Signs of Spring

Wearing the mud boots, jumping for joy and Celebrating Spring

As the last couple days of March move toward April we finally have milder weather and now we have the transition from pure white snow to green leaves bursting forth and the lawn turning from brown to fresh, light green.
This transition here in Northern BC is a gritty, dirty, mud-caked, flooded roads and yards....and it ain't pretty....far from it!! But the promise of budding leaves and spring flowers makes me endure this transition. We already have birds swooping and chirping and singing their excited songs....they too welcome spring.
So, I join their song with them and instead of complaining about this dirty town, I drive thru those puddles and streams running down the curbs and squeal as the water swoops from the wheel wells and spray up along the still unmelted snow banks.When I was a child I'd splash thru the puddles, wearing rubber boots and inevitably got many soakers. I was not allowed to get soakers (and consequently got into big trouble), but that didn't stop me...I have always celebrated spring....and if I was a little girl again, I'd still splash and squeal and celebrate :)

TGIF

So, here we are at Friday again...is it just me or do the weeks just fly by?? Man!!
I did manage to get a lot of Spring Cleaning done this week and am just going to leave it at that for the week. I have plans tpo go out to a friend's place this evening. Several of us are getting together and having a fun time. What a great way to end the week.

We have a repair guy over right now because for some reason our dishwasher is leaking. I suppose in some people's world that is NOT reason for panic, but in my world....well, how does one live without a dishwasher?? Ok, so it's not the end of the world...dishes can be done by hand like I've done them for years and years....but as I was telling Mom (and she vigorously agreed that she feels the same about housework...)I'm lazy.Ha....there I said it :P
Once upon a time I cooked and baked everything from scratch, cleaned everyday and did loads of laundry by the thousands...but now, I don't have to and have become spoiled.

So, I'd like to wish you all a great weekend.

April Fools' Day

"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year." ~ Mark Twain

April Fools' Day, sometimes called All Fools' Day, is one of the most light hearted days of the year. Its origins are uncertain. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons, while others believe it stems from the adoption of a new calendar. April Fools' Day is observed throughout the Western world. Practices include sending someone on a "fool's errand," looking for things that don't exist, playing pranks, and trying to get people to believe ridiculous things. Taken from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aprilfools1.html .

Teachers can help the children learn to appreciate the different beliefs as to why April Fools' Day is celebrated, to write a mythical story on how they believe April Fools' Day began, to comprehend the difference between a hurtful joke and a good natured prank, and to learn about other cultures and how they celebrate April Fools' Day on April 1.

Check out some more resources on April Fools' Day at: http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/april.htm Resources
http://wilstar.com/holidays/aprilfool.htm History
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/aprilfools/origins.asp Origins
http://www.internet-at-work.com/hos_mcgrane/holidays/2_brian.html Facts http://www.fi.edu/qa99/spotlight4/ April Fools' Day http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/Byrnes-celebrations/april.html Unit
http://holidays.mrdonn.org/aprilfools.html All Over the World
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/aprilfool.shtml Activities http://www.vickiblackwell.com/aprilfools.html Resources http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/aprilfools.htm Resources
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/dailylp/dailylp/dailylp071.shtml Backwards Day Lesson

Spring Blizzard

Photo: Just one of the many snow drifts around Fort St. John - Adam Reaburn/Energeticcity.ca

We had a Blizzard last night with winds as high as 60kmh, creating massive drifts.
"The overnight snowfall has pushed the monthly total past 40 centimeters and, it is now more than 15 centimeters higher, than the local area monthly norm, for March."
This is just a small exerpt from this morning's News.
So.....one wonders....if Global Warming is to be blamed for so many wierd weather patterns these days....where, oh where is the warm Spring weather??

Slow Dance

This poem was written by a terminally ill young girl in a
New York Hospital .

It was sent by a medical doctor -
Make sure to read what is in the closing statement
AFTER THE
POEM.

SLOW DANCE



Have you ever
watched
kids On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?

When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through
your head?

You'd better
slow down

Don't dance so
fast.

Time is
short.

The music won't
last.

Ever told your
child, We'll do it
tomorrow?

And in your
haste, Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost
touch, Let a good
friendship die

Cause you
never had time To call
and say,'Hi'

You'd
better slow down.

Don't dance
so fast.

Time
is short.

The music won't
last.

When you run
so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting
there.

When you worry and hurry
through your day,

It is like an unopened
gift....
Thrown
away.

