THE HOGGATTEER REVOLUTION
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    • Earn Your Wings
    • G.R.O.S.S.
    • Insightful Poetry
    • Inspirational Prose
    • Meaningful Quotes
    • Positive Behavior Conversations
  • Exploration
    • Celebrate Good Times (Come On)
    • Cerebral Cinema >
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      • Mood Music
      • Music Appreciation
      • Positive Behavior Conversations
    • Coursework >
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      • M4+HEM4+1C5
      • Missouri, USA
      • Recess Bell

Monticello Teacher Institute:  Research

12/16/2018

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In applying to participate in the Monticello Teacher Institute for next summer, I had to answer some leading questions.  These took much thought on my part as I considered the seriousness of the goals for the institute.  As a conscientious person, I must realize that if I apply for a scholarship, including travel expenses, meals, and lodging, and if someone is willing to award me with such, then I must be respect that generosity by taking the award seriously.  In other words, I expect myself to put forth great effort to do the best I can if given the opportunity to visit Monticello on somebody else's dime.

One of the questions on the application addresses research as a part of the institutes.  Here's the question (My answer follows.):  MTI gives teachers a chance to step into the role of historian and engage in research.  Provide a description of your proposed research focus.

There are so many aspects of Thomas Jefferson’s life that intrigue me – his selection of words for the Declaration of Independence or his struggle with the concept of slavery and human rights, for example – but at the moment, one overarching direction has captured my interest.  I am curious about the thought processes and events that took Thomas Jefferson from a pacifist, generally speaking, to the president who boldly bolstered the United States Navy to combat Barbary Pirates.  It may take time to trace writings and track changes in the third president’s tone and opinion concerning a larger naval presence on the seas.  I am confident that primary sources exist to support fundamental changes in Mr. Jefferson as he changes roles from ambassador to secretary of state to president to citizen.
 
At the same time, it is also necessary to understand the world that Jefferson inherited, as well as the timeline that brings those events into our present-day world.  There are many directions a historian could explore in this, but my drive tells me that a focused study and chronology is conceivable with this topic.
 
In Missouri, our fourth grade classes have always focused more on Jefferson’s role in purchasing the Louisiana Territory and vicariously exploring the west through Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.  Now, state standards have shifted to the founding era.  The character of Thomas Jefferson is definitely at the heart of our nation’s early development.  As the teacher, I need to meet him, listen to his words, and delve into his opinions as he plays such a pivotal role in United States history. 
 
Researching his transformation in combatting piracy may be the manner in which Jefferson demonstrates a Growth Mindset to us today.  Understanding that grit and open-mindedness carries us forward, even through tough moments and historic failures, is an essential part of what I teach in the fourth grade.  To see our third president experiencing those struggles between diplomacy and combat, to note the transformation that he made, is to understand that the path forward, for any of us, will not always be smooth.  Not only that, but we must also recognize that understandings and opinions evolve as we face new information and events.
 
I can read books about the subject, but touching Jefferson’s real documents (even if only with my eyes) and considering secondary sources of modern historians will only enhance my continuing interest in Thomas Jefferson and my presentation of this striking figure in my classroom.
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Sybil Ludington

12/15/2018

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(Liberty) Bell Work

How many candles would be
on Sybil's cake, ​this year?

Birthday: 
April 5, 1761
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How many words can you make
from the letters in her name?
​​
S  Y  B  I  L     L  U  D  I  N  G  T  O  N
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Liberty's Kids

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Positive Behavior Conversation

One Voice
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Sweet 16

Sybil was just 16 years old when she was given a great responsibility - to muster an army for her father, Colonel Henry Ludington, in defense of Danbury, Connecticut.
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The number of the day, for today, is sixteen.  What can you say about the number sixteen?  Make a list.
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Music Appreciation

One Voice
Proud
Thunder
Touch the Sky
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Book:  Unbound

12/14/2018

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Unbound, as the cover says, is "a novel in verse".  It's easy enough to understand as the reader is introduced to Grace, her family, and her situation as a black teenager living as a slave in the 1860s.  As is often the case, the slaveowners in this book are depicted as selfish, snobbish, and inhuman.  As is often the case, and as I'm sure it was true in real life, this teenager worries about her family, the possibility of separation, and the fear of doing something wrong and getting caught.
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Says the Scholastic website:
The day Grace is called from the slave cabins to work in the Big House, Mama makes her promise to keep her eyes down. Uncle Jim warns her to keep her thoughts tucked private in her mind or they could bring a whole lot of trouble and pain.

