chapter 13 - I Plunge to My Death

Before We Read

Here we are, on our way to Los Angeles to face Hades and the underworld. However, I'm sure there are a few places to stop in between. So, as we look at chapter 13, please consider the following writing prompts to complete prior to reading the next chapter:

1. Many people have phobias. Fear of heights is one of the most common. Are you afraid of high places, or do you know anyone who is? What about other phobias – do you have any?

2. In this chapter, Annabeth says she wants to be an architect and build a monument that will last a thousand years. If you could be famous, what would you like to be remembered for?

Please respond to only one(1) writing prompt and submit as a new post. Title the entry: Chapter 13 Anticipatory Writing response # (1 or 2, whichever you choose)




While We Read

Cut and paste the following questions into a new post Titled: Chapter 13 Questions and answer them as we go along in the reading. This is a very exciting chapter, so you may want to pay close attention.

1. Why does Percy try to keep a low profile on the train?

2. What new information does Annabeth tell us about her father in this chapter?

3. Annabeth says a couple of unexpected friends took care of her when she ran away from home. Any guesses who these might be? Why?

4. Why does Percy laugh when Annabeth tells him what she wants to be?

5. What magic item does Hades have? What are its powers?

6. Describe the Chimera.

7. Echidna says Percy should feel honored to be killed by her. Why?

8. What is Percy’s “fatal mistake” while battling the Chimera?

9. Why does Percy decide he has no choice but to jump? What would you have done in his place?

10. How would the battle have been different if there were no mortal spectators in the Arch?

Chapter 10 CoverItLive - I Ruin A Perfectly Good Bus

Chapter 10 - I Ruin a Perfectly Good Bus

Before you get started on reading about Percy's quest, let's stop for a moment and do some writing. Create a blog entry for both, yes I said both writing prompts.

1. Many of the campers at Camp Half-Blood have their own magic item. Clarisse has an electric spear. Annabeth has a baseball cap that turns her invisible. What magic item would make sense for Percy, as the son of the Sea God? Design your own magic item.

2. Percy gets to try his hand at driving a bus in this chapter. Defend or attack this proposition: “The national driving age should be lowered to 13.” Can you think of any reasons that might actually convince Congress to pass such a law?

Remember these are short responses, but be clear and visual, remembering your audience as you write. Please put both response in one (1) post. Title your post: Chapter 10 Writing Prompt

Next, answer the following questions as we read. Go ahead and copy and paste the questions into your blog, but make sure you use a new post and not the entry with for the writing post. Please keep them separate. Here are the questions:

1. Who is Argus and why can he never be surprised?
2. What gift does Luke give to Percy? Why can’t Percy use them?
3. What special properties does Riptide have?
4. What is Mist?
5. What are some of the reasons Annabeth gives for why Poseidon and Athena don’t get along?
6. According to Grover, why did Percy’s mom marry Gabe?
7. Percy says he’s not going on the quest to retrieve the lightning bolt. What’s his real reason for going?
8. How does Percy sneak to the front of the bus?
9. Why doesn’t Percy leave the bus when he has the chance?
10. How do Percy, Grover and Annabeth lose their luggage?

Post #3

Follow-up Activities

After reading chapter 10, let's try these activities to bring some connection to what Percy and crew are going through.

1. Draw your own Fury. The pictures below are how ancient greeks viewed the furies. Take a look and then draw your own updated version. Use a plain white sheet of paper, apply color and scan to your flash drive. Then upload your picture on your blog post.








2. Olympian Travel Agency. Percy Jackson has ten days to from New York to Los Angeles and back again, and he can’t use air travel. Is this possible? Try to use internet sources to “book” and trip for Percy and his friends using buses or trains. How much would the trip cost? How long would it take? Try these sources to start:

www.amtrak.com (for trains)
www.greyhound.com (for busses)

This assignment will be another separate post. Title your post: After Reading Chapter 10

Happy Blogging!

Chapter 8 - 9

Sorry that my project has gotten in the way, but I'm ready to get back to our blog over the The Lightning Thief. I'm so impressed with eagerness to read everyday. So, let's see what you have learned from the book thus far.

