polyphemus moth
April 12, 2005
"Teacher, there is a butterfly on our ceiling!" Yes, indeed there was a HUGE moth on our ceiling. I immediately ran to check our cocoon (the one I almost threw out a few months ago) and sure enough, there was an escape hole in the top. We have a slanted ceiling and the culprit had conveniently chosen one of the highest points in our ceiling to hang from.
The janitor in our school is one of the best janitors in the world. She was able to find a butterfly net AND a bird cage to put the moth in (bird cage? you say, yes it's that BIG!). It has been such a great experience for us. In two days, our polyphemus moth, or "Polly" has laid eggs on the sides of the bird cage. I'm unsure about what to do with the eggs, but I'm thinking I want to keep them and try to hatch them. Really, the fact that this moth even has reproductive capabilities is a miracle (I mean a real miracle) because this cocoon was shaken to death every day by kindergarteners who "just wanted to see if it would scratch". Pictures to come!
The janitor in our school is one of the best janitors in the world. She was able to find a butterfly net AND a bird cage to put the moth in (bird cage? you say, yes it's that BIG!). It has been such a great experience for us. In two days, our polyphemus moth, or "Polly" has laid eggs on the sides of the bird cage. I'm unsure about what to do with the eggs, but I'm thinking I want to keep them and try to hatch them. Really, the fact that this moth even has reproductive capabilities is a miracle (I mean a real miracle) because this cocoon was shaken to death every day by kindergarteners who "just wanted to see if it would scratch". Pictures to come!
April 07, 2005
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/roger/QueryTips.php3?tip_AttractionName=egg&tip_State=WA&Submit=Go
Click above to see yet ANOTHER of my favorite quirky attractions in Lewis County. Winlock has an EGG DAY every year. They have an egg parade and serve egg salad sandwiches. By the way, we will be hatching a chicken egg in my classroom after spring break.
Click above to see yet ANOTHER of my favorite quirky attractions in Lewis County. Winlock has an EGG DAY every year. They have an egg parade and serve egg salad sandwiches. By the way, we will be hatching a chicken egg in my classroom after spring break.
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tips/getAttraction.php3?tip_AttractionNo==1385
Click above to see one of my favorite Lewis County attractions. This YARD BIRD used to be in front of a department store. The store used to have "phone book" sales. They would post pages of the phone book in certain departments and if your name was on the page in that department they would give you a percent off anything in that department. It was great fun. Yes, our phone book is that small.
My parents told me that at one time there was a yard bird that you DROVE UNDERNEATH to get into the parking lot of the store, but a suspicious fire burned it and a new one was built. Tall tale? who knows.
Click above to see one of my favorite Lewis County attractions. This YARD BIRD used to be in front of a department store. The store used to have "phone book" sales. They would post pages of the phone book in certain departments and if your name was on the page in that department they would give you a percent off anything in that department. It was great fun. Yes, our phone book is that small.
My parents told me that at one time there was a yard bird that you DROVE UNDERNEATH to get into the parking lot of the store, but a suspicious fire burned it and a new one was built. Tall tale? who knows.
April 05, 2005
April 03, 2005
There are certain rules I like to follow when I eat out:
1. Try to stick with the ethnicity. For example, never order a hamburger at an Italian restaraunt.
2. Never eat food from a gas station. Even if there is, for example a burger joint inside of a gas station, don't eat there.
3. Whenever possible, try to eat as a place where the food is made in front of you, like Subway or Taco Del Mar.
The other day my coworkers were telling me how wonderful this Mexican restaraunt is that just happens to be inside of a gas station. Right away I said, no, thanks! that's NOT for me. But they ordered in from the place the other day and it did look REALLY good. So Paul and I went the other day. Past the snacks and the slushies all the way to the back of the store. It did not feel right to me! I do not like it Sam I am, I do not like to eat in gas stations. But it was great and clean and wonderful and Paul liked it. Sometimes when you move you end up doing things you would not normally be inclined towards, and are surprised when they turn out to be wonderful. This is now what we do when we want to go out at night: go to eat at the gas station, go over to someones house, not the normal myriad of things we would have had to choose from in Portland. The other day Paul and I were snickering about something stupid that someone had done:
"What kind of person DOES that?" said Paul.
"Psh, city people!" I said.
1. Try to stick with the ethnicity. For example, never order a hamburger at an Italian restaraunt.
2. Never eat food from a gas station. Even if there is, for example a burger joint inside of a gas station, don't eat there.
