I want this book!

While reading a very interesting blog found HERE, 

I learned of a comic strip that used to be in the Washington 

Post from 2004 till 2007.  It really made me laugh.  It is called 

The third and latest collection, Cul de Sac Golden 

Treasury: A Keepsake Garland of Classics (2010), 

would make a good introduction — it collects strips

 from the first two volumes, Cul de Sac: This Exit

 (2008) and Children at Play: A Cul de Sac Collection

(2009).  Not incidentally, the first book features a 

foreword by Bill Watterson, who writes, “I thought 

the best newspaper comic strips were long gone,

 and I’ve never been happier to be wrong.  Richard 

Thompson’sCul de Sac has it all — intelligence, 

gentle humor, a delightful way with words, and, 

most surprising of all, wonderful, wonderful drawings.” 

Cul de Sac from 10 Sept. 2007

Cul de Sac from 11 Sept. 2007

Can't you just tell the writer has been around kids!

Chocolate tasting in the Classroom

I was reading a blog about a fun classroom activity that if I had a room of my own, I would totally do.  Actually now that I think about it, I think I'll have my husband do this when he goes into our sons classroom for his Halloween read aloud that we signed up for at Back to School night.  Her story can be found HERE.

I'll show you a glimpse though...

I took a chocolate tasting class a couple of months ago (planned and taught by Reference Librarian extraordinaire Bill Meltzer at Old Worthington Library). I decided then and there that I wanted my students' experience in our classroom to feel like, if not taste like, the chocolate tasting classroom that night.

•THERE WERE BOOKS ABOUT CHOCOLATE ALL AROUND THE ROOM FOR US TO CHECK OUT AND TO EXTEND OUR LEARNING.

Some teaching is about instruction, but a goodly amount of it is simply about invitation. Rather than finishing units or even lessons, I'll do my best to point to the resources that students can us to continue their learning and exploring.

•THE TEACHER ENCOURAGED RISK-TAKING, BUT MADE IT FEEL SAFE.

We started by eating a half of a piece of Dove dark chocolate. Then we went on to taste chocolates of increasing amounts of cocoa. Each time we moved to the next level, we learned how to identify and name the new flavors and "notes" we were tasting. The next-to-last piece we tasted was 100% cocoa. I wouldn't care to sit down and eat a whole bar of it, but I had learned, step by step, to appreciate it for what it was. We ended by eating the other half of the Dove. It just tasted sweet. There were none of the nuances of flavor and texture that we had learned, in one short hour, to appreciate.

•I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK FOR THE NEXT CLASS:  CHEESE TASTING!!

Guess Who?

Well, the kids are all back to school and I came across this fun getting to know you activity that a teacher could use as the kids are learning the names of their class members.  Then you play it in a round the room sort of fashion.

Enjoy!

http://www.ilovethatteachingidea.com/ideas/Guess_Who_Cards.pdf

Historical Fiction Writing Contest

Historical Fiction for Young Adults can win you cash!

guidelines found at:

http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/ad028

First Place: $500

Second Place: $250

Third Place: $100

Create a story that is historical but relevant to contemporary readers, show your research with a bibliography.

Word Count: Up to 1,500

Fee: Free for Children's Writer Newsletter (the print newsletter) subscribers. For everyone else, the fee is $15 which entitles you to an 8-month subscription to the Children's Writer at no extra cost.

Entry must be received by October 30, 2010

Great Quote

“Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.”
~ Lewis Carroll