Everybody Has A Story

I love this because it is a GREAT example that we do not know everybody's full story!  Here is this teacher who challenged his students, and pushed them.  But then they found out something that surprised and inspired them!  Watch!

Give!

CRAZY!

You'll Only Understand If You Live Here

 

I just saw the best article!  I stumbled on the article, "31 Things Oklahomans Have to Explain To Out of Towner's." I had to share!  I have seen things like this before. Two stand out to me.  I saw an email once that had a picture of a construction cone with the caption "Oklahoma State Tree."  I thought that was so true!  There is always construction.  They finish one project, and start another.

 

Another one that I always relate toare the ones that say "You know you are from Oklahoma if you can pronounce these towns."  We have some strange city names.

 

Read this article, and see if you relate to any of these things:

 

Oklahoma Article 

On the Road

Everybody Has A Story

A GREAT Philbrook Field Trip

In World History we just finished the Renaissance.  The rebirth of Europe after the Dark Ages.

 

I want History to come to life for my students.  So we went to the Philbrook to see their Renaissance Art collection.  We also got a tour of the new Native American Exhibit.  I loved that because the Renaissance was all about becoming a well rounded cultured person - a Renaissance Man! 

 

 

The day went perfect!  The students had fun!  The Museum tour guides said our students were the best students they have toured in a long time!  That is what I love!  BTW students are always so well behaved!  The guides told me their favorite part was the fact they would ask the students questioned about the Renaissance and they knew the answers!

 

I could not use a flash - so it turned out blury.  Checking ou the art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everybody Has A Story

This Made Me Cry!

Everybody Has a Story

I love this idea - everybody has a story because it is true!  I think we all forget that.  It is nice to be reminded of that.  Also I saw a great movie that highlights this idea - St. Vincent.  Vincent on the surface looks like a terrible person, but then they dig under the surface.  It was great!  I dragged my sister.  She did not want to see it, but cried in the film and loved it! 

 

Everybody Has A Story - Veteran

Homecoming 2014 - 300: Rise of the Hive

Homecoming was so much fun!  This is always my favorite week at BTW!  And I cannot believe this was my 10th one!  Here is a collection of my favorite photos taken:

I love that each Class gets to decorate a hallway!  It makes the Hive so festive!  You can feel the spirit!

 

Seniors - Class of 2015

 

Sophomores - Class of 2017

 

Freshman - Class of 2018

 

Juniors - Class of 2016

 

Mix Match Day

 

Mix Match Day

 

Dress Your Age Day

 

Dress Your Age Day

 

Outrageous Orange and Black Day

 

The Awesome Door My 2nd Hour Made!

 

Pep Rally - Watching Teachers about to race!

 

Mr. and Miss Hornet

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Halloween!

 

For Halloween I went as Tami my nurse!  She has been my nurse since day 1.  Every month I have to get an infusion.  The drug is called Tysabri.  In the MS world it is a big deal.  My doctor explained Tysabri in a good simple way.  It is putting a pause on MS.  I am so thankful for this drug because it is working!

 

And most of all I am thankful for this office!  They are taking care of me!  I truly believe they are saving my life!  It was an honor to be Tami for Halloween!

 

Tami and the other nurses dressed up like Wizard of Oz.  Tami was a GREAT Tin Man!

Everybody Has A Story - Balloon

Steve Hartman believes everybody has a story, and he does that on CBS.  So every week I am going to post one of his stories.  They are beautiful  and will touch your heart!  Enjoy!

GIVE!!!

Why you need sleep!

Last night I saw a GREAT TED Talk!  This doctor tells us why sleep is important for our brains!  I found out the hard way how important our brain is.  The Central Nervous System controls everything from talking to walking.  So we need to take care of our brains.  I hope you get something out of this video!  I did!

I also included a video about MS and how it affects your brain.

Make People Happy!

Viking Runes in Oklahoma

 

Today in Oklahoma History we started European Conquest in Oklahoma.  The first Europeans we know about are the Vikings in 1001 C.E.  Now this is incredible because we are not 100% on how they made it to Oklahoma, but we know they did!  We know because of the Heavener Stone in Eastern Oklahoma.  On that stone Viking Runes have been discovered and authenticated. 

 

So today I gave the students a sheet of Viking Runes and play dough.  They made a message in the play dough.  They had great fun!

 

Creating a message

 

Final product

 

This says, "BTW" in Runes!

 

 

Buffalo!

Every month when I go to OKC to get my infusion I drive by the Buffalo in Sapula.  I love this Buffalo.  It sits on top of a mound, and it is an eye catcher.  I want to take my photo with it, and today I can cross it off my list.

