Saw this news story and thought it might make for an interesting "bell ringer" for kids. Teachers might want to save this for an activity to use when they are back in session.

Fireworks are an invention from the Chinese to the world. The colorful light shows create lots of smiles when fireworks brighten up the night sky.  Not all creatures like the light shows. Dogs  especially dread the noise of fireworks. The sounds of fireworks really hurts their sensitive ears.  A town in Italy, Collecchio, has taken action to help their four legged population. They banned fireworks with noise and have decided to purchase future fireworks from a company which produces silent ones!


What do you think?
1. Would a firework display lose its enjoyment if they were silent? 
2. What do you think of Collecchio’s new law?



Hope you find these occasional Bell Ringers of interest... :-)

Gail
Note: The photograph is from wpclipart.com

Learn about the country that invented fireworks with this fun/informative web quest: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Country-in-Focus-China-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-1085517

Hillary Clinton Makes History

No matter your political leanings, with the upcoming Presidential election, Hillary Clinton has made history becoming the first woman ever to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party(the Democratic Party).

As a history teacher, I am so very excited to see this historic event unfolding in my lifetime. Many, many women(and men...) worked hard and suffered much to create an environment where this has finally become possible. 

Gail

Check out this Reader's Script on Hillary Clinton where kids learn about Hillary's childhood and career to the present. TRIVIA: Hillary wanted to be an astronaut and at the age of 14 wrote a letter to NASA. She was very disappointed to learn that girls could NOT be admitted to the astronaut program(that would change in 1978).Grades 4 and up. Comprehension questions,discussion questions and activities as well as links for more information are also included:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hillary-ClintonReaders-Theater-Script-613549

*Poster from open clipart.org

Flag Day is Coming: Factoids to Share with Kids

Fun Facts about Flags:
1. A vexillologist is someone that studies flags!
2. Most flags have the colors red and white.
3. Only Vatican City and the country of Switzerland have square flags.
4. Most world flags are rectangle in shape. The flag of the country of Nepal is the only one which is not rectangular or square in shape.
5. When Sir Edmond Hillary and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, summited Mt. Everest, the Union Jack, the flag of Great Britain, was placed.
6.The idea of a National Flag Day,a day to honor our flag, was started by Bernard J. Cigrand, in 1885.
7. There are currently 6 American flags on the moon.
8. The country of Bhutan has a white dragon on its flag.
9.From Old Saxon,"flaken", meaning "to fly or to float in the air", is where the word FLAG originated.
10.The largest American Flag is called the Superflag. It weighs 3000 pounds and is the size of 2.8 football fields.
11. A WHITE flag is the symbol of a truce or ceasefire.

Activities:
1.http://www.factmonster.com/quizzes/usflag/1.html. Take this Flag quiz
2. Pretend you are an American flag on the moon or in a town, or on a mountain top. What do you hear, see, feel, etc. as you wave in the air? Remember...on the moon, there is no atmosphere so the flag wouldn't wave!
3. Write a haiku to describe the American flag. A haiku has 3 lines(5-7-5 syllables per line). Use descriptive words. Sentence structure isn't necessary. To check syllables, place your hand under your chin. Each time the chin drops is a syllable. For example: elephant. Three drops = 3 syllables.

Check out my Flag Webquest! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Our-American-Flag-A-Webquest-Extension-Activities-726295

Check out a sample of four webquestions on Flags. Click here: http://www.gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?flagday.html

Gail
Note: Illustration from openclipart.org

End of the School Year Letter to Students. Do You Write One?

 

Do you write an end of the year letter to your students?
If, so, please share.
Here is the one I used with my 6th graders.

To my students:
The end of the school year has passed so very quickly. It seems like we were just beginning to learn about the world in which we live AND a bit about each other, and, now, it is time for me to say goodbye to you as you continue to progress in school.

I'd like to leave you with some thoughts which I find useful in my life: "Know the true value of time, snatch, seize, and enjoy every minute of it. No idleness, no laziness , no procrastination, never put off till tomorrow what you can do today."(Chesterfield).

"Life is NOT a Spectator Sport."(Dick's Sporting Goods) Use every day to the fullest. Read, try to make someone smile, help someone, say a kind word to someone, dream things you'd like to do and work to make them possible. And, at the end of the day, be able to say, "Yes, I used the day, well."  Remember...YOU make your own HISTORY!

One last quote and it's an important one. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men(and women) to do nothing." (Burke) It's not always easy to break from the "crowd", but speak up for someone you feel is being mistreated, don't stay silent, for it may be YOU that hopes for someone to speak up for you one day.

I've tried to interest you about the world in which we live during our year together. Think about opening up a bank account for a trip to visit Egypt, China, France, etc., one day. Place a couple of dollars away each month so that one day, you will be able to experience an exciting trip.  And, if you should ever take such a trip, I'd love to get a postcard from you.

Life is an adventure...enjoy the ride. I wish you much happiness as you travel down life's highway and hope you have few bumps along the way, but, perhaps, some interesting detours.

All the best,
Mrs. Hennessey
(The teacher who loved the color purple)

Illustration from wpclipart.com

Visiting a park? Look but Don't Touch!

I read with sadness about the baby bison that recently had to be euthanized at Yellowstone National Park. Seems some visitors to the park picked up the adorable calf, thinking it had been abandoned by its mom. They had first tried to get the baby bison off the road. They were unable to do so and with no cell phone coverage, the newborn calf was placed into their car and transported to the ranger station. Rangers released the calf  back into the wild. Unfortunately, the calf was ostracized by the rest of the herd, I guess because the newborn had human smells on its body. Additional attempts were made to find another herd of buffalo that would adopt the little tyke but were unsuccessful. Since the park has no way of caring for an abandoned calf, the calf was euthanized. It is an illegal act to interfere with the wildlife in a national park. I am sure the people in this situation had good intentions but, if you visit a park, please LEAVE all wildlife alone! 

