Octopus Day!

Today was THE day - the day the kids have waited for since they were 2nd and 3rd graders and found out we would study octopuses when they were 4th and 5th graders. Judging by their faces, the wait was worth it.

We began the morning with a quick (or so I thought) intro to Gyotaku and the animals. I asked them to write some notes about what they noticed about their animal. They wrote and wrote and wrote... 

Then we estimated and measured our octopi, and just STUDIED them. I expected this to take them 20 minutes - we went almost an hour! Time to head to Art where the Art teacher was going to show us how to do Gyotaku - octopus printing. She planned a period and a half to finish the project, but these kids were so organized and worked so well together, they were able to make several prints each in under an hour.

Then it was back to class, outside for recess, a "delay" for Math and lunch, and a visit from our kindergarten reading buddies. Their eyes were so big as they looked at our specimens! My kids loved showing them our projects and letting them touch the octopuses.

Finally, it was dissection time. I went over the process, handed out anatomy sheets, we covered the desks with newspaper, and were off. Goodness, those kids found everything from the beak to the lens of the eye to the three hearts. One female had eggs inside her; we felt badly about that. 

Dissection took over an hour, and we stopped only because the day was over. We had to clean up quickly and get ready to catch buses. All in all, an awesome day (even if I do reek of fish!!)

Piled Atop My Desk

I was sitting at my desk this afternoon during a rare lull - the kids were all reading silently, and I could sit down for a moment. As I surveyed my desk, I realized that it had an odder than usual assortment on and around it:

1) One exoskeleton from  our hermit crab who shed it this morning, displayed in a pie plate for all to see.

2) A way-cool assassin bug brought in by a student, clinging to the mesh lid of its jar (and looking like it wanted to assassinate someone, probably me)...

3) The wing of a cicada, carefully placed next to the hermit crab exoskeleton by a girl who'd found it at recess.

4) Two octopus, hidden under my desk and thawing for tomorrow's gyotaku (print making) and dissection.

Oh, and a bouquet of wild flowers, picked fresh, from Taylor. (She brings me one every day after lunch.) Betcha there's a cool bug or two in those flowers....

Illini Legends!

Oh, wow, I am in heaven! Right now on the Big Ten Network, they're showing the Night of Legends basketball game. Last Saturday night after the football game they held a for-fun game at the Assembly Hall with all the big name former Illini Players. 

Lou Henson is coaching one team and Jimmy Collins is coaching the other. The Flying Illini who went to the Final Four are back as is the 2005 Final Four team. Deron Williams, Luther Head, and Dee Brown have still got it, and Roger Powell, my all-time favorite Illini guy, is playing, too.  Kendall Gill, Sergio McClain, Nick Anderson, Steve Bardo... it's incredible who is back and playing. The players are having a great time, laughing, teasing, etc. Many are a bit out of shape, but it's all in fun and they're certainly having it.

At half time they're going to raise a bunch of jerseys to the rafters. The Assembly Hall is packed and rocking; I wish I were there!

I've taped the game for anyone who wants to watch it over Thanksgiving.

Braden's Big Day!

Happy Birthday, Braden! Hard to believe you are one year old. I hope you enjoy your party and cake!

Love, Grammy

Happy Birthday, Curt

We celebrated Curt's birthday Friday evening by driving out to West Point for catfish and rib eye. Then tonight he is coming here for homemade pizza and apple crisp. Happy birthday, Curt! I love you!

Pigita "Reads"

Jessica and Sarah, this post is for you. Check out "the guinea pig formerly known as Honey" helping my students read. She's a great tutor, and enjoys nibbling on the occasional shoelace or page of a book as she listens to them read. This is an afternoon ritual for half an hour - they spread the towel out then take her out of her cage and gather 'round, books in hand. She wanders from child to child, checking out what they're reading and enjoying being petted.

They feed her every afternoon at 3:20, and she's learned that she can expect food at that time. If someone cracks open the fridge, she starts whistling loudly. One day she even piped up in the morning while I was teaching! We could see no reason for it; she simply let loose a loud stream of "Wheetwheetwheets!!" We had a good laugh over that.

She has been a terrific classroom pet, and my students love her to pieces.