Remember Field Day? That elementary school outdoor break in the school routine, with games, chaos, parents, and cold drinks? I loved Field Day--not because sports were particularly my thing, but because I liked the holiday-like atmosphere: it was the only day we could wear shorts (this was the 1970s and there were no shorts in my school); there was a lot of class pride, with special team names and classroom t-shirts with our names on the back (made at the local t-shirt shop, you know with rainbow sparkle bubble letters pressed on with big hot presses, same place you had your Star Wars shirt made with your name on the back!! One year we were the Schakett's Super Sonics, lots of letters!); we drank ice-cold, dripping-wet Cokes out of various Igloos; we picnicked outside; there was no work all day; and a general air of chaotic happiness reined with lots of yelling and rooting and running around.. I dreaded the balloon pop, but otherwise enjoyed the races enough, like three-legged race, water balloon toss, all the relays and speed races, and the big finale tug-o-war competition. We each got 3 or so events, choosing our best players for their best events--I think we even did advance time trials in PE. I was a filler but always on tug-o-war because I was the tallest girl in the class (and often the grade). If I remember correctly, ribbons were awarded and classes got points and could win. Again, this was the 1970s--we competed, kept score, won and lost with no points just for participating.
Today was totally different. Classes stayed together with no interaction much less competing. Games were almost cooperative ("soccer croquet") or at least non-competitive with everyone getting a turn at everything and no winners--they just stopped when they were finished and then often just did it again. Mercy, they didn't even all start together with "On your mark, get set, go!" Six graders oversaw the relatively calm activities (ball toss in hoops with self-reporting of scores, clothes relay (we had this), wet ball toss (less messy than water balloon toss), etc), with just a few parents in attendance, and almost no cheering. I did cheer for Sis and Bud when it was their turn. It seems odd to root when you can't win, though there was a general air of help and support. And still lots of fun, essentially an extra-long PE class (except, disappointingly, they NEVER go outside for PE!) . . . I wonder if it will be more like an old-fashioned field day when they are older? I'm not sure kids today would no what to do with that!
And they'll never top those t-shirt shop t-shirts!!
Showing posts with label first grade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label first grade. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
A New Babysitter
We tried out a new babysitter today, one not named "M," thereby breaking our streak. But we liked her anyway. She's their first-grade teacher's teenaged daughter and so I warned the kids extra that whatever they did with the babysitter not only came back to me but would get back to their teacher! Double whammy.
But they were great. A tad precocious, actually, because they spent the get-to-know-you hour teaching her how to play chess!
But they were great. A tad precocious, actually, because they spent the get-to-know-you hour teaching her how to play chess!
Friday, May 18, 2012
Picnic Time
With about 25 days left of school, the end-of-year rush is beginning. Today it was the school picnic, mainly the thrill of eating outside with your family. We brought blankets and sandwiches from our local Italian deli, plus cookies, and sat under the shade. The kids had ordered "bbq"--which was hot dogs, pasta salad, chips, carrots, watermelon, and orangeade or fruit punch. Amazing how excited they can get about a hot dog! Eaten outside! Too bad they can't eat outside everyday and then run around the playground. Usually, they finish eating in just minutes and have to sit there for 30 minutes total. Of course, in this day and age when kids have to have something to do all the time and can't be left to their own imaginations, they are given coloring sheets and word searches to pass this time. I think we actually talked to our friends, made up our own games! So it was doubly nice that, after all the rain and damp,coloring pages and word searches, they got to play outside some.
Dig It!
An email from Sis and Bud's teacher:
Remind me to file this under "Something you don't hear everyday"--"We went on an archaeological dig before school." !
And it's true. We did go on an archaeological dig this morning, being a little late to school. Only we weren't the ones digging. Archaeologists are digging some test trenches in the yard at "my" historic house, having dug two previous test pits in the midden and privvy. They've found what you would expect to find from a site continuously occupied since the end of the 17th century: porcelain fragments, redware fragments, nails, pins, glassware bits, buttons, some grapeshot from the Revolutionary War, and, making up the majority of the finds, bones and shells of oysters and clams.
