I Have a Dream

This week your homework is to respond to the article about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream Speech.

Here is the video of this inspiring speech that he made on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial 50 years ago.

Book Recommendation

READ THIS!  

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, by Jennifer Armstrong
Historical Non-Fiction

Recommended by Miss Zimmerman

Have you ever imagined what you would do if you were shipwrecked on a deserted island?  Most people have thought about this at some point.  In our imaginations we are on a sunny island, with silky white beaches.  There might be some annoying pirates around trying to steal our treasure, maybe some obstacles in keeping ourselves well-fed, but for the most part, the island would probably be a nice place to go get a tan while relaxing on a beach awaiting our rescuers.  The book Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, by Jennifer Armstrong,  is a historical non-fiction book about a real, actual shipwreck.  A group of 28 men were stranded on an island after their boat was wrecked.  BUT, don’t go thinking this is the same old shipwreck story that you are so familiar with.  No, these guys were stuck in the coldest, iciest, stormiest place in the world:  Antarctica.  If you like life-threatening adventures, and are interested in the gripping historical account of how 28 men could possibly survive not only a year, but an entire WINTER, in the most treacherous place in the world, read this book.  It will not disappoint.

About Miss Z.!

    Hello, Colorow students!  My name is Miss Zimmerman, and I'm a 5/6 teacher at Colorow Elementary.  I hope you learn a lot about me through my blog this year, but today I'm just going to share the basics.  The first thing you should know is my family is very important to me.  Here in Colorado, I spend a lot of time with my sister, her husband, and their two kids.  I have a nephew named  Logan, and a brand-new niece named Amelie.  They live only 5 minutes from my house, so I see them at least 3 times a week.  You'll also hear me talk a lot about soccer.  I have played since I was just 6 years old.  I still play on a competitive soccer team at least 3 days a week.  We are pretty good, but I really play because it is the way that I de-stress during my week and forget about anything that is pressing on my brain for a little while.   Finally, I love to travel.  I've been all around the world and have even lived in Australia and Mozambique.  I've also been to many places in Europe like Paris, the Swiss Alps, and Salzburg.  I hope to be lucky enough to keep traveling for the rest of my life...  My next stop I'm hoping is either Portugal or Brazil because I want to use my Portuguese that I learned while living in Africa. I am very excited about working with this year's 5th and 6th graders this year, and I can't wait to learn more about you from YOUR blog!

Science News

This week I read a very interesting article called, “ Learning in Your Sleep“, by Stephen Ornes, on the Science News for Kids website  (link to article).

“Learning in Your Sleep” was about how scientists have actually proved that people can learn brand new information as they are snoozing.  Scientists played a sound accompanied by either a good or bad smell while volunteers were sleeping.  When the sound for the good smell played, the person would take a deep breath, wanting to smell the refreshing aroma;  when the sound for the bad smell played, they’d take short breath, not wanting to breathe in that gross odor.  The smell was then taken away, but the sound still played, and volunteers reacted in the same way, even once they had woken up.  The volunteers had learned that the sounds were connected to different smells, and now scientists are using this study as proof that we can learn new information as we are sleeping.

I chose this article as my piece because its about great new research that could effect me and the lives of my students some day in the future.  YOU may be thinking, who cares about learning a sound that goes with a smell.  What's the point?  True, it isn’t all  that useful.  BUT imagine that they do further research on learning in your sleep.  Maybe they will begin find that people can learn harder things while they are conked out… like algebra!  What if some day teachers assign kids homework to do while they are sleeping!  A kid goes to bed, does his homework in the night while he’s passed out, then comes to school knowing how to solve a tough word problem. This could be the homework of the future!

I also think the article does a great job of teaching kids about the process of scientific inquiry.  When the same test is done in the same way with many volunteers, it makes the results of the inquiry valid.  So, the study has proven, on the basis of the results of many people, that we can learn in our sleep. That's a great lesson to any scientist.  The proof is in finding the same results many times over.

While all this is very exciting, I do wonder how much more research they are going to conduct, because we are a long ways off from making it useful in our day-to-day life.  Do you think if you spend all night learning in your sleep, you’ll wake up more tired in the morning because your brain didn’t really get much rest?  

This is exciting research, and I can’t wait to read more updates as scientists continue to explore this topic.  Until then, sorry kids, you’ll still be doing homework while you are conscious.

Until next time, 

Miss Z.

Dog Days of Summer

Hi 5/6 Bloggers!

We are getting very excited about coming back to Colorow for the 2012-2013 school year.  How about you?