Life is not a
race.

Do take it
slower

Hear the
music

Before the song is
over.


This young girl has 6 months left to live, and as her dying wish, she wanted to send a letter telling everyone to live their life to the fullest, since she never will.
She'll never make it to prom, graduate from high school,
or get married and have a family of her own.

PLEASE PASS ON AS A LAST REQUEST.

Dr. Dennis Shields, Professor
Department of Developmental and
Molecular
Biology
1300
Morris Park
Avenue
Bronx , New York

Harry Houdini's Birthday March 24

Mar. 24: HARRY HOUDINI'S BIRTHDAY

Harry Houdini (March 24, 1874 Budapest – October 31, 1926, born Ehrich Weiss) was a Hungarian-American magician and escapologiest, stunt performer, actor and film producer, as well as a skeptic and investigator of spiritualists. Harry Houdini forever changed the world of magic and escapes, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest escapologists in history.

For more info on Houdini, see the complete article at Wikipedia or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Houdini#Birth_and_name .

The American Experience: Houdini

Wikipedia

Ed Helper

Houdini Tribute

Houdini Bio

Houdini Bio and Tricks

Spring????!!!!!

I opened my front door this morning and look what faced me....

Yes, that is snow!! It snowed the entire first day of Spring...I am NOT impressed!!
The sun is shining brilliantly though, so hopefully this will all melt away quickly.

First Day of Spring

"Through all the frozen winter
My nose has grown most lonely
For lovely, lovely, colored smells
That come in springtime only.

The purple smell of lilacs,
The yellow smell that blows
Across the air of meadows
Where bright forsythia grows.

The tall pink smell of peach trees,
The low white smell of clover,
And everywhere the great green smell
Of grass the whole world over."
- Kathryn Worth, Smells

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn."
- Hal Borland

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant."
- Anne Bradstreet

Wordless Wednesday

Some Wildlife of Northern B.C., Canada

A Cow Moose

Cariboo

Bison

Black Bear

A Little of This and A Little of That

It's a very lovely, sunny day although it dropped to -23c again last night. We got a huge dump of snow on Saturday and Sunday and town is just finishing off plowing it all and loading it into a dump truck to haul off to a yard to melt.
Yesterday I had the ladies in my Bible Study group come over here. I baked a very yummy banana loaf and added all sorts of seeds, mixed chopped nuts and some dried cranberries. I also mixed the white flour with wholewheat, making it a healthy snack.
There are SO many people down with the stomach flu as well as a very wicked chest cold/cough, so not everyone came out yesterday to the Study. There were 7 others besides myself, but that was good cuz my diningroom table isn't very big. When we moved here several years ago we bought a smaller table with 4 chairs and then bought 4 folding chairs to pull out when needed.
I have been slowly transitioning my home over to the spring season decor, so I added a light green table cloth to the table and put out a few spring-fragrance candles. I also switched my silk flower arrangements from the winter foliage/colors to more springtime florals. I know.....silk flowers are not designer approved anymore, but I still have some out, along with live plants :P
My second oldest son popped by later in the aft and said that he bought tickets to fly to Europe and go on a 3 month back-packing tour. The oil industry shuts down over spring break-up until the frost melts. Every spring road bans go up, meaning no vehicles heavier than a certain weight are allowed on during the warm daytime, at first and then it progresses to a total ban of any vehicle on the roads, leading into remote areas. The mud here is like clay....slick as snot and packs onto the tires and vehicles, building up so much that my hubby has had to stop to kick it off from around the tires because they barely turned anymore. Transporting huge equipment is suicide down some of the mountainous terrain, with switch-back turns.
Anyhow, my son is single and free and to be truthful, Eastern Europe(Hungary, Romania, Ukraine), where the exchange rate is still awesome, means it's far cheaper for him to take the tour now.
I will end with this joke a friend sent me:

A blonde calls her boyfriend and says, 'Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started.'

Her boyfriend asks, 'What is it supposed to be when
it's finished?'?

The blonde says, 'According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster.'

Her boyfriend decides to go over and help with the puzzle.

She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table.

He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says, 'First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster.'

He takes her hand and says, 'Second, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then ...' he said with a deep sigh,......

'Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box.'

First Day of Spring March 20, 2009

First Day of Spring March 20, 2009

Plant some seeds of learning!

