1. What is the author’s purpose? 2. What is the worst thing that happened to me? Defend your answer. 3. What is something bad that happened to you, that turned out for the best? Answers are at the end of this post. This is what my lake house usually looks like…peaceful…quiet…heaven. But things can change quickly, and they did Saturday, November 18th, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I was at the lake, watching the OSU/Illinois game. The Buckeyes were ahead 38-0 at halftime. The weather in both places was beautiful. Then 3rd quarter hit, and Columbus weather turned terrible. Driving rain, the kind that soaks you in 2 seconds. YUCK! I was glad to be in warm, sunny Tennessee! But two hours later, the front and its pouring rain hit Tennessee. It was too dark to watch the storm, and the TV and internet stopped, started, then died for good. I gave up and went to bed, but before I could fall asleep, I heard a noise. I usually don’t go out in the dark, in a rainstorm, but I peeked out the door. The first 2 pictures show what I saw in the dark. Look at that last picture again. You don’t see the chairs because they were to the left of the grill. When I looked in the dark, the deck caught the chairs and a grey strip. That strip belongs to our patio door. It could have blown anywhere, been miles away, and I would never have found it. Thank goodness for a great catch! After I found the chairs, I started looking for the grill. It’d blown down the steps and landed by the trees. I decided I couldn’t do anything in the dark. Everything could wait till tomorrow. Usually things look better in the morning. Not this time! Sunday morning I looked closer and took pictures for my husband. I thought the grill landed upright. Not! It was on its side, gas tank and doors knocked loose, laying off to the side. That’s also when I looked up the path that runs beside the house. I discovered what happened to my cable and internet, and I knew that it wasn’t coming back anytime soon. Look below…you’ll see what I saw. A huge log, I thought, was leaning on my roof. Do you see the other one on the ground? Both of them were dead trees. They were standing behind that thicket of bushes. My husband thought he’d gotten rid of all the dead trees. Not! The storm knocked these two loose. One fell harmlessly to the ground. The other hit the roof and knocked out my internet and TV. Boy, did I miss them! Do you see the Hughes Net dish? It’s bent in two. The Direct TV dish is bent, but not as badly. I know wind is a powerful force, but it’s usually powerful somewhere else. This time it hit in my back yard when I was alone, all by myself. Can you imagine yanking those 2 tree trunks out of the ground and tossing them around like sticks? Or the power to bounce a tree around on the roof? I’m glad I didn’t see it. This wasn’t a hurricane or tornado, just wind. Amazing! My husband wondered if we had a mini-tornado with the chairs and grill blowing one way, and the tree trunks blowing the other. Tornado, I don’t know. I didn’t hear anything except rain. No wind, no grill hitting the ground, no tree hitting the roof, and I am so glad! After looking at my pictures, my husband decided to head south and see for himself. We cancelled our Ohio Thanksgiving. No family, no Thanksgiving turkey, no fixings. It sounds like everything went wrong, completely wrong, but it didn’t. It went right, in a completely different, and unexpected way. Instead we had our first Thanksgiving at the lake. It was simple, grilled chicken and roasted yam slices, and we didn’t over-eat. A very good thing! We didn’t have a feast to prepare for, or to clean up after. We did the things we love to do. I wrote and enjoyed my lake view. I’m a city girl. My husband, country boy and project engineer, enjoyed his yard. He’s been reclaiming it from the woods for over 2 years. See the lake view? When we moved in, you couldn’t see it for all the trees. Remember the two tree trunks? He burned them in the picture above, but he was just getting warmed up, LOL He scrounged around and found more branches and brush to burn, but they didn’t burn fast enough so he made his own blast furnace. It worked! Can you see the difference between the 2 fires? Wayne channeled his inner Bill Nye science guy/Tim Allen. He made his own blast furnace with the leaf blower. Then he pulled me outside to teach the teacher. He demonstrated how the blower,(red handle) fed in oxygen to feed the fire. So when life goes wrong, look around and find what’s right. We did! We enjoyed Thanksgiving at the lake and time together. It’s lovely when all’s well that ends well! When What Goes Wrong, Turns Out to be Quite Right 1. What is the author’s purpose? My author’s purpose was to persuade you that when things go wrong, sometimes it’s for the best. . 2. What is the worst thing that happened to me? Defend your answer. Example: The worst thing was no TV. I missed the noise of TV and watching my favorite shows. 3. What is something bad that happened to you, that turned out for the best? Example: When I missed the bus, mom drove me to school and picked up hot chocolate for me. Yum!
