Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

What we've been doing:  This week we studied Renaissance artists.  It started back in December when I bought a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle mask from La Sirena.  I love using costumes and props, but it has been difficult to do that here in the DR.  The boys love TMNTs, so I figured I could use the mask for something.

I threw out the question on Twitter, asking for help.  I wondered if anyone had any ideas for how to incorporate Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into teaching middle schoolers.  One lady suggested I use it for teaching the Renaissance artists.  What a brilliant idea, I thought.

MONDAY: Michelangelo

This was my favorite day.  I put the mask right next to the white board.  I asked the boys what they thought we would start learning about.

We started off by taking some notes about the life of Michelangelo.  We watched a video of the Sistine Chapel that walked through the intricate details of the panels on the ceiling.  Michelangelo also wrote a poem about what it was like to paint the ceiling.  This website has the lyrics and audio of a gentleman reading the poem.  Then I told them we would also be painting like he did today.

I had taped paper under their desks/tables during lunch.  We used story dice for inspiration of what to paint.  They laid on the floor and painted there masterpieces.  Here were the results.

Andrew made a star.  Joseph made a black helmet.  Isaac made a bloody ax, and a sunset.  Next time I might have them paint something more Renaissance-y.  But it was still SUCH a fun day.

TUESDAY: Leonardo

We began the day by reading a mini article about the life of Leonardo and about the Mona Lisa.  Then, I showed them 20 different parodies of Mona Lisa.  In one example she was a balloon animal, in one example she had short hair, in one example she had duck lips and an iPhone, in one example she was a Lego creature... The boys loved looking at the different samples.
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Then I told them they were going to update the Mona Lisa.  Here were there final products.

WEDNESDAY: Donatello

Donatello was a sculptor.  After learning briefly about his life, the boys sculpted using aluminum foil.  Here were the creations they made.

Isaac made a duck/dragon with poop.  Joseph made a knight/soldier on a horse.  Andrew made a creature with a cigar.  I made a ballerina (thank you Joanna for adding the skirt to her!).  

THURSDAY: Raphael

Today we looked at the life of Raphael.  I am learning so much along with the boys.  Raphael mysteriously died on his 37th birthday.  At 11-years-old he was running his father's workshop after his dad died.  We looked at the pictures he painted in the Vatican, as well as some of his architecture and portraits.

I found this awesome website with lots of lesson ideas for the Renaissance time period.  I used this lesson plan and adapted it to fit Raphael.  I had the boys write two mini-essays.  One from the point of view of the artist (Raphael) and one from the point of view of the subject.  I gave them three different portraits to choose from.  They were really creative.  If we had more time I would have had them type them and put them on their blogs.  I might have them do that next week, actually.

The boys really wanted to do self-portraits like Raphael, which next time I probably would spend an extra day or two to complete.  I will fit those in a different unit somehow, because they were very excited to paint themselves.

Another change I would have made was to start the week by looking at the clip from the TMNT movie where April talks about the names of the turtles.  This would be a neat intro and connect to the lives of my students.

Taking Risks

What we've been doing: Last month we did one of the neatest things I've tried as a teacher.  The Reyes Academy participated in our first Mystery Skype.  I connected with a teacher a month ago in a #sstlap chat.  Each person participating has to introduce themselves.  I always state I am teaching in the Dominican Republic, and @Kristierinkle replied and told me she traveled here last year.  She asked me if I wanted to do a Mystery Skype with her class.  I had heard the name tossed around, but I didn't know much about it.

I started looking online at how Mystery Skype works.  It's a guessing game.  Using yes or no questions each class tries to figure out where the other class is.  The boys brainstormed questions and looked on maps.  We used an atlas and figured out about hemispheres and geographical locations.

The boys had the greatest time connecting with a class from North Dakota.  Once each class figured out the location, then the students got to ask other questions.  We were asked if we ate bugs here in the DR!  They asked us about weather and languages and if they could come visit.  It was such a neat experience, but boy was a I nervous before we did it.

I had hoped the following week we would do a Mystery Skype in Spanish, but the school dealt with some snow issues, so we weren't able.  Hopefully before the end of  the year we will have another opportunity to do a Mystery Skype.

Happy Birthday to Me!

