Turtle in Paradise Chapter 5

Here are some pictures to help us with chapter five.

Up in the top, left corner you can see Matecumbe Key where Mr. Curry (Beans, Kermit, and Buddy's father) is working on the highway. Coming from the island you can see a causeway. That's where dirt has been moved so that a road can be built on top of it. Then the bridge starts.  There are many bridges connecting the keys today, but Mr. Edgit and Turtle had to take a ferry sometimes, remember?

At one point the Diaper Gang had babies lined up "like cigars in a box." This should give you an idea of what that means.

Maybe this is what Jimmy looked like, but is that what the kids in Key West would have looked like?



This is the corner of Francis Street and Curry Lane today, where Turtle pulled the nickel-in-the-bottom-of-the-cup trick to get ice cream.



Turtle in Paradise Chapter 4

One of the main roads in Key West, Duval Street, is mentioned in chapter 4. There are also three different animals mentioned that are important in Key West, but not so much in Wisconsin.

Duval Street - This is where Old Mr. Alvarez ... did ... something ... interesting.

This is the entire island of Key West. Duval Street is one of the main roads in the whole city, and it runs across the entire island. You can see it outlined in purple.

Scorpion

Loggerhead turtle

Natural sponges. Yes, these are actually animals that live on the ocean floor, though not necessarily in a pineapple under the sea.

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 3

When Turtle moves into Beans's room, she mentions some comics on the walls. In addition to Little Orphan Annie, there are three others she mentions - Krazy Kat, Terry and the Pirates, and Flash Gordon.  Here are some examples of each one.

Krazy Kat

Terry and the Pirates

Flash Gordon

Turtle in Paradise Chapters 1-2

Here are some important things to see for chapters 1 and 2 in Turtle in Paradise.

Conch shell.

This is a Ford Model A, the type of car Mr. Edgit drove taking Turtle to Key West.

This is an example of a Little Orphan Annie comic strip that was Turtle's favorite. You can see Annie and her dog, Sandy, saying, "Arf!"

Here's a map of the Florida Keys. You can see the southern tip of the main part of the state, then the keys, or islands, that tail off into the ocean. It is about 160 miles from Miami to Key West.



Here's the entrance to Curry Lane today. It's basically a one way alley.



This is a house on Curry Land. I don't know if this is the same house as Aunt Minnie, Beans, Kermit, and Buddy live, but most of the houses on Curry Lane are very similar.

Another house on Curry Lane.

Fourth Grade - Capitol Tour

Fourth graders.  Before we go to the state capitol in Madision, let's do a virtual visit.  The following link will take you to the website we looked at today with Mr. Baneck and Mr. Wilhorn.  Enjoy your visit, look carefully, and find something new that we didn't mention in class.  Thanks!

Tour the Wisconsin State Capitol

Origami Yoda says, "New one you must make."

"You must."

"MUST!" shouted Yoda.

Make a new what?  Must?  Why?  All that is to be determined during today's reading.  In the meantime here is a picture of a statue of William Shakespeare.  Trust me.  This will be important.

And if you are curious, in another book entitled Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things, we learn that William Shakespeare was good at cursing ... in a creative sort of way.  Here's a website that will allow you to create your own William Shakespeare curses.  Seriously.  Click here.

Origami Yoda says, "The Twist you must learn."

Origami Yoda says, "The Twist you must learn."

If the Twist we must learn, than who better to teach it than the creator of the Twist, Chubby Checker?

When You Reach Me - The Winner's Circle

After the speed round, as Miranda's mother calls it, winners enter the Winner's Circle.  If you are successful three straight days in the Winner's Circle, you win the $20,000.  Interestingly, this episode aired on April 30, 1979, only three days after the date on the card that Miranda's mom receives telling her when she would be a contestant.  Here's what the Winner's Circle looks like:

When You Reach Me - $20,000 Pyramid

Okay fifth and sixth graders, since we are reading When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead in readers' workshop, I thought it would be appropriate to see what the $20,000 Pyramid was actually like.  Here is a clip from 1978 of "the speed round." 

Virtual Students - Wisconsin Animals Links

Here are two good links that will give you a ton of information about animals in Wisconsin.

1. Animals, Plants, and Natural Communities - This link is pretty scientific at first, but once you find the list of common names (rather than than the scientific names - even I can't read those) it gets easier.  There are pictures and short descriptions, including what animals are endangered.

2.  Eek! Critter Corner - This site is just for kids.  It includes many animals in Wisconsin, organized by type of animal, and includes endangered species.  There are pictures, descriptions, and fun facts about a lot of different animals.  (I just read about the firefly!)

The Kane Chronicles, Book Two: The Throne of Fire

The second book of the Kane Chronicles has been announced.  It is called The Throne of Fire (as you can see on the book cover to the left).  AND you can read the first chapter online today and today ONLY.  So hop on over to USAToday and read it. 

The book will be released on May 3.

Fourth Grade - Wisconsin State Symbols

Here are some links to Wisconsin State Symbols.  Some of the information is a little different on each site, but if you don't find everything you are looking for, then you aren't looking very carefully!

Official State of Wisconsin Site - Click Here
Official State of Wisconsin Site - Information describing the reasons behind each symbol - Click Here
State Symbols USA Website - Includes links to pictures and short descriptions - Click Here
EEK! Wisconsin State Symbols - Click Here
Wisconsin Travel Site - Scroll down for state symbols - Click Here
Play the State Symbol Matching Game! - Click Here