Field "Trip"

We have a sweet group of kids this year, and I like them very much.

Sweet, yup... they're sweet.

Very sweet and thank goodness for that.

So we had our field trip today, and as usual it was a fun-filled day for everyone.

(cough cough)

We piled our sweet little kiddos onto the busses and headed off to learn some science at the local estuary.

We worked hard to get ready for the trip before we left, learning about ecosystems, wetlands, and how organisms interact with nonliving things in their habitats.

But what I SHOULD have been teaching them what a bird is.

The Naturalist: Ok, boys and girls. Think of an animal that is NOT a bird that can fly.


Kid 1: A duck!


The Naturalist (cheerily): Good try, but that's a bird.


Kid 2: An eagle!


The Naturalist (less cheery):  Another good try, but that's a bird too.


Kid 3: A penguin!


The Naturalist (now confused): That's a bird AND it can't even fly.


Kid 4: A hawk!!!


The Naturalist (exasperated): Also a bird...


Kid 5: A pterodactyl!!


The Naturalist (suicidal): uuummmm. Ok? I guess that works.


Kid 6: A monkey!


The Naturalist (defeated): Really?


She then handed out binoculars for bird watching and allowed them plenty of time to watch everything within 1/4 mile that wasn't a bird. They looked in each other's ears, into local homes, at bugs on the ground, and at me pointing out ALL the birds surrounding us.

Oh Well!

My teaching partner said that his group wasn't too with it either.

The naturalists play a game with the kids while we hike called "Reporter." One student stands in front of a plant or other interesting thing and repeats a fact about it (given to him/her by the naturalist) while the line hikes past.

For example, Timmy points at an anise plant and repeats, "These seeds taste like black licorice. These seeds taste like black licorice. These seeds..." You get the idea. He does this until the line of students hikes by and then he joins the end of the line.

Artie, a student who struggles to pay attention which is why he was placed in a group with a teacher, pointed at a plant, was told his fact and then and repeated, "I forgot what I'm supposed to say. I forgot what I'm supposed to say. I forgot..."

You get the idea.

Another One Rides the Bus

Today is Field Trip Day!

Field Trip Day is usually dripping with good stories.

Like this one.

And this one.

Annnd this one (that I'm not too proud of).

Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed that we have some ADVENTURE!

Hand Picked

I had lunch with a couple of girls on Monday.

I know that's not big news, but to them it was.

You see, one of them was officially adopted by her foster parents on Friday!

Being an adoptee myself, I feel a kind of kinship with her. I invited her and a student from last year, Abby, who was also adopted by her foster parent while in our class to have a celebratory lunch in my classroom.

We are now all officially members of "The Super Duper Extra Special Because Our Parents Picked Us While Everyone Else is Just Stuck With the Kid They Handed Them in the Hospital Adopted Girls Club."

(No offense to those of you biologically related to your children and/or parents. As we adoptees like to say, "Don't hate me because I'm hand-picked.")

Well, my little fourth grader was not so keen on the idea of being adopted at first because she felt it made her "different" from the other kids.

Abby and I managed to convince her that it does indeed make you different, but not in a bad way. She was feeling pretty good by the end of our lunch. She really likes the fact that I am adopted too. It gives us a special connection.

In the end, I was assuring her that I am here if she needs to talk, but Abby stepped right over me and told her that WE are here for her.

At first, I thought it was kinda funny that she did that, like she and I are peers or something...

...but now is realize that, in a way, we are and just how sweet it is.

Words Get in the Way

Here's a giggle for you!

While practicing compound sentences about desert ecosystems in my classroom, one student wrote:

Kangaroo rats like to eat cactus fruit, but cactus fruit can be pricey.


So what we can take from that is, in this economy, even kangaroo rats are tightening their belts.

...and that the kid can't spell prickly.


I've got another one for you too!

While practicing identifying main events and details in the beautiful story The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, the students quickly picked up on the fact that Edward, a toy rabbit made of china, was self-centered at the beginning of the story but eventually learned the value of loving others. This becomes very clear once Edward meets a four year old girl named Sarah Ruth.

One student wrote:

Edward goes to Sarah Ruth to perfect his lovemaking.


Yup.

Kiddie porn.

Bestiality.

The soaring price of cactus fruit.

We got it covered.

Mouth Organ

So I'm reading my students a story and one of the characters is playing a harmonica. I took a moment to make sure that everyone understands what a harmonica looks like and where they may have seen one.

Michael, with one finger in the air and much authority, adds:

Oh! I know! Alotta times, they play them in prisons!


ummmm, sure?

That's a Good One

Hahahahahahahhaaaaaaaaa!

Hooohahahahahahhhhaaaaaah   ahahahhahahahahhahahahaaaahaha!!!

phew...

hahahahahahahaha(snort)hahahahaha hahahaaa aahahahahah HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

OK OK...giggle giggle...ok... I'm ready now...teeheee...

Get this! The new teacher at my school came up to me on day 3 of school and asked...

heehee

if I...

gigglegiggle

have any advice...

 snort 

on how to handle GEORGE!

AAAAHHHHHhhahahahahahahaaaaa!!!!

HAHAhahahahahamystomachhurtsfromlaughinghahahahaha!

She seems like a great teacher. She should be...

 FINE! AHAHahahahahaaa!!!HAHAHahahaOhGodICan'tStophahahahahahahaha!!