5th Edition of Learning in the Great Outdoors

The Summer Morning Snail
by N.M. Bodecker in Water Pennies

The summer morning snail
she leaves a shiny trail.
At sunrise in the chill, wet grass I
    find her;
so I shall always know
wherever she may go,
she leaves that guiding sliver thread
    behind her.

For long before it's day
she's up and on her way,
the moon still in the pale dawn sky
    above her;
if I could be a snail,
I'd hurry on her trail,
to tell her just how very much I
    love her.

Welcome to the August edition (5th!) of Learning in the Great Outdoors. As we brave our way through the last hot days of summer, there are many folks who choose to stay indoors to beat the heat. Not me! This is when I look forward to early mornings in the shade, sipping tea and watching the birds in the yard. These are the days when hot walks on the beach or in the shade of the forest can open your eyes once again to the wonder of the natural world. This month, let's look at the all ways we can explore the great outdoors.

Get Your Sunscreen on and Head Outside
Let's begin with picking some ripe, delicious blueberries. This post is by one of my favorite bloggers, cloudscome, who writes awesome haiku poems accompanied by some amazing nature photos at her blog, a wrung sponge.

When outdoors, always keep your eyes open, as you never know what you might see. Oh, look over there! It's that darn snake! Over at Po Moyemu, Sylvia not only writes about the snake that can't seem to stay away from the hen house, but also shares this Odd Egg Update.

Would you like to explore colors in your garden? Barb at The Heart of Harmony shares this nature activity from kidsgardening.org. Another great idea from Barb is on how to make a nature journal. This one has great pictures that show the process step-by-step.

I love my nature notebook, as it often helps me remember where I've been and what I've seen. Over at Backyard Birding, Dana shares some thoughts on notebooks and birds.

Speaking of birds, I'm crazy about them. I recently discovered the blog of a Bird Study Ecology Group. Okay, I know these folks are in Singapore, but the pictures are terrific and I'm learning quite a lot about bird behavior. Check it out and see what you think.

With fall fast approaching, now is a good time to think about making your yard a bit more nature-friendly. Tiffany at Natural Family Living shares a slide show that highlights their backyard wildlife habitat.

Well, I thought mountain climbing in Tibet was adventurous, but it seems that Stephanie over at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood has me beat! Read all about the Infamous Alaskan Backpacking Trip. (If you want to read about that mountain in Tibet, follow this link.)

For a trip closer to home, the folks at Free Range Academy share their pictures of a recent trip to the Lynde Shores Conservation Area.

Over at the Yellow House Homeschool, nature walks are a way of life. Check out the prairie walk, the tree study, and plant things. If you want to learn to take better nature photos, be sure to read the entry entitled Scale Matters.

Dawn at By Sun and Candlelight often shares shares pictures and writes about the flora and fauna that surround her family. I love this entry entitled Little Nature Stories: Birds, Bugs and Berries.

I'm always on the lookout for a new blog (at least new to me) that celebrates nature. Join me in visiting one of my new faves, Beyond the Fields We Know. The photos of this little corner of Ontario are amazing. While you're visiting, be sure to reflect on the passing of July with the entry entitled The Blessing Moon of July.

Let's Head Back in to Find Some Good Books
Becky at Becky's Book Reviews shares Shape Me a Rhyme, a poetry book written by Jane Yolen and illustrated with photographs by her son, Jason Stemple.

Would you like to learn about worms? Julie at Pines Above Snow shares some great reads for those with more than a passing fancy. If you want to follow up these books with a great online resource, I'm partial to the UIUC site The Adventures of Herman the Worm.

Over at True Colors, Dawnelle introduces us to the book Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Using this same title, Lindafay at Higher Up and Further In writes about using this book to guide their study of butterflies.

Funding and a Bit O' Politics
Sometimes finding money for outdoor education can be a problem. Terrell from Alone on a Limb and the inventor of this here blog carnival shares a fantastic proposal for a nature study project.

Given all the federal mandates mucking up public education these days, I'm not one for adding even more requirements, but this one has me nodding my head in agreement. If you haven't read about the proposed addendum to NCLB entitled No Child Left Inside, please do.

Just for Fun
On July 7th, the New 7 Wonders Foundation announced the winners of a global vote on the New 7 Wonders of the World. You can read about it here. The Foundation has now set off on a campaign to nominate the sites for the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Where in this big beautiful world have you been that is a worthy nominee? Think about it and then head on over and nominate your favorite spot.

That's it for this edition. Thanks so much for visiting. I leave you with and excerpt from Ordinary Things: Poems From a Walk in Early Spring by Ralph Fletcher, for it's also time for me to leave my desk behind. Enjoy!

Walking
Time to leave my desk
and leave my house,
pulling the door behind.

I walk the way I write
starting out all creaky,
sort of stumbling along,
looking for a rhythm.

Each footstep is like a word
as it meets the blank page
followed by a pause
before the next one:
step, step, word . . .

Poetry Friday Round Up - August 3rd

Today's roundup is filled with people, places and things. (Nouns, anyone?) There are also poems about being and doing. Really, just look at this wonderful offering of words filled with heart, soul and imagination. You'll also find some book reviews. Happy Poetry Friday, all!

Book Reviews
Franki at A Year of Reading has posted a review of the imaginative book Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry.

Over at Charlotte's Library, Charlotte has posted a review of A Kick in the Head.

People
Adrienne at WATAT shares the third in a series about Casey at the Bat. Be sure to check out the first two installments while you're there!

Elaine brings us a poetic twist on Hansel and Gretel over at the Blue Rose Girls. The poem Gretel examines female stereotypes.

Over at Mentor Texts and More, LiteracyTeacher shares a poignant poem written by a former student.

Akelda the Gleeful over at Saints and Spinners is in with a lovely original poem entitled This Century of Sleep.

Liz at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy shares some songs by Tommy Makem.

The Wordy Girls offer us some terrific poems inspired by a picture of a boy alone on a sidewalk.

Places and Times
Little Willow shares Summer by John Ashbery.

Over at Reader's Carousel, Julie treats us to the poem Once Around the Sun.

Stacy over at Two Writing Teachers brings us a Billy Collins poem about morning.

Rebecca at Ipsa Dixit shares Ocatvio Paz's Agua Nocturna. (Don't worry, translation included!)

