canada
Classroom info on our school wiki
Top Dog Blog
Mrs. Kenyon's 3rd graders, IL
Humphreys Elem. 3rd graders - CA
Mr. Gonzalez' 5th grade - Seattle
Mrs. Ruffing, grades 3-8, PA
Mr. A's blog
Hummingbird cam!
Solar System For Kids
Youth Group Games

Teacher Assignments
Teacher Entries
Student Entries

Blog for a new year

Article posted August 27, 2006 at 10:39 PM GMT • Reads 508880

This is the home of the blogs for the third graders in Room 12 for the 2006-07 school year. I'm the teacher in Room 12, and my articles appear in the middle of this page, where you are reading now. Student blogs are listed on the right side, and the most recent student articles (approved by me) appear on the left. Much more to come! - Mr. A.

Article posted August 27, 2006 at 10:39 PM GMT • Reads 508880



Welcome to roomtwelve.com!

Article posted September 1, 2006 at 09:40 PM GMT • Reads 288

This blog is the new home of roomtwelve.com - for the third graders in my class. If you are looking for the blogs from my wonderful class from last year, they are all still there - look over to the left under "Related links", and click on the link to 2005-06.



For this school year, roomtwelve.com will lead you to this blog. I'm very much looking forward to an exciting year! School starts on Wednesday, September 6th. - Mr. A.

Article posted September 1, 2006 at 09:40 PM GMT • Reads 288



Worried students

Article posted October 6, 2006 at 03:53 AM GMT • Reads 297

The students in Room 12 have done a super job writing their "About Me" pieces! We were in the middle of working on a short personal narrative when we had a very scary event happen close to our school - and Room 12 students have been writing about it.



Ms. Barb Bailey, our wonderful music teacher, was injured in a car accident just a block and a half from our school. A couple of Room 12 students live close enough to have had seen the aftermath of the accident. It was a bad one.



But the good news is that Ms. Bailey is OK! She has a broken bone in her arm and many bumps and bruises. We were all so very worried about her. As you can see from the blog entries on 10/5, the students in our class really miss her!



Get well soon, Ms. Bailey! - Mr. A.

Article posted October 6, 2006 at 03:53 AM GMT • Reads 297



Open House - a podcast!

Article posted October 13, 2006 at 08:37 AM GMT • Reads 292

On October 12 we had our annual Open House. There was a room packed full of excited room 12 families that gathered to look around, visit with each other, and listen to what I had to say. It has become a bit of a tradition, my giving a little "talk" for the families.



This year I fired up the recorder on my mp3 player as I started talking. The result is a 17 minute, 1 MB podcast. This is certainly not a polished presentation, but, as I noted during the recording, it is here for those families who could not attend the Open House. And if anybody just can't get enough of Mr. A. talking... well, here you go...

Podcast Play
Podcast Download

Article posted October 13, 2006 at 08:37 AM GMT • Reads 292



Scary Writers

Article posted October 30, 2006 at 05:43 PM GMT • Reads 278

It is the day before Halloween! The writers at roomtwelve.com have been busy working on scary stories. They might be true, they might be total fantasy, they might even be silly. Check out the entries from 10/30 and 10/31 on the left.







BOO! - Mr. A.

Article posted October 30, 2006 at 05:43 PM GMT • Reads 278



Report Cards!

Article posted November 14, 2006 at 07:17 PM GMT • Reads 312

Parent conferences are happening this week at our school. One of the things we teachers talk about with our parents - is the report card! So naturally, students' minds are on those report cards. Look for writing about report cards from the Mighty Writers of roomtwelve.com this week. - Mr. A.

Article posted November 14, 2006 at 07:17 PM GMT • Reads 312



Turkey stories

Article posted November 21, 2006 at 08:31 PM GMT • Reads 341

turkey escape

Students in room 12 have been using their imaginations and their writing skills to serve up a little Thanksgiving fun here. Their stories are in response to "Pretend you are a turkey. How will you escape being served for Thanksgiving dinner?" Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, everyone! - Mr. A.

Article posted November 21, 2006 at 08:31 PM GMT • Reads 341



Snow!

Article posted November 30, 2006 at 12:08 AM GMT • Reads 233

Well, the students in Room 12 have been home from school for the last two days because we got some snow on Monday evening. In school on Monday I showed everyone how to make six-sided snowflakes - and explained that if the class made enough to cover the entire south wall of our classroom, we would have school cancelled on account of snow - and the power of their snowflakes....



Well, school was cancelled after we only got about ten snowflakes put up. I wonder what will happen when we fill the wall with several hundred snowflakes?! We shall see...



In the meantime, perhaps some room 12 students will be writing articles about their days off from school in the snow.... I've been pretty busy trying to keep the hummingbirds at my house fed (and to keep their food from freezing):



Eating in a snowstorm



- Mr. A.

Article posted November 30, 2006 at 12:08 AM GMT • Reads 233



Holiday Writers

Article posted December 12, 2006 at 10:21 PM GMT • Reads 279

A few students from Room 12 posted articles today, Dec. 12th, writing about gifts. It is the time of the year when many are thinking about getting. I think these students did an excellent job of writing about the other side of gifts - the giving part.



In the next couple of days, watch this space for many holiday stories. The kids are hard at work telling of holidays they remember - or can imagine. - Mr. A.

Article posted December 12, 2006 at 10:21 PM GMT • Reads 279



Power is on, school is out...

Article posted December 19, 2006 at 04:56 PM GMT • Reads 257

In Seattle the power was out for hundreds of thousands of people for several days. School was cancelled last Friday, December 15th. That was supposed to be our last day before Winter Vacation, so there were many activities planned that day which obviously never happened.



Power is now restored to most people, hopefully! I hope the kids and their families in Room 12 managed to stay warm. It was tough, I know. I was without power for nearly three days.



Perhaps some of the students from roomtwelve.com will be sharing their stories from the power outage on their blogs.



I will be at the ocean until December 22, so any students writing articles before then will have to wait until I get home to approve them, as there is no phone and no Internet where I am going (imagine that!).



Happy Holidays, everyone! - Mr. Ahlness

Article posted December 19, 2006 at 04:56 PM GMT • Reads 257



Merry Christmas! (Mr. A. has changed)

Article posted December 25, 2006 at 11:15 PM GMT • Reads 251

Hi students from roomtwelve.com (and anybody else). It's Christmas Day, and as a greeting, I send a little riddle along for you.



I have changed. I wonder if you can figure out how - and write about it on your blog (or in a comment here). I have two clues for you:



1) This change started during the power outage.

2) Watch the video by clicking on the "Podcast" link below.



Any students in Room 12 who are successful in blogging or commenting to solve this little riddle earn extra credit in writing!



Happy New Year! - Mr. A.

