Passport to AWESOME!

ONE MAGIC CLASSROOM AIRLINES

(Sponsored by Moldy Meatball Chewing Gum)

Meet Stephen Sausage-Patty, our newest employee at One Magic Classroom Airlines (he ate a sour doughnut before work today and puked it up in the employee bathroom).

Welcome to One Magic Classroom Airlines (O.M.C.A.)!  We're dedicated to not only making sure you have a safe and enjoyable flight, but a relaxing one as well.  A few things to keep in mind before entering the "magic" of One Magic Classroom Airlines:
1)  Have your passport ready.

2)  If you are bringing a pet on the plane, make sure they are wearing a life jacket (there are a variety of Moldy Meatball sizes and styles available).

3)  No donkeys allowed on the plane until further notice.  Last week a donkey got sick on the plane (management isn't happy).

SECURITY CHECK!
Dale Creepy

Dale Creepy: 48 years of service for O.M.C.A.
(Sorry Laurel Sprengelmeyer, I may have "repurposed" your high school art project I found in dad's attic into a security checkpoint…OOPS!).

Meet Dale Creepy and Mindy Moody-Pants.  They'll be assisting you through the security line at O.M.C.A.  With over 48 years of service, Dale Creepy is sure to creep you out.  He'll be making sure you're not bringing on any sharp objects or dirty diapers, both of which will be confiscated immediately and destroyed in our "Destruction Room" where a championship wrestler will interrogate you (he's big and tan).  Mindy Moody-Pants will be making sure no liquids are brought on the plane, such as any soft drinks other than Moldy Meatball affiliated drinks.

Mindy Moody-Pants

Mindy Moody-Pants: 3 days of service at O.M.C.A.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL…WITH A SIDE OF "SASS-I-TUDE"

Paul Pancake: 72 years of service at O.M.C.A.

P.S. Disregard the reflection of the projector (it is supposed to look like a real runway).

Paul might not be the most punctual (that means "on time," kids) of our employees, but he sure knows how to control the runway once he arrives.  With over 72 years of experience, he's a real runway gem.  He'll sadly be retiring this fall though (his knees are bad).  Party to be announced soon, though rumor has it, it will most likely be at Kim Parson's Creepy Pizza Ranch on HWY 10 (next to The Dilly Mart and Mama Fry-Fry's Fish Joint).

PASSPORT PLEASE!

Emily's first trip to Latvia!

(Photo courtesy of Speedy Meatball Passports INC.)

Don't forget to take a really cute passport photo.  You'll have it for the next 10 years (yeah GURL!). We researched different countries and even learned new fancy vocabulary (nationality, expiration, and surname), while navigating an informational text.

O.M.C.A. is dedicated to ensuring a safe flight.  Make sure you have your passport ready at the gate to assure the validity of your citizenship and that you have never committed a major crime (such as stealing any Moldy Meatball affiliated items).  Be prepared to answer any and all questions.  If you are suspect of any suspicious behavior you may be asked to enter the "Dungeon Interrogation Room" (which really is a dungeon in the basement of our airport......and it smells).  Take a look at who you will be dealing with below if you should be interrogated.

SALLY SASSAFRAS

Meet Sally Sassafras: 62 years of service at O.M.C.A.  I'm pretty sure she's worked here this long because her dad runs this place (and don't tell her I said that, because I still want to sit at her lunch table).

ENOUGH WITH THE AIRLINES ALREADY.  HOW WAS THE TRIP?!

I thought you'd never ask.


AWESOME!

Parker and Chandlarita's first trip to TOKYO, JAPAN (yeah we dressed Chandler as a girl for this photo, so I thought Chandlarita was more a more fitting name).

This is a photo of Parker yelling at Braydon for taking the photo too early, while "Chill Chandlarita" is trying to calm him down.  FYI Parker--the Iowa Hawkeyes and purple and pink kimono don't really go well together (that was SO last year).

"The mountains were amazing!" - Parker
"I loved the SHOPPING best!  Except for when I spilled the BBQ sushi on my new green dress, UGH!" - Chandlerita

Take a look at an excerpt from Parker's journal entry.  I chose this one because it mostly complains about the horrible experience at O.M.C.A. and doesn't mention much about Japan.  Go figure.  Either way, it's a lot more fun to write from the perspective of a O.M.C.A. patron.

