13 Things About A Very Historical Reindeer

Every year I sit through Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at least twice. I believe I actually enjoy watching it more as an adult than I ever did as a child mainly because I get more chances to see it than just the one time. This year Dear Hubby and I watch it all alone as our children think they are "too old" (22 and amost 15).

Here are 13 lines from the show followed by a few “did ya knows”:

1. Upon learning that the Island of Misfit Toys is only for toys Yukon Cornelius says to Hermey and Rudolph, “How do you like that? Even among misfits your’re misfits.”

2. King Moonraiser says, “A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child.” That's one reason why I never wanted to give my toys away.....I was afraid they would think I didn't love them.

3. Mrs. Donner after seeing Rudolph’s glowing nose for the first time, “We’ll simply have to overlook it. Donner responds, “How can you overlook that? His beak blinks like a blinking beacon.”

4. Santa says, “Great bouncing icebergs!”

5. Yukon Cornelius to Rudolph: Douse your nose and run like crazy!

6. Santa says, “How can I eat? That silly elf song is driving me crazy!” I always thought it was neat that something bothered Santa.

7. After returning from what looks to be a fatal fall from a cliff Yukon Cornelius states, “Did I ever tell you about bumbles? Bumbles bounce! The scene where he falls of the cliff was really traumatic for me as a child...I always forgot that he came walking back at the end.

8. Sam the Snowman says, “Meanwhile, the elves are bustling with activity. Christmas is over, but they still keep busy with lessons in elf improvement.” Gee, even elves have staff development.

9. The Head Elf to Hermey: “Now listen, you, you’re an elf and elves make toys. Now get to work.”

10. Sam, the Snowman says, “Like I said, the outside world is up to its ears in danger.”

11. Coach Comet tells all of the other reindeer, “From now on, gang, we won’t let Rudolph join in any reindeer games.”

12. Speaking to his dogs Yukon Cornelius says, “Whoa, Whoa. Unmush, will ya?”

13. ….and my personal favorite….Hermey says, “Well, someday I’d like to be a dentist!”

Did ya’ know…..
*Hermey is the only elf without pointed ears?
*When Santa’s sleigh finally takes off into the storm near the end of the film, it’s being pulled by SIX reindeer instead of eight, with Rudolph leading the way. Dear Hubby pointed this out to me the other night.
*Most of the singing and speaking cast were Canadian.
*Yukon Cornelius’ stalwart sled dogs include a beagle, a Scottie, a cocker spaniel, a poodle, and a chihuahua!
*After an outcry of protest insisting on a happy ending for the Misfit Toys, new scenes were animated depicting Santa’s sleigh rescuing them and finding homes for them all.
*When Yukon Cornelius throws his pic axe into the ground and takes it out and licks it, he’s checking neither for gold nor silver. The original concept for the special stated that Yukon was in fact searching for the elusive peppermint mine, which he found eventually.

Enjoy other Thursday Thirteens here

Wordless 51

Look at this picture very carefully. What do you notice about it?

View other Wordless Wednesdays here

My explantation for last week’s fish can be found in my post All Hail the Sacred Cod.

Today's Topics: Blisters and Christmas Trees

The other day while I was waiting for students to complete an assignment I noticed one particular little girl had removed her shoes.

I made a big circle around the rows of desks and as I passed the little girl I tapped her on the shoulder and said, “Can you put your shoes back on for me, please?”

She looked up and said, “Oh, Mrs. Elementaryhistoryteacher…..my feet hurt so bad. I’m wearing new shoes and they’ve rubbed a blister on both my heels.”

“Ouch!,” I said as I noticed the red puffy blister on each heel. I directed her to follow me to my desk where I gave her a Q-tip with Neosporin and two Band-Aids specifically for blisters. I mimicked with my own feet what she should do and sent her off to her desk again.

Once the class had finished we still had a few minutes remaining. Not wanting to waste a minute I first asked the little girl if she had done what I had asked and then told her she should find it easier to get her shoes back on. Then I asked the class if they would like to hear a little story that involved a blister and the National Christmas tree.

Of course everyone said they would……

You can read the rest of the story over at the American Presidents Blog.

What's Right With Public Education?

The state of Georgia is often the poor step-child when it comes to good news regarding education. I thought it was time to share some news regarding Georgia schools that are making great strides with test scores and innovative programs.

Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School is a Richmond County school that posts the highest SAT score for the state year after year. The Georgia Public Policy Foundation consistently names Davidson’s middle school program as the best in the state. Students who wish to attend Davidson must undergo an interview and maintain a B average. They spend much of their school day in dance, chorus, theater, and fine arts classes. “We try to nurture them from sixth grade on,” the principal, Vicky Addison says. “They get caught up in the culture of the school, which is to work hard and excel.” Addison believes the key to success for her students is their involvement in the arts. Students learn discipline early on; and they learn to juggle academics and the arts, which requires them to be organized.

I'm glad Richmond County offers this type of school in their district. I wish every Georgia county had a fine arts school, however, isn't the school already set up for success by admitting only students who have a B average or higher?

International Community School in Dekalb County is a charter school that has a very diverse population and many ELL students. After two years, most are passing the CRCT. It’s a feat that has earned the charter school national attention. This year, International Community School was named a Distinguished Title I School for its success in closing the achievement gap between students with limited English and their American-born classmates. A program called “Parents as Teachers”, small classes, an assistant in every room, and a no grades policy (since many of the clients/parents would not understand them) are just some of the things that point the way to their success per the educators at the school. Instead of issuing grade reports parents and teachers meet to go over the standards and teachers report if the student has met or exceeded the standard. They also suggests strategies to help the child master the standard if they are behind. A Saturday school program was started last year with four Afghan girls whose siblings attended the school. Now students bring parents, grandparents, brothers, and sisters for two hours of intensive instruction.

It seem that the success this school has had speaks volumes regarding what can be done with parent enthusiasm and involvement. When our grade offered Saturday school two years ago less than ten kids showed up and parents merely dropped them off and then arrived 15 to 30 minutes after the appointed time to pick them up.

Tyrone Elementary School is in a middle class suburb of Atlanta, and many of the parents are educated. It’s also a small school with only 350 students. An average elementary school in Atlanta’s suburbs generally contains at least 500-600 students and some have as many as 1000. The staff completed a book study with the book Whatever It Takes. After reading the book fifth-grade teachers opened the computer lab up before school so students who arrived early could practice math problems. First-grade teachers divided students into reading groups based on their reading skill. By doing so struggling students received more time and attention. Art and music teachers did whatever it took to give students who needed it help in other areas. The staff developed a school creed that students recite every day; I will be responsible, respectful, safe and ready to learn. All third graders at TES passed the state mandated test and only three of the fifth graders had a problem passing the gateway test.

Whatever it takes……..The passing rate for their third and fifth graders is something to brag about. The number of students who don’t meet the requirements are generally much higher across the state.