Podcast Play
Podcast Download

Article posted December 25, 2006 at 11:15 PM GMT • Reads 251



Five Things

Article posted December 27, 2006 at 07:59 AM GMT • Reads 277

Dear students of room 12,

I just posted this message to my own blog. I hope many of you will choose to write a "Five Things" article, about five things people might not know about you:




It's taken me too long to respond to Doug Noon's tagging me to write about five things that people might not know about me. Honestly, what has held me up the most was figuring out what five people I should, tag, or send this on to. Now that I've figured that out (see below), here is my list:

  1. I ride my bicycle to school every day. Rain, shine, snow, sleet, whatever. It's only a mile and a half, but there are some BIG hills.
  2. I am a voting member of the Recording Academy (the Grammy's). For several years I sang with the Seattle Symphony Chorale, participated in a few recordings, sang on a couple of film scores, and even performed as "whistler 2" on my wife's recent recording.
  3. I am one quarter Icelandic. Twenty-three thirty-seconds Norwegian. One thirty-second German. I hope that all adds up to one.
  4. I'm an alumnus of two Husky Universities: University of Connecticut, BA in psychology and University of Washington, MEd.
  5. I can touch my nose with my tongue.

There. Not quite as elegant a list as some others I've read, but it will have to do for now. This was a fun excercise. I now pass this on to the students in my third grade classroom. This is breaking the rules of just naming five, and I really hope to hear from more than five of them on this. It is not a required writing assignment, but I know many of them will find this interesting and challenging.

My kids each have their own blogs. Look for "Five Things" blog entries along the left side of roomtwelve.com in the next couple of weeks. I'll be cross-posting this entry there shortly. Who knows how many other student bloggers will get tagged with this?

Tags:

AnaLisa, Bailey, Casey, Chelsea, Christopher, Delaney, Elyjah, Ethan, Jaylynn, Jonathan, Keean, Kyra, Lakota, Lindsay, Logan, Maribeth, Nathan, Nicole, Riley1, Riley2, Ryan



Article posted December 27, 2006 at 07:59 AM GMT • Reads 277



Family Internet Night

Article posted December 28, 2006 at 07:33 AM GMT • Reads 278

On December 5, 2006, I hosted a Family Internet Night in Room 12 at Arbor Heights Elementary in Seattle. Families were encouraged to come and learn about the classroom blog at roomtwelve.com – and to talk about online safety for the kids.



Lights and SnowflakesTurnout was great, I thought. Eight families came, a total of 25-30 people filled the room. We turned out the classroom lights, turned on the holiday lights that encircle the room, fired up the laptop and projector on the PowerPoint presentation, and we were off, for about an hour.



I recorded the audio on a little mp3 player/recorder strapped to my arm. The audio is 41 minutes long. It is NOT a professional presentation by any means, but it IS a genuine conversation with a third grade teacher, his kids, and their parents – all struggling together to learn and understand what this all means…



The podcast (4.8 MB) runs 41 minutes.



The PowerPoint presentation (1.5 MB) guided the conversation.



Listening suggestion: Follow along with the PowerPoint presentation while listening to the audio. On the other hand, the audio stands on its own pretty well, I think.

Podcast Play
Podcast Download

Article posted December 28, 2006 at 07:33 AM GMT • Reads 278



How to Make a Six-Sided Snowflake

Article posted January 10, 2007 at 02:31 AM GMT • Reads 254

Ever wonder how to make a six-sided snowflake? Check out the first PowerPoint presentations done by the students in Room Twelve:



AnaLisa and Riley2



Christopher and Logan



Jonathan and Nicole



Lindsay and Ryan



Nathan , Riley1, and Kody



...more to follow....

Article posted January 10, 2007 at 02:31 AM GMT • Reads 254



Roomtwelve.com news

Article posted January 18, 2007 at 03:43 AM GMT • Reads 255

Some news from our classroom:



- We are finally back in school full time again! During the past week, we had two snow days and two late starts! Our writing has been a little sketchy lately, but now we’ll be able to spend a little more time on it at school.



- We have welcomed back some of the third graders from last year to roomtwelve.com! You will find their names and blogs on the right side of this page under “Room Twelve Alumni" (scroll down). Their newly posted articles will appear on the left side of this page, along with articles posted by this year’s class.

Article posted January 18, 2007 at 03:43 AM GMT • Reads 255



Weekend thoughts - and congrats

Article posted January 20, 2007 at 07:15 AM GMT • Reads 229

I want to send a special congratulations to all the writers from roomtwelve.com - especially for the writing you have done on 1/18 and 1/19 - great stuff!!



All the articles you sent in on those days are either published - or have comments waiting for you from me about what needs to be fixed before they can be published.



I send apologies, because you are all used to having your articles appear almost immediately on your blog after you "request publishing", especially if I have worked with you in the classroom on perfecting your writing.



My school email account, the one that notifies me about your blog articles sent in, has been slow lately. I will ask about speeding it up! Have a great weekend! - Mr. A.

Article posted January 20, 2007 at 07:15 AM GMT • Reads 229



Colorful Writers!

Article posted January 26, 2007 at 07:27 AM GMT • Reads 274

Readers here may notice a different look on some student blogs - namely, colorful changes. The kids in room twelve (led by Riley1 and Logan) have figured out how to change the background colors and text colors on different parts of their blogs. Very cool!



While we are experimenting with the look of our writing, please feel free to leave comments for the writers here on what you think (good or bad) about how we look.... and of course on what we have to say! - Mr. A.

Article posted January 26, 2007 at 07:27 AM GMT • Reads 274



Heroes and Hopes

Article posted February 4, 2007 at 12:56 AM GMT • Reads 224

The third grade scholars at roomtwelve.com have been writing a little this past week about people they admire. They’ve also been thinking a bit about what they’d like to be when they grow up. Some of their writings are about both. Visitors are invited to check in on their thoughts, leave comments, and let us know who your heroes are – and what your hopes for the future are... Mr. A.

Article posted February 4, 2007 at 12:56 AM GMT • Reads 224



Room Twelve at Tully's!

Article posted February 8, 2007 at 08:02 PM GMT • Reads 254

Some students from roomtwelve.com showed up with their families for Readers' Night Out at Tully's (a regional coffehouse chain, similar to Starbucks). Kids shared their latest writings with the public, and a couple from our class read articles right from their blogs (on Mr. A's laptop). What a fantastic evening!


Click on the thumbnails below to see larger versions:








Article posted February 8, 2007 at 08:02 PM GMT • Reads 254



Back on the blog!

Article posted March 20, 2007 at 10:34 PM GMT • Reads 271

My goodness, I have not posted an article here in over a month, and some of the kids in Room 12 are starting to wonder! Well, I'm back, and so are the kids in room 12. Actually, they have been consistently writing some wonderful articles, from thoughts on Valentine's Day, to our Science Fair, to Ninjas and Talking Tomatoes, to whatever is on their mind....



They have also been READING a lot of other student (and a few grownup) blogs. Later this week they will begin posting articles here about some of their favorite bloggers. Stay tuned! - Mr. A.

