Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Friendly Letter

Do you ever feel shy talking to grownups? Have you tried writing to them? A few years ago I wrote a letter to my second grade teacher telling her how she inspired me to become a teacher. I mentioned all of the hands-on science experiments that we performed! I’ll never forget looking at onion cells through a microscope! She was so touched by my words that she wrote back to me. She remembered me holding her purse while we walked around chatting during recess!


Now that the school year is coming to an end, many children like to get their teacher a gift. My favorite gifts are letters and cards from my students. I save them and hang them in my classroom on the inside of one of my cabinets. When I’m feeling less than inspiring, I open the cabinet doors and reread the words of love and gratitude. It’s nice to know I’ve had a positive impact on so many lives.

What did you like about this school year? What did your teacher do to make you a better person? Write him a friendly letter thanking him for all of his hard work. You’ll make his day—and more!

Have you written to a grownup? Have they responded? Please leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

You At the Zoo!

Do you love animals? I do! Visiting a zoo is a great way to see animals you don’t get to see every day! Chances are there is a zoo near you!
Do you want to see lots of animals at the zoo? Then your job is to walk and talk slowly and quietly when you are near animals. You don’t want to scare them away!

Do you want to learn about animals? Take the time to read the signs. If you can’t read, have a grownup read them to you.

Do you want to have fun while learning? Many zoos have interactive displays for kids. Have your grownup help you read and follow the directions at these exhibits and you’ll have a fun time while you learn interesting facts about your favorite critters!

Do you want to have an enjoyable day? Use your self-control and you’ll have a fun time!

Do you want to get a sneak peak? There are some great zoo websites that help you plan your day, tell you more about the animals, and even view some live videos via webcams of different animals! Here are a few zoo websites to get you started: New York, NY: Washington D.C.: Cincinnati, OH: San Diego, CA. Zoos close to western Massachusetts include the Zoo at Forest Park, Springfield, MA: http://www.forestparkzoo.org, the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island: http://www.rwpzoo.org, and the Boston area, http://www.zoonewengland.org/.

Go wild and visit a zoo near you!

Have you been to a zoo lately? Leave me a comment I’d love to hear all about it.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Losing a Loved One

Have you ever loved someone or something in your life only to have it die? A sad part of life is death. All living things die. What does this tell us? Life is precious and something that we shouldn’t take for granted.


I remember when my first pet died. He was a black cat named Inky. I found him in my closet curled up as if he were sleeping. My dad checked and told me Inky wasn’t breathing, he had died. What amazes me to this day is the fact that my dad took the time to make a wooden box for Inky. We buried him in the back yard and planted some flowers in that spot. We talked about Inky and all the fun times we had with him. It was sad but it helped me deal with losing my furry friend.

Everybody feels different things at different times when a loved one dies. You might cry, or you might not. You might feel angry or empty. You might feel sad or tired. You may feel nothing. These feelings are all normal. The important thing is to tell a grownup and not keep your feelings stuck inside you.

At school it’s a good idea to let your teacher know so that if you act a little different he’ll understand. If you need to take a walk, get a drink of water, or talk to the school counselor, that might help. Your friends may not know what to do or say. They may say something that makes you sadder or even angry. They may hover over you and annoy you. Remember they care about you and are just trying to help. Ask a grownup to assist you, if you need it.

Writing about your loved one might be helpful. You could write about all the great times you had together. That would be an awesome tribute to them and a great remembrance for you to enjoy in the years to come.

There are a lot of great books out there that might comfort you. When I feel sad about losing my dogs I read “Dog Heaven” by Cynthia Rylant. I like to think that they’re up in heaven playing together. I just ordered Cynthia Rylant’s “Cat Heaven.” I have two old cats and I know I’m going to need some consoling when they die someday because I know all living things die. Sad but true.

Have you ever lost a loved one? Please leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you.