Memorial Day

My father, an Iwo Jima survivor.

In honor of this upcoming Memorial Day...some poems:


This poem was written by my cousin's 17 year old daughter:

this is for the soldiers
theresa soya

this is for the red
the red that beats through the heart

and bleeds through the clothes
of every american citizen,

of every american soldier
this is for the white, the black, the yellow,
the red, the brown skin of the soldiers
who fight not for the respect of a man
but for the love of a brother,
this is for the blue,
the blue and the hope that comes with tomorrow,
the hope that tomorrow comes
with the sky a little brighter
this is for the flag that waves through that sky
this is for the stars
and this is for the stripes
whipping through the wind and ripping
but never falling in the fight

this is a thank you,
this is from the kids who aren't quite sure what to say

and pray with shaky words but stable ambition,

this is from the kids who know what sacrifice means

but haven't quite felt it yet

and this is from the kids who have every reason to hate war

this is from the kids who've ever lost a soldier before
this is from the kids whose only connection to that breach

is that flag that they wave
this is from the kids who know all too much
and this is from the kids who know nothing
but regardless,

they care

this is for the troops that stand taller everyday

this is for the service that speaks for itself

this is for the wake-up call, the trumpets that sound every morning at 5

and the alarm that forgot to ring back in the states

this is for the gift santa couldn't bring

this is for the freedom

and this is for the safety,

this is for the soldiers stationed in Iraq, Iran, and Haiti
this is for the soldiers who wrote "home" on their wish list
this is for the ones who won't make it back for Christmas
this is for the honor and the bravery showed
this is for the valor and the courage bestowed

this is for the strength it takes to run and to train

this is for the pride it instills to stand and salute
this is for the soul that aches and writhes with pain

this is for the ones wearing the boots
this is for the ones with the insignia holding up the world on their shoulders
this is for the heroes
this is for the soldier



These poems were written and recorded by some fourth grade students.

Today and everyday...Celebrating the lives of those men and women who have shown courage and bravery by serving their country...We thank you!

Lifelong Learners

Yesterday I was working with my mom on creating a flier for her art association sale.  We were using her PC laptop (I'm a Mac girl by nature!).  We were using Windows 7 (I'm a Mac girl by nature!) and both getting slightly frustrated.   I explained to my mother that the beauty of using a computer is that it is mistake tolerant (thank you Karen Janowski for sharing this idea!).  Mistakes are easily fixed by using the redo button. After a little bit we were both in sync and the flier was completed!

On the drive home I was thinking about how even at 78 and 85 my parents are life long learners. Beside keeping current with new technology, they are always bettering themselves. My mother is always going to art demonstrations and has even attended Webinars to advance her techniques. My dad is always starting new projects which allows for learning.  He writes news letters which promotes learning and is always learning something new with the computer!

Does being a lifelong learner come naturally?  This article by Scott Young suggests that you can Cultivate Lifelong learning.   (I dislike his first paragraph but the 15 steps make sense!)

Are you curious about your learning style?  Finding out how you learn best might help you become a lifelong learner.  Check out this short quiz from Edutopia. (you do not need to sign up).

I always thought I was a visual learner! (Interpersonal-interesting)

As teachers and parents, we should model lifelong learning to our students and children.  Sharing what we have learned and how we learned it is one way to model.  Learning something new along with the children is another. Help make connections to what you already know and what you are learning! (Thanks Mom & Dad for being my Models!)

I consider myself a life-long learner.  Just recently I received my Graduate degree, participated in an Edublogs teacher challenge and joined Twitter to share & learn from other educators. This has enabled me to learn new strategies and techniques to engage, motivate and help my students become life long learners themselves!

Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new.  Time to go learn! 

What was the last thing you learned?
 

What was the last thing you learned?... at AnswerGarden.ch.

Tornado Information for Kids

In the news the other morning was an account of a serious outbreak of tornadoes. The tornado season is upon us, and mother nature is certainly keeping busy as over 800 preliminary tornadoes have touched ground (According to the NOAA's Storm Prediction Center). With the peak of the season not yet reached (May and June) one only wonders what the old girl has planned.

Watching the swirling columns of air sweeping their way across our TV screen, and witnessing the destruction left behind was rather frightening to me. I imagined it would be the same for some of my students while others might be drawn to it.

Naturally, children are curious, fascinated and maybe fearful of tornadoes. It might be helpful for them to have some information about this topic.

Fujita Pearson Scale: This is the old scale used to rate and describe the tornado, but it gives the children an idea of what kind of damage occurs. The scale has now been enhanced to these wind speeds.

Tornado Video: This 3 minute National Geographic video for kids explains how tornadoes form and what to do in the event of a tornado.






