Speed and Velocity Lab Jag Style

I found this speed and velocity lab on the internet from the Dade County physical science manual. The manual had a catchy name H.O.T. (higher order thinking). I was all in.

I challenged my students to do the lab. First we organized into groups. This has become a big hit in my class. I put the day's categories on Canvas, our online platform, for lessons and have them read them. They then try to organized themselves quicker than my other five classes. For the speed and velocity lab they had to have one person wearing black, one wearing red, one with sandals and one with none of those three. The winning class organized in thirty-five seconds.

Essentially the students were to decide on a walk to move from one measured point to another. Each person in the group was to move a different way (my adaptation). The creativity was impressive. Some walked upstairs forward, others backward. Some skipped, others hopped. Some crawled, another rolled. One walked on her hands.

One girl even did floor swimming. Another did somersaults.

Another backflips.

The most creative perhaps was the frog walk.

In short, they were to try to move at the same speed for two trials across their measured distance in order to "measure" an unknown distance. They did this by walking at that constant speed and recording the time. Multiplying their speed by their time gave them the unknown distance. One young man was only 10 centimeters off from the 12 meter distance!


It was good to see them involved and making charts and recording data and collaborating about what to do with it.

Out of 34 groups one group got completely out of the box - they decided to do a virtual motion across the globe using four different motions - jet traveling, kayaking, seqwaying and hiking.  

My thanks to Dade County for giving me this idea for a lab. Thanks to my students for being all in.

Alka Rockets Pop!

Destiny and Emma's Rocket went 490 cm!

Day One Rocked

After the usual three days of professional torture, my students came for classes on Thursday and Friday. I was ready and they were ready. Sometimes you get it right as a teacher, and this was one of those times.

One of the sessions of professional torture that was not so bad was when the faculty in groups of about 10 stacked shoes in the Commons. I used that idea in class. Each student was given an index card with a color dot on it as they entered. After Ready, Set, Go and Roll Call, I told them to organize in colors and stand together with their cards raised. It was a contest to see which class could organize themselves the faster. The winning time was sixteen seconds! Here are some of the results:

The first thing they did was write their Ready, Set, Go – some people call it do now or bell ringer. I like to say what it is intended to do – get them ready to go into the day’s learning. The prompt was what is science in general? and what is physical science in particular? After ten minutes I did the roll call. In keeping with common core and oral and written communication, I have each student make their first mini-speech – say their name and read their best sentence. I asked the students with really good sentences to write them on an index card with their name. Then I had a student staple, “publish” them on the class bulletin board.

Finally we had our first lab. I passed out this mysterious powder and had students guess what it was. Most said it was flour or baking soda. About ten per cent guessed right and said it was cornstarch. We went outside and mixed it with water to form a non-Newtonian fluid called oobleck. When you hold it in your hand it oozes. When you squeeze it, it becomes a solid. Release, ooze, and squeeze, hard. It can be tossed like a ball. All had great fun. When they returned to the classroom they wrote about the properties of oobleck.

So there was the first day. Students wrote and spoke informally and formally and some were even published. Students had a kinesthetic get-to-know-each-other activity with stacking shoes – a pretty intimate encounter with bare feet and stinky shoes. Students got to investigate their first inquiry – what is it lab (I did not tell them what it was or how it would behave when mixed).  Then they got to explain the results.

It is going to be an interesting year.

No Physics But I Have Tomatoes

The school year ended with the long check out line for teachers. I had almost forgotten that I would get my teaching assignment for next year at the end of the line. Last stop - Brown. Our principal, Mr. Brown, paused from talking to another teacher when he saw me, wrote my assignment on the yellow sheet, slipped it to me, and continued his conversation.

As I walked off into summer bliss, I glanced at the sheet. I did a double take. Never assume. I thought I would read physics and physical science. Instead physical science and science olympiad. Surely this must be a mistake.

It wasn't.

Immediately my thoughts kicked into gear. I could rally the troops of dedicated former students. I could put together my best litigation for teaching physics -  many student award winners, several Phd's, national board certification, finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching, etc. Surely, I could do something, anything, to get physics on my schedule.

Can you believe someone once said I sometimes engaged in hysterical thinking?

After considering all of these vitriolic options, I was reminded by my buddy that maybe Madison Central is where I am supposed to be and physical science is what I am supposed to be teaching. Umm. Consider that.

