One day. One night. One community. Your Relay For Life® is about celebration, remembrance, and hope. By participating, you honor cancer survivors, pay tribute to the lives we've lost to the disease, and raise money to help fight it all right here in your community. You won't want to miss one moment of this life- and community-affirming event!
Relay for Life - MSU is April 18th and 19th on the track next to Spartan Stadium. This is a life changing event. If anyone is interested PLEASE contact me! We are always looking for walkers and donations!
To get more information please go to our web site at : www.spartansrelay.com
Or contact me at munromel@msu.edu
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Biography reminder!
Just a reminder that you need to bring at least one children's biography to class this week! We'll be using them of an activity, so it is important that everyone participate. :-)
Unintentional Increase in Birth Control Prices
In 2005, Congress passed The Deficit Reduction Act, which excluded 400 safety-net clinics from the low cost birth control program. Over 3 million students and low-income women have seen their birth control prices increase from $10 up to $40 to $50. Because of this price explosion, many women have had to choose between reliable birth control and other necessities
A couple weeks ago I went to Washington D.C. on a school-funded trip to lobby against the increased prices of birth control at places like Planned Parenthood that has affected numerous college students and low income women in general. On November 1st, The Prevention Through Affordable Access Act, which would “restore and protect access to discount drug prices for university-based and safety-net clinics”1,was introduced. Our group, The Jewish Women’s Forum, lobbied on behalf of the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act, as we met with the staffers of Debbie Stabenow and Mike Rogers in efforts of persuading them to pass this act.
Our group is currently in the process of creating a website so that anyone can post their signature online to show Congress how many women (and men too, for that matter- there has been an increase in unwanted teen pregnancies) are affected by the increase in birth control prices. As soon as this is created, I will post it here and it would be extremely helpful if you would take an extra minute out of your time to sign the petition.
1 American Association of University Women--Two Minute Activist, Support the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act in the House.
http://www.capwiz.com/aauw/issues/alert/?alertid=10595661
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Gerstein, Mordicai. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. Brookfield: Roaring Brook Press, 2003.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is a great Biography/Historical fiction about a street performing man name Philippe Pitit who dreamed of walking between the Twin towers. He and some friends dressed up as construction works while the buildings were still being built and snuck to the top. It took them all night to get everything ready with a few close calls in between. That morning he walked across the rope, people began to spot him. Police were yelling you are under arrest. When he eventually came down from the rope he was arrested and the judge's "punishment" was for him to perform in the park for children. This brave/illegal act that Pitit took part in left at least one good memory of the towers for the people of New York. This book brings about themes of dedication, devotion, passion, and carrying on the memory of things even if something tragic brought it down.
The thing I criticize is the age appropriateness, after this book some children may go out and attempt to walk a rope across something with no training or. Also I don't think younger children will understand the concept of carrying on the memory because they may not know what happened to the towers or the severity of it. The artistic techniques in this book are very unique. Two pages in the book fold out making the rope walking experience seem very intense and real. Also he builds of his color use from dark to light throughout the book. I thought the very last page with the towers within the cloud being shown as a memory was very creative and intense and send a huge message.
JJS
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is a great Biography/Historical fiction about a street performing man name Philippe Pitit who dreamed of walking between the Twin towers. He and some friends dressed up as construction works while the buildings were still being built and snuck to the top. It took them all night to get everything ready with a few close calls in between. That morning he walked across the rope, people began to spot him. Police were yelling you are under arrest. When he eventually came down from the rope he was arrested and the judge's "punishment" was for him to perform in the park for children. This brave/illegal act that Pitit took part in left at least one good memory of the towers for the people of New York. This book brings about themes of dedication, devotion, passion, and carrying on the memory of things even if something tragic brought it down.
The thing I criticize is the age appropriateness, after this book some children may go out and attempt to walk a rope across something with no training or. Also I don't think younger children will understand the concept of carrying on the memory because they may not know what happened to the towers or the severity of it. The artistic techniques in this book are very unique. Two pages in the book fold out making the rope walking experience seem very intense and real. Also he builds of his color use from dark to light throughout the book. I thought the very last page with the towers within the cloud being shown as a memory was very creative and intense and send a huge message.