John Mutford over at the Book Mine Set has a poem about road in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Even more exciting is the news that John recently had a poem published. Congratulations John! You can read an early draft of Capelin of Mutford's Cove, a poem about his grandmother's home.

Things
Bri at Bri Meets Books is in with a William Jay Smith poem about polar bears.

Sylvia Vardell at Poetry for Children introduces us to the U.S. Poetry Map and shares The List by Naomi Shihab Nye.

Suzanne at Adventures in Daily Living shares Elsa Beskow's August.

Sarah shares a little August Light at Learning on the Edge.

Jenny at Little Acorns Treehouse shares some poems about our flag and country.

Dawn at By Sun and Candlelight reminds us of that glorious summer sun with an offering by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Elaine at Wild Rose Reader brings us a story about a young cancer survivor named Daisy, with some daisy poems in her honor.

In honor of my blog title, I bring you lupins in two forms. First, the poem A Song of the Flowers (which briefly mentions them), and the terrifically funny Dennis Moore skit from Monty Python.

Our favorite Journey Woman, Nancy is in with Charles Simic and Pigeons at Dawn.

Sam Riddleburger is in with an ode to his Star Wars Mobile.

Fuse #8 shares more of her mother's poetry with Mariah Educates the Sensitive, a fabulous poem about wool.

Becky at Becky's Book Reviews gets us thinking about our bellybuttons.

Being and Doing
Miss Erin is in with an original entitled Color.

Christine at The Simple and the Ordinary shares At the Sea-Side by Robert Louis Stevenson. (Great pictures too!)

At MsMac, Jone is thinking about the tragedy in Minneapolis and offers up some comfort.

Over at a wrung sponge, cloudscome treats us to a poem called Can't Sit Still.

Karen Edmisten shares the lovely poem Leisure, by William H. Davies.

Becky at Farm School reminds us to make the most of our time this summer with The Nurse's Song by William Blake.

Katie at Pixiepalace shares the Robert Louis Stevenson favorite, Bed in Summer.

Over at Living, Loving and Learning you can read Robert Frost's poem, A Minor Bird.

BondGirl over at Shaken and Stirred offers up a Charles Simic poem entitled Read Your Fate.

At Hiraeth, Kim leaves us thinking about rest and quiet with the poem Vacation by Rev. Lawrence Keister.

Hornblower at HMS Indefatigable give us Pablo Neruda and La Muerta.

Jules over at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast presents Raw Silk and Uncut Wood by Lao Tzu.

Liz in Ink has ideas for poems about reading.

Over at Brand New Ending, Schelle has posted two poems. One is a about a puppet and another about doings at the beach.


Thanks to all who participated. This has been fun!

Poetry Friday - Lupins

This blog is named for Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. (You can learn why I chose this name here.) Since the anniversary of Barbara Cooney's birthday is approaching, I thought it appropriate to make today's entry about lupins and other beautiful flowers. This poem comes from a book by Harriet Anne Wilkins entitled Victor Roy, A Masonic Poem.

A Song of the Flowers
"Why are you weeping, ye gentle flowers?
Are ye not blest in your sunny bowers?
Have you startling dreams that make ye weep,
When waking up from your holy sleep?
.
.
.
And the glorious rose with her flushing face,
And the fuschia with her form of grace,
The balsam bright, and the lupin's crest,
That weaves a roof for the firefly's nest;
The myrtle clusters, and dahlia tall,
The jessamine fairest among them all;
And the tremulous lips of the lily's bell,
Join in the music we love so well."

Read the poem in its entirety here. (Scroll down about 2/3 of the page or search for the title.)

Happy Poetry Friday, all! If you are looking for the round up, it's here.

Thoughts on Writing

I have been writing a lot these days, and reading a lot about good and bad writing. When the new edition of Newsweek arrived, I had to chuckle upon reading the My Turn essay. Do have a look.

Let's Think Outside the Box of Bad Clichés

Alright Already, I'm Going!

Yes, you heard me. Chicago, here I come! For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, it's the 1st Annual Kidlitosphere Conference, and I am psyched. What I want to know now is, where are the Blue Rose Girls, Mitali Perkins, and my fab blog friend Elaine (also a Blue Rose Girl)? These are just a few of the folks I hope we can convince to join us.

If you're reading this and haven't signed up, do please think about it. I'm sure it will be a grand old time.

Happy Birthday to Gail Gibbons

Gail Gibbons was born on this day in 1944. Her books have found a home in my classroom and are wonderful tools for introducing concepts in science and social studies. I am constantly impressed by her ability to take seemingly difficult concepts and make them accessible to children. You can view some of the books in my collection over here. You can also learn more about this talented author by viewing her video interview at Reading Rockets.

The author provides a wonderful teacher's guide over at her web site. Do head on over and check it out.

Happy Birthday, Ms. Gibbons! Thanks for all you do to make nonfiction engaging for kids.

Back in the Saddle Again

I'm finally back at work and playing catch-up. Here at the old blog I have two very important announcements.

1. I will be hosting the 5th edition of Learning in the Great Outdoors. This blog carnival focuses on environmental education. You have until Friday, August 3rd to get your entries in. Please send me a note if you want to participate.


2. Poetry Friday will be making its first appearance at my home on the web this week. Stop by on Friday and let me know all about your poems of the day.

That's all the news that's fit to print. I'll look forward to seeing you all back here real soon.

Scenes From a Vacation

William and I had a fabulous visit with my family. The two days of travel were not one bit of fun, as we were stuck for hours at LaGuardia on the way to Rochester, and at JFK on the way home. When we drive, it takes between 10 and 11 hours. Generally, airline travel is much easier and quicker, but with the airlines in the US in such disarray (does any flight ever leave on time?), I'm beginning to rethink this option. I met folks today who were on day 3 and 4 of trying to get to their destinations. Perhaps we will tackle the drive next summer.

I missed Poetry Friday, blog reading, answering e-mails, and lots more. However, I enjoyed every minute of my time away. I read HP 7 but had to wait a long time to talk about it. I ran into Adrienne at the release "party" for the book, at her amazing library, and again at the Farmer's Market. We did actually meet up for ice cream and got to talk about HP7, books, blogging and all sorts of kidlit stuff. I loved meeting her and connecting to someone in my hometown. She made me realize how much I want to attend the 1st Annual Kidlitosphere Conference. I'm still hoping to find a cheap flight to Chicago.

