February

"February is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March."
- Dr. J. R. Stockton

"Freezing
cold winds,
biting chills, and
white snow fluffed hills
Valentines day, a Lover's day!
presidents' day is coming our way.
February, sweet and small, greatest month of all."
- Eric Lies, 28 Word Poem for February

The beginning of a new month...can it be? February is the shortest month but has a special day within it...Valentine's Day! We have learned many years ago that most men leave any sort of gift buying to the last minute, leading the retail market to grossly inflate tradition gifts for Lovers....like flowers, chocolates and even teddy bears. That's why my hubby & I have decided that we would celebrate Valentine's Day earlier or later than the 14th. We have come up with all sorts of fun and creative ways to spend Valentine's Day over the past 33 years of marriage. No, we don't feel like we "must" observe this special day, nor spend a ton of money, but as with all other special days in our year, it's just a sweet way of making sure we celebrate the love we never want to take for granted. And any excuse to celebrate is a good excuse :)

I Like Myself

I "borrowed" this poem from my Sister's Blog because I feel like it's so relevant. As girls and women our biggest enemy is ourselves. When someone compliments us, we are very quick to point out a flaw. This poem makes me happy :)

I like myself!
I’m glad I’m me.

There’s no one else
I’d rather be.

I like my eyes, my ears, my nose.
I like my fingers and my toes.

I like me wild.
I like me tame.
I like me different
and the same.

I like me fast. I like me slow.
I like me everywhere I go.

I like me on the inside too,
for all I think and say and do.

Inside, outside, upside down,
from head to toe and all around.
I like it all! It all is me!
And me is all I want to be.

And I don’t care in any way
what someone else may think or say.

I may be called a silly nut
or crazy cuckoo bird – so what?
I’m having too much fun, you see,
for anything to bother me!

Even when I look a mess,
I still don’t like me any less,
‘cause nothing in this world, you know,
can change what’s deep inside, and so…

No matter if they stop and stare,
no person
ever
anywhere
can make me feel that what they see
is all there really is to me.

I’d still like me with fleas or warts,
or with a silly snout that snorts.

Or knobby knees or hippo hips
or purple polka-dotted lips,

Or beaver breath or stinky toes
or horns protruding from my nose,

Or – yikes! – with spikes all down my spine,
or hair that’s like a porcupine.

I still would be the same, you see…

I like myself because I’m ME!

Perm

Yesterday I took Mom to the salon for a hair perm. Mom's hair is stright and when she doesn't wash it daily, it;s flat against her head. This way Mom can wet it in the morning and just finger lift it for body. I think it looks so much better. We then went shopping for a few comfy clothes so she can get dressed fior the day and not wear those god-awful hospital gowns every day, all day. Now I just need to figure out how to store them all, since the hospital is not set up for long term stays and the "closet" only holds a winter coat, boots and maybe an outfit. I'll have to meet this challenge with a creative solution....any advice?

February Lesson Plan Ideas

February Lesson Plan Ideas
By: Teachnology Staff

Here are some February events you are going to want to include in your class.

1. The Vancouver Winter Olympic Games Take Place - A great opportunity to work on measurement, graphing and data table skills.
2. Ground Hog Day- Time to poll the entire grade level and graph the expected outcome.
3. Weatherman's Day- Discuss and write: how would your life change if we were not able to predict the weather?
4. National Inventors' Day- Two words: Science fair.
5. Get a Different Name Day- What would you change your name to and why? Write a story.
6. Valentine's Day- Check out our Valentine's Day theme for tons of ideas.
7. World Thinking Day- Ask a simple question: "What can you do to change the world?"
8. President's Day- Visit our President's Day theme for all kinds of ideas.
9. Super Bowl Sunday- A great compare and contrast opportunity.
10. African American History Month - Create an ABC book. Use each letter of the alphabet to commemorate a person, event, or idea.
11. Love Your Pet Day - Have students write a "Thank You" card to their pets.

This Week in History

1789: George Washington and John Adams are elected the president and vice president of the United States.

This newsletter is brought to you by Teachnology.com, the online teacher resource center. http://www.teachnology.com/

More Resources: http://mrscjacksonsclass.com//

Groundhog Day Activities, Lessons, Crafts

Groundhog's Day Activities

Groundhog Day is on February 2nd. It is said that if the groundhog sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of bad weather, and if he does not see it, then spring will be here soon.

