Maria's Mélange

No fooling - I had a great reading week! Well, not a full week. This year our district decided to go with the much less ambitious "spring long weekend" instead of a full "spring break". It's annoying now, but I'm sure that when June rolls around we'll be happy to have those extra two days added into the summer break (or at least that's what I'm trying to make myself believe) (Oh, and remember that today is April 1st - be very wary of any crazy things you read online today!) Up until yesterday I was still doing the Slice of Life challenge, so a bunch of my reading ended up being devoted to reading blogs and commenting. I also got the privilege of giving one of my Twitter Sisters some of my thoughts on her budding story called "August Gloom" (check out her website, too!  http://michellelloydthewriter.com/-August_Gloom_.php ) Don't forget to stop by Teach Mentor Texts to check out all the other great blogs to get more fabulous...

My post title may be just a bit misleading. I don't think there really is a way to transform hard things into "easy" things... not completely. What I'm beginning to discover, though, is that hard things can certainly get easiER.  Don't hate me - but writing is one of those things that comes easily for me. Once I have an idea, I can sit on it for a while and then the words explode onto the page. The hard part, of course, is the idea! Last year when I wrote for the Slice of Life month, I had some difficult days. There were days when I just didn't know what to write about, and I had some lame posts so that I could get through the challenge. This year it was so much easier! What changed? Habit. Last year participating in the March challenge was one of my earliest experiences with consistent blogging. This year, I participated after spending an entire year sharing my thoughts on a fairly regular basis. I am in the HABIT of looking for ideas and WRITING THEM DO...

(While I'm always willing to write about Princess Leia, today's post was inspired by the This is Madness battle currently waging at StarWars.com between R2-D2 and Leia. Artoo is wonderful, of course, but Leia deserves the win. This battle wages from 3/30 until 4/1. Please vote for Leia!)  Ambassador              Rebel               Warrior             Princess These are just a few of the words that describe my all time favorite leading lady. I have to admit that Leia's snarky, sarcastic retorts were what first drew me to her. One of my favorite buttons to wear on my denim jacket in high school proudly declared, "I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person". Leia... she was armed and deadly. Come on, you know that you laughed when she called Han a "stuck up, half witted, scruffy looking, nerf-herder" or when she gestured at Chewie and requested that someone "g...

I’ve done a lot of reviews for science fiction here as part of my mission to spread the word about the amazing things this genre can do for the curiosity and critical thinking skills of students - but this is the first time I’m featuring a short story.  The story, “They Might Be Dangerous” - by Kate Messner, was featured as part of the Scholastic Storyworks series. The story is designed to be read partnered up with a nonfiction piece called “Planet Hunters”. (The links for the pieces and extra resources are at the bottom of the post) Is there life on other planets? Will we ever meet with it - interact with it? What will that life look like? Will humanity have overcome enough of our prejudice and bias to reach out in friendship to life that evolved on another world? These are the very questions I wrestled with as a child. I can’t even begin to tell you how many drawings, stories, and poems I wrote about alien life in elementary and middle school. Kate’s story is exactly wh...

Once again, the boys are on the ball! "It's Thursday mom, can we do THIRSTday?" Check out David Etkin's site - Eat The Book -for more THIRSTday fun. So, here we go! Older:  We just got Poseidon by George O'Connor (I tweeted but didn't blog our Treat Tuesday this week), so the boys insisted I bring home the others in the series for them to reread. "In this book they show the war with the titans from Zeus's point ofview. This book has a great storyline and amazing pictures" Younger: Both boys blew through and really enjoyed 13-Story Treehouse - coming out in mid April. ( Goodreads Link here , so you can add it to your TBR list!)  I chose it because it is very funny, like catenarys. (Apparently there are flying cats, which cracked both boys up. I haven't read it myself yet, because both boys snagged it out of my pile.) Me:  Still loving The Girl from Felony Bay and also reading The Secret of Zoom. Don't miss ...

