An Artistic Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am in awe of how each rendition of Martin Luther King, Jr. can resemble him so very little.



It's the teeth that endeared me to this piece.



Italian Mob Boss?



Umm...



Suis-je de Martin Luther King, Jr.? Oui.

    

Moustache.  That's all I see.



This student said of her Russian MLK, "I didn't want him to have a nose."  O...kay.

This might be my favorite art project of the year.

I Have a Dream...

I was feeling somewhat concerned for the future of humanity after many of the selfish comments flying around my classroom this holiday season.  For instance, when they were asked to write in their journals about what they would wish for the world this season, responses were something along the lines of, "My wish for the world this season is that I would get an X-Box."  or "My wish for the world this season is that I would get to meet Santa Claus and go to the North Pole."  Umm...hmm...

Now it's the week of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Needless to say, I was worried about the "I have a dream" activities I'd planned.  I was fully prepared for the disappointment of reading, "I have a dream that I would have a million dollars." or " I have a dream that I would not have homework for the rest of my life!"  I braced myself and went ahead with the activity, attempting to keep in mind that these are 8 and 9 year old children with very little perspective on the world outside of Utah.  I did everything I could to explain that this was something for others.  Not for themselves.  I wanted a dream for humanity.  I wanted to know why they had this particular dream.  I wanted to know what they would do to help achieve it. 

Aside from this...

I have a dream that there are many other planets with other people and a place with water and oxygen and the other materials to live.  Why I have this dream is because I think it would be fun with other planets with different people.  I can make rockets to fly people to Mars.

and our newest member of the state legislature...

I have a dream that more schools will be built.  Why?  Because more children will learn more.  How I will achieve it?  I'll let the parents go to the school for free.  But they have to pay for lunch.  But little amounts of money at a time.

I have restored faith in what will become of us...

I have a dream to stop murderers.  Why I have this dream is because Martin Luther got shot and he died.  He was an innocent man.  There's also those little kindergarteners.  They got shot the same way Martin did.  And I feel really bad for their parents.  They're probably heartbroken.  I can stop this well at least I can help.  I would send them all I could and go to the school and cheer them up. 

I have a dream women will be paid the same as men in their job.  Some jobs women are not getting paid the same as men.  I will have a job that everyone is paid the same.

I have a dream to stop shootings.  I have the dream because lots of people die of shootings.  I can help achieve it by supporting Obama's gun rule!

I have a dream that I could help the kids in all the orphanages.  I have that dream because I worry about the kids in the orphanage.  They are maybe cold, sad, hungry, and need hope.  So I'm going to get a bucket, and a table, make a sign that will say: PLEASE DONATE!  THIS IS GOING TO ALL ORPHANAGES!  WE TAKE BLANKETS, WATER BOTTLES, ANYTHING WILL HELP!

I have a dream to go around the world and talk to kids about their problems.  I have this dream because some kids get labels, bullied, treated by the skin color, eye color, hair color, how much they weigh.  How I can help this is go to schools and talk to teachers and principals.  This happens to kids all over the world.  And that is my dream.

It's good to dream.  Even better to start making dreams a reality.  Especially if they're dreams like these.

Happy Dino Day!

Today being Groundhog Day, our class spent some time learning about the legend, watching footage of Punxatawney Phil making his prognostication (Phil and I are not friends today), and talking about whether this day is based upon science or is simply a fun tradition.  Following the lesson I challenged my students to come up with their own legend to explain any weather event they could think of.  All I know is...I want no part of Dino Day.

Dino Day by Joe

Do you know why we dont have Dino Day?  It's because it's dangerouse.  It's the worst day ever.  It isn't a good day.  It's a bad day.  I hate Dino Day.  It's the worst holiday ever. 

I'm not sure what kind of weather pattern is involved with Dino Day, but I know I never want to find out.

I Have a Dream

We completed a unit on the great Martin Luther King, Jr. last week.  After reading and analyzing parts of his famous speech I challenged the students to think about our world and we could do to change or improve things.  We chatted about some ideas before I left them to their own devices to write their speeches.  Listed below are what I believe were the highlights and, of course, a few of my own thoughts... (I still don't change the spelling - even for the third graders.)

I have a dream that we can all stop smoking and do our work. (Stop the smoke-break madness!) 

I have a dream that we will have a peaceful world and we will not be bossed by boiles. (Bullies, in case there was confusion.)

I have a dream that finuries will not make our univers dirty. (As one with a finury in my backyard I say AMEN, SISTA!)

I have a dream that black and white people will go to school together. (Not sure what he was doing during that part of the lesson.)

I have a dream that we can stop wars, don't keep atacking everyone, be nice - it kills people. (Your guess is as good as mine.)

I have a dream that there is no more picy people. (I guess we all have our pet peeves.)

I have a dream that everyone will understand that it doesn't matter which football team you like - that you won't pick sides. (Just imagine.)

I have a dream that people won't kill people if they don't like them and if people did'nt even do anything to them.  (Otherwise, have at it.)

And the most impactful thought on the matter...

I have a dream that I will have a bagillion legos under my pillow.  (No comment.)

Good stuff.

Slacker

It's true.  I'm a slacker.  My absence is certainly not due to a lack of humorous material to work with - more of a lack of....well, I've been lazy.  But I'm starting again!  This is my notice of posts to come.  I no longer teach first graders.  I teach third graders.  I still laugh every day.  And I still want to share it with you.  I will.  Wait for it...

Two Things I've Learned

A quick review of the third term of first grade.  Spelling is in its original form, as usual.  Classic.

I've learned a lot so far in first grade.  Two things I've learned are...

subchrashen and campond wrods. - Lisa
to read better and number bonds. - Luis
number bonds and seeds. - Jackson
illeshtreters and muny. - Dillon
to put stuff at the end [he had an arrow pointing to his period] and olso the rain forest. - Avery
compound words and number bonds. - Richard
number bonds and conpound words. - Kelly
maf and time. - Myra
haw to read and haw to tel time. - Vince

And the prize for deepest introspection...

Dillon likes Jennifer to chas him and that Will dsint like Henry. - Chris

I suppose I should just be glad he learned something.

I Am Important

We're all important. 

Some of us for very special reasons.

(I think Dad would agree.)