Reading – THE END?

These are some of the fiction books I took out of student book boxes while cleaning up the room this year. . . along with many copies of Dogman. I didn't know packing up the room would be difficult. Then, I went into my "time warp" classroom. The calendar still said March. The lessons and …

Everything’s Not Fine by Sarah J. Carlson

Sarah J. Carlson's new YA book called Everything's Not Fine is an important book about addiction and family resilience set in small town Wisconsin.

Mystery Note

I found this drawing on the table after my students left for the day. What a nice surprise! I love it that the artist included my reading glasses on top of my head. It's good to know that at least one student thinks of me with a huge smile on my face.

Does Nature Know?

These last weeks, I've really needed time outside. Sitting and doing "online teaching" from home is not what I usually do this time of year. This is supposed to be the week of dress rehearsals for our school musical. It's the time for the special end of the year activities to celebrate our growth together, …

Growing at Home

School plants that moved home today. I was allowed to come into my classroom to pick up anything that I needed or left last week when I thought school was going to be open. Then, over the weekend, our wise city Mayor closed all Dane County, Wisconsin schools beginning today. It was a very eerie …

Bachelor Button and Sorghum Cookies

On the warmest day we've had in Wisconsin this spring, folks joined me at the Sun Prairie Public Libary to talk about old recipes. I shared stories and recipes from my book Old Farm Country Cookbook. Many people had their own stories to tell. They shared memories of the iceman coming to deliver blocks of …

Sweet Potatoes

When you are trying to teach about George Washington Carver and that he taught farmers to plant different crops to nourish the soil. . . and with the class, you are reading about peanuts and sweet potatoes and all of a sudden the whole class is making jokes about their actual toes - you know …

Slice of Life

The beginning of a new month can be a time to start something new. Today, I am joining the "Slice of Life" month-long writing challenge. It was started by the group - "Two Writing Teachers" - their website is https://twowritingteachers.org/. The challenge is to write something every day - a "slice of life" and join …

All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson

Debut novel by Sarah Carlson I just finished reading the book All the Walls of Belfast for the second time! This debut novel by Sarah Carlson takes the reader on a journey from Madison, WI to Belfast in Northern Ireland. I know Sarah Carlson as the awesome school psychologist at my elementary school. And, now …

Read Your Heart Out Day

One of my favorite days of the year is Read Your Heart Out Day. Community members, high school students, and parents come into classes and read to students. It's a celebration of reading and community engagement. These books were read aloud to my class this year: The Dragon Takes a Wife by Walter Dean Myers …