In the past year I had applied unsuccessfully to four other schools and  I had lobbied unsuccessfully to teach physics and AP Physics. Maybe I should hear my friend's provocative insight.

So it is with a new sense of calling and purpose that I am dialing students in the summer to recruit them for my Science Olympiad class. Mr. Brown did give me that class that I had requested. I see it as physics replacement therapy. The class will be done as a lab based class with a focus on twenty four categories of competition. We will be getting ready to dethrone MSMS in the State Science Olympiad competition in the spring 2015.

Also I will be the only teacher who teaches physical science. I can redesign the curriculum as I see fit in accordance with state and common core objectives. Also one semester will be physics. I am beginning to embrace this supposed to be here status.

When the craving for physics flares up from time to time, I will remind myself that I have a ten minute drive to work, that I have essentially one preparation for the first time in my career. I never want for supplies or equipment at Madison Central, and for some crazy reason, my students love me. What else does anyone want or need anyway?

Besides, I just ate the first ripe tomato from my garden. It has been months and months since I had that pleasure the last time. However, with the first savory bite all time and indignity were suspended and the sweet red nectar restored my soul.

NSTA Boston

I just got back from the National Science Teachers Annual Meeting in Boston. Here are fifteen highlights:

1. ScienceNspired - Using neoroscience understandings of the brain, Dr. Z (Schlozman) and Dr. Mayim Bialik (from The Big Bang Theory) developed lesson plans and a curriculum for Zombies.The site is education.ti.com/us/science. STEM behind Hollywood was cool, but it was even cooler to know Sheldon's girlfriend has a PhD in neuroscience and is passionate about kids learning science. 

2. Bill Nye the Science Guy - He shared lots of projects on which he is working. I was prepared to be unimpressed by him, but I found myself really admiring the work he and his staff put into his presentation. I learned again the power of a few slides with clever pictures and math applications. His debate with Hamm the fundamentalist was featured.To the question what would it take to change your mind, Nye said some evidence.Hamm said,"nothing.." I learned again that for the minority whose mind cannot be changed no amount of research will dent their armor. 

3. Pasco Sparklab -l learned how to use the wireless temperature probe and took readings on different places on my arm. This data was then tabled and graphed automatically. It was much easier to use and more intuitive than the Vernier software that I have used for years. 

4. Pasco Representative - This led to a long conversation with the Pasco rep for my area - Scott Fields sfields@pasco.com. He is coming to Jackson soon and will meet with me and give a proposal for equipping my science lab. Since he knows I have used vernier throughout my career and talked with Christine Vernier about special pricing, it will be interesting. 

5. Ice Core Samples - I learned how ice core samples can be used to find supernova events.This is done by observing nitrate spikes in the sample at verified supernova years like the ones observes by Tycho Brahe in the late 1500s

early 1600. This data is compared to other times in history - if similar spikes are observed then supernovas probably occurred then as well.
www. chandra.harvard.edu > classroom materials. 
 
6. National Geographic ebooks - Maureen McLaughlin taught me how to set up an account with them so that I can get a pilot copy of the online book for my physics course and for others as well. maureen..mcaughlin@cengage.com. 

7.WebAssign - Kevin Holman discussed with me all the different resources on web assign. He also taught me how to upload my own videos. Because of my passion and innovative strategies he invented me to a conference in Raleigh where I could share my ideas and get ideas from others - WAUG2014, June 26-27, 2014. 

8. Arbor Scientific Gravity Ball  I sample and play with several new "toys." One was the gravity ball that had a timer. It starts when you drop it and stops when it lands. Cool. Another was a new rocket launcher that had an easy set-up that I am going to try. Also I got a good idea for redesigning my angle launcher. I also got to meet Peter Rea, the CEO, who will give me a special deal on supplies for my science van. 

9. Museum of Science - The coolest part for me was once again seeing the model of the Mercury capsule. It was so incredibly small. It is hard to imagine John Glenn going into orbit in the tin can. Also I saw a cross section of a sequoia. It was 2000 years old and had growth rings with 20 year wet periods and 20 year dry periods. Also I got to see the Lightning demo with the two largest Van der Graff's in the world will show my students when we get to that unit. 

