new job!

I'm so excited!! I just accepted a job offer to teach 7th/8th grade science! However, I'm not thrilled about the hour-long commute, but at this point, I'll take it! It is for Tuscaloosa City Schools (yes that is the home of University of Alabama...ROLL TIDE!!). The school is a small school, less than 500 for 6-8 grades, and I'm the only science teacher for the 7th/8th grades. I'm a little nervous about that, but I think that everyone is always a little nervous before they start something new. I'm also nervous about the fact that I was told that I will have some autistic kids in my class (with varying levels of intensity), but I can be patient, and I will just have to be more flexible to work with those students!

I've already been looking up activities and things to do, but I think that my biggest challenge will be 'dumbing' the material down. I love science, and I especially love higher level sciences...however, 7th grade is Life Science and 8th grade is Physical Science.

I've been looking over the AL science standards, and I really want to write them and ask them to re-organize them...the organization is terrible! Wouldn't it make sense if Standard 2 is built upon what is learned in Standard 1? Instead it is all jumbled around and I have to pick through it and re-organize it to create a schedule for the students. The hard part is that EVERYTHING that I have for teaching is for high school. But the good part is middle school can be more fun, so I get to tap into my creative (and arts-n-crafts) side.

The principal is on vacation this week (like everyone else should be~Yay for the 4th of July!), so I don't know when I need to drive down there and sign my contract. I have a ton of questions, but the first thing I'm going to do is find the copy of their text books, and make a schedule. If I am going to be a good teacher, I have to GET organized, and then I have to STAY organized...

So, I went to the public library (one of the best public libraries I have EVER been to) to pick up some books. Btw I can't stop smiling because of all the kids that are running around finding books to read. I never thought that I would hear a mom say, "No, 10 books is more than enough for today" or my favorite was a kid who was in the third grade, pick up a book and the mom goes, "Are you sure you want to read it? It's for the 6th grade" and the kid goes "But mom, it looks good!"

Anyway, while I was picking up another series to read (The Malloreon by David & Leigh Eddings) I decided to check out their books on science activities/experiments for kids, and they have 2 whole book shelves (that are taller than me) filled with science books for kids 3rd grade-8th grade. It makes me feel better, especially being in the south (therefore science is supposed to be bad...whatever, it is more of learning about the world around you than learning bad things). I'm so totally stoked about what I picked out and that I have resources very close bye.

So, please think back to what you liked or did not like in school and let me know (and yes my students WILL get homework, sorry...that's not an option with me). Also, let me know of any activities that are fun, creative, and introduce something new/enriching to students. I'm definitely going to do some plant experiments, I'm going to try and order owl pellets for food webs/food chains (so much fun!), and I have to figure out how best to teach ANATOMY TO 7TH GRADERS (if you can't tell, I'm kinda a little bit more than excited to know that anatomy is included in the 7th grade standards). Also, I might start posting activities on here for review, just a heads up...

KthxBYE

my blog/life

I am currently wondering what direction I want to go with blogging. I at first wanted to talk about science things, and scientific ponderings, but now, I am not so sure.

I watched Julie and Julia last night (or whichever order the title is in)...and I need something to do. I know that some people blog or Tweet in a desire to become famous, and I don't exactly want that. I would like to have my blogs read by people, preferably friends, but I know that I don't want to become famous. However, while in the shower yesterday (where my best musing is done) I decided that I would like to differentiate myself from the large number of people out there in the world. But the question is how to do that? There are billions of people in this world, many of which are more talented, or more intelligent than I am, so what should I do?

I am currently reading a blog about a girl who makes something new out of something old everyday! The theme is $365, 365 days, and she makes something new EVERYDAY!

I also read a blog that is written by a SC woman with tips about home ec problems and solutions (including recipes). Very informative, and I realized I definitely need to start planning out meals on a weekly basis...

One of my friends writes a blog about her and her husband and what is going on with their lives, because he is stationed in Germany. So it makes sense to write about her life, because it is not like we can just pick up the phone to talk to her.

Another friend from highschool is doing a semester at sea, and that is what her blog is about (kinda jealous of traveling the world, and the courage it took to try something so bold and so new!)

However, I don't think that I am talented enough to do either of those things, or that my life is all that interesting...granted I like to cook (but I'm only now learning how to be inventive), I know how to sew (and I would love to get a new sewing machine)...but I'm wondering if I should come up with some deadline and some theme for my blog. Would that help me feel more fulfilled in my day-to day activities? Because honestly, sometimes I just don't have some desire to get out of bed. Hence the need for a hobby (that does not include reading ~see previous blog~ or housework...which bores me to TEARS!~literally...)...so what hobby?

I was thinking about trying something new. And that be my 'thing'. Like try a new book, activity, exercise, etc...everyweek...but I don't know if I have the funds for that...

What activity could I try that would help lift my spirits, and help me to feel more at home in this new city and new state?

summer reading list

My bookcase (which is actually only about half of my books...granted I have 1 1/2 shelves of just cookbooks)...but you get the idea...

A friend of mine has recently asked for a list of good books to read, and as I started to leave a comment on her blog (which is what is written below) I figured it would just be best to write it in my blog.