I teach my students that life is about finding and meeting challenges. Too often those "smart kids" breeze through elementary school and barely lift a finger. Does this teach them to learn? No, it teaches them that to see themselves as "smart" and "successful" they must go through life without putting forth any effort. What happens to those same kids when they get into challenging classes? Maybe it's a middle school math class. Maybe it's high school philosophy or physics or AP English. Maybe that kick in the pants doesn't come until college, or even graduate school. When their face hits a wall, and they fall down, what happens then? Some will accept the failure as a learning opportunity, pick themselves back up, and proceed to conquer their personal mountain. Some will decide that perhaps they aren't good enough or smart enough to continue to climb. They'll settle down in that exact location and refuse to move. Every day, my job i...

My post is working extra hard today - as I am counting it for my daily Slice challenge in March and hooking up with Kid Lit Frenzy's weekly nonfiction picture book challenge.  We all know them - children who are completely fascinated by dinosaurs. We've all met little ones who can pronounce latin names that are larger than their own legs, right? So often the kids know a lot about the creatures but nothing about the men and women who helped us learn about them. The intrepid paleontologists who brave the elements to dig out the fragile evidence left behind by these amazing former residents of planet Earth. How better to introduce these budding paleontologists to those who came before them than by teaching them about the man who discovered "the most famous dinosaur in the world"? Barnum's Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World by Tracey Fern , Boris Kulikov (Illustrations) 36 pages Published May 22nd 2012 by F...

Thankful, once again, for having the foresight to create this post with just a title when the inspiration struck. Today? No ideas. I'm a blank page waiting to be filled. A tired blank page with no ideas. A tired blank page that had to help a son complete frustrating homework last night and a blank page currently supervising him as he completes his final copy this morning. My muse has deserted me (perhaps she is sleeping in).... and yet... the breadcrumbs I left behind when inspiration visited will get me through the day. Captchas - A Commenter's Bane Oh captcha, my captcha how I detest thee. I squint and strain. Turn my head from one side       to another. Hope a new perspective will bring clarity. Failure - I am forbidden to share my glittering gem of wisdom on your page. I persist - make yet another attempt. Keyboard clicking as I peck, tap, hope this time I have it right. Success! I permit myself a single moment of joyful celebratio...

I'm rushing to get this post done (I usually write it on Sundays!) Be sure to visit Teach Mentor Texts to check out the other marvelous bloggers and their reading week for great additions to your to be read list. A quick image of my reading week - and then I'll chat about a few. Picture Books: Stop Snoring, Bernard! - I won this one from Ame Dyckman when she was celebrating her illustrators. Cute and simple, Barnum's Bones - I think I'll write this one up for an upcoming NF picture book Wednesday. Great biography of a paleontologist. Middle Grade: The Fourth Stall (Mystery) - I kept meaning to read this one because I got it inexpensively on Kindle. Then I won the 3rd book from Walden Pond Press and I knew I needed to read it. It's a fun mystery/humor book with middle school kids who have a "mafia" style feel. Very Godfather like. I have a student reading book one now and I'm curious to see what he thinks. The Runaway Kin...

I was privileged this weekend to witness an intriguing ritual, steeped in mystery. I've often seen it from a distance, but never had the honor of a front row seat. The natives kindly tolerated my presence, though they did glance over at me from time to time, to be sure that I was following the Prime Directive and not interfering.  The alpha male began by gesturing his companions into a circle. They solemnly took their places and listened as he decided who would begin. The complexities of the give and take began to reveal themselves to my watching eyes. One lunges, another backs up. One swings, another gets tapped and a debate begins. "Was that one move or two?" "Only one movement per turn, you know." "It was one, you're out." Sighing, the one tapped steps back out of the circle and the dance begins again. Lunges, swings, dives. The ritual attire is clearly designed to withstand numerous falls and scrapes. A few more moments, and another ...