But the more Grace sees of the heartless Master and hateful Missus, the more a rightiness voice clamors in her head, asking how come white folks can own other people, sell them on the auction block, and separate families forever. When that voice escapes without warning, it sets off a terrible chain of events that prove Uncle Jim's words true. Suddenly, Grace and her family must flee deep into the woods, where they brave deadly animals, slave patrollers, and the uncertainty of ever finding freedom.
​

With candor and compassion, Ann E. Burg sheds light on a startling chapter of American history, the remarkable story of runaways who sought sanctuary in the Great Dismal Swamp, and creates a powerful testament to the right of every human to be free.
I can definitely empathize with the situation Grace is in, but I kept expecting more intensity.  I think the poetry lent itself to reading this one fast when I should have lingered longer on the family silently waiting for the slave catchers to stop looking for them in the swamp.  There were also some loose ends that I am not satisfied with, as well as some plot points that were included that may not have been necessary.  On a positive note, there was a historical backdrop in Burg's story of which I was not previously aware, so I am thankful that she introduced me to something I did not know.
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The Whites (and Reds and Greens) of Their Eyes

12/13/2018

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Tuesday's study of the Battle of Bunker Hill made us familiar with the famous utterance, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes."  We thought that to be a most interesting quote, and we had to think about what it meant and why it was declared.  The Patriot soldiers at Boston's Bunker Hill only had five musket balls and limited gunpowder at their disposal, so they could not afford to waste their shots.  They had to conserve their ammunition, so they were told to wait until the British soldiers came closer before shooting.
In a more positive vein, we did a brief study of the human eye before creating an artwork worthy of your refrigerator at home.  On construction paper, each student constructed an eye, complete with eyelashes and eyebrow.  Inside the eye, instead of a cornea and pupil, they recreated a holiday scene found on one of the dozens of cards I have collected through the last several years.  I was very pleased with their final products.
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Hoggatt Cave:  Stalactites and Stalagmites

12/12/2018

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It's the most wonderful time of the year - the time for our annual venture into the depths of Hoggatt Cave. Once the entrance appeared, students were tasked with the construction of the world's most popular speleothems - stalactites and stalagmites.  With some brief instructions, and a quick reference to the 3-dimensional shape of a cone, I think this class did better at manipulating the structures than any other class in the last 24 years.
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Fort Ticonderoga Exploration

12/11/2018

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Instead of boring everybody with a description of another historic site - instead of telling the class about yet another event in American history - instead of reading another chapter and answering a worksheet full of questions - I gave the class some free-exploration time on the Fort Ticonderoga website.

Students were free to record anything they found interesting on the site (limited to specific areas of the site based on their group numbers).

Afterward, the brown paper we used was cut, rolled into cones, taped, and wrinkled to make the stalactites in our Hoggatt Cave project.

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Virtual Field Trip:  Wind Cave in South Dakota

12/10/2018

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Tuesday brought an opportunity for our first virtual field trip (VFT).  We traveled by Skype to South Dakota (normally a 13-hour drive) to visit Wind Cave National Park.

Ranger Lori showed us some of the differences between this Black Hills cave to the caves in our area. Since Wind Cave is a maze cave, the ranger showed us an illustration of its length and compact nature.  She took a 149 inch piece of string and squeezed it into a one-inch cube.  That represented the twists and turns of the cave in its small land space.
She then showed us some of the wildlife of the area, as well, and discussed the topography and foliage.

​This was a new experience for us, in a two-way communication situation over technology, and now we are preparing for our next VFT with the folks at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.
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George Washington:  Sacrifice

12/9/2018

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Lengel closes his tome, General George Washington, with Washington leaving his military service and making his way back home to Mount Vernon.  We can only imagine the Christmases the general missed. While Martha joined him in the field for part of the eight-year war, he had to have missed being home for the holidays (and other times).  Returning to Mount Vernon, he would be able to farm again, socialize more, and relax with his wife.

But first, he had to say goodbye to his troops.  First, he had to resign from the service.  No one can empathize with the general as, with tears clouding his vision, he delivers touching speeches in both locations.  Only then can he make the ride to be with Martha on Christmas.  Douglas Southall Freeman describes his arrival:

At last the cold, clear waters of the Potomac came in sight, then the ferry and after that the blusterous passage, the last swift stage of the ride, the beloved trees, the yard, the doorway, Martha's embrace and the shrill, excited voices [of Martha's grandchildren] - all this a richer reward than the addresses of cities, the salute of cannon and the approving words of the President of Congress."
The reader can only imagine the emotions of his journey - from the thoughts of leaving his "second family" in the military to the nervous anticipation of seeing his beloved farm again.  The change, like every major change in life, comes with the fear of not being able to to adjust.