What I'm thankful for: I have the GREATEST people in my life here in the DR.  I was brought to tears multiple times on Tuesday when I got to celebrate my 23rd birthday out of the country for the first time.

Monday afternoon I didn't have any obligations after work, and I desperately needed a haircut.  I asked Rosa if she would take me to her salon.  I figured she would drop me off, and I would take a taxi home.  Little did I know that she was going to stay with me and pay for my manicure, pedicure, and haircut.  I felt like I was in a movie.  I was getting read for some fancy ball.  I just need to find my prince.  :)

Tuesday morning we pulled up to the Reyes' house, and I walked in.  I found my boys and Rosa in the classroom with a cake and a giant candle!  They had decorate the whole place with balloons and tissue paper flowers.  They sang me happy birthday.  It was SO SWEET of them.  And I was so surprised.  Little did I know that the day would be full of surprises.  

After teaching the boys, and eating cake for lunch, I headed over to Amalie's house to teach her.  Amalie and I share a birthday, so I brought cookies for us.  She opened her present and we played with some play doh that afternoon.  She learned how to say 'happy birthday' in English.  

I got home from teaching Amalie to find Joanna and Amanda busy making dinner.  I had no idea what they were making.  They told me to go in my room and not come out until they told me to.  Amanda had e-mailed my mom asking about my favorite foods.  My mom sent her the recipe, and they made one of my favorite meals.  It was like having a piece of home with me here.  The garlic bread was also super yummy and led to lots of laughter and jokes about not kissing any boys that evening.  

After dinner they told me to put on my shoes.  Then, I was blindfolded.  What an experience.  I had no idea where they were taking me or what was going on.  I thought we were going to stay at the apartment all night and make Valentines cards for the girls at the girls home.

Joanna did a lovely job blindfolding me...  Amanda looked over at me while she was driving and started laughing.  We needed to capture the moment.  I have never actually been blind folded before, or at least in a long time.

We finally arrived to our destination and I got to take off the blind fold.  A bunch of friends surprised me at Sweet Frog!  Amanda has planned it all.  It was fun to spend time with people.  Ruthi made me this cute cookie, Michelle got me the best smelling body spray, and Amanda put together this notebook.  She went around and had everyone sign and write notes to me in it.  That's when the tears came.  She remembered that I had said I love notes from people.  It was the most special gift.

I could not have possibly asked for a better birthday.  I felt so very loved.  What a special day to remember.

Con mucho amor.

Valentines Day

What we did to celebrate:  We spent the week making watercolor Valentines for family and the help in the house.  The boys did a great job using white crayon and pretty color schemes when they were creating.  Some of them wrote sweet little notes, while others looked up poems and quotes on the internet.  We talked about how you are supposed to sign and start notes and letters.

Today began with a graffiti wall about chocolate.  Then, I used a short article about the history of chocolate with the boys.  I found Tweet Tribune on Smithsonian website that I love using.  They e-mailed out the article and some lesson plan ideas, which I tweeked to work for us.  Instead of printing out the article, I just posted it to Edmodo, and we took turns reading it aloud.  We talked about what surprised us from the article.  Did you know Americans eat half a pound of chocolate a month?  Did you know that chocolate was used as part of the rations and salary of soldiers in the Revolutionary War?

Then, I read aloud a short article about the chocolate shortage.  Lastly, I read aloud some chocolate facts.  The boys added to the graffiti wall more words about chocolate.

The Tween Tribune suggested the students create a skit where two book characters meet.  The scene must include chocolate.  I turned it into a creative writing assignment instead of a skit.  I specified the boys needed to use characters from the two books we just finished, In Search of Honor and The Sherwood Ring.  I really love The Tween Tribune, and they just started doing weekly e-mails with articles and lesson plan ideas.  What an awesome resource.

One of my boys even wrote his story in the style of one of the novels we read.  The Sherwood Ring is set up with flashbacks to the past written from a different character's perspective.  He mimicked that style for his own assignment.  I was filled with so much joy when I found that out.

Here's a resource from Hershey's with more lesson plan ideas about chocolate.

In the afternoon we played Loaded Questions, and we snacked on chocolate and cookies.

Tomorrow I am going to New Hope in la Vega to make Valentines with the girls!  It will be a day filled with love, I hope.

Con mucho amor.