Article posted March 20, 2007 at 10:34 PM GMT • Reads 271



Spring Break

Article posted April 6, 2007 at 07:51 AM GMT • Reads 307

The writers at roomtwelve.com have been busily putting their thoughts on their blogs about plans for Spring Break (April 9-13). If it seems their writing is especially descriptive these days, we have been making a conscious effort to use adjectives!



Happy Spring! - Mr. A.



ps - is your school doing The Earth Day Groceries Project?

Article posted April 6, 2007 at 07:51 AM GMT • Reads 307



Earthday, now on to the WASL!

Article posted April 27, 2007 at 03:22 AM GMT • Reads 230

The students in Room Twelve did some wonderful writing about Earth Day on 4/19 and 4/20. I encourage readers to check out their thoughts. They also coordinated our schoolwide effort for the Earth Day Groceries Project:



www.earthdaybags.org



This week (4/23-27) they are taking the WASL, the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. They have been getting down their thoughts about the test every day after the testing session, and they will be posting their week-long reflections here on 4/26. The WASL is Washington State's high stakes test, tied to grade advancement and ultimately high school graduation - so there is a good deal of "buzz" about it around here. I encourage visitors to take a look at what they have to say - and share their own experiences with similar tests in their schools. Thanks - Mr. A.

Article posted April 27, 2007 at 03:22 AM GMT • Reads 230



Blogging Drafts

Article posted May 10, 2007 at 06:39 AM GMT • Reads 595

This is just a note to let the readers of roomtwelve.com know that some of the third graders here are publishing drafts of their writing - that is, unfinished work, writing that may contain mistakes.



Normally, the writing on their blogs is pretty close to perfect, in terms of the conventions of spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. At least we try :)



Right now everybody is working on a book for our annual Young Author's Conference. A few brave writers in room twelve are posting their works in progress - for you to take a look at - and even offer feedback on!



So if you see an article with the word "Draft" in the title, keep this in mind - and please feel free to leave a comment for the authors. They will certainly appreciate it. Thanks! - Mr. A.

Article posted May 10, 2007 at 06:39 AM GMT • Reads 595



Family Internet Night 2

Article posted June 15, 2007 at 06:35 AM GMT • Reads 277

(posted also at my blog:



Family Internet Night 2I finally got around to our second Family Internet Night this year, with just a week and a half to go in the school year. I offered it on two consecutive nights, hoping to get as many parents in as possible. It amazes me how busy families are with their kids these days... especially at the end of the school year. A total of 18 people came, representing 8 families. Here are links to the materials:



  • The PowerPoint presentation (2 MB) that I used. Nothing real fancy, but it guided the conversation.

  • A podcast of the evening (4 MB mp3). I just let the recorder run for 30 minutes... Definitely not a polished presentation, this was from the 13th, the second night. Just a conversation.... The battery died right at the point where we had some good Q&A for about 10 minutes. Oh well.



It was a good evening.


Podcast Play
Podcast Download

Article posted June 15, 2007 at 06:35 AM GMT • Reads 277



School's out, but the writing continues...

Article posted June 22, 2007 at 03:38 PM GMT • Reads 233

Well, school is actually almost out. Today is the last day of school. Almost all of the students in Room 12 have said they want to continue blogging here over the summer, so check back to see what's going on in their worlds. Comments will stay open as well.



The bloggers at roomtwelve.com have done a fantastic job of writing this year!! They have all grown as writers, and have learned so many other things along the way.



Look for pictures (and a movie) here in the next couple of days. - Mr. A.

Article posted June 22, 2007 at 03:38 PM GMT • Reads 233



Good-bye, Mrs. Freeman!

Article posted June 24, 2007 at 12:11 AM GMT • Reads 303

Our wonderful secretary, Mrs. Marilyn Freeman, is retiring at the end of this school year. She will be REALLY missed by all of the Arbor Heights School community!



On June 22nd, the last day of school, we had an awards assembly, where many kids and staff members were honored. Mrs. Freeman got a standing ovation!



After the assembly, the Arbor Heights Choir (over half of them from Room Twelve), quickly gathered, planned, and surprised Mrs. Freeman at her desk in the office with a parting song. The short 30 second podcast below is a recording of that moment.

Podcast Play
Podcast Download

Article posted June 24, 2007 at 12:11 AM GMT • Reads 303



The Room Twelve Cheer!

Article posted June 28, 2007 at 05:31 AM GMT • Reads 312

Here are the students of roomtwelve.com demonstrating their unique "Room Twelve Cheer", reserved for special occasions, special accomplishments, and celebrating good times.



Click HERE to see us on the Seattle School District L3RN site, or click on the podcast icon below to see the short video:


Podcast Play
Podcast Download

Article posted June 28, 2007 at 05:31 AM GMT • Reads 312



Here we are...

Article posted July 1, 2007 at 06:26 PM GMT • Reads 267

A few snapshots of our year in Room Twelve:




BubbleShare: Share photos - Play some Online Games.

Article posted July 1, 2007 at 06:26 PM GMT • Reads 267



Summer Bloggers!

Article posted July 15, 2007 at 12:56 AM GMT • Reads 234

Some of the students from the 2006-07 class are still blogging, even though school is over for the year! So if you'd like to leave comments for students who will for sure be "on" their blogs over the summer, please do - or even subscribe to their blogs via rss - there is a button for that on each blog. Here are the summer bloggers, so far (I will add names as more join in):

Article posted July 15, 2007 at 12:56 AM GMT • Reads 234



8 Random Facts

Article posted August 6, 2007 at 08:41 PM GMT • Reads 228

I hope everyone is having a great summer! For the kids from Room Twelve, here's a summer writing assignment (I wrote it on my blog first):




Sarah tagged me on this, so here goes...





The Rules:

  • Post these rules before you give your facts
  • List 8 random facts about yourself
  • At the end of your post, choose (tag) 8 people and list their names, linking to them
  • Leave a comment on their blog, letting them know they’ve been tagged

  1. I love grape jelly, and make it myself, from grapes I grow.


  2. I was one of the first kids in my kindergarten class to learn how to tie his shoes.


  3. I've only read the first 3 Harry Potter books (for shame!)


  4. Heights scare me.


  5. I prefer hot over cold weather.


  6. My vision used to be 20-10


  7. I have this fantasy of getting my 1967 Vespa running again...


  8. Not once have I ever been to school or taught on my November birthday.

I think the grown-ups are having too much fun with this, so...

I know the rules say you're only supposed to tag 8 people. But how can I possibly choose only 8 from my last year's class of third graders? So, here's a list of ALL of them, linked to their blogs. I'll cross post to the class blog first, then I gotta start leaving comments for them. Not all have written this summer, but let's see who responds:



Tags: AnaLisa, Bailey, Casey, Chelsea, Christopher, Delaney, Elyjah, Ethan, Jaylynn, Jonathan, Keean, Kyra, Kody, Lindsay, Logan, Maribeth, Nathan, Nicole, Riley1, Riley2, Ryan




OK, room 12 kids, get started! Remember to copy/paste "The Rules" at the beginning of your article. If you're wondering what random means, hmmmm.... Check with your parents, or try out dictionary.com



More later - Mr. A.