I spent quality time with my family, saw a longtime friend from high school and had great fun with William. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our trip to see Oma and Opa.
Thanks Mom and Dad! We had a great time.
Love,
Tricia and William

Poetry Friday - Going Home

I leave this morning with William for 10 glorious days in western New York (outside of Rochester) for a long overdue and much needed visit with my parents. As an added bonus, I will have the great pleasure of meeting up with Adrienne of WATAT fame for coffee and conversation. Since my mind is racing with thoughts of home and hitting the road, I offer up this gem.

The Road Beyond the Town
by Michael Earls, S.J.
found in the Anthology of Massachusetts Poets (1922)

A ROAD goes up a pleasant hill,
And a little house looks down:
Ah! but I see the roadway still
And the day I left the town.

The day I left my father’s home,
It’s many a year ago,
And a heart and hope were brave to roam
The long, long road I know.

The long, long road by hill and plain,
It’s tired the heart might be:
But hope stayed bright in sun or rain,
And a Voice that called to me.

A Voice that called me over the hill
And out of the little town:
Ah! but I see the roadway still.
And the good house looking down.

The house that spake me never a No!
As I started brave away,
But said with a blessing, Go!
And followed me every day.

It followed me down the road of years,
For a father’s heart is true,
And joy is sweet in a mother’s tears
For the deeds her child may do.

The poor little deeds, all powerless
or the Kingdom of God would be,
Save in His mercy will He bless
The road that goes with me:

The road that left a pleasant hill,
Where a little house looks down:
Ah! but I bless the roadway still,
And the land beyond the town.

The house I return to is the one my father built, and the place that I still refer to as home. It sits atop a steep hill that offered thrills riding down it on a bicycle, and prompted considerable complaints on the way back up. Here is an image of it from LiveSearch. When I was growing up, those pine trees were no taller than me. Look at them now!
This little trip home means I'll be on a temporary hiatus. I know I haven't posted much lately because of my teaching schedule, but I promise to return refreshed and ready to go. Until then, don't forget about all the other great kidlit blogs out there. Also, since today is Poetry Friday, there is lots of great stuff to read. Do head on over to the round up at Mentor Texts & More and follow the links for your weekly fill of poetry.

L8tr G8trz!

My Fickle Heart

Just last week I wrote a post entitled "Where Would I Be Without the Times?." It began with the sentence, "Oh how I love the New York Times." Well today, I'm just not feeling the love. I am so disappointed that my beloved paper chose to run a review of HP 7 before the official release. Yes, I know it's news. I still think it stinks.

P.S. - The recent spate of posts can be attributed to my amazing talent for procrastination. Yes, that's right, I'm in the midst of grading and looking for diversions to keep me from losing my mind. Don't worry, it will all be over soon.

Sadness About HP Leaks

The Baltimore Sun just posted an article entitled An Inevitable Ending to Harry Potter Series. I refuse to link to it, and didn't read beyond this note of introduction.

Editor's Note: A hard copy of the book was obtained by The Sun yesterday through legal and ordinary means. The reviewer read the book overnight and wrote this review this afternoon.

Legal and ordinary means? I find it hard to believe that anyone was granted access to the book before the official release date/time. Sadly, I will now stop reading anything related to HP 7. I simply don't want the experience of reading the last book spoiled by anyone.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today my Mom celebrates her 78th birthday. She doesn't read my blog, but I'm still thinking of her and want to acknowledge her publicly. Here is a picture of her from February (07). She is helping William celebrate his 6th birthday, and since they're both wearing birthday hats, it seems most fitting.

William and I will be with her and my Dad in two days, and we can't wait to help celebrate the occasion!

Trouble for Tintin

When I was in China recently, I went to a large bookstore so that I could see what young people in China were reading in their efforts to learn English. The fifth floor of an expansive building was filled with nothing but children's and young adult books. There were the requisite Dr. Seuss and beginning readers, Harry Potter (though outrageously expensive), lots of nonfiction of the Eyewitness variety, and a large section of graphic novels. I was particularly surprised to see a huge selection of Tintin books by the Belgian cartoonist Herge. Most of the titles I saw were not particularly flattering to the cultures they portrayed. The fact that they were being snatched up by the young people in the store was a bit shocking. I can remember thinking something like "Thank God we don't sell these in the U.S."

Oops. How wrong I was. Here is an excerpt from an article released yesterday by Reuters.

The U.S. Borders said in a statement received on Tuesday that it was committed to carrying a wide range of materials and supporting its customers' right to choose what to read and what to buy. But the retailer also said it was committed to acting responsibly and with sensitivity to all communities.

"Therefore, with respect to the specific title 'Tintin in the Congo,' which could be considered offensive by some of our customers, we have decided to place this title in a section of our store intended primarily for adults - the graphic novels section," Borders said.

"We believe adults have the capacity to evaluate this work within historical context and make their own decision whether to read it or not. Other "Tintin" titles will remain in the children's section."

You can read more at Tintin's Troubles in the Congo Spread to U.S..

NPR also highlighted this controversy yesterday. Give a listen to Lynn Neary's story, Store Bans 1930s Kids Book for Racist Illustrations.

Finally, Publishers Weekly wrote about this last week in Uproar Over Racism in Popular 1931 Children's Book Set for U.S. Release.

More on HP

Oh, how I love Cheryl Klein. If you haven't read her blog, you should check out Brooklyn Arden. Yesterday she was interviewed on Talk of the Nation. You can hear her in this wonderful piece entitled How to Spell the Spells: Continuity in Harry Potter.

For those of you who listen to your books, you can read all about Jim Dale, the voice of HP in America in the New York Times article, The Voice of Harry Potter Can Keep a Secret.

HP Overload? - Never!

I know that many of you are in Harry Potter overload, but for those of you still anxiously awaiting Friday night festivities and the release of Book 7, here are two links for you.

Goodbye, Harry by Stephen King

Harry Potter - The Cultural Phenomenon
Listen in as Andrea Seabrook fills in for Diane Rehm and hosts a conversation with:

• Nancy Pearl, librarian and author of "Book Crush," "Book Lust," and "More Book Lust"
  
• Desson Thomson, movie critic for the Washington Post
• Jennie Levine, curator for historical manuscripts at the University of Maryland Libraries and headmistress of the Sugar Quill, a Harry Potter fan site

Reconsidering Ten Little Rabbits - Evaluating Books From the Viewpoint of Other Cultures

Imagine you are a teacher looking for counting books for your classroom. You want to include books that showcase a range of diversity, so in your search you come across a book that not only "celebrates Native American traditions" (from the publisher's description), but one that has been noted in the following ways.

