Da Vinci Days art

I had my students complete art work as we were studying Da Vinci. I told you I would post pictures of the completed art, so here they are.

I especially like the expression on the "stroke" face.

What do you think, any of the students have a future as famous artists?

I'm a winner!

So down here, there is an annual contest among all the sixth graders and all the sixth grade teachers. It involves the Conservation agency, and all of the different types of energy conservation. Each year they sponser an energy conservation poster. This year the theme was "Water is Life" and we had to create posters on this theme. Each of my students was supposed to participate, and all of my students submitted posters for considerations. The prizes for this contest was money, and so all of my students put lots of effort into completeing this poster.

Well my students all told me that I was not going to win because the teacher who was in Stratton before I, was also going to be in the contest, and he was "really good at posters." So I told my students that I would not give in and that I was going to win. Well you probably guessed it, but yes I won. That is what the picture is, my winning poster.

The most boring post ever

This is not going to be a long post, due to the fact that there is really not much to update, but I am feeling a little like Justin about posting so infrequently. Anyway, here is the news.

In 8th grade we build a rollercoaster, and I even took a picture of it, but I cannot post the picture because my students all jumped into the picture. The photo, showes exactly what they are like, but you are going to have to take my word on it.

In 7th grade we learned all about Da Vinci, and what he did. They spent a whole week drawing like he did, and I will have to take a picture of their art. It is hanging in the hall, so I can take a photo while they are all in other classes. Look forward to that on a different post.

In 6th grade we are almost finished with Biology. I am really excited. We all had to create posters for the department of conservation, and they are going to be judged later this week. The people in the conservation office told me that I also had to make a poster, and so I did. If I win the contest than I get 50 dollars and free dinner. I do not know what I would do with all that extra cash, but it would for sure be something exciting.

That in reality is life. Sorry that it is not more interesting. Maybe later this week it will be better.

Over heard at the volley ball game

This is the conversation that I heard, and I will admit to laughing out loud. Luckily for me, I was in front, and so they did not hear and they were not offended. When you read this conversation, please make sure you do so with a mid-west/farmer accent.

Jack: Girls, you need to move your feet!
Grandma: Jack, you can't say that, you're not the coach.
Jack: Well, they do!

The field trip of the year

In this particular school, they take one field trip per year. Yes I know it seems funny for all of us who were on the unlimited field trip plan, but that is just they way it goes sometimes. Anyway this morning bright and yearly at 6:30 am, the students were on the bus and we were on our way to the museum of Nature and Science. Our special tour was to start at 9:30 where we would see the dinosaur exhibit, and then following that we were going to see a planetarium show about black holes. I was excited, but then again I had never been to this museum before.

To recap the trip for all of you, making this a much shorter post, the students had all been to the museum before. I got to see almost all of the exhibits, and it didn't take much time at all. I also was not allowed to stop and read any of the signs, do any of the activities or ask questions of any of the members of museum staff. The 7 boys that were assigned to me, just wanted to see all their favorite things. So we took about 1/2 hour to see the dinosaurs, then we listened to a presentation on liquid nitrogen for about 15 minutes, we went through the space odyssey exhibit in about 10 minutes, then it was off to the gems and minerals. I took about 5.3 minutes to get through that exhibit because I was trying in vain to keep up (there were some of my students that went through twice in that time), and in the last 15 minutes of our time before the planetarium we went to find some illusive memory exhibit. Well turns out it was closed, but I was lucky enough to listen to an explanation of what the exhibit will look like next April (I was definitely abandoned for that), at which point they determined they wanted to see the mummies of Egypt. So off to the mummies we went. By the time I got into the exhibit, they were done, but I told them that they couldn't leave until I got to see at least one thing. It didn't take long because we had 5 minutes of time left, and we were done. So we went to the animals exhibit. Where they spent the next 3 minutes riding on non moving wooden llamas. I am still surprised at what will interest the students.

To let you know what I learned, it was actually a lot considering what time we spent in each exhibit.
1. I need some liquid nitrogen
2. Stegosaurus got embarrassed and his spikes probably turned red
3. The largest topaz stone is over 10,000 carats and was donated by Dali
4. The legend of Orsis
5. Some middle school boys do not do mummification well
6. I need to return to this museum on my own so that I can take my time
7. If I ever need a job, they offered me one
8. Sitting on a bus for 5 hours to be in a museum for 2.5 is not really worth it.

What a day. The planetarium was really cool. It was huge, a big plus, and I didn't have to sit next to the students, a relief, and the presentation was awesome. Even the students liked it. They were all talking to me about the movie after it was over. All in all this was I feel a success, and as a bonus, I now have a whole bag of plaster dinosaur teeth. Wanna know what you're getting for Christmas?

The 2 hour conversation....

Unlike what you might think, I do not really enjoy talking on the phone all that much. Which is why having a 2 hour conversation with the people from Orbiz, the bank, and Alaska Airlines was not a happy thing.

Needless to say I have learned a very important lesson.

Never book a flight through orbiz.

By the way, I still don't have a ticket home...

July or October

I was talking to Patience and her family on the phone the other night, and this story was told. In her comments on the last teaching experience she says that I should let you all in on this fun way to start a school year. So here it is.

In one of my classes on the first day of school, the students took a "teacher test." This is really a use-up-class-time type activity, but it can be fun too. What they students do is to take a test about their teacher to see what they do or do not know. Since I was a new teacher in the school, the students did not know anything about me. I was sure the responses to this test would be worth the time they would waste, so I went ahead with the questioning.

One of the questions on the test was "How old am I?"

The students tried to get me to tell them, but I wouldn't. Finally one of them asked me what month I was born in. Since this was not something ath would give anything away I freely told them.

At this point one of the students stopped and said, "wait, I thought you were from Alaska."

I responded that I was, and then he said, "Yeah, but I just didn't know that there was July in Alaska."

I couldn't help but let him in on the secret that the month of July is world wide, and that it doesn't really matter where you are from. He was stunned, but willing to laugh with the rest of us.

The best part of this story is the conversation I had with patience. I say this because I got to talk to all of her children. I happened to ask Chole what she wanted for her birthday. Patience told me later that Chole asked what month it was where I was at. She seemed a little stunned that it was September like in Alaska. Patience told me she had to explain the world wide concept to her as well.

So if this is news to you, let me be the first to tell you that no matter where you are, and where I am, the month is probably the same.