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1. What is the author’s purpose? 2. Which visit would you like to have? Why? Answers are at the end of this post. Would you like a new language arts lesson for December, or for those short weeks in January and February? It’s hard to run your regular routine. Why not take a break, and do something different? Sit, relax, and I’ll teach your class about writing from my pre-published/retired teacher perspective. I offer variations in classroom visits, and I can tailor one for you. The pictures in this post are from grades K-3. I love seeing kids interested in learning! I hope to visit grades 4 and 5 this year. I sub in grades PK-4. After 33 years in second grade, it’s fun to go someplace new! Options for Classroom Visits: 1. This is from the slideshow of my writing journey. It starts when I met a bat, the mammal kind, in Germany. Really! If interested we can act out the true bat story.That experience gave me my first two books. They’re both in my computer, waiting for me to return for them when I have other books published. Why? An editor told me that bat stories don’t have legs. No LOL! They sell best before and after Halloween. After that they just take up shelf space. Now I’m spending my time primarily on 3 stories that have legs and will sell anytime. 2. With grades 1-4, we can transform my journey into a common core writing lesson. As I tell my story, I’ll pause for your students to map out what they want to remember. They can do an opinion about my visit or write informative/explanatory/narrative passages about my journey. I can match common core expectations for your grade level to each kind of writing. I’ll tailor my visit to fit the needs and interests of your students. 3. Want a different focus? I can introduce you to the authors who’ve critiqued my work. They helped me grow as a writer. I’ll bring along their autographed books and pictures to share. 4. I can also show you what a real, live critique looks like on paper, and what “getting pages” looks like. I meet once a month with a critique group in Tennessee. I’ll show you how they look at my work. My conference critiques look a little different. I also have two full critiques of my middle grade chapter book. I’m glad to show your how students constructive criticism benefits me. I’ll link it to what you do every day. You, are their best critic. 5. Would your class like to visit another culture? I can bring in my German or English journals. They have words, pictures, even money. If interested, we can complete a Venn diagram to compare/contrast the two cultures. You can stop there, or turn it into a writing opportunity. If you look closely at the slide above, you’ll see a monument called the Hermannsdenkmal, or Herman monument. I didn’t think my own bat story was enough, so I dragged in Herman and discovered two things…I overshot the mark and wrote a chapter book, not a picture book. I also learned that I am enough. The second book is my mostly true bat story, embellished to make an early chapter book for young readers. I also have books I’ve brought back from Germany. Most are translated and will show your students German grammar structure, pronunciation, and meaning. Who knows, maybe we’ll even speak a little German before I leave! How about a German Christmas? I can refresh the lesson I did for my second graders. I’ll double check my accuracy with a German teacher who’s one of my Beta readers to see if I missed anything. I’m hoping they’ll do a Christmas post for me. Fingers crossed 6. Do you have students who don’t want to edit their writing? They won’t listen to you. Let me do a lesson with them. Sometimes hearing the same words from a stranger makes a difference. I just need a draft. We’ll read through it and look for errors. I critique my own work this way, and I got this strategy from an agent at an SCBWI conference. (SCBWI- Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) This picture is from a lesson I did with third graders. They were brave about sharing their work and taking constructive criticism. They also received a small prize from me for sharing and correcting mistakes. Every student improved their final copy. I hope they remembered