Buffalos are the State Animal for Oklahoma.  So this animal is significant to Oklahoma.  Next time your in Sapula check it out!

 

 

Work Tips and Advice

 

I have had two jobs in my life - AMC and BTW.  When I was 16 I needed a job to pay for a trip to Europe.  My parents told me if I want to go to Europe I have to pay for it.  So I thought where would I like to work.  I love movies, and my best friend worked at AMC.  It was an easy decision.  I ended up working at AMC for 10 years, and became a manager.  In those 10 years I learned a lot!

 

My first tip is when you are deciding where to work pick a place you'll love.  You will spend  a lot of time in that place, and there will be moments where it will be hard and stressful.  There were times at AMC I had to stop and tell myself "I am being paid to be here."  Also think of a place where you'll get good perks.  I loved AMC because I got free movies, and I would always see a lot of people.

 

 

Once I became a manager I got the opportunity to choose the applicants who AMC would call to hire.  It was shocking how many people would fill out there application with sloppy handwriting.  It would be so bad I could not even read the numbers to call them.  If I could not read the application it would get put into the do not call pile.  How you fill out your application is your first impression to the employer.  Always use good penmanship!

 

Once you get the job - you want to stand out!  You want to stand out in a positive way.  There are many ways to stand out.  One way is to be on time!  When you get a job, and you have to be at work at 6 p.m.  They mean you are clocked in, dressed, and on the job at 6.  It is always amazing how many people would walk in late, and not dressed.  That gets you noticed, and not in a good way.  When you are late for a job it is not like school.  You do not get a warning - you get a write up.  After 3 you are fired!  That puts you in bad standing.  When you apply for another job you cannot put your previous job on the application because if the new employer calls the old one they will not say good things.

 

You want to build a good reputation for yourself!

 

 

My last piece of advice would be to have a good attitude.  Be fun to be around!  This will take you far!  I was always upbeat and positive!  Even now as a teacher I try to leave my problems at the door.  Why should my bad day ruin someone else's day?  Be positive!  It will take you far!

 

 

World Before Social Media

Live a Passionate Life

 

This is a wonderful TED Talk that talks about the importance of living a passionate life!  She says to say yes to life!  You only get one life!  Make this LIFE GREAT!

 

This talk also talks about one thing we all have to deal with.  Aging!  Don't be afraid to age!  Accept it!  Enjoy it!

Oklahoma State Meal

 

 

 

Tuesday Oklahoma History ate the Oklahoma State Meal.  I have done this for the last 9 years after the first unit - Geography of Oklahoma.  Instead of memorizing the State Meal, I think we should eat it together instead.  I bet anything they will remember the State Meal!  Every student brought an item off the State Meal.  We had a feast on Tuesday!  The Meal includes:

• Strawberries
• Squash
• Biscuits
• Gravy
• Corn
• Barbeque Pork
• Cornbread
• Grits

 

 

The Hive Gets A Special Guest!

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor

 

Current Supreme Court

 

 

BTW got an amazing opportunity to host a Supreme  Court Justice.  Justice Sonia Sotomayor was talking at Tulsa University, and she chose to come speak at BTW.  The BTW Teen Advisory Board organized it.  A few weeks before they made a power point explaining who she was, and went to every English class telling the students about her.  That was wonderful because the students needed to know who she was.  I spent a day telling my students about her.

 

I wonder if the students get what a big deal she is!  Once someone becomes a member of this prestigious court - they have a job for life!  The have the awesome power to decide if laws are constitutional or unconstitutional!  Think about that for a minute.  That is incredible, and then America has to accept their decision whether we agree or disagree.  That is powerful!  And one of their members came and talked to us!  Boy we are lucky!

 

Role of the Supreme Court

 

President Obama nominated her to the court, and the Senate confirmed her.

 

I was so excited to hear what she was going to say to the students, and she did not disappoint.  One thing I loved was how down to earth she was.  She was so real, and you could tell that she care about people.  One impressive thing was she took a picture with every section.  Even the Freshman at the very top!  Here are the big ideas I got from her talk:

 

1.  Build Bridges

She talked about this a lot.  In every moment ask questions and get to know people.  She said she does not like selective groups because that is segregation.  Even if you do not understand a social situation.  Ask questions, and clarify.

 

2. Suck It Up and Do It!

She talked about not understanding everything.  She gave the example of Physics, but she did not let that stop her.  She sought out alternative texts that helped her understand better.  But ultimately you have to suck it up and do it!  That got a big applause from the teachers.  She also mentioned if you have never been overwhelmed by school - you are not challenging yourself.  Be a Life Long Learner!

