RattleBag and Rhubarb

Can you read?

Here’s a story from the end of last year that I forgot to post. What does this say? And because this is the age of statistical analysis and big data the results were collected and charted. And was I one of those fooled? Yes, I was! But I was not alone.

RattleBag and Rhubarb

Elephants are People Too

We know that empathy – that ability to walk around in another’s shoes – matters. We know that developing empathy is important. But how do you do that? The 4th and 5th grade put on a show last week. Not just any show for this was a play they had written themselves based on their Global Read-Aloud text The One…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

The Web of Respect

Cross posted from Josie’s Blog It was the spider started it. A noiseless, patient, useful spider had spun a tremendous web right there in the playground, across the chains of the swing. It was Sue Parise’s class that noticed it and made the sign that said: “This swing is closed because of BIG spider!” Lynn Fordin took the photo and…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

Thicker than water

I was sorry to miss this event but Lynn sent me pictures.This was a lesson in viscosity. They started with water and added oil. They placed three separate dry ingredients into the water/oil, one at a time:  sugar, salt and baking soda. They counted the number of bubbles that rose up, observed their size and frequency and made comparisons. They…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

Electricity Trade Show

The American Flashlight, Game Boards, Quiz Shows, a Climbing Tree, Cop Car, Electric Robot and more. All at the Electricity Trade Show in the 3rd and 4th grade yesterday. Here are a few pictures. More on Flickr

RattleBag and Rhubarb

World Markets

Here are just a few pictures from the display of dioramas of markets from around the world. I will add others to Flickr. These mini-markets were made by first and second graders as part of their Market Street project.

Art, RattleBag and Rhubarb

The Lower School chooses Joan Miro

If you’re going to MoMA for the Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night – good luck. It’s a wonderful exhibit, of course, and very much worth the visit. But the popularity, my timing, and the rather haphazard MoMA crowd management made it a less than stellar gallery experience when I was there last week. But while you’re there…

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Education, RattleBag and Rhubarb

Human capital, stars aligned and the wise owls

On the way home tonight I heard Robert Reich on NPR’s Marketplace. The topic was Human Capital. The one sentence summary: Failure to invest in human capital (i.e..education) is shortsighted and counter-productive. Basic idea: Our future competitiveness and standard of living depend on our collective skills, capacity to communicate and solve problems, and innovate. They do not depend on our…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

What do we know about bees?

The pre-k children know a lot about bees and their wall display shows it. I found this on their classroom wall and it reminded me of a wonderful interview Listen to the Bees in About Town – the local community paper for northern Dutchess that I picked up at the grocery store. My mother kept bees and I have always…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

Our Hudson River

This was the culmination of a year long study, investigation and exploration of the life and history of the Hudson River. This first and second grade presented their work with a puppet show that had it all – river creatures great and small, river people famous and unknown – birds, fish, ice-boats, the lighthouse, tugs, PCBs, pirates and singing with…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

“I see the future”

Fantasy Castle in the Sky This show had it all. A cast of thousands. A three-ring circus with gorillas, clowns, trapeze artists, acrobats, strongmen, sword swallowers, a lion, a lion tamer and miniature ponies. A trip to the zoo, with a tiger, ducks, monkeys, penguins, elephants, rabbits, deer and snakes. And lots of food. But where are the zebras? The…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

Moving up: Words of Wisdom

When you have an idea don’t keep it inside you. Speak up and say what you have to say. Even if you don’t think it’s a good idea, it might be to others once they hear it – Clare If you eat your veggies at dinnertime you get dessert – Mark While you’re working you get more done when the…

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