Art Appreciation Look at the diorama at the right. 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?

"Don't Fire Until You See the Whites of their Eyes."

Muskets were not very accurate over distance, so with their limited ammunition, soldiers were encouraged to wait for the enemy to advance closer before opening fire.  How frightened must they have been with those columns of Redcoats stomping toward them! The perspective of the Continentals must have frightened them even more.  As the British marched in the distance, they must have appeared quite small, but now that they approached, they must have seemed much larger.  With the details of their uniforms coming into focus, the Continentals could have notices the buckles and buttons, the trim and the tricorn hats.  I'm not convinced they would notice the whites of their eyes unless they were reminded to look for them before firing. Speaking of looking for the details, the teacher will describe a little sketching project for you that will have you looking for the details.

While We're on the Subject How Do Our Eyes Make Us See?

More from Boston, Mass.

Now that we've seen some of the historical events that occurred in Boston, let's take a closer look at the city today.

Get a more informed view of the city with our 4D puzzle.

Joplin Schools is pleased to announce Mr. Nathan Stewart as the new assistant principal for Cecil Floyd Elementary.

Stewart grew up in Lamar, Missouri, and has been an educator for the last nine years. His career began in the North Kansas City School District, where he taught second and third grade before moving back to the Joplin area to be closer to family.  He most recently comes to us as a fifth grade teacher from the Carl Junction School District. Throughout his career, Stewart has been able to quickly build and foster strong relationships with staff, students, and parents. He not only values the importance of relationships but also fosters the significance of meeting needs of diverse learners. Stewart and his family are proud to be part of the Joplin community and look forward to continuing the great work at Cecil Floyd.

“Mr. Stewart is a wonderful addition to the Cecil Floyd family. His commitment to relationships and student growth are a perfect fit for Joplin Schools,” said Chris Bozarth, Cecil Floyd principal.

​Stewart earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2014, he completed his master’s degree in administration at the University of Central Missouri.

...I, the redoubtable hero of this Narrative, first made my appearance in this crooked, fretful world, upon the twenty-first day of November, in the year 1760.  I have been told that the day on which was born was a thanksgiving day, which day is, generally, celebrated with good cheer.

It’s an issue of trust, intent, and empathy.
​This is a grid I use with students as we think about the critical friends approach.

(LIBERTY) BELL WORK

Sentence Surgery Read the sentence below. ​Do you see any problems? Do not rewrite the sentence.  In fact, don't even fix the sentence.  Instead, on your paper, tell the writer three things that need to be corrected. john, ben, and tom, worked together ​at the factory.

Sentence Augmentation* Augment the sentence below to greatly improve it.  Record your improved sentence on your paper. She is proud. ​ ​*Augment:  make (something) greater ​by adding to it

Word Work Using today's lesson set, create a list of words ​to fit in the categories below. ​Pay particular attention to spelling patterns. Continental​ ​(words with ent) Congress​ ​(words with ong) Word Wise Define the ​following words: arrogance ​humility

On Target Write the target number in the "bull's eye". In the 20 other open sections of the target, write equations to equal the target number. Today's number is 2. For example, if the target number is 36, the student may write expressions like the ones here (right):

​6 squared 2 x 18 3 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 72/2 3 x 3 x 4

the Olive Branch

Is Conflict Resolution Always Possible? (And More)

Music Appreciation I Just Can't Wait to Be King ​Prince Ali

While We're on the Subject Do You Like Olives? What's the Best Way to Resolve Conflict?

It must have been difficult to face the band of misfits that George Washington did.  Then again, I wonder if he faced them in the same way that teachers introduce ourselves to a new class of fourth graders at the beginning of each year.  He, as many, tried "to get his bluff in on them" by being strict and "not smiling until Christmas".  Actually there is evidence that Washington frowned on "Smiles" shared with subordinates, calling the attempt to be a pal to them a "kind of stupidity". What we do know is that George Washington had a filthy, unkempt, unorganized, and unmannerly bunch with which he had to raise an army. Paperwork and inventories were nonexistent due to laziness and apathy.  There was no uniformity to the troops' uniforms.  Washington quickly acknowledged a dire need for strict discipline.

It requires no military Skill to judge of the Difficulty of introducing proper Discipline & Subordination into an Army while we have the Enemy in View & are in daily Expectation of Attack, but it is of so much Importance that every Effort will be made which Time & Circumstance will admit.

Be strict in your discipline.  Require nothing unreasonable of your officers and men, but see that whatever is required be punctually complied with.  Reward and punish every man according to his merit, without partiality or prejudice; hear his complaints; if well founded, redress them; if otherwise, discourage them, in order to prevent frivolous ones.  Discourage vice in every shape, and impress upon the mind of every man, from the first to the lowest, the importance of the cause, and what it is they are contending for....Be plain and precise in your orders, and keep copies of them to refer to, that no mistakes may happen.  Be easy and condescending in your deportment to your officers, but not too familiar, lest you subject yourself to a want of that respect, which is necessary to support a proper command."

​Sean Layne has taken the foundational elements of acting such as concentration, cooperation, and collaboration and created a structured process, which can become the basis for effective classroom management every day. This engaging step-by-step approach empowers students to take ownership of and be responsible for their own behavior. In this workshop, teachers learn how to help students build the skills necessary to establish a sense of self-control, accountability, and teambuilding in their classroom.

​Led by Sean Layne, drama educator, this course begins teachers’ journey with tableau, a creative, controlled, low-risk drama technique. Tableau helps students apply and expand their knowledge and understanding in subjects across the curriculum by asking them to take on the roles of people or objects to create living pictures.