But there he is.  Riding through the cold night.  Riding toward his life's love.  We can only imagine the homecoming.

Through empathizing, Fourth graders might just learn:
  • That absence makes the heart grow fonder.
  • Suspense is part of the reward.
  • Family is important.
  • Change can be difficult.
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The World Turned Upside Down

12/8/2018

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Today is a big day!
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Mood Music

Listen to this music with an open mind.  Draw a scene that comes to mind, and then write a description of your scene or a story to go along with it.
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Map It

Study this map of the Yorktown Battle from the Mount Vernon Ladies Association. 
  • Where does the map show movement?
  • What can you infer from the positions of the armies and navies on the map?
  • Is there anything the map does not show?
  • ​What questions do you have?
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Liberty's Kids

When you watched the episode above, did you make note of which person lit the fuse on the first cannon and started the battle at Saratoga?

Art Appreciation

Analyze the famous painting, shown below.  Pay attention to details.
  • What do you notice?
  • What do you think is happening?
  • What caused the scene in the painting?
  • What might happen after the scene shown?
  • What does this piece make you wonder?
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Hamilton and Redoubt 10

While the Marquis de Lafayette led the attack on Redoubt 9, Alexander Hamilton told his team to unload their weapons to avoid any misfires alerting the enemy.  The result:  no one in the Redoubt 10 attack lost his life - on either side.

​Let's get a better look at the actual location of Redoubt 10.  
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What might "turn the world upside down" for a person?  A nation?

A tune by that title played during Mood Music above was also played during the British surrender at Saratoga.
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A Musical Version

When Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the musical show, Hamilton, he included some obscene language. Below is a version of the Battle of Yorktown without the vulgar lyrics.
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Positive Behavior Conversations

Fix Bayonets!
You Raise Me Up

White Flag

Sometimes people make choices that require them to weigh their options.  In economics, the most valuable choice not taken may be considered to be opportunity cost.  When the British chose to wave the white flag of surrender at Yorktown, what were their other options? What might their opportunity cost have been?
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Surrender

This scene from the final episode of Turn:  Washington's Spies, is a powerful rendition of history.
What is the most powerful part of this scene?
  • ​the surrender of the sword
  • the playing of Yankee Doodle
  • the laying down of arms
​
Lord Cornwallis did not attend the formal surrender at Yorktown.  What was the reason given in the video?One of the most interesting untold stories is about what happened on the next day.  Most people do not know that George Washington and Lord Cornwallis went horseback riding through the battlefield, reminiscing about their experiences during the war.  What a powerful vision that conjures in the imagination!
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Now or Never

Here is a more detailed version of the battle:

Music Appreciation

We can take a moment and celebrate the symbolic completion of the Revolutionary War.
Born Free
Celebration
Happy
Hurricane
It's Gonna Be Okay
Kid in a Candy Store
Seize the Day
So Alive
Take on the World
What a Wonderful World
A Whole New World
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Ten Reasons I Do Not Like Having a Student-Teacher

12/7/2018

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I can look on the bright side.  Recently, I addressed the benefits of having a student-teacher.  Today, I want to take the opposite approach, because, believe it or not, I do like to teach my class.  So here are the ten reasons I do not like having a student teacher.

1.  I don't get to see my kids as much.
This must be the first reason.  I don't get to interact as much with the children in my class.  I don't get to make the same connections I would if I were present in the classroom for longer periods of time.  I miss that, and I feel in some ways that they have fallen into a different pattern as a result.

2.  I get bored.
While I have kept myself busy with school-related planning and activities, there have been a couple of moments when I have felt like I wasn't earning my salt.  I strive to keep my mind occupied and on task, but any time a person has to be self-driven, that can be difficult.

3.  I have to bat cleanup.
On a few occasions, I have had to enter a situation that I don't know anything about.  I've had to sort out some behavior infractions that happened while students were not under my direct supervision, and I expected myself to "fix" the situations.  It is understandable that kids will push limits.  The chemistry with a different teacher will always change, so this is to be expected, but negative reactions are not invited.  Sometimes I felt successful, and sometimes I felt lost.