We spoke to the archaeologists while they dug and sifted, recorded and drew. Sis and Bud got to see the man in the pit check the soil sample against his field Munsell soil chart to record the "sandy loam" or "loamy sand" or whatever on the locus sheet where he would make notes about finds and features and also later draw the trench level before moving on to the last level of habitation (the terminus--old sand--which he was just reaching as we left). He also hacked away at an obstructive tree root with a machete. From the pit, which was about 4 1/2' deep and about 6 x 4' in size with old water pipes and a tree root, the rocky soil (so common in CT, they said) was put in a bucket and then sifted on a screen for archaeologists to look for the small finds. Another archaeologist let us watch her sort and showed the kids a bit of everything she found, mainly shells (they ate a lot of oysters and clams), bones (one from a cow while we were there), and some redware. She described how the calcium-rich shells often helped preserve the more delicate artifacts which would otherwise decay in our acidic soil. She also pulled out some earlier finds, proudly showing the kids a rare large fragment of handpainted-with-blue-stars Delftware, which she said was often too delicate to find more than tiny pieces of (I'd say the two fragments made up more than half a dish/saucer shape). She mentioned that they had found a large milk pan, for cooling milk before making butter, the day before. And a small doll's head. We asked her what the most exciting find she'd ever uncovered was and she said, from a dig in Europe, a Neanderthal's stone tool. She also likes the Native American artifacts she's uncovered in New England, amazed at how beautiful they can make stone for simple tools.
After she sorted the dirt and placed the finds in small bags, labeled with the trench quadrant location, she actually poured clean dirt back in the bag. Sis asked, "If you just sifted it, why did you put dirt back in the bag?" Good question, the archaeologist replied, noting that the dirt actually protects the fragments during transportation and storage before cleaning. They also use the sifted dirt to back fill the site, after lining it with plastic, so they know where they've dug. Then back at the office, after the artifacts are washed and recorded, and the locus sheets (which they have, "because," she said, "we'll forget by Monday!") are compiled, the archaeologists write a report for us so we know what they found and what it might mean. She said that archaeologists are schooled in lots of disciplines--history, art (and drawing skills!), math, science--combined with strength and endurance and a love of the outdoors.
"I want to be an archaeologist," Sis proclaimed excitedly, inspired by the visit. Which is absolutely why we were late to school this morning!
Remind me to file this under "Something you don't hear everyday"--"We went on an archaeological dig before school." !
And it's true. We did go on an archaeological dig this morning, being a little late to school. Only we weren't the ones digging. Archaeologists are digging some test trenches in the yard at "my" historic house, having dug two previous test pits in the midden and privvy. They've found what you would expect to find from a site continuously occupied since the end of the 17th century: porcelain fragments, redware fragments, nails, pins, glassware bits, buttons, some grapeshot from the Revolutionary War, and, making up the majority of the finds, bones and shells of oysters and clams.
We spoke to the archaeologists while they dug and sifted, recorded and drew. Sis and Bud got to see the man in the pit check the soil sample against his field Munsell soil chart to record the "sandy loam" or "loamy sand" or whatever on the locus sheet where he would make notes about finds and features and also later draw the trench level before moving on to the last level of habitation (the terminus--old sand--which he was just reaching as we left). He also hacked away at an obstructive tree root with a machete. From the pit, which was about 4 1/2' deep and about 6 x 4' in size with old water pipes and a tree root, the rocky soil (so common in CT, they said) was put in a bucket and then sifted on a screen for archaeologists to look for the small finds. Another archaeologist let us watch her sort and showed the kids a bit of everything she found, mainly shells (they ate a lot of oysters and clams), bones (one from a cow while we were there), and some redware. She described how the calcium-rich shells often helped preserve the more delicate artifacts which would otherwise decay in our acidic soil. She also pulled out some earlier finds, proudly showing the kids a rare large fragment of handpainted-with-blue-stars Delftware, which she said was often too delicate to find more than tiny pieces of (I'd say the two fragments made up more than half a dish/saucer shape). She mentioned that they had found a large milk pan, for cooling milk before making butter, the day before. And a small doll's head. We asked her what the most exciting find she'd ever uncovered was and she said, from a dig in Europe, a Neanderthal's stone tool. She also likes the Native American artifacts she's uncovered in New England, amazed at how beautiful they can make stone for simple tools.
After she sorted the dirt and placed the finds in small bags, labeled with the trench quadrant location, she actually poured clean dirt back in the bag. Sis asked, "If you just sifted it, why did you put dirt back in the bag?" Good question, the archaeologist replied, noting that the dirt actually protects the fragments during transportation and storage before cleaning. They also use the sifted dirt to back fill the site, after lining it with plastic, so they know where they've dug. Then back at the office, after the artifacts are washed and recorded, and the locus sheets (which they have, "because," she said, "we'll forget by Monday!") are compiled, the archaeologists write a report for us so we know what they found and what it might mean. She said that archaeologists are schooled in lots of disciplines--history, art (and drawing skills!), math, science--combined with strength and endurance and a love of the outdoors.
"I want to be an archaeologist," Sis proclaimed excitedly, inspired by the visit. Which is absolutely why we were late to school this morning!