I am back from a cold weekend of Cub Scout Camping. I don't deal well with chilly weather, and I was the source of much humor to the other parents of the Pack as I huddled miserably around the campfire in my multiple layers of sweatshirts, jackets, and a full length parka. Yet I am thankful for so much: My son had a wonderful time running around outside with his friends. Everyone was healthy and safe during the trip - even while we were teaching third graders how to use pocketknives as they earned their "whittling chip". The pack leaders forgot to bring the big coffee pot ... but my loving husband brought me a yummy Starbucks treat one morning (he was coming to the campsite to run the BB range) and another father had packed a french press and was gracious enough to share with all the caffeine starved parents. I had access to a heated cabin, and stayed there instead of in a tent this time. My hot shower today made me even more thankful for all the modern co...

I don't know whether I'll be able to finish and post this one Saturday while camping, but I'm getting it set up so I can try.... It's the first trip my younger son has had without his older brother. He's taking it seriously, making sure he fulfills what he sees as his responsibilities here. It's bittersweet to watch the pull and tug as he takes each little step toward greater independence. He's always been my "mama's boy". "Can I order for myself, mom?" - as we stop for food on the way to the campgrounds. Confidently, he explains to the cashier that he'd like just meat, cheese, ketchup and mustard on his burger, please. "I'll have to show the boys the best places to find wood for the fire myself now, since he isn't here." Then he takes off toward the camping area without a backward glance. I'm grateful that this is a campground he knows well, so he can explore confidently without me having an anxiety...

This is the view out my back window on Thursday morning, the first full day of spring: I know we've been "lucky". Many other places near us have been slammed by snow and have had a ton of snow days. Us? Nada. We got two days off for Hurricane Sandy, which ended up being just a big rainstorm here. Having no snow days isn't a terrible thing, because we get out a few days earlier in June. I'm heading to Ireland right after school ends, so I'll take those extra days. A few two hour delays would have hit the spot, though....  While the dusting is lovely, and doesn't interfere with the work commute, the cold snap does place a chill on the weekend plans. I'm a den mom for Cub Scouts, and we are going camping. I detest being cold, and we were planning tent camping. Guess who chickened out and cried "uncle!" I'll be sleeping in the heated cabin this weekend. Forget roughing it, I need sleep!  I'm participating in the March...

Started by David Etkin at Eat the Book , #THIRSTday is another quick and easy way to share books we love. The boys decided to eat ice cream tonight instead of having ice cream (I'm a bad mom, but not THAT bad), but they still wanted to share some books with you! Younger: Deathly Hallows He's not currently reading it (he is reading the Spiderwick series at the moment), but it's a constant favorite. Older: The One and Only Ivan He finally read it Wednesday. Now all three of us have shared the love. Me: Star Wars and History - I haven't started it yet, but I'm looking forward to digging in! The Girl from Felony Bay - I guess I don't read enough mystery, because this post is the first time I'm tagging a post with "mystery". Anyway, I've heard great things about this upcoming Walden Pond Press title and I'm excited to read it!

Snared by the first episode. Engrossed by the second. The third? The third episode sold me on the relationship between Rose and Nine AND convinced me that I would watch them go anywhere - do anything - together. Episode Three - The Unquiet Dead It's time, once again, for me to gush about how amazing it is to be a new Whovian. Doctor Who combines the best of science fiction, horror, adventure, and goofy British humor. What's not to love? Rose has just come out of an episode where she nearly dies a fiery death watching the end of the planet she calls home. Does that stop her? Does it give her second thoughts? Not really. Nine jumps her into the past this time... to the 1860s. (I'll confess to some Americentric thoughts here, I anticipated some Civil War action. Then I remembered that this is the BBC!) Instead, we get to see an old and worn out Charles Dickens, performing for a crowd. He's sure he'll have no more good ideas, and he's lost his spark. ...

I'm currently listening to The Handmaid's Tale by Atwood as part of my Feminist Reads Challenge. While I could say so many things about the story as a whole, and about the frighteningly realistic nature of some of the plot points, today I want to talk about something else. "Jimmies" For those of you sadly not "in the know", jimmies are what I've always called sprinkles. Those delicious little slivers of sugar that grace the top of any respectable sundae or cone. So why do jimmies speak to me? Why did a sudden grin cross my weary face when Atwood had Of-Fred describe a memory cone with jimmies on top? Many years ago - the last time I saw myself as "a writer" - I had a simple picture book manuscript that I'd written. I even went so far as to go to a writer's retreat and share my words with someone to get critique. In it, the main character talks about jimmies. The person reading it recommended I change "jimmies" t...

