Reflections on the Teche

DigiLitSunday: Relationships

February 19, 2017 by margaretsmn

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

Years ago, my colleagues and I created a monthly enrichment day for our gifted 6th graders to combat underachievement. This year we selected the theme of Communication. Each student or group of students were charged with asking a question about something they were interested in communicating. Emily asked if elderly in resident homes are lonely. She assumed the answer was yes and followed her research to discover that loneliness can actually lead to death. She was moved to do something about it.

Emily decided to set up a field trip to a local retirement home. With a little direction, she called the retirement home activity director, contacted our gifted supervisor for permission, and created a Valentine’s Day activity. I have never seen her so empowered and so excited. The night before the field trip, she hand made 34 Valentines to give to the residents.

My colleagues were more than cooperative in getting their students to the retirement home. The students quickly found an elderly resident to spend time with. As I circled around taking pictures, I was pleased to see these young kids talking freely with their new friends.

On Wednesday at our monthly Wow (Way Out Wednesday) meeting, Emily compiled the surveys. She also put together a video of one of the residents talking about her life and how she liked living at Garden View. Emily’s presentation about this experience is coming together, but it’s taken on a new direction. She discovered that the elderly at Garden View are not lonely. They live in a community there. Activities are planned for them. People visit often. They are well cared for.

Beyond the original intent of Emily’s project, she has discovered that relationships at any age are important. She discovered that she can influence others and spread kindness. When we as teachers take the lessons out of our hands and put it into those of our students, they can be difference-makers.

If you are joining the DigiLit conversation today, please leave your link below.

Posted in Digital Learning, Gifted Education | Tagged Garden View Retirement Home, project based learning, student created field trip | 10 Comments »

Poetry Friday: This is Just to Say…

February 17, 2017 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday is with Jone at Check it Out.

With apologies to William Carlos Williams, who probably had little idea where his sweet plums poem would lead writers of today. On day 7 of Laura Shovan’s ten found words poetry challenge, my friend and writing group fellow Catherine Flynn wrote an apology poem. I immediately grabbed it as a mentor poem for my students. I also grabbed my copy of Joyce Sidman’s This is Just to Say Poems of Apology and Forgiveness.

This is just to say…
I broke the glass dish
so thoughtfully placed
on the tank of your toilet.

A large spider,
camouflaged in
a clump of flowery
soaps, surprised me
as I washed my hands.
A cryptic tan blotch,
shaped like the head of a shovel,
covered her abdomen.

Forgive me, but
she rattled my nerves.
She scurried away
when I tried to scoop
her into a tissue.
My hand upset the dish,
sending it crashing to the floor.

I didn’t want to kill her.
I wanted to return her to the garden,
where she’d be free to snare flies
in her shimmering web.

printed with permission from the author, Catherine Flynn

Catherine’s poem was written to the same selection of words I wrote snake cinquains last week. Lynzee remembered this and my story of being fearful of snakes, so she wrote this poem (in the voice of Mrs. Simon).

This is just to say,
Your lawn mower has a snake in it,
I was trying to kill it so
I ran it over.

It was a garden snake,
Slithering along the grass
Like a tiny green rope,
TERRIFYING!

Standing out against
The wheat colored grass,
Like a moving weed.

So I panicked,
And grabbed the first thing i touched,
The lawn mower.

I will buy a new one,
If you want.

–Lynzee, 2nd grade

We talked about whether you have ever eaten anything you weren’t supposed to eat. Andrew remembered sticking his finger into the butter. He grinned, “I love butter!”

This is just to say…

I ate the butter
out of the container yesterday.
It was delicious
like caramel chocolate

It was your fault
you left the top
open. Who doesn’t
take that chance?

I hope you have
some left for your
toast. I am so sorry.
I’ll try to buy more.

All I did was
stick my finger
in the butter. It
was out of control.