3. Whenever possible, try to eat as a place where the food is made in front of you, like Subway or Taco Del Mar.
The other day my coworkers were telling me how wonderful this Mexican restaraunt is that just happens to be inside of a gas station. Right away I said, no, thanks! that's NOT for me. But they ordered in from the place the other day and it did look REALLY good. So Paul and I went the other day. Past the snacks and the slushies all the way to the back of the store. It did not feel right to me! I do not like it Sam I am, I do not like to eat in gas stations. But it was great and clean and wonderful and Paul liked it. Sometimes when you move you end up doing things you would not normally be inclined towards, and are surprised when they turn out to be wonderful. This is now what we do when we want to go out at night: go to eat at the gas station, go over to someones house, not the normal myriad of things we would have had to choose from in Portland. The other day Paul and I were snickering about something stupid that someone had done:
"What kind of person DOES that?" said Paul.
"Psh, city people!" I said.
March 21, 2005
March 14, 2005
March 11, 2005
March 08, 2005
Welcome To Holland
by
Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
* * *
©1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.
Ms. Kingsley is an award-winning writer for Sesame Street. She has published many children's books, and two videos as well as her essay "Welcome to Holland." Since her son, Jason, was born with Down Syndrome she has been a crusader to ensure that the media inlude more people with disabilities on TV programming.
Her son Jason, now an adult, has a job and lives on his own. He has appeared on several television shows and is the co-author of Count Us In: Growing Up With Down Syndrome.
by
Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
* * *
©1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.
Ms. Kingsley is an award-winning writer for Sesame Street. She has published many children's books, and two videos as well as her essay "Welcome to Holland." Since her son, Jason, was born with Down Syndrome she has been a crusader to ensure that the media inlude more people with disabilities on TV programming.
Her son Jason, now an adult, has a job and lives on his own. He has appeared on several television shows and is the co-author of Count Us In: Growing Up With Down Syndrome.
Welcome To Holland
by
Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
* * *
©1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.
Ms. Kingsley is an award-winning writer for Sesame Street. She has published many children's books, and two videos as well as her essay "Welcome to Holland." Since her son, Jason, was born with Down Syndrome she has been a crusader to ensure that the media inlude more people with disabilities on TV programming.
Her son Jason, now an adult, has a job and lives on his own. He has appeared on several television shows and is the co-author of Count Us In: Growing Up With Down Syndrome.
by
Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
* * *
©1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.
Ms. Kingsley is an award-winning writer for Sesame Street. She has published many children's books, and two videos as well as her essay "Welcome to Holland." Since her son, Jason, was born with Down Syndrome she has been a crusader to ensure that the media inlude more people with disabilities on TV programming.
Her son Jason, now an adult, has a job and lives on his own. He has appeared on several television shows and is the co-author of Count Us In: Growing Up With Down Syndrome.
March 03, 2005
Things I have learned about living in the country:
1. Garbage can be a complicated thing. When I used to visit my parents I would always have to ask, "Where do I put this?" when I had something that needed to be thrown away. And I knew I had committed a garbage faux pas when someone said, "Who put this in the compost?" (it was always me). Now I am wiser and Paul and I even have our own little complicated garbage system. We actually have at least five places that we put our garbage, depending on whether it is burnable, compostable, recyclable, or just garbage. It was so easy in Portland - we just put it in the dumpster.
2. Horses know when you are afraid of them.
3. Potlucks are better here.
4. There are not as many things to do here, but that's just fine. At first we were always looking for something to do. We stopped looking for things to do and just did the things we felt like doing. We do less things now but we enjoy being together more.
5. We still miss our friends - a lot.
1. Garbage can be a complicated thing. When I used to visit my parents I would always have to ask, "Where do I put this?" when I had something that needed to be thrown away. And I knew I had committed a garbage faux pas when someone said, "Who put this in the compost?" (it was always me). Now I am wiser and Paul and I even have our own little complicated garbage system. We actually have at least five places that we put our garbage, depending on whether it is burnable, compostable, recyclable, or just garbage. It was so easy in Portland - we just put it in the dumpster.
2. Horses know when you are afraid of them.
3. Potlucks are better here.
4. There are not as many things to do here, but that's just fine. At first we were always looking for something to do. We stopped looking for things to do and just did the things we felt like doing. We do less things now but we enjoy being together more.
5. We still miss our friends - a lot.
February 24, 2005
I had to go to the bathroom really bad this morning so I called a teacher's aide from another class and asked her if she could watch my class while I went to the bathroom. When I got back one student who is quite mischievous asked me, "Why did that other lady come?"
