ROB NYE THE SCIENCE GUY

ROB NYE THE SCIENCE GUY

We here at One Magic Classroom Inc. (that's right, Corporation of Awesomeness) really love engineers who also know how to fix bicycles and teach us about angular momentum.  We also love engineers who run community projects like the Dubuque Bike Coop.  That's why we have decided to change Rob Williams' name to Rob Nye the Science Guy (sorry, we voted while you were gone), a more fitting term for people named Rob who make the world a better place, one bicycle at a time.

I like when we can teach kids the practical side of science.  We all hopefully know how to ride a bike, but if you're like most nine-year-olds (which I'm not), you may not yet know how to fill your tire with air.  So thanks Rob for your practical hands-on approach to learning science.  Kids love any excuse to get up out of their seat, and I don't blame them.

Angular Momentum....what you say???

That's right, you heard that correctly; we're learning terminology that makes us sound really smart and important at the dinner table thanks to Rob Nye the Science Guy.  Simply put, momentum will tell you how strong a moving thing is, and the faster you move something (a.k.a. Mr. Bicycle Wheel), the more momentum the object has, and therefore the harder it will be to move Mr. Bicycle Wheel in a different direction (hence the term angular or "rotating body" in this case).    

Art Gumbo comes full circle

Art Gumbo really did come full circle (hence the bicycle wheel) in more than one way.  Rob and Sami Sue (Rogue Collections) also came home winners with a tie for second place that magical night.  As wonderful community events such as Art Gumbo would have it, it not only brought out people of the community in support of the arts, but more importantly, it brought another magical person into our classroom.  We can't say this would have happened any other way.  It seems once you are on the right path doing the right things, the right people come along your way.  Well Rob, you were one of those "right" people that came around to our classroom in a very magical way. 

"As a kid I had a dream - I wanted to own my own bicycle.  When I got the bike I must have been the happiest boy in Liverpool, maybe the world.  I lived for that bike.  Most kids left their bike in the backyard at night.  Not me.  I insisted on taking mine indoors and the first night I even kept it in my bed."

- John Lennon

Bicycles make me nostalgic.  In writing this post, I couldn't help but think about riding on the backseat of Rachel Johnson's red banana seat bicycle when I was in third grade.  I would hitch a ride behind her on the elongated banana seat on our weekly trips to get ice cream, all the while dripping our favorite Blue Moon ice cream along the path on our way back home.  

GRATITUDE

GRATITUDE

"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

-Marcel Proust

Karlyn Van Gelder with two of my very appreciative students.  

Amy McNally surrounded by love.  Yeah that's right, we are pretty much one big happy rainbow of love (if that's possible).

I'm not trying to make you jealous (okay, maybe I am), but I do have the best volunteers of all time.  This is a post dedicated to two volunteers who have not only spread happiness to our classroom, but more importantly who have helped my students grow and made them feel important.  This my friends is gratitude.  Gratitude for the little things in life; for the people who do those little things each day that add up to something truly wonderful in the end.

What are you grateful for?

"I'm grateful for my cat Peter.  He plays with me.  I feed him, and I love him."

-Tim

The students all used photos of themselves, and then drew imaginary bodies and gratitude thought bubbles to show what they were truly grateful for in life.  Tim also told his dad to "keep clicking on on our blog to get more views".  That's kinda hilarious, so If you are reading Dale....KEEP CLICKING ;)

"I'm grateful for my family because my mom and dad take me to fun places and come to my events.  My brother (Tyler) for playing with me and always being nice to me.  My coaches for letting me play, and my awesome teacher for doing all these incredible things for us."

-Brandon

Besides the fact that Brandon got an "A" for mentioning his teacher (just kidding), this is a great example of being grateful, because this is really about the people (not things!) that one should be grateful for.  Nice job Brando.

"I am grateful for having nice grandparents.  They always watch me when my parents are on a date or doing something.....BORING."

-Connor

This one rocks because I think what he is trying to say here is that going on dates would be boring.  You're right Connor, going on a date with your parents is definitely not as fun as making sock puppets with your teacher after school.  I'm also not totally sure what this picture refers to, but I like it.  

"I am grateful for my family because they care for me.  I am also grateful for my teacher because she helps me learn and grow!"

Sadie, I'm grateful for you and all the wonderful pictures you draw and stories you write.  Your picture seems like a really happy place to be, so I am going to check out the real estate available for the building of One Magic Animal Kingdom based on something similar to your drawing.

In closing:

I hope you have taken the time to think about a few people in your life who you are grateful for.  I'm totally grateful for Amy and Karlyn who volunteered all year in my classroom.  Since my One Magic Classroom budget (which doesn't exist) hasn't been able to pay you a dime for all your kindness, I know you have been repaid by the countless smiles they have given you in return. 

I hope you walk with some positive "tude"in your step after reading this grati-"tude" post.  I know I will for having the 25 best students a teacher could ask for, and the two best volunteers.

One last thing Amy...

"I am grateful for my mom because she had me."

-Dylan

In case you were wondering what your son wrote, it was about you.  Imagine that?  Your son is grateful for you as well.  So nice job on having Dylan so that he could be in my class, and so that you could volunteer ;)