Jack and Annie Come to Evergreen

The mythical town of Frog Creek, Pennsylvania is the setting of fifty-two adventurous stories about a brother and sister - Jack and Annie.  Sitting atop a large oak tree, Jack and Annie are whisked to far away places while reading inside their magical tree house. Being only seven and eight years old, these two explorers utilize reading as a gateway through both time and space.

Mary Pope Osborne, the author of the Magic Tree House Series, has written books that introduce young readers to historical fiction and non-fiction themes. Topics ranging from dinosaurs, to knights, to mummies, to pirates, to ninjas, to dolphins, to polar bears, to vikings, and even to Abraham Lincoln are investigated and enjoyed.

On March 4, 2015 beginning at 5:30 pm., Jack and Annie will actually make their way to Evergreen Avenue School for our Magic Tree House-themed Family Reading Night!  All Evergreen families are invited to come out and explore rooms that have been transformed based upon the theme of a particular Magic Tree House book. Crafts will be made, stories will be read, prizes will be awarded, and certainly adventures will be had.  Our PTO will also host a book fair in the all-purpose room making all the popular and latest titles available to students for purchase.

Please be sure to come out and enjoy the night with friends and family!

Evergreen students - in the comment section below, I would like to know which Magic Tree House book is your favorite? Why do you like that one so much?

Games Without Screens

Sliding back 50 spots in Chutes & Ladders or scoring the fifth and final direct hit to sink your opponent's aircraft carrier in Battleship always created excitement for me as a kid.  Getting lost in the Peppermint Forest, climbing Gumdrop Mountain, or getting stuck in Molasses Swamp in Candy Land were consistently entertaining challenges. The travel versions of Chess and Checkers were staples on family road trips in my household.

Board games, or more accurately - games without screens, have been a source of enjoyment for me throughout my life. Being competitive by nature, I would eagerly seek out family members, friends, and simple acquaintances to play and to win!  Some of my all-time favorite board games are Trouble, Clue - it was Colonel Mustard in the hall with the candlestick!, Connect Four,

Sorry,

and everyone's all-time favorite...Monopoly:

Do you put $500 in the middle to start and win it if you land on Free Parking as well?

In 2015, many children now turn their attentions to Nintendo 3DS, XBox One, WiiU, or Playstation 4.  Rather than physically manipulating pieces on a board, children, more often than not, prefer the virtual movement and the slick graphics that these game systems provide.  Many Evergreen students even have headsets where they can connect to other players around the world as they compete in Super Smash Brothers and other similar games.

I am here to yell STOP, slow down and try out a game without a screen!

This is not a sales pitch by an old fuddy-duddy who grew up forever-and-a-day-ago who never knew anything different.  I grew up playing Atari, Nintendo, and Sega Genesis - NHL 93 and the Detroit Red Wings were the absolute best game and team ever!  Speaking from this experience, games without screens are simply better!

Have you ever tried playing a board game?  Do you have a favorite? Are you particularly good at one and are the reigning, undefeated champion of your household? Street? Neighborhood?  If so, I'd like to hear about it.  I want to know your go to game for fun.  Which games do you enjoy playing with your family?

If you are bored with your current choices or just looking for new ideas, might I suggest two games that are popular in my house these days: Settlers of Catan and my kids' favorite RummiKub:

Please sound off in the comments section with board games that you love!

Real American Heroes

Sitting on the couch at a Super Bowl party recently, I noticed a large number of girls - all elementary aged - migrating towards a television as the half-time show was beginning.  This gaggle of girls did not pay particular attention to the football game being played during the first half, but were motivated to find a clear viewing angle now.

Why?  What motivated the girls to forgo the entertainments that provided enjoyable distraction just moments before? There was no formal announcement; no one instructed them to stop what they were doing and come over to the screen.

My answer came from a loquacious little girl squeezing me over to a paltry 1/4 of the cushion - my daughter.  "Dad, I can't wait to hear Katy Perry sing!"

Katy Perry - and her celebrity hero status - was the reason.

Now, Katy Perry is quite talented. That tiger she rode in on was one of the coolest things I've seen recently second only to the star on which she flew around the stadium. Evergreen even voted for one of her songs as a theme song for last year's Math Olympics competition.  But, to ascribe her hero status seems a bit of a stretch.

American culture does this all the time.  Somehow we end up idolizing athletes and celebrities, who are talented, but who do not always display the qualities that are emblematic of heroes.

Today, I would like to quickly introduce you to one person who I believe should be considered a real American hero.

Mary McLeod Bethune:

Born in South Carolina in 1875, Mary spent her life devoted to the cause of bettering the educational opportunities of African-American children. With very little money - reportedly only $1.50, Mary founded a school in Daytona Beach, Florida for black girls.  She tirelessly raised additional money for the school so the girls could receive a quality education.  Over time, the school became quite successful and grew to become Bethune-Cookman University.  Mary's influence grew along with it.  She was elected president of the National Association of Colored Women and even became an unofficial adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt!

Respect, integrity, dependability and  effort are certainly hallmarks of her character.  Do those qualities remind you of any expectations here at Evergreen?  Do you know anyone in your own life who displays these characteristics?  Do you know any real American heroes?

I would love to hear about these heroes, so please share them with me in the comment section below. Please be sure to include which quality you see displayed in your hero and how they demonstrate that quality!

Unfamiliar Foods

While in elementary school, I can distinctly remember thinking how gross and disgusting it seemed when people would talk about eating sushi.  Raw, uncooked fish was not my idea of a savory meal.  This sentiment stayed with me through middle and high school and even extended into college.

It was there, while working at a fancy restaurant in Princeton, that my eyes, and more importantly my taste buds, were opened to this unfamiliar food.  As a standard practice, the Executive Chef, who was responsible for creating the specials menu each night, would sit the staff members down hours before the place opened and review the newly added items.  The chef would describe in great detail where the food came from, any distinguishing characteristics, and share flavor notes that were important to convey to the guests; we were all then given small samples to try.  It was in one of these sessions that I was first confronted with eating this:

Being quite persuasive, the chef explained in an interesting way how with certain types of fish - such as tuna - if you cook the meat too long the actual internal structures start to break down and that completely changes the way the food tastes. So, I worked up some courage, grabbed my chop sticks and clumsily shoved a piece in my mouth.  

Immediately, I was hooked.  This was not just a food I seemed to like, this was a food I loved!  

Now, sushi cravings are common for me.  I pester everyone around me to get sushi as often as possible.  My favorite rolls - often sushi is wrapped in nori (a green seaweed) and rice to form a roll - are Spicy Tuna Rolls, Philadelphia Rolls, and this beauty - a Dragon Roll:

This experience has remained with me and I try to encourage my own children to try unfamiliar foods all the time.  We actually have a rule in my house that you can't tell me that you do not like something unless you have tried it three times: once to get over the shock of simply eating the food, twice to see if you actually like the taste, and three times to confirm whether you like it or not.  This rule has helped my children become significantly more open to unfamiliar foods than I was at their age.

Evergreen students - what unfamiliar foods have you worked up the courage to try?  What is the most unappetizing food for you?

As you think about these questions, try also to have an open mind - maybe even a Growth Mindset! - and make it a point to take the plunge and try it!

You never know just what new flavorful door could be opened for you!