What Utena Means to Me

So, from the results of last week's post it looks like the demand is for episode analysis.  Unfortunately, I have a research paper due soon so the episode analysis will have to begin after that.  No worries though, I'm almost done with the semester.  The episode analysis is really going to take some sit down time.  I have most of the movie written out in a journal, but the episode analysis is something I really want to sit down and put more than just a few sentences out.  Any Utena fan knows that it needs more than that.  In the meantime while I work on my research paper (it's about how Common Core kindergarten standards do not build a successful foundation for academic learning, not Utena) I will entertain you all with some random ramblings about Utena.
Today's rambling: What Utena Means to Me

Utena is a visual form of Hotel New Hampshire to me.  Utena, like Hotel New Hampshire, came into my life at just the perfect time that I was ready for both of them.  These two things took everything that I thought I knew, grabbed it, shook it around, and kicked it a little.  

My favorite thing, it really makes you think.  It doesn't at the start.  At the start you just go with the flow.  Then stuff starts happening.  Then you have to start reading in between the lines or the show just appears as nonsense.  Analyze it. 

And there are NO CHEATS.  There is nothing printed really on what means what in that show.  Ikuhara isn't giving up that information anytime soon.  Or does he in the blu-ray release?  I can't imagine so...

In the short, I love Utena because it was highly influential and it makes me think. 

You Aren't Perfect

Disclaimer: I'm not perfect.

Holy wow, we're at the pissiest time of the year now.  I've seen way more soapbox rants than I care to trying to make everyone feel horrible about their holiday decisions.

Guess what?  We're all horrible people.

In some way, shape, or form you are not perfect.  You somehow have committed some holiday offense.  So get off your soapbox and deal with that fact that some of us will shop.  Some of us set up Christmas lights November 1.  Some of us will not take down our trees December 26.  Some of us will not be spending time with our families.  Some of us won't even be calling our family members.  Some of us will choose to play Elf on the Shelf.  

Don't judge me.  I won't judge you.  Shut up, and let's all be thankful that we have the option to celebrate in our own fashion.
Unless that's your own holiday tradition; pissing on the traditions of other people.  Which then by all means, open yourself up to having the same done back at you. 

GELDS: CLL1.4c

CLL1 – The child will listen to conversations and demonstrate comprehension

CLL1.4c Extends/expands thoughts or ideas expressed. 

WSO: Uses expanded vocabulary and language for a variety of purposes. 

Activities: Language Charts.  Work with student about writing out ideas on paper.

Writing Cards. Word cards matched with pictures in your writing area expose students to new words while visually demonstrating their meaning.

Conversation.  Talk with your students.  When you sit down with your students at lunch, the playground, during centers, or at any other free moment in the day try to engage them in conversation as much as you can.  Strive for five.  Work to go back and forth in conversation with a child at least five times during each interaction.  

Books: Every and any title that you read can expand the vocabulary and language of your students.  
Nursery rhymes and fairy tales are great foundations for building young children's vocabulary.

GELDS: MA1.4c

CD-MA1 – The child will organize, represent and build knowledge of number and quantity.

CD-MA1.4c Matches numerals to sets of objects with the same number, 0–10.

WSO:  Shows beginning understanding of number and quantity.

Activities: Number Wall. (pinterest source)  Each number contains a dot respective to the quantity of the number.    Not really an activity but a wonderful visual if you have the wall space.

Cover Up.  Have various stars with numbers labeled on them (1-6) on a laminate sheet of paper.  Students roll a dice (one with the dots and not the numbers).  They can cover up the number for however many dots appeared on their roll.

How Many Spots? (printable here)  This is a game that you place the corresponding number of pom poms on a cow that matches to the identified numeral at the top of the page.  This game can be manipulated from cows to dogs or any other item.

Books: Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

Counting Kisses by Karen Katz (or any of her other counting titles)

10 Chirpy Chicks by Debbie Tarbet

The key to finding books and activities appropriate for this indicator is finding something with numerals present as well as objects demonstrating numeric quantity.  While Over in the Meadow is a great book about quantity, most copies do not display the numeral on page.  

GELDS: SC1.4c

CD-SC1 – The child will demonstrate scientific inquiry skills.

CD-SC1.4c Records observations through dictating to an adult and drawing pictures or using other forms of writing.

WSO: Communicates experiences, observations, and ideas with others through conversations, representations, and/or behavior. 

Activities: Observe and Predict.  Fold a single paper in half.  On one half of the paper, have students draw what it happening now with their observation project.  On the other half, have students draw what they think will happen.

Observation Journals.  Instead of filling your science area with observation sheets for experiments, have every student a journal where they can record their observations or stores their observation sheets.

Books: It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw

What Is a Scientist? By Barbara Lehn

S is for Scientists by Larry Verstraete

GELDS: SS2.4a

CD-SS2 – The child will demonstrate an understanding of his/her community and an emerging awareness of others’ cultures and ethnicity.
CD-SS2.4a Identifies and follows rules of the classroom community and displays competence in engaging in appropriate social behavior.
WSO: Demonstrates awareness of rules.

 Activities: Taboo.  Have a taboo buzzer from the Taboo board game.  Teachers act out scenarios and when one doesn't behave appropriately or breaks a classroom rule, students may buzz the teacher.
Fix It.  Using scenario pictures, teacher explains what is happening to students.  If a student can fix it, they pick up a plastic tool to tap at the picture as they explain the appropriate behaviors that could fix the situation.
What If.  Students make a class book of what would happen if we didn't follow rules or act appropriately.
Books: We Share Everything by Robert Munsch
One Bear in the Picture by Caroline Bucknall
Don't Eat the Teacher by Nick Ward

Black Friday

Since she became my mother-in-law, we've spent every Friday after Thanksgiving participating in the Black Friday sales.  I look forward to the hours we spend together shopping and talking.

Yes, we're going shopping on Thanksgiving.  We've already got our cooking and shopping plan in place so that we can have a wonderful time together.

I believe in family and tradition, Black Friday is part of that.  

But Black Friday is more than shopping for me as well.  Yes, I spend all morning with one of the most amazing women in my life but my day doesn't stop once the shopping is done.

The remainder of Black Friday is when I get to start decorating for Christmas.  Night Before Christmas comes on the television (because I think watching it between Halloween and Christmas is the perfect time for it), the Christmas tree finds a home, wreaths come out, lights are hung.  The magic of Christmas fills our house the rest of Black Friday.

Why not start decorating sooner?  My husband is not a fan of my love for decorating but part of our compromise is to keep holidays separate.  That's how I took Black Friday as my day to bring Christmas decor in our home.

And I love every minute, from the 2 am shopping to the 4 pm decorating.