TED Talk #1 The Cockroach Beatbox

In class, we have been talking a lot about the word genius.  What do we mean when we say genius?  What does a genius look like?  How does someone become a genius?  We've discussed that being a genius has no age requirement.  A genius can be a kid as well as a grown up.  We've talked about how different people are good at different things.   When people are compared to others they may feel bad about themselves... they may feel that they are not smart or talented.  Geniuses come in many shapes and sizes.  And so do ideas.  Passions.  Talents.  Interests. We may not be able to explain them.  We may not always understand them, but one thing's for sure- all of our ideas, genius ideas or not, come from our brains.

Everybody dance now! 

The second TED talk in our TED talk series focuses on just that very subject-- the very place where the magic happens!  It's hiding there under our skin, cozy in our skulls, like an electric mass of muscle, humming silently away.  Where our ideas grow, passions are discovered, questions are formed.  That gooey, squishy, mysterious, ball of gray stuff.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our brain.  

Only muuuuuuuch smaller.

Neuroscientist (someone who studies the brain) Greg Gage gives us a glimpse into the workings of our brains by, wait for it, dissecting a cockroach... yes, right in front of us!   It turns out that cockroach brains are really similar to human brains, so they are handy to study.  Check out this amazing (and kind of freaky) TED talk to learn about how the brain receives and sends out electric messages and how our bodies respond and even dance to a beat.  

Enjoy! 

The Cockroach Beatbox

Welcome White Team!! 2016

I am very excited to be your 8th grade English teacher!! It is my job to guide you through your final year in middle school and get ready for high school and what lies ahead!  We'll be using many different resources in our English class to start discussions, analyze, write, respond, and research.  You'll find some great resources here on our class blog.  I hope that by having these resources here at your fingertips, you'll feel like you have your own Miss Enos at home to help when you need it!  If you have trouble finding something here on the blog, just let me know and I will help you find it!  If you ever have suggestions for a great resource/topic to add to the class blog, just let me know!!

Here is a video tour that I created to show you around the blog. 

In fact, let me know if you have any questions at all (any time at all!).  You can ask during class, before/after school, through an e-mail.  I don't care how you ask but ask!!!  I want to help you.  You are my number one priority!

One thing you will hear me mention about a million times is my hope for you to have a Spirit of Excellence! I recently heard a quote "Keep working until you are proud!"  Make that your motto for your final year at DMS and many more after!

My goal is to help you strengthen your reading and writing skills this year, but I also want to teach you skills to help you be successful as you grow into the amazing adult you are meant to be.  I want to see you get better at collaborating, creating, and communicating.  I also want to see you become champions! Just like these boys! Check out their story and think about what you can accomplish if you set your mind to it!

Are you up for the challenge?  Because I know I am!


Let's enjoy the year!!

Go, White Team!!!