Best Books

• Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K-Grade 6, Tenth Edition, 1993
• National Council of Teachers of English
  
• Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002; California Department of Education
  

Awards, Honors, Prizes

• ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award Winner 1992 Picture Books
  
• International Reading Association Children's Book Awards Winner 1992 Younger Readers International
• National Association of Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Winner 1991
  
• Redbook Children's Picturebook Awards Winner 1991
  

Chances are, with these honors behind it and the recommendation of school librarians and state sanctioned reading lists, you would be persuaded you to use this book in instruction.

Published in 1991, Ten Little Rabbits, written by Virginia Grossman and illustrated by Sylvia Long, is ostensibly a counting book that introduces rabbits in dress and activities typical of Native American tribes. However, the book does little to refute the stereotype that all Native Americans are alike.

Why am I rehashing the issues surrounding this book? I am working on a piece about using children's literature in math instruction, rigorously reviewing books in my collection and on suggested reading lists, and thinking deeply about what it means to include books that represent peoples and ideas outside of mainstream (dare I say white?) American culture. Have you any idea how hard it is to find a counting book that highlights African American children (there are lots set in Africa, but few of black children in the U.S.) and their experiences? The same is true for Native American children.

I was one of those teachers who eagerly bought Ten Little Rabbits upon the recommendations of librarians and instructors. I never really thought much about the message sent by this book when I first read it. I saw possibilities in the last pages for using the blanket images for studying patterns, symmetry and shapes. However, in 1995 I read the article "What's Wrong with Ten Little Rabbits?" in the children's literature journal The New Advocate. Reading Theresa McCarty's short review was like receiving a slap in the face. I wondered how I could have been so naive and so quick to accept a book about another culture without subjecting it to a more critical review.

The answer is, I didn't know any better. (A poor excuse, I know.) I have since learned that it is difficult, if not impossible, to evaluate what you don't know. While I hate having to rely on members of the Native American community to help me make these judgments, I know that I will never have the depth of knowledge or background necessary to accurately evaluate instructional materials that draw heavily from Native American history and storytelling.

So how do I evaluate books of other cultures? I currently use several resources to guide my selection of pieces for instruction. One is Donna Norton's Multicultural Children's Literature: Through the Eyes of Many Children. I find this short volume to be particularly helpful in applying evaluation criteria and identifying stereotypes. A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children, edited by Doris Seale and Beverly Slapin, is an enormous and comprehensive volume that not only includes author reviews from A to Z, but also a range of essays that provide a wealth of information about Native Cultures and insights into reviewing works about Native peoples. This is not an easy book to read and at times, the anger in the reviews can be disconcerting, but it is valuable and educational nonetheless. I also read the following blogs for very helpful information and reviews.

• American Indians in Children's Literature by Debbie Reese
• Black Threads in Kid's Lit by Kyra
  
• Mitali's Fire Escape by Mitali Perkins
• Paper Tigers Blog a Pacific Rim Voices Project
  

Ten Little Rabbits still remains in my teaching collection, but not in the way it was originally intended. I now give the book to students (all preservice and inservice teachers) and ask them to review it for use as a counting book. Then, once all the glowing reviews are in (and they are all glowing), I hit them with the McCarty article and watch the blood drain from their faces. They are shocked, astounded and embarrassed -- all feelings I know well. From here we proceed to talk about why this book is not a resource we should use for instruction, and then push on to discuss how we can be more thoughtful evaluators of books for children. It's a tough lesson, but one that works well, and while my teachers learn new strategies, I learn right along with them. What more could I ask for?

No Child Left Inside - Time Out for a Political Announcement

Last week, Congressman John Sarbanes introduced the No Child Left Inside Act of 2007 to the House Committee on Education and Labor (House Bill 3036). This bill urges Congress to include critical environmental education measures in the No Child Left Behind law.

Section 2 of the bill presents the following findings.

1. Environmental education is essential for--


• (A) enhancing student learning and problem solving skills, especially in science;
• (B) creating responsible and engaged citizens; and
• (C) producing graduates who are prepared to address the challenges, adjustments, and opportunities that will be present in the life and the workforce of the 21st century due to threats to human health, economical development, biological diversity, and national security arising from environmental stresses.


2. Studies documenting the increasing indicators of nature-deficit disorder show that time spent out of the classroom for learning during the school day is critical to the intellectual, emotional, and physical health of children and that providing students with quality opportunities to directly experience the natural world can improve students' overall academic performance, self-esteem, personal responsibility, community involvement, personal health (including child obesity issues), and understanding of nature.


3. Fewer and fewer students are becoming involved in important environmental education courses, classwork, and field investigations as an unintended consequence of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).
   

The language in the No Child Left Inside Act of 2007 recommends including environmental education in NCLB in these ways.

• Provide incentives for state educational agencies to create a State Environmental Literacy Plan for integrating environmental education into their K-12 curriculum to ensure that graduates are environmentally literate.
• Provide funding to help states, schools systems, and environmental education partners to implement the State Environmental Literacy Plan.

Since the inception of NCLB, most schools have curtailed or eliminated environmental education programs to allow them to focus on meeting the standards in reading and math. The reauthorization of NCLB could provide for positive change in this area.

You can learn more about this bill at No Child Left Inside.

Arthur Levine on NPR

In case you missed it this weekend, Margot Adler interviewed Arthur Levine about his role in bringing Harry Potter to the United States. Head on over to NPR and give a listen to Potter Publisher Predicted Literary Magic.

Why I Love Teaching Teachers (or Changing the World One Classroom at a Time)

I spent the last two weeks sharing ideas for improving math instruction with a fabulous group of elementary teachers. We all worked hard and learned from one another. They have turned in their final projects and I am excited to read what they have done. However, before reviewing their enormous portfolios (most are spilling out of 3 and 4 inch binders!), I have been reading their daily journals and final reflection papers. I'd like to climb to the mountaintops and shout with joy some of what they have shared, but since those shouts would fall on deaf ears, I'm sharing here so that all you teachers with a bit of math phobia may perhaps be persuaded by their words. Here are some quotes.

