Thursday, August 28: Choose one of your questions from last night and write a silly answer (or answers) to it.

Would you like to dance with me?

Khullie says, "Yes, you should dance with her because she's the prettiest teacher in the world."

Bradleigh says, "You should dance with her because she's funny. She is funny because we play games and we mix things up."

Holly says, "I say you should dance with her because it would fun seeing how she dances and it is cool hanging out with her."

Khullie also says, "I wish she could babysit us." 

Thanks, after school crew, for helping me with my homework!

Wednesday, August 27: Make a list of questions you don't have answers to.

1. How do airplanes stay in the sky?

2. Why can't human beings fly?

3. Why are some people so shy?

4. Why do people fight for power?

5. How do the petals form a flower?

6. How do roots hold up a tree?

7. Would you like to dance with me?


- Ms. Radding

Tuesday, August 26: Where does your name come from? What does your name mean to you?

I was named for my grandfather,

A man I'm often compared to,

But whom I've never met.

His name was Rodney

And he hated it.

He hated its harsh sounds

And the way the syllables

Made your tongue hang heavy in your mouth.

But my mother loved him

So when time came for me

To join this world she said

"In my daughter's name Rodney will

Live on so I can feel his presence still."

The only part she dared to keep

Was the first initial.

So here we have Rebecca,

Woman of the Torah

Woman of her grandfather.

-- Ms. Radding

Monday, August 25: Describe your ideal (perfect) weekend.

My ideal weekend:

Unlimited iced coffee.

Yoga, yoga, yoga.

Walks in parks and crisp fall air.

Many meals with friends.

Lots and lots of cooking.

No cleaning.


- Ms. Radding

Blogging Tips

Hi 3rd Graders!

I was so excited to read what you wrote on the blog in class this week. Most of us did a great job posting respectful writing. 

Please remember:

1. If you wouldn't say it in church, don't write it on the blog. It might be funny to you, but if it might offend someone, please don't post it for other people to read. If you reply to a friend, your comment should be kind and positive.
2. Write your comment in the right post. If you write about cartoon characters in "What are you afraid of?" then how will anyone find it? If you're writing about cartoon characters, find the post about cartoon characters!

Here are a few helpful typing tips:

1. Please use your name when you post and reply. Capitalize your name.
2. To capitalize a letter, hold down shift while you type the letter.
3. When you're typing, you need to press the space bar after each sentence. 
4. To check your spelling, move the mouse over any word underlined in red. Right click and you will see spelling options. 

Happy blogging,

Ms. Radding

Thursday, August 21: Describe what's happening in your chapter book. Would you recommend this book to other students? Why or why not?

The book I'm reading right now was written by a friend of mine. His name is Jordan, and when I met him I didn't know that he had written this book. I'm embarrassed to say that after meeting him it took me a few years to actually buy his book and start reading it. I wish I had started reading this book much, much sooner. Jordan's book is called Floodlines, and it's about how communities came together to survive and support each other during and after Hurricane Katrina. It's also about how people came together to challenge systems that took resources away from people who needed it most. I'm grateful to journalists like Jordan who document people's stories so that I can learn from their struggle.

- Ms. Radding

Wednesday, August 20: What are you afraid of?

I am afraid that I will die

before my dreams come true.

And the world will keep turning

Without me there to keep on

Gently nudging it in the right direction.

When I'm not here, where will I be?

It's this question that haunts me.


- Ms. Radding

Wishes

Use this post to share your "I wish..." poems in the comments!

- Ms. Radding

Tuesday, August 19: What do you dream about?

When I sleep, I dream about

Losing my teeth

One at a time, or sometimes all at once

And feeling like my life

Will never be the same.

I wonder, how will I learn to eat?

And talk? And chew?

Will I have any friends?

I am always grateful to wake up

From this dream

Run my tongue along my pearly whites

Exhale with relief

And dash off to brush my teeth.


- Ms. Radding


 

Monday, August 18: Describe your weekend. Use lots of juicy details!

My weekend was full

of so many things 

That I LOVE 

And only a few things that I don't.

My Friday was full of spongy injera

I used to scoop up lentils, greens, and potatoes

At my favorite Ethiopian restaurant.

My Saturday was full of stretching and strengthening

Of kitchen cleaning and bathroom mopping,

Of bread baking and brunch eating

Of paper grading and comment writing

And lots of coffee drinking!

My night was full of the sad stories of

Gaza and Ferguson, Missouri,

And of an enormous bowl of Pho 

That I slurped all the way up.

Sunday might rhyme with fun day 

But it's often a workday for me,

It was full of a big birthday breakfast 

With a favorite friend

Then more grading 

And meetings and groceries and, 

"How do I put air in this tire?"

-- Ms. Radding

Thursday, August 14: What do you love?

I LOVE to cook.

I love chopping and dicing and

I even love how onions make me cry

'Cause don't you just love a good cry?


I LOVE to move.

I love downward dog and

I love to twist and turn

And stand on one foot

Or only on my hands.


I LOVE to teach.

I love how teaching is the closest thing

To a job that doesn't feel like work.

I love that my students teach me

More than I'll ever be paid to teach them.

- Ms. Radding 

Wednesday, August 13: If I were a cartoon character, I would be...

I'll be honest, I'm not familiar with very many cartoon characters. So, I asked my friend Lou (who's older and wiser than I am), "if I were a cartoon character, who do YOU think I would be?" He wrote back and said: "Easy. Wonder Woman." I decided to look her up and I found out that Wonder Woman and I have a lot in common. She fights for justice, love, peace, and equality--all things that I try to do every day as a teacher. She also wields this incredible "weapon" called the Lasso of Truth--when she wraps it around you, you must obey and tell the truth. I don't exactly have a Lasso, but I do think that I'm pretty good at getting students to tell the truth, which usually helps make our community feel safer and stronger. What I'm reading about Wonder Woman is so interesting that I might just have to go on YouTube and find out more!

- Ms. Radding 

Tuesday, August 12: What do you love about yourself?

I love that I am thoughtful. 

I think before I speak, and

Question before I answer.

I love that I am a writer. 

With my words I share stories 

With friends near and far.

I love that I am a teacher. 

Teaching is how I help build 

A better world 

Where we all can live.


- Ms. Radding

Monday, August 11: Describe the best and worst parts of your summer.

My summer was so much fun that it's hard to decide which part was the best! One of my favorite parts was the trip I took to Mexico with my friends Elora and Ben. We spent a week exploring Mexico City, which is one of the biggest cities in the world. We ate tacos almost every day and tried some delicious salsas. After a week in the city, we flew to the coast where Elora's grandmother, Mary Jo, lives. Our plane ride was probably the worst part of my whole summer! There was so much turbulence that we felt like we were on a two-hour long roller coaster. Boy, were we nauseous. To top it off, when we got off the plane we walked straight into pouring rain. Fortunately, things improved once we arrived at the town where Mary Jo lives. We spent the last week of our trip with Mary Jo, her husband Tom, and Elora's cousins in La Manzanilla, a town on the Pacific Coast. From our bedrooms, we could see the ocean, and it was just a five minute walk down to the beach. We swam in the ocean every day. The water was so warm it felt like we were taking a bath! Even though I spent two weeks in Mexico, I feel like I have so much more to see. I hope I get a chance to visit again soon.

- Ms. Radding