Week 13 Growth Mindset: Editing Challenge

So for  this Growth Mindset challenge I decided to do the Editing Challenge! I really struggle with keeping my writing short and sweet because I tend to ramble, in writing and in talking. I decided to edit my story, The Lunch Box and the Math Test, from my Storybook, Kindergarten Shenanigans, a second time!

Screenshot of my story on my google site taken on 11/30/15

This was a really hard challenge for me because I really like long-winded writing! I went through my story and looked for sentences that repeated each other. I know that I tend to repeat myself when I am trying to explain myself and so I worked on cutting that down! 

I really enjoyed going through and working on my writing and writing style, rather than just focusing on grammar like I normally do! 

Tech Tip: Week 13 Changing my Blogger Template (again!)

So I've discovered that I absolutely love changing my Blogger template on my blog! I probably should keep more consistent for you guys, but there are WAY to many options! This time I just changed the font and the font color to enhance my blog, as I am really enjoying the background picture that I chose from my last template change!

Here is a screenshot of my new blog!

Screenshot taken on 11/30/15

I went with a subtle font color, but one that you can still see well on the background, and I changed the fonts to be more striking in the Title but more subtle in the wording! I think that my choices really help the flowers really stick out. I hope you guys enjoy!

Week 12 Reading Diary A: King Arthur

This is my reading diary for the second half of unit of King Arthur that I did not finish last week. I also am planning on doing the same diary format because I did not get to write a story last week, as I let the week get ahead of me.

The Adventure of Sir Galahad
Sir Galahad finds knights in the Abbey that tell him of a shield that when a man hangs it around his neck, they die in the next few days or something happens to him. The monk tells them that only the worthiest knight in the world can hang the shield around their neck. I dont think this story would work very well for a diary post.

The Adventure of Sir Percivale
Percivale goes on an adventure in order to help another knight.

Sir Lancelot and the Five Hundred Knights
I really liked this story but Lancelot's feelings about what is happening isn't well described in this story. I think it would be hard to add enough personal feeling into the diary to make it feel authentic to use this story.

Sir Gawain and the Hermit
Kind of hard to follow, I had to reread parts several times to understand what was going on and where the story was headed. I really like the illustration at the top of the page though.

Gawaine, by Howard Pyle

Image Source: Wikipedia

The Adventure of Sir Bors
I have noticed that these knights are very quick to trust others and do as they ask with no proof that their claims are true.

Sir Galahad and the Mysterious Ship
I like that this story is about more than just one of the knights. The ending of this story was sort of sad. This could be a good reflective diary post, written after the adventure is over and Pervicle's sister has died.

Sir Lancelot meets Sir Galahad
Again, the knights are following strange voices and people without another thought. It was such a different culture when these stories were written. It is interesting that the story implies that Sir Galahad is King Arthur's son, I hadn't picked up on that yet.

The End of Arthur
I liked the ending but I thought that it could have been written better, although I cannot use it for my story because all of the characters die and no one would be left to write the diary!

Week 11 Reading Diary A: King Arthur

This week I am going to continue my reading strategy of taking notes based on the type of story that I am going to write that week. This week I am reading from the unit of King Arthur and I am going to attempt my story in a Diary post. I am going to write one diary entry, or multiple depending on the length and amount of details that are important, from a major character, probably King Arthur or one of his main knights.

Image of old diary entry 

Image Source: Flickr

The Drawing of the Sword
I could do a single entry from Merlin about his thoughts as he comes to Canterbury and decides to have a 'competition' of sorts to find a true king. I could add in how he created the sword in the stone and etched the writing onto the stone. His thoughts as he creates this task and his worry that no one will be worthy and England will continue to suffer. Merlin could watch Arthur ride away, probably to do something for his foster-brother, and think how good of a man Arthur is. Merlin watches as Sir Kay and his father fail to pull the sword out and Arthur pulls it out easily. Merlin rejoices in his head as he realizes that he had not made the enchantment too hard and there is a worthy king to lead them to prosperity. He knew the moment that he delivered Arthur to Sir Ector that he would become a great man but he always had fear that Arthur would be unable to fulfill his destiny and birth right to be king.

The Questing Beast
This story begins with Arthur having to prove to others that he was the true king and having to conquer other kings to get there but Arthur struggles and needs Merlin's help and the help of Excalibur. Arthur sees Guenevere for the first time and falls in love. He has a bad dream of his people being killed by monsters and he being injured. The story ends with Merlin telling Arthur that his sister shall have a child that will end him and all of his knights.

The Round Table
The story of how Arthur marries Guenevere is told in the beginning of this story. That could be a cool diary entry.

The Passing of Merlin
It would be cool to begin the story with Arthur finding the diary and then reading the entry and then ending the story with him reflecting on what a wise friend Merlin had been and how distraught he was over his death and that Merlin had warned him this is how he would die.

The Quest of the Holy Grail
It is interesting that King Arthur did not want his Knights to find the Holy Grail but they went anyway.
The King's Pilgrimage
This story was sort of confusing and hard to follow. I don't think I am going to use it