Article posted August 6, 2007 at 08:41 PM GMT • Reads 228



Sail on, 2006-07!

Article posted August 31, 2007 at 08:25 PM GMT • Reads 227

Update: Room 12 kids from 2006-07, you can still write articles, as "Room Twelve Alumni", but you need to check with your parents first (Mr. A sent them an email Aug. 31).




Here's the list of wonderful bloggers in Room Twelve from the 2006-07 school year. They are now Room 12 Alumni! Congratualtions on all your hard work, and smooth sailing! - Mr. A.



AnaLisa

Bailey

Casey

Chelsea

Christopher

Delaney

Elyjah

Ethan

Jaylynn

Jonathan

Keean

Kyra

Kody

Lindsay

Logan

Maribeth

Nathan

Nicole

Riley1

Riley2

Ryan

Article posted August 31, 2007 at 08:25 PM GMT • Reads 227



Welcome to the class of 2007-08!

Article posted October 2, 2007 at 12:55 AM GMT • Reads 385

The new bloggers at roomtwelve.com are just starting out, naming their blogs, selecting backgrounds, and (by Oct. 5 at the latest) posting short "About Me" pieces, to introduce themselves. Comments are indeed welcome!



Thanks - Mr. Ahlness, teacher

Article posted October 2, 2007 at 12:55 AM GMT • Reads 385



Student Writers and Open House podcast

Article posted October 21, 2007 at 07:53 AM GMT • Reads 323

This past week (Oct. 15-19), the students in room 12 wrote about something that happens in our class every.... wait, I'd like you to hear it from them. Check out their articles from 10/18 and 10/19.



On Oct. 11, we had our annual Open House. Tons of parents and kids from Room Twelve came and got the grand tour. What everybody got as well was a little talk from me about what our classroom is like and a little about what we will be doing this year.



Click on the podcat icon below if you'd like to listen to the short talk (about 16 minutes). - Mr. A.

Podcast Play
Podcast Download

Article posted October 21, 2007 at 07:53 AM GMT • Reads 323



Happy Thanksgiving

Article posted November 20, 2007 at 03:30 PM GMT • Reads 508

Thanksgiving is two days away, and the students at roomtwelve.com are hard at work writing. Last week everybody published a short article on things they are thankful for. It's amazing when you stop and think of all that we have!



Starting today (11/20), and hopefully finishing tomorrow, students will be writing "Turkey Escape" stories. Here is their assignment:



Pretend you are a turkey. How will you escape being served for Thanksgiving dinner?



Happy Thanksgiving! - Mr. A.

Article posted November 20, 2007 at 03:30 PM GMT • Reads 508



Alumni - Your Blogs are Back!

Article posted December 10, 2007 at 08:37 AM GMT • Reads 216

To all past bloggers here at roomtwelve.com - all of your blog articles are back online!



For the past few weeks, they have been unavailable, while the servers for classblogmeister were upgraded.



So, for those in Room Twelve from 2005-06, your blogs are all intact, right here, where they always have been. There is also a "Related Link" to your blog on the upper left corner of this page.



For those in Room Twelve in 2006-07, your articles are now ALL back, under "Room Twelve Alumni", on the right side of this page.



Many, many thanks to David Warlick, for giving us Classblogmeister, the wonderful tool that lets us blog here safely!

Article posted December 10, 2007 at 08:37 AM GMT • Reads 216



New Feature: "Teacher Assignments"

Article posted December 28, 2007 at 12:29 AM GMT • Reads 289

To the readers of this blog, there is a new feature here which you might find interesting: "Teacher Assignments". In the left column of this page are assignments given by me (the teacher, Mr. Ahlness) to the third graders at roomtwelve.com.



So if you are interested in reading different points of view on and different interpretations of those assignments, please check out this feature by clicking on an assignment. All student writing on that topic will be listed in the center column (where you are reading now), underneath my description and expectations of the writers.



Many thanks to David Warlick for adding this to our blog. Happy Holidays! - Mr. A.

Article posted December 28, 2007 at 12:29 AM GMT • Reads 289



New Year's Resolutions

Article posted January 2, 2008 at 12:10 AM GMT • Reads 240

Hi students of roomtwelve.com,

(if you want to see your name, click on "Room Twelve" over on the right - your blogs are all there!)



It's New Year's Day, and many people are busy making New Year's Resolutions: like watching less TV, losing weight, learning something new, and so on. They are usually about making yourself better in some way.



I have a couple of resolutions. In 2008 I'm going to spend more time writing on my blog (this one, too), and I'm going to spend more time outside every day - rain or shine. I'm not going to say exactly how many articles I'm going to write, or how many minutes I'll be outside, but I AM going to do more of both.



So... do you have a resolution or two for 2008? If you do, and would like to share, please send in an article from home before school starts up on January 7th. It will count as EC (extra credit)! You'll see a "Teacher Assignment" for it over on the left side of this blog.



Copalis Beach, Washington, USASo, to get started on the outside thing, I'm headed off to the Washington Coast for a few days with my wife. There's no phone or Internet, so I'll be checking your articles on Sat. or Sun. Happy New Year! - Mr. A.

Article posted January 2, 2008 at 12:10 AM GMT • Reads 240



A first video

Article posted January 16, 2008 at 02:40 AM GMT • Reads 246

Our first attempts at totally student produced videos are below. Congrats to these pioneers who worked very hard on this:



From Ryder and Sonny:


Find more videos like this on Room Twelve




From Adam and Haley:


Find more videos like this on Room Twelve




From Gabrielle and Marcela:


Find more videos like this on Room Twelve


Article posted January 16, 2008 at 02:40 AM GMT • Reads 246



A special visitor

Article posted January 23, 2008 at 01:20 AM GMT • Reads 234

The kids at Arbor Heights had a special guest visit the school today, author Laura Kvasnosky, author of the Zelda and Ivy books - and many more.



Laura Kvasnosky



She was generous enough to leave the kids in Room Twelve one of the paintings she worked on at our school:



Pink Piggy



Thanks so much, Laura!

Article posted January 23, 2008 at 01:20 AM GMT • Reads 234



Our XO Laptop

Article posted February 3, 2008 at 02:49 AM GMT • Reads 465

We just added one more computer to our classroom. Now, we have lots of fast computers - 12 desktops and 5 laptops. So you might think the newest addition would be REALLY fast. It's not. It's the slowest one, and the smallest.



It is the XO Laptop, from OLPC (One Laptop Per Child). What it lacks in speed and size, it make up for in its very cool design and its ability to do many things.



Blogging on our XOFor the past two weeks, the students in Room Twelve have been trying it out. Here are some of their initial impressions, after just half an hour apiece on our XO:



About Our XO



ps - to the kids in Room Twelve.... word has it that we will probably be getting another one!