–Andrew, 4th grade

Posted in Poetry, Poetry Friday | Tagged #tenfoundwords, Catherine Flynn, This is Just to Say, William Carlos Williams | 19 Comments »

DigiLit Sunday: More Visual Vocabulary

February 12, 2017 by margaretsmn

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

Last week I wrote about an idea I had for digital vocabulary using Tagul. I tried the idea with my students this week. I explained that they could use Tagul to make a word cloud about a vocabulary word. I asked them to explore the meaning of the word by using Thesaurus.com to find synonyms. I wrote a model blog post to show my expectations for their writing around the word.

In their writing, I wanted my students to find a way to connect to the word. Then I asked them to choose a favorite synonym and tell why it interested them. By interacting with a vocabulary word, it will become more integrated into their lexicon. The activity also spurred on some interesting class discussions.

This is Kaiden’s response to the word remarkable.

Created in Tagul.com

I put remarkable because so many things in life are remarkable. Think about it. Dreams, for example are completely extraordinary. We are able to make simulations while our brains are only half functioning . Even the human brains are remarkable. We are capable of so many things. We can travel almost anywhere on earth. We can travel to places miles and miles and miles into the sky, and break the sound barrier.

My favorite word is incredible, because it is INCREDIBLE. It is enthusiastic, but it can also be used in a sad and sarcastic way. Which I guess is me. Some days, I am enthusiastic and jumping all over (Which happens about 2/5 days). Other days, I am grumpy/sarcastic, quiet, and sad. Sometimes separately, sometimes at the same time.

Please leave your links below:

Posted in Digital Learning | Tagged Tagul | 4 Comments »

Poetry Friday: Watch out for Snakes!

February 10, 2017 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday is with Katie at The Logonauts.

I hate snakes! I always have for as long as I can remember. I grew up running around the piney woods of Mississippi and now I live on a bayou in Louisiana. Snakes are a part of my world, but they terrify me.

This week one of the news stories that we poets responded to was about a snake coming out of a toilet in Texas. If you want to never look at a toilet the same way again, read this article. I decided against posting a picture on my blog. It was bad enough that I had to see it repeatedly on my Facebook feed.

The day this prompt was posted for Laura Shovan’s February ten found words writing project I was teaching cinquains to my students. They were writing them about their names. I chose to write about this snake menace. I enjoyed sharing the frightful article and resulting poem with them.

The rules for a cinquain are 5 lines with 2, 4, 6, 8, 2 syllables in each line.

rattle
in the toilet
camouflaged cryptic sign
surprising an innocent boy
Nightmare!

shovel
slamming down hard
killing snake in a clump
unknowing den of twenty three
silent

cellar
perfect hiding
for slithering secrets
wondering when their diamonds
will shine

–Margaret Simon, all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry, Poetry Friday | Tagged cinquain, Laura Shovan, snakes, Texas | 20 Comments »

If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas

February 8, 2017 by margaretsmn

Before you begin to read If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas, turn this music on in the background.

Illustrated in dreamlike images by Jaime Kim, Laura takes us on a journey of discovery about the moon. In the beginning, the young girl muses on how easy the moon’s job is, but the moon explains. “If you were the moon, you would…” Along with delightful metaphor are embedded facts from how the moon was formed to Neil Armstrong’s iconic walk. Artists are inspired by the moon. Hence the musical piece, “Clair de Lune.” I remember listening to my mother play this on the grande in our living room.
A glossary and further reading section make this book teacher-friendly.

I often use picture books to lead my students to their own writing. I can imagine prompting my students with the words “If you were _________.” Students could research their favorite planet or natural disasters (my students love them!). Then they could write and illustrate their own books including interesting facts along the way. Finding a way to tie a book to writing enriches the classroom experience.

Laura sent me this amazing teacher’s guide written by Randi Miller Sonnenshine. This guide includes activities across the curriculum.

If You Were the Moon releases March 1st, 2017. Get your copy today!

Posted in Books, Writing | Tagged If You Were the Moon, Laura Purdie Salas | 10 Comments »

#TenFoundWords: A February Poetry Project

February 7, 2017 by margaretsmn

Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for the Slice of Life Challenge.

Today marks post #1000 on my blog. Wow! This has happened one word at a time, one post at a time. When I started this blog nearly 5 years ago, I had no idea where this writing journey would lead. I have a wonderful community of friends through my connections with various weekly memes. Slice of Life was one of the first communities I joined. I appreciate all of you who read my musings. Here’s to the next thousand!

