Happy New Year to my Wagoneers and my Wagon Watchers!!

Welcome, Amy, my newest Wagoneer!!

Sunday Song

Here's a song I wrote to use while we're learning about maps.

        Cardinal Directions

                     (Tune:  Sound Off)

North’s always at the top of the map.

That is true.  Just see me snap.

The bottom of the map is always south.

You just heard that straight from my mouth.

Sound off:  north, south

Sound off:  east, west

Bring it on down:    north, south,

                                east, west

East is found by going right.

I know that because I’m bright.

Travel left.  You’re going west.

That’s the truth.  I would not jest.

Sound off:  north, south

Sound off:  east, west

Bring it on down:    north, south, 

                                east, west

Happy last Sunday of the year!!

      See you in church.

Friday Fun

When we go back to school on the 3rd, we'll study the geography of America.  I'll teach them the following song to help them learn.  Then they'll make playdough topical maps.

GeoGrapHy

U.S. Geography Song

(To the tune of “Davy Crockett”)

The mighty Mississippi runs north to south.

At the Gulf of Mexico is its big mouth.

Appalachians in the east and the Rockies in the west,

These are the mountains that I know the best.

Across the south of America is Mexico.

Just ask me and I’ll tell you so.

Atlantic Ocean’s on the east coast, Pacific’s on the west.

This isn’t all, so I’ll tell you the rest.

On the border of Canada are the Great Lakes.

‘Cross the middle of America the plain are great.

I’m learning the geography of the U.S.

When I sing this song, I’m learning it the best.

U.S., U.S. geography!

Let’s all sing again.

Gingerbread Fun

On the 18th my Learning Garden was transformed into a Gingerbread Village as construction workers went from station to station creating their architectural masterpieces.  Many thanks to Geri, who came in ahead of time to hot glue the graham cracker houses together.

Here's a "before" house, front and center.  Go to the Gallery to see some finished architectural wonders.  My little builders had so much fun!!

In Memoriam

Remembering the Sandy Hook 26, who are spending their first Christmas in Heaven.

May God provide comfort and peace to their loved ones.

Christmas Eve

Pause for a time in the midst of the frantic preparations for Christmas to remember the real significance of this season.  May God grant you peace, comfort, and provision today and through the coming year.

Merry Christmas

Sunday Salute

Welcome aboard my little red wagon, Patty! I'm excited to have another Wagoneer.

 I've been perusing your blogs (2nd in Line and Second Grade Freebies--both are gold mines of great activities.  I want to follow your blogs but don't see where to do so.

Friday Fanfare

A wintry welcome to my 25th Wagoneer, my second Crystal, and my newest follower, Crystal.  I'm so pleased you joined my crew on this beautiful, sunny, not-the-end-of-the-world, first winter day!!

Wednesday WooHoo!

Who would have thought this little red wagon blog would be of interest to so many folks?  Today marks 2000 visitors to my blog, and twenty different nations have taken a peek.  I would love it if you visitors would leave me a comment.

Friday Footnote

My heart breaks for the community in Connecticut where the elementary school massacre took place today.  I can't begin to fathom the horror that transpired.  The loss of those innocent lives at the hands of a madman is infuriating.  The survivors are changed forever.

Join me in prayer for all those touched by this tragedy.  They will need to be lifted up long after the media frenzy dies down.

Wednesday Words

In the picture below is a holiday poem I like to use in my class.  I don't know who wrote it, so if anyone does, please leave me a comment so I can give due credit. 

The children made their candy stick to glue on their penmanship task.  We had a penmanship contest for this work.  To make these occasional contests fair, I choose a girl and a boy winner.  The winner is not always the same perfect-penmanship-people who have a natural ability for excellent fine motor control.  I count improvement so that a child who might have poor penmanship compared to others could possibly win because s/he had improved enough over their previous attempts.  That way really weak writers don't give up.

Teachers, please share a Christmas poem you like to use with your class.












A shout-out goes to my first blog visitor from Mexico today.  Glad you came by for a test drive.