Friday, May 4, 2012
Multi-Culti
Today was a worldly day for the Hungry family. Mama and I had lunch from a newly-opened Jamaican restaurant, trying a whole new cuisine (thought Mama knew the Golden Krust patties from childhood). We enjoyed the red peas (kidney beans) and rice with a coconutty flavor, pigeon peas and rice, peppery cabbage and carrots, fried plantains, salt fish and ackee (a fruit), callaloo and salt fish, bammy (fried cassava root), jerk chicken pattie, mild beef pattie, vegetable pattie, "peanut punch," very gingery pineapple juice, and coconut water. Plus tastes of sweet potato pie and bread pudding and a dark, sticky "spice bun" bread to bring home. Mmmm, we'll go again and I definitely recommend it. But you've got to like pepper if you're going to eat more than peas and rice and plantains! And if you're adventuresome, there's oxtail soup and curried goat head soup! Coincidentally, I picked up right before lunch a Vegetarian Times special edition on global food that contained Jamaican recipes (plus all of the usual veg locales--Egypt, China, Japan--but also Greece, and more.)
This evening was multicultural night at school, with teachers and parents presenting activities and crafts from a variety of nations. The kids had spent a lot of time preparing--Sis and Bud's classroom celebrated China (at least the door did, as it wasn't an activity center) and Sis and Bud contributed some of our decorations; they made flags of their heritage for the cafeteria (Bud chose Chinese and Sis chose . . . French?! I mean, she is, in part, but it seemed an unlikely choice . . . until she admitted it was the easiest of the flags I'd shown her!); they also decorated the hall with windsocks based on different flags--their class did Mexico. I think between the two kids, we managed to visit every country in two hours. We started in Africa, where they played Djembe drums, copying the beat of the main drummer and two of her students. They played a drum version of "hot potato" which deteriorated quickly and humorously. Bud practiced step dancing in Ireland while Sis and I had her hand henna-ed in Pakistan. From there, she made a toilet-paper-tube Phoenix in Greece, which was challenging with her dominant left hand covered in henna goo, while Bud made a paper blossoming cherry tree in Japan. Deciding against "making a chicken" in Greece, Bud then Zumba-ed happily (he really loves to dance, while Sis skipped both of those) in Colombia and Sis made pasta necklaces in Italy after listening to Strega Nona. For the USA, Sis helped make care packages for a local charity. We also sampled world cuisine, which for me mainly consisted of eating flan homemade by the mother of their classmate. There was also a young man demonstrating Korean martial arts, specifically Tang Soo Do, with a sword and a staff, which Bud studied with interest before explaining his own kung fu experiences (he was still in his uniform because he had class this evening). I'm so glad their school offers this celebration of cultures representing the diversity of the student population (especially after yesterday's "Chinese, Japanese" incident); it's one of our favorite school events.
And then we went home and rushed to bed--after reading about some English mice in Tumtum and Nutmeg--so that Bud could rest up before his kung fu belt test tomorrow.
And then we went home and rushed to bed--after reading about some English mice in Tumtum and Nutmeg--so that Bud could rest up before his kung fu belt test tomorrow.
Light in the Darkness
Yesterday at Daisies, we hand-rolled beeswax candles for Mother's Day presents. The girls really enjoyed picking their moms' favorite colors, rolling the candles, and putting together the decorative cards. Sis chose purple for me and green for Mama, but I wasn't supposed to be watching!
But as we were enjoying our craft, I saw one little girl standing before the others and pulling at the corners of her eyes, "Chinese, Japanese . . ." and I knew where she was going. An old rhyme from childhood, that ended with the speaker pulling up her skirt and showing her underwear, but not before slanting her eyes up and down. "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees, look at these!"
I hurried over to the other side of the room, thankful that Sis was nowhere nearby, and sat the girls down for a talk. I told them that rhymes like that could hurt people's feelings because it made fun of them and the way they looked. I knew they didn't want to do that--I'm not sure they even realized what was wrong with pulling up and down on your eyes with a singsong verse. And I wasn't about to talk about racism and prejudice particularly; I just wanted them to be more sensitive and compassionate. They of course denied saying anything of the sort, as kids would, and then said they didn't even know that Sis was Chinese. And then they seemed to feel bad.
On the way home, I had to talk to Sis about it because if girls are reciting this in Daisies, no doubt it's spreading around school. I remember it going around my school when I was about that age . . . and we didn't know it was insensitive and hurtful; racism never occurred to us. Sis hadn't heard of the rhyme and wasn't sure what it even meant. We talked about the inherent worth and dignity of everybody and how talking about how people look or act or where they come from isn't respectful. We talked about what to do if people said such things that hurt her feelings, how she could say that wasn't nice or appropriate, walk away, and then tell an adult. As they always do, Sis nodded in understanding, and probably in some boredom, as did Bud when I repeated it all to him later.
I knew such things would eventually rear their ugly heads. Teasing, mocking, insults, tinged with racism, sexism, sizism, homophobia, are common on American playgrounds. I'm glad I got to talk to the kids before it was directed at them, though no doubt when the time comes it will still be painful. For now, they are mostly innocent of it all, untouched by some of the ugliness in our world.
