Here's a Montessori themed Word Cloud

Did you know that the first full week in May is Teacher Appreciation week? I’m not sure when it became an official “thing”, but it’s been fun brainstorming and getting things together for both MaM and the Fox’s classroom teachers.

While I was mulling over what to do, I had a burst of inspiration. And since it doesn’t happen often, I thought I’d share.

One thing I think most teachers enjoy (I know I did) is receiving sentiments from their students. One of my most favorite momentos ever is from a little girl who drew a picture of the two of us, and her dad wrote the story about it on the back. I wanted to coordinate sentiments from the Fox’s entire class- and all of a sudden it came to me. WORDLE.

The school administrator took the time to have each child say what they liked best about each teacher.

1) I created a word doc that included all of the quotes from all of the children, including their names.

2) I pasted that document into the text box on the wordle.net website.

3) I played around with the Wordle text by pressing “randomize” and tweaking the color and the font until I hit upon what I wanted.

4) I saved the file by selecting print, and then instead of printing, I saved it as a PDF.

5)I I printed the PDF on photo paper, and popped it in a 8 x 10 frame.

Viola!

What was really amazing about this project was that the words that “popped” on each teacher’s Wordle were dead-on. The teacher who spends time outside and teaches art had outside, monkey-bars, art, and paint in large type. The teacher who practices sight words with the children, sings songs and prepares snack had words like read, sings, and snack were the largest words on her word cloud. I can’t wait to give them to the teachers next week!

Wondering what you can do if you can’t get the whole class to contribute quotes?

a) Include the teacher’s name, and the class roster

b) Include the subject, along with special projects or unit themes that have been covered

c) Include reading lists, people studied, or lists of other topics covered

The possibilities are endless- have fun thinking of groups of words that might work for the special teacher in your life. He or she will appreciate it.

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No- we’re just busy with spring around here.

We’ve been checking out the fun at Conner Prairie.

MaM participated in her first Math Pentathlon & sang in her first chorus concert. She’s planted a tree with her Daisy Scout troop, and will be bridging to Brownies next week, which kind of blows my mind.

This weekend it’s grandparent’s day at the Fox’s school, AND we have tickets to the Music Man at Beef and Boards.

The boy is growing up so fast- he’s figured out the “big kid” swings, and has fun on the playground like he never has before.

The girl? She got a two-wheeled scooter for Easter and hasn’t looked back.

I’m still writing at Persephone, and at Savvy Source, but mostly I’m trying to keep up with my two dynamos!

What’s new with you? I know, it’s been awhile!

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It happens when we pass the billboard that’s still up on I-69.

It happens when the Fox and I sneak into SweeTies on our way to pick up Mam from school.

"Mom, the Giants NEED this cake, right?"

It happens when they see the Super scarf BgK received as a member of #social46.

Once the Superbowl is on his mind, we have some version of this conversation:

“Are they playing the game, Mom?”

“No the game is over.”

“The Giants winned, right? The Pantries are the losers.”

“That’s right, the Giants beat the Patriots.”

“Go Giants!”

MaM is planning on going on a zipline, ANY zipline the minute she weighs enough. (She spent a good portion of Saturday afternoon watching the zipliners zoom across downtown.) She’s practicing her Roman numerals, and she’s still talking about how she swallowed her tooth during the SuperBowl.

She now knows who Madonna is (how is it that she didn’t before Sunday? I have no idea) and would like to hear more of her music.

I hope that, at least through stories and pictures, they always remember Indianapolis’ first turn as Superbowl Host.

I have a feeling it won’t be the city’s last.  Nicely done, Indy!

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(This is actually common in my world.)

The tweet I saw was from a local news outlet, announcing that a bill allowing creationism to be taught in Indiana science classes was on the floor of the state senate.

It didn’t seem to get much attention- at that moment, for the days following, all of the attention was on the Right to Work bill and the Superbowl Village. Heck, my college roommate and I even wrote Indianapolis a love letter in two parts– a history and a city guide of what to do.

Because when Indiana is good, it is very good.

But when it is bad? It is horrid.