I have been currently re-reading my summer list (which I do EVERY SUMMER...well, since I was 17 or so, however new books get added every year)...these are not the order that I always read them in, but I always read all of these by the time summer is over...Oh, and you know that I read fast, so I generally read a book a day, so I read a lot of series...

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (I was assigned to read this book for my 9th grade honors English class, and it is still one of the best books I have ever read. It is set in the future, and it is about the government trying to breed genius kids to become battle commanders in a war, and it makes me realize that adults are messed up and that children know more than what we give them credit for. The rest of the series is pretty good too, and I would love to have a Speaker for the Dead at my funeral...if you haven't read that book, then you have no idea what I am talking about).

IT by Stephen King (one of my favorites because if you look past the creepy/skin crawling kind of stuff you can get down to the underlying meanings and themes throughout the book, which are definitely something to ponder the socio-economic society plus the semi-political themes. By the way, I am on my third paperback copy of this book...this one definitely needs to be read in paperback curled up in a big comfy lazyboy.)

Cujo by Stephen King (I own dogs, so I don't know why I read this one, but it is well written, and for some reason it always needs to be read while listening to classics like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Hendrix, Zepplin, or Skynard...don't know why, but that is how I roll)

The Stand by Stephen King (totally good...not really all that creepy, but very good none-the-less, it's about a chess game between the devil and God and humans are the chess pieces....it's long (like 800+ pages~actually it is 1152 pages, but that is the hardback book, and it is an old edition), but sooooo good when you finish it)

Digital Fortress by Dan Brown (a very Dan Brown-sh book, I guess you would classify this as a suspense thriller? but the main character is female, and she works as an analyst for the government decoding encrypted messages looking for terrorist threats.)

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (because isn't summer time about being a kid again?...granted the last books in the series ALWAYS make me cry and very non-kid like, but since the books grew as the generation who first started reading it grew, it makes sense).

I always try to read one Classic, and this summer I am leaning towards Treasure Island. I can never finish any Jane Austen book (I just think they are so dull that I find myself skipping whole paragraphs and whole pages just to say I finished the book...which is not something that I normally do).

I like to read The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, it makes me want to dress like Amelia Earhart (or from that era) and drink luke-warm vodka out of a crystal highball glass and lounge around not having a care in the world....

This year I have read:

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis (the movie was based upon this book, however I learned A LOT about football, so since I didn't know a lot about football history, it was kinda a slow read for me, but Leigh Anne Tuohy makes me very proud to be a southern woman, and I would aspire to be like her).

Twilight Series by Stephene Meyer (this series is my guilty pleasure, definitely an easy read because it was written at like a 10th grade reading level, but the emotions that the characters display are very relateable, hence why it is mostly desired/adored by teenage girls. And yes I get made fun of by my significant other because of reading this series, but he is a man, and therefore doesn't get it. I know what it feels like to have my heart ripped out, and to choose between men, and to find the love of my life...so ppppllllllbbbbbbb!!! ~that would be a raspberry in case you were wondering!)

Geisha of Gion: Memoir of Mineko Iwasaki (awesome!! it explains the culture of a true Geisha, and this was what the movie Memoirs of a Geisha was based upon...The language is strange because it was originally written in formal Japanese and translated into British English, but still very insightful).

Dracula by Bram Stoker (this is the original Dracula book, the middle is very slow, but it is a great classic to read) and if you read this book, then you should IMMEDIATELY follow that up with:

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (a blend of the ancient stories about Vlad Dracula, the current folklore, and a mission to find out the 'truth'. This novel is very new, as comparison to Stoker's so its kinda the same, but different ;-) ).

Planning to read:

The Belgariad Series by David Eddings (okay, it is fantasy, but the characters are great and lovable however many of the made-up names are hard to sound out, so in my head I'm sure they are very different than what Eddings had intended. It is about how there were 7 gods on earth and there were once two prophecies in the universe (not really good and bad, but more of US vs. THEM) and it is about the final battles and confrontations in deciding which prophecy will win, because only one prophecy (the future) can be allowed...think about how scientists talk about different parallel universes and stuff like that...read the series before, and I'm gonna read it again).

Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan (my mom gave me this book, it is written by the guy who is known as the Dog Whisperer, so I am kinda looking forward to reading what it is about).

the Truth Series by Dawn Cook (my mom got me the first book at a book signing, so it is signed by the author, who is a SC native; definitely fantasy, but the female character is so stubborn that I have NO problem relating to her).

I have recently picked up a few John Grisham novels, and my favorite so far is The Pelican Brief (very lawyer thriller, so it fits his writing profile/style).

I also plan on re-reading A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawkings (he explains physics into layman's terms, and makes me question what I believe is true or not true about science now and the future of our universe and the future of science).

I want to read Einstein: the Life and Times by Clark, however the book is HUGE! so we shall see about that one...

I also want to read Great Essays in Science by Martin Gardner, but I think that one might bore me a little too much...

Okay, so I think that since I am re-reading a lot books, that I need to go to the bookstore soon...however, no job=no money=no new books (since I can't get out of a store without spending around $50!)... I think I need to find the library here and get a library card!

PLEASE leave comments or suggestions. As you can tell, I love to read and I will read almost anything (if you can't tell by the many different genres that I have listed here).