10. Programming with Snap - This was my first experience with the free programming software, Snap from UC Berkeley . I was able to write a program that had an object move up and down across the screen by moving a switch on an arquino logic board. Since I am now taking a computer coding course as a part of a google initiative for four of my female students, it was good to see another programming language.I will definitely introduc this program to my students.

11.Lego Mindstorm Robots - Snap pushed me to another workshop with Lego mindstorm robots. I have one at school and after the previous workshop and this one I am inspired to get it out of the closet to inspire the students this last nine weeks when they need all the help they can get to stay focused. 

12. EdTechInnovations with Jared Mader -  I learned how to make fillable forms on google docs. I also got a link to his website that has 100s more how to videos and pdf's. www.edtechinnovators.com. 

13. Fast Plants - I learned how to make a fast plant necklace where seeds are germinated around your neck inside a bottle cap. I also got to observe what those same seeds would look like 30 days later - a full grown plant, thus the name.
I also got to observe seedlings with different stem colors and see how easy the plants are to cross. I can use these on my science van as well. 

14.Team Rocketry Challenge - I learned more about the competition. I am more convinced now that my students can do it. I am determined to get a team next year. 

15. Knexeducation.com. 888.ABC.KNEX. I learned how to construct simple machines with these "lego-like" connectors.These would also be invaluable tools for the science van. 

Rolling Out the Rocket Challenges

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy’s challenged the people of our country to reach the moon by the end of the decade (1969). Today’s young people also need to be challenged to push their limits and to become leaders in critical thinking and problem solving.

The projects described below will hopefully inspire students to extend their reach and to broaden their horizons.

During a flurry of creativity I wrote two grants for launching rockets and am in the process of writing a third. All the grants emphasize the writing and presentation common core objectives and hands-on, minds-on activities. In short kids should have fun with science and the arts in the projects described below.

The first grant PORTAL (Pushing Our Reach through Alka-rocket Laucnh) is for students in grades 3-5.  It will involve the testing and launching of alka rockets. Many thanks to the Madison County Junior Auxillary for awarding this five hundred dollar grant and to Walgreens for donating supplies totaling three hundred dollars. 

                                           Highland Colony Walgreens Manager Chad Lowry

For this first project, I will select ten classrooms and their teachers from the pool of applicants. Students will connect history, literature, mathematics, art and music to rockets, and then prepare a brief presentation for the class. The climax will be a rocket launch from each team of four students.   

The winners from each class will be invited to a “launch off” contest at Madison Central High School on May 10. Prizes will be awarded and demonstration launches will be shown. The top presentations will be shown over the jumbotron. It will be a great day for celebrating learning. Invitations will be given to join the AAPT Rocketry Challenge Team. 

Elementary school teachers may apply for participation.

The second grant, Take Me to your Liter is for students in grades 6-8. This project will challenge students to design and launch a two liter bottle water rocket. Many thanks to the MAST (Mississippi Academy of Science Teachers) program directed by Dr. Mehri Fadavi at Jackson State University and funded by the National Science Foundation. They awarded a 1000 dollar grant. 

Middle school teachers may apply for participation.

The final grant, ENCORE (the exclamation point on this common core project) is for students in grades 9-12. This project will challenge students to design a two liter bottle rocket with a tennis ball projectile that can hit a prescribed target down range. I am seeking grantors for this one.

Nelson Mandela, Superstar for the World

In light of what happened in the last week what does this remind you of?

This was the pattern one student had drawn to represent the color-coded pH scale from 0-14 that was part of their classwork for the day.

Some said a ladder, others a piano, others DNA untwisted and others a gridiron or football field. I pushed further and asked what the big event in the world was for the last week. Finally some remembered, “Nelson Mandela died or others that man from Africa died.”

Now what does it remind you, I asked. Some got it – “Prison bars!”

Yes, these are like the prison bars that held him for 27 years. Yes, 27 long years without his freedom. He was in there because he stood up the oppressive practice of apartheid.

I shared my own journey. In 1972 I was in then Rhodesia that also practiced apartheid.

I told my students that they could not find it on a map. It now has a freedom name, Zimbabwe. When I was there on a youth study travel seminar sponsored by the United Methodist Church Board of Global Ministries, I saw a site that is emblazoned in my brain forever. We were touring one of the cities there and passed the usual businesses much like any America city. We passed homes like many homes in the US. Then we pulled up into the black section of town. Right in the middle of town was a dirt road with mud stick homes for over 500 residents. At the end of the entrance road was one lone water tap on a metal pipe about three feet from the ground. It was the only source of water for the entire settlement. Sadly, tragically, there was no sanitation, no health care, and no education for these indigenous people.