 

3. Give Back!

She said when you go to bed you should ask yourself two questions: what new thing did I learn today, and what did I do today to help someone?  I loved that!

 

Justice Sotomayor was fantastic, and I did not want it to end!  I hope the students got a lot out of it!  She talked about her memoir a lot.  It is inspirational!

 

 

 





 

 



 

Big Heart!

Historical Thinking Skills

There are many historical thinking skills we will use in class.  One you will need to know is continuity and change over time.  It is important to see in history what has stayed the same and what has changed.  Here are two great examples:

 

This Red Hot Chilli Pepper's video is GREAT because it shows continuity and change over time in a fun way.  They go through the decades of music starting with the 1950s and go to the 1990s.  It's funny to watch especially if you know the Red Hot Chilli Peppers this awesome Rock Band.

 

The questions to ask is what has stayed the same, and what has changed?  I am going to challenge you to do that.  Can you find similarities and differences?

 

 

My second example is phones throughout the years.  Boy they have changed a lot!  I remember being in 7th grade my mom got a cell phone.  It looked like the third one.  It was big and clunky, but it was exciting!  You did not have to use your land line.  And this will sound crazy to students today, but I did not get a cell phone till I was 22.  But I love this photo above because you can really see the evolution of phones.

 

So this is what you have to do in history.  Look at what has stayed the same and what has changed.

 

Battle of Theropylae

 

One historical event I have heard about my whole life was The Battle of Thermopylae, or the Hot Gates!  When 300 Spartans go up against 1 million Persians!  And it is fitting I do this post today because I know this event because of my Dad.  Today is his birthday, and I won the lottery with him.  I have the BEST Dad in the world!

 

He loves this Battle, and always told us about it!  He found inspiration in the Spartans.  He was inspired by their discipline.  Spartans had incredible discipline.  Whatever he does he always says he has discipline like the Spartans.  This is one thing I love about history!  You can learn lessons, and be inspired and motivated!

 

So when I became a World History teacher I knew I had to teach about the Spartans and the Persians.  One year after I finished teaching this a student raised his hand, and asked if I knew about the movie they are making?  I said no, and he said they are making a movie about this very event.  I got excited!  And the movie was 300!

 

 

This movie caught on, and BTW students could not stop talking about it.  One day I walked up to a group of students talking about 300, and said Wow you LOVE history!  They looked at me confused, and said no we love 300!  I said no History!  This movie was inspired this historical event!

 

The story of the Spartans is amazing!  The Persians decided to take over Ancient Greece.  Ancient Greece was organized by city-states.  The two most famous city states was Sparta and Athens.  They were drastically different.  Night and Day.  Athens was philosophical and full of culture.  Where Sparta was driven by war.  So much everything and everyone did their part to help with being the BEST soldiers!  They had no culture.  They did not have time for that!

 

The city states also did not like each other, and battled all the time.  But when someone like The Persians threatens Greece they band together.  It is like siblings.  You can make fun of your sister, but if some one else does those are fighting words!  Of course everyone wanted the Spartans to fight!  They were the BEST! 

 

The Spartans came up with a plan.  They were going to hold off the Persians while the rest of the city states mobilized to defeat the Persians.  This was a suicide mission, and it was understood whoever went would die fighting.  Sparta's 300 best went to go fight a million Persians!  That is hard to imagine!  300 v. 1,000,000.  The best part of the movie is it enables us to show the magnitude of that!  Here is my favorite scene to show the magnitude:

 

 

Now you think they would be decimated in a few days, but they last for a week!  They last because of geography, and where they stand their ground.  They do it at the Hot Gates.  A passage through a mountain.  And good news the city states defeat the Persians!  Sparta's sacrifice was worth it!

 

A great book about Sparta and this moment is Gates of Fire!  It is a great read, and they explain so much!

 

 

 

Pay Attention Listening To A Speaker

 

My sister told me about a great life lesson.  When she was in college her speech professor told the class there is a way to give a speech, but there is also a way to listen.  When you pay attention , make eye contact, smile, nod, and laugh you make the speaker feel comfortable.  Then you are noticed, and stand out. 

 

So if it is an important speaker - it could help you!  You want to be noticed by someone important.  Abbey took this to heart while she was in Taiwan.  Through Fulbright they had to go hear a speech, and Abbey did all that she was taught.  She made eye contact, nodded, and paid attention.  It was an important speaker, and at the end the speaker sought her out.  The speaker thanked her for paying attention. 

 

In a small way it can help you with teachers.  If you pay attention you will stand out in a positive way.  So next time you hear a speaker pay attention!