April 17, 2020

Oye Como Va...

My familia loves parties! 

We enjoy all types of music, but most of all - my familia loves dancing.  I remember when I was younger my mom and dad would spend all their time at parties dancing.  Mom and dad loved dancing to cumbias and Caribbean style music or mambo.  One of the artists I grew up listening to was Tito Puente.

Have you ever heard this song?  If you haven't ever heard it in music class or at home, play it for your parents - I think most adults have heard it.  The song's title is Oye Como Va.


Tito Puente Mambo King

Today's RiffRaff Read Aloud is a picture book by Monica Brown titled Tito Puente Mambo King, illustrated by Rafael López.



Assignment:
Don't forget to take your AR Reading Quiz for this book once you've finished reading it!

March 25, 2020

A Sing Along Book!

Nappy Hair

Me, with my parents 1980s

Let me tell you a bit about me when I was little.  My mom used to brush and braid my hair every single day.  


Did I enjoy it?  NO! 





By the time mom had finished brushing my hair, my eyes hurt from being pulled back into a super tight pony tail that tamed all my curls. 







I was only able to wear my hair loose on special occasions and when my mom and tías would put all sorts of hair products on it to make it stay put.






I think that's why I longed for straight hair. I thought it was "easier" to brush and have than my hair. It took me a long time to just like my own hair - silly, I know but it did!
I was 9 years old here and moving
to the US from México.
This was our passport picture;
my mom and sisters are pictured.

The book I'm reading aloud today is about hair and it's one of my family's favorite books!  


Learning Targets:

* I can identify simile, metaphor, personification and hyperbole in Nappy Hair.
* I can share Nappy Hair with a person at home (or a buddy online) and find 3 pieces of figurative language.
* I can draw and share my favorite piece of figurative language from Nappy Hair.
* I can analyze the impact of a specific word choice, their meaning and tone in Nappy Hair.


The type of storytelling in this book is known as call and response. This type of telling stories was created by slaves in the 1800s.  You'll hear Quica here, she's helping me with today's read aloud so you understand how it's supposed to be read.



In this story, Brenda's family comes to a picnic and Uncle Mordecai describes Brenda's hair, turning it into a symbol of her history, her heritage and her strength.  

Assignments:  
2)  Take the Accelerated Reading Quiz for this book


March 18, 2020

Chato's Kitchen

Gary Soto is one of my favorite authors!

Chato's Kitchen!

One of my favorite children's books is Chato's Kitchen.  It's a great use of social language and Spanglish as well as a great book to refresh our knowledge of figurative language (metaphors, simile, connotative language).

Learning Targets:

* Share Chato's Kitchen with a person at home and find 3 pieces of figurative language.
* Visualize and share your favorite metaphor or simile from Chato's Kitchen with someone at home; why is it your favorite?  What did you visualize?
* Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a Chato's Kitchen
* Analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone

Chato's Kitchen Read A Loud


Reviewing Figurative Language

During Unit 2, when we read Flush; we worked on simile, metaphor and connotative language (the feelings or emotions behind certain language).  

After you've viewed the video, work on a short review of figurative language.

Don't forget to take an AR Quiz!!!






March 17, 2020

An now...a poem by John Milton


Eye Appointment


Today I'm at an eye appointment with my partner Chris.  Had we been at school, I would not have been able to be here with him; he'd have probably taken an Uber to his appointment.  So, I'm pretty grateful that I can be here with him today.


I don't know how many of you all know, but my partner is legally blind. He's been slowly losing his eye sight for years but about two years ago, he was declared legally blind by doctors.  

The last two years have been a period of relearning how to do things or becoming accustomed to doing things differently...or just NOT doing them.

One of the things he's had to learn that he can't do is play soccer.  Chris used to be a forward and a really great one at that but losing his eye sight meant that he could no longer see the ball coming at him.  At first, he lost some play time -- then he lost more; finally he decided that he couldn't play. Another thing he flat out just cannot be doing is, of course drive. Imagine how hard that must have been for him?

It has definitely been infinitely more difficult for him than it has for me but I've had to learn just how to be helpful and patient as we both learn and adjusts to our new way of doing things.  For example, I have had to learn that he won't just see where I am if we're both at Walmart or meeting somewhere.  I have to make sure I reach out and wave or let him know where I am first. This means, I need to be aware of where he is.  As a result, we now tend to avoid crowded spaces where he may lose track of me.

You are probably wondering what that has to do with poetry.  Well, in the 1600s John Milton wrote a sonnet "On his blindness." He wrote this as he thought about the struggle of losing his eye sight.  Here it is:

When I consider how my light is spent,
   Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
   And that one Talent which is death to hide
   Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
   My true account, lest he returning chide;
   “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”
   I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need
   Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best
   Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
   And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest:
   They also serve who only stand and wait.”