It's Treat Tuesday! Another chance for my family to show off our favorite reads of the week and for my boys to talk me into candy. Visit Niki's site - Daydream Reader - for more Treat Tuesday goodness. We also tweet with #TreatTuesday Younger: The Lightning Thief "I like this because it is the only Percy Jackson book where they go tothe underworld except for the last one." Older: Maximum Security (part of the Cherub series recommended by the sons of @KrisBisBooks) "In this book James has to break a kid out of jail and have him lead them to his mom, a most wanted weapons smuggler."  Me: I'm finally reading The Runaway King ! I have a student all in a lather to get the book from me, so I'd better get it done. 

When my colleague first mentioned the idea of doing a Battle of the Books for March Madness, I knew it would be fun. What I didn't realize was just how excited the students would become over the results. I guess when you start with 32 books that were culled from THEIR top ten lists, it makes sense that they would be invested in the outcomes, right? Results from the Four School Challenge: The Hobbit beat Goblet of Fire (37-23)  in a battle of might and magic! The Lightning Thief ousted A Wrinkle in Time (39-21) - yes, our students love fantasy and science fiction! The One and Only Ivan beat Phantom Tollbooth (38-22) - who doesn't love Ivan? Capture the Flag over Westing Game (31-29) - my students were thrilled to see Messner win here! Holes beat Eye of the Storm (43-17) - Understandable, but I hope more students read this marvelous near future science fiction due to this battle. Mysterious Benedict Society over The Name of This Book is Secret (42-18) - other...

It begins with a tweet... the way so many things do... Wow. Music from space! #LivingInTheFuture wired.com/geekmom/2013/0… Via @ geekyjules — Maria Selke (@mselke01) March 12, 2013 The tweet is passed on to the family of a former student. Well, the link is passed on.. in a simple email. A "hey, I thought of you when I saw this" kind of thing. ... which continues with a response - enthusiastic and heart felt. A joyful reaction to a simple act. ...which results in an invitation. A chance to see that former student perform on St. Patrick's Day. Marvelous! Visit the Irish Blessing site What an amazing experience! I brought my sons (who both play violin) along to see the performance. Two bands played. First, we saw the group Irish Blessing. They performed a delightful mix of jigs, reels, and airs. The young men in the group took turns demonstrating traditional Irish dance steps, and even danced together several times. That is precision! When I was in high...

It's Monday - time to update my blog with my weekly reading efforts. Don't forget to visit Teach Mentor Texts to read other blogs and add to your TBR list!  The Nerdbery Challenge continues - and I collect two more gems. This takes me to 70/92!  Poetry: Meh. While I think kids will like it, I had to force myself to finish it. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood? Picture Books: Awesome. Cat Tale had interesting illustrations and a fun spin on homophones. Some reviewers complained that there was a mismatch between the younger child style of illustrations and older language skills, but I think that will actually be helpful for my kids. I plan to use it with my second graders. Nelson Mandela was amazing. Gorgeous and simple telling of a life. Science Fiction:  Full review for last week's Sci Friday : Miss some of my education related posts from this past week? March Madness (bookish style) Round One wrap up Book Swap post (thank...

Some days it all clicks. Some days I am reminded of the frustrations involved in teaching... Some days I am reminded of the reasons I love what I do... Some days everything just seems to fall into place... One of my primary jobs, at least in my own mind, is fostering creativity in my students. In today's climate, where so much of education seems to be pushing us toward making sure students can choose the right letter on a bubble test, this is more important than ever. Certain assignments that I use from year to year do a better job in this area than others. One of my favorites is having students read maggie and milly and molly and may by e.e. cummings. We read it a few times, and then I dump a horribly open ended task in their laps. Based on JUST the tiny clues left for us in the poem, students need to write a short paragraph describing each girl. Inevitably, the panic level in the room rises. "How is that possible, Mrs. Selke?" "What do we need t...