"Computer Science is no more about about computers than astronomy is about telescopes." -Edsger Dijkstra Teaching at a STEM school in 2018--computer science is a fundamental principal and focus of my school. However, teaching science, I haven't really engaged too much in learning about it beyond simple activities that I have participated in for Hour of Code each December. So, when I made my life list, I decided that it was a perfect opportunity to learn how to write computer code. Today, I made that a reality.
My school district hosted a day long class called "Programming is a Snap!" where we learned the fundamental vocabulary of computer science (Click HERE to play games to see what it is about!). We then moved on to learning about visual or block programming using SNAP! We broke down a well known game (Paper, Rock, Sisscors) and created our own version. SNAP! was easy to use and had a lot of flexibility in creating multiple ways to access coding. The biggest challenge for me in using this program was keeping track of the sequence because you program each "agent" rather than creating an overall sequence. Want to see what I created? Click HERE! After finding success with this simplistic programming, we moved on to line coding with Python. Although a bit tricky to begin with, I soon caught on and created the program above! I could not wait to get home and show my kids! I really enjoyed learning something new and ordered a new book to help me delve farther into Python. I see LOTS of options for using Python in the classroom to help my kids model probability in 7th grade math and to do calculations in our science classroom!
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"Summer has always been my favorite season. I feel happier." -Zoe Deschanel Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around summer reading. Each week we would go to the library and fill up a back with new books to read in the hot of the afternoon or at night after a day spent in the pool. There was something magical about signing up each June at the public library to read for the summer and then fill out the "chart" for the summer program. So, for this summer, I am going to recreate the magic for myself! I am going to do "summer reading bingo" this summer. There are prizes for different bingos: Horizontal means a pair of new tennis shoes, Vertical a new shirt, and Diagonal a trip to Dairy Queen. Four corners? A date to a new restaurant with the hubby. Criss Cross? New art supplies. Blackout? An over night trip with the hubby! As I made my bingo sheet, I tried to mix what I want to learn about (new school ideas and more diversity) with plain old fun (Judge a book by a cover!). I can't wait! Off to browse the library I go! "The classroom should be an entrance into the world, not an escape from it."-John Ciardi Spring in schools is always a hard time. There is state testing, the kids are getting riled up for summer break, and there are events nearly every day ranging from field day to awards to final projects. This year, this busy time has been compounded by the looming move from my current classroom into the newly remodeled building that has been paid for by the bond issue. We have packed up all spring--my classroom, 2 store rooms, a maker space, and a fellow teachers room. Every spare minute has been spent purging, organizing and packing. Late nights and weekends have been spent trying to get it ALL done. But today, the busy became worth it when I walked into this!
There are no words to fully express the joy I had when I saw this room. New possibilities leaped into my heart and mind and a deep sense of gratitude for my community filled the deepest parts of my soul. This room is 40+ years old and use to leak all winter. Now, exhaust fans silently regulate the new AC as the beautiful cupboards all stay closed without duct tape! The marathon is nearly over and this room holds a bright future! It is enough for today! "The greatest education in the world is watching the masters work." -Michael Jackson And today it happened--I finished my last album on this journey. Thriller by Michael Jackson is truly a masterpiece--from the opening notes of "We be starting something" to the last chord of "The Lady in my Life", this album is filled with great music. It is the soundtrack of my childhood.
