SOLC #9 - How to Play Marbles - Found Poem

Kids playing marbles,
Drawing a ring 
Throwing marbles in the ring.

The first player knuckles down.

Shoots his marble.  Hits both -
Marble and target,
Out of the ring!

Keep the marble and shoot again.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/ncl2004001138/PP/ 

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/fsa1997005704/PP/

Found Poem from – How to Play Marbles

Read more on FamilyEducation: http://fun.familyeducation.com/games/outdoor-games/45758.html#ixzz3TlN4xqFK

SOLC #8 - My Shadow Watches the Future

My Shadow Wears

A battered felt hat, with a wide brim
Trousers dusty from work 
Farmer boots. 
And he knows
The order of things.
His hair is like
Short spiky stalks from the stubble field.
My shadow is a worker 
Watching the future approach 
Finding unlikely solutions 
To common problems.



This picture can be found at the Library of  Congress http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/99614663/

The Child Sobbed

                                                         Sobbing Silently, the Child Cried

I asked the moon why it was blue
And it winked and laughed softly
I asked the water why it was blue
And the waves crashed
I asked the child why do you cry?
And it sobbed silently
I asked the shoes to dance
And it tap, tapped, shuffle, stepped
I asked the shoes to dance
And it did and the world echoed
I asked the rabbits why do you dance
And they sashayed and boxed
I asked myself where am I going
And the road twisted
The  shoes danced
                                                          The  child sobbed
                                                          And I kept quiet.
                                                          And everything was the same.    

          
*Photograph http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2003654924/ 

Celebrating Editing & Revision

I accepted a writing assignment from the Montana Historical Society last spring.  It was to develop lesson plans using Digital Newspapers in the classroom.  Montana has digitized some of their historic newspapers for Chronicling America.  Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment of the Humanities and the Library of Congress.

These newspapers are a rich goldmine for all kinds of research.  Now that many historic newspapers are digitized people everywhere can access these primary resources.  This in itself  is so exciting!

My deadline for the original work was July 1st, a deadline I met.  I had revised my work so many times before I turned it in.  Fortunately, I had the opportunity to work with a fabulous editor, Martha Kohl.  With her help I have revised my work a score more times.  Today I submitted my final revision!!!!!!  It now goes to the Graphic Artist and will be on their website by January 1, 2012.

This is my first really large free lance project.  And I am thrilled.  Once it is published on their website postcards will be sent out to every 4th grade teacher in the state.  This lesson is actually easily used with older students.

When it is up I will share the link.  I hope you will take a look at it and see how you could use it  in your classrooms.  I would love to hear your thoughts about the lessons.

I feel really good about this project.