A collection of activities for Groundhog's Day - coloring, crafts, word searches, how to make shadow puppets, poetry, short stories, and Groundhog's Day kids' reading books.

http://www.edhelper.com/Groundhog_Day.htmGroundhog Day Theme - Printables and Worksheets

http://www.teachingheart.net/groundhogdaysite.html Great Theme Unit Activities and Resources

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/ History

http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/february.htm Groundhog Day History - Activities and Origins

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/groundhogday1.html History

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/groundhogday/ Arts, Crafts, and Worksheets

http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mgroundhog.html Groundhog Toilet Paper Roll Crafts

http://holidays.pppst.com/groundhogday.html Groundhog Day PPP and Clipart

BOOKS:

Wake Up, Groundhog! (Little Golden Book)
Gretchen Groundhog, It's Your Day!
It's Groundhog Day!
Little Groundhog's Shadow
Geoffrey Groundhog Predicts the Weather

More Resources: http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/groundhogday.htm

Wordless Wednesday

Our great-nephew Brogan Gary Born Jan. 19th

Hump Day

The sun is shining over the frozen North, making everything glitter and sparkle. It's just SO pretty!
It's been a full day, washing the bedding from two beds and filling out the paperwork for our medical insurance and pharmacy meds. Here, in B.C.,you pay an amount determined by the previous year's income. I discovered that I can file for the pharmacy coverage based on my income (which is $0, since I'm a stay-at-home-wife)because my hubby doesn't use it at all. Yay!! So, lots of forms to fill and fax off.
I also prepared to have my parents bedroom suite brought here for us to use, so I unloaded the drawers of our old dresser and books from the bookcase, which are being moved into the other bedrooms.
It'll be a busy evening ;)

*sigh* Life in Fort St. John is back to routine. This morning I got my youngest sis to the airport to fly home to her precious family. It has been more of a treat to have the out of town sibs visit than I could ever express. We packed the days full of together time and those memories will be with us forever.

It's been said, "You're only as old as you feel". At this junction in life, I tend to agree more with Maxine. I'm quite certain most people feel younger than they are and it's only when you have to get up off a low, soft couch, or stand from kneeling on the floor beside the couch to look under to find a pill that's rolled under it, that you are reminded that we're in denial....we are as old as we feel!! And no, that isn't a creaky floor board but your knees.

Women over fifty already form one of the largest groups in the population structure of the western world. As long as they like themselves, they will not be an oppressed minority. In order to like themselves they must reject trivialization by others of who and what they are. A grown woman should not have to masquerade as a girl in order to remain in the land of the living.
~ Germaine Greer ~

Twitter Tweets for Teachers

Twitter Tweets for Teachers

Valentine's Day Theme Unit, Lessons, Links, Activities, Books, Crafts& Resources http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/valentinesday.htm

Olympics, Games, Sites, Rings, Theme Units, Lessons, Links, Books, Activities, Ideas, Resources http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/olympics.htm

One Hundredth Day School Math Theme Units, Lessons, Links, Activities, Arts, Crafts, Ideas http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/onehundredthday.htm

Mardi Gras History Theme Units, Lessons, Links, Fun Ideas, Activities, & Resources http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/mardigras.htm

Chinese New Year-Crafts, Links, Themes, Units, Lessons, & More http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/chinesenewyear.htm

February Themes, Activities, Resources, Lessons, and Ideas http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/februaryfun.htm

Chinese New Year Crafts, Activities, Resources

Chinese New Year

February 14, 2010 marks the start of the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Celebrate the Chinese New Year holiday with great kids' activities and crafts. It is a very important holiday in China. Also learn about the history and meaning behind the Chinese New Year symbols and traditions. It is celebrated in late January to early February (depending on the year). Kung Hei Fat Choy! 14th February 2010 will welcome in the next Chinese New Year - the Year of the Tiger! Have your class learn about the Chinese calendar, try traditional recipes, have a class party, and have students make their own dragon puppets for a class celebration or class parade around the building.

Sources:
http://holidays.kaboose.com/what-is-chinese-new-year.html Chinese New Year History, Symbols, and Traditions

http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/chinese-new-years/chinese-new-years-crafts.html Crafts

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/chinesenewyear/ Crafts and Activities

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/china/index.htm Crafts and Calendar Info

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_new_year.htm Lots of Info, Crafts, Games, and More

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/chinese-new-year/teacher-resources/6603.html Chinese New Year Resources

http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/chinesenewyear.php Resources, Lessons, Info

http://edhelper.com/ChineseNewYear.htm Activities, Lessons, Theme Resources

http://holidays.pppst.com/chinesenewyear.html PowerPoint Presentations and Teacher Resources

More Resources: http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/

To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: GOD
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE

This is God. Today I will be handling All of your problems for you. I do Not need your help. So, have a nice day.
I love you. And, remember.... If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do Not attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now. Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you. You may have touched their life in ways you will never know!