Here are the questions from chapter 8 and chapter 9

Chapter 8

1.Why are the counselors having a hard time deciding who Percy’s Olympian parent is?
2.How does Percy surprise everyone during his first sword class? How do you think he was able to do this?
3.According to Grover, why did the “Big Three” gods swear never to have any more children?
4.Why does the story about Thalia make Percy feel “hollow and guilty”?
5.In capture-the-flag, why does Percy feel like he’s being left out of the action?
6.How does Percy manage to overcome the kids from Ares’s cabin?
7.What was Annabeth’s plan to win the flag?
8.Why does Annabeth make Percy stand in the water?
9.What does Chiron say about how the hellhound got into camp?
10.When you find out Percy’s true identity, are you surprised or did you see it coming? What clues were given earlier in the book?

Chapter 9

1.Why does Percy feel miserable once he gets his own cabin?
2.Based on the newspaper article Percy finds under his door, what is happening in the real world while Percy is in camp?
3.What is the master bolt?
4.Why does Zeus think Percy stole the bolt?
5.Why can’t the gods retrieve the bolt themselves?
6.What bothers Percy about the Oracle’s prophecy?
7.According to Chiron, what evidence suggests that Hades stole the lightning bolt?
8.Why does Percy have to travel overland?
9.What will happen on the summer solstice if the lightning bolt is not returned?
10.What is unusual about the storm that moves in over camp?

Create a blog entry answering all the questions above.

Have fun!

So, What Do You Think So Far?

At This point we are about a 1/3 of the way through the book. So, in this assignment, you will create a blog entry that will convey your feelings about what we've read thus far. In your post, consider the following questions:

1. How anxious do you get when you know you are not allowed to read further into the book?
2. Who/what are your favorite characters so far?
3. What is your favorite place/scene visited in the chapters that we have read?
4. Why do you like or dislike this novel?
5. Have you looked further into some of the Greek Mythology? If so, at what?

These are just a few prompts to include in your entry. Feel free to add more in order for your audience to get a good feeling of your thoughts about chapters 1 -7.

Happy Blogging!

What To Do While I'm Gone

Here are today's assignments:

Spelling: you will create a Wordle of your spelling words. It's really easy. Just go to http://www.wordle.net/create and begin typing your words in the box. Then hit create. You will then take a picture of your creation and post it to your blog. You can either copy and paste or take a screen shot by pressing "control+apple+4 and scrolling over the desired image and it will take a picture and place it on your desktop.

Math: take the measurement quiz on smittiekids.com

Social Studies/Writing: Use your Neoboards to finish the revisions to your Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dream response.

Social Studies: The U.S. Presidents - Open up the student server and look in the drop box for instructions.

Science: 1. Complete pages 117 - 125 of science TAKS CVP2 book answering all the questions. 2. Go to BrainPop and view the Sound and Waves videos (2) and take both quizzes and email them to brsmith@mesquiteisd.org. 3. Also on BrainPop, view the video on Light and take the quiz also. (remember the username: jrthompson password:cubs)

Reading: 1.Answer the attached questions for chapter 6- I've Become Supreme Lord Of The Bathroom 2. At 9:00 am CoverItLive on Chapter 7 - My Dinner Goes Up in Smoke.

Have fun while I'm gone.

Cover It Live - Chapter 7

Inbetween Chapter 2 and 3

Wow, chapter three ended with the strange old ladies cutting a.. "chord" as Grover called it. What do you think that means? Actually, what if those old ladies were staring at you and repeated the same scenario, how would you react?

Please complete a short post answering the two questions above. Title it: In Between Chapter 2 and 3.

Happy Blogging!

Chapter 2 - Three Old Ladies Knit the Socks of Death Preview

As with chapter 1, we will begin with a warm up short post. Choose from the following two options and provide a brief yet concise response. Remember be brief!

Chapter 2 questions for anticipatory blog entry:

1. Have you ever had a teacher you wanted to do well for? If so, what made
you respect that teacher’s opinion? If you can’t think of a teacher like
that, what would a teacher have to be like to make you respect them?

2. There’s an old expression: “I feel like someone just stepped on my grave.”
Do you think it’s possible to foretell the future? Have you ever had a
feeling that something bad was going to happen?

Remember to title your post: Chapter 2 - Anticipatory Prompt 1 or 2 (choose one)

Don't forget to restate the question in your response.

Happy Blogging.