"Well I had to go to the bathroom and I just can't leave you guys here all by yourselves, can I?"
"Oh, next time you don't have to worry teacher, (with a twinkle in his eye) I can take care of things while you're gone."
"Well I had to go to the bathroom and I just can't leave you guys here all by yourselves, can I?"
"Oh, next time you don't have to worry teacher, (with a twinkle in his eye) I can take care of things while you're gone."
February 10, 2005
Keep a lookout for this outlaw. She may be in your area soon. Known as the "Toothless Bandit", she is frightened of old women and most animals. Although she is ruthless, you have nothing to fear if you can walk or run, since she cannot. A million slobber kisses from the criminal is your reward for capture.
February 08, 2005
February 06, 2005
I know. I just hate it when people don't keep up on their blogs. And here it's been a month since I've written one word. I could make up excuses, but I won't. Paul and I are home on a very rainy Sunday being lazy before the long week ahead and conspiring plans to save money, buy a house, and otherwise become independantly wealthy. Work has been good and Paul loves school. We have DVD's from the library (another money saving scheme) to watch and chocolate cake to eat. We have started attending a church regularly after church "shopping for many months. We seem to be finally settling in to life here. I promise to be a faithful blogger...I promise to be a faithful blogger...I promise to be a faithful blogger.
January 06, 2005
Well, I'm waiting for it to snow. As a kid I never thought teachers were really PRO-snow day. I kind of pictured them sitting at home watching the snow come down, scowling. "Foiled again!" they would say. Some of my colleagues are ANTI-snow day. "We'll have to make it up at the end of the year when the weather is nice," they say. I guess I'm just one of those live-for-the-moment people who thinks that snow IS nice weather. Paul and I got a super-duper sled for Christmas and we are looking forward to testing it out on the hill behind our house. Today we were two hours late, but that's just because there was ice. Hope you're having a happy winter!!!
January 05, 2005
I always tell the kids that "if I didn't love them" I would let them do whatever they wanted. For exapmle, if someone is not following directions sometimes I say, "If I didn't love you, I might let you get away with that," or, "Aren't you glad I love you too much to let you do that?"
Today I overheard a conversation between two kids:
"If teacher didn't love us, well, that would be a lot of fun."
Today I overheard a conversation between two kids:
"If teacher didn't love us, well, that would be a lot of fun."
January 01, 2005
December 21, 2004
This is a newspaper article from our local newspaper that I thought some might find funny. Though I'm sure much of it is in jest, it shows the kind of community that we are now a part of, much different than Portland. The author of this article is Brian Mitge of The Chronicle.
"Turns out catching a chicken is easier than knowing what to do with it.After a chase under copper pipes and behind washing machines, a Centralia police officer managed to remove a chicken from the laundry room of the Econo Lodge motel Monday.Unfortunately, because of a communications mix-up and the fact that the city’s animal control officer was on vacation, officer Gary Byrnes released the chicken back to the wilds of the motel parking lot — exactly where it had been wandering before motel workers chased it into the laundry room that morning.Econo Lodge manager Kim Cho said the motel staff had wanted to keep the bird safe until someone could take it to the county animal shelter.The chicken had shown up that morning in front of the motel lobby, just a few yards from busy traffic on Harrison Avenue.“We said, ‘Put it someplace safe until we get someone to take him,’ ” Cho said.Workers called the Lewis County Animal Shelter — which has adopted out chickens, turkeys, hamsters, even iguanas — where staff members told them to call the police. They did, asking officers to hurry so the chicken wouldn’t mess up the linens.The call from Central Dispatch that went out to officers, however, ended up as a simple (if unusual) request to remove a chicken from a laundry room.Byrnes drove straight to the scene and had a motel maid unlock the door for him. The bird took flight and refuge behind some pipes, but Byrnes managed to catch it in just under 10 minutes — although he got a small cut on his head in the process.He held the squalling bird by one leg as he took it to some tall red bushes behind the motel, near a chain link- fence separating the parking lot from Fuller’s Twin City Skate Park in Rotary Riverside Park.After being released, the bird walked west with a stately strut, apparently no worse for the wear. Byrnes also took the humorous situation in stride.“Protect and serve, and all that good stuff,” he said with a smile after releasing the bird.Cho said she wishes things would have gone differently. She’s still worried about the clucker, which, she said, seemed like a house chicken, not a wild one.“If I have a home, I would have just taken it,” she said. “We didn’t know they would let him free like that.”Centralia Police Sgt. Kurt Reichert said police couldn’t have taken the bird to safety even if they had known the manager had made that request.Officers wouldn’t put poultry in their patrol cars, and the animal control officer wasn’t available with his specially equipped vehicle.Reichert compared the situation to playing “telephone,” the childhood game of passed messages and compounded misunderstanding.“What I understood, the call was to remove the chicken from the laundry room, it was stuck in there or had wandered in there,” Reichert said.The question of where the bird came from is still unresolved, although the likely source is the the Country Cousin restaurant five blocks away.The down home-themed eatery has a coop of chickens maintained by Chehalis farmer Penny Mauel and her daughter, former Lewis County Dairy Princess Brandy Mauel.One of their birds escaped in September — probably the same one that wandered by the motel, Penny Mauel said.She said the birds they display at Country Cousin have distinctive speckles from their mixed lineage, the result of their family’s hen mixing with the neighbor’s stock.“My kid soon figured out why the chicken crosses the road,” Penny Mauel said. Her daughter supplied the long-sought answer: “There’s a rooster on the other side.”