JJS
Non-Fiction Texts in the Classroom
The think that I find interesting about these upcoming topics, biographies and non-fiction, is how important these genres are in using literacy across the curriculum and in incorporating reading throughout the curriculum. Not only are they great ways to use children's literature in all subjects, but they also are beneficial learning tools in helping kids learn by using different teaching methods. These books can also provide references to go along with fictional texts. Non-fiction and biographies can clarify facts from fictional stories. I also think its important to use a broad set of non-fiction texts. I often find myself using more social studies and historical non-fiction books, however, using non-fiction books in science and math can be very important and allow students who are more language based a way to understand science. Does anybody know any really good science non-fiction books for upper elementary?
Jewish Folklore
On Thursday evening, Howard Schwartz spoke at the Union on “Jewish Tales of the Supernatural”. Howard Schwartz is a writer whose focus is on Jewish folklore. I had never heard of Jewish folklore before and I was interested in what this is like. Because I was raised Jewish, I wanted to see if the morals presented in these Folktales are ones that I would like to identify myself with.
At the presentation, there were many picture books lying out with Jewish folklore stories. I had a couple minutes to look through one of the books, and I also stayed to hear the speaker talk about a couple Jewish folktales.
Like other folktales I have read or heard of, there were underlying themes and personification with animals. The themes, however, were different from other folktales. For example, in the book I read, the theme was to keep the Sabbath.
Some of the main themes in the folklore Howard Schwartz shared were ideas I do not necessarily agree with. This led me to reflect on many things, including folklore itself. What significance does folklore play in religion? What is the difference between biblical stories and religious folklore?
If any of you are interested, he is giving another lecture on Saturday, March 29 at Noon, on the topic “Is There a Jewish Mythology?” You can contact Congregation Shaarey Zedek for more information.
At the presentation, there were many picture books lying out with Jewish folklore stories. I had a couple minutes to look through one of the books, and I also stayed to hear the speaker talk about a couple Jewish folktales.
Like other folktales I have read or heard of, there were underlying themes and personification with animals. The themes, however, were different from other folktales. For example, in the book I read, the theme was to keep the Sabbath.
Some of the main themes in the folklore Howard Schwartz shared were ideas I do not necessarily agree with. This led me to reflect on many things, including folklore itself. What significance does folklore play in religion? What is the difference between biblical stories and religious folklore?
If any of you are interested, he is giving another lecture on Saturday, March 29 at Noon, on the topic “Is There a Jewish Mythology?” You can contact Congregation Shaarey Zedek for more information.
Ma Dear's Aprons-Historical Fiction
McKissack, Patricia. Ma Dear’s Aprons. New York: Simons & Schuster Publishing, 1997.
Patricia McKissack’s, Ma Dear’s Aprons is based on true events in which her great mother whom was called Ma Dear (short for mother dear) occurred when she lived in the early 1900s of rural Alabama. David Earl about 5 years and the only child of Ma Dear always knows what day it is by the color of his mother’s apron, as they do her daily duties for the families that she works for everyday. Through the tasks, whether he enjoys them or not his mother always makes time for them to spend happy moments together even when she’s tired. Everyday David Earl sees an apron except on Sunday which is a no work day for his mother when they can go to church and have dinner by the creek peacefully and quietly together.
Floyd Cooper uses color and texture to support the text in which McKissack depict real life people not just characters in a story. Just is why I styled this art as representational because of how realistic the characters look as he used the fall, rusty and faded colors. The beautifully art texture enhances Mckissack’s text as the characters’ facial features and expressions resemble life. The author provides a note that describes her memory of her great grandmother and how she struggled to maintain while still providing for her family. This book is great way for toddlers 6 and under to see a story about other races as well as a theme of loving your family.
EboniC
Patricia McKissack’s, Ma Dear’s Aprons is based on true events in which her great mother whom was called Ma Dear (short for mother dear) occurred when she lived in the early 1900s of rural Alabama. David Earl about 5 years and the only child of Ma Dear always knows what day it is by the color of his mother’s apron, as they do her daily duties for the families that she works for everyday. Through the tasks, whether he enjoys them or not his mother always makes time for them to spend happy moments together even when she’s tired. Everyday David Earl sees an apron except on Sunday which is a no work day for his mother when they can go to church and have dinner by the creek peacefully and quietly together.
Floyd Cooper uses color and texture to support the text in which McKissack depict real life people not just characters in a story. Just is why I styled this art as representational because of how realistic the characters look as he used the fall, rusty and faded colors. The beautifully art texture enhances Mckissack’s text as the characters’ facial features and expressions resemble life. The author provides a note that describes her memory of her great grandmother and how she struggled to maintain while still providing for her family. This book is great way for toddlers 6 and under to see a story about other races as well as a theme of loving your family.
EboniC
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