Now, you have a nice day.
God

February Themes, Days, and Lessons

February Themes Days and Lessons

Revolutionaries of African American History Series
Feb. 2nd - Ground Hog Day
Feb. 4th - Rosa Parks was born.
Feb. 5th - Weatherman's Day
Feb. 11th - National Inventors' Day
Feb. 12th - The Winter Olympics Game Begin
Feb. 12th - Abraham Lincoln & Darwin were born.
Feb. 14th - Valentine's Day
Feb. 15th - President's Day
Feb. 15th - Susan B. Anthony was born.
Feb. 20th - Love Your Pet Day
Feb. 22nd - George Washington was born.
February is African-American History Month
February is American Heart Month

Source:http://www.edhelper.com/February.htm Themes
More Resources at: http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/februaryfun.htm

Precious Moments

Forefront (l-r): Kathleen (youngest), Mom, Me (oldest girl), Rachel (second youngest), Rickii (niece)Wally (3rd oldest), Ed (5th oldest), Charlie (oldest), James (7th oldest), Theo (4th oldest)

Yesterday was a bittersweet day. It started out early with a family meeting at the hospital with the Doc, Long Term Care Coordinator and the Discharge Coordinator. It was difficult for us all to comprehend that there really wasn't a choice of options and recommended that both parents go into a Care home.
After that we got Mom dressed and took her out with us to their home, which is out in the country. We had an awesome time all together and Mom was able to tell us what she wanted each of us to have of theirs. We have a huge job ahead us, to sort thru and either pack or get rid of all their beblongings. Fortunately we have 9 sibs,with a 20 year gap between oldest/youngest, so there is lots to go around :)
We are snapping lots of pics and making the most of these days together.

Winter Olympics 2010

The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, will be held on February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the resort town of Whistler nearby. Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games are being organized by the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC).
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Winter_Olympics

http://www.vancouver2010.com/ Official source of Olympic Games tickets, merchandise, results, medals, schedules, athletes, teams, news and photos for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/olympic-torch-relay-interactive-map/ Olympic Torch Relay Interactive Map : Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics

http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/education-programs/useful-resources/ Resources related to Olympic and Paralympic Games, the three Vancouver 2010 pillars of sport, culture and sustainability.

http://www.vancouver2010.com/education-programs/ Educational resources

http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/winterolympics.php Sites of Interest

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/olympic-games/teacher-resources/6651.html Olympic Games–Teachers Resources

http://www.teachersfirst.com/spectopics/vancouverolympics__.cfm Teacher Resources

http://www.teach-nology.com/themes/seasons/winoly/ Winter Olympics Teaching Theme

http://www.clipartoday.com/sport/olympic01.html Clipart

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/sportscrafts/a/070300a.htm Make Your Own Olympics

http://www.ri.net/RIGeo/rigea/lessons/PacificNW/olympicwebq/olymcwebq.htm Go For the Gold Webquest

http://www.gigglepotz.com/winter_ol2.htm Winter Olympics Webquest

More Resources at http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/olympics.htm

How To Study and Planning Ahead

How To Study More Effectively
By: Teachnology Staff

We asked over 1,000 students and 300 teachers what concerns they had in regard to study skills. We then created a small article library to help them out. Take a look at the results:
What are learning styles?
I know my learning style! How do I best prepare for a test?
How do I know my learning style?
How can parents help their children improve their study skills
How to create a study schedule
How to improve your memory for better learning
How to improve your study atmosphere
How to study better using SQ3R
Top 10 tips when studying for tests
What are some basic test taking strategies I can use?