Just like her candles, to paraphrase Willy Wonka, so shines a bright light in a weary world . . . .
But as we were enjoying our craft, I saw one little girl standing before the others and pulling at the corners of her eyes, "Chinese, Japanese . . ." and I knew where she was going. An old rhyme from childhood, that ended with the speaker pulling up her skirt and showing her underwear, but not before slanting her eyes up and down. "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees, look at these!"
I hurried over to the other side of the room, thankful that Sis was nowhere nearby, and sat the girls down for a talk. I told them that rhymes like that could hurt people's feelings because it made fun of them and the way they looked. I knew they didn't want to do that--I'm not sure they even realized what was wrong with pulling up and down on your eyes with a singsong verse. And I wasn't about to talk about racism and prejudice particularly; I just wanted them to be more sensitive and compassionate. They of course denied saying anything of the sort, as kids would, and then said they didn't even know that Sis was Chinese. And then they seemed to feel bad.
On the way home, I had to talk to Sis about it because if girls are reciting this in Daisies, no doubt it's spreading around school. I remember it going around my school when I was about that age . . . and we didn't know it was insensitive and hurtful; racism never occurred to us. Sis hadn't heard of the rhyme and wasn't sure what it even meant. We talked about the inherent worth and dignity of everybody and how talking about how people look or act or where they come from isn't respectful. We talked about what to do if people said such things that hurt her feelings, how she could say that wasn't nice or appropriate, walk away, and then tell an adult. As they always do, Sis nodded in understanding, and probably in some boredom, as did Bud when I repeated it all to him later.
I knew such things would eventually rear their ugly heads. Teasing, mocking, insults, tinged with racism, sexism, sizism, homophobia, are common on American playgrounds. I'm glad I got to talk to the kids before it was directed at them, though no doubt when the time comes it will still be painful. For now, they are mostly innocent of it all, untouched by some of the ugliness in our world.
Just like her candles, to paraphrase Willy Wonka, so shines a bright light in a weary world . . . .
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Poetry Jam: Jammin' at School
I was invited to read poetry at school today, even though poetry month ended yesterday. The class was amazing--attentive and engaged through 25 whole minutes of verse! Choosing from the Random House Book of Poetry for Children and The 20th-Century Children's Poetry Treasury, I started with rain poems because it's raining here today (we've already gotten more than an inch, which is a lot for us), then did some spring poems and one about the wind. And back to rain. I did a few about school, particularly recess, and ended with several from Jack Prelutsky's Awful Ogre Running Wild. I gave out Dr. Seuss bookmarks for everyone and topped the whole thing with lunch with Mama and the kids in the cafeteria.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Good Reads
More than once in the last few days, people with young elementary school kids in their lives have asked me for book ideas, for what Bud and Sis like. It gave me the chance to think, to list even, the books we've explored and those we hope to read soon. We rely predominantly on suggestions from our local public and school librarians as well as friends and the wonderful Chinaberry catalog. Also, the lists (and here) of Jim Trelease, in both his fantastic Read-Aloud Handbook and companion website, are invaluable and include older, out of print, and less well-known titles, as well as all the classics. The list also levels the books, give suggestions for similar books, and has advisories for advanced listeners or tough subject matter.
I like listing the books we've read, not only because I can share it but also so I remember. Recently, I've been thinking on my favorite childhood books, remembering weekly visits to the school library. By far, my favorite choices were from the Childhood of Famous American series, the name of which I'd forgotten until recently. I did remember, however, years of reading biographies of women--Juliette Low, Abigail Adams, Mary Todd Lincoln, Pocahontas, Louisa May Alcott, and so many others (always women, though)--with their block-colored illustrations and long lists of biographies in the front and back cover. I've only just rediscovered the series through a fortuitous on-line purchase of an early edition Juliette Low, Girl Scout by Helen Boyd Higgins. This is the book I got caught reading in math class after library one day, complete with illustrations and bio lists. It's fantastic! Other books that struck me, that I'm remembering these days, are the history of the Armenian genocide, The Road from Home, by David Kherdian, and a story whose title remains in my mind even if the plot doesn't, The Underside of the Leaf. Of course, I also loved Little Women, the Little House books, The Borrowers (which we're reading together now), Gone with the Wind, Encyclopedia Brown, Choose Your Own Adventure books, all of Judy Blume, much of Beverly Cleary, Shel Silverstein, and others I'll recall in re-reading them with the kids.
There are some books noticeably absent from our list: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants, the Big Nate series, and others. A mom at the book fair at school yesterday teased me that we need to come down off of Harry Potter and read about snot! I told her we just must not be a funny family. (In our defense, we like Stink and Junie B. Jones! And mine you, not everybody does--see this NYTimes's piece.) I'm not against any of those choices, but the kids won't choose them--they could have had any or all of the above at the fair yesterday but opted for a Star Wars graphic novel, several Flat Stanleys, a simple version of The Dolphin Tail, a book on penguins, and Phineas and Ferb (yes, yes, lots of pop culture tie-ins, but there weren't many plain novels).
