A large pumpkin sits on the receptionist's desk at Noble School. It is decorated with traditional Hmong art. The ink inscription on the pumpkin reads "It was my grandparent's dream to go to school. I am living that dream."
It was sweet to have two fifth grade classes sing happy birthday to me yesterday.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Good question!
While I was working with a group of 3, 5th graders today one student asked me "Who invented the # sign for numbers?" "I don't know," I said. "Good question" she said...and it was.
Accompanying one 5th grade class to their session on "Musical Math" satisfied my curiosity. I'd been wondering about Musical Math for which the students leave their home room. What is it? It explores the connections between math and music. Today's lesson was about whole, half, quarter and eighth notes and the fractions implied.
Accompanying one 5th grade class to their session on "Musical Math" satisfied my curiosity. I'd been wondering about Musical Math for which the students leave their home room. What is it? It explores the connections between math and music. Today's lesson was about whole, half, quarter and eighth notes and the fractions implied.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Best Weekend Story
Lars, Charlie (Lars' father-in-law) and I had a weekend hunting trip to SD. Lars' story won top honors with the group. It goes like this.
Lars, needing a haircut, called the phone number listed on the door of Sinai's new hair salon for an appointment. Visiting with the barber as she cut his hair she said she lived on a acreage about half way between Sinai and Nunda. She went on to say "The coyotes were making such a racket again last night that I couldn't sleep. I wasn't about to lose another night of sleep so I got up, took my pistol went out and fired a couple of shots in the air. That's the last I heard of the coyotes and I slept like a baby."
Lars, needing a haircut, called the phone number listed on the door of Sinai's new hair salon for an appointment. Visiting with the barber as she cut his hair she said she lived on a acreage about half way between Sinai and Nunda. She went on to say "The coyotes were making such a racket again last night that I couldn't sleep. I wasn't about to lose another night of sleep so I got up, took my pistol went out and fired a couple of shots in the air. That's the last I heard of the coyotes and I slept like a baby."
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Field Trip
Target Field (baseball) was the destination of a 4th and 5th grade field trip for Noble Academy today. We got a thorough tour of the facility; dugout, dressing room, boxes, bull pen et. al. There were math and science lessons for the students which related to baseball. It was apparent that our students aren't much into baseball but they really enjoyed the day.
Our one room country school didn't have field trips though I remember the day an airplane landed in the field next school. The teacher let us go across the road and into the field to investigate. A local contractor flew his Piper Cub to look at some drainage work he was to do. When he took off he had us hold the airplane while he revved the engine. At his signal we all let go and he was airborne in a few feet. I also remember tearing out the seat of my pants crossing the fence to return to school.
The memory of that takeoff came back to me when I was on aircraft carrier while in the Marines. The USS Princeton had been retrofitted to carry Marine helicopters. The Marines also use Pier Cubs for reconnaissance and there were some of those aboard ship, too.
The carrier would cruise at about 30 knots, approx. 45 miles per hour, and always headed into the wind when airplanes were landing or taking off. The Piper Cubs would be airborne at about that speed. To land on the deck the pilot would come in low, slowing to about the speed of the ship. He'd suddenly cut all the power off and sailors who were standing by would quickly grab the plane and keep it from flipping over backward.
To take off the sailors would hold the plane while the pilot revved the engine. He'd give it full power, the sailors would release their hold and the plane would be instantly airborne.
Our one room country school didn't have field trips though I remember the day an airplane landed in the field next school. The teacher let us go across the road and into the field to investigate. A local contractor flew his Piper Cub to look at some drainage work he was to do. When he took off he had us hold the airplane while he revved the engine. At his signal we all let go and he was airborne in a few feet. I also remember tearing out the seat of my pants crossing the fence to return to school.
The memory of that takeoff came back to me when I was on aircraft carrier while in the Marines. The USS Princeton had been retrofitted to carry Marine helicopters. The Marines also use Pier Cubs for reconnaissance and there were some of those aboard ship, too.
The carrier would cruise at about 30 knots, approx. 45 miles per hour, and always headed into the wind when airplanes were landing or taking off. The Piper Cubs would be airborne at about that speed. To land on the deck the pilot would come in low, slowing to about the speed of the ship. He'd suddenly cut all the power off and sailors who were standing by would quickly grab the plane and keep it from flipping over backward.
To take off the sailors would hold the plane while the pilot revved the engine. He'd give it full power, the sailors would release their hold and the plane would be instantly airborne.
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