Article posted February 3, 2008 at 02:49 AM GMT • Reads 465



XOXOXO Valentine Greetings

Article posted February 14, 2008 at 09:52 PM GMT • Reads 313

XOXOXO b



No, it's not hugs and kisses, even though it is Valentine's Day. As if the day were not exciting enough, we also got to try out all THREE of our XO laptops today!











XOXOXO cThe second and third laptops were donated to our classroom by people who for different reasons did not want to keep their XO's - but wanted to give them to some kids who would use them. We sure will! Many thanks to our generous donors! - Mr. Ahlness

Article posted February 14, 2008 at 09:52 PM GMT • Reads 313



An XO Tale

Article posted February 21, 2008 at 12:24 AM GMT • Reads 323

Below is a little VoiceThread presentation I put together at school today (we're on mid-winter break right now). I was very happy to see this was not blocked by our school district, so look for some of these to come from the students in Room Twelve - soon! Feel free to add comments right to the little presentation...



Article posted February 21, 2008 at 12:24 AM GMT • Reads 323



Note to Room Twelve

Article posted February 29, 2008 at 04:09 PM GMT • Reads 344

Hi Room Twelve, this is Mr. Ahlness. I talked with Mrs. Luke last night, and she said things went really well in class on Thursday, and that many of you were very helpful to her and each other. Wow! That sure made me feel good - nice job.



And your writing - oh my goodness! I checked my email at 1:30 in the middle of my presentation (to about 50 teachers), and there were 28 messages!! I approved a couple, some we looked at quickly and decided to wait on, but most we did not even get to - sorry! You wrote so much!! You should be proud of yourselves.



I'm about to hop on the bus to go back downtown, but I thought I'd leave a little picture for you. You won't be able to see it at school on Friday, but maybe you can check from home over the weekend. See you Monday! - Mr. A.



Getting ready for NCCE day 2

Article posted February 29, 2008 at 04:09 PM GMT • Reads 344



Happy Earth Day!

Article posted April 22, 2008 at 04:18 PM GMT • Reads 246

Today is Earth Day, April 22nd. Yesterday the kids in Room Twelve finished up over 300 Earth Day grocery bags and took them to our local Safeway. Here are a few moments captured on video:





Article posted April 22, 2008 at 04:18 PM GMT • Reads 246



Thank you, thank you!

Article posted June 7, 2008 at 06:35 PM GMT • Reads 396

This post is a thank you to two people. First up is Mr. Glenn Malone, who loaned us "Tami", our fourth XO Laptop. Here's what the students in Room Twelve had to say during Tami's last two days in our classroom:






The second thank you goes to Mr. David Warlick, who recently upgraded our blog by adding a wysiwyg (what you see is what you get) editor to make it easy for students to add links, format text, and add pictures! Many, many thanks! - Mr. Ahlness

Article posted June 7, 2008 at 06:35 PM GMT • Reads 396



Summer news

Article posted July 2, 2008 at 12:15 AM GMT • Reads 349

Well, a couple of things have happened that are pretty cool - and summer is just getting started. First, roomtwelve.com students are still writing here: Emily and Bryce have both added articles - way to go, and keep it up!



New member of the XO familyAnd our classroom has just received another XO laptop donation! So next fall the third graders in Room Twelve will start the school year with 4 XO laptops: Lincoln, Mark Ahlness, Earthday, and our newest - Jude, pictured here.



I am amazed and thankful for the generosity of the individuals who wanted their XO's to be in our classroom. Thanks again! - Mr. A.

Article posted July 2, 2008 at 12:15 AM GMT • Reads 349



XO Classroom Video

Article posted August 8, 2008 at 05:16 AM GMT • Reads 233

A few images of the XO Laptop in [LINK]


Article posted August 8, 2008 at 05:16 AM GMT • Reads 233



Welcome to the class of 2008-09!

Article posted September 29, 2008 at 02:04 AM GMT • Reads 239

The third graders at roomtwelve.com are now blogging here, less than a month into the school year. Their first articles are short reflections on their experiences "so far" in third grade.




Please take a look at some of the newest posts, on the bottom left side of this page. You can also browse through individual student blogs on the right. Under "Room Twelve Alumni" you will see third graders in room 12 for the past two years - and on the top left of the page is a link to 2005-06 class - three years go!




If you'd like to leave a comment for this year's class ("Room Twelve"), they would love to hear from you - and we will do our best to get back to your blog - if you leave your blog address in the URL field for the comment.




Thanks! - Mark Ahlness




teacher, grade 3


Article posted September 29, 2008 at 02:04 AM GMT • Reads 239



Happy Halloween!

Article posted November 1, 2008 at 05:21 AM GMT • Reads 269

The students at roomtwelve.com have been busy writing creepy Halloween stories this week! Look down of the left side of this page under Student Entries - for Oct. 29-31.



Halloween, 2008bHere's a picture from my front porch on Halloween. Here are more. I figured it would be OK to post this here, since our class voted 20 to 1 for Obama when we participated in the national Weekly Reader Election poll.

Article posted November 1, 2008 at 05:21 AM GMT • Reads 269



Happy Thanksgiving!

Article posted November 27, 2008 at 07:46 PM GMT • Reads 245

Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving wishes to all readers of this blog. There is some wonderful writing here, done by the third graders in Room 12 at Arbor Heights Elementary School in Seattle. Check out their latest "Turkey Escape" stories!



Arbor Heights @roomtwelve.comTo the students of Room 12, the picture here will give you a hint of something to be thankful for when you come back to school after Thanksgiving (yes there are 5 now!).



Finally, anyone interested in the effort to save our school from a recommended closure, please visit savearborheights.com.



Many thanks,

Mark Ahlness, teacher

Article posted November 27, 2008 at 07:46 PM GMT • Reads 245



Students Blog about Arbor Heights

Article posted December 5, 2008 at 03:55 AM GMT • Reads 293

The third graders in Room Twelve at Arbor Heights have been writing about the proposed closure of our school.



Their articles are grouped together for easy reading, at "Save Arbor Heights". The list of posts is sure to grow, so please bookmark the site and check back later. These young writers would welcome comments from one and all, so feel free to respond to them individually (the blog is totally moderated).





Many thanks,

Mark Ahlness,

teacher, grade 3

Article posted December 5, 2008 at 03:55 AM GMT • Reads 293



Mystery bird

Article posted December 9, 2008 at 05:36 AM GMT • Reads 248

Hi Room Twelve bloggers and blog readers,



While staying out here in Ithaca, NY for a few days, I took this picture of a cute little bird at a feeder. Can anybody guess what kind of a bird it is? We do not see these birds in Washington State, or the western US. If you have a guess, leave a comment here. Thanks!


Keep up the blogging, Room Twelve! - Mr. A.



 

Article posted December 9, 2008 at 05:36 AM GMT • Reads 248



Snow Stories!

Article posted December 15, 2008 at 04:14 PM GMT • Reads 253

It doesn't snow all that often in Seattle, so when it does snow, it's usually a pretty big deal.



To read some of the thoughts roomtwelve.com students had about the recent snowfall, or just about snow in general, click on this link.



