Watch Out, U-Turn Words Ahead!

How annoying, right Middle Schoolers? You think you understand what a speaker or author means. Then bam! They stick in a "but." Suddenly they mean the opposite of what they just said. Outrageous. 

Mizz C. wants you to have the list of U-Turn words--transition words--that often appear in standardized test reading passages. If you see these words, be on the alert. The passage is heading in the other direction!

U-Turn, transition words:

although 

but 

even though

however

on the other hand

otherwise

yet

U-Turn Sentences:

Although I’d love to try that mystery meat casserole, I might be allergic.

I know finishing my homework is important. However, trimming my toenails is important, too.

I like you, but . . . (I secretly mean the opposite of what I just said.)

I know I should put away the dishes. On the other hand, if I let them air dry, everybody can find them faster.

Even though it’s a school night, having a sleepover will help me learn more if I study with my friends.

I’d better eat the rest of these cookies. Otherwise they might get stale.

I know it’s time to come inside, yet it doesn’t make sense to go to bed if I’m not tired.

Oh, Say! Can You See . . . the Blackboard?

Today Mizz C. has two stories with happy endings about wearing glasses at school if you need them. 


Story #1: It was a dark and stormy day. Mizz C. was walking along with Mizz C, Junior, who pointed at the sidewalk: "Oh, look at that cute dachshund!" 

Only it wasn't a dachshund. It was a skateboard! 

That's when Mizz C. realized that Mizz C. Junior might need glasses. And she did! Pretty soon middle school got easier for Mizz C. Jr. She could see the blackboard! And she could tell the difference between a dachshund and a skateboard! 


Story #2: Mister Teacher, a blogger Mizz C. knows from the Internet, posted a story about eyeglasses, too: 

A Bit of Near-Sightedness

After I witnessed one of my kids get up and walk closer to the board to look at a problem for about the fourth time today, I had this conversation with him:

Me: Have you ever gone to the nurse to get your vision checked? To see if you maybe need glasses?

Student: Yes.

Me: Oh, well, did they say that you needed glasses?

Student: Yes.

Me: I see. Did you ever GET glasses?

Student: Yes.

Me: So do you have glasses here at school?

Student: Yes.

Me: Can you put them on??

Student: Yes.

Eye test over! 

Lights Out, Middle Schoolers!

And that goes double for you, iPad, Mortal Kombat, TV, cell phones, and laptops!

Are tech toys stealing your sleep? Colorful, exciting tech screens are fun. But they can really mess up your sleep if you keep them on too long. Bright lights interfere with a great sleepytime chemical called melatonin that your body releases when the lights dim. Here's what happens to melatonin when tech toys light up the night:

• brightly-lit screens = less melatonin
• less melatonin =  trouble falling asleep 
• trouble falling asleep = falling asleep at school
• falling asleep at school = crankiness, forgetfulness, stress, and trouble with the teach.

Bad way to go to sleep--with the TV remote and a bowl of popcorn about to hit the floor. 

Isn't this better?

So put your screens to sleep 30 minutes before you put yourself to sleep. 

P.S. Feel free to pop in at Mizz C’s other snoozy blog posting--the one where she tells the world that sleep is an important study skill. 

Sleep workshop over. Go catch some zzzzs.

Win, Win, Don't Lose, Loose

Do you know which caption is correct?

1. This boy is going to lose a tooth.
2. This boy is going to loose a tooth.

The envelope please. The answer, middle graders, texters, and Internet users, is #1. This boy is going to lose a tooth. His tooth is loose, so he's going to lose it. 


If you weren't sure which caption was correct, welcome to the Lose Loose Club! Recently, Mizz C. began to notice mix-ups on the Internet about when to use "lose" and when to use "loose." This had to stop. Mizz C. hereby provides a show and tell on "lose" and "loose." 

LOSE:

Rhymes with: ooze, use, shoes, and tattoos--zzzz sound endings

Definitions: to misplace, disappear, or fail to win

Related words: lost, losing, loser

Heads I win, tails you lose!

LOOSE: 

Rhymes with: moose, goose, papoose--ssss sound endings

Definitions: baggy, relaxed, unfitted, not attached, scattered
Related words: loosen, looser as in "This shoe is looser than that one."

Are these pants too loose?

I'm just hanging loose today.

Now Mizz C. is going to hang loose with her family. Maybe tomorrow she'll take on Spell Check, which can't tell the difference between "lose" and "loose."

On Your Mark, Get Set . . . STOP!!!!!

See this machine? 

Mizz C. always imagined that standardized test correcting machines looked like this. She didn’t want to mess with them. And you shouldn't mess with them either.

Here’s Mizz C's advice about filling in standardized test bubble sheets:

• PRESS HARD on your answer bubbles so the robo machine can read your answers.

• DON’T MAKE ANY STRAY MARKS anywhere outside the bubbles so the robo machine doesn’t misread your brilliant answers. If a stray mark does creep in, erase it ASAP.

Mizz C. recently read a sad, sad tale on one of her favorite blogs, Learn Me Good. Mr. Teacher gave the usual warning to his students about not making marks on their answer sheets. He wanted his students’ tests to look neat and orderly like this:

Not like this:

But one student was so nervous about not making stray marks, she didn’t answer any of the questions! Mizz C. totally understands. 

If you do get a mad urge to doodle, or you have to take notes or work out problems, make your marks . . . but only in the question booklet. 

Lesson over. Now go outside and kick a ball!