Sunday This and That

I’ve been in a fog since Christmas. I know the New Year has come and gone. I know that I should have hit the ground running with resolutions, new schedules, and new habits, but the only thing I seem to have formed a habit with is meandering to and from one project to another.

Last week, while I was still trying to recover from being confined to quarters for an entire week while my beloved Atlanta dug out from the snow and ice I felt a little reprieve from the things I knew I must see to – the items I need to get to Goodwill, tax documents, receipts to enter, writing projects to work on and complete – but last week was different. Things were back to normal, and I was still wandering about bumping into thing after thing all needing more than a modicum of attention.

Then it hit me. January is always a foggy time for me. The let-down after the holidays, the starkness of the house after decorations have been put away, the damned cold cutting through me like a knife…..all of that and more just does me in.

I finally admitted to myself that I had failed once again to hit the ground running as the new year began, and I surrendered.

That’s when I decided to cut myself some slack and just get over myself.   I’d pick up steam this week and by the time February gets here I’ll hit the ground walking at a brisk pace.

One of my New Year resolutions had to do with regular blogging….getting back to it….at least three times a week. We will see. Here is post number one….a little mish-mash of this and that.

Well, I’m counting it as number one at any rate.

Have you found the site Rating Historical Fiction yet? The tagline over there states “Reviews of social studies resources by teachers and librarians to help identify the best books for students”. Recent book reviews include Fever, 1793 and The Watsons Go to Birmingham.

How many of you saw the media blast regarding Fed Up With School Lunch? You can find out more about Mrs. Q and her efforts here at her FAQ page.

I continually get these emails letting me know History Is Elementary has been included on one list or another…..Seriously, I do appreciate the links and these lists always alert me to other blogs I might have missed.  

History Is Elementary is listed 26 in Top 50 Blogs by Elementary Educators and in the list, 100 Seriously Cool Classroom Blogs for Teaching Ideas & Inspiration as well as Amazing Blogs for Elementary Educators.

Do you know about “Disunion”?   The New York Times is hosting the series in their online opinion section. “The series, which will have an open-ended run, tells the story of the Civil War using both historical perspectives and contemporary accounts. Rich in voices, themes, and appearance, the series makes use of maps, portraits, engravings, diaries, and timelines in its exploration of this important moment in American history. “

“The series is edited by George Kalogerakis and Clay Risen of The New York Times and will include weekly pieces written in the form of 1860-era blogs, along with several shorter posts on specific events, characters, and themes.”

Kevin Levin over at Civil War Memory has recently published a New York Times opinion piece regarding the recent black Confederate/4th grade history textbook controversy in Virginia.

You can access the piece following this link to Civil War Memory.  Make sure you read the comments at Kevin’s blog and at the New York Times site as well. Interesting stuff

And in case you missed it….

Here is a list of 25 Historic Technology Predictions from the past. Some of the entries might surprise you.

For example,

"In 1878 an Oxford professor by the name of Erasmus Wilson said, “When the Paris Exhibition [of 1878] closes, electric light will close with it and no more will be heard of it.” It’s also hard to believe in 1932 Albert Einstein said, “There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will.”

Well now. How about that?

Head on over and read through several more predictions.

Have a happy Monday!!!!