I was surprised at my reaction- honestly, not a whole lot riles me in politics. I’m luke-warm when it comes to unions. I’m pessimistic when it comes to healthcare reform. I want tax dollars to be spent wisely.

But bring up an education issue, an issue that would directly affect what my own child learns in a science class?

My mama bear comes out.

That night I emailed my state senator and urged friends to do the same.

The bill passed in the Senate today, 28-22, and from what I can tell, straight along party lines. (Thanks, State Senator Merritt, for a) not acknowledging my email, not even an autoreply, and b) voting in favor of this rubbish)

Thankfully, an amendment has been added that will hopefully make it something that no science teacher worth their salt will touch – an amendment that broadens the bill to say if schools choose to teach something other than science in science class, they have to include multiple creationist stories, not just what’s in Genesis.

Thank you, State Senator Vi Simpson, for this clever addition. There are a lot creation stories a science teacher could choose from, many of which are featured on http://www.magictails.com/creationlinks.html. Of course, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 1987 that teaching creation science was unconstitutional, but that didn’t stop State Senator Dennis Kruse from proposing the bill, because as he says in today’s Indianapolis Star online, “”I believe in creation, and I believe it deserves to be taught in our public schools.”  Seriously? This is a reason to present a bill to the senate floor?

The focus on here is really on how humans came to be, but when you start teaching creation stories as science….it sort of upends not only biology, but geography and geology as well.

Because if this is really what they (Christian creationists) want to teach (from http://www.creationcurriculum.com/):

Our mission is to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ through educating individuals of all ages about the evidence for creation.  We believe that God made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them in the time and manner specified in Genesis:  by His Word in six normal, solar days.  We also believe that God made the first man, Adam, directly from the dust of the ground and not through an evolutionary process.  We also believe that science, rightly interpreted will be consistent with the Old and New Testament Scriptures.

Then I ask how are other science classes going to deal with the questions from young scholars who are taught that Genesis is actually a real possibility?

Are the ice ages real? How did the mountains come to be? What about plate tectonics? Are they a hoax? What about the dinosaur bones that are older than the people bones? (can you tell I live with kids who like to ask questions?)

Did the earth ever really look like this? That depends on which unit we're teaching this week. (photo from Wikipedia)

I just don’t get it. Granted, the way the bill is written now, with the amendment, there’d have to be more than one version presented. So let’s look at the Hindu story of creation.

In this story, the people of the world come from Purusha, the creator of all things. The people come from Purusha’s body….and that’s how the Indian Caste system came to be. People are to live and marry within their own class to fulfill their life’s purpose.

That belongs in science class, right?

Comparative literature? Sure thing. Sign both my kids up! They’d love it.

Science? No way.

I’m off to email my state representative, Brian Bosma, and to write a thank you email to state Senator Vi Simpson. I’m urging you to do the same- here’s a handy link to do just that: http://district.iga.in.gov/DistrictLookup

I’ll admit, I am shocked by a) how this has gotten to me and b) how many people think that creation stories belong in science class. I mean, I know better than to read the comments on the news websites, but when there are over 100 comments and a good number of Facebook likes, it’s like Internet rubber-necking and I can’t turn away. 

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So I’m here, but not for long. This week has unofficially been declared: INDIANAPOLIS WEEK, as the entire expanse of the metro area gets ready to host SuperBowl XLVI.

Ready doesn’t even begin to describe it. This town of ours, it is on fire. It is breathtakingly ready. If you’re anywhere within a day’s drive of this spectacle, come check it out. I know I’m not the only Hoosier thinking that maybe, just maybe, this will be the first of many successful Superbowls for our fair city.

We took the kids downtown on Friday night, the opening night of Superbowl Village.

We saw the 33 NFL Super Cars.

We saw the Zipline operating overhead.

We saw the Human Hamster Wheels.

We saw the giant Superbowl Roman Numerals on Circle.

We saw Elmo.

There were football activities, music, food, and an electric energy that was contagious. And that was just opening night.

MaM has learned all about Roman Numerals.

The Fox wants to know when the big race is- he’s convinced those 33 NFL cars are going go to race, and the Colts car is going to win.

BgK is geeked for the LMFAO concert Friday night.

Me? I’m loving the good press Indianapolis is getting.

