On the Reservation

I'm sure Native Americans would have something to say about this but my 1st period kids seemed to enjoy being put onto the reservation I created in the corner of the classroom.

Renaissance Debates

Lina, Brenda and David- our Magellans
Danny, Andrew, Faris and Amy- our Brunelleschis

Because we have so few days to teach the Renaissance, we kill about eight birds with one stone by having the kids take on the role of a Renaissance Man and prove why they are the greatest influence on modern society. So the kids for a day become William Shakespeare, Fillipo Brunelleschi, Johann Gutenberg, Leonardo da vinci, Michelangelo and Ferdinand Magellan. The students are divided up into debate teams (they pick who can debate 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) and they try to prove to me why they are the greatest person of the Renaissance. I've read biographies about all these men and let's just say some of the things that I heard in this debate are far cries from what they might actually say. Read on for more entertainment.

"If you didn't have the lantern, you couldn't go camping!"
- Andrew, as Brunelleschi


"What would happen if there was no gas in your helicopter- which I inveted. Well, I invented the parachute too so you wouldn't die."
-Geo as da Vinci


"Why am I the greatest person of the Renaissance? Um, because I'm cool."
-Manny, as Magellan

"I made it easier to send letters to peoeple who were in a war."
-Nick, as Gutenberg (although no mention of Gutenberg Bible.... hm....)

"You know, you look good with tape on your mouth!"
- debating got a little heated and I don't remember who said this but I did write it down :)

and probably my favorite (although I did almost fall off my chair I was laughing so hard at Andrew's quote...)

"I made it harder for people to make good art that's better than mine because i'm so good."
-Sean, as Michelangelo

Love it!

Clash of the Titans: Leonardos versus Gutenbergs


Tuyen, Andrew, Geo and Alyssa strategizing for the da Vincis

Ariel, Vu, Eli and Ana preparing to defend Gutenberg

Edgar, Jessica and Yanira- our Shakespeares

Did Michelangelo get his inspiration from the heavens? That's what Nick seems to be indicating, joined by Lydia, Jonathan and Dennis

Really Cool Lesson

So today with my seventh graders I did a lesson on the Black Death. "Sounds cheery!" as one of my students said. I really didn't spend any time at all on the Black Death last semester because we were running short on time but Catherine recommended this lesson so I thought I'd give it a try.

I passed out to each student a copy of the Graphic Novel, which is supplemental to the textbook. This portion of the graphic novel had only pictures, no words, and basically went through the story of the Black Death. It started with a picture of a trading ship coming in and then showed the rats transferring the fleas which bit the humans and started off the train of the Black Death. Later pictures showed more and more people coughing and dying, the bodies being taken away on carts drawn by men with skeleton masks on and ended with a picture of a town with rats overlooking it on a hill.

I partnered the students up and gave them a Sum It Up page. For each page of the graphic novel, there was a questions. The kids talked to their partner and then wrote their answer down in the appropriate Sum It Up box and then we shared out. The kids were FABULOUS! They came up with some great answers, some diverse answers and definitely some unique answers. One of the last few questions was why there was the nursery rhyme "ring around the rosies" and so I sang it for them in a very dramatic voice.

Ring around the Rosies
A Pocket Full of Posies
Ashes, Ashes,
We All Dall Down

Let's just say it totally creeped them out, especially when we discussed the meaning of each line and how it's not a fun game to play and dance to but it's got a very dark history. I told fourth period about this book I have called "Heavy Words Lightly Thrown" which basically digs into the history of a whole bunch of nursery rhymes (Little Jack Horner was a squatter and a thief, Ba Ba Black Sheep was a cry against taxation, etc.) and some of them (not the ones that I would have expected) asked me what the book was called so that they could read it! Some kids came up to me at the end of the period too and told me that they really enjoyed the lesson. Yes! That's what I like to hear!

Certainly a First

Last night I was night duty for the spring play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Let's not even get to the performance yet (which was probably the funniest thing that I had ever seen in my life...) but I'd like to repost here the letter that was passed out to all audience members because never before have I seen something so elaborate like this before. Usually when you go to a performance, someone comes up before it starts and says something like this: "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming tonight. Please make sure that all cell phones and pagers are turned off. No flash photography and please be aware that the performance is being taped. If you need to leave, please do so quietly as to not disrupt over audience members. Thank you and enjoy the show.

This is what we get....

Dear Audience Members,

In an effort to provide both the performers and the audience with an enjoyable performance experience, we offer these guidelines for audience behavior. By overseeing these guidelines, everyone contributes to the success of the show.

1. During the performance, it is important not to talk, sing along, or yell. Shouting a performer's name is inappropriate and will disturb the performer and others. Applause at the end of a musical selection or scene is appropriate and welcome.

2. We are professionally videotaping this performance. Please stay away from the stage area, all sound equipment and the videographer so that we can have the best possible copy of the show. If you are interested in purchasing a high-quality DVD of this production, please see Mrs. M after the show or send a note stating you'd like to purchase a DVD of the performance.

3. Please avoid walking in front of our video camera operator, who will be in the center aisle. If is important to attend the entire production out of respect for the efforts and dedication of all involved. If one must leave or enter while the show is in progress, lease do so only during the applause between selections and avoid the center aisle.