I'd love to see your lists--on your blog or in the comments (or a link to your post in the comments!)--to know what you enjoyed, what your children enjoyed. And yes, Shelley, I'll eventually set up an actual Good Reads account!
Note: * denotes favorites; list in no particular order or exhaustive of everything we've read--no assigned school titles were included; sorry I'm too lazy to link or even include authors.
Books They've Heard (read by us or on audiobook)
*Magic Tree House series
Magic School Bus series
The Borrowers
Junie B. Jones series
Judy Moody series
*Stink series
*The Water Horse
*The Candymakers
Ramona
Little House on the Prairie
Fantastic Mr. Fox
*Pippi Longstocking
Ivy and Bean series
Rip-Roaring Russell
*The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Boxcar Children series
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
The Giraffe, the Pelly, and Me
Dominic
Mary Poppins
101 Dalmatians
Sarah, Plain and Tall
The Penderwicks (one of the few we just gave up on, just too slow)
A to Z Mysteries series
The Stories Julian Tells
Wind in the Willows (another we gave up on for being too slow)
Secrets of Droon series
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (I quit reading this aloud, finding its stereotypes offensive)
The Reluctant Dragon
Chocolate Fever
*How to Eat Fried Worms
My Father's Dragon
Stuart Little (we finished it, but they really disliked it)
Books They've Read On Their Own
*Harry Potter books 1 & 2
*Nate the Great series
*Cam Jansen series
*Flat Stanley series (one of Sis's current favorites)
*Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
*How to Train Your Dragon series (Bud's current favorite)
*Dragon Slayers Academy series
*Charlotte's Web
*Mr. Popper's Penguins
Thea Stilton series (Sis gave up on these)
Geronimo Stilton series
Disney Fairies series (another of Sis's current favorites)
Unicorn Secret series
Dr. Seuss
*Elephant and Piggie series (it's best for K or early readers but an all-time favorite)
Books on Our List to Read or Listen to Soon (next 12-18 months or so)
Catwings series
The Dollshop Downstairs
Tumtum & Nutmeg
Sable
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Bless this Mouse
Matilda
James and the Giant Peach
Redwall series
Narnia series
The Littles
Minnie and Sophie
Lafcadio
The Iron Giant
Owls in the Family
Herbie Jones
Soup
The Stray
Because of Winn-Dixie
Stone Fox
Tales of Desperaux
Homer Price
Ida Early Comes over the Mountain
The Indian in the Cupboard
The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle
The Secret Garden
Anne of Green Gables
Tales from the Homeplace
books by E. Nesbit
Norse mythology
I like listing the books we've read, not only because I can share it but also so I remember. Recently, I've been thinking on my favorite childhood books, remembering weekly visits to the school library. By far, my favorite choices were from the Childhood of Famous American series, the name of which I'd forgotten until recently. I did remember, however, years of reading biographies of women--Juliette Low, Abigail Adams, Mary Todd Lincoln, Pocahontas, Louisa May Alcott, and so many others (always women, though)--with their block-colored illustrations and long lists of biographies in the front and back cover. I've only just rediscovered the series through a fortuitous on-line purchase of an early edition Juliette Low, Girl Scout by Helen Boyd Higgins. This is the book I got caught reading in math class after library one day, complete with illustrations and bio lists. It's fantastic! Other books that struck me, that I'm remembering these days, are the history of the Armenian genocide, The Road from Home, by David Kherdian, and a story whose title remains in my mind even if the plot doesn't, The Underside of the Leaf. Of course, I also loved Little Women, the Little House books, The Borrowers (which we're reading together now), Gone with the Wind, Encyclopedia Brown, Choose Your Own Adventure books, all of Judy Blume, much of Beverly Cleary, Shel Silverstein, and others I'll recall in re-reading them with the kids.
There are some books noticeably absent from our list: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants, the Big Nate series, and others. A mom at the book fair at school yesterday teased me that we need to come down off of Harry Potter and read about snot! I told her we just must not be a funny family. (In our defense, we like Stink and Junie B. Jones! And mine you, not everybody does--see this NYTimes's piece.) I'm not against any of those choices, but the kids won't choose them--they could have had any or all of the above at the fair yesterday but opted for a Star Wars graphic novel, several Flat Stanleys, a simple version of The Dolphin Tail, a book on penguins, and Phineas and Ferb (yes, yes, lots of pop culture tie-ins, but there weren't many plain novels).
I'd love to see your lists--on your blog or in the comments (or a link to your post in the comments!)--to know what you enjoyed, what your children enjoyed. And yes, Shelley, I'll eventually set up an actual Good Reads account!
