The American Revolution

Okay...now I have never been very interested in history. I don't like memorizing dates or knowing all of the battles fought in a war (let alone who one each), and I just never understood the drive that people had to learn about it. Well, now I do. Do you know how often times as an adult things you disliked as a kid become some of your favorite things when you are an adult (for me: avocados, black pepper, grocery shopping, and now...HISTORY!)

A little backgroung...I am a licensed teacher, but I currently have a sub-only license because I never taught at the high school level (which was my authorization originally). I could have taken a class each year or done some other things to keep it, but money and time held me back.

After quitting my job and having Gavin and then Micah, I have subbed and tutored off and on for the school district where I live. I fell in love with elementary! Go figure! I think that is a rare thing (going from high school to elementary), but I also think that maybe I was never meant to be a high school teacher. I love too many subjects to only teach math!

That being said...let's get back to my original topic: history. I wanted to teach all the subjects, but history?!?! I never liked it in school (except studying the Holocaust and Oregon).

Now I am teaching the American Revolution to a great group of 5th graders, and I love it! I am getting my elementary authorization and have to do a practicum at that level, so I am doing 5th grade. I am absolutely enthralled by the study of this great war! Wow! I am a person who definitely likes to argue and bicker, but I am not a fighting person. I purposefully married someone that uses his words with everyone, and I do not like the idea of war. However, I do know that it is necessary at times and that even Bible has shown how God helped the Israelites battle their enemies. But I am still surprised at how much I LOVE this!

I read Longfellow's peom, "Paul Revere's Ride," to the class yesterday. It is a great read, but best done after a tiny refresher on events of April 18th, 1775 and those just prior. Paul was an express rider (in Boston) who needed to get word to the colonial militia in Concord that 700 British soldiers were also coming from Boston to destroy the stores of military supplies the Continental Army had there. So Revere waited in Charlestown (across the river from Boston) for lights in the top of the Old North Church (1 if by land, 2 if by sea) to know how they were coming and then to be off to warn all of the minutemen and Patriot leaders on his way. He was captured on the west side of Lexington and 2 other riders continued on the Concord. Check out the poem if you have time! I did some hand motions and some foot-stomping, galloping, etc. while I read it and it really seemed to come alive! After reading it, they were assigned partners and one stanza per pair to translate into an easy to read, everyday language paragraph. We will read our version of the story on Monday!

You can check it out at the site below! Sorry if I bored you, but I am so excited about this!!

www.legallanguage.com/resources/poems/midnightride/