Teachers: Planning Ahead?
Here are some resources for teachers who are planning ahead:

- Winter Olympic Games
- March Monthly Guide
- National Women's History Month
- Read Across America Day
- St. Patrick's Day
- World Math Day
- National Agriculture Day
- Earth Day
- Spring Teacher Guide
- April Teacher Guide
- Arbor Day Teaching Theme
- Easter Worksheets
- Word Problem Week

This newsletter is brought to you by Teachnology.com, the online teacher resource center.

http://www.teachnology.com/

Prison..er..Hospital Break

Could it be that so many days have passed since I've posted on here? Jeepers, my days are so full this week, that it's hard to believe it's this close to the weekend already!
This week I've spent time with my big brother, Charlie and his sweet daughter, Ricki. He arrived Monday night, flying into this freezing cold weather. We've had a great time catching up on our lives. The last time I saw him was 5 years ago, so you can imagine that it takes hours and hours of chatting to even make a dent.
In the meantime I've spent time with going to visit Mom & Dad, as well as keeping on top of my household chores.
Tomorrow is also a day we've been anticipating, since I'll be taking Mom out of the hospital on a pass, so she can come with me for a few hours to pick up my two youngest sisters from the Airport and then we're going out for Chinese food. That is Mom's fave food and a huge treat, so we're taking advantage of her springing from the confines of the hospital bed and going to Mom's favorite restaurant :)

Kids Read and Ride Bikes Tip

Kids Read and Ride Tip

From Scott Ertl (sertl@wsfcs.k12.nc.us), program coordinator at Marvin Ward Elementary School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina:

“Our school started a new ‘Kids Read and Ride’ program this year for students to ride exercise bikes while reading fun magazines and books. We received 41 donated exercise bikes from members of our community, and we've filled a previously empty classroom with 30 bikes. Teachers bring their classes in to ride for 15-minute periods of time. Every student has their own bike to ride while reading. The remaining bikes are parked in the corner of individual classrooms for teachers to use as an incentive for students, when they complete their work or when they simply need to release some extra energy. We've noticed an increase with student excitement about reading and are hoping that the extra activity will lower our childhood obesity rates as well. We are hoping to inspire more schools to start similar programs through our web site, Kids Read and Ride. We would like to inspire students to become active and have a break from sitting at their desks. Share our website with schools you feel might be interested and please keep us informed so we can add information on our website about other schools that are starting Read and Ride programs.”

Source: http://www.nea.org/tools/Works4Me.html Ideas and tips by teachers, for teachers-January, 2010 Newsletter

100th Day of School Ideas

100th Day of School Ideas

There are lots of ways to note the 100th day of school. Here are fifty of our favorites. Many of these activities will challenge both lower and upper elementary students as they build better number sense for "100." Enjoy!

1. Jump rope 100 times.
2. Build the tallest house of cards you can using 100 cards.
3. Flip a coin 100 times. Make a graph showing the number of heads and tails.
4. Roll a pair of dice 100 times. Create a chart showing how many times each number came up. Make a graph based on the chart.
5. Find someone who is at least 100 years old. Ask them what life was like when they were your age.
6. Find out which weighs more - 100 nickels or 100 quarters
7. Have everyone in your class try to throw a tennis ball 100 yards. Measure each throw. Calculate the average throw.
8. Count by 100s to 10,000
9. Recite multiplication facts up to 100 (10 x 10) with your eyes closed!
10. Guess how much 100 jelly beans weigh. Then weigh them and give a prize to the closest guess. Don't eat the jellybeans!
11. Separate 100 jellybeans by color. What percentage of the total is the most common color? What percentage of the total is the least common color? Don't eat the jellybeans!
12. Without using a calculator, figure out how many jellybeans each student would get if you divided 100 jellybeans equally among all the students. Don't eat the jellybeans.
13. Blindfold a student and have him/her pass out the proper number of jellybeans. What is the probability that the first jellybean handed out will be the most common color? (Think about this one!) EAT THE JELLYBEANS!!
14. Measure the height of your classroom ceiling. How many classrooms that size could you fit into a structure that was 100 feet tall?
15. Measure the space required for a student's desk and the aisle around it. How big would your classroom need to be to hold 100 desks with the same spacing?
16. Weigh the classroom dictionary. If postage costs $3.50 a pound, how much would it cost to mail 100 dictionaries?
17. Count backwards from 100 to 0 by sevens. See who can do it most quickly.
18. Count from 0 to 100 by fours. See who can do it most quickly.
19. Make a list of 100 words that end in "-ly"
20. Name 100 birds.
21. List 100 boys' names.
22. Name 100 American cities.
23. Name 100 cities NOT in America.
24. Estimate the length of a row of 100 nickels. Measure a row of 100 nickels to check your estimate.
25. Have everyone in the class close their eyes. Start a stopwatch and ask students to say "now" when they think 100 seconds has passed. Prizes to the winner!!
26. See if you can hold your breath for 100 seconds!
27. Figure out what a 100 second Super Bowl commercial would cost if broadcast time sells for $2.3 million per minute.
28. List 100 things that had not been invented 100 years ago.
29. See which student can walk the greatest distance (laps around the gym??) backwards in 100 seconds.
30. Try to do 100 sit-ups or push-ups!
31. Separate students into pairs standing 15' apart. See how many can toss a tennis ball back and forth 100 times without dropping it.
32. Collect 100 cans of food for a local food bank.
33. Write a story that is 100 words long.
34. Build a structure using 100 toothpicks or popsicle sticks.
35. Figure out the date that is 100 days after your birthday.
36. Use 100 seconds to make as many equations as possible that equal 100.
37. Bring in a recipe from home. Adjust the quantities to feed 100 people.
38. Write a story about what you would do with $100.
39. Write a story about what your community will be like in 100 years.
40. See if you can bounce a tennis ball on a tennis racquet 100 times.
41. Learn to say 100 in as many languages as possible.
42. Find a town or city that is 100 miles away.
43. Find the height of a stack of 100 pennies in centimeters.
44. Estimate how far 100 students would reach lying head-to-toe on the floor.
45. Figure out about how many days there are in 100 hours.
46. Estimate how much popcorn 100 kernels would make. Pop them to see whose estimate is closest.
47. Build a project using 100 Lego blocks.
48. Figure out how many of each denomination of bill would be required to total $100.
49. Estimate the cost of 100 gallons of root beer, bought in 2-liter bottles that cost $1.10 each.
50. Figure out about how big a patio you could make with 100 paving stones that are 2 feet by 3 feet.