"Thriller" came on today in my classroom and instantly kids started dancing in their chairs whether they realized it or not. There is something classic about the beats and the "erry" feeling of this song. "Beat It' Took me back to skating at the roller rink and watching the older girls with the big 80s bangs dance it out to this song. I listened to the 25th Anniversary version on Spotify and loved all of the "Extras" on the collection. In particular, the Will.i.am "This girl is mine" made me smile. Whew, I made it! 25 albums down. Lots of new music is on my play list and I am excited to start my next list of tunes--Billboards 25 Best Country Albums! Here we go! “Every artist was first an amateur”-Ralph Waldo Emerson Mixed media has been an art form that I have stalked from afar from the beginning of my digiscraping days in 2005. Defined as " a visual art form that combines a variety of media in a single artwork. For example, if you draw with ink, then paint over it with watercolors, then add some highlights in colored pencil - that's mixed media!" In the digital world, this is much more easily accomplished than in the real world, so any forays into this area have been digital. That all changed this month when Tangie Baxter offered her "Mixed Media for Scaredy Cats" class. I signed up with a discount from my last class with Tangie and ordered some supplies to start with. I was excited at the prospect of creating something with my hands but scared that I wasn't really artistic enough to do this. Well, after completing the lessons, I am here to tell you that I LOVE mixed media. It is so calming at the end of a day to sit down and make something tangible. I love the freedom of mixing up materials and using whatever I have around to make something meaningful. Below is a gallery of my work. I liked this class so much that I have signed up and stared a second class from "Determined to Shine" called 30 days of art journaling. This was a definite win on my life list! I have a new hobby! Today I pushed out of my comfort zone to attend the Teacher Walk out at the Colorado State Capital. I have been inspired by many of the other marches (For Our Lives, Womens March, and Science March) but haven't felt like I was a "marcher". That changed last week when our retirement was put in jeopardy as was our budget for public education. Here is why I marched:
Dear students, former students, families, former families, and friends: I want to share with you why I will be taking a personal day on Friday, April 27 to advocate for K-12 education funding. This decision was not taken lightly-giving up a day of instruction with my students is the hardest thing in the world for me. However, Colorado is at a critical junction—they have underfunded education by $5 billion dollars. Something has to change. I will walk for my students-they deserve to have small class sizes for more personalized instruction. They deserve more access to mental health services and electives. They deserve to have rich experiences including middle school sports, outdoor education, and a wide variety of clubs. However, these opportunities have been taken away over the past 15 years as state funding has dwindled. I walk for my colleagues. Young teachers should not have to choose between a career they are called to or being able to pay rent. Colleagues who have put in a full career molding tomorrow’s leaders should not have to worry about if their pension will still be there tomorrow. I walk for my children. My sons have often dealt with mom “borrowing” items ranging from power tools to race cars for her classroom because she can’t afford to buy all the materials she needs. They rarely complain when mom works at night as they do their homework to grade her students work. They volunteer nights and weekend to help with school events or to help mom prepare engaging lessons. I walk for respect. Teaching is my life’s calling. I gave up a lucrative STEM career to make the difference in the lives of my students. Yet, our legislators fail to respect this profession by funding it adequately. My healthcare has increased in cost and decreased in quality. I spend more than $500 annually to pay for classroom materials and even more to learn new skills to improve my practice. Yet, in my career, teacher salaries have decreased 17%. Something has to change or we will continue to have teacher shortages and people will flee this profession that I love. Several people have asked how they can support education. Sign a petition for Amendment 93 to change how education is funded. Let your legislators know that education funding matters to you. Wear red on Tuesday’s. Give a teacher a hug or write them a heartfelt thank you note. Thank you for your time. With love, Noffy It was empowering to spend the day with other educators. They were passionate, polite, and kids were clearly their focus. It was not as bad as I thought it would be to hang out with 14,000 other people and I am glad I can use this to teach my students that it matters to use your writes to free speech. Here is some of the coverage our march received: Chalkbeat Colorado 9News The fight for full funding is uphill, but this was a great way to launch it. "Let me tell you what I wish I’d known, When I was young and dreamed of glory You have no control: Who lives, Who dies, Who tells your story?" -George Washington in Hamilton, An American Musical Here are the top ten things I LOVED about this musical:
10. The Purposeful Diversity of the Cast Hamilton is the "story of America then told by America now." Every major character in the play is cast with an actor/actress of color. This reflects the America of today so beautifully and pushes our comfort zones to think more inclusively about the story from the point of view of humanity rather than from race or gender alone. 9. The Surprising Mix of Musical Genres Rap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Rock. There is a little bit of it all in this show. Just when I thought I had heard it all, the DJ started spinning his records and I smiled. 8. King George At various times, the British monarch that the revolution pushed us away from appeared to mock the colonists for their choices. His smart responses where dripping in irony and satire--they provided much needed comic relief. 7. The Engineering of the Set/Lights/Sound Although the set was relatively simple, it was used to tell the story in interesting ways. There was a dual-spinning floor that allowed for motion to go in different directions without the actors having to move so much. The lighting told many parts of the story as well which was brilliant. 6. Challenging our Common History Story We all think we know the stories of our country, but this musical reminds us that there are lots of versions of history and many untold stories waiting to be discovered. Before the play, I had NO idea how much Hamilton had contributed to our capitalist culture and government. I thought he was a loser who got shot in a duel. I was wrong. We have to seek out different versions of the story of the US to get a better picture. 5. Passion that is evident in our Work Through out the musical, Hamilton keeps saying he isn't going to miss his shot. He writes prolifically, chases his dreams and finds his meaning in his work. It made me realize this is how I feel about teaching and made me excited to go back to school! 4. The Reminder that America's story is an Immigrants story Hamilton was an immigrant who started with nothing in life. But he used hard work and dedication to make his dreams a reality like so many other immigrants in our history. Today immigration is a divisive topic for many, but I am proud to be part of a nation of immigrants. We all came here from somewhere! 3. Duels are really, really dumb. There were many throughout the play and they are dumb. But, Everything is legal in New Jersey apparently :) 2. Our Story Matters The play ended with Eliza telling the story of how she spent her life telling Hamilton's story. It was a reminder that we never know how long we will be here so we need to make the most of our lives each day. How do we interact with others and how will they tell our story when we are gone? 1. Time with precious people I had a blast sharing this amazing show with Luke, Blake, and my dear friend Aimee. It was fun to see everyone react to the amazing music and story in their own ways. My heart was filled by sharing this with them. "We humans have lost the wisdom of genuinely resting and relaxing. We worry too much. We don't allow our bodies to heal, and we don't allow our minds and hearts to heal." -Thich Nhat Hanh I have been running on empty for weeks. Between work, kids, and life, there is never enough time to do everything and my bucket has steadily been draining. Nights turn into restless sleep. Days are a treadmill of "have-to" and "need-to" items getting checked off the todo list. So today, I slept.
