105 Y'all

Today was a very fun day! This blog post title is the motto that my boys use for our homeroom. My room number is 105 and since I have the all boys class, they like to say, "105 Y'all!" In fact, when they filled out their yearbook class flower, song, etc. they put "105 Y'all!" for their class motto! I'm dedicating this post's title to them--I think this picture should be the poster for NPS Week! Check out what they're all wearing!

After testing today we had class. I was really, really excited to start this lesson. It's a lesson that I wrote this summer. The lesson is about the WPA posters about the National Park Service. It asks students to investigate these WPA posters (or posters that were done in their likeness) and then to make a poster about a park they know in the WPA likeness.

Lauren ordered these beautiful posters for the ed. programs and lent them to me for this week and for this lesson. They've been received very enthusiastically by all who have seen them. I love them and think I will buy some for my own classroom in the future---they're perfect!


We only got through part of the lesson today. We read about the Great Depression, the New Deal and the WPA's Federal Art Project.


Then, students, already sitting in groups, chose a poster to focus on. They brought the poster back to their seat and worked on the group worksheet which asks them to look at the poster's colors, words, icons, etc.


After they completed their question sheet I had the student groups stand up and share their poster with other students.


The kids responded really well to the questions and the presentations. They really loved the bright colors.


I was able to get through the lesson, to this point, with three of my four classes.

My boys class did a smashing job with color description and detail...I was really, really impressed!






I need to back track--as my afternoon classes came in I gave each student a National Park Week sticker that Lauren sent.


My students LOVE stickers! They wore them on their clothes, their arms, the backs of their hands, and their faces.


I took the group photo as class ended. The group shot is for Lauren. CHECK OUT THOSE NPS WEEK STICKERS!! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! :)

THANK YOU for all you did for us this National Park Week!





After school we had our out of school field trip to a National Park. Today's park was the Old Post Office Pavilion downtown. I had nine students with me today and none of them had been to this site before today. Of course we had to take photos in front of the Ben Franklin statue!


Then, it was inside! Through security, down to the food court level and finally! The entrance to the Tower elevator! While waiting to catch the elevator up to the 9th floor, Gable and Jordan stamped their Passports. They got two stamps today and were really excited.


The kids were a bit daunted by the glass elevator that took us up to the 9th floor, but loved the view on the way up (and later on the way down).

Once we reached the top, the views were gorgeous and the breeze was phenomenal! We couldn't have picked a better to visit.


The kids quickly scattered to see what the view was like from each side. They liked that there were cables, but not glass.

Of course we took photos...

and tried to find famous landmarks...

and we even found our school!


We had to have a group shot!


When we were up at the top the kids found Freedom Plaza. None of them had been there but they were very curious about the layout. I love Freedom Plaza and think that it's clever so I was quick to suggest that we pay it a visit.

After a short stop in the food court for a refresher, we were walking again, this time past City Hall, and to Freedom Plaza.
We followed the Pennsylvania Avenue on the ground and the kids found out what was at each end: the Capitol to the east and the White House to the west. They also had fun watching the skateboarders.


We made it back to school by 6 pm. I met three younger friends in the hallway who wanted to know where we just came back from. I explained and continued on to explain about my uniform and our Oklahoma trip--hey! It's Park Week--it's about teaching right?

I led them to the Oklahoma trip banners and shared some of the stories. They were fantastic and truly interested. It was very cute and very sincere.


The girls found the photo of me at the Land Run Monument to be very funny because I was doing a leg kick. I did one for them in the hallway and they wanted to know how I got the picture like that though...they were fascinated that it could be captured in a picture.

So....of course...they tried it....and guess what?

I captured their kick too! :)

Future rangers I think! :) They definitely have the leg kick down and the interest in the Parks! :)

Destination: Ford's Theater and Petersen House

Today's trip was to Ford's Theater and the Petersen House. Despite the rain, I had a healthy group of 14. Some had been to Ford's Theater before but I don't think anyone had been through the Petersen House previously. None of us (me included) had been through the new museum in the basement.

Thanks to Sarah Jencks and Jack Flack for securing tickets for our group! I picked them up from the box office while the kids got in line.

Once, in we followed the crowd down the stairs to the new museum. Those with Passports quickly took to stamping them...eager for two new stamps! :)

CJ did a little perusing and was instantly drawn to the larger black NPS Passport. He admitted that if he got that one he thought it would be harder to lose...

Once in the museum the kids disappeared into the gallery and the sea of tourists. I really liked the displays but it was difficult to heard everyone together. The kids kept running back to me to report things that they saw. Affrika found the Emancipation Proclamation replica which she was excited about since we discussed it last week for Emancipation Day.

Lamont found the gun that Booth used to shoot Lincoln.


The statue of Lincoln reading was a huge hit! First Jordan posed with him...


then Aliyah took her photo with a magazine she brought...

Kemry improvised on Aliyah's pose...

Affrika struck a pose...
CJ smiled...
Jahmeelah wanted to see what Lincoln was reading...

and Malik was impressed with what Lincoln was reading.

We headed upstairs to the theater itself. The kids were pretty excited and I was excited for them!

Unfortunately, there wasn't a sit down talk, but rather one where the we could take photos but had to keep moving. I stopped long enough to share a brief version of how Booth came in to Lincoln's box, where Lincoln and his wife were, how Booth broke his leg, about the play---the basics.

A ranger, whose name I didn't catch, came over and kindly took our group photo--much appreciated!

We went upstairs where we could take as much time and as many photos as we wanted to. Alando wanted a picture with Lincoln's box in the background.


And so did a few others...


Owen desperately wanted to enter the presidential box. Jordan and Owen tried the doorknob, tried to jimmy the door, and finally just knocked. Sadly, they could not get in...


We also had to take a photo by the bust of Lincoln.

We wormed our way downstairs and across the street to the Petersen House where Lincoln died at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865.




After our walk through we were back outside, taking another group shot.


The kids did a great job and I enjoyed sharing another DC National Park with them. :)

I must admit, it was rather daunting to be in uniform at Ford's Theater--especially since there were so many tourists. I didn't get asked any questions I couldn't answer, they were basic, basic questions---but I was also very quick to point out that I really don't work at this particular National Park. It was difficult to explain while in the uniform and gathering my students.

That's been the biggest thing to get used to being in uniform this week: being in the Nation's Capitol in uniform. When I was in uniform in Sulphur there was only one place I worked (it was assumed). Here in DC, there are sooo many more people, who are willing to ask so many more questions and have lots to share. Yesterday, coming back from Mary McLeod Bethune, as we were all on the subway, a gentleman asked me what Park I work at. I explained that I am actually an 8th grade History Teacher, but I worked at a National Park in Oklahoma this past summer. I explained the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program and shared that it is National Park Week, which is why I am in uniform and that we're visiting National Parks after school to celebrate. Then, we were at our stop. :) At least I was able to share that it's National Park Week with him...and that the smallest National Park is Thaddeus Kosciuszko's house in Philly. :)

I spoke to another man in line at Starbucks this morning---he used to live in Williamsport, MD which is along the C&O Canal. He was very interested in my story. :)

Every day is exciting and every day brings new stories. Can't wait to hear what tomorrow brings!