Extra! Extra! Read all about how the Pilgrims DIDN'T eat turkey on Thanksgiving!

Lies! Lies! Lies! All lies! I just cannot believe that here we have the truth in our hands...that I don't know, have been around for at least 400 years, and yet Social Studies textbooks are still publishing a "pretty picture."  What do these textbook authors think they are doing? "Let's just see how many people we can get to believe us."  Yes, I do know that there are some graphic things in history that maybe young students are not emotionally ready to here or read; however, COMPLETELY changing the story is, let's see..what's the word...LYING!  I knew some things about the "First Thanksgiving" that were not true in textbooks from an AP US History course I took in high school; however, I did not know about a lot of the story.  OK fine..I know that stories get around and one person says one thing and then 50 people repeat the same thing and add a little embellishment; however, what bothers me is that people KNOW that those story are not true, and yet, nothing is done about it?  I do feel mislead, but I am glad that we went over some of these "misconceptions", to put it lightly, so that my future students can know the truth and not just the "pretty picture" version.   

Post It!

Post it! Not post it online, but post it notes! I think what we did in class on Monday, November 15th, was a great way to get students questions answered and for them to make connections with their texts.  I can remember several instances, especially in a text that was enriched with history, where I would read a word or an event, and I would have no clue what the text was talking about.  Or, as I would read a book, I would wonder why isn't the character doing this, why IS he doing this?, how could that happen?, when did this happen?  With using the post it notes as students read, they can ask these questions, and not forget them after they complete the book or a section of the book.  I was never verbally taught to "think outloud", without literally thinking outloud.  I think teachers assume that students are always thinking or should be thinking.  Well yes, they are thinking, but probably not always about the task on hand.  This way, students can "think outloud" by using the post it notes and this is a way that will not distract others. 

Making connections is one of the most important thing a student can do.  Whether it be in math, English, social studies, science, etc.  Making connections to themselves, the world, to other texts, media, etc. students will be able to comprehend the book or text better!  Sharing these connections with one another is also a great way for students to expand their knowledge and even make connections with other students in relation to the text. 

So, post it!

Story Path...a journey within a classroom becoming an adventure!

I  must say that Story Paths will be used in my classroom.  I loved the way that Ms. Meier built our background knowledge of Mt. Everest.  I had seen the movie Vertical Limit before and knew what a dangerous task it is to climb mountains, but it is so much more than the movie.  She made it real and gave us a perspective of how it would be if we were to attempt to climb Mt. Everest.  Making it real and putting situations and parts of history in perspective is important and it makes it more personal to students when they do a story path.  They can get into characters and find solutions to real situations that were/are dealt with.  There are so many subjects that Story Paths can be done with, civil war situations, underground railroad, the depression, WWII, etc.  Or even the Mayflower Compact (Daphanie..).  This was a wonderful activity to view as a future teacher and to experience as a student; and this will definitely be implemented in my classroom.  

Geocaching and other adventures

So, I just want to say, it feels good not to be a muggle.  Geocaching can be a hobby, a family event, a classroom fieldtrip, and even in some ways a goal and a career.  As far as the classroom goes, what a perfect way to teach geography with latitude and longitude.  As mentioned in previous blogs, my memories of geography are watching movies about nonrelated issues, and if there were some connections to geography in the movies we watched, they were never discussed.  But, this is something interactive to do with children in your classroom.  Geography is much more than researching a part of the country or world and making a project to present.  Yes, research and projects have their place, but actually having a mission and being "in control" of learning is how a lot of students learn best.  This is something that I will definitely introduce in my future classroom and even do with my family!

The Original Video of Lilly: The World Map Master

Just wanted to post this on here! Love her!!

Schooling, Schooling, and more Schooling

School.  Oh how I wish that was all I had to do.  But alas, I have to have a job and I wouldn't change having a family for anything in the world!  But life is hectic right now with a bunch of emotions, issues, and well there is school to throw on top of that.  The one thing that makes me relax is Thursdays.  The day I do my observations at Kingsley Elementary School.  I love my 2nd graders and learning my from my mentor teacher.  I am just so blessed to have him as a mentor.  He wants me to be as involved as I can, he quotes the infamous Harry Wong, and tells me what and why he is doing as far as teaching strategies.  One thing he always tries to do is incorporate Social Studies into the school day.  Whether it is a full blown lesson or 5 minute talk about community or what is going on in the world.  Math and Reading is taken up by most of the day, along with a little bit of grammar and more Math and Reading.  I want to provide my future students with as much Social Studies as I can, even if it can only be a 5 minute discussion on "Today in History" or gas prices or community.  I feel like I was ripped off as far as being taught anything to do with Social Studies.  Yes, I remember the 3rd grade field trip to downtown to the police station and historical places, and the 8th grade trip to Washington D.C., and the endless study guides, in which I never remembered anything that was on them.  I really feel like this semester has given me more insight of how I can make Social Stuides more fun and interesting. 


An end to the ranting...just some thoughts that I've had and needed to vent a little, but everything eventually comes to an end..and all we have left to do is move forward!  Keep moving forward--a line from my favorite movie Meet the Robinsons--Walt Disney!