Dear Journal,

One Magic Classroom airlines is the worst ever!  First they said we had to wait an hour before we got on the plane.  As a matter of fact, the whole flight was cancelled!  There was a bad storm with hail, rain, and snow, so we had to stay overnight.  My friends Braydon and Jacob even had to sleep in the bathroom.  It was not fun at all!  But we made things exciting by roasting marshmallows and drinking hot cocoa in the middle of the night. Dale Creepy was really CREEPY.  He kept staring at me, so I gave him the Parker evil eye back."

Note to reader:  Parker continues on for an entire page about the horrible service at O.M.C.A.  Unfortunately we were told by management at O.M.C.A. to take the rest of his journal entry down.

What you learned from today's lesson:

1. Dale Creepy is totally a creeper.
2. You'll need a passport to travel anywhere outside the country.  If you're 16 or older, it will be valid (good for) 10 years.  If you're under 15 years of age, your passport is only valid for 5 years.  That requires not just knowing the fancy vocabulary, but also how to navigate the document, my friends.
3. Look for ways to repurpose your sibling's art projects.  You don't need to ask -- that's why they are in the attic after all...right?

One final sentimental thought....

My cousin Kim and I (circa 1991).  Can you tell who is whom?  P.S.  I totally got the pink sweatsuit FIRST, Kim :)

As I was uploading photos for this blog entry, it occurred to me that I really haven't changed much since I was in 3rd grade.  I was reminded of the home videos my cousin Kimi and I used to make as kids.  Most of those videos involved my brother and his friends dressing up as pro-wrestlers and throwing after-holidays clearance Easter candy at the winners, but I'll never forget those moments.

I'm still making these home movies...only with an entire group, and yeah we're capturing something magical here and sharing it with the world.  I hope when my 3rd-graders look back on their school memories, they'll think of Dale Creepy or Chandler in a 70s vintage dress I found in my closet.  Chances are they won't remember the phonics skill sheets that we had to do, but they'll remember the moments they were simply allowed to be kids and the curious spontaneity that the state of being a child offers.

  "When I was 17 my mother said to me, 'Don't stop imagining.  The day that you do is the day that you die.'"

-Musician Trevor Powers of the band Youth Lagoon.

Sending REAL Mail: The Old-Fashioned Way

Sending Real Mail!

Who wouldn't want to get mail from this enthusiastic third grader?

Call me old fashioned, but there's nothing like getting a REAL handwritten letter in the mail.  This post is a reminder to all that although technology may be very convenient in our day-to-day lives, I think it's safe to say we've lost touch in our world.  That's right, tell me that last time you were at a family gathering and somebody wasn't on their cell phone?  We've become accustomed to being isolated to the world of our phones, whether it's Facebook, Twitter (however that works), or a text message, REAL and thoughtful human contact seems farther and farther away.  So, here's a post to dedicated to keeping the art of the written letter alive.  Yes, a handwritten cursive letter for that matter, sent to a grandparent on our uniquely handmade "vintage" paper.  It really doesn't get any cuter folks (unless you're a gerbil in a heart sweater).

Vintage Paper Making

Here we are dying white paper in a mixture of coffee and tea to give it that truly "vintage" look.

We're a unique bunch here at One Magic Classroom, and we couldn't just write a letter on any ol' paper.  Solution: let's make our own vintage paper by simply taking a plain white piece of paper, tearing it around the edges, and then crumpling it up into a ball.  Once you unfold the ball, soak it in a "magic" solution of tea or coffee.  Most of the kids decided to dip them in both.  Yes, they are impulsive.  My tea of choice, Emerald Lily (of course named after me).  It even makes the classroom smell like a hip Portland coffee shop (ha!).

Tea?  Coffee?  Both?

Elijah and Megan hard at work at the One Magic Classroom Vintage Paper Factory.

Just like the old-fashioned way to dry clothes: hang 'em up!

Here is our vintage laundry line of paper.

Lastly, you'll want to dab your wet vintage paper on some paper towels and hang them to dry.  Most should be dry in less than a few hours.  I told the kids to get creative with their "old" paper.  Write a secret message, or draw out a map to find a pirate's sunken treasure.  It's a nice surprise addition to our cursive letters.

Follow me to the SECRET GERBIL SWEATER FACTORY!!  (dun…dun…dun)

Don't forget to let them use a vintage letter stamp kit, courtesy of Don Greenwood.