"Turns out catching a chicken is easier than knowing what to do with it.After a chase under copper pipes and behind washing machines, a Centralia police officer managed to remove a chicken from the laundry room of the Econo Lodge motel Monday.Unfortunately, because of a communications mix-up and the fact that the city’s animal control officer was on vacation, officer Gary Byrnes released the chicken back to the wilds of the motel parking lot — exactly where it had been wandering before motel workers chased it into the laundry room that morning.Econo Lodge manager Kim Cho said the motel staff had wanted to keep the bird safe until someone could take it to the county animal shelter.The chicken had shown up that morning in front of the motel lobby, just a few yards from busy traffic on Harrison Avenue.“We said, ‘Put it someplace safe until we get someone to take him,’ ” Cho said.Workers called the Lewis County Animal Shelter — which has adopted out chickens, turkeys, hamsters, even iguanas — where staff members told them to call the police. They did, asking officers to hurry so the chicken wouldn’t mess up the linens.The call from Central Dispatch that went out to officers, however, ended up as a simple (if unusual) request to remove a chicken from a laundry room.Byrnes drove straight to the scene and had a motel maid unlock the door for him. The bird took flight and refuge behind some pipes, but Byrnes managed to catch it in just under 10 minutes — although he got a small cut on his head in the process.He held the squalling bird by one leg as he took it to some tall red bushes behind the motel, near a chain link- fence separating the parking lot from Fuller’s Twin City Skate Park in Rotary Riverside Park.After being released, the bird walked west with a stately strut, apparently no worse for the wear. Byrnes also took the humorous situation in stride.“Protect and serve, and all that good stuff,” he said with a smile after releasing the bird.Cho said she wishes things would have gone differently. She’s still worried about the clucker, which, she said, seemed like a house chicken, not a wild one.“If I have a home, I would have just taken it,” she said. “We didn’t know they would let him free like that.”Centralia Police Sgt. Kurt Reichert said police couldn’t have taken the bird to safety even if they had known the manager had made that request.Officers wouldn’t put poultry in their patrol cars, and the animal control officer wasn’t available with his specially equipped vehicle.Reichert compared the situation to playing “telephone,” the childhood game of passed messages and compounded misunderstanding.“What I understood, the call was to remove the chicken from the laundry room, it was stuck in there or had wandered in there,” Reichert said.The question of where the bird came from is still unresolved, although the likely source is the the Country Cousin restaurant five blocks away.The down home-themed eatery has a coop of chickens maintained by Chehalis farmer Penny Mauel and her daughter, former Lewis County Dairy Princess Brandy Mauel.One of their birds escaped in September — probably the same one that wandered by the motel, Penny Mauel said.She said the birds they display at Country Cousin have distinctive speckles from their mixed lineage, the result of their family’s hen mixing with the neighbor’s stock.“My kid soon figured out why the chicken crosses the road,” Penny Mauel said. Her daughter supplied the long-sought answer: “There’s a rooster on the other side.”
December 18, 2004
December 14, 2004
UPDATE: (if this doesn't make sense read the previous blog)
"One generation will overwinter or hibernate. This is called diapause. Diapause allows the cocoon to wait out a cold winter when few if any leaves would be available for caterpillars to eat. Diapause cocoons stay in this hibernation state until the warmth of spring and longer periods of daylight will trigger the moth to complete its development and to hatch."