I told my students that Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for trying to overthrow a similar dehumanizing system in his country of South Africa. Some of his means were not peaceful. After 27 years in a small cell, Nelson Mandela was freed by President de Klerk, an Afrikaner (white).

Remarkably he did not try to plot to kill him or to beat him up; rather, he shook his hand. A short time later apartheid was abolished. A few years later Nelson Mandela was the new president of South Africa.

Nelson’s witness through his imprisonment and release and presidency shook the world and helped remove apartheid forever.

My wife remembers watching his release from prison with our young kids. I remember being only a few hundred miles from where the read and wrote letters for 27 years. Many of us have memories of his life. Now my students have some as well.

What will the world do without him? There is a mirror in my room to remind us. 

Everything I needed to know I learned in Kindergarten

(I can post no pictures of students until I get permission)

I spent the entire day with my daughter and her kindergarten class. The fact that I made it the full day must have shocked the principal who said I would be running out of there at 9:30 when I arrived at 8:20.

I had four different outfits I could wear and three different pair of shoes. I had my pink shoes and pink pullover for in the pink Monday. I had my amazing living color scientist lab coat. I would wear it when I did the alka rockets. Under my coat and tie and dress slacks I had my super B shirt and tights and my orange tennis shoes and flashing wand to surprise them with the super hero after lunch.
Instead of dazzling them, they dazzled me. I never got out of my first outfit.

I had several activities planned. All kinds of things with numbers - I spent an hour the night before punching circles in four different colors. I brought a leaf blower with which I could unroll a tissue roll over them. Then they would have to collect as many squares as was their class number. Then they would add numbers together and then decompose them. I had ooblek they could mix and squeeze in their hands. I had alka rockets they could cut out and construct. By the end of the day I only got to the alka rockets. They and Mary kept me busy doing other things.

I had my management plan. I had students pass out three stars (from my star maker hole punch). They were to keep them and others they earned until the end of the day. If they did not follow procedure a star would be taken. If two were taken they had to sit out that activity. If all stars were taken they would go to the principal's office. It was a great idea but the little hands could not keep up with the little stars.

In short very little I had planned worked or even got a chance to work. Some would see that as a dismal failure. Some would say her class was horrible and did not let the teacher(s) teach.  Au contraire.

In only one day I learned the names and personalities of twenty-one students. Yes they moved around a lot. Yes they were squirmy in their seats. Yes they were a little too talkative at times. Yes they did not hang on every word of hers or mine. Yes they did not follow every instruction the first time.

But they were basically very concerned about learning and trying to do what they needed to be successful. They did not hit each other. They did not throw things. They did not try to destroy property. All that was on the floor at the end of day was some paper and a few crayons - no blood.

During the day, they listened to a story from Ms. Banks; they wrote in their journals to the prompt I am thank you for ________. They worked in centers with four ipads (three that my mom, Pat Banks, gave in dad's memory and with her love, one from my brother, David Banks, and ipad covers from Dr. Scott Nelson in Cleveland, MS where Mary grew up). They worked on work puzzles and stories in all kinds of learning centers around the room.

I asked students to draw what they thought a rocket looked like.

And to top it off we launched alka rockets at the end of the day. They chanted pour, pour, pour as I put in the water, drop, drop, drop as I put in the half alka seltzer tablet, seal, seal, seal, as I snapped on the film canister lid, and count, count, count as they counted off the time to launch.


Mary will learn how to be an even more effective classroom teacher and classroom manager. Some of this she will learn from seasoned veterans. Most of this she will learn from her 21 (started with 24) students who need someone to show them they care about them as people and as learners. I will forever have those little faces and big hearts on my mind.

Thank you, Ms. Banks and class, for letting me spend a day in kindergarten.





 

Undercover Giants

This is my friend. She is one of the janitors at school and is one of the few people greet my Happy Mondays with a smile. When I miss a day for a professional development, she is the first to tell me that she missed me. She is one of the undercover giants in my life. Quietly and meekly she does her job with pride and no complaint and helps make my day with her glad to be her attitude. She told me that she listened outside my classroom and wished I was her teacher. 

                                                   Here are some other undercover giants.