4.  I don't like to interrupt.
The student-teacher needs to feel that the class is hers.  That's something that's hard to establish while the regular teacher is still in the room, so I try to leave the class in her hands as much as I can.  That said, I still need to monitor her in order to guide her through the experience, but interrupting the flow of her lessons is difficult, and I don't want to be a distraction.

5.  Time moves too slowly.  When a person is displaced, the anticipation of something to come can be a hard thing to overcome.  I understand that anticipation of this type - the anticipation of a return to glory (if that's not overstating things) is something that makes time crawl.

6.  Time moves too quickly.
With all of the ideas and plans that I've tried to create during my times outside the classroom, I still have not had enough time in the day to work through them all.  Before I know it, the morning has passed, and it's time for lunch - at which time I try to check in with the student-teacher and my peers.  Then the afternoon flies by in the same way. Just when I get started on something in earnest, the time is gone.

7.  People think I have free time.
They see me at a keyboard, or they see me in the hallways, and my peers assume I'm avoiding work or playing.  It doesn't matter if I've filled in for absent teachers and teachers who needed breaks.  It doesn't matter if I've had professional discussions with the principal.  It doesn't matter that I've searched for and discovered some amazing tools and trends for education or if I've created many of my own materials to use in the coming weeks and years.  It doesn't matter that I've developed and come to understand my own methods and how they align with researched educational practices.  Nothing matters except that they see me outside my classroom and away from my students; therefore, I must be relaxing with nothing to do.

8.  I am tied to the university forms and schedules
In many ways, university leaders and state legislators are disconnected with the ways classrooms actually work. They've created a collection of forms and schedules that every one of their teacher-candidates have to follow, and they allow the cooperating teachers (including me) little opportunity to establish our own methods for helping their students develop professionally.  The evaluation forms are limited to specific scores in specific areas and do not always tell the whole story about a candidate.  This can frustrating, let alone the idea that sometimes it feels like jumping through hoops to fulfill requirements instead of doing the things that are necessary to truly guide the teacher-to-be.

9.  Our family doesn't seem as cohesive.
Back to the beginning (number one, above):  have you ever spent an extended time away from your parents or your siblings?  When you returned to their presence, do you feel like you have to play catch-up?  That's how things are for me and the kids.  I feel like they've moved on in a sense, that they have broken up with the old guy and moved on to a new relationship.  As someone who never liked break-ups, it's hard finding myself in the middle of one - even if it is only temporary.  At best I feel I'm in an off-again/on-again relationship.

10.  I'm a little bit lost.
I need to make sure I know where we are in each subject.  Students have moved more quickly in some subjects than in others, and I need to know where everybody is.  I'm going to have to catch up to them in Math, but they're going to catch up to me in Grammar.


I don't know what the solution is - especially since there are some refreshingly positive things about having a student-teacher in my classroom, as well.  I've already addressed a few of those in my previous post.  Like anything in life, it is what you make it; I hope I have made it worthwhile for everyone involved.
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10 Reasons I Enjoy Having a Student-Teacher

12/6/2018

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Some teachers do not want to have a student-teacher in their classrooms.  They want to keep their class for themselves.  I understand that.  It is hard to leave a class of students, after working with them for a full semester.

However, I also feel the obligation to pass my experience to the next generation.  Here are some of the reasons I love having a student-teacher in my classroom.​

1.  I enjoy creating stuff.
Leaving my students in the hands of a novice can be a difficult proposition, but I have been allowed the opportunity to create new lessons, activities, and projects for future classes.  In some cases, these have been made available for the teacher candidate, helping her "fill the time" from bell to bell.  I feel a little guilty (not really) allowing myself the time to search for materials and gather them into a useful pile, but I have remained productive and very little time has been wasted.

2.  I don't like grading papers.
When the teacher candidate is fully in charge of the classroom, she needs to get as much of the teaching experience. That means I have not had to fully grade papers, which is a huge load off of my responsibilities.  Now, that doesn't mean that I don't still have responsibilities in this realm.  I still have to touch every paper and record every justifiable grade, and at times I have to discern the purpose or the weight of certain grades.  With another person grading, report cards are interesting.  Since a variable has been changed, I plan to compensate for that change after the assignments are tabulated.  Still, not having the day-to-day headache of meticulously evaluating assignments personally is a relief of which I will gladly take advantage.

