Nov
12
2009
Review by Lisa Garner
And the 2009 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award goes to….We Eat Food That’s Fresh written by Angela Russ-Ayon and illustrated by Cathy June. Congratulations ladies for serving up a delicious treat while empowering parents and children to learn more about the importance of establishing proper eating habits and having fun in the process. Join the children on an island adventure with a quirky chef who whips up their interest in trying an array of tasty new fruits and vegetables. From the garden to the kitchen, he awakens their curiosity regarding the mysterious world of flavorful and unfamiliar produce as he mixes, beats, and stirs them into delicious new combinations and recipes. Will this persuasive chef capriciously entice his visitors into trying something new? June’s scrumptious pastel illustrations are blended beautifully with Russ-Ayon’s easy rhymes and rhythmical verses. This delightful picture book comes with a CD which includes an audio book and a musical companion song that will delight children with its carefree island beat. The book’s text flows beautifully with easy rhymes and repetitive verses which will work well for individual, group, buddy, or choral reading.
Posted in: Teacher - Book Reviews
Nov
11
2009
Book Review by Lisa Garner
Momma Mia! Mange on Caldecott Award-winning author-illustrator Tomie dePaola’s delightful new book Strega Nona’s Harvest!
In this humorous tale, Strega Nona attempts to teach her blundering helper, Big Anthony, about gardening, order, and following directions. Based upon her meticulous records, systematic placement of previously unused seeds, perfectly straight rows, and a little magic, Strega Nona plants her garden under the light of a full moon and seals the deal with a song and a kiss. Scoffing at Bambolona’s rules and bossiness, Big Anthony thinks he can use her secrets to yield an equally bountiful harvest. However, his haphazard placement of seeds, extra kisses, and over watering turn his garden into an unruly jungle with a surplus of oversized vegetables which he surreptitiously places outside of Strega Nona’s doorstep.
After Strega Nona’s cottage is about to burst with beans, pumpkins, eggplants, and zucchinis, she decides to share her bounty with the villagers whose harvest was hampered by uncharacteristically heavy rainfall. Just as Strega Nona settles back into her roomy cottage for the evening, Big Anthony makes another unsuspected delivery.
DePaola’s format is classic Strega Nona full of witty lines, vivid comic strip style illustrations, and Italian expressions that are as warm and welcoming as the story’s quaint Italian village. It’s theme of generosity and sharing would be a great addition to any character education unit or simply as a wonderful class ...
Posted in: Teacher - Book Reviews
Nov
10
2009
I sat down to write my thoughts on what this year’s Thanksgiving 2009 means to me and I realized that the holiday has been lost in translation. I am trying to look at the big picture for a moment. I listen to the morning and nightly news and I just about want to check myself into a self help center-can you all say depressing! What are we giving thanks for? Unemployment is at an all time high-over ten percent. That means not since the period from September of 1982 through June 1983, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, have more American’s been out of work. Now according to our government, the “recession” is over. What? Yea, I know, before everything turns around, it’s supposed to get a lot worse. Well, we are at “it’s a lot worse” and I’m no rocket scientist, but according to many expert economists, “we haven’t seen anything yet.” Does that mean 11 percent unemployment? Now, tell me again why we are giving thanks? Okay, maybe we are heading for a national health plan to cover the millions of Americans that have no insurance. And maybe we will see the end to insurance companies denying insurance based on “pre-existing” illness, and just maybe we will start to see affordable health coverage. That’s in the plus column. Our troops overseas engaged in two fronts -back to ...
Posted in: Editor's Page
Nov
10
2009
By Lisa Garner
Let’s be honest! Didn’t all of us enter the teaching profession so we could bore the living daylights out of countless numbers of children, require them to spend four excruciating hours slumped over their kitchen table doing homework every night, and turning families’ quiet evenings at home into a WWF Smack Down? OF COURSE NOT! We aren’t the enemy, but why do so many parents think we’re out to destroy the lives of their children by assigning homework? Let’s face it, the real question isn’t whether we assign homework, but is the homework we are assigning relevant or just busy work?
Since “No Child Left Behind,” there have been far too many teachers being thrown under the school bus. Administrators are fixated on improving test scores but quality classroom time is at a minimum. Class trips, pep rallies, magazine drives, fire drills, lock downs, birthday parties, parent conferences, book fairs, H1N1 assemblies, class photos, and three day weekends are sucking up our precious class time like a sponge. As a result, many teachers feel pressured to send home unfinished class assignments for homework in addition to practice sheets to help improve their students’ standardized test scores.
Parents, on the other hand, are being stressed to the max. They’re expected to be wage earners, coaches, chauffeurs, and care takers. Instead of gathering around the kitchen table at night to have dinner ...
Posted in: Home, Teacher To Teacher
Nov
09
2009
MLB: The New York Yankees won the 2009 Baseball World Series defeating last year’s champion Philadelphia Phillies. The Yanks won the series 4-2, winning game six in front of their fans. MVP, Japanese star, Hideki Matsui, may be looking for a new team next year.
Golf: Phil Mickelson won the 2009 HSBC Champions event, held in Shanghai by one stroke over runner up Ernie Els. Tiger Woods finished five shots out of the lead.
Tennis: Novak Djokovic defeated hometown favorite Roger Federer for the 2009 Swiss Indoors title held recently in Basel Switzerland.
Tennis: Shocker of the year!!!! Multi-Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi admitted in his autobiography, "Open," that he used “Crystal-meth” a type of dangerous drug, in 1997. He tested positive for it and then lied to the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals). Andre-shame on you!!! What were you thinking?????
Tennis: Italy won the 2009 Fed Cup held in Reggio Calabria over the USA, when Italy’s Flavia Pennetta defeated Melanie Oudin ( a quarter-finalist at the 209 U.s. Open) of the US.
NFL: After week 9, The New Orleans Saints from the NFC and the Indianapolis Colts of the AFC remain undefeated.
NBA: It’s early in the season but here are the leaders: The Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.
Olympics: Vancouver 2010, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics is getting ready to host ...
Posted in: Benny's Sports My Way
Nov
03
2009
By Alison Moss
Gobble! Gobble! Thanksgiving time is near. Are you prepared to find the moves that groove you on the big day? Think about it…one word comes to mind when I think about Thanksgiving—TURKEY! And lots of it! But, all turkey and no movement can be a bad thing; so, I’m here to help you create your own movement playground at home on Thanksgiving Day.
I’m sure Mom, Dad, and maybe even Grandma are in the kitchen prepping for the special meal. There are lots of activities you can do in your own home to keep you busy and moving. My favorite part of the morning is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I love to grab lots of pillows and blankets and hunker down on the couch to watch the balloons and parade floats go through the streets of New York, while an apple pie bakes in the oven. Sometimes, I dance with the singers on the parade floats. Often times, it’s a hit artist playing my favorite song. I’ve even been known to belt out the lyrics too, until someone reminds me that I am not a singer, nor should I ever quit my day job and try to be one. Another thought while watching the parade is making use of the commercial breaks. Those three to four minute breaks are perfect for working on stretches to improve flexibility. Why ...
Posted in: Holiday Articles, Moves That Groove