The Vernal Equinox is one of the four great seasonal changes on the earth that happens every year. Day and night are equal, and the changing weather can lift the spirits of everyone. In spring, the axis of the Earth is tilted toward the Sun and the length of daylight increases for the relevant hemisphere. The hemisphere begins to warm up causing new plant growth to spring forth and to give the season its name. Spring is seen as a time of growth and renewal of new life for plants and animals. Spring is the end of winter and the culmination of lengthening days. The Christian season of birth and renewal has Easter at this time. Don't miss this opportunity to have some fun and educate at the same time.

Spring is just around the corner and soon all manner of wonderful little surprises will be peeking up at you as you venture out for a walk or trip. Little shoots of pale green grasses, crocus, daffodil plants, flowers of thrift and phlox, and many other plants are getting ready to emerge from their winter sleep. What an exciting seasonal change this is! Enjoy it and have fun learning.

BE A SCIENTIST: You can lay out two or three circles in different areas of the yard and record in your Journal the changes that are occurring in each circle. Be sure to take notes on the same day for all of the spots. Maybe your observations will help your family decide on the best site for a vegetable or flower garden, play area, or pet area! Teachers can teach the signs of spring and have students observe nature in the world and see what happens in spring and what people and animals do. They can use language to bring meaning to what they observe, feel, think, hear, taste and smell. You can use real-life situations to acquire concepts and information that will lead to the attainment of life skills. Plant some seeds of learning!

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_(season)

See Spring theme at: http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/spring.htm

Earth Day in April-Book List

We all know reading is important for a successful future, and we also know kids want to have FUN. TeachersAndFamilies developed TogetheRead’s monthly themes to give you ideas to have fun together as you build stronger readers.

April's theme will be TRASH, just in time for an Earth Day look at all that we throw away. You can register to receive the preview book lists for upcoming themes and share them with your school or public librarian so the books will be available in time for April.

See the Reading List for the "Garbage Goes Green" Theme for all grade levels at http://www2.teachersandfamilies.com:80/open/tr/tr-libs4.cfm?theme=32 .

Teachers know that effective readers THINK about certain things before, during, and after reading. We’ve interwoven these “reading strategies” into the TogetheRead questions and activities, so you will be building good reading skills as you talk and have fun together! You don’t have to worry about whether you are “doing it right.” Just read, talk, and enjoy!

You can find this story and more info at TogetheRead online at www.teachersandfamilies.com/open/tr1.cfm or TeachersAndFamilies.com .

For more reading ideas and Earth Day Theme Resources, go to http://geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/earthday.htm .

Albert Einstein's Birthday March 14th

Albert Einstein is named Time Magazine's Man of the Century! Read about Einstein's astounding theory of relativity and his discovery of the quantum, his thoughtful philosophy, and his rise above a turbulent life including marriages and exile. This Einstein exhibit contains many pictures, cartoons, voice clips, and essays on Einstein's work on special relativity, Brownian motion, and more.

Overview of Einstein's Life

He was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm Germany to his parents Hermann and Pauline.
Einstein had problems with school which led him to be kicked out.
In 1900, Einstein graduated and went unemployed for eight months having off and on jobs as a high school teacher.
June 30, 1905 Einstein published his breakthrough paper "Special Relativity."
In 1908, Einstein became a lecturer at the University of Bern.
In 1909, he became a professor of physics at the University of Zurich.
Also in 1909, Einstein is recognized as the leading scientific thinker.
In 1911, he became a professor at the Karl-Ferdinand University.
In 1912 Einstein began working on what would be his second big breakthrough.
Then in 1915, he published "General Relativity."
In 1922, Einstein received the most prestigious science award: The Nobel Prize in Physics for the work he had done on the Photoelectric Effect. It was not for relativity!
On August 2, 1939, Albert Einstein wrote FDR a letter explaining the possible destructive power of a atomic bomb. FDR took it seriously, and, in turn, started the Manhattan Project.
In 1940, Einstein became citizen of the United States.
Einstein spent the later years of his life searching for a theory called the "Grand Unified Theory." He never found it, and still to this day it remains a mystery.
Einstein died April 18, 1955

Taken from:
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/ Albert Einstein-Image and Impact

http://www.geocities.com/researchtriangle/campus/6791/ Einstein World

Oh the joys of....

....The Bathing Suit

When I was a child in the 1960's the bathing suit for
the mature figure was-boned, trussed and reinforced, not so
much sewn as engineered. They were built to hold back and
uplift and they did a good job. Today's stretch fabrics
are designed for the prepubescent girl with a figure carved
from a potato chip.