3.  I get a feel for the pulse of the school.
Parking myself in the teachers lounge during the times I have been out of the classroom, this semester, has shown me more of the personality of our school.  Teaching is a profession that is typically done in a vacuum, without a lot of collaboration with peers.  That's usually OK with me, as I tend to march to the beat of a different drummer, but sometimes we don't get the chance to interact with other teachers - teachers in other grade levels, new teachers in our building, and the like.

4.  There is great value in experience.
I see a difference in the experienced teachers and the newer ones.  Just as there is a change that occurs between kindergarten and fifth grade, there is also a maturity that comes with serving a number of years as a teacher.  For some, the changes are subtle, but for others, there is a certain confidence that drives us.  Hopefully, we don't overreact to the choices our students make.  And also maturity may not be the best way to describe us, we are able to articulate issues and solutions at a higher level than some of our younger peers.

5.  I'm a seasoned educator; pass it on.
The last few years have been years of growth in my career.  They have not always been easy ones.  Changes in direction for our district - both positive ones and negative ones - have affected me tremendously.  I know what it is like to hit the wall and to get burned out.  I understand better, now, how to survive more than tornados and terrorists.  I know better, now, that I have to work through the pain.  There is a blue sky after the storm, and the world is not going to crumble if I don't kill myself trying to comply with all of the requirements of my job.  Teachers in training do not have that view.  Their walls are years into their future, and their challenges are very different.  My challenge as a cooperating teacher is one of calm support.  The student-teacher has to understand that being quick to listen, slow to anger, and slow to speak is golden advice.  It doesn't mean to be nice and withhold strict expectations, but it will save a great deal of heartache in the future.  I gladly pass on little bits of wisdom throughout the experience of having an unripened educator under my wing.
​

6.  The good ol' days are alive and well.
Seeing a new teacher find her niche and grow professionally, in spite of there being such a short time period in which to do so, has often drawn me into my own first years.  I remember the simple things being not so easy.  I remember the people who helped me.  I'm sure those years were tough, and I remember feeling quite inadequate, but as with most of us, those were the good ol' days.  My reminiscing is filled more with the beauty a time removed from reality.  And I appreciate those stepping stones that made me who I am today.

7.  I get the chance to professionally reflect.
In the same ilk, I have been given the opportunity to reflect upon my own current practices in the classroom.  I have done more professional reading in the last year than at any time in my career, and in the last semester I have especially developed a pattern of applying what I have learned to my teaching philosophy.  Much of this has affirmed what I believe and try to practice, while others have challenged me to change or try new directions.  I don't think teachers typically do this; more often we tread water, trying to keep ourselves alive while we feel overwhelmed from all directions.  When I develop myself professionally and in a self-driven manner, I am better prepared to face the challenges that can arise from peers, pupils, parents, and principals.

8.  I have the challenge of old problems.
I forgot the challenge of time management - of not knowing how long a project will take, of forgetting to leave in time to get to lunch or art, of forgetting that dismissal is at 2:55.  It's a challenge that still rears its ugly head from time to time, but not in such a rudimentary manner.  With a student-teacher in the room, I have gotten to revisit my old nemesis of time.  Now, I have the responsibility to lead another human being in addressing the challenges of class management and time management, leaving me with a feeling of supportiveness. 

9.  Contact with other branches of education are important.
I have not been in college for a few years now.  I have not been in contact with our regional professional developers in years.  To rekindle relationships at those levels, albeit with different people in positions, is a valuable part of my time as a cooperating teacher.  More and more, I am convinced that I have more to offer to education than what I present daily to my fourth graders.  Networking with educators outside of the bubble of my own classroom or even my own school site is something more teachers should take on.

10.  I get to help the next generation of teachers.
When the principal asked if I could take on a student-teacher, I told him I would.  I also expressed that I felt a slight responsibility to help new teachers.  This semester has been especially rewarding as I have helped one of those newbies wrestle her way through a classroom of diverse students and curricula that can be vague, not to mention new.
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1988

12/5/2018

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In 1988, I worked for a tax and bookkeeping service in Mustang, Oklahoma.  No, I was not an accountant.  No, I had no training as a CPA.  No, I was not interested in number-crunching in any way back then, nor am I now.  But sure enough, there I was, working for a man named Henry and his daughter Mel, juggling accounting legal binders, entering numbers into tax forms on a primitive, computer.  Still, there I was, making a little moolah just before realizing I should do something that would more effectively utilize my talents (That would be teaching, for those of you who aren't paying attention.).