I have had a jam-packed summer...  I've played lots of soccer, and even won a tournament in 95 degree heat!  I visited Chicago with some friends, a first for me.  I got to see so much of the city, one of the highlights being the Michael Jordan statue in front of the United Center where the Bulls play (I was a HUGE Michael Jordan fan growing up).  Last weekend I also got to go see my Uncle Kent up in Port Townsend, Washington, not very far from Seattle.  He showed us a great time.  We got to hike up a beautiful mountain, see some Shakespeare in the park, and lounge on the beach of Puget Sound.  Last but not least, I officially own my own home up in Evergreen.  I am still getting settled, but very much enjoy living in my log cabin in the woods!

The 5/6 team has been at the school every day this week getting ready for all of our students.  We are reviewing what worked well last year, and what we should change up to keep things new and effective.  We can't wait to get student and parent input into what we can do to have a successful upcoming school year.  Please make the best of the rest of your summer!  We can't wait to see both new and past students on Back to School Night this coming Thursday.  We will be asking our 6th graders to help with handing out ice-cream for the social.  We will also be selling nachos to help raise money for Outdoor Lab.

See you all Thursday!!

~Miss Z

Hi 5/6 Bloggers,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.  I have been pretty busy lately.  I am buying a house up in Evergreen!  Buying a house is a long and complicated process, but I'm almost there.  It will be officially mine on July 30th!

House buying has taken up a lot of my time, but I've been doing other fun things too.  I've been reading A LOT.  Recently I finished Treasure Island and loved it!  I highly recommend it... It's all about pirates and mutiny and searching for buried treasure on an island in the middle of the ocean.  It's very exciting.  Treasure Island was my dad's favorite book growing up, and I actually got to read the very same copy that was his as a little kid.    It was pretty special because he had hand written notes on many of the pages, so I got to see what he thought about the book as he read it.  I've just started The Call of the Wild by Jack London, and I'll report back on how I like it.  So far it is great!  I love books where the main character is an animal.

I've also been to Red Rocks a few times... The first time was to see the Avett Brothers.  They are a great band and I'd love to see them again!  The second time was to go see Bridesmaids at the Film on the Rocks.  It was so fun to see a movie in the amphitheater...  They are playing E.T. on Monday...  That is my favorite movie of all time, and I can't go!  You should go for me and report back.

It is hard to believe that we are about a month away from the end of summer.    Mrs. Higley, Mrs. Yelton, and I are meeting once a week to get ready for your return.  We are so excited about the upcoming school year.  Until then, keep enjoying your time off.  Anybody reading anything good this summer?

- Miss Z.

East Coast Adventures

Hi 5/6 Bloggers!  Miss Z. here.  I have just returned from my jam-packed trip back to the East Coast.  I left the day after school ended and took a flight with my sister and 17-month-old nephew, Logan.  Logan neglected to take a nap on the flight, so my sister and I spent most of the trip walking him up and down the aisle...  I think we must have walked a few miles on the airplane between the three of us.  In Connecticut we accomplished the task of cleaning out our attic and basement...  The piles of stuff were incredible!  Our entire garage was packed with things to donate, things to bring back to Colorado, and then there was a dumpster full of things we had to throw out.  We did our best to conserve and not be wasteful, but we had a huge amount of junk! Joining me in Colorado will be, among other things, an old Jukebox I want to have restored, and 2 White Oil Eagles, statues from a company my grandfather worked for that sat out in front of the gas stations.
In Connecticut I also was able to visit with some good family friends who did an incredibly nice thing for my family.  My father passed away a year ago, and my friends have secretly been planning to give us a gift in his memory.  Well, on the night before I left, my friends presented us with a bench in honor of my dad to place next to the stream in our backyard.  The plaque on the bench reads, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.  - Ralph Waldo Emerson".  This quote completely encompasses my father, and I am very thankful to have such wonderful friends who would do such a thoughtful thing for myself and my family.
I ended my time on the East coast with a trip up to Boston.  I lived in Boston for four years, and I consider it my favorite city and second home.  I was able to attend a wedding, see many loved friends, and explore the winding, historic streets of the city.  Among some of the spots I visited were Paul Revere's house, and John Hancock's grave.  Fun fact:  they say someone stole Hancock's most valuable hand right from his grave after he died!  If you don't know why his hand was so sought after, look him up!  I also got to see the USS Constitution (the oldest commissioned warship still on water), and I traveled up to Bunker Hill, the site of one of the first major battles of the Revolutionary War.  There is so much history in Boston, I can't help but let it haunt me as I wander its streets.  I think that is why I love it so much!
Now, I am back in Colorado.  I am taking some classes, hiding from the heat, and planning lots of hikes with my dog for the summer.  Leave me some messages and tell me what you are up to.  I'll check back soon!
Miss Z.