The mature woman has a choice - she can either go up front
to the maternity department and try on a floral suit with a
skirt, coming away looking like a hippopotamus who escaped
from Disney's Fantasia or she can wander around every
run of the mill department store trying to make a sensible
choice from what amounts to a designer range of florescent
rubber bands.

What choice did I have? I wandered around, made my sensible
choice and entered the chamber of horrors known as the
fitting room.

The first thing I noticed was the extraordinary tensile
strength of the stretch material. The Lycra used in bathing
costumes was developed, I believe, by NASA to launch small
rockets from a slingshot, which give the added bonus that if
you manage to actually lever yourself into one, you are
protected from shark attacks as any shark taking a swipe at
your passing midriff would immediately suffer whiplash.

I fought my way into the bathing suit, but as I twanged the
shoulder strap in place, I gasped in horror - my boobs had
disappeared!
Eventually, I found one boob cowering under my left armpit.
It took a while to find the other. At last I located it
flattened beside my seventh rib.

The problem is that modern bathing suits have no bra cups.
The mature woman is meant to wear her boobs spread across
her chest like a speed bump. I realigned my speed bump and
lurched toward the mirror to take a full view assessment.

The bathing suit fit all right, but unfortunately it only
fit those bits of me willing to stay inside it. The rest of
me oozed out rebelliously from top, bottom, and sides. I
looked like a lump of play dough wearing undersized cling
wrap.

As I tried to work out where all those extra bits had come
from, the prepubescent sales girl popped her head through
the curtain, 'Oh, there you are,' she said, admiring
the bathing suit.

I replied that I wasn't so sure and asked what else she
had to show me. I tried on a cream crinkled one that made me
look like a lump of masking tape, and a floral two piece
which gave the appearance of an oversized napkin in a
serving ring.

I struggled into a pair of leopard skin bathers with ragged
frills and came out looking like Tarzan's Jane, pregnant
with triplets and having a rough day.
I tried on a black number with a midriff and looked like a
jellyfish in mourning.

I tried on a bright pink pair with such a high cut leg I
thought I would have to wax my eyebrows to wear hem.

Finally, I found a suit that fit...a two-piece affair with
a shorts style bottom and a loose blouse-type top. It was
cheap, comfortable, and bulge-friendly, so I bought it. My
ridiculous search had a successful outcome, I figured.
When I got home, I found a label which read --
'Material might become transparent in water.'

So, if you happen to be on the beach or near any other body
of water this year and I'm there too, I'll be the
one in cut-off jeans and a T-shirt!

You'd better be laughing or rolling on the floor by
this time.

Life isn't about how to survive the storm,
but how to dance in the rain.

And that Folks is Entertainment!

Don't even ask me how I came across this, but one song lead to another, that lead to another and well... tit brought back such joyful memories...and yes, ages me....but who cares...these folks sure knew how to entertain and I can still hear the laughter ringing thru our home when we all sat as a family and watched those live shows on our tiny Back & White TV.

Handmade Cards

The past few days, as I've felt up to it, I've made some cards.I was given, as part of a scrapping gift, some colored blank cards with matching envelopes. I've been meaning to make them for a while and now just seemed like a good time to tackle one small project at a time and I can sip my ginger tea while creating.

Gross!

Well folks, I've been broad-sided with a nasty stomach flu...gross, gross, gross!!!!!!!!!! I'll pop back tomorrow when I'm feeling better.

Children Learn What They Live

Children Learn What They Live

by Dorothy Law Nolie

If a child lives with criticism,

He learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility,

He learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule,

He learns to be shy.

If a child lives with tolerance,

He learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement,

He learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise,

He learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with fairness,

He learns justice.

If a child lives with security,

He learns faith.

If a child lives with approval,

He learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,

He learns to find love in the world.

For More Quotes, Poems, and Inspirations, go to

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/

Boat Compromise

My friend wanted a boat more than anything. His wife kept refusing, but he bought one anyway. "I'll tell you what," he told her, "In the spirit of compromise, why don't you name the boat?"

Being a good sport, she accepted. When her husband went to the dock for his maiden voyage, this is the name he saw painted on the side: "For Sale."

Aprons

The History of 'APRONS'

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,because she only had a few,it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for
removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ' old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs was on that apron. I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron.

Introducing....

