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Erin B. Tryka
- Alden, NY
- United States
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Erin B. Tryka's Page
Latest Activity
We will be wrapping up our work on Three Cups by creating Glogsters with the kids' reactions to the book. Each glog will contain images, writing, video that we will capture during which kids discuss the theme or message they have taken away from t...
Thanks Kristen for that idea. I haven't read the book although I have it in the Library. I will now read it and add it to either my Book Club or my Year 7 reading program. Linking the text into action on issues of social justice is a great idea.
I enjoyed reading your poem, Kevin. One comment from your former ELA teacher: Capitalize your "I". Unless you are going for an e.e. cummings thing; in which case all of your "I"s should be uniformly lowercased!!!! ;o) Great work! I love reading th...
Wow! I love this Ashley! Keep writing... I am very proud of you ;o)
The Global Poetry Project aims to provide a space for members to expand upon their cultural views through the writing and reading of poetry.
I think it is also important to note that this book sparks an interest in current events as well. Our students are compelled to look at the Buffalo News, CNN, or Fox News and check out what is going on right now in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Kristi...
I haven't read this yet, but I'm longing to. Kris--I recently saw Firoozeh Dumas, the author of Funny in Farsi, speak. She was brilliant and witty and very funny. I bought her book--short vignettes about growing up Iranian in America. If you would...
Great to hear Kristin. I'll be able to recount your feedback about the book to the teachers at my school. : )
This is an excellent initiative Erin! I haven't read the book myself, but your post has inspired me to add it to my wishlist of books that I need to get to. Please keep us posted.
Great choice Erin. We have it in our school library and I've been thinking it would make a good class text. Sounds like it is going well; linking it to their own efforts for service learning is a wonderful thing to be doing.
Right now Kristin Smith and I are reading Three Cups of Tea with our 8th graders. They are truly enjoying it and learning to break down their sterotypes and prejudices towards Muslims. It is wonderful! We'll keep you posted. Our plan is to have st...
Hi Laura. I think your video is interesting, but to make it better you could really show a stronger contrast between your two ideas. For example, show images filled with confusion, chaos, etc. to show the negatives of a world without rules. In add...
Sarah, I am so proud of you! What an amazing piece to have published in the Buffalo News. Kepp up all the great work you have been doing. I always love to see former students accomplishing goals and making a difference!
Hello everyone! My students at Alden Middle are doing an absolutely amazing job! So far, they have organized the following fundraising activities: Flag Football Tournament ($80 for The Red Cross), Faculty Dodgeball Game ($200 for Save Darfur), Whi...
Hey Erin! Great to see Alden represented here! Looking forward to seeing what all of you do.....love how it is integrated with lit too : )
Erin B. Tryka's Blog
Three Cups of Tea
Right now Kristin Smith and I are reading Three Cups of Tea with our 8th graders. They are truly enjoying it and learning to break down their sterotypes and prejudices towards Muslims. It is wonderful! We'll keep you posted. Our plan is to have students raise awareness and funds for Pennies for Peace and to do a letter writing campaign as well!
Posted on November 2, 2009 at 11:00pm — 9 Comments
Just to Give You an Update!!
Hello everyone! My students at Alden Middle are doing an absolutely amazing job! So far, they have organized the following fundraising activities: Flag Football Tournament ($80 for The Red Cross), Faculty Dodgeball Game ($200 for Save Darfur), Whipped Cream Pie Throw at Teachers' Faces (not sure how much they rasied yet), varoius bake sales, homemade jewlery sales, pink breast cancer bracelet sales, etc (100s of dollars all together). Today a group has organized a "Tug 'o War for Peace" to raise… Continue
Posted on May 22, 2009 at 4:42am —
Alden Middle School's ELA Outreach Project
I have been teaching 8th grade ELA for nine years, and for the past two years, my co-teacher (Kristin Smith) and I decided to add more to our curriculum that just reading and writing. We wanted to give our students a real-life learning experience while allowing them to make a real difference in the local community and the world. Middle school kids are so creative and most of them, when given the chance, amaze me with their ability to truly make a difference.
It all started when we found ourselv… Continue
It all started when we found ourselv… Continue
Posted on April 2, 2009 at 12:00am — 3 Comments
Comment Wall (1 comment)
- At 7:53pm on April 2, 2009,
Jenny Luca said…
- Welcome Erin. I've left a comment for you on your blog post. Well done on your wonderful and inspiring effort with your Middle Scholers. It's a great idea.
About
Latest Activity
Good on you Erik. I bet your parents are appreciative of all you are doing at home. Perhaps you can build on this and continue to do some of those things, like making your bed. I think you're off to a great start. : )
Reminds me of Shel Silverstein's the giving tree, I also really enjoyed the abrupt imagery that you created.
Fate had condemned us
Delegated us to be
Sheep in wolf's clothing
We were not mighty
For we could not escape
The pack's impending
Shadow
So we had become Fear's marionettes
Oh how clever we had thought we were
We were nothing new
We were not co...
I'm looking forward to reading the student's posts Kristin. Please let them know their words are valued here.
This post was created by Erik, a grade 5 student:
November 25
I made a difference by doing a couple of things they are:
1. I gave the ball to Mr.Poluk in volleyball so he did not have to walk to the other side of the gym. This would of made a dif...
Poetry is powerful. The fact that words on a page or, in the case of the Global Poetry Project, on a screen can elicit emotion is quite amazing. The aim of the Global Poetry Project goes further than that though. This is not a project merely put i...
Here is a blog post created by Michaela, one of my grade 5 students, outlining what she did on day one of our 25 Days to Make a Difference Challenge (I will try to provide daily samples of student submissions throughout our challenge):
Today is t...
Today I made a difference by lending my friend some change to buy breakfast with because she didn't have enough time to eat at home.
Your last line is unexpected--wow. This could be speaking to so much more than trees, too.
Five devastating words: Just to be Cut Down
Trees are a magnificent, important and irreplaceable part of nature. They don't grow to be cut down, not in the wonderful wild forests we should protect but aren't. This poem has a real message, thank yo...
The Global Poetry Project aims to provide a space for members to expand upon their cultural views through the writing and reading of poetry.
As I walked into the over crowded cafeteria I noticed that one of my good friends was sitting by herself. I knew that someone was sitting with her, but they were waiting in line for lunch. So instead of getting in the back of a long line right awa...
Today I made a difference by helping my dad with the new garage door opener he had to install. Together we turned a 4 hour job into a 2 hour job. I felt great after helping.
This is so cool, I can't wait to see what happens!!
Mike, you are such an active member of this space and you and your students inspire me. I'm looking forward to seeing what you and your students can achieve.
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