Note: * denotes favorites; list in no particular order or exhaustive of everything we've read--no assigned school titles were included; sorry I'm too lazy to link or even include authors.
Books They've Heard (read by us or on audiobook)
*Magic Tree House series
Magic School Bus series
The Borrowers
Junie B. Jones series
Judy Moody series
*Stink series
*The Water Horse
*The Candymakers
Ramona
Little House on the Prairie
Fantastic Mr. Fox
*Pippi Longstocking
Ivy and Bean series
Rip-Roaring Russell
*The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Boxcar Children series
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
The Giraffe, the Pelly, and Me
Dominic
Mary Poppins
101 Dalmatians
Sarah, Plain and Tall
The Penderwicks (one of the few we just gave up on, just too slow)
A to Z Mysteries series
The Stories Julian Tells
Wind in the Willows (another we gave up on for being too slow)
Secrets of Droon series
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (I quit reading this aloud, finding its stereotypes offensive)
The Reluctant Dragon
Chocolate Fever
*How to Eat Fried Worms
My Father's Dragon
Stuart Little (we finished it, but they really disliked it)
Books They've Read On Their Own
*Harry Potter books 1 & 2
*Nate the Great series
*Cam Jansen series
*Flat Stanley series (one of Sis's current favorites)
*Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
*How to Train Your Dragon series (Bud's current favorite)
*Dragon Slayers Academy series
*Charlotte's Web
*Mr. Popper's Penguins
Thea Stilton series (Sis gave up on these)
Geronimo Stilton series
Disney Fairies series (another of Sis's current favorites)
Unicorn Secret series
Dr. Seuss
*Elephant and Piggie series (it's best for K or early readers but an all-time favorite)
Books on Our List to Read or Listen to Soon (next 12-18 months or so)
Catwings series
The Dollshop Downstairs
Tumtum & Nutmeg
Sable
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Bless this Mouse
Matilda
James and the Giant Peach
Redwall series
Narnia series
The Littles
Minnie and Sophie
Lafcadio
The Iron Giant
Owls in the Family
Herbie Jones
Soup
The Stray
Because of Winn-Dixie
Stone Fox
Tales of Desperaux
Homer Price
Ida Early Comes over the Mountain
The Indian in the Cupboard
The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle
The Secret Garden
Anne of Green Gables
Tales from the Homeplace
books by E. Nesbit
Norse mythology
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Super Wednesday
The polls are closed and the results are in: the extended Hungry clan believes the Groundhog will see his shadow tomorrow!
Yep, Sis and Bud had a fun homework assignment to poll family members about what they thought would happen tomorrow with the groundhog. While Mama, Sis, Bud, Ma, Gommie, Goo, and I believe there will be six more weeks of winter, Pop and Gong and Aunt Banana are optimists that spring is on the way.
Thanks for helping with their homework! Stay tuned tomorrow to see what happens.
By the way, Bud doesn't believe the groundhog can predict the weather because the prediction seems backwards (sun + shadow = winter vs. cloud - shadow = spring). Sis, however, believes the groundhog does actually foretell the future with his shadow. At some point, the groundhog is as accurate as our local meteorologists, so who's to say?
Yep, Sis and Bud had a fun homework assignment to poll family members about what they thought would happen tomorrow with the groundhog. While Mama, Sis, Bud, Ma, Gommie, Goo, and I believe there will be six more weeks of winter, Pop and Gong and Aunt Banana are optimists that spring is on the way.
Thanks for helping with their homework! Stay tuned tomorrow to see what happens.
By the way, Bud doesn't believe the groundhog can predict the weather because the prediction seems backwards (sun + shadow = winter vs. cloud - shadow = spring). Sis, however, believes the groundhog does actually foretell the future with his shadow. At some point, the groundhog is as accurate as our local meteorologists, so who's to say?
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Not "My Plate"
Prominently displayed on the corporate food service brochure was the new USDA "My Plate," the government's updated food pyramid. "My Plate" prominently displays 50% fruits and vegetables to 25% each grains and proteins. So, hoping this company practiced what they preached, I looked over the weekly menus:
- Grilled cheese, tater tots, and pears
- Pizza, fries, and fruit cup
- Nachos with meat and cheese with corn
Hmmmm, I haven't had elementary math in a long time but those school lunches just don't add up. Especially if you don't count corn as a vegetable!
And that's saying nothing about how it's all overly processed, preservative- and salt-laden, canned or frozen not fresh food.
But I know from experience that the kids would probably love it. Because I loved school lunch. Cheesy, salty, carbs, dessert! But that was long before people really talked about or understood seasonal, local, fresh, organic. And I am not so simple that I would say school lunch made me fat; mainly because I gained most of my weight after 12 years of public school lunch. Though, it might have contributed to my poor food habits.