"My hands were so busy moving objects around, I could FEEL my brain working just as hard and fast! Kinesthetic teaching is truly the way children internalize new and/or abstract concepts." (1st grade teacher)

"I never realized that there were so many books about the concepts I teach." (3rd grade teacher)

"I will try to incorporate more literature into my my lessons." (1st grade teacher)

"All these new ideas are going to push me out of my comfort zone this year. Change is hard." (5th grade teacher)

"I have learned the importance of using more manipulatives in my my math lessons. I have been reminded of the importance of children having hands-on materials to really understand the concept before moving to the paper/pencil tasks. (3rd grade teacher)

"I have decided to set up a game corner with math and literature based activities. This will be perfect for those students who are fast finishers, and also indoor recess. What better way for them to spend the extra time than having fun while reinforcing skills learned?" (4th grade teacher)

"This class has reinforced for me the belief that children must experience math concepts on the concrete level, especially during the early childhood years." (1st grade teacher)

"Manipulatives challenge me to think in different ways, but they also allow me to seek help when I feel frustrated. I must remember this when I go back into the classroom this fall." (1st grade teacher)

"I found the activities we did were fun and at times challenging. It seemed everyone was enjoying themselves and I thought that if we as teachers were enjoying the activities, then our students would too." (Kindergarten teacher)

"I have never had the training to use the tangrams, color tiles, pattern blocks, etc. that I had during these two weeks. Someone always did it who "sort of" understood how to use them and passed that half knowledge on to me. Now these manipulatives make sense to me. . . Now I can implement them in the classroom." (5th grade teacher)

All I can say is YAHOO! Here is one final quote.

"I look forward to e-mailing you throughout the school year to let you know how much my children are enjoying the new activities that I will be teaching them." (3rd grade teacher)

You know what? I can't wait to read them.

Poetry Friday - Flowers

I've been inside teaching all week, and like flowers without water, I can feel myself withering without time in the fresh air. I did get to enjoy a quick walk around campus yesterday in which I passed some beautiful flower beds. I'm still thinking of them today, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite flower poems. (Sorry, I'm not a rose girl, so you won't find them in this post.)

Daisies
by Bliss Carman
Published in Modern American Poetry, 1919

Over the shoulders and slopes of the dune
I saw the white daisies go down to the sea,
A host in the sunshine, an army in June,
The people God sends us to set our hearts free.

The bobolinks rallied them up from the dell,
The orioles whistled them out of the wood;
And all of their singing was, "Earth, it is well!"
And all of their dancing was, "Life, thou art good!"

Ah Sunflower
by William Blake

Ah Sunflower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the sun;
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller's journey is done;

Where the youth pined away with desire,
And the pale virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves, and aspire
Where my Sunflower wishes to go!

The Bluebell
by Anne Bronte

A fine and subtle spirit dwells
In every little flower,
Each one its own sweet feeling breathes
With more or less of power.
There is a silent eloquence
In every wild bluebell
That fills my softened heart with bliss
That words could never tell.

Read the rest of The Bluebell.

The round up today is at Chicken Spaghetti. Please stop by and check out all the great poetry posts. Happy poetry Friday, all!

New Seven Wonders Revealed

Yesterday in Lisbon, the New 7 Wonders Foundation announced the winners of a global vote on the New 7 Wonders of the World at the official declaration ceremony. Do read a bit about the history of the project.

Millions voted to create a list of 77 candidates. At the beginning of 2007, a panel of experts created a short list of 21 candidates. Since then, more than 100 million votes have been cast worldwide. The winners, listed alphabetically, are:

• Chichén Itzá, Mexico
• Christ the Redeemer Statue, Brazil
  
• Colosseum, Italy
  
• Great Wall of China
  
• Machu Picchu, Peru
  
• Petra, Jordan
• Taj Mahal, India
  

The sites not chosen included:

• Acropolis, Greece
• Alhambra, Spain
• Angkor, Cambodia
• Easter Island Statues, Chile
• Eiffel Tower, France
• Hagia Sophia, Turkey
• Kiyomizu Temple, Japan
• Kremlin/St. Basil, Russia
• Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
• Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
• Statue of Liberty, USA
• Stonehenge, United Kingdom
• Sydney Opera House, Australia
• Timbuktu, Mali

I'm a bit disappointed that the Pyramids did not make the list. Yes, I know they are still on the list of 7 Ancient Wonders of the World, but the fact that they are all that remains of the original seven is a testament to the ingenuity of those responsible for designing and building them. And really, aren't they the symbols that come into your mind when you think of Egypt? I wasn't impressed by the inclusion of the Statue of Liberty or the Christ the Redeemer statues on the short list. In this category, I am moved more by architecture than art. I also wonder why Christ the Redeemer made the short list and not the Tian Tan Buddha. A bit more religious equity would have been nice. Having just recently visited China and Tibet, I am also puzzled as to why the Forbidden City and Potala Palace weren't on the short list. I am thrilled that Petra made the list of 7, and really wish that the Hagia Sophia or Timbuktu had made the final cut. What do you think?

What's next for the Foundation? Why it's a contest for the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Go now and nominate sites for consideration.

Where Would I Be Without the Times?

Oh how I love the New York Times. Where would I be without it? Certainly not laughing out loud as I was this morning. Check out the the Op-Ed section and the series on Five Ways to End Harry Potter. The essay by Damon Lindelof had me rolling on the floor. It's entitled The Boy Who Died. Go on, check out all five. You know you want to compare your predictions to theirs.

Learning in the Great Outdoors: Fourth Edition

Since I've been busy at work this week, I haven't been reading many of my regular blogs. Therefore, I am a bit late in mentioning that the fabulous Terrell over at Alone on a Limb has posted the fourth edition of Learning in the Great Outdoors.

Okay, so this is where I tell you (gulp) that I have agreed to host the next carnival.

That's right, I'll be collecting entries for the August edition right here. Please e-mail me by August 3rd with your contributions. I will post the fifth edition sometime that very weekend. This ought to be fun, so please, do join us!

Poetry Friday - Infinity

Hello Friends! Please forgive the silence this week. I have been teaching my brains out (8am-1pm every day). I am exhausted, both physically and mentally, as I am arriving at work around 5:30 am each morning and still teaching my evening class (4-7pm) to boot. However, I am surrounded by a group of amazing teachers and am energized by their enthusiasm.