Source: http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/spectopics/100thday.cfm

More Resources: http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/onehundredthday.htm

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States holiday marking the birthdate of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., observed on the third Monday of January each year, around the time of King's birthday, January 15. It is one of four United States federal holidays to commemorate an individual person.
King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. He was assassinated in 1968.

The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed in 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr._Day

More Resources: http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/drmlking.htm

Tips to Help Compulsive Talkers

Helping Compulsive Talkers

Make your classroom more manageable and relieve stress by trying our suggestions for compulsive talkers.

1. Identify why they are talking.
2. Talk privately with your talkers.
3. Contact home.
4. Be consistent.
5. Make them helpers.
6. Position talkers' seat near the teacher.
7. Reinforce positive behavior.
8. Find time to listen.
9. Use a rubric to monitor their behavior and improvement.
10. Help the student identify their learning style.

By: Teachnology Staff January 2010 See More Info: http://www.teachnology.com/
This newsletter is brought to you by Teachnology.com, the online teacher resource center.

Twitter Tweets

Twitter Tweets

Bloom's Taxonomy Blooms Digitally http://techlearning.com/article/8670

Olympics Games,Sites,Rings,Kids,Theme Units,Lessons,Links,Books, Activities,Ideas,& Resources http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/olympics.htm

Chinese New Year Resources http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/chinesenewyear.htm

A Little Prayer For You

TO: God.Com

Dear Lord,

Every single evening
As I'm lying here in bed,
This tiny little Prayer
Keeps running through my head:

God bless all my family
Wherever they may be,
Keep them warm
And safe from harm
For they're so close to me.
And God, there is one more thing
I wish that you could do;
Hope you don't mind me asking,
Please bless my computer too.
Now I know that it's unusual
To Bless a motherboard,
But listen just a second
While I explain it to you, Lord.
You see, that little metal box
Holds more than odds and ends;
Inside those small compartments
Rest so many of my friends.
I know so much about them
By the kindness that they give,
And this little scrap of metal
Takes me in to where they live.
By faith is how I know them
Much the same as you.
We share in what life brings us
And from that our friendships grew.
Please take an extra minute
From your duties up above,
To bless those in my address book
That's filled with so much love.
Wherever else this prayer may reach
To each and every friend,
Bless each e-mail inbox
And each person who hits 'send'.
When you update your Heavenly list
On your own Great CD-ROM,
Bless everyone who says this prayer
Sent up to GOD.Com
Amen

I'm excited....

I think I've mentioned that I have 8 siblings, 5 brothers and 3 sisters. Next week, my oldest brother, his daughter, and my two youngest sisters are coming to visit. I realize the circumstances aren't really celebratory, since both parents are in the hospital, which is the premise of the visit, however I am excited to see them and spend some family time together. I haven't seen my brother for 5 years...yikes!!

TEEN POVERTY IN CANADA
*received from the internet,
source unknown

We just spent several hours observing teenagers hanging out at our local mall. We came to the conclusion many teenagers in Canada today are living in poverty. Most young men we observed didn't even own a belt; there was not one among the whole group.