We slept in and then Luke brought me pancakes in bed. We drank coffee, played on our phones, watched some Netflix. Before I knew it, my eyes were heavy and back to sleep I went. Luke got me up around noon--we headed to lunch and then to Rock Creek to have a cyst excised. And then, it was back to bed. All I did today was sleep and it was INCREDIBLE! I did not realize how exhausted I was both physically and mentally. I had this item on my list and I am so glad I did--it gave me permission to genuinely rest and relax without the guilt. And you know what? I am putting it right back on the list to do again! "He was a wise man who invented beer." -Plato Goal: Drink 40 beers from Colorado before I turn 40. This seemed like a super ambitious feat when I started in November. Why? Because I generally drink the same 3 or 4 beers: Blue Moon, Dry Dock Apricot, a good Hefeweizen here and there or any blueberry beer that I can get my hands on. So, I set out to try 40 different Colorado brews to break out of my rut and find some new favorites. What follows are my random thoughts on my journey!
1. Tommy Knocker Harvest Pumpkin Dinner out at The Northside tavern with the Fearnows. Smooth and rich, best pumpkin beer of what has been a weak pumpkin beer season. The music was so loud we could hardly hear. 2. Avery White Rascal Another dinner at the Northside tavern, this time with the Brabant’s. An old go to, I love the spice kick of this smooth wheat. 3. Fat tire Belgian white Same dinner at Northside, a surprise like. Usually not a fan of fat tire but this one was a great drink. A big improvement over regular Fat Tire (which is my first craft beer :)) 4. Blue moon apricot Happy hour with Like and Alissa at the Rock Rest before a meeting at Mines. More sour than I’d like but passable as sours go. 5. Breckinridge Christmas Three beers out with Aimee, without realizing it was so strong. Woke up with a killer headache, but enjoyed again at the next happy hour so must have been yummy. 6. Butcher Knife the Stinger 7. Stem Ciders Pear We invited the Krumpy's to a fundraiser for the Twenty Brew Tap House after a thief broke in. Good beer, good company and a good cause). Even made it on the news: https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/front-range/westminster/westminster-beer-community-steps-in-to-save-local-brewery-after-it-was-hit-by-thieves 8. Old Chicago O'Dell big cookie ala mode Happy hour with the girls, it was deep brown and rich. Sweet deliciousness of my favorite things mixed together. 9. Bierstadt Laberhaus Munich Helles 10. Jagged Mountain This Beer Really Ties The Room Together 11. Bruz Beers Dame Blanche Christmas with Kirsten and Lynn. The Helles was a teeth cutting beer-easy and smooth. The room beer was rich, hairy winter goodness, and the dame Blanche was my dream wheat-warm spice flavor that was smooth all the way down. Laughs, joy and feeling young—sweet memories on a cold night 12. Dry Dock Apricot Sweet and smooth, not that new. Had fun catching up with Aimee and Christy in the new year. 13. Elevation Wave Wheel We celebrated my Birthday with this one-a bit bitter but good times with girlfriends. Spoiled with signs, books gift cards and a hand made mug. 14. Collette Great Divide Smooth and rich, a great beer. Luke said I don’t like farm ales-so wrong. Dinner out with Brabant’s at Big Daddy's Burger Bar. 15. Breckinridge Avalanche Happy hour at Mindspark after Alice Keeler. Being wined and dined-teachers turn to rock stars. A new label on the bottle of an old favorite 16. 14er Rhubarb Pie Cream Ale Sour beer over family dinner before Luke heads to Chicago for work. Boys asked about and mocked my life list. Not the best beer on my journey for sure. 17. Station 26 Tangerine Cream-childhood orange creamsicle in a beer. Perhaps my perfect beer! Delicious! (Now it is a staple in my refrigerator!) 18. Epic Lil Brainless Raspberries -Jordet Family Birthday dinner at parry’s-perfect mix of tart and sweet! And $4!!!! 19. Weld Works Blueberry Pie-yummy 20. Declaration canned Veiled Vixen Girls night out with Erin and Kirsten at Twenty Brew. So fun to just hang out and not have any expectations or kids or husbands to entertain. Uber pizza and the sweetest blue berry beer ever. My heart is so happy! (The Veiled Vixen was meh!