my advice for their next draft, and eventually for 3rd grade testing, where proofreading/editing are critical skills 7. For older classes, would you and your students like to see how I edit? I used color last year to push a middle grade story I’d worked on for 6 years. I was told it was flat and couldn’t believe it! 6 years! My Nashville critiquer in September said it was missing sensory and emotional information. Highlighting helped me find what was there, and what was missing. It worked! The same author reread my first two chapters in May and said it was right on track. Hurray! She also showed me how to shrink a manuscript down to1 page per chapter. It’s another way to find those holes in your work. It’s better to find and correct my own work. If I’m querying an editor or agent, I’ll get a polite thanks, but no thanks! I could reverse this strategy to help a reader understand a chapter book. I’d be glad to give it a whirl with your class. If interested, let me know. I have some ideas on how to do this with a published books. 8. This is my blog. I can do a reading lesson for you on any post. They come with questions before, and answers after each one. In presentations, I can target author’s purpose, main idea, supporting detail, whatever skills your students need to practice. To see available posts, check my Pinterest boards. My blogs are posted for Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts. I also matched each post to Ohio science and social studies strands. If you live outside of Ohio, I hope they’re similar for you. 9. Would your class like to build a post with me? We can use any topic you’ve studied. I just need pictures for the post. We can work together- before/during/after my visit- to edit words and pictures. When done, I’ll post them on my web page. I’ll list your class and your school as my co-authors. No matter which visit you choose, I’ll talk to your students about persistence like no one else can. I’ve been on my writing journey for 10 years, and still no published books, yet. To be a writer, I’ve learned not to be discouraged with critiques. I take the advice that makes sense to me, and I use it to grow. I also make sure I enjoy the journey. Stay tuned a for future post, A Little Help from My Friends. I’ll introduce you to my writing friends from SCBWI who’ve helped and encouraged me along the way. They’re the best! I also make sure I enjoy the journey. Stay tuned a for future post, A Little Help from My Friends. I’ll introduce you to my writing friends from SCBWI who’ve helped and encouraged me along the way. They’re the best! What Can I Do for You? Think School Visit! 1. What is the author’s purpose? My author’s purpose was to convince you and your teacher to schedule an author visit with me. 2. Which visit would you like to have? Why? Example: I’d like to have Rinda help me edit my writing. I want to learn how to catch my own mistakes, before my teacher can. 1. What inspired Jesse to serve in the military? 2. Name two ways Jesse is living the stories of the men and women from the VFW hall. Eleven are listed in the post. 3. Name one way you can serve your school or your community. Answers are at the end of this post This is my Facebook friend, Jesse. He’s a West Point grad, army lieutenant, and Afghanistan veteran. For Veteran’s Day I wanted to do something from a military point of view, so I asked Jesse. This is Jesse in action, on patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He paused for a photo with 2 other soldiers, but he said there’s more to a being a soldier than going on patrol. I googled military jobs. There are 150, ranging from cook to dentist to mechanic. When I interviewed Jesse, I was surprised to learn he never wanted to be a soldier. That sounds like me. I’m a principal’s daughter, and I never wanted to be a teacher. Jesse and I should never have said never. Everything changed for Jesse when he competed in the Voice of Democracy contest in high school. You can compete too. Contact your local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for details. You start at the local level. If you do well enough, you go to nationals and can earn up to $30,000 for college. That’s a nice chunk of change! When Jesse competed in 2010, America had been at war for 10 years. He wasn’t interested in a military career, but, listening to local veterans inspired him. It changed him, forever. I had to ask how. How could talking to a bunch of old men/women change your mind? Jesse answered, that as he listened, he heard a common thread, that military service was the defining point in their lives. Not only did these people come of age, they became civically aware in a