Taylor even priced her map at the new low price of $123.24.   

Check out the handwriting on this kid.  I'd say Easton's cursive is better than any adult I know.

The best part of sending letters in the mail is getting letters BACK in the mail.  Many of the third graders asked their grandparents what life was like back when they were in third grade.  You may have guessed it, but yes, most grandparents did walk a mile to school; better yet, they used an outdoor bathroom.  And the things kids complain about these days!

 Smile if you're happy that you didn't have to use an outhouse in school.

 I recently found a letter I wrote to my grandmother while she was sick in the hospital.  After she passed away, I found it on top of her nightstand next to her bed.  It was only a few simple lines:

I don't like when you are sick grandma.  I hope 1997 is better than 1996 for you.

Lily

I sealed it with a sticker (a bee on a flower) that said "Buzzin' along!" and wrote my name in my best cursive.  

I have a feeling our third grade letters will be cherished by their grandparents for many years to come.  Who knows, they might even keep them by their bed and read them when they are sick.  

We Wish You a Merry RECYCLED Christmas!

One Magic Classroom Presents: One Magic Recycled Christmas

A VINTAGE BOOK TREE!

A Mother-Earth-friendly Christmas tree made from recycled books, some vintage aprons for the skirt, and a lighted mason jar with antique baby shoes to top it off!

(Thank you, Kiera's mom, for the book tree idea).

Don't waste your money on a fake Christmas tree this year, my friends - get creative and make use of some old things that most of us probably already have lying around the house.  That's right, grab your flashlight and head down to the basement to see what you can come up with.  I ended up finding a box of vintage aprons I purchased at a garage sale several years ago and some very old baby shoes.  Be unique and make a tree that represents you this holiday season, whatever that may be!  So here's a blog post dedicated to making use of what other people consider trash, the very merry One Magic classroom way.

RECYCLED WRAPPING PAPER!

There's no need to fear, the recycled wrapping paper kids are here!  Brown paper bags, twine, and newspaper inspire me.  So before you head out in the frigid cold to buy wrapping paper, remember that you've already got plenty at home, and it probably arrived at your doorstep this morning.

In case you were wondering, the average American throws away almost 1,500 pounds of trash every single year (1,460 pounds to be exact, and you can quote me on that because I wrote it in a book).  Of that 1,500 pounds, there's definitely some unnecessary "baggage" that comes from wrapping paper.  Let's not just teach kids about recycling this season; let's actively involve them with it. (Note to reader: there may need to be a "rap" song written about "wrapping paper," and I have a feeling my 3rd graders are perfect for the assignment).

RECYCLED ORNAMENTS!

"Your mom got me a butler for Christmas.  Can I name him Poopsie?"

Who doesn't want a butler name Poopsie?  And yes, Hannah, you can name him Poopsie.  Just tell them Ms. Sprengelmeyer said you can.  Any questions, and I'll see them in after school detention.

There's always fun to be had with a box of vintage magazines.  This season's assignment only had two requirements:  It needs to be "repurposed" from a vintage magazine, and have a "thought bubble" in the spirit of Christmas, of course.  Third graders are never lacking when it comes to spontaneity or creativity (sorry adults, but they're just more fun), so have a look at these "priceless" Christmas ornaments below.

"I got a watch for Christmas and I can't read it because I'm so old."

"I baked your Christmas cookies, but I had to eat them!"

"I hate this bird." 

"No you don't."

This photo is a classic: the age-old story of being gifted something like knitted underwear and having to act as though you like it.  This time, the boy simply isn't having it, and denial is a lovely thing, my friends.

Four easy steps to making your recycled ornaments:

1.  Find the perfect picture.

2.  Write the perfect message.  Weird is good.

3.  Paste!  Add some macaroni if you're feeling festive.

4.  MOD PODGE!  

In case you're not familiar with MOD PODGE.  I use this stuff all the time.  Not only does it act as a type of glue, but it can also give your paper crafts a nice protective and glossy coat (like a brand new car).  Remember, we want your ornaments to last after all those years of loving usage.

What you learned from today's lesson:

Sponsored by Kaleb and the Magic Elf.

1.  We throw away a lot of stuff.  

2.  You should use that "egg-noggen" in your head (I know it's cheesy, but it's all in good holiday fun) more often and get creative with repurposing items.