--nothing more to say about that!) 21. Chocolate Orange Stout Breckenridge Brewery -smooth and sweet, full bodied 22. Coors Light- easy peasy-great after a heavy beer Happy hour with Aimee and Christy--They laughed at me when I ordered a Coors light and asked if I was going to live. 23. Funkwerks Tropic King Smooth and Sweet. Celebrating Chuck's new job with Erin and Aimee. TGIF after a VERY long conference week. 24. Breckenridge vanilla porter 25. 38 state cinnamon girl 26. Renegade depravity (peanut butter cup imperial stout) Dinner out for 5280 Week at the Hideaway followed by drinks at 20 brew with Chuck and Erin. Last parents night out. Cinnamon sweet and easy, porter smooth and rich. Stout over the top and yummy peanut flavors 27. Colorado native, Coors best craft beer, this is always a yummy one. Had fun celebrating CJ’s 3rd birthday and laughing as he flew his "Donnie" Plane around 28. Denver Beer Company PretzelAssassin-salty and Carmely, a unique fun flavor 29. Proust dunkelwerk-Good German Beer 30. Blue moon cinnamon horchata-An old favorite back again. Love this mix of beer and cinnamon 31. TommyKnocker Butthead Ale--Dark, rich and a bit of kick. Definitely would drink this one again! St Patrick’s Day at the Brabant's! Spring has sprung and we enjoyed drinking on the porch in the sun. Blake won poker with a Royal Strait! 32. Blarney Stone Kokipelli-Rich and smooth 33. Breckinridge snow glare-A little bit hoppy but a solid beer Old Chicago with aimee and Christy for one of the funnest happy hours we have had in recent memory. It is great to let go of life and smile :) 34. Breckenridge Irish nitro stout--Smooth but bland 35. Avery barrel aged coconut porter-- High octane, great coconut flavor A pleasant Sunday afternoon at the pub to watch Dylan’s school of rock performance. Great grunge and fun people! 36. Anita strawberry harvest lager- Bland bland bland 37. Seed stock vanilla espresso stout- Rich and dark, little bit too much coffee flavor Happy hour with Aimee after the first day of state standardized testing. I have drank more dark beers this week than in my life. 38. Lone tree red-a but biter nothing special Happy hour with Julie at Perry's. Lots of fun to go out with someone new. 39, Prost Helles- Yummy. Just right helles First day of spring break! Here is to a week of rest and relaxation! 40, Epic brewing Perry’s Landon’s wanna wall wheat with blood orange- Smooth and easy Dinner out with Sandi. after making all the appetizers for Matt and Sarah's wedding! Whew, I made it. My favorites were the Blueberry Pie and Tangerine Cream! Now to go back to my favorite wheat beers--Blue Moon and White Rascal--HERE I COME!!! "You live for the fight when it's all that you've got"-Bon Jovi Yesterday around lunch, I got a text "Got Bon Jovi Tickets--want to go?" My reply: "YES!" Twenty four hours later, I met Luke, Blake and Julie and we headed down to Pepsi Center to see this legendary band.
The concert was AMAZING! There were so many reasons why! 1. It was Blake's first concert. Over the past several years, we have debated when he would be "old enough" to actually enjoy it. Today seemed like the right time and he had a blast! 2. Today would have been my grandma's 90th birthday. As a kid, my cousins and I were the "hotshots" and did shows on her back steps. The closing song on nearly every performance was "Livin' on a Prayer" so it made me smile and think of her when this song came around. 3. Club level tickets are amazing--lots of space in the seats and not as many people. We also had a straight shot of Jon Bon Jovi's rear end which was pretty impressive. (now his hair was another story....) 4. Life has been throwing a lot of stress my way, so it was amazing to just let go, sing like no one was listening and dance like no one was watching. A cold beer, good music, and two of my favorite guys helped fill my heart up once again too! This wasn't a planned spot on my list, but I left with such joy I decided it counted as a life list experience. I hope Blake looks back fondly years from now on his first concert and smiles too! |
AuthorAlmost 40 and tired of the treadmill, I am going to LIVE each day as a new adventure while finishing todo items on my life list. Mom, wife, teacher, geek! Archives
May 2020
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