way he’d never seen before. These veterans were actively involved in their communities, finding problems and solving them. They were leaders in their communities. They made a difference, and for Jesse, this contest was a defining moment in his life. I wanted this to be Jesse’s story so I asked what he’d like to say. He answered, “Being a soldier is more than wearing 60 pounds of body armor and carrying an assault rifle. It’s a commitment to others, to the left and the right, to the idea of America, and the ideas that make America unique. This commitment stays with you after you’ve served and takes on a different form. The veterans you see in your community, are inspired by their service to continue serving others.” Then he said, “I’m living the stories of the old men and women in the VFW hall.” I asked how. How are you like those men from WWII, Korea, or Vietnam? He answered: - Those veterans talked about tough times spent away from home. - Time spent navigating army bureaucracy to get the things you or your men needed. - In dangerous settings, looking out for the guy to your left, and your right. - Jumping out of planes to complete a mission. - Marching towards an enemy you’ve never seen or met, because you are committed to the mission, and to the people around you. - Riding in an armored vehicle that opens to a blast of sand and mud huts poking up out of a desert. You see fields where villagers eke out a living. You’re here because your commitment required it, whether you’re welcome, or not. - You meet kids who might throw rocks at you one day, then ask for candy and pens the next. They use limited English and their hands to communicate. - You return to the base to talk with your buddies about what you’ve seen and heard, happy to see another day. - You’re rudely awakened by rockets attacking your base. - You eat poor army food, disgusting but edible, whether they’re from a cafeteria or MRE (meal ready to eat). BTW, they even come with a heating element. - Some nights you sleep in the open air, looking at the stars, but ready for action. Wow, I can’t imagine living this life. I always thought teaching was hard, at least the way I did it. I gave of myself every day for my students. Looking back, it was the only way I could be the teacher I wanted to be. But, as tough as teaching was, it does not compare to what our military does every day. So today, and all days when you see a soldier or a veteran, please think why you’re thankful for their service. Be specific. If you’re in doubt, pick a fact from this post that means something to you. So, I’ll finish by saying, “Jesse, thank you for your service, for giving your time and talent to the mission, instead of taking an easier route.” There’s More to a Soldier, More to a Veteran 1. What inspired Jesse to serve in the military? He was inspired by meeting and talking to veterans while competing in the Voice of Democracy Contest. 2. Name two ways Jesse is living the stories of the men and women from the VFW hall. - Those veterans talked about tough times spent away from home. - Time spent navigating army bureaucracy to get the things you or your men needed. 3. Name one way you can serve your school or your community. Example: I can help at school by working with students who’re having trouble on a paper. I can help my community by cleaning up trash I see in my neighborhood. 1. What is the main idea? Think title and aging. 2. Name one of my friends. Tell how he/she helped me. (supporting detail) 3. Name someone who’s helped you. Tell how he/she helped you. Answers are at the end of this post. Speaking of help, here’s the original song from 1967, when I was 8, sung by the Beatles. Click the link, and listen while you read: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=i+get+by+with+a+little+help+from+my+friends+videos&&view=detail&mid=006A08DFF8120D3CED6A006A08DFF8120D3CED6A&FORM=VRDGAR This is how I take a selfie. I use my mirror. I can’t smile; I’m too focused. Originally I took two pictures to send to two friends. They’re responsible for the center necklace and the brown lace extender. I wanted to say thank you for helping me look my best. Then I realized there are others to thank. I don’t just get by with their help…I look good! I decided to do this post to say thank you. Do I look like I’m 60? Please say no! I’m not, but I’m only a year-and-a-half away from that number. YIKES! Thank goodness for friends! It’s funny, I usually run away from pictures, but not this time. I took these, for my friends. Look at my hair- no gray- thanks to my hair guy, Chris at Miracles on Maine. He’s taken care of me for 28 years. And my face- no wrinkles- thanks to Jessica and