Hahira Middle School in Lowndes County also was named a Georgia School of Excellence this year, not for overall test scores but for making the greatest, continuous gains. “To be great, your expectations have to be extremely high,” says Principal Kip McLeod. “Our school is about rigor, relevance and relationships.” If you work for Mr. McLeod you are expected to make your classroom environment tough and to make sure what you are teaching is relevant for life. Most of all teachers need to make sure students know they care. McLeod states, “We feel like we can build relationships with our kids.”

Through the “Pride Power” program, teachers give tickets for passing classes, putting forth an extra effort and other small accomplishments. Every nine weeks, students can cash in their points for iPods, skateboards, movie passes and other goodies. “Give a kid an iPod, and they’ll do just about anything for it,” McLeod says. Through business partners teachers receive steak dinners twice a year. The school employs Saturday school and extended hours during the week

If we could only get the kids motivated without the prizes…..however, I love the part concerning building relationships. It’s important for all students, but it is essential for those students who have chronic motivation and behaviorial issues.

So, now I put it to you....What do you think about these schools? Please share something your school or district is doing that has been successful.

Please click through and read the entire Georgia Trend article here.

(The picture with this post is the sidewalk at Eastern Elementary School in Red Oak, Georgia. I walked down that sidewalk each day of elementary school from first through seventh grades.)

All Hail the Sacred Cod of Massachusetts

I was somewhat amazed that I didn’t have someone guess the identity of the sacred fish I served up as my wordless entry last week. The identity of the fish is something I have shared with students over the years once we begin our discussion regarding the 13 colonies. In the past students have identified three colonial regions being the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. We examine each region and discuss how the natural environment played a part in their early economies, and this is where the fish comes in.

This week’s wordless image is known as The Sacred Cod of Massachusetts and hangs in their State House. There is much pomp and circumstance regarding the sacred fish. It hangs above the entrance to the room with legislators meet, and it can be seen clearly from the visitors’ gallery. The Speaker of the House faces the cod as he address the body of legislators during their law-making sessions. The fish is always headed in the direction of whichever side of the aisle has the most members and is therefore in power.

The current fish was placed in the State House in response to a suggestion by John Rowe on March 17, 1784. When the lawmaking body moved to a new State House bulding in 1798 the fish made the move as well. Even though the cod has had a place of importance in the State House I find it interesting that the lawmaking body didn’t vote until 1974 to name the cod as Massachusetts’ state fish.

Why a cod? The fish symbolizes how important cod fishing was to the early settlers and later citizens of Massachusetts. It is considered to be an ancient symbol of prosperity for the people of the state.

The five foot long cod that currently hangs in the State House is carved from pine and is the third one known to exist. The first sacred cod was destroyed in a fire in 1747, the second during the Revolutionary War.

In a story that comes straight out of the movie Animal House the Sacred Cod was actually stolen by some staff members of the Harvard Lampoon in 1933. The missing cod sparked a statewide search for the sacred fish that is hilariously recounted here.

Weekend Reading Assignment

The weather guy this morning said the temp today would reach up to at least 70 today. For those of you who don’t know it isn’t supposed to be 70 in Atlanta during December….far from it.

We are in the midst of home renovations…the kind that takes years instead of months for some crazy reason. At any rate new floors are down in the kitchen, dining and living rooms, new appliances have been installed in the kitchen, and I have too many decisions to make regarding lamps and window coverings. Yes, I know things could be worse.

We did manage to get our tree up this week. If you will remember we were painting last year, and for other reasons I simply didn’t feel like putting up a tree last year. It’s nice to reconnect to all of the different ornaments again.

Without further ado…..This week’s weekend reading assignment:

Lessons on how MySpace and Blogger should not be used are evident in this news story along with some of the fallout here and here. The supposed blog by the mother, Lori Drew, who tricked Megan Meier, is found here. The comments are lengthy but are interesting.

Carnivals abound this weekend…..one of the Christian Carnivals can be found over at Beyond the Rim. They were nice enough to include a post of mine regarding being dead or alive.

The Carnival of Education can be found over at So You Want to Teach? The postings I enjoyed the most from the carnival were Birthday Girl from Bluebird’s Classroom and Celeste Archer’s plea from the Schools For Tomorrow Blog. My own posting in the carnival regarding a dream teaching assignment hasn’t garnered anymore comments than what were already there. Could it be educators see a dream assignment as something so elusive they can’t even fathom one?

Once again I missed the Potluck Carnival over at Ms. Whatsit. It’s not to late to snag some holiday recipes and while you’re over there tune in to some of her other postings.

The Georgia Carnival is being hosted by Drifting Through the Grift. Head on over and see what Georgia bloggers have to offer. It’s hard for me to believe this carnival will celebrate its first birthday after the first of the year. Time does fly.

Under the category botched history…..There’s a reason why I don’t watch The View other than the fact I’m busy during that time…Sherri Shepard asserts Jesus Christ came before the Greek Civilization. Huh?

Finally, make sure you actually read all of Mitt Romney’s speech regarding religion and government given earlier this week before you form an opinion. Here's the Good Morning America page with links.

An Ending or a Preview

Last week I shared with you an unfinished painting for my wordless image. It was begun by Benjamin West (pictured left) who was born in Pennsylvania in 1738. His most formal lesson as a boy regarding painting was at the hand of local Native Americans who taught him how to mix paint using clay and bear grease. By 1763 he had traveled to England where he became one of the leaders of the Royal Academy even though he had no formal art training and couldn’t spell very well either. Once in England West began to work on several commissioned works at the request of King George III. Though West left the colonies before the American Revolution he did have strong connections there. He had been named for Benjamin Franklin, was a great friend of his, and had painted a portrait of him.

I usually end my American Revolution unit by showing students the unfinished work of West, and I tell them the purpose of the painting was to memorialize the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1783). I ask students to think for few minutes and based on what they have learned write a few sentences in their notebooks regarding why they think the painting is unfinished.

It’s so easy to present content to students regarding a war and tie it all up in a nice little bow by telling them Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, the British sailed home, the Treaty of Paris was signed, and then BAM…..we move on to the formation of American government.

It just wasn’t that simple.

Generally the British were not that happy with the surrender, and anti-American sentiment was high. True, British citizens were tired of war, but they didn’t like loosing either. Negotiations for the treaty went on for sometime. Benjamin Franklin and his group of negotiators held firm regarding the independence of America and that the British nation should formally recognize it. Some historians have stated that the actions of the American negotiators are the greatest triumph to date of American diplomacy. However, it must be noted that the treaty was only a stop gap measure and many problems remained between the two nations until the signing of the Jay Treaty or Treaty of London in 1794.

In the painting from left to right we see John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin, the grandson of Benjamin Franklin. Yes, I’m aware that he resembles George Washington in the painting. My students usually pick up on this as well. Of course we know that Washington was not part of the negotiations. He was busy doing other things.