3.  MOD PODGE will be your best friend for many craft projects.

4.  Make something for someone you love this holiday season.  They won't be around forever, but your love will :)

5.  Watch It's a Wonderful Life with your family, and tell stories afterwards.  People should do those things more often.

P.S.  Here's one more card that will make you smile...for the more sinister at heart.

"This may be my last Christmas, because I'm so old."

ALL ABOARD! THE TITANIC

ALL ABOARD!

THE TITANIC

Ms. Wilson

3rd Class passager aboard the R.M.S. Titanic

Put on your magic time machine hats my friends, and your favorite pair of knickerbockers as we travel back in time to April 10, 1912.  The R.M.S. Titanic is boarding its first passengers, and we're along for the voyage to hear the first-hand accounts of our passengers aboard this "unsinkable" luxury liner.

Ms. DeMuth

2nd Class Passenger

 

Dear Diary,

My dear friend Megan and I just found out that our rooms are across the hall from one another (how exciting!).  We both enjoyed a marvelous dinner of shrimp and scallops after walking along the deck and singing a song we've made up called "The Titanic is unsinkable!"  I can't wait to arrive in America where I will build a mansion by the ocean.

Ms. DeMuth
April 11, 1912

If there's one thing my students seem to enjoy every year, it's picking their names out of a hat to see what "class" they will be boarding on for the Titanic (yes, first, second, and third class that is).  We spend a week reading as much on the subject as we can, including first-hand accounts (primary source documents) and scouring hundreds of images of the ship and its passengers.  They all seem to be fascinated with the subject, but then again, so am I.  I really don't like to admit this, but I did see the movie eight times in the theaters when I was in junior high…

Duchess Farran

1st Class Passenger

Dear Diary,

I love being on the Titanic with such good people like Ms. Gockel and Ms. Lehnhoff (oh how they make me laugh!).  My friends and I are going to enjoy some Earl Grey tea after dinner, and later on we will be meeting Mr. McDonald by the grand staircase at 8:00p.m.  Did I mention I'm in 1st class?  The rooms are so lovely here.

Sincerely,
Duchess Farran
April 11, 1912

In case you haven't noticed yet, we researched what a typical menu would look like for different passengers aboard the Titanic along with the things they might drink (like Earl Grey tea!).  This takes me back to my tea party days in elementary school when I would fill half of my cup with sugar and mix it with red Twizzlers (yeah, my parents didn't regulate my sugar intake).

Mr. Schemmel

1st Class Passenger 

Dear Diary,

What a wonderful dinner I had this evening with my wife in the first class dining hall.  My room is very charming, and it even has a walk-in closet to keep my finest suits.  My wife and I met a very nice lady in second class named Ruth Becker.  Maybe we will invite her to join us for dinner tomorrow.  We could show her the grand staircase.

Until tomorrow,
Mr. Schemmel
April 13, 1912

Easton (excuse me, "Mr. Schemmel") even referenced a real surviving passenger who was aboard the  Titanic named Ruth Becker.  That's an extra credit point in my book for referencing a passenger from a primary source.  How authentically awesome of you!

Now let's check out some more priceless photos of our passengers below:

Chef Shireman (no relation to Chef Boyardee)

3rd Class Passenger

If you can't tell, our chef takes reading the paper very seriously.  

(Special thanks to my cousin Forest for sending me the authentic 1900's Galena Newspaper to make this photo truly vintage!)

Mr. VonAh

2nd Class Passenger

Mr. VonAh will be working as a prestigious "paperboy" when arrives in America.  I assume he will be delivering papers to the one and only Chef Shireman.

Last, but not certainly least, every passenger must have a boarding ticket to arrive on board:

Chief Officer Taylor (directly under Captain Smith)

This guy might look friendly, but he's not letting anyone board the ship without a ticket!

Ms. Gockel
First Class Passenger

Featuring the latest look in Edwardian fashion.

What you learned from today's lesson:

Note to reader:  This photo has absolutely no relevance, other than it is my favorite photo from Halloween.  So I'll let Braydon and Tatym end with three things you should have learned from today's lesson:

1.  A primary source document (such as a diary entry written from a real passenger aboard the ship) refers to a first-hand account of an actual event.  They were there to experience it!

