School Bans the Pledge

[_Quasimodo]

The best and most interesting teacher I ever had taught a biology class in my senior year in high school. Behind the school was an undeveloped field which he had sectioned off into one foot squares with pegs and string.

We were each assigned a square and our semester project was to describe what was in our square. At first it seemed silly, but we soon realized that just about everything that goes on in our planet went on in our little square.

Mine started with identifying every plant that was in my square and continued on to every insect that inhabited or crossed over my square. Then it went on to describe any reptiles or mammals that might cross my square. Finally, it described the underlying geology (going down to the Earth's core) of my little square.

It taught me a lot about biology, but I think the most important thing it taught me was that EVERYTHING is interesting if you look hard enough.

[_just me]

If I have to see Blucifer every time I leave Denver International Airport

I once had to get permission from higher ups to read a book to my class called "America the Beautiful", which in my view, is a piece of American (and local for me) history in terms of the arts and yes, I got permission to do it and sing it!

:-)

Is that the book that basically just sets the song to pictures? If so, I have that one.

[_Jersey Girl]

If I have to see Blucifer every time I leave Denver International Airport

Shut up. That thing spooks me out! And Anubis! Oh god!

I once had to get permission from higher ups to read a book to my class called "America the Beautiful", which in my view, is a piece of American (and local for me) history in terms of the arts and yes, I got permission to do it and sing it!

:-)

Is that the book that basically just sets the song to pictures? If so, I have that one.[/quote]

It's the one from Scholastic in paperback. I have a voice recording and also sang it. I'm sitting in the room that has my children's library and just yanked out some books. Here's a couple more relevant titles for you. These are all hardcover.

I Am America (Chalres R. Smith Jr.)
C is for Centenniel (Louise Doak Whitney)
The Flag We Love (Pam Muniz Ryan)
God Bless America (Irving Berlin)
Looking at Liberty (Harvey Stevenson)
Ellis Island, Doorway to Freedom (Steven Kroll)

[_Jersey Girl]

Also, "In God we Trust" needs to come off our money. What a filthy way to honor God!

[_Jersey Girl]

Hark the herald angels sing glory to the new born king.

I hear ya, Brad!

[_just me]

It's the one from Scholastic in paperback. I have a voice recording and also sang it. I'm sitting in the room that has my children's library and just yanked out some books. Here's a couple more relevant titles for you. These are all hardcover.

I Am America (Chalres R. Smith Jr.)
C is for Centenniel (Louise Doak Whitney)
The Flag We Love (Pam Muniz Ryan)
God Bless America (Irving Berlin)
Looking at Liberty (Harvey Stevenson)
Ellis Island, Doorway to Freedom (Steven Kroll)

That's the one! It came with the one called "Pledge of Allegiance." I've got that one, too. Thanks for the titles.

[_Jersey Girl]

Jersey Girl. I love your approach too! I would have loved to have had you as one of my children's teachers in their elementary school years! It reminds of of some of my dear wife's approaches to teaching small children when she was an elementary school teacher.

Thanks! I expect you to plant your popcorn kernels today and report back in a week!

:-)

[_Jersey Girl]

It's the one from Scholastic in paperback. I have a voice recording and also sang it. I'm sitting in the room that has my children's library and just yanked out some books. Here's a couple more relevant titles for you. These are all hardcover.

I Am America (Chalres R. Smith Jr.)
C is for Centenniel (Louise Doak Whitney)
The Flag We Love (Pam Muniz Ryan)
God Bless America (Irving Berlin)
Looking at Liberty (Harvey Stevenson)
Ellis Island, Doorway to Freedom (Steven Kroll)

That's the one! It came with the one called "Pledge of Allegiance." I've got that one, too. Thanks for the titles.

Anytime! Just wind me up and I'll play for you!

Yes, it came as a set. I don't know where my Pledge of Allegiance is. Probably stuffed in an unpacked tote bag elsewhere!

[_Doctor Steuss]

Also, "In God we Trust" needs to come off our money. What a filthy way to honor God!

I personally think that e pluribus unum is a much more fitting motto for what this country was founded upon. As a (amateur) numismatist, I love seeing the different phrases come and go on various coin and currency designs (that is, until "In God We Trust" became permanent under Eisenhower).

Currency (in particular, coinage) used to be such a beautiful form of art, prior to the now-standard presidential effigies.

[_Jersey Girl]

JayGee, I love all of that and agree with your experiences. I also feel that celebrating holidays in school can be very distracting and lead to a couple days of mayhem. Ask me how I know!

I really love the year long garden project!

Mayhem! I know mayhem! You could pretty much kill me on Valentines Day! ;-)

I wanted to float ideas to you, demonstrate that if you are thoughtful in delivery of ECE, you can hit all the bases and provide far more meaningful experiences than just having parties. I once had a debate with an accreditation official about presenting diversity (Mexico day! China day! Which I think are total superficial and meaningless crap) in my classroom. I argued that covering other countries wasn't relevant to a 3/4 hear old and not developmentally appropriate.

Guess who won the debate?

:-)

I also wanted to demonstrate what good and meaningful ECE curriculum is and that we are giving children experiences in the same subjects that continue throughout the age levels until one exits with their college degree. The same threads of learning (using different approaches) are part of learning through adulthood.