.....my wonderful Husband, George. If you have been following my Blog, you will remember that in January we were in an accident that resulted in George's work truck being totalled.
With the down-swing in the economy and the amount of Insurance coverage paid out to us, we felt that it would not be wise to buy another truck and bring our debt load higher. Instead, George has finally been able to realize a dream that he's had for so many years. He has been enthralled with computers and has aquainted himself with using it as a tool to make money. The opportunity for George to take this step was opened to us now and we are excited.
Click on the ebay button located on the top right of my sidebar and check it out. He will have a continual variety of product to sell, so check back often.

101 Ways to Praise A Child

101 Ways To Praise A Child (author unknown)

Wow. Way to go. You're special. Outstanding. Excellent. Great. Good. Neat. Well done. Remarkable . I knew you could do it. I'm proud of you. Super Star. Nice work. Looking good. You're on top of it. You'recatching on. Now you've got it. How smart. Good job. That's incredible. Hot dog. Remarkable job. You're Beautiful. You're a winner. You make me happy. Hip, Hip, Hooray. You're important. Magnificent. Beautiful. Fantastic. You're on target. You're on your way. How nice. You're Spectacular. You're Darling. Super. Super Job. Beautiful work. Good for you. Nothing can stop you now. Dynamite. You're fantastic. Awesome. You're precious. Fantastic job. You've discovered the secret. Bingo. Great discovery. You're a real trooper. Marvelous. Terrific. You're growing up. Outstanding performance. You tried hard. You figured it out . What a good listener. You're a treasure . You mean a lot to me. You're a good friend . That's correct. A big hug. What an imagination. You learned it right. You're incredible. Now you're flying. Bravo. Beautiful. I like you. I respect you. You're sensational. Phenomenal. A+job. Hooray for you. You're unique. You care. Creative job. You belong. You brighten my day. Super work. That's the best. You made my day. I love you! Beautiful sharing. You mean the world to me. You're important. You've got a friend. You're a joy. You make me laugh . You're A - Okay! My buddy. I trust you. You are perfect. You're wonderful. A big kiss. Exceptional performance . P.S. Remember, a smile is worth 1000 Words!

For more resources, tips, and ideas for teachers and parents, go to http://geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/ .

Proofreading

I've decided that the best way to start a fresh new week is to have a laugh. We all need a good laugh at least once a day, don't you think?

Proofreading is a dying art, wouldn't you say?

Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter

This one caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and a call was made to the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day.
---------------------------------------------


Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No, really? Ya think?
---------------------------------------------

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!
----------------------------------------------

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!
-----------------------------------------------

Miners Refuse to Work after Death
'good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!
------------------------------------------------

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
See if that works any better than a fair trial!
--------------------------------------------------

War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!
-------------------------------------------------

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
Ya think?!
----------------------------------------------

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!
-----------------------------------------------

Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?
Oklahoma's new construction program!
----------------------------------------------------------

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge!
----------------------------------------------

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!
-----------------------------------------------

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!
-------------------------------------------------

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?
---------------------------------------------------

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!
***************************************************

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!
*******************************************

And the winner is....
Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Did I read that right?

I Really Am Still Alive...

....but my week has just flown by and I didn't realize it has been so long since I've posted anything...oopppsssss!!
I have been struggling with health issues and not feeling well, much less inspired. So, rather than bore you with my woes, I hope to get back into the swing of things with a fresh new week.

March St. Patrick's Day

Marching On

Beware the Ides of March! Also coming up soon is St Patrick's Day. If you teach Julius Caesar or the Romans, be sure to use search to find resources on Romans or Caesar. Dates that matter features March 15 and 17 and you will focus on Caesar and St. Patrick. Why not share this history-in-context inquiry activity with your students, grades 5 and up? Or if you simply want to infuse your curriculum with the luck of the Irish, try our St Patrick's page.

May daylight saving pay off with interest, providing the light of learning to you and your students this week. Spring forward into new knowledge!