These guys quickly volunteered to bring the fish tank (with 10 fish swimming around in it) to my classroom world. Methodically and carefully without loosing a drop of water they walked in synchronicity across the parking lot up a small rise through three sets of doors and placed it at its happy home.

Another giant who helped me organize my supply closet, offered prayers of caring during a very difficult school year last year, and replies to my day Happy Day with enthusiasm.

Gandalf the wizard lizard, named by my students after a nomination and vote process. He greets me each day and fits in well with my diverse classroom community.

Two students last year who drop by to help me find my desktop and who share a smile.

Two of the first students of 100 to finish the drawing and folding of a DNA polymer.

One of my undercover giants who quietly helps another student with their work after she finished first.

If your were on offense on the opposing team, these are the two outside linebackers you would face. I taught both of them and they recruited their teammates to help unload my truck from two MSTA presentations. This was after football practice at 5:00!

 And just yesterday this student came in my last block and gave a complete makeover to my desktop and drawers.

And this former student who brought her dad's van der graff last year brought it again this year (on three hours notice) so the new classes could enjoy.

Each day I wonder how I might also be an undercover giant for my students. They set the bar high.

The Rajun Cajuns Welcomed Me With Open Hearts and Minds

           

People that know me best say I have never met a stranger. Never was it more true than in the Cajun Prairie of Louisiana last week – Wednesday night to Saturday.

In an earlier post I was elated to get an invitation to come and be Super B to help motivate teachers. It was not until I was making the four-hour drive after school on Wednesday that I started being concerned. Would it really be possible for me a veteran of 25 years from eight different schools in two states to motivate the deeply rooted Cajuns?

I was even more unsettled when I met my host, Jackie, upon arrival. She immediately began to show me all the shelf space in her house dedicated to her mother and father and seven siblings. And each room had at least three to four paintings by her grandmother. Here I am a sojourner for a blink of time in every place I have been, and I have been asked to help them get over anxiety about the new evaluation instrument – Value Added Model (VAM).

When we left toward Morse Elementary where a three-hour professional development for three schools, Morse, Elliston and Mermentau Elementary would take place, I had all of my Super B clothes in disguise like Clark Kent. I had my accessories – orange boots and orange gloves and goggles packed in a bag that I stashed in the bathroom for a quick change. And as I looked to get my signature neon orange, strobe light wand, I suddenly realized we had left it back at the “bed and breakfast.”

I set my best MacGyver brain into gear. I asked the host assistant principal if there were any pvc pipe around and we looked and found two pieces that we connected. Then I asked for some orange duck tape. He found a very little and some black. I was set. After Jackie introduced me I was to exit to the bathroom and had five minutes to get ready to make my debut. She said she would summon a super hero to rescue the damsels in distress. Frantically I was taping my new magic wand. I put a little orange on top to look like fire and I taped all six feet on the pole in black. Just as I heard her summoning the super hero, I finished.

This is what I did.

It was hoot afterward as the teachers stood in line to get a picture with me to put in their classroom so they would always have a superhero at the ready.

I needed not to worry for I have never met a stranger nor a place where I could not shine a little light.

Afterwards, I got the native Jackie tour of the Cajun prairie to include:

·      the little houses around the graves

·      the diminished prairie from 2.4 million acres in the 1800s to only about 10,000 now

·      the wonderful eateries and other interesting places and relatives by blood and by roots

The little light I might have shown and the slight relief of the damsels in distress I might have offered were greatly outshone by the light and passion they rekindled in me.

There is nothing like being a teacher and lifelong sojourner and learner. I never know what I might learn next or whom I might meet or what place might yet inspire me.

            The red wolves or bisons or whooping cranes or prairie chickens may never return to the Cajun Prairie again but I hope I do.

Take Nothing for Granted

I am in a good place in my life now. As a colleague said, it is our time. That is those of us who get out of the box. One principal, like most others, did not know what to do with me. He gave me a great compliment in a faculty meeting when he said, "Mr. Banks does not just get out of the box, he blows the box up!"

Now I am like Farrugut, "Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!" Let us turn those classroom boxes into bridges to the larger world!

Here are two of my latest attempts to get out of the box of the classroom and into others and the larger community.