The team of Jay, Adams, and Franklin did the majority of the negotiations. Henry Laurens, former president of the Continental Congress, was one of the Peace Commissioners, but he didn’t sign the primary treaty. He did serve an important purpose involving a second agreement that involved the Netherlands and Spain. Laurens (picture at left) who hailed from South Carolina was a major planter and slave holder. Ironically his former business partner in the slave trade, Richard Oswald, was the leader of the British delegation. Laurens’ son, John, was an aide-de-camp for George Washington and was known for several brave exploits during the American Revolution. He also petitioned for the inclusion of slaves into the Continental force in return for their freedom. Georgia’s Laurens County is named for John Laurens. I have detailed bits of his life over at Georgia on My Mind.

The unfinished section of the painting was for the British delegation, but they refused to sit for Mr. West. Their disdain and outright hatred for the Americans kept them from consenting to become immortalized for all time. Many of my students connect to the many disagreements they have with their friends and realize the British really knew how to hold a grudge. Their refusal to sit for the painting is a powerful symbol for students, and serves as a preview for problems ahead that eventually lead to the War of 1812.

By presenting this painting to students I provide a few details regarding peace negotions and press upon the fact that a peace treaty doesn’t mean that all issues are resolved. Some are ongoing and eventually lead to another war.

In Remembrance

Education Week: Digitized Video Sources Are Increasing

In a recent Education Week article titled Advent of Digital Video Triggers Shifts in School Market by Andrew Trotter( Vol.27, Issue 12, Page 10)) video is referred to as a core resource that can clarify concepts for today’s media-oriented children and draw them into their lessons. I strongly agree.

The article goes on to mention that many video providers are beginning to provide their materials online which saves them from shipping hassels plus serves the ever growing number of customers who want to view video streamed over the Internet.

One provider mentioned---Hot Chalk in partnership with NBC News---opened an an educator-friendly archive, with two-to five-minute video vignettes drawn from 70 years of archival coverage, organized by curriculum topic and augmented with extensive curriculum-planning resources. Per the article there are close to 130,000 teachers registered for a free trial that will end in January. After the first of the year the service will cost $1,999 annually per high school and $1,499 per elementary or middle school.

Last year I used United Streaming for many of my video clips. The thing I liked about the use of the videos online is digitization makes it easier for the videos to be segmented. They can be viewed from beginning to end or particular clips can be shown that meet your standard’s requirement. Often during a lesson where I was introducing new content I would alternate between a video clip, the text, and a map I might have drawn on the board to keep the flow of content moving. United Streaming along with many other video companies provide the capability to search their site based on particular state standards.

Mr. Trotter’s article goes on to state that education video sites are now including competancies and concepts to go along with the standards, lesson plans, and calendar functions.

The one thing educators have to be wary of is the type of video sources they use and the time-tested advice regarding watching a video or a clip completely through before showing it to students still applies.

A few free sources mentioned in the article are:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Geographic downloadable podcasts
Videos from Wildscreen, a British charity based on Bristol.
TeacherTube is a site that provides classroom content and teacher-training resources

My articles regardings video use can be found here.
My article regarding a lesson involving Dr. King’s birthday using United Streaming can be found here.

13 Weblinks to Remember Pearl Harbor

Friday, of course, is December 7th….a date which has sucessfully lived in infamy. Here are 13 links to remember, honor, and learn from:

1. The Story of the Recovered Engagement Ring

2. Pearl Harbor Survivor Stories

3. National Geographic's Remembering Pearl Harbor

4. National Geographic's USS Arizona information

5. My Story From Pearl Harbor...a lesson plan from Scholastic (with links)

6. USS Utah page (put together by a survivor)

7. BBC News: On This Day

8. Time Magazine's Pearl Harbor Story

9. A Sensored Pearl Harbor Story....64 Years Later

10. Japanese Americans in Hawaii Tell Their Story

11. Stories of Sacrifice: Pearl Harbor

12. Palomar College's Digitizing Survivor Stories Project

13. The Pearl Harbor Deception

Read other Thursday Thirteen lists here.

The picture with this post is the USS Arizona memorial.

Wordless 50

Many people think this fish is sacred? Do you know why?

Join in on the Wordless Wednesday fun!

A Three-fer of Tuesday Thoughts

Growing up the only male in my home was my father, so when my sister got married it was a bit traumatic. It was a bit traumatic for my brother-in-law as well. My father was used to the drama, but my dear brother-in-law wasn’t. Somehow we all managed to get through the bad times as well as the good, and he and sister dear are still married after almost 30 years (one month to go) of marriage. Today is my brother-in-law’s birthday, and I wanted to give him his 15 minutes of fame. He’s a great father, husband, and brother. He works hard and deserves every bit of pleasure he desires. I don’t know how he does it but while the rest of us continually show more of our age, he just gets better looking each year. Wow, I can’t wait until he’s 85! Happy Birthday!

Ever wonder how I might handle students closing in on my at me desk? Ever wonder about all those trees on the grounds of the White House? Ever wonder if my students try to impress with knowledge they come across? The answers to these questions can be found in my post All the President's Trees over at American Presidents.

Have you started addressing your Christmas cards yet? I'm hoping for a Bethlehem postmark.

Two Very Different Homecomings for Thanksgiving

When my son was younger my home and yard was generally full with other young men playing in the creek, shooting baskets, and eating my groceries. Many a Saturday morning found my husband and I winding through a maze of young male bodies shrouded in a various assortment of scrounged bedding on my living room floor. Two of those young boys who are brothers grew up to be fine young men who joined the U.S. Army after graduation. I've written about them before.

It was prayful relief Thanksgiving morning to walk into the embrace of the younger brother, Seth, and feel his now powerful arms and hands hug me. It’s funny how things change because those are the same arms and hands that would wipe away tears of anger when his older brother and my son would ban him from whatever activity they were engaged in. He would quietly come in the house and begin a video game or play with my daughter as she stood in the playpen waiting for attention. He never tattled, but I knew why he came inside. The same childish arms are now unrecognizable with large muscles and scary tatoos, but he’s earned them, and I will excuse almost anything from him.

When Seth left for Iraq we braced ourselves for what would be a long tour of duty. He’s in the infantry and would be living out in some of the most dangerous territories. During these long months I stopped listening to the news reports because it was just too much to bear. He’s home now. He’s safe. He will continue to serve his country along with his brother and sister-in-law. We are very proud of all three of them.

When I asked Seth if he thought his time in Iraq was well spent. He was very insistant that we are making a difference for good in that country. He told me that things had improved so much since he had first arrived.

Sadly I heard of a different homecoming for another soldier the same day. A nice young man I remember as a cute little boy gave the ultimate sacrifice for his county. Peter H. Burks was my brother-in-law’s cousin. Years ago when his family still lived in the Atlanta area I would often see him at family dinners at my sister’s home. I remember a cute and mannerable young man who had many things going for him.

