periodic coffee tables

since we have to teach the elements and the periodic table in fifth grade (something i wasn't taught until 9th grade), i thought these periodic coffee tables were pretty cool. maybe i could even buy one for my classroom with my cotsen money...

this one's neato because it has actual "embedded element samples" (except for the radioactive ones--boo!) contained under the glass top, and it only costs $9500.

there's also this one made of all wood. you can read the whole story of its creation (with pix) here.

seems like something our resident science expert, mrs. mank, would enjoy. making we could all chip in and buy one for her birthday!

HAPPY ST. BILL HICKS DAY!

back when i started this blog, i wrote a post about seeing bill hicks at UCI in 1992 and how it changed my life. i even wrote a rap called "it's only a ride" inspired by his words... well, today is st. bill hicks day, so i thought it only appropriate to post those words that mentored me.

and btw, i hope it's not true, but there are rumors on these here inter-tubes that russell crowe is slated to play hicks in an upcoming biopic. ugh.

HAPPY EASTER!

scholar dollars

my principal asked us to share some of our trimester 2 successes, and i have to say that my scholar dollar has been quite a useful tool/behavior incentive in my classroom. i know it's not an original idea--plenty of others have used classroom "money"-- but it is an original design/drawing. thanks to wendy wahlen for encouraging me to be gender inclusive with my design, (so P.C.) although it looks like the female character is missing a couple of the scholar "icons." can you spot which ones?