When John Milton refers to his light, that's a metaphor for life.  How will he spend his days?  What will he do?  Basically, John Milton was feeling like he'd lost his purpose.  By the end of the poem, John Milton has changed his mindset and decided to do the very best he possibly can with his situation.

How does this sonnet apply to us?
I believe every person is given one special or several talents. Once we do find our gifts/talents; I believe we should practice them and learn how to use them so that we can apply them and persevere in even the bleakest, darkest of situations.  I know we're all facing a tough situation now, but let's use this time in a positive way.  Love you all, hugs 💗



March 16, 2020

Becoming Naomi León by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Becoming Naomi León ~

Pre-reading:

On the cover, we see a little travel trailer, a girl sitting under a tree and a tiny lion (puppy?)

Introduction

Reading the introduction we learn that Naomi's full name is Naomi Soledad León Outlaw.  The meaning of her full name is:

Naomi - beautiful
Soledad - that's a Spanish cognate: Solitude
León - Lion
Outlaw - meaning outside of the law, or bandit

Naomi mentions that she thinks her name is a problem, do you think she likes it?




Chapter 1 

We are introduced to Naomi and her small family, Gram and Owen.  They live in the little travel trailer that Gram calls "Baby Beluga." Naomi is half Mexican and half White - specifically from Oklahoma.

We learn a bit about what her Gram teaches her, that if she thinks in a positive way, focuses on what she wants and how she wants to achieve it, and practices that she will eventually become it.  She gives the example of saying; "I am the best speller in the whole school;" practicing that then eventually becoming the best speller in the school will happen.

We also learn that she seems to worry a lot, enjoys going to the library, and that she enjoys making lists.  One of these lists is a list of Splendid words.  In this chapter, we come across two words that make it into her splendid words list.  One of them is sanctuary (there's a word that's very similar to this one in Spanish--- do you know it?) and the other is flourish.

Time to write back!  

Let's use this blogger account as a way to respond to our reading.  You may write about any of the following questions:
  • What else did we learn about Naomi?  
  • Why do you think Naomi worries so much?  
  • What do we know about Owen and Gram? 
  • What do you think the title of the book means?
~ Raff


Enjoying Nature

Find a Way to Enjoy the National Parks

I love running and hiking wherever I go --- and I've learned to enjoy camping because Chris enjoys camping and so do the boys. 

Chris sets up our tent in Pecos

I know we're all stuck at home but there's no reason why we couldn't enjoy the beauty of the outdoors and different natural wonders. 
I like to sit by the fire and read

Full moon in Ojito Wilderness in New Mexico


Yellowstone is one of the most awesome places in the United States.  There's caves and geysers for you to go visit, bison and camping!!!

Here's a link to Yellowstone National Park's Virtual Tours and below is a video the Yellowstone Experience.  I haven't been there yet but Booboo, Chris and I are hoping to visit this summer.

Enjoy!


The VanGogh Museum in Amsterdam





Sunflowers

Fall in the Bosque is my favorite time to run.  Sometime between August and September (around my birthday) the wild sunflowers pop up.  Early in the morning, the sunflowers perk up; they're looking for the sun.  If I were a flower, I am pretty sure I'd be a wild sunflower.

This picture of Tipsy was taken
near Tingley


It's no wonder sunflowers are a recurring theme in my running pictures.  The one on the left is near the Bosque School and that bridge is the Montaño Bridge.  It was a few years back but it is during my favorite time of day to run, sunrise!






Sunflowers in the Bosque
can get pretty tall!
On any given day, you can find me running or walking in the Bosque but especially in the fall.  I may not be the only teacher you spy running along the Bosque!





You may be wondering, "Sra. Raff, what does all this have to do with the VanGogh Art Museum in Amsterdam?"  I'm getting there!

The VanGogh Art Museum

 
This museum houses the biggest collection of art by Vincent VanGogh and they offer a virtual tour!


The VanGogh Museum also has a YouTube channel with everything you'd ever wanted to learn about the artist from his hometown to his illness.


You might still be wondering why I brought up my favorite fall flower.

Did you know that one of VanGogh's still life paintings is of sunflowers?  There's so much to learn about paintings that are as old as this work of art.  Here's a video about some of the research that goes on to learn more about original colors, the canvas and the artist.

I believe it is important to learn to appreciate the natural beauty around you, learn to recognize it in art, and see how it connects people from around the globe.

Here, is a vase of wild sunflowers. We find them in the Bosque but they also pop up and search for the sun in Amsterdam -- all the way across the ocean.  Isn't that amazing?