Army 2nd Lt. Peter H. Burks died November 14th when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb just outside the Green Zone in Baghdad. Peter received shrapnel wounds to his head and died at the scene. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

In newspaper interviews Peter’s father, Alan Burks, stated, “He told me over and over and over again, he said: ‘Dad, my job is to get my 17 guys home safe…Then after that I’ll get myself home safe.’” Apparently Peter’s first words when the explosion occurred was to ask his men, “Are you OK?” Then he stated he was OK, but he wasn’t. According to the officers who were there, he was conscious for a short period of time.

Before joining the army Peter, who was 26, had graduated from Texas A & M University and worked for the Dallas Desperados arena football team and FC Dallas soccer in marketing. Feeling the need, as so many of our young people do to serve his country, he joined the army in 2006 and had been in Iraq three months.

When I Googled Peter’s name I was amazed at the number of links that already exist to various news stories and remembrance sites. This is the Stryker Brigade News site and it has numerous links to interviews with Peter’s parents and other sites as well. Another news article can be found here, and this is a blog that remembers fallen heroes.

I can’t imagine what Alan and Jackie, Peter’s parents, are going through. What do you say? How do you help at a time like this? Jackie summed it up pretty well in an interview when she stated, “The way I could hold on as a mother is because I have that relationship with Jesus Christ. Peter accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior as a child.” My thoughts are with Alan and Jackie and the rest of Peter's extended family.

Peter’s e-mails home were very thoughtful about our country and the current situation we find ourselves.

I’ll end this post with his words:

I really feel that our country is in a very pivotal time right now. The fact that so few people are really plugged in to what’s going on in the world and in our country really scares the crap out of me.

Do I still believe in America and what we are founded on and meant to stand for? Absolutely! I just want our country to be the best it can be and our people to be the best we can be.

I wonder......Can we all strive to achieve a fallen soldier's desire, or will the majority of us remain unplugged?

Thank you for visiting. My more current postings can be found here.

One Fact for Each of the 13 Colonies

If it’s November many fourth grade students in Georgia have been examining the 13 original colonies.

Here are some facts they have discovered:

1. New Hampshire-At one time this small colony was in dispute with New York regarding a particular territory west of the Connecticut River. Later the territory also known as the New Hampshire Grants would become Vermont following the American Revolution.

2. Massachusetts-Originally this colony was a Crown colony and was organized by William and Mary in 1691. Many do not realize but originally the province of Massachusetts included land all the way through what is today Maine.

3. Rhode Island-this colony’s charter set the territory apart from others because it granted freedom of religion for all Christians and Jews as well. Some historians think the name of the colony refers to its similarity in shape to the Greek island of Rhodes and Giovanni da Verrazzano had the honor of naming the province.

4. Connecticut-this plot of land was at one time known as River Colony. It was the site of one of the major wars with Native Americans....The Pequot War fought in 1637 and 1638.

5. New York-Before the British took over this colony it was already a very successful Dutch colony. New York City was originally known as New Amsterdam.

6. New Jersey-the settlement of a debt transferred one section of the colony from James, the Duke of York, to Sir George Carteret and another section to Lord Berkeley of Stratton. This is where the terms East Jersey and West Jersey come from.

7. Pennsylvania-William Penn received the territory known as “Penn’s Woods” because the monarchy owed him money. One other interesting fact is that by 1730 the colony had approximately 4,000 slaves. Fifty years later Pennsylvania would be one of the first colonies to issue an act of abolition.

8. Delaware-the actual ownership of this colony changed hands many times, but that didn’t stop it from being one of the most diverse colonies with people living there from Sweden, Finland, The Netherlands, France, and Britian.

9. Maryland-This colony’s capital city was named for Lord Baltimore who received a charter to create a haven for Catholics. Over the next few years the give and take regarding Catholicism in Britian determined the future ownership of the colony for some time.

10. Virginia-If Francis I of France had had his way the colony would have been known as Francesca or New France. Though Jamestown was the first successful British settlement in Virginia (1607) the French had actually claimed it earlier due to the exploration of Giovanni da Verrazzano. Basically, they let the British have the land and didn’t make a big issue of it at the time.

11. North Carolina-this territory originally included all of South Carolina and Georgia down to the boundary with Spanish controlled Florida.

12. South Carolina-Beginning in 1710 the proprietors of North Carolina could not reach an agreeement regarding governing issues so there was a split and South Carolina was born. Due to more disagreements and the Yamasee War (another Native American conflict) it would be 1729 before the two Carolinas would be formally established.

13. Georgia-Many don’t realize that a small strip of the last original colony stretched all the way west to the Pacific, and for all of its ties to slavery it actually began as a colony where slavery was not allowed.

Discover more 13’s here.

Wordless 49

Another unfinished painting this week. There is much to say here....do you know what I'll write about?

Discover other wordless images here and join in the fun!

Last week’s explanation can be found here.

What Is Your Dream Teaching Assignment?

Over the years I’ve joked many times with colleagues that things would be different when I’m the Queen of Education. I’ve been overheard saying things like the following:

“You know….when I’m the Queen of Education we are going to do something about respect in the classroom on behalf of teachers, parents, and students.”

“When I’m the Queen we’re going to kick inept teachers to the curb and not find them suddenly in a position of authority.”

“When I’m the Queen consistency will be the guideword, and there won’t be a hop, skip, and a jump from the greatest thing to the next greatest thing without true and various methods of measure than one standardized test score. If students are to be treated as unique individuals then we need more than one type of measure.”

Well, as time goes on it seems Prince Charles and I have more things in common than just grey hair, adult and nearly adult children. We may never reach our throne, and as far as I’m concerned that’s ok by me. My throne is already hot enough as it is…..

I still dream though and wonder about that elusive perfect teaching assignment. It would be an assignment where I had time to feel like I was really making a difference with students. It would be an assignment where my opinions matter and my years of service and education would be taken into account. It would be an assignment where my knowledge of content would be appreciated and creativity to inspire children would be cultivated.

One of my former colleagues….a person I miss very much….has been placed in a position of a dream assignment of sorts. After moving with her pastor husband to Virginia to take the pulpit in a new church she found herself suddenly responsible for 13 highschoolers in grades 9-12 at the private school the church runs. When my friend, who I will refer to as Mrs. S. from this point on, wrote me an email detailing her newly found position I asked her if I could share her exploits this year with you. She gladly consented. It’s not very often these days that you find a position with as much responsibility and opportunity for creativity as the one Mrs. S. has found herself in.

