SOLC # 7 - Celebrating Connections

        Today, I'm celebrating with Ruth Ayres, one of the creators of the Two Writing Teachers blog, who now has another blog, Discover, Play Build, a way of celebrating all the many things in life that boost us up, help us move step by step through our lives. We have much to thank Ruth and Stacey for by beginning this community, and now continue to thank them, and now Tara, Dana, Beth, Anna and Betsy, too. It's Day Seven of the SOLC. Celebrate!

                                                              Tweet at #CelebrateLu!

Day Seven of the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge. 

                               Tweet at #SOL15

           Wow, it was a busy week. I'm also slicing with my classroom at  Linda & Jonathan's Class Blog. I celebrate them, writing away every.single.day plus doing all their homework for other assignments  and going to swimming, soccer, dance, ultimate frisbee, volleball-whew. Managing regular school (is there 'regular school'?) plus posting every day, and trying to live the rest of my life, you know--like eating and sleeping, paying bills and dusting. It's been a whirlwind of a week. Cold started the week; warmth ended it. I must admit, I didn't manage the dusting, but did do the laundry.

SOLC # 6 And Winter Poetry - Again!

 

Day Six of the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge. 

I'm also slicing with my classroom at  Linda & Jonathan's Class Blog.

Today it's also Poetry Friday. Robyn Campbell is hosting Poetry Friday today, sharing a few different roads we might take!  See all the posts at her blog HERE.  

          

I am unsure that anyone wants another winter poem, but I have one, and hope you enjoy this one. There are no chills or winds blasting the flakes across your roadways, and no piles of snow so high that you think you have inherited foothills on your streets, I promise.

A Little Bit of Spring, A Little Bit of Winter

                 Day Five of the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge.  Be sure to visit some of the posts. There are many wonderful pieces of writing to enjoy.
               I'm also slicing with my classroom at  Linda & Jonathan's Class Blog.

              My assistant Jonathan is also participating at JK's Slice of Life, my colleague, Max at TeachingFromBehind, and his assistant, Kam at A Moment With Kam. 
                        Their class blog is Max and Kam's Class Blog. 


         I wrote a poem nearly every day last month for Laura Shovan's birthday celebration prompts, 28 sounds.  You can find the challenge here. There were a few of us who wrote each day, and it was an enthusiastic group, smaller than this amazing Slice of Life group, dedicated and supportive. This week with more snow, I again hear the 'crunch crunch' of the sound that Laura posted on Feb. 22nd, George Washington's birthday. Again, my thoughts go immediately to Washington’s army. The facts say about 12,000 were there and about a third of them died of cold and starvation.  In my warm house with my Smartwool socks and fleece pants on, I too can only imagine!

SOLC # 4 Plus Celebrating Non-Fiction

Day Four of the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge.  Also, Come Visit the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge hosted by Alyson Beecher at Kidlit Frenzy.  

          I've been linking to Alyson Beecher's website for a while now, and from all others who link up plus Alyson's sharing, my knowledge of wonderful nonfiction picture books has grown and grown. The books can be for all ages, some just for the younger ones and some only for older students. Great books to discover and savor! 

Nathan of Yesteryear and Michael of Today – written by Brian J. Heinz and illustrated by Joanne Friar

           Every other page or double-page spread, the author tells the story of different topics in Nathan’s and Michael’s lives, one living in the 1880’s and one living today. It isn’t a particularly exciting story, but will serve to bring up the contrasts between the two times, and perhaps the imagining of what it would be like to live ‘back in the old days’.  For young children, they might ask questions about things like bringing mail by horseback or reading by candlelight. But older kids might look at this as a commentary about devices causing the loss of community.

          Actually, I enjoyed the warmth of several family times, eating together at the dinner table, and extended family together, eventually having Grandpa telling stories to the children. In the contrasting “today” pages, the illustration shows the father watching TV, Michael on his IPad, his sister on her desktop computer, while the mother is across the room on a laptop. Hm-m, I’m not sure I like the picture, especially the sad dog looking at all the family, leash in his mouth.   

SOLC # 2 - Monday Reading & A Special Birthday

SLICE OF LIFE 2/31

      Day Two of the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge. I'm also slicing with my classroom at  Linda & Jonathan's Class Blog. 

            My assistant Jonathan is also participating at JK's Slice of Life, my colleague, Max at TeachingFromBehind, and his assistant, Kam at A Moment With Kam. 
Their class blog is Max and Kam's Class Blog. 

Congratulations everyone for reaching Slice # 2!

      On Mondays I also participate in a group to share books written for all ages of children.

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is hosted by Jen at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS, and shared with Ricki and Kellee at UNLEASHING READERS.   

         And, also visit Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS for more reviews.  Great books shared!

           Tweet! at #IMWAYR

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! Born in 1904 on this day, Theodor Seuss Geisel still gives us joy!  

Yesterday, a blogger friend posted a wonderful slice about the early career of Theodor Geisel, not a children's writer at all, but one who fought in his own unique way in World War II. You can find this great post at Windows To My Life: Writing To Remember to read all about it!

Seuss-isms! - A Guide to Life for Those Just Starting Out . . . and Those Already on Their Way - written by Dr. Seuss

         Filled with the wonder words of Dr. Seuss from his many books, this book will bring back memories of your favorites! Each quote from a book is labeled with advice. From How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Learn to Improvise: “All I need is a reindeer. . . . The Grinch looked around.”  And from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Take A Walk On The Wild Side: “Did you ever walk/with ten cats/on your head?” I’m not sure that all are included, but many, many of the favorite books are here, a lovely walk through our Seussical reading lives!