2.  Ms. Sprengelmeyer really did see the movie Titanic eight times in junior high.

3.  Fake blood and a plastic sword make for a really sweet Halloween photo.

Oh…and one more thing…

Thanks Mike Wolfe for our KID PICKERS books!  We are currently reading them in class

(I told them to do their happy, happy, joy, joy faces…..and they did).

If I Were a TEACHER

IF I WERE A TEACHER

(from the eyes of a 3rd grader)

"If I were a teacher, there would be three hours of recess every day.  We would watch movies on massage chairs after recess and play on iPads.  There would be NO homework EVER, and we would take field trips to see the Chicago Bulls."

-Mr. Yoerger (3rd grade teacher at One Magic Classroom Inc.)

Welcome back my friends to a brand new year of AWESOME from One Magic Classroom.  This is my second time around the blog world spreading happiness with an entirely new group of creative, magical, inspirational, and totally random 3rd-graders.  We took the global blog world by storm last year for the first time ever at East Dubuque Elementary, and we're here to do it again, only ten times bigger and better (like an upgrade to heated seats in a car).

Attention!  We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming with a brief message from the very first class of One Magic Classroom:

Brody loves puppets, and puppets love Brody.
(Photo circa March 2013 from The National One Magic
Classroom Library of Congress Archive)

Last year's group wanted me to tell the new kids (yes, my new 3rd grade class) that they were the first One Magic Classroom blog ever (which I guess makes them really special or something....don't worry, you won't be forgotten).  In fact, without you, our totally new group of magical kids wouldn't have a reading fort and a sock puppet theater.  We also wouldn't have as big of an audience without the cool things you did last year.  So don't worry, we won't forget that you made East Dubuque history!!!

"If I were a teacher, I would have a HUGE candy jar, and the students would get candy every day.  We would even have class pets (five dogs, four bunnies, and sixteen hamsters!).  Robots would do your homework, and we would have a 100-inch flat screen T.V. to watch videos on."

- Ms. DuMuth (head of the Agricultural Research and Development)

"If I were a teacher, my class would have: beanbag chairs, a flat screen T.V., electric pens, a pool, a baseball field and a basketball court, iPods, iPads, a LEGO fort, electric name tags, cool car folders, five cats, and the entire classroom would be made of glass!"

Mr. Huseman (head of the Botany Department: with an emphasis on carnivorous plants)

I decided to start the year off with a writing prompt beginning with: "If I were a teacher..."  A box of vintage glasses and some adhesive beards go a long way in helping to make to this writing prompt a heck of a lot more fun.  It's easy to see from the following students that these future teachers won't be assigning any homework in the near future, nor doing much of anything besides playing with LEGOs and watching television on the largest screens imaginable.

"If I were a teacher, my classroom would have a 1,000-inch T.V. with the most comfortable chairs in the world.  There would never be any homework, and we would go to Hollywood to party for field trips.  All of the lockers would be automatic, and each student would get one million dollars.  At recess we would have paintball wars, and instead of riding the bus to school, we'd take a Ferrari.  

-Mr. Shireman (Professor of Etymology at The Don't-Ask-Questions-Unless-You-Know-What-You're-Talking-About University)

Take a look at some more of our educational staff here at One Magic Classroom INC:

Mr. McDonald (Professor of Ornithology at Unibrow University)

If you can't tell, Mr. McDonald stayed up really late writing his master's thesis on the formation of birds. The best thing about this photo is the heading under his name tag, which states "This is my life".  Brilliant, if you ask me.  So much said, in so few words.  For Tyler, it's just another day for the overworked professor of bird studies.

Ms. Turner (Professor of Latin Studies at The Don't-Give-Me-Attitude College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)

Ms. Lehnhoff (Professional Horse Trainer at The Equine Institute of Higher Education)

Ms. Anger (Editorial Advisor for LEGO Industries)

Here we are!!!  All 24 bright, shining, super stars who just can't wait to share their magic with the rest of the world.  

There you have it.  Our very first blog post for Season II of One Magic Classroom.  Before you leave today, remember three very important facts from today's lesson:
1.  Kids are great because they are totally spontaneous and creative (when you let them).
2.  Ornithology is the study of birds.
3.  You can't go wrong with LEGOs and candy when you're talking with eight year-olds.

"Truly wonderful the mind of a child is."

YODA, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones