Awesome August and Sensational Summer News

Hello there!  It's amazing how fast summer flies by, isn't it?  Well, they do say, "Time flies when you're having fun!"  Today I am linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything for their weekly Friday Favorites Link-Up!

Check out what's happening around here!

My son, Derek, is a published author!

He has a short story, The Senior Interview, published in an online magazine called Little Fruits.

Click here or on the above picture to read his story!



Picture Book to Check Out!

Here's a great non-fiction book to inspire personal narrative or just to learn about different customs around the world!


Back in my working days, I read the book:  Throw Your Tooth on the Roof:  Traditions from Around the World by Selby B. Beeler.  On the rug, the kids were so inspired that they started sharing stories about a memorable time when they lost a tooth.  

 

This book is very informative - I know that I learned quite a lot about different tooth traditions.  In some countries, people bury their teeth, use their teeth to make jewelry, and yes, some people actually do throw their teeth on their roof.  Here are some student work samples:

 Click on the picture or this link to get this free writing activity.



Chapter Book to Check Out!

  I started reading a new chapter book - The New Kid by Mavis Jukes - while the kids eat snack.  One of the extra projects the teacher in the book assigns is to make a list of 75 onomatopoeia words and put the words in alphabetical order.  As a reward, the student can earn a homework pass.  Consequently, I offered to do the same because I honestly thought that the assignment would be much too challenging.  Well, I stand corrected - several of my students are compiling a list of these words, and I will very gladly award them a homework pass for their hard work.

If you're looking for more blogs to read, click here or on the picture:

Here's to a wonderful weekend filled with sunny weather!  Thanks for visiting the blog today!

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Friday Favorites: Books; Fun Summer Game; and History!

Happy Friday!  Welcome to another week of linking up with Erika from A Little Bit of Everything and Andrea from Momfessionals for:

Books I've Been Reading!

Here are some books I have read and would recommend:

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

Etheldreda, aka Lady Tremaine, has two biological daughters; one step-daughter; a crumbling manor and no money.  She was married twice; both husbands died.  Now she's trying to find a way for her daughters to find a better life.  It's off to the ball where the step-daughter ends up dancing with the prince...

I recently read that this book is a different take of Cinderella in which the step-mother ends up being the "good guy."   I've just finished this book and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Click here on on the book cover to read more at Amazon.

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

This is just a sweet and comforting book.  A husband who is dying of cancer secretly arranges for his wife, Tilly, to receive one book per month during the year after his death.  These books are meant to inspire and help his wife start living again.  In addition, the husband includes a written note to his wife in each book.  Of course, the book store owner, Alfie, helped to choose the books.  Overall, this book is very heart-warming.

Positive Thinking!

I follow Power of Positivity on Instagram, and I really LOVED this message:

 Field Day Fun = Fun Game to Try this Summer!

My all-time favorite activity from Field Day is this sponge relay race.  The goal is to fill up and empty your sponge into the container until the ping pong ball falls out:

Click here to read directions to play this game.

 Woburn Trolley Tour

The Woburn Historical Society is an amazing organization!  They raise money throughout the year in order to provide each third grade the opportunity to go on a guided trolley ride in which we stop at a variety of historical sites including their headquarters.  While there, the kids saw an exhibit about the 1960's!

What games do you remember?

Introducing Sergeant Stubby!

If you go to the Burdett Mansion ~ home of the Woburn Historical Society, you can see this picture. One of my favorite pictures is Sergeant Stubby:

I love this dog!  Click here to see the movie version!

Thank you for visiting the blog today!  

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Happy Amazing April!

Happy April!  Today I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites!

National Poetry Month!

I love April because it is the gateway to spring.  Of course, here in Massachusetts, winter lasts throughout April (it was actually snowing last Tuesday), but there is hope in the air.  In addition, it is National Poetry Month.  Click here to check out a web site that is full of great poems and to get a free copy of this poster!

Click here or on the poster to download for free!

One of my very favorite poets is Doug Florian.  His poems are wry and colorful.  He has many books.  Here is one example:

Click on book cover to read more at Amazon.

Books to Check Out!

Some other books I have read recently and would recommend include:

Click here or on the cover to read more at Goodreads.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which you should read before seeing the movie (I saw that, too).  The book explains about Dr. Ryland Grace and scientists' quest to save the Earth from "astrophage" ~ a bacteria that is taking the heat from the sun and will cause Earth to freeze and die.  The book explains the whole process in details which are not explained in the movie.  Plus, Dr. Grace meets and collaborates with an alien, Rocky, who is also trying to save his own planet from the same fate as Earth.

Click here or on the cover to read more at Goodreads.

With all that is going on in the world and in Iran, this book is very of the moment.  I loved reading about how life was in Iran in the 1950's and 1960's. 

This book tells the story of two childhood friends:  Ellie and Homa.  They both grow up in Tehran and end up at the same high school.  Ellie ends up moving to the United States where her husband becomes a college professor while Homa stays in Tehran and becomes a political activist.  I really enjoyed the story of friendship and how Ellie and Homa help each other out in ways they could never have imagined. 

Student Authors!

A few weeks ago I read New Nonsense from the North ~ a book written by third graders:

My students - Isabella, Sierra and Paige - loved this book so much that they made their own version at recess, no less!  I thought it was so original and creative that I had to feature it here!

Massachusetts in the American Revolution

This is the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War.  I always loved teaching all about the reasons for the American Revolution like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party:

I recently updated and improved a slide deck titled:  Massachusetts in the American Revolution which you can check out here!

Amazing You Tube History Videos Using Legos!

Thanks to my students who have their very own You Tube channels, I decided to investigate myself and came up this perfect video about the Boston Massacre:

Click here or on the picture to watch the video.

That's it for this week ~ have a wonderful week!  Thank you so much for visiting today!  Make sure to click on the below graphic to check out more great blogs!

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Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend Friday Favorites!

Happy New Year, and welcome to Friday Favorites hosted by Erika from A Little Bit of Everything and Andrea from Momfessionals!

        ~HAPPY Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and                                          HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026~

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Craftivity

When I still taught 3rd grade, we made this adorable Dr. King craft and read about his life.  After the kids wrote an informational paragraph about him.  

I love how each student puts his/her unique touch on their Martins!

Fun With Fractions

I LOVE borrowing ideas from Pinterest, especially anchor charts. 

Click here for original Pin!

What Skills Students Need to Succeed

We had a professional development where we learned the top 10 skills students need to succeed in the future:

Being a graduate of a liberal arts college, I feel as if I was prepared for complex problem solving and critical thinking.  The speaker - Dr. Daggett - emphasized the importance of your major (the top earning profession was petrochemical engineering).  However, not everyone can be happy majoring in engineering, medicine, mathematics ...He did state that being a teacher means job security.  More importantly, being a successful teacher means you need to excel in all ten skills ~ you just won't get paid as much as a petrochemical engineer.  I don't think you could pay me enough to want that job anyway!

Click here to get a brief glimpse of Dr. Daggett's philosophy.

Adjusting to Winter

As the winter goes on, and I am adjusting to the cold weather.  I am also feeling grateful that all our ice has melted which makes it much safer to walk outside.

 

By the way, if you would like to check out an adorable book and enjoy the snow vicariously, here is a suggestion:  The Snow Day by Komako Sakai.  

 

Boston Tea Party Reenactment

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War.  If you plan to visit Boston, make sure to visit The Boston Tea Party Museum!

If you love history and want to participate in a reenactment, they do this at the Boston Tea Party Museum.  If you're lucky enough to be in Boston on December 16th, the Old South Meeting House recreates the December 16, 1773 meeting in which the decision was made to dispose of the tea on the three British ships in Boston Harbor.  Before the actual reenactment, many "colonists" mingle with the crowd:

 Here are some scenes during the reenactment:

 I've attended the reenactment twice, and it is so much fun!  Of course, if you're ever in Boston, you can visit the Old South Meeting House ~ it's on the Freedom Trail. 

 Cara Cara Oranges & Good Luck

They're back!  Cara Cara oranges are finally back, and if you've never had one, please check them out!  Juicy Cara Cara oranges are pink inside.  These oranges were discovered in 1976 and weren't even available in the U.S. until the end of the 1980s.  I was so excited to find them over the weekend:

While purchasing my favorite oranges and other delicious fruit, my total purchase came to:

I'm always feeling lucky when my total purchase randomly comes to a number like this!

Book Recommendation!

Every year I taught, I prepared my third graders for our state test (MCAS).  We always read an article about Pack Horse Librarians who travel to bring books to those who live in rural areas.  While browsing through the "Books With A Buzz" section of my local library, I came across this delightful book:

Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:
Set in Depression-era America, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond, ....The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky.

As soon as I realized I had found a grown-up version of one of my favorite MCAS passages, I knew I was going to read and love this book!

Cleaning

I've been cleaning and organizing a lot, especially after Christmas.  I won't bore you with the details, but I did give my younger son, Andrew, and his wife, Angelika, a Dyson vacuum for Christmas five years ago, and they still LOVE it (as do I!).  I'm always amazed at how well this vacuum works ~ especially the lower price from when I bought mine at least  10 years ago (I paid $500!).  Now this vacuum currently costs $425.  