She states that with some creative scheduling and with the help of an assistant they are making things work. To make things a little easier for everyone Mrs. S. has decided all 9-12th graders will study American History this year. Her group has already been on field trips to Jamestown and Yorktown. In fact, the picture you see above is her students inside a Powatan canoe hollowed out from the trunk of a tree. I wish I could have gone on their trip. :(

Of course, Mrs. S. confesses there are pros and cons to her dream situation. It’s awfully easy to pack them up and take a trip since there are only 13 of them. Recently she returned to Georgia to her home church that also runs a school for a youth rally and brought all of her students with her. Here they all are posed in front of a monster truck.

She doesn’t have to deal with many of the environmental issues some of us do. One factor that is very different from students I have taught is all 13 of her students live with both biological parents. I don’t think I’ve ever had a situation like that. Many of my students live with grandparents.

One of the downsides is she’s with the same 13 young people all day long. They are with her all day long as well and with each other all day long. Since it is a church school this means they also are in the youth group together and all other church services. Mrs. S. states because of all of the togetherness she’s feeling so much closer to her students this year than any other….she’s not so sure that’s a good thing.

Most of Mrs. S.’s students were participants in a program called ACE where they all worked at their own pace. She states there was a little struggle at first as she encouraged a few to work a little faster. Their writing, Mrs. S. admits, needs much improvement, and I look forward to her sharing some of the achievements her young men and women make this year.

In case you think Mrs. S. really has it easy and all of her students are motivated and have high abilities she advises she does have some students with learning diabilities. I’m proud to say Mrs. S. is doing some research to discover strategies to help her young people succeed. Currently she is attempting to help one man with strategies for memorization including the spelling of certain words, Bible verses, and things like the Preamble. Mrs. S. states the education carnival can be a great help to teachers when they are researching ways to help students.

So, I hope to hear from Mrs. S. often so I can keep you advised of her one-room-schoolhouse type situation. Feel free to offer her any advice in the comments…believe me she will see it, and while you’re at it what would a dream teaching assignment be like for you?

Is there a perfect teaching assignment?

I’m In Love With My Lobie™

First of all let me begin this post by stating I rarely review a product on this site, but I have found something that has really helped me and I wanted to pass the word along. I am receiving no compensation for this review.

I love to listen to podcasts and videos when I’m online and last Christmas I finally joined the Ipod revolution with my own Ipod clip. There was one problem….all of these items come with ear buds that I absolutely hate. They don’t stay in my ears and after 15 minutes or so my ears are very sore.

A friend of mine passed the strange looking items you see in the picture, more commonly called Lobie™ to me, and after following the accompanying directions my ear buds were encased in the soft plastic forms and were ready to use. They can be used with any ear bud and can be sized to fit.

My ear bud problem has been solved! I get the same great sound with no pain or discomfort. You do loose some audio isolation with Lobie™ and you do loose some bass while listening to music, however, there are times when you are listening to an audio book or podcast when you need to hear what is going on around you. For example, when running on a busy street or sitting in a classroom where you might need to hear directions Lobie™ could be a perfect tool.

Many of the larger type headphones used in classrooms are being replaced by ear buds because the ear buds take up less room, and they attract less dust.

The Lobie™ product would be perfect to help students who complain with sore ears or for the student who is wary concerning inserting the ear buds into their ears. They are also totally washable and much easier to wipe down after each use than the larger bulky headphones commonly used in classrooms.

If you think you could benefit from the Lobie product visit their website here for more information.

You can even order directly from the site.

Thank you for visiting. My more current postings can be found here.

The Georgia Carnival Is Underway

Happy Friday!

The 23rd Georgia Carnival has been posted and can be found here..

My gold star award goes out to Facing the Sharks, this edition’s host, for the wonderful job of presenting all of the submissions.

Go on over visit for a spell! You just may find an interesting new blog you never noticed before.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m on a self-imposed posting holiday until Friday. I will be spending time with family and friends.

The painting I’ve presented here is by Norman Rockwell and was inspired along with three other paintings by Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Four Freedom’s speech.

The four paintings (you can see them here) were published in the Saturday Evening Post on February 20th, February 27th, March 6th, and March 13th in 1943.

The paintings raised over $130,000,000 in war bond sales when they toured around the country by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

If you are looking for Thanksgiving reading here are the titles of some of my former postings:

13 Thanksgiving Myths

What's All the Hubbub, Bub? All I Want Is Turkey, Family, and a Little Football

Squanto: A Coincidental Life, Part 1

Squanto: A Coincidental Life, Part 2

Taking the Time to Give Thanks

We have this wonderful opportunity at church each month for every Sunday school department to get together for a lesson, and of course, being Baptists the process involves food. We call it Breakfast Sunday.

Various folks volunteer or are volunteered to provide the lesson. This month’s lesson was given by one my most favorite volunteers as he generally provokes me to think. We even had a craft with our lesson which is evident by my picture with this post. We wrote things we were thankful for on feathers and then glued them to the turkey's body. It was nice to come home and place my Thankful Turkey on the fridge. Since my kids are 22 and 14 I haven’t had refrigerator art in some time.:) It’s supposed to be a turkey…..don’t make fun of it, please.

Our teacher’s lesson plan had an opening salvo that depended on everyone connecting to their prior knowledge of the Pilgrims, of course. Being an avid history reader, history reseacher, and history teacher I usually try…..try….to remain silent when historical topics come up because folks-in-the-know can really be boorish people, and I really hate to beat people over the head with what I might know. Truth be told as many can testify once I get started I can’t shut up and then basically I embarrass myself. My children can quote chapter and verse on this….

Our esteemed teacher for the morning asked the question regarding what the Pilgrims had to be thankful for. Why did the Pilgrims give thanks with a great feast? There were several good answers thrown out between bites of biscuits slathered with gravy, but when one particular answer was uttered I couldn’t stand it any longer, and I prayed I could give a statement that would not become a treatise on the Pilgrim’s experience. Praise be! I did ok. My comment was short and to the point, but be warned….I might not be with this post. :)

The answer that prompted me to action was a comment concerning how the Pilgrims gave thanks for their journey across the sea by giving a Thanksgiving dinner.

No, that’s not so.

It is so very easy to speed the story along and think the Pilgrims were unhappy in England, procured a ship named The Mayflower, and sailed for the New World. It’s also very easy to recall the Pilgrims arrived, landed at Plimouth (Old English spelling) Rock in 1620, and the annual holiday was begun upon landing.

There’s so much more to the story…..

The Pilgrims did have a hard time worshipping the way they wanted to in England. Back in the day there was only one church in England and one way of worship. If you didn’t agree you could be made to feel very uncomfortable and ran the risk of being charged with treason since the monarchy was the official head of the Church of England. The Church of England would not have appreciated the blending of traditional and contemporary worship styles that so many churches in my area enjoy today.