Suffice it to say, I'm not jazzed about school lunch, almost more from the chemicals than the calories. But I also don't want to make that cafeteria tray the Holy Grail. So, with gentle prodding from Mama Hungry, whose small Catholic school didn't even have food service except on hot dog Fridays (it was NY after all--and the fish requirement, though culturally still prevalent, officially went out with Vatican II, as I understand it), I've relented and they can have school lunch occasionally, pre-approved. Though, secretly I'm hoping they'll run back to my homemade lunches. Even if I know better.
We did, however, have a great conversation about food this morning. They like to hear the story about why I became a vegetarian, as if it were a family fairy tale. They don't remember my eating meat, even though I've only been veg for 4 years. And so Bud was talking about wonton soup and I agreed that it was good, "How do you know, Mom? The dumplings have meatballs." And I reminded him that I used to eat meat.
"Why not now?"
Once upon a time . . . And so I told them again that I didn't like the idea of eating dead animals. They followed along that eggs, milk, and honey were okay to me because the animals didn't die. And then I told them that even though they ate meat, we tried to choose the happiest chicken and cows who ate the best food and lived the best lives and died the best way.
"And the food at school is made from unhappy cows!"
As Gommie commented later on the phone, "You'll probably need to put some money in the therapy jar."*
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The "therapy jar" was an early, entertaining concept Mama and I originated. Every time we did something we figured would screw up the kids somehow, we said we needed to put money away for their future therapists.
I think, if we'd been diligent, we'd have enough saved for college (and therapy) by now!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Homework!
For me, not for them. Just the usual forms.
They had a good day. And, for once, were game to tell us about it. They went to music, did centers, had snack, had a visit from their kindergarten teachers and the principal, ate in the cafeteria with their friends, kept their crayons in their desks, played inside because recess was rained out.
And brought me homework, laughing hysterically about it.
They had a good day. And, for once, were game to tell us about it. They went to music, did centers, had snack, had a visit from their kindergarten teachers and the principal, ate in the cafeteria with their friends, kept their crayons in their desks, played inside because recess was rained out.
And brought me homework, laughing hysterically about it.
First Part of the First Day of First Grade
The kids were up at 6 something, as were we. We managed to get everything done, calmly, orderly--school uniforms on, yummy warm oatmeal breakfast, big blue school backpacks filled with snack, lunch, crayon box, summer homework, and bus form--and they got extra time to play. They're scared they won't ever play again. "Mom," Bud asked, "will we be home for dinner?" I think he thought "full day" meant dawn to dusk. Poor dear, no wonder he's been a little sad about going to school; both of them, actually.
As usual, I made a special first day of school poster, which we used for the traditional school photos. We also opened our schultüte, which are "school cones" that we fill with little gifts. This year, there were personalized penguin and bunny name labels as well as a coupon book to be used on such things as extra DS time, an outing for ice cream, or 15 minutes all alone with a parent.
We were outside, in the drizzly rain, with more than enough time for the big, long, yellow bus, with all the older kids on it. And then it was here and they got on, so small in their front row seats that you could barely see them. Of course, being twins, they sat in separate seats! Across from each other.
Of course, that wasn't the end of the morning. We had asked them if they wanted to ride the bus or have us walk them in. Yes. Both. So, being the parents we are, we did both, hopping in the car and driving to school, where we got there before they did and met them to walk them inside. They didn't really need us, though. We just tagged along, took pictures of them at their desks (desks! They've got their own big kid, first grade desks! Complete with little signs for their names, with lots of info such as left/right, a rule, and such on it). Said hi to the teacher, did our family ritual goodbye "beep," and left.
And that was the end of the morning. The first of many . . . .
Monday, September 5, 2011
Countdown
10. Eat pot pie dinner.
9. Put homework (PTA provides supplies) in backpacks.
8. Take bath and wash hair.
7. Set out clothes for tomorrow.
6. Regular bedtime ritual--stories, SQUIRT, lights out. Kids are done; moms' turns . . . .
5. Pack non-perishables in lunch, with tomorrow's special note.
4. Put together schultute gifts.
3. Make "first day of first grade" poster.
2. Set alarm clocks. Early.
1. Try to get a good night's sleep.
SCHOOL DAY!!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Things to Do For School
1. Bus route--checked; unfortunately, none of their bus pals from last year are on their bus this year
2. Homework--finished, though I actually thought I'd thrown it away for about 3 days. Talk about panic.
3. Bedtime and wake up shifted--oh, no, not yet. In fact, it seems to be going the wrong way.
4. Morning routine chart--all in my mind. Wondering what time the bus will be here.
5. Uniforms--last year's have been tried on and still fit! They just need a freshening wash.
6. Breakfast options--tested, but they didn't like any of the options.
7. Central location for backpacks--probably the same as last year, which is wherever they drop them.
8. Sign reminding everyone what to take--we'll make this once we know what day library is
9. Lunch ideas--oh, I have lots of ideas, but none of them will be eaten, I'm sure. At least we have the little Laptop Lunch boxes.