On one particular summer day, Henry needed some papers delivered to a location in Oklahoma City - probably a client, but I've periodically slept since then.  After a few seconds of deep deliberation, the only actual non-familial member of the staff was selected to make said delivery.  Stepping into my car, I drove out Mustang Road to the westbound on-ramp to Interstate 40.

Immediately, I realized, something was different.

Behind me on the highway - nothing.

Before me - six black and white cars.  Five police cars drove side-by-side, spanning the lanes.  Behind the five, another officer steered his car left and right, weaving to and fro to keep me from advancing.  At every entrance ramp, more highway patrol cars or city police blocked traffic from entering the highway.  How my car made the cut to trail behind the strange parade, I can't be sure.

Finding a radio station in the know, I finally realized what I had gotten myself into:  I was driving Henry's important manila envelope behind Vice President George H. W. Bush's motorcade, headed to the Cowboy Hall of Fame for a quick presidential campaign stop.

Hey!  I didn't have anything better to do, so I followed the six police cars, who were following the limousines and secret service cars, who were following more police cars (and who knows what else).  Surely, the helicopter overhead wasn't keeping a suspicious eye on me!

I found a parking slot and left the manila envelope on the passenger seat.

I walked my almost 23-year-old frame into the museum.

I found a spot in the back, not knowing what to expect.  I found a spot to listen to the platform of the presidential candidate.  I found a spot just to the left of a tall, black-suited young man with an earpiece.  I found a spot to stand beside a seriously-focused secret service agent.

And listen I did.  The speech was a good one.  I liked what I heard.

And when the man concluded, I think I even went out and delivered the paperwork.

Here was a man who would preside over the fall of the Berlin Wall and the conclusion of the Cold War.  Here was a man who would lead our nation into a coalition of allies to defend Kuwait against Saddam Hussein and Iraq, a man whose popularity rose to high elevations before plunging just in time for a three-way fight for a re-election that just wasn't in the cards.

Thirty years later, and we remember George H. W. Bush.  His resume does not only list POTUS, but also includes World War II aviator, baseball player, oil magnate, United Nations ambassador, and director of the CIA.  Today, his body will be interred at his presidential library and museum in College Station, Texas.

​May his family rest comfortably following their public and private periods of mourning.

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Music Appreciation:  Celebration

12/4/2018

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Students are often called upon to read "chorally".
That is, they read together simultaneously
as a group.


Repeating this practice assists young readers with reading fluency -
the speed, accuracy,
​and inflection of  oral reading.


Why not, since it's called "choral" reading anyway, actually read the chorus of a song? ​
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Positive Behavior Celebration

12/3/2018

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Our November celebration of positive behavior took place in the darkness of our classroom, as we enjoyed a few glow-in-the-dark features and electronic devices.
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From 711 to 007

12/2/2018

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Word Wise

espionage
reconnaissance
dossier

Mood Music

Allow this music to transport you into a scene that has yet to be written.  Draw the scene as you listen.  Then write, using all the visual imagery you can muster.
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The Culper Ring

George Washington (Code name:  711) is one of the United States' favorite generals.  He was the first commander-in-chief.  ​In continued studies of his effectiveness as a military leader, we find one of Washington's strengths to be his acceptance and strategic use of a spy network.  Five spies, in particular, risked everything to serve the cause of liberty.

​National Geographic has an interesting article about the Culper Spy Ring.
The Culper Spy Ring used many forms of transmitting messages to each other, some of which are discussed here:
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The Culper Code

Here is the primary source for this lesson set:  the Culper Code Book.  Mount Vernon's website also provides a more readable copy.  Try your hand at writing a letter using the Culper Code.
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Quill Letters

Write letters to other teachers, roll them up, and put them in straws for delivery
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Sympathetic Stain

A more scientific method of espionage involved writing invisible words between the lines of harmless letters.
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Mask

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To write a mask letter, one must use the provided mask.  Write your message within the open part of the mask. Then remove the mask and fill in the lines so they still make sense in case they are confiscated.
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Blackout Poetry

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Somewhat like a mask letter is a newer art form called Blackout Poetry​.  The poet takes an existing page of words and blacks out all but a simple message.  Below is an example.  ​It will be interesting to see what our class can come up with along these lines.

Dossier

Learn more about some real spies in the history books with ​a lesson or two from the International Spy Museum.
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Spy Gear

Modern spies have new technologies at their disposal.  Try some of these on for size.
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While We're on the Subject

Interested in learning more?
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Do Spies Really Use Gadgets?​
​
What is the CIA?
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