So, the Pilgrims did not set off for the New World, but went to Holland where they remained for several years. When they couldn’t obtain the necessary papers to leave their home country they resorted to any means necessary including bribery to book passage. Two attempts to leave England were thwarted and several ended up in jail for a time. Eventually it was only a small group of 150 or so that ended up in Holland. They were happy for awhile, but eventually there were problems. In his History of Plimoth Plantation William Bradford advised the Pilgrims began to have many “discouragements” in Leiden, the Dutch city where they had settled. They were still a small group, and others had been unable to follow them. Many of the older membes of the group had difficulty in obtaining a job, and money was running out rather quickly. The Pilgrim children were being “drawn away by evil examples into extravagance and dangerous courses” as well. In order to keep their own culture intact they knew they must go somewhere where they could be “unto themselves.”

In September, 1620 the Pilgrims set out for the New World. Procuring the right paperwork and obtaining needed investors was not easy. The investors, of course, were looking for a profit and over the many months would express their displeasure at the lack of progress the Pilgrims would make in the New World. Their original destination was not as far north as present day Massachusetts, but an area north of the Virginia colony where colonists had already set up the settlement of Jamestown (1607). The climate had been tested and they had a fairly good idea where they wanted to settle. A terrible storm ended up blowing the Mayflower off course and this is how they came to land at Plimouth in November, 1620.

Plimouth was not an ideal place for a colony and the timing of the Pilgrim’s landing was not ideal either. By December, many of the Pilgrims were sick with scurvy and other ailments. Snow had begun to fall and needed crops had not been planted. What resulted was a period of time the Pilgrims described as the Starving Time. The name makes sense because that is what many of the Pilgrims did. During the first winter approximately half of the Pilgrims died.

The survivors along with their Native American friend, Squanto, eventually developed the settlement we refer to as Plimoth and by November 1621, after their first harvest, they did indeed have much to be thankful for.

Looking towards our own Thanksgiving, what do you have to be thankful for?

FDR's Unfinished Portrait

I’ve wanted to write about President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s last days for sometime, and this week seemed appropriate. I had once again reached a point where I was uncertain about my wordless image and what I would post, and I had to look through my research in an attempt to pull something from my….from my…..well, let’s say from my notebook. :)

Time ran out and I had to think quickly on my feet. This can occur when you have a necessary but boring vocabulary quiz planned and you find out the superintendent of schools will be in your room along with other visiting dignitaries in twenty minutes to see something “stimulating.” Luckily my dilemma wasn’t that serious and I’m awfully glad I spent some time during the summer to research various topics. What’s that old Boy Scout motto? Be prepared!

In my wordless image readers were given the assignment to provide me with information about the image, and just like my classroom students they didn’t disappoint me. Readers came up with some wonderful bits of knowledge regarding FDR, and some were so brave to leave a comment indicating they didin’t know anything about the image….well, I’m impressed with their honesty.

In my classroom I appreciate and students learn to appreciate mistakes and the “not knowing” because we are then given a precious gift….the opportunity to learn something.

What a gift to give yourself, eh?

In the responses commentors provided information such as FDR was our 32nd president, he served more than two terms (four actually), led us through the Depression with programs like the CCC, instituted Social Security, and led us through World War II. Roosevelt went to Harvard, had polio, married his cousin, and at one time was Assistant Secretary to the Navy. A couple of Georgia participants reminded us that he had a huge impact on Georgia. I’ve written about his impact before as well some family connections here and here.

The unfinished painting of President Roosevelt was by Elizabeth Shoumatoff, and it represents the last moments of his life since he suffered from a cerebral hemorrage on April 12, 1945 while the President sat for the picture at Warm Springs, Georgia.

Read the ending of my post over at American Presidents.....

Prince Henry: Wealth Builder or School Administrator?

Before we begin discussing Portuguese exploration I often direct students’ attention to the world map in their text. Certainly I could use the map at the front of the room, but their personal text brings the world much closer to their vantage point. I want them to explore the map close up. Rotating through 28 kids to peruse the world presented at the front of the room would simply take too long..

Students examine their maps and make observations. I ask how many students watch the nightly news. A few hands go up….pretty good results for a group of nine year olds. I ask them if they see any of the countries they’ve heard mentioned in the news. They volunteer several. Then I ask students which countries are the most powerful. Some choose the largest countries while others choose the ones they hear repeatedly on the news. Finally, I remind students the time period we are studying is the late 1400s and 1500s. I ask, “Which countries were the most powerful when the explorers began their expeditions?” Some students stated the same group of countries as before. Make sense, doesn't it?

In all the years I’ve completed this exercise I have never had a student identify the country of Portugal, but she was a real powerhouse in the early days of the Age of Exploration. When I ask students to zero in on Portugal they are amazed a country so small in comparison to others led the series of expeditions that would became so rampant in the 1500s by the Spanish and English.

Last week’s wordless image is a wind rose located at Sagres which is supposedly on the grounds of the famed school of navigation funded by Prince Henry of Portugal.

Prince Henry was a prince of Portugal from the house of Aviz. He was the third son of King John I and had a connection to England’s royal family through his mother, Philippa. She was the daughter of John of Gaunt.

Like any person of historical note there are facts and myths attached to his life.

As a young man Prince Henry made a name for himself when in 1415 he encouraged his father to capture Ceuta, a port held by Muslims of North Africa. By taking and holding the port Prince Henry toned down the raids led by the Barbary Pirates against trade ships and Portugal was able to have an inroad to the Saharan trade routes. Prince Henry was always encouraged by the legend of Prester John and wanted to fund expeditions to locate the source of the gold Africans used in trade.

Prince Henry established himself at Sagres Point, also referred to as the end of the word, as this was the last piece of land that was close to the most southwestern point of Europe. From Sagres Prince Henry sent his ships out to trade, explore, and gather data. We can know with certainty he hired cartographers who took the information from sailors and charted land masses. As knowledge grew additional expeditions were more successful because they had up-to-date charts and information.

The process of data mining and data presentation is how many believe the legend of a great school at Sagres began. Peter Russell, in his book, Prince Henry ‘the Navigator’: a Life (2000) presents this theory, and it holds water with me as well.

You can visit Sagres today but there is little there to suggest a school on the grand scale that most texts suggest. In fact, the port Prince Henry used for his expeditions was Lisbon.

Many have said Prince Henry was well educated and had a scientific mind that eventually led to the invention of the caravel. While these are nice and tidy bits of knowledge there is no foundation of any of this in the historical records and some sources such as the writer Azurara had reasons to be biased. He was the chief archivist of the Portuguese kingdom. It would not have boded well for him to write anything that made Prince Henry or his family average.

So, if there was such an outstanding school it would seem the chief historian of the House of Aviz would devote many lines to the description of the school, however, some scholars state that the first mention of the school of navigation that is mentioned in our textbooks today was actually in a 17th Century text of English authorship….The Foundations of the Portuguese Empire by Diffie and Winus.

At any rate….the explorer who never explored was important, the knowledge his sailors gathered was important, and his role is worthy to be studied.