Through Poetry Friday, I connected with Laura Shovan. This year marks her 5th annual poem-a-day writing challenge for February, her birthday month. This year she’s hosting it on Facebook in a closed group. The theme is ten found words from current news articles. I check the morning post, copy the ten chosen words into a Google doc, and work on my poem whenever I have a chance throughout the day. At first, I didn’t want to have this much interaction with the daily news, but each article has been different. Not only am I reading poems, practicing writing, building community, I am also learning some amazing stuff.

On February 4th, the article was from earthsky.org, and I learned about the change in the moon’s orbit. Fascinating and certainly not an article I would normally have read. Sometimes the article informs the poetry, but more often the poems come from that inner poet, the one who surprises me constantly.

The axis turns
one rotation at a time
keeping in balance
this ancient path
tilting toward unity.

The gods knew this truth
when they painted pictures
in the night sky.

Our bodies want to return
to balance and knowing
and wandering; we look for a leader,
a shaman, a yogi master.

Analyze the words
of Langston, or Maya,
or Martin, and you’ll
see a common axis,
a dream that crept into each heart.

Spin around.
Face the stars.
Reach out.
Dream on.

–Margaret Simon

Posted in Poetry, Slice of Life | Tagged #tenfoundwords, Laura Shovan | 11 Comments »

DigiLitSunday: Visual Vocabulary

February 5, 2017 by margaretsmn

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

I hate to admit it, but I have not been the best at teaching vocabulary. I’ve tried all kinds of methods from word lists to word walls, but I am still met with groans from kids when I say Vocabulary. This year I’ve been using a workbook. This goes against my whole philosophy of teaching, so please don’t tell my students. This workbook provides an authentic text, so the words are in context. We also work with synonyms and antonyms and always a writing piece. But like most work with Vocabulary in the title, my students think drudgery.

It is time for a change. I have been intrigued by Carol Varsalona’s word clouds. I tweeted a question to her. Turns out it was our mutual friend Holly who introduced Tagul to Carol.

YES it was Holly who mentioned it. Got my collection moving for #poetry in action, Holly & Margaret.#OLW pic.twitter.com/ZqF7xQcciH

— Carol Varsalona (@cvarsalona) February 3, 2017

This leads me to an idea I will be trying this week with my students (crossing fingers the app works in our network). I took one of our vocabulary words from last week, essence, and typed it into Thesaurus.com. I opened Tagul and typed in a dozen synonyms. Then I looked for a shape that would help define the word. I chose a water droplet because water is the essence of our bodies. The image shares common synonyms as well as makes this vocabulary work more motivating.

In what ways are you digitizing vocabulary work? Share your ideas on your blog and link below.

Posted in Digital Learning, Teaching, Writing | Tagged Tagul, vocabulary | 16 Comments »

Celebrate Handprints and Hearts

February 4, 2017 by margaretsmn

Find more celebration posts at Ruth’s blog.

This week the flu made its way through my students. I, thankfully, have remained healthy. Today, I want to celebrate my student Andrew and his initiatives. Before Christmas he became interested in the plight of orphaned elephants. We read a Scholastic Scope magazine article that pointed to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Preserve. Andrew wanted to raise funds to adopt an orphaned elephant at the preserve. The adoption fee is $50 a year. He decided to sell posters to classmates. I ordered Vista Print posters of a baby elephant picture from my trip to Tanzania, Africa.

Before the Christmas break, Andrew presented to his fourth grade classmates. He raised about $32. After Christmas break, he decided to present to third grade classes. He raised the remaining funds he needed. He crafted a letter to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Preserve explaining the project and selecting Malima as the baby elephant he wants to sponsor. This video broke our hearts. Andrew and I both already feel and love and affection for Malima.

Andrew is one of those rare kids who wants to inspire and make a difference. In January when preparing to choose our One Little Word, I read aloud the book Beautiful Hands. The production of this book has a heartwarming story. Kathryn Otoshi worked with Bret Baumgarten who was diagnosed with cancer to design this book from something he would say to his own children, “What will you do with your beautiful hands today?”