Tornado Alley: In the U.S. most tornadoes occur in the states between North Dakota and Texas, although they can happen anywhere. (More in depth information can be found at tornadochaser.net)

Other Great Sites:

Teach Your Kids about Tornado Safety: Safety tips from eHow explaining what to do before, during and after a tornado.


Weather Wiz Kids: This site has a lot of information created especially for kids.

FEMA for Kids: This site has information and more. A highlight of this site are some Tornado stories written by children.

Tornado Photo Gallery: This site shows the different types of tornadoes: Cones, Wedges, Elephant Trunks, Ropes & Stovepipes.

Putting the power in kids’ hands by helping them learn about natural phenomena like tornadoes will hopefully, ease their fears through understanding and at the same time create an interest in their world.

Please let me know if you have any resources that should be added to this list. I welcome your comments and ideas.

Resources from Cybraryman:
Tornadoes
Top Photo:photo credit: Jmos® via photo pin cc

Bottom Photo:
photo credit: Florencia Guedes via photo pin cc

Outdoor Education

Hiking through the woods this week I found myself humming  "Catalina Madalina Hoopa Stada Walk-a-dada Hoka Poka Loka was her name!"  and  "Boom Chicka Boom! Boom Chicka Boom! Boom Chicka Ra Ra Boom Boom Boom!"  
 
I had learned those songs about 40 years ago while in sixth grade at Camp Calumet during our  school's Environmental Education week.  Environmental Education Week  consisted of the entire sixth grade class (about 70 kids) leaving our classrooms and homes for 6 days, traveling over 200 miles away and learning our lessons at camp. 

My first exposure to hiking was climbing Red Hill and Jackman's Ridge during that week away from home.  Canoeing, orienteering and cooking outdoors were some of the other activities in which we participated.  We learned teamwork,  how to live with people other than family and took on new responsibilities (KP duty and such).

We still spent time doing English Language Arts, Math, Science, Art, Music and more, but we did it hands on through activities based outdoors.  I daresay, we grew up a bit that week. 


I got to thinking this week as I went on several walks in the woods "would I have ever gone hiking, kayaking, camping or spelunking if it weren't for my Environmental Education Week some 40 years ago?  I don't know....


What I do know is this....it is important to take our lessons outside for kids.  We don't have to travel far to have them explore and learn from their environment.  We can learn from nature all around us. Exploring symmetry in math is easily done by looking at leaves; learning about the cardinal directions can be done easily using a compass on the playground; classifying rocks can be done after collecting specimens outside; or writing poetry or journal entries can be completed after spending time outdoors.   

Outdoor education ideas and lessons are limitless. During this Earth Day week why not try and find something outside your own door with your students or children!

School Assembly

Imagine 458 kids along with 30 + adults singing and dancing in an auditorium! All in sync - all in tune! Well, this past Friday, that was OUR school.

Every other week our elementary school gathers together in the auditorium and is treated to a whole school assembly presented by a different class or two.

Assemblies this year included a tribute to family veterans; a choral reading about the Pilgrims; a class role playing promoting bullying prevention; a class sharing their family heritage and more.

By far there are some whole school assemblies that become 'Boyden' Traditions! Two of those assemblies happened to occur in the same week!

Dressed in their best cowboy attire, our annual 'Hoe Down' is held in the gymnasium and shows off the new dancing skills of the fourth grade students.  The Virginia Reel, Cotton-Eyed Joe and other dances were featured as part of the culminating unit on 'Pioneers'.  Each fourth grade class demonstrates one of the dances they learned while the rest of the school waits in anticipation for a chance to be chosen to dance with a fourth grade buddy.  Dance after dance, smile after smile, students are learning first hand about American Culture while having fun!

On the Friday before the spring break it's our Kindergarten students' chance to perform on stage.  They sing, gesture and dance to  Tony Chestnut while the rest of the school wiggles and whispers along with them. When the song is finished a thunderous applause can be heard in the audience.  Kinder faces beam with pride.  Our principal then invites all in the auditorium to stand and participate.  There is nothing quite so powerful (and fun) as being in a room filled with students and staff singing and dancing together.  It's truly heartwarming.

Image from tonychestnut.com

For our students assemblies provide a way to showcase their work, either individually or as a group.  Speaking in front of others and being on stage are important as this will help students build confidence with their communication skills.    

For students in the audience, assemblies provide a way for them to learn HOW to be a part of an audience and how to show appreciation by applauding appropriately (not hooting and hollering).  Learning to sit quietly and listening attentively are other benefits of being an audience member.

Boyden School is proud of their students and their school assemblies.

Does your school have students presenting at whole school assemblies?