Wow, prices that go down!  I love that!

I hope this New Year finds you healthy and happy!  Thank you for visiting the blog today!

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Friday Favorites in September!

Welcome to September!  I hear people say that summer is over after Labor Day.  I say that it's still summer because I want to enjoy every last day of warm weather and blue skies.  Plus, now that it's officially September, it's time to link up with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything for:

               FRIDAY FAVORITES!

What I'm Reading

I have always loved Sophie Kinsella's books with their happy endings and fun story lines.  This book is somewhat autobiographical as the main character, Evie, has glioblastoma ~ just like Sophie Kinsella in real life.  I was heartbroken to learn this about a young person who is such a successful and intelligent woman who has an incurable form of brain cancer.  Luckily, Sophie Kinsella has survived 3 years with this condition.

 What would summer be without an Emily Henry book?  I found this book a bit slow at the beginning, but then totally enjoyed it.  The setting is Little Crescent Island which is inspired by Tybee Island in Georgia.  We were there in April so I enjoyed the coincidence!

If you haven't read this book, I recommend it because it is easy to read and takes place in the summer (more summer = more fun!).  Here's a brief intro. from Amazon:

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.  

Consuming:  Hello Fresh TWICE a month!

After my husband recovered from esophageal cancer, his food preferences drastically changed.  He doesn't even like pizza any more!  Who doesn't like pizza?  Consequently, I now get a Hello Fresh box every two weeks rather than once a month.  He really enjoys the variety of the Hello Fresh meals with the tasty sauces and spices.

Every box three different meals.  I try to get one chicken, one ground turkey and one steak meal.    

I LOVE this sesame soy rice bowl which I have even made on my own with ingredients from the supermarket!

Click here to see the recipe!

 Discovering

I don't think I'll ever see enough rainbows!  The other night we had unsettled weather when the sun just magically popped out so briefly, and an amazing double rainbow appeared.  I stood outside in the rain and gazed at it until it disappeared.

Once upon a time, before I retired...

I made this most adorable sign for my classroom:

I fell in love with this safari friends themed poster at Lakeshore Learning.  Of course, there are matching products, but I limited myself to this poster ~ it took a lot of self-control...

Saving

I save too much of everything!  After I retired, I just spent so much time purging my teaching materials and papers.  I don't want to save so much "stuff" in general!  What about you?  Do you save things, forget about them, find them a year later, and wonder why you saved them in the first place?  It's a bad habit that I need to break.  In addition, it would be helpful if I started purging again.  

As we all enter the Back to School season and the meteorological fall: 

this September and into the fall!  Thank you for visiting the blog today!

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Friday Favorites in the Beginning of June!

Happy First Day of June!  Today I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals  as well as  Erika from A Little Bit of Everything  for Friday Favorites!  I have to remind myself every day that it is actually:

Planning

Next weekend I'm hoping to open up my above-ground pool and install the air conditioners.  Even though it is officially June according to the calendar, it was only in the low 60's yesterday so it's hard to believe that it's spring and that summer will ever arrive.

That super tall tree is my favorite tree in the world!

What I'm Reading

Now that I am retired, I am getting to read A LOT MORE!  Here are some books I would recommend:

Good Dirt

I already loved the book, Black Cake, by Charmaine Wilkerson, and I loved this book just as much.  In Good Dirt, ten year old Ebby Freeman grapples with witnessing the murder of her brother in their family home.  This violent act dramatically defines Ebby's life.  When she has the opportunity to house sit a cottage in the French countryside, she grabs it!  Unfortunately, her ex-fiance who stood Ebby up on their wedding day,  shows up to rent the guest house.  

If you're looking for a new book, this is definitely a book to check out!

 A Book Of Longings:

First, I love all of Sue Monk Kidd's books.  Second, the setting of this book is during Biblical times. (One of my all time favorite books is The Red Tent by Anita Diamant.).  Third, the premise of the book is that Jesus gets married to Ana ~ this book is Ana's story.  Ana is a woman who knows how to read and write which was very unusual at that time.  I highly recommend this book; it's a book that I love so much that I don't want it to end!

Check Out My You Tube Channe

I never expected to be a You Tuber.  Many of my students claimed to want this job as a career because of fame and fortune.  I'm not expecting any of that; I was just hoping to maybe help another teacher with virtual learning/teaching.  However, I continued recording the books I read to the kids during snack so there are plenty of videos to check out!

Remember to check out some other blogs here:

Thank you for stopping by the blog today!  Have a fun weekend!

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