Perseverance



     Have you ever felt like the odds were stacked against you? Maybe you felt like you could not carry on or maybe you should just give up. Well, I am willing to bet the farmers all over the United States and the world are glad George Washington Carver did not give up on his dream of a college education. The book George Washington Carver What Do You See? by Janet and Geoff Benge, is a wonderful account of the trials and tribulations of George Washington Carver. This book is perfect to integrate in a social studies lesson because it not only recounts the life and accomplishments of a great American scientist. It gives insight into the plight of slaves and African Americans prior to desegregation.

     George Washington Carver was born into slavery. His mother was taken away by an armed gang of thieves and he was left on the side of a snowy road to die. Luckily a lady found him and brought him in. The slave owner found George and brought him and his brother into his home and raised them like they were his own. George eventually moved away to attend school. He went on to graduate from college and became one of the greatest scientists of agriculture the world has ever known. He is responsible for the peanut boom in the South. He invented over 300 uses for the peanut.

     Check this book out and add it to your social studies library. Your students will all benefit from reading this story of perseverance and success.

"You can think of almost everything as a math problem."

     Our story begins on Monday in math class. Before this day, our main character, who is never named, was just a regular kid. Then it happened! In math class, Mrs. Fibonacci made a profound and life-changing statement. She said, "You know, you can think of everything as a math problem." On Tuesday, the problems started. Our main character starts seeing everything in his life as a math problem. He can not even look in his closet without seeing his clothes as various combinations of colors and designs. At breakfast, he wonders how many quarts are in his gallon of milk, how many pints in a quart, how many feet in a yard, and even, how many yards in a neighborhood.

     This book titled, Math Curse, written by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, is a very entertaining math- based book that is sure to be a big hit with many students and teachers. By reading this book, children will not only be entertained, they will also learn important mathematical facts. Check this book out for your classroom library. It is sure to be a big hit.
                                                                                             

Wind & Water

    
     Do you remember, as a child, ever wondering where electricity came from or how it was generated? I was always fascinated with electricity and lightning, specifically. I often wondered why my toy train or my toy race cars would come to life when I turned them on. I never really understood how this phenomenon happened and I surely never considered alternative methods for producing this terribly wonderful thing.

    The book World About Us Wind & Water Power by Clint Twist is a nicely written non-fiction book about how electricity can be produced by harnessing the power of wind and water. This book has many great scientific facts and would be a great addition to a science classroom library. The book also explains how non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels will run out in the near future. The author also talks about toxic waste generated by coal burning and nuclear power plants and their potential hazards to the environment.

     The illustrations are top quality and very informative to help the students better understand the meaning of each passage in the book. Check this book out and give it a try the next time you are teaching a lesson on electricity or the environment. I think you and your students will really enjoy it.

Just Kidding

     Have you ever been teased by someone to the point of feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed? Unfortunately this kind of scenario occurs all too often. In the beginning the teaser may just having a little fun. Then when other kids begin to laugh at the jokes, the teaser starts to thrive off of the attention. Before long, the teasing turns into taunting, which is a form of bullying. All too often the victim of the teasing blames himself  for the bullying. To make matters worse, when these kids try to tell an adult about what is happening to them, they are called a tattle tale. This gives the victim a feeling of helplessness which often turns into tragedy.
    The book, Just Kidding, by Trudy Ludwig gives the reader an insight to the damaging effects of bullying on a child's sense of self worth. D.J. is a young boy who moves to a new school. He becomes friends with Vince, who in the beginning, seems like a nice and funny guy. Soon Vince begins teasing D.J. and the teasing eventually becomes taunting. This book, even though it is fiction and does not depict any real person or place, is a valuable tool for helping parents and teachers recognize bullying and how to deal with the situations that may arise.

     I plan to share this book with my students to show them the damaging effects of teasing and bullying. To give the students something to do with this information, I would have them create an imaginery newspaper. The students could write articles that deal with different scenarios in the book. They could also write about instances of teasing or bullying they have witnessed, without giving actual names. This would be a great exercise to further educate my students on how to behave appropriately. Check this book out. I know you and your kids will benefit from the information contained inside.