Since I am teaching a course on improving elementary math, my mind is on numbers this week. Here are a few poems about infinity.

Infinity
by William Blake

To see the world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower;
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.


Infinity
by Jacob Bernoulli (a 17th century mathematician)

Even as the finite encloses an infinite series
And in the unlimited limits appear,
So the soul of immensity dwells in minutia
And in narrowest limits no limit in here.
What joy to discern the minute in infinity!
The vast to perceive in the small, what divinity!


Revelation At Midnight
by Piet Hein (a Danish mathematician known for writing gruks)

Infinity's taken
by everyone
as a figure-of-eight
written sideways on.
But all of a sudden
I now comprehend
that eight is infinity
standing on end.

The round up today is over at Farm School. Head on over and check out some great posts. Happy poetry Friday, all!

Champagne Taste

My mother always told me I had champagne taste on a beer budget. This is still pretty much true today, but instead of buying for myself, I spend all my extra pennies on William or on gifts for others. Don't get me wrong, I love this gift giving thing. My Christmas shopping is already half done. (Insert delighted smile here.) When I see something that is just perfect for a friend or family member, I buy it right then and there. The only problem is remembering what I have when the holidays roll around. I'll admit that it's getting harder keeping things under wraps these days. I seem to find reasons to give the gifts, even though I keep promising myself I will hold onto them until the appointed day. However, there is no greater satisfaction than seeing a loved one's face when they receive a gift they truly love. For me, it's not about how much money I spend, but how much time I spend thinking about that perfect gift, because really, there is great pleasure in that knowing smile that says, "You know me so well."

I have dear friend with a birthday coming up and I am purchasing a purse for her made from a book. It's absolutely perfect for her. Here's where the title kicks in. While I rarely make purchases for myself, I'm so besotted by these two beauties I may just splurge. Check out the Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice bags. Someone please buy them first and save me from myself! You can find more of these book bags at Rebound Designs, where Caitlin has taken the gifting of books to a whole new level.

Poetry Friday - Summer Rain

I am in North Carolina and it's raining, but this isn't bad. I love rain in the summer. My poem today is for just such an occasion. It is by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Before Summer Rain
All at once from the green of the park,
one can't quite say, something is taken away;
one feels it coming closer to the windows
and being silent.

Out of a grove, persistent and strong, sounds a plover,
one thinks of a Saint Jerome:
so intensely rises a solitude and fervor
out of this one voice that the downpour

shall listen. The walls of the great hall
with their paintings retreat from us
as if not allowed to hear what we say.

Reflected in the faded tapestries
is the uncertain light of afternoons
in which one as a child was so afraid.

The round up today is over at Shaken & Stirred. Head on over and check it out. Happy poetry Friday, all!

Joyful Education

Here is one more excerpt I need to share. This one comes from the summer edition of Educational Leadership Online.

Most children can't wait to start kindergarten and approach the beginning of school with awe and anticipation. Kindergartners and 1st graders often talk passionately about what they learn and do in school. Unfortunately, the current emphasis on standardized testing and rote learning encroaches upon many students' joy. In their zeal to raise test scores, too many policymakers wrongly assume that students who are laughing, interacting in groups, or being creative with art, music, or dance are not doing real academic work. The result is that some teachers feel pressure to preside over more sedate classrooms with students on the same page in the same book, sitting in straight rows, facing straight ahead.

The truth is that when we scrub joy and comfort from the classroom, we distance our students from effective information processing and long-term memory storage. Instead of taking pleasure from learning, students become bored, anxious, and anything but engaged. They ultimately learn to feel bad about school and lose the joy they once felt.

Read more of the article The Neuroscience of Joyful Education by Judy Willis. She has some great advice for creating a classroom environment that inspires and engages kids.

How Parents' Influence Kids' Academic Interests

Here's some information on a recent University of Michigan study.

In a study she presented recently at a campus meeting, Davis-Kean and colleagues analyzed how parents' values and attitudes affect children's math performance and later interest, and how these attitudes vary by the child's gender. They used data from a longitudinal study of more than 800 children and a large group of their parents that began in 1987 and continued through 2000.

They found that parents provided more math-supportive environments for their sons than for their daughters, including buying more math and science toys for the boys. They also spent more time on math and science activities with their sons than with their daughters.

The article goes on to say that girls' interest in math decreases as their fathers' gender stereotypes increase, whereas boys' interest in math increases as their fathers' gender stereotypes increase.

You can read more here.

I've never been big on the toy aspect of this, though William and I do play a lot of thinking games (Chess, Pente, Checkers, etc.), we play and explore outside in the rain and sunshine, and we READ, READ, READ. There are many good books out there that use math and science concepts as natural (seamless?) parts of the story. This just seems to me what we should be doing with ALL kids, not just boys, and I think Moms can do this just as well as Dads.

The interesting sidebar here for me is that for years I was immersed in studying data from international math and science studies (like TIMSS). The fourth and eighth grade student data I examined included responses on a questionnaire where kids described parental education, support and attitudes. There was a direct correlation between the variables hours of study, attitudes towards subject, academic performance and parental support. Not surprisingly, parents in countries where math and science performance far outscored the US believed that gender and ability were not predictors of success, only effort. My recent trip to China only served to underscore this point. The students we met with all talked about effort being the key to their success, not natural ability.

I encourage parents and teachers alike to think about the message we send to kids regarding their ability to do well in math and science. I work hard to get my preservice teachers to embrace the notion that ALL kids, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender can do well in these subjects, and encourage them to use even the smallest means to encourage their love for them. This can be as simple as changing the name line on a handout to read mathematician or scientist. A lot can be said for the power of a child reading his or her name, day in and day out, next to one of these titles. It also means that we must teach in ways that allow kids to see the beauty of math and science, their connectedness to other areas of the curriculum and the profound value of them in our lives everyday. This may sound like a tall order, but great teachers and parents can make it happen.

Could You Pass Eighth Grade Science?

Well, duh! If I scored anything less I'd be hanging my head in shame. Now go and see how you do.

Memed Again! - The 5 Things Meme

I got tagged last week by LiteracyTeacher at Mentor Texts & More. Since I'm in procrastination mode, here goes.

Five Things I Was Doing Ten Years Ago

(I barely remember what I was doing last week, so this might be a stretch!)