10. Snack ideas--ditto.
11. Notes for lunches--have the notecards and stamps.
12. Schultute and good luck poster for first day of school--Mama was getting the little school gifts today but the kids wanted to go with her to the store. Who wants to bet they come home with Legos?
14. Homework chart--waiting to see what the assignments look like; they'll have about 15 minutes of homework a night (only M-Th), by BoE policy.
15. Bedtime routine chart--pretty sure we'll need to move bedtime, but the routine will be the same, with lots of reading and SQUIRT time.
16. Email to the teacher--I like to email the teachers in advance to say hi. And tell them that the kiddos have two mommies. Don't want any weird surprises the first day of school.
That'll keep me busy for 10 days. Especially because I didn't mention any of the fun things we want to do.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
First Grade: A Preview
After a week of Bud being in camp for a full day, and in planning for Sis's turn starting Monday, we have a glimpse of what full-day first grade will be like.
- They are going to be exhausted after being gone from home for 8 hours, including bus ride. In fact, I've been told they'll probably be tired the first month.
- And with that tiredness will come grumpiness, restlessness, argumentativeness, and poor choices.
- And an unwillingness to get up in the morning and go, even if they love it. Exhaustion is just hard to overcome. Plus, we're going to have to streamline the morning routine, as they'll have to be out of the house and at the bus stop almost 20+ minutes earlier than in times past.
- They're going to miss play time. Bud essentially came home with Mama, ate, and got ready for bed, with a little bit of downtime. During the school year, they'll be home around 4, with homework, dinner, and bath before stories and bed around 7:30. Which doesn't leave much time to play. Especially when compared to the 6+ hours a day they got in kindergarten. This will probably be the hardest part for them.
- Which means we'll probably change bedtime to closer to 8 p.m. If they sleep in 'til around 7 am, that's still the recommended 10-11 hours a night, even if they don't fall asleep right away.
- Homework timing: homework was already a probably in kindergarten, though it was only one small packet once a week (or one sheet a day, depending on how you wanted to it). I don't know if it'll be best to do homework right away when they get home, as some families do, or give them a break from the day and do homework later . . . but having to pull them away from playing might just be too much.
- Lunch. I'm going to have to come up with more and better lunch options. I don't like the menu of the school hot lunches--tater tots, hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza--all the horrible crap you read about in news reports about childhood obesity and poor food choices. Besides, neither of my kids really likes those choices. But they can't have deli ham and crackers, or just fruit, everyday.
- As for their being in the same classroom all day, sharing teacher, classmates, and assignments, I'm sure they'll do the usual twin thing: they'll love it and they'll hate it!
I have, however, identified some up-sides to having them in the same class for me:
- Between the two of them, I should get a better picture of what they do all day, something I didn't get in kindergarten (especially after being spoiled with the daily updates from the teachers in preschool).
- I'll have fewer projects, deadlines, events, etc to remember. A couple of times this year, Sis and Bud's homework packets got switched and we didn't know whose was whose. Next year, they'll be the same!
- And I won't have to divide my time between two classes. I can go to one book sale, one walk-a-thon, one gingerbread-decorating party, without running back and forth. I can also focus all my volunteer time in one class, which gives each child more time. And less opportunities to be jealous that I'm in the other class.
But let's not get too ahead of ourselves; we still have 6 weeks of summer.
Friday, June 24, 2011
At the End of the Day*
. . . they're another year older!
Yep, school is out!
Summer has begun!
And so what are they doing right now?
Yep.
Playing school.
Meanwhile, I'm upstairs having my own little cry because school is out--I can't believe Bud and Sis are first graders, almost six years old! I loved (trusted, was supported by, was inspired by) their teachers and will miss them next year (just like I missed the preschool teachers at the end of last year). And the kids will be in school full day, which seems so strange. But it's official: they're in the same class, which should then loop to second grade together. On the downside, I'm worried that I ended the year the way I started it, on my back (well, I'm further along than I was in early September!), and have concerns about being fun Mommy (or even capable Mommy, since I can't drive yet--I'm told sitting and driving is really hard on the back) this summer . . . and so am outsourcing a lot of my role. Nothing a good crying jag won't relieve. But better the change be hard for me than for them.
Happy first day of summer!
(really, I'm happy. In that weird conflicted happy way, which I remember well from last days of school of my childhood, 'cos I really always liked school.)
-=-=-=-=-=
*Are you catching all these Les Mis references? First "One Day More," and now "At the End of the Day." Sure, it has nothing to do with school, but it fits . . . .
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