For Guys Only!

What a great site!  Shall I get some of these books?  Which ones? 

Well, gals, you can look, too. Here's how you get to guysread.com

Haiku/Food

Those cupcakes sit there

And I've been long a-waiting

I want those cupcakes!

-Theodore

Coco Puffs so good

Chocolate-y deliciousness

Brown boulders, crunch crunch

-Bailey

Anything chocolate

Yum, yum, yum in my tum-tum

Truffles or bon-bons

-Viktoria

Radiolab ~ Yes!

I love radio. I love, love, love it.  I love listening to people talk about cool things, which is also why I like teaching, I suppose.

Saturday is my favorite radio day on KPCC 89.3 FM. One of the reasons is this show called Radiolab. It has two hosts and they have a question about something, or they'll notice something interesting, and they interview a lot of people about it and put a show together. This week it's all about symmetry.

Here's how to get to the website for Radiolab where you can stream whole shows, or parts of shows. Oh, and yes, it does happen to have some science stuff in it you may find useful.

While we're on the topic of science, check out Bill Nye's site as well. Scroll down to the right to take the Pop Quiz of the day- it's fun!

Possessives

There are his fish, her fish, their fish, and Ms. Hickman's fish. Note the apostrophe s on that last one!

Here is a quick, cool video on how the 's came to show possession:

I'm liking this Chalking Points Artie Pebbleton guy. Will investigate further.  Also, remember that when you are simply talking about plurals (more than one, as in 'books') no need for an apostrophe! Just add the s! (or -es, or -ies...)

Happy Sunday!

The Abolitionists

abolish: v. to put an end to; to destroy

The abolitionists of the 1800s had but one goal: to end slavery. Long before the Civil War began, they spoke up and took action against slavery. Courage gets built on the courage that comes before.

I'm looking forward to watching this tonight, 1/8 on PBS. I hope to chat with you about it when we meet this week.

See a trailer for The Abolitionists

Past, Present and Future

Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, January 4, 2013

Couldn't help but notice the similarity in the seated positions of the man on the bench, and the soldier in the photo on the banner in back of him, as I was walking to see the Civil War exhibit at the Huntington Library yesterday. I'm quite certain the man on the bench was completely oblivious to the banner. People just like to sit in certain ways.

Here's a link to a site about writing that I think is excellent:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/index.html

Yes, it's focused at college students but it's good to see where we're headed.

Here's a link to the ever-wonderful Bill Nye's site:
http://www.billnye.com/

Happy New Year to all and I'm looking forward to seeing you next week!

Grateful

I have been reading your work and being reminded of what wonderful young people I have the privilege of teaching and collaborating with. I think of you all very often.

There looks like a decent series on the History Channel, if you get that, called Mankind: The Story of Us.

I hope you are getting out in the beautiful weather. I hope you are reading! I hope you are dancing, drawing, making music, writing, working on your stand-up comedy act. I hope you are cooking, gardening, and playing board games and card games - legal ones! I hope you are making crafts and helping out around the house.

Yesterday (11/19) was the 149th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, and Steven Spielberg, who directed Lincoln, spoke about Lincoln at Gettysburg. Also you know it's the 149th anniversary of the holiday of Thanksgiving, which was implemented during the Civil War, because I've told you perhaps a thousand times. What is there to be thankful for during a war? What do you think?

I look forward to seeing you all next week! Please feel free to email or call if you have questions.

(I've told some of you that I have exceptionally cute dogs. Lucky is my older son, at eight years old. He is my loyal macaroon, snickerdoodle, applesauce, toasted marshmallow, sea cucumber, study buddy. Little Bear, 5, is standing below, looking off into the distance. Why? Because he feels like it. Because if you want him to look at the camera, he'll look somewhere else. That's how he is.)