(Thanks to my good friend and colleague, Jackie Hanisee, for the namage)

Grant One to the Madison County Junior Auxiallary: PORTAL (Pushing our Reach Through Alka-Rocket Launch)

Grant Two to MAST (Mississippi Academy for Mathematics and Science): Take Me To Your Liter

Comments are welcome though use words not a shotgun. Thank you.

Pushing the Limits of STEM via Rocketry

This is a rough draft of a grant proposal I am working on for Vernier. Send comments.
 
S.T.R.E.A.M.(Science Technology Rhetoric Engineering Arts and Math)

Plan: Take one simple technology of a film canister and cardstock and cardboard and go through the steps of STREAM

Warm-up: Drama Circles (attachment)

Experiment: Design and launch an alka rocket to reach its maximum height.

Inquiry questions:

Before launch:

1. What makes  rockets soar?

2. How were rockets used from ancient times to the present?

3. What are some stories or books or movies about rockets?

4. What are some songs or paintings about rockets?

5. What are other ways historically and in the present where people have pushed the limits?

6. When have you pushed the limits in your life professionally or personally? What were the results?

After launch:
 
1. What is the best alka seltzer to water ratio to give the most pop (gas)?

2. What it the best design to get the most altitude?

3. What is the gas produced in the reaction?

4. What chemical elements are in alka seltzer?

5. What are the products and reactants in the canister?

Response:

Write a story, a song, draw picture, a lab design, a chemical equation, a mathematical expression that depicts the alka rocket launch. Present to the class.

Extensions: 

Design a two liter bottle rocket that will be launched vertically that will stay in the air a maximum amount of time.

Design a two liter bottle rocket with a aerosol can top on the rocket top that will be launched at an angle. A tennis ball will be placed on the aerosol can and a garbage can down range will be the target for the golf ball.

Thank you is not nearly enough

What is it about my students that make them do such good things for me? All I can say is thank you and that is not nearly enough.

When I started this year and gave my tough love speech, I did not know what it would lead to. I told them that I loved teaching and learning but I did not love kids being rude and disrespectful. I told them folks had taken advantage of my kindness during my first two years at Madison Central; therefore, I went to the doctor and told her to take out the kind part of my brain.

However, the truth is the surgery was unsuccessful. Admittedly, I give the kids a hard time and sometimes call them losers and thugs. I often take letters away from RESPECT when they are talking when I am talking or when someone else is talking. Each letter removed in a five-day period knocks off ten points from a class participation grade.

I jump on them when they walk into my room from another class and tease them unmercifully sometimes.

However, I think they know, as do my blood children that I do not mess with and aggravate folks about whom I do not care.

Maybe that is why Amena showed up to class this week with a big surprise. It was a plasma lamp. 

What she did not know was that one given to me several years ago by a special physics class was stolen. What she did not know was I absolutely love gifts small or large. Hers was huge to me. It was affirmation that I am doing what I need to be doing in the classroom. And you already should know - maybe not by chance - it was on Red, Yellow, Black and White Wednesday when I and others celebrate diversity.

Thank you, Amena. Thank you, students, for helping make me the teacher and person I need to be. Know get let’s get back to work.

Because I could not stop for death . . .

He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labour, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school where children played,
Their lessons scarcely done;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries; but each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

 As we are much too busy, Emily reminds us that Death will kindly stop for us. This is what happened for me on Saturday.

First, I need to say that funerals can be life changing events for me. When I was at my aunt's funeral about eight years ago, I decided that I would not be in a pine box without first having the joys of a motorcycle (many of my family and friends think I am hastening the process). Getting my first motorcycle and the next three (all blue) have opened up new vistas and adventures for me that I will continue to treasure.

The most recent funeral for my good buddy's father-in-law, Dr. Bernard Patrick, was at St. Collum's Episcopal Church, a beautiful modern sanctuary with a majestic yet simple traditional service. One of the granddaughters gave a remembrance that had ever one in stitches. My buddy Rob continued that spirit and then went eloquently into the life and spirit of his lovely wife's dad. It seems strange to say I enjoyed a funeral but, nevertheless, I did. Dr. Patrick lived a full life and as the priest said, relationships live on forever. I feel like I know Dr. Patrick much better and will embrace that in my journey.

During the funeral service, I had another possible life-changing moment that involves service to others. However, I am going to let it gestate awhile before I share it publicly.