Finally, we deeply appreciate your attendance at our show. We understand that may people attend in support of a specific person or persons. Please remember that while your person may have completed his or her contribution, someone seated next to you could be listening intently for another special person's performance. Please help everyone enjoy all performances by respectfully adhering to the above guidelines.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Mrs. M and the Drama and Choir students.

Wow.

Again, wow.

I was pretty speechless, so let's get onto the performance. First of all, one of my students was up there and I have never heard him speak so much before. Good to know that his vocal chords work. Another one of my students was playing one of the "actors" and my goodness, was he not the best "moon" that I had ever seen. The other students were OK, but so many forgot their lines and confused the plot! I know the plot of a MSND pretty well and there were times when ever I was like "what?" So all in all, it was definitely a show to laugh at and get some amusement from. I'm seriously contemplating buying the DVd just for the dance that the actors did at the end. Best part of the entire show. Full stop.

Idiot

This is what happens when you go for a month without posting. You repost stories twice. So at least you get the proposal story two times. Good thing it's a good story.

By the way, here are a few more quotes from today.

Peter (repeating over and over again while trying to figure out a question on the Southern Literacy Test): Spell backwards, forwards. Spell backwards, forwards. Spell backwards, forwards. Stop laughing, Miss Yadlin!!!!

Sammie: R-squared P! Get it Miss Yadlin! R-squared P for Radical Republicans Plan! Do the math, woman!!!

Peter (again, struggling with the Southern Literary Test): This is harder than the CST!

me (as I'm checking over Yarely's Crusade paper): What does that mean? The Crusade lost. A Crusade can't lose. Go fix it.
Yarely goes and "fixes it"
me: This still doesn't make sense! Now you've written The Crusade French! What does that mean?
Yarely: Ooops, I erased the wrong word....

Coming up with their own plans...

So, there are several plans of Reconstruction. Lincoln had his 10% plan, Wade-Davis had their plans, Johnson had his plan and the Radical Republicans had their plan. And now, my students have their own plans. Here are a smattering of them, along with my sarcastic comments.

Jonathan: It would be better if we just forget the past and go on with the future.

my commentary: This sounds like the Oprah plan. Can't we all just forget the past.....!!!!

Briana L: Southerners shall be jailed if caught disrespecting African Americans.

my commentary: Don't you disrespect me! What's that from!!?! South Park maybe? We should call this the South Park plan.

Gaby: The southerners who rebelled should be left behind in all the planning until they agree with the plan.

my commentary: This is the either you're with us or you're on the outside looking in plan.

Briana C: When someone rebels, I would put them in jail. Also I would try to beat them to the punch.

my commentary: I THINK she means that she would try and make sure that the south doesn't rebel again by taking forward action but she needs to be aware that using a phrase like "beat them to the punch" can also mean physically beating them up. Which would take the plan in a whole 'nother direction...

Jackie: Execute KKK's, execute any lynchers kick the senate and governments that make unfair laws. Call a huge meeting for a compromise.

my commentary: Where do I begin? I'm a big fan of kicking the senate. Although does that meaning kicking the Hart Building in DC or the door of the Senate chambers in the capitol or kicking each individual member? And then I also like the huge meeting. Where will this meeting be held? In the entire state of Kansas? We might all fit there....

Denny: Southerners who rebel should be tried and if found guilty should be punished accordingly to their crime.

my commentary: What's the crime for leaving your country, starting a Civil War where over 600,000 people were killed and African Americans should be enslaved? 25-life?

Melissa: I think Southerners should be punished in the worst way possible.

my commentary: Again, what would that be? Tickle them until they squeal? Put them in a cage and poke them with a stick? Push them out on an airplane? I need specifics here!

Here's my favorite...

Good Ricardo's plan: All African Americans would be free. They will be able to vote. They will be treated with respect. Southerners who don't respect this will be shot (oh dear!). State should have new Confederates (wait, what?)

Bad Ricardo's Plan (is he schizophrenic? Multiple Personalities? Where did Bad Ricardo come from?): African Americans who do the smallest thing wrong will be shot. Some some Confederates but none black (I don't get this one). If an African American rebels, he/she shall be hung.

my commentary: Wow, I really have no words.

I love reading the stuff that their crazy minds come up with!

How Could I Forget....

...that a student proposed!! :)

OK, before you think it's scandalous or anything, here's the story.

I was teaching about European Feudalism and we were talking about how it was nice to be king or a lord, but not so much a peasant. I was also reminding them that they needed to stay on my good side because I was the queen of the classroom and I would be chosing who was going to be the king and the lords and knights and serfs during our Feudalism activity the following week. They were all trying to "flatter" me and I was telling them that it wasn't working and then one kid, Sean, who was sitting on the floor in the front of the room got a big grin on his face.

"I know how to be king!" He exclaimed, and then rolled up onto one knee in front of me and pretended to open a ring box.

Needless to say, the entire class and I cracked up. And Sean, for his effort, was given the position of knight for the activity.

Hey, there was NO way that I was actually going to make him king! That would be wwwwaaayyyy too awkward! :)