The artwork was created all with handprints and fingerprints, even a dog print from Bret’s dog.

“My hope that this story empowers love, creativity, compassion, and a

connection to you and yours, in the fulfilling and remarkable way it has for me”

~ Bret Baumgarten, 1970–2014

I think Bret would be proud to know what Andrew did with his inspiring words. Andrew wanted to read the book to his sister’s first grade class and do a hand printing activity with them. Some of Andrew’s gifted classmates helped him. I was impressed with how smoothly the whole activity went. I was not sure because we had to paint all the kids’ hands and help them print. Andrew had selected some Valentine quotes for the kids to copy into their hand painted cards. This creative service activity was a positive experience for all of us.

Posted in Celebration Saturday, Gifted Education | Tagged Beautiful Hands, David Sheldrick Wildlife Preserve, service learning | 12 Comments »

Poetry Friday: What if?

February 3, 2017 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday is with Penny at Penny and her Jots.

This week, I’m thinking about Naomi Shihab Nye’s bucket and how we need to share our buckets with each other. I shared her poem from Here We Go with my students.

from BLUE BUCKET
by Naomi Shihab Nye

What if, instead of war,
we shared our buckets
of wind and worry?
Tell me the story
you carry there,
steeping in old pain
and future hope,
rich with fragrant
savory spices,
ginger, turmeric,
tarragon, find me
a spoon in one
of your pockets,
even if we don’t
speak the same language…

maybe
you hold my bucket
a while, see what
the handle feels like,
and I hold yours,
and maybe both buckets
are empty and
we trade them forever…

We talked about what it means to carry someone else’s bucket. We talked about serious topics and playful ones. Then we wrote What if poems. I want to share a few with you today.

What if
the whole world
was listening, waiting
for the next word?

What if
you didn’t
know what
to say
but you say
it all?

What if
I speak
worldwide but
few hear me?

What if
you knew
what to say,
but you didn’t
say it at all?

What if
I speak
privately,
but lots of
people hear me?

by Noah, 5th grade

A Bucket Of Glitter

What if,
I could carry around a
bucket of glitter?
If I found someone without glitter,
I would sprinkle some on them,
What if I could carry around a
bucket of glitter?

by Lynzee, 2nd grade

What if-
I was the leader of the U.S.A
I would treat people fair
like how air lets us live,
live to spread joy and happiness.
I would give money
Maybe a little honey because it’s sweet
like people.

by Andrew, 4th grade

Today, I am wishing you a bucket of glitter to spread, a little honey to sweeten your day, and lots of poetry because poetry is where wisdom lies.

kindness-glitter

Posted in Writing | 21 Comments »

Spiritual Journey Thursday: Rise

February 2, 2017 by margaretsmn

Finding spiritual journey fellows on the internet is such a wonderful gift. We are gathering each month on the first Thursday to blog together. Today, you may link up and read more posts at Leigh Anne Eck’s site Turn.

The theme of our posts today is Leigh Anne’s One Little Word, Rise. I love this word. Simple, one syllable, and yet full of hope and love and light. I immediately think of a spiritual I would sing with kids “Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory, Glory.”

This week I presented my students with the Maya Angelou poem, “Still I Rise.” What did they think of this old African American woman laughing out loud on the video and saying she dances like she has diamonds on her thighs? When you place her words in the context of her life and the Civil RIghts Movement, they resonate.
“You may trod me in the very dirt.
But still, like dust, I rise.”

Maya Angelou speaks of the human spirit, the spirit that is guided by and held in the hands of God. I wonder if I have that kind of spirit. Preparing to teach about another Civil Rights hero, Fannie Lou Hammer, I read poem after poem about her being trod in the dirt, over and over, and still she rose. She didn’t give up. I am humbled by her resilience.

Looking to these heroes who turned against adversity and prejudice and pain, and led their friends to Rise, I feel an obligation, a resolve to be strong and resilient. I cannot do that without being willing to be humble and kind and to turn my heart to the love of God.