One of the granddaughers, who is attending Evergreen University in Olympia, Washington to record music, wrote a piece that is very poignant. I got to meet her when I asked permission to include it on my blog. She also shared with me the Library of Congress Storycorp project in which I hope to participate. I quote in for my students and colleagues and friends to ponder:

Here is what she wrote: It's weird when you watch your hero;s strength fade. When you see them as physically and mentally invincible and something so unexpected weakens them. Well I won't let that something win. His legend will live on. All of his accomplishments, talents, knowledge, wisdom, and over-told-witty jokes, will be carried throughout the generations in stories and memories. He really did live life to the fullest, that's one thing I strive to do everyday. I just started college; it's been rough. But one thing that has kept my head high is remembering our late night "deep" talks about our virtues. I love you, Grandfather,. I hope I can live up to your standard.
-Rachel (age 18)

Thank your heroes.

Super B Goes on the Road

When I signed up for MAST (Mississippi Academy for Science Teachers) at Jackson State, I did it for the stipend. To my very pleasant surprise I not only gained a whole new tool bag of pedagogical tools; I also made many new professional friends.

One of those is a very special person who is a grant writer par excellance, great presenter and who talks the most pleasant Cajun you will ever hear, Jackie Henisee.

I did not know the respect was so mutual until I got this letter:

MERMENTAU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MELVYN SMITH, PRINCIPAL

405 Church Street

P.O. Box 250

Mermentau, Louisiana   70556

Phone: (337) 824-1943

Fax:     (337) 824-1958

9/24/2013

Dear Mr. John Banks,

            As one of the workshop leaders for Project MAST, I was impressed with not only the experience you have as an innovative teacher, but with your genuine passion for students and the quality of their learning. This year as the Curriculum Facilitator for Mermentau Elementary School, I am leading a school-wide focus on student engagement, particularly in the content area of Science and Social Studies.

            Would  you be interested in participating in the October 17 (Thursday) parish-wide inservice as a NBCT and instructor extraordinaire? I think Super B would make a great impression on the teachers and show them what is possible in the elementary classroom.

            Please contact me at the number on this letterhead, or send me an email at jhanisee@acadia.k12.la.us stating your intention to share your enthusiasm. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Jackie Hanisee

Curriculum Facilitator

Mermentau Elementary School

Acadia Parish

* * *

I am so excited to spread my passion for learning and life to my colleagues in the Cajun Prairie. 

Check after the 17th for my latest adventures.

Declaring W.A.R.

Books, physical activity and school have always been a big part of our family. I read to both of my kids every night in their early years and both of my kids played lots of sports. Her mother and I are teachers.

With that in mind I have started a Walk and Read club at my school. We are partnering with my daughter's kindergarten class. Also we are partnering with several schools locally.

The following is a letter I am sending to Michelle Obama:

Dear Ms. Obama

Greetings from Madison, Mississippi. I want to declare W.A.R. on obesity and illiteracy.

Please hear my strategy. It is inspired in part by your effective Let’s Move campaign.

First, I need your help for my daughter, Mary, a first year kindergarten teacher and her students, and for thousands of others across the country.

Mary, like countless other elementary school teachers, need at least a couple of other hands and minds in their classroom. I am trying to get iPads for her students and eventually for 1000s of others as did the Coachella Valley Unified School District and the McAllen Independent School District in California and Texas. (The Tennessean, September 5, 2013)

These iPads will help them read not only books but the world. They will give the teachers yet another way to broaden their learning community.

My plan is simple. A teacher will write a grant for a classroom set of iPads to a foundation, hopefully, started by you. This will not be a straight give-away program. Teachers who are interested will have to take the initiative to apply. W.A.R. will be well published through the media and the internet.

Once they are received the teacher’s students will be asked to walk so many miles a day. Initially this could be as little as a lap around the track or the school. A goal set of miles would be set for the class. Once this is goal is reached; each student would receive a book.

Then another goal of many more miles would be set. Once this goal is reached; the students would receive not only a book but also a video. This video would be from someone “famous” that they admire, such as you, reading that book to them.

Finally, another much larger goal would be set. Once this is reached; the students would receive another book and a visit. The visit would be from their hero who would read that book to the class.

To get this started, I have begun a W.A.R. club at my school to help my daughter’s class in Jackson, Tn and many other classes locally.

Will you help declare W.A.R. with us?

Sincerely,


John R. Banks     


Madison Central W.A.R. Club