13 Notes Students Have Passed to Me

Teachers need to take time every so often to assess themselves and their lessons for effectiveness. Of course, one of the most often used methods is students’ grades. If a high number of students receive passing grades you’re doing ok and need to follow up with the stragglers. If you have a large number of failing grades it simply can’t be blamed totally on the students. There has to be something you could be doing better as well.

Something else I like to do every nine weeks is to have students write me a letter. In the letter they should tell me what they like about class, what they don’t like, and suggestions regarding how I can make class a friendlier, enjoyable learning environment. Many student suggestions over the years have become tried and true strategies that have been passed on to other teachers. For example, when we were having a difficult time with the doling out of classroom jobs it was a student who suggested my “Most Valuable Student” or MVP program I still use. Everyday one student is the MVP and they do all of the jobs I need done. I post a class roll and we simply go down the list. The kids keep up with it and it’s very orderly.

Recently when I was cleaning out a container I found a set of letters from last year written about this time. Here are 13 things students told me they like, don’t like, or suggestions that were given to me. I’ve cleaned up the grammar a bit and the text within parentheses are my own editorial remarks.

1. I really like coming to your class everyday. I can’t wait to get here. Can you change the posters though? Enough already with Native Americans and Explorers---I’m ready for something different. (I usually change posters during Thanksgiving break).

2. You need to have “little talk” (that’s what I call it when I take a student aside in the hallway) with ______. He really smells. Or you could just put me next to ______ (this person’s best friend….I don’t think so)

3. The no homework thing is great except to study our notes or look for things on our own that go with what we are studying. I’m going to keep getting my classwork done, so I won’t have to do it at home. (The standing homework in my class is to review notes every day. I also encourage students to use books and the Internet to find out more about what we are currently studying. I explain to them that their research could very well become a topic for a post here at History Is Elementary).

4. I know we don’t do it everyday, but I really hate it when we get into groups. Do I have to do this? (I had a private “little talk” with this student and let them give me a list of students they thought they could work with. When I set up groups in the future I referred to the list. The student felt they had some control, and I still pushed the student to try group activities)

5. The explorers test was so hard. I can’t remember all of those guys and all of those things they did. Can I do something to help my grade? Make the test easier for your students next year. (I have discussed my explorers unit before here at HIE and I agree that the state of Georgia is asking too much of nine year old children. I try to include projects and other assignments so that a unit grade is not just the test).

6. I love it when you just sit on your stool and tell us stories. How do you remember all that stuff? You don’t even look at anything. Can you just tell us stories all the time? (I do love to tell the stories).

7. I’d like to do more projects. You said we were going to learn about the colonies next. Can we do Internet research and create slideshows? (Sounds like a good idea to me….)

8. The notes. Why do we have to take notes? Can we have less notes? What good are notes? I keep loosing them. (This young man and I had a few “little talks” and we devised a method for him to have his notes and keep up with them as well. Notebooks are very important in my room. If they don’t’ have their notebook they can’t study their notes.)

9. I hate it when we are busy with class and the intercom keeps coming on or the telephone rings, or someone comes to the door to talk with you. You don’t need to be so nice. Tell them we are busy and to go away. That’s what my mom tells salespeople that come to our door. (Sweetie, I agree. It’s kind of hard to tell the principal to go away).

10. Less work. More recess. (Short and to the point….got to admire him though).

11. I got to read your website last night. Since it’s not for students my mom reads it first and then lets me read it if it’s G or PG. I love it. I wish we could see your website in class. When are you going to write some more about us? Oh….and another thing I lost my coat last week. It’s purple and has a hood, and it’s from Old Navy. My mom says I have to find it. Any ideas? (There are always a few who forget the purpose of the assignment)

12. When are we going to get to the American Revolution? I can’t wait. Native Americans are BORING. You tried, you really tried to make interesting. It’s not you, it’s me. I want to learn about a war, any war. (Have I got wars for you…..just wait my wee man!)

13. I really wasn’t trying to hit you with that paper hornet yesterday. Honest. I’m sorry you were mad. Can we talk about it again now that we have had time to “cool down”? (This young man whizzed the biggest paper hornet towards me I have ever seen and it hit me….well, it hit me in the chest, shall we say…..and I was a bit upset I had been injured, but I was more upset that my class discussion was derailed.)

So there you have it. Feel free to assess my efforts with this website if you want to in the comments.

Find more 13s to read and enjoy.

Wordless 48: You Tell Me the Story

One of the ways you motivate students in the classroom is to surprise them every now and then. The focus is “expect the unexpected”.

This week’s image should be familiar to most …..at least the identification of who is in the portrait. However, instead of me telling you the story later why don’t you leave ME a tidbit of knowledge in the comments.

Not too much now…..others will want to share as well and no cut and paste. :)

So, educate me. What can you tell me about this man?

Last week's explanation has not been posted yet, but it will soon.

You find other wordless images here.

Shhhhh.....This Blog Is In Prayer

I’m in prayer today, and I hope if you have a notion you are too. However, it didn’t take my Governor to prompt me to prayer. I’ve been praying since early in the summer for a change in our weather pattern and so have many others.

I guess there are those who would be shocked to discover I have prayed in my classroom (gasp!), prayed in the hallways, and even placed my hands over that all important state test before it’s sent in for scoring. I have been known to stand beside a student while he or she is working and place my hand on their shoulder while I say a prayer. Prayer should be a constant activity…..a daily conversation with God.

My daily conversation with God, however, is a silent one. Most students never know I say prayers in the classroom and I certainly wouldn’t gather students and direct them to pray. However, I have given them the opportunity at their suggestion….one such occasion was 9/11 when a student wanted to say a prayer for the people in the towers. The student organized it, made sure everyone knew they didn’t have to join in, he led it, and I silently prayed with them. Sometimes public prayer is necessary.

Gov. Sonny Perdue’s call for prayer has once again placed our state in the forefront for those who like to write off Southerners as simple country bumpkins. You know….those “There they go again…..” types.

Religion is a part of the South and deeply embedded into our culture no matter how many critics want to ridicule it or even deny it. If your family has been in the South for over five generations and have more or less followed the Baptist, Methodist, or just the Christian faith in general there’s a good chance you have a long line of pastors in your family like I do.

It’s hard to shake that kind of dust from your shoes.

I guess some high-falutin’ educated folks manage to educate themselves right out religion even if they have deep Southern roots. I too have been faced to separate fact and faith. It’s a choice they make and I support their choice, however, I hold three pieces of paper that tell me I’m highly educated as well…. yet for me and my house I choose prayer and all that goes along with it.

News stories regarding the Governor’s request can be found here, here, and here.

This post also appears at Georgia on My Mind and Got Bible?

Thank You Veterans!

This isn't the day to debate if a war was/is just or not.

Recognize the veterans in your life for their sacrifice whether they are from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, or the current conflict!