Be sure to check back, as the list of stories will grow during the week of 12/15 to 12/19. - Mr. A.

Article posted December 15, 2008 at 04:14 PM GMT • Reads 253



Bird Quiz and Writing

Article posted December 28, 2008 at 08:17 PM GMT • Reads 251

Hi Roomtwelve.com students and readers,



Lincoln just posted this, and I thought I'd share it here, in case anybody would like to try to identify this bird in our recent snowstorm. You can leave your guess as a comment here - or on Lincoln's blog:





Well, it's snowing in Seattle again, and I'm a little tired of it all. I mean, where's all the grass, anyway? Here's a picture Mr. A. just took. If you know what kind of bird this is, leave your guess as a comment to this blog post. Thanks! - Lincoln (Mr. A's cat)









Students in Room 12, please feel free to add blog articles about what is going on during your vacation. They will all appear on "Vacation Thoughts".



I am finally back from the East Coast, and I am really looking forward to getting back to school on January 5th, 2009!- Mr. A.

Article posted December 28, 2008 at 08:17 PM GMT • Reads 251



New Year

Article posted January 1, 2009 at 09:33 PM GMT • Reads 403

The New Year is a time when people start thinking about what they could do better (like read more), or about things they'd like to do less of (like eat less junk food). So students of roomtwelve.com, do you have any resolutions for 2009? Post an article on your blog for extra credit in writing, and let people know what you will be working on this year. Blog visitors, feel free to leave your resolutions in comments here or to student blogs as they appear here.



Other classrooms blogging about their resolutions are here and here.

Article posted January 1, 2009 at 09:33 PM GMT • Reads 403



Spring moments

Article posted April 6, 2009 at 02:05 AM GMT • Reads 262

Now that Spring Break is over, we can look on the many special events that come at the end of the school year (like testing - yuck). But we still have some memories of when we knew spring had finally arrived. Mine is here.....



Lincoln looks out over his kingdom (our back yard). It had snowed earlier in the day, but when the sun came out, I knew spring was on its way:





Watch for student stories here about the start of spring! - Mr. A.

Article posted April 6, 2009 at 02:05 AM GMT • Reads 262



The Best of My Blog

Article posted May 28, 2009 at 03:55 PM GMT • Reads 301

For the Young Authors' Conference at our school this year, the students of roomtwelve.com wrote a book that was made up of the best articles from their blogs - right here.



Here's a picture of all of them. If you click on "The Best of My Blog Book" Assignment, you'll be able to read about their process! - Mr. A.

Article posted May 28, 2009 at 03:55 PM GMT • Reads 301



Exciting changes!

Article posted September 19, 2009 at 11:36 PM GMT • Reads 244

Big things are happening here at roomtwelve.com. First, there is a new group of third grade bloggers (on the right, under Room Twelve) who are just diving right in, setting up their blogs and already posting articles on their blogs. This is certainly a record for a fast start! I look forward to lots of great writing and conversations here during the 09-10 school year.



There is also some pretty exciting news for some of the Room Twelve Alumni (on the right, down a bit). Nine students are no longer there - but that's because their blogs have been moved to their current fifth grade teacher, Mr. Gonzalez! Best of luck to those wonderful writers as they continue on with their writing!



To visitors: all student blogs can still receive comments. They are, as they always have been, moderated by me. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you find some enjoyable reading. - Mr. A.



Article posted September 19, 2009 at 11:36 PM GMT • Reads 244



Turkey Escape, 2009

Article posted November 24, 2009 at 02:01 AM GMT • Reads 272

turkey escape

Students in room 12 have been using their imaginations and their writing skills to serve up a little Thanksgiving fun here. Their stories are in response to "Pretend you are a turkey. How will you escape being served for Thanksgiving dinner?"



Click on Turkey Escape, 2009, and scroll down to read over 20 great stories!



Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, everyone! - Mr. A.

Article posted November 24, 2009 at 02:01 AM GMT • Reads 272



Last minute homework tip!

Article posted April 5, 2010 at 01:36 AM GMT • Reads 240

Hi students in room 12!



About that impossible to solve Spring Break T-puzzle homework. Hopefully, a couple of you (!) have got it figured out by now. If you don't, here's a BIG hint: Think diagonally. Good luck, and see you in class tomorrow - Mr. A.

Article posted April 5, 2010 at 01:36 AM GMT • Reads 240



End of Year Thanks

Article posted June 29, 2010 at 08:35 AM GMT • Reads 248

     Summer is finally here, and congratulations to the 23 wonderful bloggers at roomtwelve.com for a great year of writing! And a special thanks to them and their families for the wonderful gifts they gave me at the end of the year! First, a custom canopy chair that I can take anywhere, wonderfully inscribed by all students - thank you! I am using it as often as Lincoln will let me:




     And then there was a very generous gift certificate to the West Seattle Nursery, where I found the perfect Froggy Fountain:




    Thanks for the very thoughtful gifts, and thanks for a wonderful year!  By the way, readers should know students here may continue to blog throughout the summer, and can certainly receive comments



     Happy summer! - Mr. A.

Article posted June 29, 2010 at 08:35 AM GMT • Reads 248



Spooky Stories

Article posted November 1, 2010 at 02:51 AM GMT • Reads 253

The third graders at roomtwelve.com have been working very hard to create some spooky stories for Halloween... Click here to read them all. WARNING - some of them are really, really creepy!



Article posted November 1, 2010 at 02:51 AM GMT • Reads 253



Turkey Escape Stories, 2010

Article posted November 22, 2010 at 08:07 AM GMT • Reads 274

turkey escape

Last week the third graders at roomtwelve.com got their imaginations in gear and wrote some incredible stories in response to this prompt:



Pretend you are a turkey. How will you escape being served for Thanksgiving dinner? You can read them all (comments are always welcome) by clicking on Turkey Escape 2010 here - or under Teacher Assignments on the left side of this blog. Happy Thanksgiving! - Mr. A.

Article posted November 22, 2010 at 08:07 AM GMT • Reads 274



Holiday Fantasy Stories

Article posted December 20, 2010 at 06:56 AM GMT • Reads 253

Dogwood 2Winter is a time of fantasy, and stories around holidays go back hundreds of years. The students at roomtwelve.com worked hard the week before Winter Vacation to add their ideas to the rich historical tapestry of holiday fantasy tale-telling. Enjoy Holiday Fantasy, 2010! - Mark Ahlness

Article posted December 20, 2010 at 06:56 AM GMT • Reads 253



Wishes and Resolutions

Article posted January 8, 2011 at 07:56 AM GMT • Reads 254

Sun sets on 2010, in Lincoln Park, on Puget Sound, in Seattle. Happy New Year
After the sun set on 2010, the third graders here at roomtwelve.com started thinking about the New Year. They thought about resolutions (for self-improvement) and wishes (to make the world a better place). Take a few minutes to read through their remarkable thoughts. Click here, and then scroll down. Happy New Year! - Mark Ahlness

Article posted January 8, 2011 at 07:56 AM GMT • Reads 254



1:1 XO Classroom!!!