What’s been your favorite thing about Superbowl week so far?

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One thing I did do to get ready this year is…make wine. It’s true. Back in October, some girlfriends and I got together, went to Harmony Winery in Fishers and made a wine kit for the holidays.

It’s quite the process, making wine, even when you’re starting with grape juice and not in the vineyard.

After sanitizing our hands and donning aprons, we set to work creating the concoction that would then ferment for about six weeks. I don’t remember exactly what we were doing in all these photos- but it took about an hour, and we had a lot of fun!

After sanitizing, we took turns filling the bottles with Riesling. After bottling, came corking. After corking, came foil seals. After foil seals came customized labels. After all of that, we had a toast for a job well done, for done it was. We bottled about forty bottles total, and all five of us carted out a box of our creation.

Look at the finished product. Now the real dilemma is, do I really gift the fruit of my labor, or do I enjoy it myself?

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1. Happy Birthday, Grandma!
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A few weeks ago (ok, nearly a month ago), my grandma turned 98 years old! We kind of make a big deal about her birthday, because, well, how many 98 year olds do you know?

We had a party for her at my parents’ house, and of course there was cake. She brought her collection of birthday cards to share with us- she must have received over fifty cards. (PSA: Send birthday cards to the elderly people in your life! They love them!)

We had a lovely afternoon together, and as the day went on, she began to reminisce. As she gets older, her memories go back further and further. She used to talk about the sixties, now she talks about the thirties. She surprised us all by reciting, word for word, the opening monologue to the radio program, Our Gal Sunday. As she began to talk about the show, I started Googling for more details. She was wondering the exact year it began, and how long it ran for.

Between websites devoted to old time radio and Wikipedia, I was able to help her fill in the blanks. It was a fun way to share some time with each other.

Smart phones and the Internet, bringing generations together!

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Between the two of us, we have five kids, ranging in age from preschool through to junior high. We know the ins and the outs of places around town, and can’t wait to post our favorite things to do.

To start things off, I posted our  trip to Conner Prairie’s annual Headless Horseman event. Check out what we did, and then make plans to go yourself! The Headless Horseman will be scaring at Conner Prairie this weekend, and next weekend (closing night is Oct 29th).

Also this week- Heather gives us a tour of Vampire Vacation, this year’s haunted house at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, and a review of Beauty and the Beast.

Know of something cool happening in Indy that we should cover? Please let us know!

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What’s sweet is that she doesn’t understand the business side of these packages, so sometimes our conversations go like this:

“Oh look, there’s a FedEx bag!”

“Do you want to help me open it?”

“Oh yes.”

“Let’s see what we have.”

“Oh look Mommy! It’s cards, and a keychain, and oh, this says FREE BURGER. Mommy, who sent us this?”

“Wendy’s did, because they’d us to try their new cheeseburgers.”

“Wendy’s is SO NICE, Mom!”

For the record, Wendy’s really is nice. I love what they do, both with cheeseburgers and the Dave Thomas Foundation.

And OMG, the cheeseburgers. They’ve been reconstructed, and they’re YUMMY. My mom and I tried them out last weekend (the kids opted for chicken, even though they both had cheeseburger tattoos on their arms), and they were delicious. Substantial bun, juicy burger, fresh toppings. With this remake, the Wendy’s basic cheeseburger is more like a speciality burger. And unlike some other chains, this burger is sized so you eat one and you’re DONE. My mom and I both got a small fry with our meal and neither one of us could finish them. SO YUMMY.

But back to the FedEx bag- I’m wondering though, if next time, they’ll just contact Mam directly. I was walking near her in the hallway at school the other day (I was volunteering, she was going to class, and she was not acknowledging my existence) when she started her pitch:

“Hi Will!”

“Hi MaM!”

“I have a new keychain.”

“Cool.”

“It’s a cheeseburger. It’s from Wendy’s.”

And the future generation of bloggers has been born.

Disclosure- I was sent a bag of Wendy’s goodies, coupons and a gift card in exchange for my honest review. I chose to eat and sing the burger’s virtues on my own free will. And MaM raved about Wendy’s all on her own, with no prodding from me whatsoever. 

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