Tuesday Total

It's fun for me to keep track of where my blog-watchers live.  Today two more countries were added to my growing list of visitors, 17 as of today.  Hello, Singapore and hello, the Netherlands!

The Netherlands reminded me of my penpal I had when I was junior high age.  Wilma Pigmans was from Heemskirk, Holland.  I wonder what became of her.

 Have any of you had a penpal? Post a note to let me know about it.

Saturday Night Snippet

I just downloaded the cutest fact family game FREE on Teachers Notebook. Check out these cute little reindeer at Down Under Teacher's store.

I'm so thankful for the talented and generous teachers who offer their creations for free.

Scrumptious Saturday

I love, love, love eggnog.  The holiday season brings Braum's wonderful eggnog shakes.  And it's also time to make Eggnog French Toast!  Warning:  I don't measure anything when I make it, so the following is a close estimate.

For a single serving beat one large egg until frothy.  Stir in 1/4 cup eggnog, 1 teaspoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a sprinkle of nutmeg and salt.  Soak a slice of your bread of choice on each side.  Brown each side in a skillet over medium-low heat.  You should have enough batter to make at least one more slice.  If you're generous, you can share. 

Spread a pat of real butter around the hot bread until melted.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  If you prefer, you can serve it with maple syrup instead.  Mmmmmmmmm

Photo by Carroll Pellegrinelli

Let me Know how Yours turn Out.

Thursday Thoughts

Today I've had my dad, Jack Edwards, on my mind.  He would have been 97 years old today.  A voracious reader and student of history, he was our family's own Google when I was growing up.  I thought he knew the answer to everything.  That reading influence rubbed off on all three of us kids, who all enjoy a good book.  

He was a staff sergeant in the 8th Air Force during World War II.  During one run, his plane was shot up and the pilot killed.  He refused a Purple Heart because he felt his injuries were nothing compared to the pilot's sacrifice. I remember him telling about the delicious black bread he ate in Russia and how frustrated he was in France when he wanted to talk with some French men, but he didn't speak French.

Daddy was a terrific vegetable gardener.  Each year he put in a huge vegetable garden from which Mom produced row upon row of canned goods.  My sibs and I spent many an hour helping tend his gardens and helping prep the veggies Mom canned.  All three of us enjoy gardening, but my brother is the only one of us to put out a really big vegetable garden.

He was a printer by trade, working in the composing room for the Tulsa Tribune.  When I traveled out of state, I always brought back to him a copy of the local paper from where I had been.  He loved to see how different newspapers were laid out.  To this day I have the urge to buy a paper for him when I travel.

We lost Dad suddenly in 1985. He never got to meet his grandkids' spouses or see his two great-grandsons It took me a long time to get over his passing, but I still have a big hole in my heart.  Miss you Daddy.

Fun and Games

Amble over to Chalk One Up for the Teacher.  Cyndie has some nice K-2 activities she's offering for free on her Monday and Tuesday post.  I'm going to use the Christmas patterns as a writing extension in which they write a sentence to describe the pieces they selected to finish each pattern.

Tuesday Tune

To my Oklahoma 2nd grade teacher friends:

One of our state standards is for students to learn the border states to Oklahoma.  Here's the silly song I made up to help them.  It's to the tune of "Yankee Doodle."

Six states encircle Oklahoma.
Let's all learn to name them.
First go north to the state of Kansas
And start the naming game then.

At the northeast corner of
The state of Oklahoma
Lies Missouri where you'll be
If that is where you roam-a.

Next around is Arkansas.
It lies directly east of us.
Then travel south and west across
The biggest state of Texas.

New Mexico is at the very
End of the panhandle.
Colorado at the corner
Now completes the circle.

Merry Monday

This adorable graphic is by one of my favorite graphic artists, Ashley at Thistlegirl Designs. Check out her wares.

Monday Mention

Another Wagoneer!!  Welcome, Carrie.  Happy to have you as one of the team!  I cruised over to enjoy your blog, Floating Through First Grade and hope all my Wagoneers will too.

Sunday Salute

Hello, Mrs. Null!  How nice that you climbed aboard.  There's always room for one more in my little red wagon! Your blog, Read Aloud Literacy, is a great resource.