"One generation will overwinter or hibernate. This is called diapause. Diapause allows the cocoon to wait out a cold winter when few if any leaves would be available for caterpillars to eat. Diapause cocoons stay in this hibernation state until the warmth of spring and longer periods of daylight will trigger the moth to complete its development and to hatch."
We have a cocoon in our classroom. This cocoon was given to us at the beginning of the school year (like the first day of school almost) by another school employee. At one point I was absolutely sure it was dead. I wrote about this in another entry a few months ago. Well, the jar is on our science table and the children are allowed to pick up the jar, shake it, and use a magnifying glass to look at it as much as they want. You can hear it and feel it scritching and scratching on the outside of the cocoon if you shake the jar a little (or a lot). I must do some research on cocoons because I have a hard time believing that it is still alive after all this time even though I know it is because I can feel it scratching. Is it afraid to come out? Is it hibernating? Does it have brain damage from all the shaking? When it does hatch and we put it outside in fifty degree weather will it not surely die? I feel like quoting a kindergartener who recently put her mouth over the lid of the jar and in a very stern and firm voice said, "waaaakkkeee uuuupppp!"
Another thing, I recently tried the classic experiment in my classroom with a potato and a jar of water. You know the one were it grows roots in the jar? Well, the potato was there for a full three week and nothing happened. I think I teach in the Bermuda triangle of classrooms. A strange place where moths are trapped in their cocoons and potatoes are sterile. What does it all mean?
Another thing, I recently tried the classic experiment in my classroom with a potato and a jar of water. You know the one were it grows roots in the jar? Well, the potato was there for a full three week and nothing happened. I think I teach in the Bermuda triangle of classrooms. A strange place where moths are trapped in their cocoons and potatoes are sterile. What does it all mean?
December 10, 2004
Rainbow Puddle
It's been raining like crazy around here and our cafeteria / gym is separate from our classrooms so every day on the way to lunch we wind around in a maze and try to find our way through the puddles. Today there was some gas or oil in a puddle and the kids noticed that there were colors in the water. One of them said, "Oh, I get it. That's where rainbows come from!" All the other students nodded in agreement. "It's a rainbow puddle."
It's been raining like crazy around here and our cafeteria / gym is separate from our classrooms so every day on the way to lunch we wind around in a maze and try to find our way through the puddles. Today there was some gas or oil in a puddle and the kids noticed that there were colors in the water. One of them said, "Oh, I get it. That's where rainbows come from!" All the other students nodded in agreement. "It's a rainbow puddle."
December 09, 2004
You Might Be From a Small Town If:
You can name everyone you graduated with.
You get a whiff of manure and think of home.
You know what 4-H is.
You ever went cow-tipping.
School gets cancelled for state sporting events.
You have ever gone home for Homecoming.
You fix up to go buy milk lest anyone starts the rumor that you have gained weight or quit taking care of youself.
No place sells gas on Sunday.
You have to drive an hour to buy a pair of socks.
It was cool to date someone from the neighboring town.
You ordered your waredrobe out of a catalog.
You had senior skip day.
The whole school went to the same party after graduation.
You don't give directions by street names or house numbers, but you give directions by references (turn by Marty's house, go two blocks past Sanderson', and it's four houses left of the track field).
You can name everyone you graduated with.
You get a whiff of manure and think of home.
You know what 4-H is.
You ever went cow-tipping.
School gets cancelled for state sporting events.
You have ever gone home for Homecoming.
You fix up to go buy milk lest anyone starts the rumor that you have gained weight or quit taking care of youself.
No place sells gas on Sunday.
You have to drive an hour to buy a pair of socks.
It was cool to date someone from the neighboring town.
You ordered your waredrobe out of a catalog.
You had senior skip day.
The whole school went to the same party after graduation.
You don't give directions by street names or house numbers, but you give directions by references (turn by Marty's house, go two blocks past Sanderson', and it's four houses left of the track field).
December 06, 2004
November 29, 2004
November 22, 2004
November 13, 2004
November 08, 2004
Today we were learning the song "America the Beautiful" because we are singing it with the rest of the school for a Veteran's Day Assembly. I was explaining the words as best I could (try that one) and I got to the part about "alabaster cities gleam":
ME: Now say the word "alabaster" with me.
KINDERGARTENER: But teacher, my mom doesn't allow me to say that word.
ME: Now say the word "alabaster" with me.
KINDERGARTENER: But teacher, my mom doesn't allow me to say that word.
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