Monday, March 5, 2012

This Barn Charmed Me!

Good evening!!  Here is one I worked on for quite a while the other day.  I was adding layers and filters and shading and tweaking...It has about six different filters on different parts!  I really enjoyed adding color to an otherwise blah winter photo.  

Barn Charm is in its 75 week!  Hop on over and have a look around at the awesome posters there!  I'm afraid I don't have much time to go poking around the huge number of posters there, but I try to visit a few each week, even if it's only a click and look around!  I really do look at your pictures!

This last week was busy.  Today for instance, I worked on a study guide for an upcoming chapter for my class.  I took it to the printer and then looked back at the book and realized I'd done next week's chapter...figures.  So, I stayed a little late and finished this week's chapter, too.  At least I am a little ahead of myself.  I gave a quiz today.  One of my paras was fed up with the kids she was with.  She told them they could use their notes, but not hers.  (They rarely take their own, even though several adults instruct them on WHAT to write down)  So, if they took the notes they were okay, but if they didn't they would have to rely on their memories...and most of the quizzes I corrected showed that they either don't listen or I speak a different language than they do.  Seriously!  

One of my questions was:  

8. What was NOT a way to die on the Oregon Trail?
     a. Freezing
     b. Drowning
     c. Snake bite
     d. Car accident

I ACTUALLY got several students who chose freezing or drowning or snake bite!

Another was:

4. Use "FAMINE" in a sentence.

One smartass answered:

"I have a lot of people who ask me the definition of famine, so I tell them.

Crap.  I gave him credit, but I didn't have to like it.

My favorite was number ten, which was an open ended essay question asking them to describe a journey on the Oregon Trail, using complete sentences, specific places, and details from their readings.  I had gotten a really good, long and detailed response from one student, so I decided to try to elicit more of those.  I said, if you write A Lot on number ten, I might give you extra credit, you just need to give me all the details you can remember.  

A period later I was correcting papers and found the word, "A LOT" in bold lettering...smartasses.  I told them "Nice try."

This weekend we went to the zoo.  It was awesome!  Chloe is doing SOOO much better in the car on long trips.  Nothing like she was a few months ago when there was so much screaming and crying.  it was great!!  Chloe especially seemed to like the elephants, giraffes, and gorillas.  It was fun!  Have a look back to see a few of our zoo pics from Saturday!  Better pictures than these!



Then make sure you click on over to Barn Charm and visit those fabulous barn photographers!

9 comments:

Elaine said...

Lovely work on your barn! It's a real charmer. I'm guessing the kids who didn't put car accident down for question 8 have zoned out for the whole unit on the Oregon Trail. Do you ever wish you could just zap them back in time, walking along behind one of those wagons, mile after endless mile?

Tanya Breese said...

i always love the effects you use on your barns.....nice!

we were always zoo members when we lived back home in san diego...i always liked that option of being able to take the kids for an hour or two rather than the stress of feeling like i had to stay all day and fight crowds...especially loved it in the summer when they extended their hours till late.....sadly our zoo isn't much to visit here in roanoke...if you've been once, that is quite enough lol

Elizabeth Edwards said...

great barn. (:

Judy said...

I like what you did to the barn.

Tezzie said...

Definitely a cool edit to your barn shot! And, what a little cutie in the rainbow dress <3

Nancy said...

Your barn looks like a painting. Very pretty.

Anonymous said...

I like what you've done with your barn... but your comments about your students cracked me up... I have some of those same smarta**es on my bus! Would you like a few more? Chloe is SO cute...

Anonymous said...

The barn kind of looks like a painting w/ lots of pizazz! Love the cupola... dramatic sky! WoW! =0

Thanks for joining =)

Brian King said...

Fantastic job on the barn photo, Jim!