1. Entering the world of grown-up responsibilities by buying a house and taking on a mortgage.
2. Playing second base and batting first on an awesome coed softball team.
3. Learning HTML and embarking on the world of WebQuest construction with my preservice teachers.
4. Repairing my own computer (a Mac, of course)
5. Working with our chemistry department on the use of technology to improve students’ abilities to visualize and understand chemistry concepts.
   

Five Snacks I Enjoy

1. Chips, Chips, Chips (Lots of salt, no flavors)
2. Cashews
3. Dried apricots
4. Olives
5. Cheese and crackers

Five Songs I Know All the Lyrics To
(This could be 50 and there wouldn't be enough room to list them all!)

1. Somewhere Over the Rainbow
2. The Coast Guard Hymn
   
3. 50 Nifty United States (Yes, I've been able to sing the states in alphabetical order since 5th grade!)
4. Embraceable You
   
5. Goodnight Saigon
   

Five Things I Would Do If I Were A Millionaire

1. Fly to see my family as often as I want or am needed.
2. Send all my nieces and nephews to college without student loans.
3. Start my own school, a lot like this one, right here at UR. (However, I would be a teacher, not an administrator.)
   
4. Travel extensively with William so he can learn about the world through more than just books.
   
5. Keep working, because I love what I do.

Five Bad Habits

1. Drinking milk from the gallon when no one is looking.
2. Procrastinating (duh!).
3. Loud music--in the car, the kitchen, my headphones, you name it.

I'll let you know when I come up with 4 and 5!

Five Things I Like To Do

1. Teach
2. Cook
3. Read
4. Play games (Chess, Go, Risk, Cribbage, Pente, etc.)
   
5. Listen to music
   

Five Things I Would Never Wear Again

1. Braces, a retainer and headgear
2. A poncho
3. A uniform
   
4. Clogs
5. A bikini
   

Five Favorite Toys

1. iPod
2. MacBook Pro
3. Six burner gas cooktop and two ovens, baby! (In stainless, of course)
4. Lewis chess set
5. BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS! (Can books be toys?)

Book Review - Who Likes the Sun?

The titles in the series Exploring the Elements are fold out question and answer books that address children's questions about natural phenomena. The latest edition in this series, Who Likes the Sun? focuses on the science of sunshine.

The book opens with a child asking who likes the sun? Many children answer, "I do." These children then proceed to share what they like about the sun, and then ask questions related to what they love.

Questions in this volume include:

• I wonder how the sun warms me when it's so far away.
• I wonder how icicles are made.
• I wonder how sunglasses work.
• I wonder where water goes.
• I wonder where dew comes from.
• I wonder why I have a shadow.
• I wonder how grapes turn into raisins.
• I wonder why some flowers have a smell and others don't.
• I wonder why the water sparkles.
• I wonder how the sun makes rainbows.
• I wonder why the sky sometimes turns red.
• I wonder where the sun goes at night.

Based on the title, I was expecting the book to address topics like the formation of shadows, night and day, weather-related phenomena and seasons. I certainly didn't expect the questions related to light, though they do make sense in this context. However, the questions about flowers and raisins just didn't "fit" for me. I found myself wishing that the questions were linked or organized in some way so that the ideas in the text flowed a bit more smoothly. For example, though the bit about grapes didn't work for me, the process described is evaporation. Why not put this question with the one about where water goes, where readers learn about the formation of water vapor? While I'm on this, let me add that while I found the science to be very kid-friendly, I felt it could have been more specific, and should have introduced more of the scientific terminology that elementary school kids learn about. For example, here's an excerpt from the grape page.

Grapes are picked when they are juicy and sweet.

Then they are put on trays to dry in the sun. The heat of the sun makes the water in the grapes go out into the air.

This would have been the perfect place to introduce the term evaporation. The same could be said for the page on where water goes. Here's that excerpt.

When the sun comes out, it heats the water on the grass.

The heated water turns into very tiny drops of water called vapor.

The water vapor becomes part of the air.

I also wish this page had made explicit that the water droplets actually change state from liquid to gas.

The illustrations and diagrams in this book do a nice job of supporting the text. They also show kids engaged in a variety of activities and include a range of diversity not seen in many books today. Some of the answers to questions are extremely well-done and address relatively sophisticated topics, while others lack the same quality.

I wanted to like this book, but just couldn't get past the disjointedness of the questions and the unevenness of the answers. I do like the idea behind the series, so I'm not ready to give up on it entirely. I will be sure to take a look at Who Likes the Wind? and Who Likes the Snow? to see if the concepts are more coherently connected, and the science more consistent.

Book: Who Likes the Sun?
Author: Etta Kaner
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication Date: March 10, 2007
Pages: 32
Grades: K-2
ISBN-10: 1553378407
ISBN-13: 978-1553378402
Source of Book: Copy received from Raab Associates, Inc.

Book Review - New Clothes for New Year's Day

May was Asian Pacific Heritage month. I was hoping to have this review posted then, but my trip to China derailed those plans. Upon my return I was delighted to find a signed copy of a poetry book by Janet Wong waiting for me. Many of the poems in this volume are about Korea, so reading them reminded me about this gem of a book by Hyun-Ju Bae.

New Clothes for New Year's Day was published by Kane/Miller in March of this year. Kane/Miller specializes in bringing foreign translated books to the American market. This book represents the best of what Kane/Miller does. It is a lushly illustrated volume that is stunning in its beauty and simplicity. This lovely picture book from South Korea presents the story of a young girl as she prepares to celebrate the start of the Lunar New Year. Readers get to follow along as the girl dresses in the new clothes her mother has made her for the occasion. She carefully dresses in a crimson silk skirt, a rainbow striped jacket, socks embroidered with flowers, a hair ribbon of red and gold, and more. Here is an excerpt:

I could hardly sleep last night.

But today I finally get to wear my wonderful new clothes. Finally!

Stretch up on tiptoes to reach the hanger . . .
"Umph!"

Reading this made me reflect back on all those days of grade school when I waited anxiously to put on my "best" new outfit for that important first day. You can't help but feel the excitement of the young girl as she dresses from head to toe.

The illustrations nicely complement the text, with gorgeous interior scenes and an attention to detail that matches the young girl's dressing with care.

At the end of the book the author has included information explaining the items of clothing and their significance. Also discussed is the importance of New Year's Day in Korean culture.

This is a beautiful book that realistically captures the joy, appreciation and excitement of a young girl as she prepares for this important holiday. This is a welcome addition to the body of literature on the Lunar New Year. I highly recommend it.