Some Notable Links for Weekend Reading

Well, as you can see things here in the great state of Georgia are dire….very dire. Our governor has finally resorted to prayer even though many of us have already been on our knees, and Florida has backed away from the water truce.

The image you see here is courtesy of the Atlanta Water Shortage blog via The Atlanta Journal. Amazing, isn’t it? All that we should see of the tree stump is the very top or not at all. Our area lakes are quickly becoming desert landscapes.

I find it ironic that here in the middle of an extreme drought my husband and I spending the day getting ready to cook at a fish fry tonight for our Sunday School group at church. Of course I don’t have to do too much….hubby handles the cookers, and I’m mixing up the hushpuppies with plenty of green onion and buttermilk.

In an about face from American History I was intrigued by a book mention from Uncovered History….The Fall of the House of Hapsburg. I’m putting it on my list to see if the local library has it. World of Royalty also linked to something I might be able to use with students…Sherwood Forest is in danger. You could use the article to open a discussion on historical places and people versus Disney and other media portrayals. Some places our young students see in the media really do exisit, but the history is skewed.

First things this morning I was hit with this interesting tidbit of discovery. I hope to have more time tomorrow evening to delve into this...for now the hushpuppies are a priority rather than DaVinci and music embeds.

Another link you could use for diversion is from Caffeinated Politics involves watching Atlantis land from inside the craft. NYCEducator hates it when I used this word but……NEAT-O!

The Wrens Nest Online (of Joel Chandler Harris/Brer Rabbit fame) have been working with middle schoolers regarding this whole blogging thing.

Carnivals abound for reading pleasure….The 58th History Carnival is here, the Georgia Carnival is here, and the Education Carnival is here in an agenda type format (neat idea or should I say NEAT-O?).

Walking in the Berkshires has proposed a new carnival I’m really excited about. It’s called the Carnival of Curiosities. It’s a great idea and I can’t wait to participate. Head on over and check it out.

Finally, in case you missed it I posted Grace for Faith: The Perfect Trade over at Got Bible, and I explain how I would rather remember fallen members of the Allman Brothers Band over at Georgia on My Mind.

Happy Weekend!

A Presidential Doughface

As a writing exercise I often place pictures of important or famous people up on the screen in my room and ask students to provide a caption or write something about the picture. After a few minutes students share their ideas and then I share one of mine which leads into a quick lesson in history. Sometimes this type of activity can be used to review a topic, introduce something new, or simply move a unit along with additional content.

The last time I presented students with this image they came up with some interesting responses:

*My belly hurts. I should have left that last taco in the bag and thrown it away.

*When are they going to invent a real tie that doesn’t look like a bow?

*This man is important. He looks really smart. Maybe he’s a writer or a great thinker. I wish the picture was in color.

*The picture looks like it is from a long time ago. I didn’t know they had hair gel back then. Interesting!

These are the better ones, of course. I left out the silly, off the mark, or inappropriate ones that can be the result of this type of exercise, but you can see that some students can really get into the moment when analyzing photographs.

Next we discussed names and labels…words we use to identify individuals or groups of people. We talked about how those names aren’t always meant to be nice. We also talked about how some names stick simply because it’s easier to remember a group of people by a certain name in order to remember what they stood for….groups like tree huggers, Bible thumpers, and even educrats.

These types of monikers are not simply for the 20th and 21st century. Certain groups throughout history have claimed remembrance through their name such as the Know- Nothings, muckrakers, and don’t forget the hawks and doves.

Do you know who the gentleman is in my image?

It is President Franklin Pierce, our fourteenth president and the tidbit of knowledge I share with students is Franklin Pierce was a doughface.

What’s a doughface?

Well, click on through to the American Presidents Blog and you can scroll down to find my explanation.

13 Premature Obituaries

What would you do if you read your own obituary? What would you do if you heard an announcement regarding your demise on the radio or television?

Here are 13 folks who have the distinction of finding out they were dead….

1. When Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, learned he would be called “the merchant of death” in his obituary it is said he created the Nobel Prize in order to redeem himself.

2. Pope Benedict XV was expected to die in January, 1922 when it was reported he had pneumonia. A New York paper ran the headline “Pope Benedict XV is dead”, however they ran it a little too early and then had to retract the headline by printing another paper with the claim “Pope has remarkable recovery”. By the end of the month Pope Benedict finally met his maker.

3. White House Press Secretary, James Brady, was reported dead by all three major networks in the chaos that ensued following the assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan. While his injuries were severe Mr. Brady was very much alive.

4. During an event dubbed “The CNN.com Incident” Fidel Castro’s obituary along with others was prematurely placed online where the public could access it. The obituaries were sketched out templates that could be accessed in a hurry by CNN staff upon receiving word a famous person had passed away. Apparently Reagan’s obituary was used as Castro’s template because the text described Castro as a lifeguard, athelete, and movie star!

5. The writer, Robert Graves, was close to death following the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He recovered enough to enjoy reading his obituary in the New York Times.

6. Ernest Hemmingway was declared dead after being involved in an African plane crash along with his wife in 1954. They both were very much alive.

7. In 1897, Mark Twain was visited by a journalist who wanted to find out how Twain was. The journalist had heard Twain was close to death. The news reports had mixed Twain up with his cousin. An obituary was not published, but in an article published June 2, 1897 Twain stated, “The report of my death is an exaggeration.” In May, 1907 Twain was reported missing when a yacht he was on was held up by fog. Twain wrote an account of the incident in the New York Times the following day.

8. Rudyard Kipling read his obituary in a magazine. The story goes he wrote the magazine and stated, “I’ve just read I’m dead. Please delete me from your subscription list.”

9. James Earl Jones was declared dead in 1998 during a Pittsburgh Pirates game. The announcer confused Mr. Jones with James Earl Ray (the man convicted of assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.). The announcer quickly corrected his error.

10. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. was shocked to learn his obituary had been published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on November 29, 2005. On December 2nd the paper retracted the obituary by printing, “We are embarrassed, but happy for Mr. Schlesinger.”

11. During 1971 Katie Webb was a journalist in Cambodia when she was captured by North Vietnamese troops. Her cremated remains were returned to Reuters and her obituary was published. Later Ms. Webb was found very much alive.

12. James McNeill Whistler read his own obituary in a Dutch newspaper. In reply he wrote the paper that reading his own obituary gave him the “tender glow of health.”

13. Serbian, Vuk Peric, placed his own obituary in a local paper in 1997. He simply wanted to see who would show up to his funeral. He watched the proceedings for awhile and then proceeded to tell everyone.

Read other 13s here

Wordless 47

This is a very important spot in history. Can you tell me where it is and why it is important? Here’s a hint……it’s not in the United States and does not involve any historical event during the 1800s or 1900s.

Last week’s explanation can be found here.

More wordless images can be found here.