Article posted January 21, 2011 at 02:20 AM GMT • Reads 285

XO Classroom, 1:1
In the past few days, we have become a 1:1 classroom with XO laptops, meaning each student gets to have their own XO! There will be much more to say about this, but for now, here we are (most of us) showing off our XO's.

Article posted January 21, 2011 at 02:20 AM GMT • Reads 285



Earth Day Artists!

Article posted April 21, 2011 at 06:10 PM GMT • Reads 242

Earth Day Grocery Bags decorated by students from Arbor Heights Elementary in Seattle!

These are the bags decorated by the students from roomtwelve.com - on display at our local Safeway. Arbor Heights Elementary has partnered with Safeway in this project for 19 years. This year there were school scheduling conflicts, and Earth Day fell at the end of our Spring Break, so these were the only bags turned in from our school. Great job, kids in Room Twelve! Head over to the Earth Day Groceries Project to find out more about this international effort, and...

Happy Earth Day! (April 22nd, every year) - Mr. A.

Article posted April 21, 2011 at 06:10 PM GMT • Reads 242



Summertime!

Article posted July 20, 2011 at 10:13 PM GMT • Reads 240

Room 12, 2010-11, last day 1


Well, here's everybody on the last day of school, 2010-11, about to head off into summer vacation! This was a wonderful group of third graders, and I will miss them all! I'll also miss their writing. Here's a sample - some short pieces on a variety of their Favorite Things during the school year - written in the last few days of school. Sail on, Room Twelve, and come back to visit next year! - Mr. Ahlness

Article posted July 20, 2011 at 10:13 PM GMT • Reads 240



Welcome to the class of 2011-12!

Article posted September 15, 2011 at 07:31 AM GMT • Reads 261

roomtwelve.com 2011-12


The 2011-12 school year is finally underway at roomtwelve.com in Seattle! Students are in the process of learning how to log on to their their blogs, customizing the look, giving them names and writing an "About the Blogger" description. New articles from this year's class will start appearing by September 15, 2011...

And it's only six days into the school year! Come back often to check in on what's happening, or sign on to follow the the rss feed of any of the 30 active bloggers here! Or just stroll down the third grade Memory Lane of any of the 144 bloggers on the right from roomtwelve.com - Mr. Ahlness

Article posted September 15, 2011 at 07:31 AM GMT • Reads 261



Dance Chance!

Article posted September 17, 2011 at 07:50 AM GMT • Reads 258

Dance Chance 2011a

Today all the third graders at Arbor Heights got a look from the staff at Pacific Northwest Ballet, to see if they might qualify for Dance Chance, a really wonderful opportunity. Our school has partnered with PNB for many years in this exciting program. Four students from our third grade classes were invited. One was from Room Twelve!

Article posted September 17, 2011 at 07:50 AM GMT • Reads 258



Open House in Room Twelve!

Article posted October 13, 2011 at 03:13 AM GMT • Reads 246

On October 6, 2011 we had an Open House at our school. It's a great way to meet new families at the beginning of the school year and chat a little. I usually also do a quick talk for everybody. This year I wanted to make it available online, especially for those who were not able to make it to the Open House. Here's what I had to say:


Article posted October 13, 2011 at 03:13 AM GMT • Reads 246



An XO Classroom

Article posted October 13, 2011 at 05:33 AM GMT • Reads 293

Room Twelve is home to the Arbor Heights XO Laptop Lending Library. In the next couple of weeks our students will be getting things underway for the year by checking XO laptops out for the weekend. We've been spending more time getting to know the ins and outs of these amazing little computers:


XO laptops in room 12!

Article posted October 13, 2011 at 05:33 AM GMT • Reads 293



Boo!

Article posted October 29, 2011 at 08:09 AM GMT • Reads 288

Boo 2


It's almost Halloween, and the students at roomtwelve.com have been busy creating spooky stories to creep you out. If you think you can handle it, read them all here

Boo!!

Article posted October 29, 2011 at 08:09 AM GMT • Reads 288



Turkey Escape - and Spinning!

Article posted November 20, 2011 at 03:53 AM GMT • Reads 283

With Thanksgiving approaching, the third graders at roomtwelve.com have been busy writing stories to try and answer this prompt: (click on the picture to go to their writing)


Turkey Escape



Their teacher thinks they're mostly pretty creative solutions - well, sadly, not all have a happy ending... Anyway, you can read all of their stories (and feel free to leave comments) here.




And just because, one time every year, we play Spin the Turkey. Total chaos, total fun.


Article posted November 20, 2011 at 03:53 AM GMT • Reads 283



A Winter Memory

Article posted December 17, 2011 at 06:56 AM GMT • Reads 254

With Winter Vacation now upon us, it's time to reflect on events we remember happening at this time of the year. The third graders at roomtwelve.com have been busy working up narratives of memorable events. Click here, or just click on the cat in the tree below.


Hey look at me 1

Article posted December 17, 2011 at 06:56 AM GMT • Reads 254



2012 Resolutions and Wishes

Article posted January 6, 2012 at 05:18 AM GMT • Reads 260

As the sun rises on a New Year, the 3rd graders at roomtwelve.com have been thinking about how 2012 can be a better year - for themselves, and for the rest of the world. Their visions range from extremely personal resolutions, to all encompassing wishes for a better world. Click on the sunrise below, and enjoy!


01-04-12 sunrise

Article posted January 6, 2012 at 05:18 AM GMT • Reads 260



Holiday Lights Dilemma

Article posted January 12, 2012 at 06:21 AM GMT • Reads 251

Most people have taken their holiday lights down by now (January 11). And there are a few who keep them up. We've been talking about it in class this week. We took a few minutes yesterday for the kids to send out their thoughts on their blogs. Click on the picture below to read what they had to say. 01-10-12 Deck Tree


Then we took a vote on whether or not our classroom holiday lights should stay up or come down. The kids decided they should stay up until the end of January! Yay, Season of Lights! - Mr. A.



ps - the picture above is from my back deck. The tree is from our living room, and my wife and I took it down on January 8th, but we couldn't bear to throw it away. So we put it on our deck, wrapped a string of lights around it, and we get to enjoy it for a while longer!

Article posted January 12, 2012 at 06:21 AM GMT • Reads 251



Snow Days!

Article posted January 21, 2012 at 01:11 AM GMT • Reads 264

I told the kids at roomtwelve.com that if they were able to make enough six sided snowflakes to cover the 3 window shades in our classroom, we would get a snow day. So several took home snowflake paper when they left early (see the clock) because of a snow warning. At that time there were not enough snowflakes to cover the shades. They must have made a ton when they got home, because we just had 3 snow days, one for each shade, I guess!



If you click on the picture below, you can read some of their thoughts on snow, sent in from home, during their unexpected vacation. - Mr. A.