Book: New Clothes for New Year's Day
Author: Hyun-Ju Bae
Publisher: Kane/Miller
Publication Date: March, 2007
Pages: 32
Grades: K-3
ISBN-10: 1933605294
ISBN-13: 978-1933605296
Source of Book: Copy received from Raab Associates, Inc.

Hooking Young Readers

I am an NPR junkie. This morning I was delighted to hear Librarian Nancy Pearl and host Steve Inskeep taking about great reads for kids this summer. Here's how it began.

Well, summer vacation his here, time for kids to swim and hang with friends and go to the movies--and maybe read.

Even though Pearl had sent a stack of books to Inskeep, he hadn't read any of them, so she decided to convince him to read them by sharing great first lines. These are the books she shared.

Tanglewreck by Jeanette Winterson
At 6:45 one summer morning, a red London bus was crossing Waterloo bridge. . . . The bus and its passengers were never found. It was the first of the time tornadoes.

Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
I have been accused of being anal retentive, an over-achiever, and a compulsive perfectionist, like those are bad things.
(Nancy even mentions that the next two books tell the same story from different points of view, though she doesn't name them. I will! They are Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time and So Totally Emily Ebers, both awesome reads!)

Ragweed by Avi
"Ma, a mouse has to do what a mouse has to do."

Feed by M.T. Anderson
"We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck."

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
Wemberly worried about everything.

You can listen to the interview here. Both Steve and Nancy have a lot of fun sharing first lines and talking about these books. For even more information about all kinds of summer reads, check out NPR's Summer Books 2007.

Summer Solstice

Yesterday was officially the first day of summer and the Northern solstice (for any readers Down Under). Today we began the slow march towards winter as the days begin to shorten. Don't believe me? See for yourself.

Here's how Jean Craighead George describes this phenomenon in her terrific book, Dear Rebecca, Winter is Here.

December 21

Dear Rebecca,
I turned on the lights to eat breakfast this morning and put on my coat to go outside.
Winter is here.

It was brought by little hands of darkness. Each little hand is a few minutes long.

In summer they began bringing winter. They pulled the night over the edges of dawn and made the days shorter. One June 21, while you were cooling off under the hose, winter began.

Summer is my least favorite season of the year, so I confess that I've always been secretly thrilled by the passing of the summer solstice and the promise of shorter and cooler days to come.

Poetry Friday - Paul Laurence Dunbar

I've been reading the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar lately. Here are two poems I particularly like.

A Starry Night
A cloud fell down from the heavens,
And broke on the mountain's brow;
It scattered the dusky fragments
All over the vale below.

The moon and the stars were anxious
To know what its fate might be;
So they rushed to the azure op'ning,
And all peered down to see.

Longing
If you could sit with me beside the sea to-day,
And whisper with me sweetest dreamings o'er and o'er;
I think I should not find the clouds so dim and gray,
And not so loud the waves complaining at the shore.

If you could sit with me upon the shore to-day,
And hold my hand in yours as in the days of old,
I think I should not mind the chill baptismal spray,
Nor find my hand and heart and all the world so cold.

If you could walk with me upon the strand to-day,
And tell me that my longing love had won your own,
I think all my sad thoughts would then be put away,
And I could give back laughter for the Ocean's moan!

If you liked these, you can read more at the Paul Laurence Dunbar Digital Collection.

The round up this week is over at A Wrung Sponge. Stop by and check out all the great entries. Happy poetry Friday, all!

Book Review - 1607: A New Look at Jamestown

When I was growing up in western New York, studying colonial America was about the Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock. It was not about Jamestown, even though the landing at Jamestown occurred 13 years earlier. I learned a lot about Jamestown upon moving to Virginia, and with the 400th anniversary this year, I've learned even more.

In recent years, finding text resources about Jamestown that present a true picture of colonization, warts and all, has been hard to find. This situation has changed with the publication of Karen Lange's book, 1607: A New Look at Jamestown. Lange, a journalist and writer with National Geographic Magazine, presents a brief history of the settling of Jamestown using new archaeological evidence to tell the story.

The Foreword begins in this fashion:

Many people feel that to discover the past, all you have to do is find a book, open the pages, and read a single story. That couldn't be farther from the truth. History is not static: It is not a single story. Simple discovery may only yield you one layer. To really begin to understand the multi-faceted stories that make up our past, you must dig beyond what we think we know. You must discover and then re-discover.

This volume takes these words to heart as it reveals the recent discoveries at the Jamestown archaeological site. Supported by an extensive bibliography of primary sources, Lange presents the grim reality that was the founding of this American colony. The narrative describes the settlers' struggles through the artifacts left behind. Color photographs of the dig site, found treasures, and historical reenactment scenes give readers a glimpse of what life was like for those who lived inside the Jamestown fort.

Lange does an especially good job of describing how native peoples were living when the settlers arrived, and how their arrival forever changed their way of life. Lange even highlights the response of the Paspahegh (Powhatan) descendants to the planned celebrations to mark the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, noting:

"For the Indians, Jamestown is nothing to celebrate. To them, it meant the end of their ancestors' way of life."

I was completely enthralled by this book and found myself engaged by the remarkable, yet difficult history presented. Believe me, this is not the standard fare served up in history textbooks. Don't miss this amazing book on a bit of American history you only think you know. I highly recommend it.

Book: 1607: A New Look at Jamestown
Author: Karen Lange
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books
Publication Date: February 13, 2007
Pages: 48
Grades: 4-8
ISBN-10: 1426300123
ISBN-13: 978-1426300127
Source of Book: Copy received from Raab Associates, Inc.

Happiness is a New Book!

I received a wonderful gift in the mail today. Thanks to MotherReader and to Gail Gauthier. William is thrilled to have a book signed by the author. He loves to write his own stories, so he was excited by the inscription to "make up stories and games of your own." Here's my happy kid just before heading off to bed to read his new book.

Connections

I've been rereading Harry Potter (again, again, and again) in preparation for the impending release of Book 7. Lately when I read, I've been noticing thematic connections across seemingly unrelated books. Here's one that has me thinking about truth.

From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (J.K. Rowling)
“The truth.” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”

From The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)
Therein lay the problem. Life had altered in the wildest possible way, but it was imperative that they act as if nothing at all had happened. Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day.