But that wasn't the sad part. Many were wearing their daddy's jeans. Some jeans were so big and baggy they hung low on their hips, exposing their underwear. I know some must have been ashamed their daddy was short, because his jeans hardly went below their knees. They weren't even their daddies' good jeans, for most had holes ripped in the knees and a dirty look to them.

It grieved us, in a modern, affluent society like Canada, there are those who can't afford a decent pair of jeans. I was thinking about asking my church to start a jeans drive for "poor kids at the mall." Then on Christmas Eve, we could go Christmas caroling and distribute jeans to these poor teenagers.

But here is the saddest part...it was the girls they were hanging out with that disturbed us most. Never, in all of our lives, have we seen such poverty-stricken girls. These girls had the opposite problem of the guys. They all had to wear their little sister's clothes. Their jeans were about 5 sizes too small! I don't know how they could get them on, let alone button them up. Their jeans barely went over their hipbones. Most also had on their little sister's top; it hardly covered their midsections. Oh, they were trying to hold their heads up with pride, but it was a sad sight to see these almost grown women wearing children's clothes.

However, it was their underwear that bothered us most. They, like the boys, because of the improper fitting of their clothes, they had their underwear exposed. We had never seen anything like it. It looked like their underwear was only held together by a single piece of string.

We know it saddens your heart to receive this report on condition of our Canadian teenagers. While we go to bed every night with a closets full of clothes nearby, there are millions of "mall girls" who barely have enough material to keep it together. We think their "poorness" is why these 2 groups gather at the mall; boys with their short daddies' ripped jeans, and girls wearing their younger sisters' clothes. The mall is one place where they can find acceptance. So, next time you are at the mall, doing your shopping , and you pass by some of these poor teenagers, would you say a prayer for them?
And one more thing...

Will you pray the guys' pants won't fall down, and the girls' strings won't break?

We thank you all,
Two Concerned Grandmothers

Hidden Treasure

Today Mom opened a Christmas card sent to her from her cousin. Out dropped this newspaper article of my Grandparents when they celebrated their 50th Anniversary. **by this time my Grandma was a Diabetic and Glaucoma had left her blind** By then we lived in BC, so Mom never made it to their celebration, since she still had small children living at home.
The other Hidden Treasure today was a necklace that Mom had my daughter-in-law make with the ruby stones, a Cameo and pearls given to Mom from her Aunt. Needless to say it is gorgeous and an heirloom. The Cameo has a clip on the back so I can remove it from the necklace if I want to.
I feel very rich right now :)

Christmas is all tucked away for another year :)

The Christmas decorations are all packed away for another year and my home pretty much back to "normal". All that's left of the mega amounts of turkey and festive goodies are some leftover turkey and a pot of turkey noodle soup. I must say, we don't mind turkey and don't tire of it, but it is nice to just tuck some into the freezer to have a little later.
With the beginning of a new year stretching before us, I'm curious to see what adventure it holds. But one day at a time is all I'm up for, and that's fine with me :)

January Lesson Plan Ideas

January Lesson Plan Ideas
By: Teachnology Staff

Here are some January events to keep in mind when planning your lessons this month.

1. January is Remember the Rainforest Month.
2. January is National Eye Health Care Month.
3. On January 4, 1643 Isaac Newton was born.
4. January 8th - 14th is Universal Letter Writing Week.
5. January 11th is Amelia Earhart Day.
6. On January 17, 1706 Benjamin Franklin was born.
7. January 18th is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
8. January 23rd is Measure Your Feet Day
9. January 23rd is National Handwriting Day
10. January 29th is National Puzzle Day
11. On January 31, 1919 Jackie Robinson was born.

Inspiring Teacher Quote
"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth." Dan Rather

Teachers: Planning Ahead?
Here are some resources for teachers who are planning ahead:

- February Monthly Guide http://www.teachnology.com/monthly/feb/

This newsletter is brought to you by Teachnology.com, the online teacher resource center.
http://www.teachnology.com/

http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/ See January Themes and Resources!

Ring In the New.....

"Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true."
- Alfred Lord Tennyson

"The first of January rolls around
Like clockwork it appears
I find it’s timing most profound
As it brings us each new year

Right on time, It’s never late
Has never ever blown it
Apparently this wise old date
Refuses to postpone it

Drink a toast to January one
For annual consistence
It’s coming means the old year’s done
Let’s drink to it’s persistence."
- Stanley Cooper, Happy New Year, 1926