Gail

Photograph from abc7.com

Harriet Tubman's image to be on New $20 Bill!

Goodbye, President Andrew Jackson. Jackson is going to be replaced on a twenty dollar by  Harriet Tubman. The selection of Tubman, abolitionist and known for her amazing work of bringing slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad, was made this week by Treasury Secretary, Jack Lew. It will be the first woman's image to be on paper currency, in the United Sates, since Martha Washington's image was on a dollar silver certificate(1891-1896). It may be up to ten years before the new $20 bills, with Tubman's image, are in circulation. The selection of Harriet Tubman is  the very first time an African- American has been chosen to be on the face of any U.S. paper currency.


Gail

Use this news story to discuss the life of Harriet Tubman:Check out my Reader's Theater Script on Harriet Tubman: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Harriet-Tubman-A-Readers-Theater-Script-2047972

400 Years Since the Passing of William Shakespeare: Interactive Notebook Activity

The 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare is April 23, 2016.

This reading passage, Did You Know? and questions might be a great Interactive Notebook Activity for this time of year. It would also be a good activity if you are studying the famous English writer. 

NOTE: Click here for the free download of this resource: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Shakespeare-FREEBIE-Possible-Interactive-Notebook-Activity-2501243

William Shakespeare

Possible Interactive Notebook Activity

by

Gail Hennessey

The 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death is April 23, 2016.

Did you know that there are actually many ways to spell his name? The estimate is that there are over 80 ways to spell Shakespeare’s name! Even Shakespeare used different spellings such as Willm Shakespeare, Willm Shakp, and William Shakspeare.  In fact, William never spelled his name the way his name is spelled today!

Considered to be the greatest writer of the English language, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays* during his lifetime. Probably, the three most famous works were Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Macbeth. Shakespeare introduced thousands of words to the English language and also wrote 154 sonnets. It is said that next to the Bible, his works are the most quoted!

An estimated 1700 words which we use all the time were first used  in the plays of Shakespeare. Words such as  eyeball, hurry, lonely, frugal, majestic and generous are just a few. Shakespeare also used lots of expressions that are common today.  Examples include: “Knock, knock, Who’s there?”, “green eyed monster”, “vanish into thin air”, “wild goose chase”, “makes your hair stand on end”, “so-so”, “good riddance”, “tongue tied”, “night owl” and “eaten out of house and home”.

Another interesting fact about Shakespeare you may not know is he is the reason there are millions and millions of starlings in North America!  Native to Europe and parts of Asia, the story goes that a  person named Eugene Schiffelin really loved the work of Shakespeare. He was called a “bardolator”. He decided to  bring the songbird to the United States. In fact, he was part of a group that wanted to bring all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s works to North America, that weren’t native to this continent. The year was 1890. The place was Central Park, in New York City.  Schieffelin released 60 starlings in the famous park. Today, there are over 200 million of the birds flying over the skies of North America!

Did you Know?

Shakespeare wrote the words found on  his tombstone. At the time, it was common to remove buried bones in a cemetery to make room for new bodies. Shakespeare tombstone has a curse to anyone who would dare to move his bones. Shakespeare's bones were never moved! See his tomb(and read the curse) located inside the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon.  http://gouk.about.com/od/stratforduponavon/ig/48-Hours-in-Stratford-upn-Avon/Shakespeare-s-Grave.htm

Did you know that pencils were a new invention when Shakespeare was born?

In one of his most famous plays,”Romeo and Juliet”, Shakespeare uses the word love  150 times.

It is thought(based on a 17th century portrait on him), that Shakespeare wore a gold hoop in his left ear.

During the time of Shakespeare, plays were only performed in the afternoon.

Women were not allowed to participate in plays during the time of Shakespeare so all the roles were performed by men.

Questions:

1. What do you think of Schieffelin’s efforts to bring a non-native bird to North America? Write a paragraph explaining your thoughts.
2. Why do you think, during the time of Shakespeare, plays were only performed in the afternoon?
3. Why do you think women weren’t able to participate in plays?
4. What would  you place on your headstone?
5. Explain the meaning of 3 of the sayings of Shakespeare.

6. “This above all; to thine own self be true.”  William Shakespeare. 

What do you think this quote by William Shakespeare is saying?

Teacher Page:

Extension Activities:

1. Check out this free printable: Common Phrases and Saying from Shakespeare: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/common-phrases-and-sayings-shakespeare  Have the students illustrate one of his phrases and write a short paragraph explaining what they think the quote means.

2. This short video is GREAT! A tour of the Globe Theater. Two kids lead the tour and explore the famous theater on their own. Lots of information about some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays.

http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/playground/exploring-shakespeare 

3. Check out this cartoon video summary of Romeo and Juliet: http://www.watchknowlearn.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=29453&CategoryID=820   Have students act out the balcony scene.(My students really had fun with this!)

Check out this RESOURCE:

Check out my Reader’s Theater Script on William Shakespeare.  Shakespeare is a guest on a talk show and the studio audience asks questions about his life. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee's Talk Show Series. Comprehension/Did You Know?section, LOTS of extension activities/links/key. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/William-Shakespeare-A-Readers-Theater-Script-2299401

Note: Illustration from wpclipart.com

*37 plays are what most believe Shakespeare wrote in his lifetime.

Note: Other famous writers:

I also have a play on Hans Christian Andersen and a Webquest on Charles Dickens!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hans-Christian-AndersenBiographical-play-To-Tell-the-Truth-Play-348807

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Webquest-200480