By Candace Hackett ShivelyDirector of K-12 Initiativeshttp://www.teachersfirst.com/update.cfm

For More St. Patrick's Day Resources, Check: http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/stpatricksday.htm

http://www.myfreeclipart.com/ Free Holidays Clipart and More

Seasonal Theme Pages for Teachers

PLEASE VISIT MY SEASONAL HOLIDAY THEME PAGES FOR TEACHERS:
DR. SEUSS' BIRTHDAY AND READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY THEME UNIT RESOURCES
APRIL FOOL'S DAY THEME, RESOURCES, & ACTIVITIES
APRIL THEMES, UNIT, MONTH, AND RESOURCES
EASTER THEME UNITS & RESOURCES
ST. PATRICK'S DAY THEME UNITS & RESOURCES
TEXAS THEME UNIT & MORE RESOURCES
WOMEN'S HISTORY THEME UNITS, & RESOURCES
SPRING THEMES, UNITS, & RESOURCES
MARCH THEMES, UNITS, & RESOURCES
MARDI GRAS THEMES, UNITS, & RESOURCES
HEART AND HUMAN BODIES-THEMES, UNITS, & RESOURCES
TEKS-TAKS-TEXAS TESTING-BENCHMARKS
BUTTERFLIES
http://geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/ THEMES AND RESOURCES K-12

O Canada

This was forwarded to me in an e-mail and I thought it was too good to not share it. I know that there are many families in both Canada and the U.S. that share this sentiment. It's about time we stand up and proclaim our appreciation for our men and women who are fighting for us.

One of my sons serves in the military, he is stationed in
Ontario , Canada
He called me yesterday to let me know how warm and welcoming people were to him and his troops everywhere they go.
Telling me how people shake their hands and thank them for being willing to serve and fight, not only our own freedoms but so that others may have them too.

Then he told me about an incident in the grocery store he stopped at yesterday, on his way home from the Base.
He said that several people were in the line ahead of him, including a woman dressed in a Burkha.

He said when she got to the cashier, she made a loud remark about the Canadian Flag, lapel pin, the cashier wore on her smock. The cashier reached up and touched the pin and said,

"Yes, I always wear it proudly, because I'm a Canadian."

The woman in the burkha then asked the cashier when
She was going to stop bombing her countrymen, explaining that she was Iraqi.

Then, a Gentleman standing behind my son stepped forward, putting his arm around my son's shoulders and nodding towards my son, said in a calm and gentle voice to the Iraqi woman:

" Lady, hundreds of thousands Of men and women like this young man have fought and died so that YOU could stand here, in MY country and accuse a check-out cashier of bombing YOUR countrymen. It is my belief that had you been this outspoken in YOUR own country, we wouldn't need to be there today.
But, hey, if you have now learned how to speak out so loudly and clearly, I'll gladly buy you a ticket and pay your way back to Iraq , so you can Straighten out the Mess in YOUR country, that you are obviously here in MY country to avoid."

Everyone within hearing distance cheered!

Gems

Let me tell you about a small group of women I have learned to appreciate SO much. They have been there for me for the past few years....thru many, many personal valleys and celebrations. They are like precious gems to me and I feel so honored to call them friends.
We study scripture together and pray for each other. Last week I had them pray for one of my siblings, who was in a very desperate situation with no way visibly out of it. My heart was just SO broken, since I feel like a second Mother to many of my younger sibs.
Over the weekend every detail we had prayed for came about for my Sib...we were just SO excited and one of the gals suggested we send this Sib a card to say how we had all prayed and are so thrilled with such an obvious answer to Prayer. Right away, a card went circulating around the table for all to sign.
I feel so incredible to a part of this group of friends :)

Happy Birthday Sis!

I will never forget the day you were born. I may forget what the weather was like or what I was wearing, but the one thing I will always remember are the words, "You have a baby sister".....I was 10 years-old and all I had were four brothers and I prayed so hard for a sister....I wanted someone to play dolls with, to have tea parties with....just like I had with my cousins and little girlfriends. Of course, the age gap prevented most of that joy, but I adored you, sweet sis! I still do :) I loved dressing you in pretty outfits and it became my job to make sure your hair was all pretty for the day. You sat so still for me while I put cute bobbles and barrettes in your hair. I read you stories and sang to you. All of those precious times we shared made up for the moments you got into all my jewelry and perfume...the way you challenged me all the time when you were in my care and Mom was in the hospital, having another baby and you didn't understand why Mom was gone and you had to listen to me...the years we shared a room and I was the disgruntled teen that hated it that you woke me up early or got into all my things or climbed into bed with me because you were SO scared...yes, you were "my" baby and I love you forever.

Welcome March...

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."
- Doug Larson

"The March wind roars
Like a lion in the sky,
And makes us shiver
As he passes by.

When winds are soft,
And the days are warm and clear,
Just like a gentle lamb,
Then spring is here."
- Author Unknown

"March is a month of considerable frustration - it is so near spring and yet across a great deal
of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our
yards seems light years away."
- Thalassa Cruso