Emily October: February-Ness: Sing-Songy Days

In honor of Presidents' Day and my love of teaching US history to kinders.

Happy Chinese New Year. Happy 100th Day of School. Happy Groundhog day. Happy Valentine's Day. Happy Birthday Old Abe Lincoln. Happy Birthday G.Washington P.S. I like your hair!

LOTS of celebrating this month. I probably missed something. Oh wait, today was Susan B. Anthony's birthday so I got on my soapbox about women not being able to vote less than 100 years ago. Then I cast a vote in my class over something--of course many 5-year-olds vote twice no matter what you do--and announced the girls votes don't count. I showed them a cartoon biographical video clip about Susan B. Anthony. They were mesmerized. Issues of segregation (MLK), slavery (Lincoln), assassination (both) come up with these topics. I just sadly shrug and say, "It was a very dark time in America" or "Remembering their lives is more important than their death." The first thing they will want to know about George Washington is "Who killed him?" "Well, actually, it was a throat infection." "Yeah, but who killed him?"

I am weirdly patriotic and love history. I wavered between a history and English major in college; English won but they overlap a lot.

We celebrate everything in kindergarten. I mean, we celebrate the alphabet. I have been an unabashed (though sadly ungifted) singer my whole life. I always thought singing really well would be a great super power--then you could listen to great music whenever you wanted.

Still, I remember feeling a little uneasy about leading students in singing when I was a student teacher. Now I have NO SHAME. I use and abuse music in my classroom each day. Name a topic, I might have a song for it. My life is becoming a musical.

If you ever glance at your clock from 8:00a.m. to 8:03, West Coast time, know that I am dancing and singing. My students stand in a circle as they trickle in the room after the last bell....and sing Good morning, Gooood morning to you! (as they wave to one another). Our daaaaaaaay is beginning, there's so much to do... Then the student rotate to the center of the carpet with a dance move. Everyone else imitates their move.

By 8:03 we have said the Pledge of Allegiance and are on to attendance.

Note: we have a few dance rules: Nothing on the floor. No rolling. You have to stay in a two foot square space as you do your move, no run dancing. The scissors and jumping jacks are popular moves.

When the kids are exhausted and unfocused and really difficult to the get the attention of (perhaps the entire day after Valentine's day) that's when you start whisper singing "America the Beautiful." When children are singing they usually aren't teasing or hitting or telling or crying or yelling. Usually aren't. , I do have to demonstrate the difference between YELLING THE WORDS FROM A SONG and singing in a loud, clear voice.

Anyway, I am moving on from Heart Day and have been teaching about Lincoln this week. Old Abe Lincoln he came out of the wilderness, out of the wilderness, down in Illinois. Next week will be Washington and "I cannot tell a lie." Again, I teach these topics with songs. And books. And coins. Coins are very high interest... did you know you can actually see Lincoln on the back of a penny, in his monument? We have been examining them with a magnifying glass. Also, we make penny necklaces with yarn and construction paper (bling).

A pal of mine just posted a link to this video called Death to Penny:
I am still a sentimental sap who wants pennies to stick around. And yes, I'm the lady counting out 3 random pennies to hand over with my cash, just to ensure I don't get any back. Sorry, guys.

Below, random DC pictures from last December. My dad grew up in Bethesda and I've made many a trip back there. I do love that pretty city.

Winterscape.

The bottom.

The top.

It cracked during a recent earthquake so you weren't able to go up. I still have never been to the top. And don't really want to go to the top. Glad I didn't need an excuse.