Patriotism

This week for Veteran's Day I shared America's White Table by Margot Theis Raven. As I read the story from a powerpoint, students created the image using a school desk as the table. After all, soldiers were once students and the time may come when children who are now in my classes will enlist in our Armed Services. During the presentation respect for our family members and friends in the military was palatable in the library.

The children are making postcards for me to send to an Army battalion in the state of Washington. One of our new teachers used to be with that battalion and knows how hard it is for young volunteers to be away from home during the holidays. We appreciate the opportunity we have to lift their spirits and share our gratitude for their service.

I grew up learning patriotic songs and was surprised when so few children recognized the words to "My Country 'Tis of Thee", even with our country's symbols and music being part of the school curriculum. My third graders were amazed to hear the song and the fourth graders tried to sing it with me.

The eagle painting at the top of the post is one I painted a few years ago for my husband.

King Bidgood

KING BIDGOOD’S IN THE BATHTUB by Audrey Wood is a great picture book to share with children. A knight, the queen, a duke, and the court try hard, but the king is having too much fun to get out of his bathtub and rule his kingdom.

Before reading the story you could talk about life in medieval times, especially about no running water except for maybe a page running up and down the castle steps. Encourage your child to listen for patterns in the story. What repeats? How is the story organized?

A question to ask your child is, did you notice a pattern that would help you retell the story? This story has three ways to remember the order:

Time of day: sun came up (morning), sun got hot (noon), sun sank low (evening), night got dark (night), moon shone bright (middle of night)

Character: Page, Knight, Queen, Duke, Court, Page

Activity: battle, lunch, fishing, Masquerade Ball, pull plug

One activity to do with a young child is have them show with their hands, the position of the sun in the sky as they read the story with you again. This is a good time to talk about the sun coming up in the east and setting in the west.

Go Outside to Explore and Inspire Your Writing

For several months I have had the dream of taking writers out to explore nature and inspire writing. Today being Martin Luther King Day was perfect timing to fulfill that dream. Students from our after-school writing club brought signed permission slips for the holiday field trip which was to the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, Arizona. It had rained this morning so it was cold, wet, and breezy as seven of us (three students and four adults) gathered for the excursion.

Walking through the gate near Cattail Crawl, we reminded everyone to use all the senses, not to just rely on what we see. Smells, thoughts, and textures can add meaning and dimension to our experience. The first spot we stopped was at the water’s edge where we watched it sprinkle. One of the boys said the sprinkles represent ideas or words. The fourth-grade girl said they were ideas that hit you and you want to write about them. Watching the circle disappear after the drop hit, the other sixth-grade boy responded by saying, “When you have an idea, you better write it down quickly before it goes away.”

Looking at a prickly pear one student said we should let ideas stick to us. My writer friend and former teacher told us that the sharp thorns remind her of metaphors and similes; they get right to the point so you can feel them prick your heart. Seeing a dried up fruit on the ground, I commented that the cactus reminded me of the pain and torment I go through to get my thoughts on paper, yet how pleased I am with the fruits of my labor when the writing finally comes together.

Mud cracks and pot holes reminded us to be aware of cracks and holes in our writing. One young man who was chasing the other boy stopped suddenly and pointed to a pile of leaves. “That reminds me of softness and love,” he said; then he started looking for animal tracks. Two adult women imagined the conversation going on between a gander and three white hens. Coming upon a yucca plant, a participant said, “Let your imagination expand!” He then amplified his thought by saying that each spike was a different idea and the serrated edges were the extra details you could add.

Time was almost up and we wanted to get back to the ramada to write and share. Besides, the increased wind made it colder. I had to put gloves on as we trucked the last part of the trail. It reminded me of how quickly a story comes to a close. Sometimes we come across things and places, like the refreshing stream, that we want to stop and explore, but these are only distractions. We can come back later and investigate more thoroughly for future writing projects.

We spent the last half hour munching apples, writing and sharing. One boy wrote a journal entry and included the drawing of a leaf so he could remember the day. An adult wrote to a leaf, asking why it had so many holes. Another participant shared her poetic observations that she had written while we walked. The sixth-grade teacher commented that the animals we saw softened our hearts.

We want to come back and get the rest of the club members to join us. We liked that we weren’t just learning but were experiencing the world we live in. Spring Break seems too far away so maybe we will come back some Saturday. We just need to pick a date to come. As one mother picked up her daughter, she told us the girl had given up two hours of food and fun at Amazing Jakes with her family and friends just to be there. Yes, taking time for writing is a sacrifice we writers (of all ages) are willing to make!

Suggestions for your own outdoor experience:

take a camera to record what you see and remind you of what you learned

take a snack (and water); you’ll get hungry!

take a friend; it’s amazing what you learn as you share your thoughts and build upon each other’s ideas

of course, take a journal and writing utensil; after all, we are writers and need to record our thoughts and feelings.