01-17-12 Early Dismissal

Article posted January 21, 2012 at 01:11 AM GMT • Reads 264



Best of My Blog, 2012

Article posted March 24, 2012 at 07:26 AM GMT • Reads 260

The mighty third grade writers at roomtwelve.com have spent the last couple of weeks creating books - yes, ink and paper, hold in your hands, actual books! Those books were their contributions to our school's annual Young Author's Conference.



To read what they had to say about that - and to actually read their books - click on the picture of some of them below. They have included links to pdf versions of their books in their writing!


Best of My Blog

Article posted March 24, 2012 at 07:26 AM GMT • Reads 260



Public Speaking about Earth Day

Article posted April 5, 2012 at 04:50 AM GMT • Reads 337

The third graders in roomtwelve.com just finished one of the most difficult tasks they will have to do this year - speak in front of another classroom. They were distributing paper grocery bags and information to all the classrooms in our school, which is participating in The Earth Day Groceries Project for the 20th year!



Click on the image from our chalkboard of the complicated delivery schedule we had for two very intense days, and read what they had to say about the experience.



Public Speaking in 3rd Grade

Article posted April 5, 2012 at 04:50 AM GMT • Reads 337



Earth Day, 2012

Article posted April 15, 2012 at 08:03 AM GMT • Reads 300

The students at roomtwelve.com have worked very hard coordinating the Earth Day Groceries Project at our school over the last three weeks.



We just delivered the school's decorated bags to Safeway. You can read about the story and see a picture of us on the West Seattle Blog here!.



They wrote down their thoughts about the experience and about Earth Day, and put them on their blogs. Click on the picture of all 369 of our school's Earth Day Grocery bags below to read what they had to say:

Earth Day 2012

Article posted April 15, 2012 at 08:03 AM GMT • Reads 300



Roomtwelve.com in the media

Article posted April 24, 2012 at 05:47 AM GMT • Reads 350

I'm very proud of the work my students have posted here this year, and over the past 6 years. They have pushed the envelope, and many have worked on their writing well beyond the school day.



A few weeks ago I was invited to go down to a local TV/Radio station complex in Seattle, to help promote a grant opportunity for teachers - and classrooms interested in doing some cutting edge work with technology. So I went.



Since then, I've been broadcast on the radio, and I have been seen on TV ads for this website: centurylinkteachers.com. Here's the video:



Article posted April 24, 2012 at 05:47 AM GMT • Reads 350



New Computer Lab!

Article posted May 10, 2012 at 09:50 PM GMT • Reads 304

Our school just got a new computer lab, and it's pretty exciting up there. Not only is it all cleaned up with new wiring, but it's full of shiny new iMacs! Click on the picture of our class below (during their first visit) to read what they thought about it all.

Room twelve visits the new lab

Article posted May 10, 2012 at 09:50 PM GMT • Reads 304



MSP Reflections

Article posted May 11, 2012 at 05:33 AM GMT • Reads 320

We just finished the MSP, Washington State's "Measurements of Student Progress". There were two tests, reading and math, taken two days apart. The picture below shows the sign we put outside our classroom door - and the results of a vote for the part of the test they liked best. Click on the picture to read what the students at roomtwelve.com thought about their first experience with the test.

MSP

Article posted May 11, 2012 at 05:33 AM GMT • Reads 320



Field Trip!

Article posted May 29, 2012 at 01:53 AM GMT • Reads 324

On May 15, we took a field trip to the International District, often called Chinatown, in Seattle. If you'd like to read about our adventures, click on the picture of the dragon, below:

Dargon

Article posted May 29, 2012 at 01:53 AM GMT • Reads 324



Changing Desks!

Article posted June 5, 2012 at 07:31 PM GMT • Reads 356

Below is what our classroom looks like just before everybody changes desks. Click on the picture to see what the kids in roomtwelve.com have to say about it


Last Moving Day

Article posted June 5, 2012 at 07:31 PM GMT • Reads 356



The End of Our Blog

Article posted June 14, 2012 at 08:00 PM GMT • Reads 542

Well, we are finally nearing the end of the school year out here in Seattle. The last day of school is June 22nd. The students at roomtwelve.com know their blogging will end here, too. But it will be different this time, because I am retiring from teaching at the end of the school year.



In the past, students have been able to blog from home over the summer, or even continue from another classroom, with parent permission. But because I will no longer be an employee of the school district, I must close down the blog.



But wait! It's not going away!!



It will stay right here, with the thousands of articles written by the third graders in Room twelve. There just won't be any new writing going up.



One thing I will keep active over the summer though, is commenting. Visitors can leave comments on any student or teacher writing until September 1, 2012.



Many, many thanks to Mr. David Warlick, who designed and maintains classblogmeister for thousands of bloggers! Teachers and students are grateful and forever in your debt, David!



If you'd like to read what some of the current blogging class has to say about having a blog here, click on the picture below, where the kids were tallying up the total blog articles they have posted as a group this year:

411



Mark Ahlness

Article posted June 14, 2012 at 08:00 PM GMT • Reads 542



Summer Writers!

Article posted June 30, 2012 at 07:35 PM GMT • Reads 347

There is still a little writing left to do on this blog! Some students have parent permission to continue blogging this summer. Click on the picture below (part of the class creating slideshows of their year in room twelve) to read what's up with roomtwelve.com this summer:


Partner work

Article posted June 30, 2012 at 07:35 PM GMT • Reads 347



Art at Home!

Article posted August 19, 2012 at 12:40 AM GMT • Reads 314

Hi All, and especially students from roomtwelve.com,



I had a little fun recently, creating an art project in my backyard out of spiral tiles I had made (and saved over the years) from teaching art. Our classroom made clay tiles with spirals on them, based on "Spiral Jetty", and then we hung them together as a quilt, for the school to enjoy for a while.



Anyway, I had several of my tiles saved up from teaching the lesson for so many years, and I decided to do something with them. Click on the picture below to see a larger version:



Installation finished!



You can see the planning process I went through by looking at these pictures. They are cemented to that wall for good! Here's how it looks from the upper deck:



Spiral from a distance 2



I hope you are all having a great summer! - Mr. Ahlness

Article posted August 19, 2012 at 12:40 AM GMT • Reads 314



Looking Back at the XO Laptop

Article posted September 3, 2012 at 02:53 AM GMT • Reads 83176

Now that this blog is officially closed for new student writing, I thought it would be good to take a look back at an important part of the last five years in the roomtwelve.com classroom: the XO Laptop.



A week ago I sent off the 31 XO Laptops from our classroom Lending Library to the Columbus School for Girls, in Columbus, Ohio. They will be used to help the students there learn about how computers work, specifics on the XO Laptop (like how they run, learning how to take them apart, and so on) - and at the end of the school year, students from the school will take them to St John in the Virgin Islands, where the next chapter of their XO Laptop lives will start.



All of the XOs in our classroom were donated to us by people who wanted their XOs to be used by kids. I've written about our experiences in:

Article posted September 3, 2012 at 02:53 AM GMT • Reads 83176



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I am Mark Ahlness, the teacher in Room Twelve. Email: mahlness@halcyon.com

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