presentations in class

Student presentations were today. They were really quite good. All except for the group who started out talking about the Trail of Tears and ended up talking about slavery....I still haven't figured out how that happened. But they say they are going to fix it for tomorrow.

And the masses of kids who said they "weren't ready" and I made get up there anyway. They may have needed one more day to work on it. But lots of kids were finished after two days...of course their presentations weren't terribly good either.

I spent the afternoon helping kids with their English projects that are also due tomorrow. I have now read "The Raven" six times this week. "The Tell-Tale Heart" at least twice. All to help kids figure it out. Then passing out scissors, posterboard and letting them print pictures on my printer.

So when is the last time that you read "The Raven"? Want to know my favorite stanza? He has just been told that he will never be relieved of the pain of grief that he feels at Lenore's loss...then he asks this only to hear, "Nevermore." It is such a sad, sweet sentiment.

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil--prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that heaven that bends above us--by that God we both adore--
Tell this soul with sorrow laden, if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden, whom the angels name Lenore---
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Lenore?
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."