We had a great time at the zoo. The animals were extremely active and we had fun learning about them. One new exhibit at Lincoln Park Zoo is a monkey habitat-we learned the meaning of that word, too "habitat". As we stood watching them jump, run and swing a student solemnly turned to me and said "I know the name of this monkey, my brother told me." The kids all leaned in to hear the name "It's the "red-butt monkey" he said in all seriousness. The kids all gazed in wonder at this font of wisdom and I (with a straight face), said" well, he does have a red butt, but he is actually a snow monkey".
In our Bible story this morning I mentioned that Abram was very rich and had many servants.
I then asked if anyone knew what a servant was. "Someone who brings you whatever you want" piped up one student. "Mom is a servant" said another student Why yes, yes she is. For our devotions in the morning we have been reading through Psalm 119. This tied in nicely with our Bible stories about the 10 commandments and the law. The kids try to listen for words that mean "law" and then we talk about a verse or 2. On Monday we talked about Psalm 119: 19," I am a stranger in the earth." I asked the kids what they thought that meant and some told me a stranger is someone we don't know. So I asked them what did they think it meant that WE are strangers on the earth? A student raised his hand and said," Our home is in heaven." Perfect. Oh, that our faith might be as a child's faith.
I have to say that Bible Story is one of our favorite subjects. The kids listen so intently and their childlike faith is a beautiful thing to see. "Of course it's true, Mrs. Maatman, it's in the Bible", they often say to me. We have talked about leprosy and the terribleness of the disease and how it is the picture of sin. Only God can heal leprosy and only God can forgive our sins. Last week, the subject of leprosy came up again during the story of Miriam and her punishment for evil speaking about Moses behind his back (by the way- we had some great discussion on talking about people behind their back). So, I asked the question, "Who remembers what leprosy is?" A little girl raised her hand and replied," It is a very bad thing that won't go away....just like sin." Perfect!
As I grade the kids' work, I sometimes find a page where they have utterly bombed the page. I often ask these kids to stay in at recess for just a few minutes so we can figure out what happened. Sometimes it is as simple as "I thought all the D's, S's, C's and A's had to be lined up! I didn't know I had to write down the first sound of the word!" Once, after I helped a student, he looked at me and said "Thank you for pointing that out, Mrs. Maatman, I appreciate it!" With a totally straight face I replied "You are welcome, you know mistakes aren't bad." "Yes, I know," he said " I really learned from that mistake."
Love these kids. We heard many interesting conversations on our way to, and at, the Zoo.
On the way to the zoo, looking at the sculpture in Millenium Park," How come that thing is broken?" While driving on Lake Shore Drive, " All these buildings are the tallest." "That beaver has bad teeth." "Those moles have no clothes on, oops, I mean hair." "The gorillas are fighting- we can't do that." One student was "reading" the sign near the boa constrictor and other reptiles and said, in a 'teacher voice'," This is a crocodile turned into a snake. It is a snake and crocodile at the same time and it is very scary!" "The /g/ of goat sounds like the /ch/ from chimpanzee...that goat is like a chimpanzee! They are so alike!" "The camel can take off the top of his hump and pour water in there." On the first day of school we talk a lot about our 2 rules; Love God and Love Your Neighbor. The kids all understand loving God, it's the "loving your neighbor" that we usually talk about more in depth. It can be difficult for them to understand that their classmates are their neighbors even though they may not physically live next door to them. So I hear a lot about neighbors they live next to. One conversation was interesting and reminded me that what they say isn't always what I hear:)
the kids are telling me the names of neighbors they live by..... One child pipes up "I live by wicked Leanne"- yes, I thought he said "wicked Leanne"! So I thought "oh, my, she must be a very bad person"- and I said "you shouldn't go by her then if she is wicked. " The child looked confused and Mrs. Swan said " I think he said Rick and Leanne". Well, yes, that is what he said and I did not hear him right. So I reassured him that if his mom and dad said it was okay, he could go by them. |