Arbonne. I’ve been with them for 10 years. Thanks to my friends, people recognize me from high school, and that was 40 years ago. That’s a great thing! I have the straightest eyelashes ever, but look closer, and you’ll see curl. Penny at Cozy Corner perms them, and wah-lah! Curls! I wait two months before doing them again. Why? Penny takes care of me and my eyes. Look at my hands- no wrinkles- thanks again to Jessica and Arbonne. And my nails don’t look 60 either! Patricia at Cozy Corner invented this color for me. She mixed red swirls against a dark brown. I love it, but Patricia thinks we can do better. She wants to try orange swirls next time. I love friends who help me look better! I also need to give credit to my cleaning ladies, Betty, Carolyn, and Danelle. They took care of my house and saved my hands from chemicals. They helped me maintain my sanity when I was teaching 20-some kids a year, and coming home to three more. My kids were 3, 6, and 8 when Betty started with us. Ladies, thank you for everything! Looking good is no accident. It takes a few friends…and shopping. My post from 7-31-17 explains how shopping helps me live longer and healthier. It’s also fun! When I shop, I’m treasure hunting. I found this tunic in Goody’s near the lakehouse. It is goody! I have to be careful I don’t shop too much…This shirt called me three times before I finally bought it. When I shop, I have fun playing Barbie. Maybe that’s why I don’t look 60, yet. Did you notice the brown lace below the white shirt? I designed it. I took an old brown tank and added tulle and lace. I love recycling my old clothes into something new! I took my old tank to Jo Anne Fabrics, and their staff helped me find the best match. The tulle was easy, but the lace…tricky. My best strategy is find my favorite two or three, take them to the desk, then ask for advice. Then I took the old tank and new material to my friend Jen at Jen’s Alterations. She whips them together with a little sewing magic. She’s amazing! Did you notice the leggings? Love, love, love! They have small fringy rectangles going down my leg. I love finding something new, cutting edge. It’s fun! And it stays in style longer. These were at Blackberry Charm Mercantile in Lafollette. I find shopping opportunities everywhere! And now for the icing…the jewelry! I have a few more friends to thank. The earrings are from Terri at Terri Lynn Designs. So is the bottom necklace. Terri takes old things and reinvents them. I’ve bought her clothes and jewelry for years. They call me! The middle necklace is from my newest friend, Rochelle and Rovals. I’ve had it since May, but finally wore it. It’s so gorgeous it deserved the right neckline. Not only does Rochelle invent jewelry, she fixes mine. The bottom necklace is with her until she has time to fix it. I’m in no rush. I try to be a good friend too. Finally the top necklace is from one of my favorite stores, NY & Co. I got it because, if I spent just $10 more, the cost of necklace, I got a dress at half price. What a great friend! Put it altogether, and you have me, almost 60, but hopefully still sensational! Have you ever heard, when you feel terrible, put on your favorite clothes? I'd edit it to say when you feel old, put on something fun that makes you feel young. It works! That’s why I wrote this blog. UPDATE: Posts 6/28 and 7/10/17 This picture is the real reason turning 30, 40, 50, and soon 60 is easy. My grandmother’s in it. I’m named after her, but I never saw her picture till middle school. I didn’t see this one until last summer. Would you believe it shows up now every time I turn on my laptop? It’s magic! The best part is I feel like I’ve gotten my grandmother back, and she’s here in time to help me turn 60. Maybe she’ll celebrate with me. She died Nov. 1, 1937 when my mother was 2. I thought she was 30, but now I’ve learned her birth and death dates. She was 40. I’m sending a big thank you heavenward…Thank you, Granny, for helping me to celebrate growing old. I Get By With a Little Help from My Friends 1. What is the main idea? Think title and aging. It’s about how my friends help me to look my best as I age. 2. Name one of my friends. Tell how he/she helped me. (supporting detail) Ex: Chris at Miracle on Maine cuts and colors my hair to keep the gray away. 3. Name someone who’s helped you. Tell how he/she helped you. Ex: My mother helps me. She checks my homework every night. |
AuthorWhen I write, I can only have one voice in my head, mine. A little noise is fine. But too much, or worse yet, WORDS, and I must change rooms or pull out headphones. Then I can write on! Categories
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