Saturday, July 31, 2010

HAPPY NATIONAL DANCE DAY!

"NATIONAL DANCE DAY, a grassroots initiative that encourages the nation, young and old, to move! Individuals, families, organizations and communities from across the nation come together through their creative expression in dance. Any style of dance is welcome and imagination is recommended in order to get the most out of this celebratory day.

Why? To continue to generate national awareness for dance, a medium of expression and ...storytelling which, through shows like So You Think You Can Dance, has proven its value in bringing individuals from all walks of life together through a positive platform that has no boundaries and cultivates imagination and passion. Most importantly, the day is intended to promote health and wellness nationwide."

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO AND LEARN A COOL HIP HOP DANCE! DANCE IT TODAY!



Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Thursday, July 29, 2010

BUG SONGS AND POEMS PART II



Fireflies in Flight
(Tune of "Camptown Races")

Fireflies come out at night.
Blink, blink. Blink, blink.
Showing off their little lights
In the summer sky!

Can you see them glow?
Flying to and fro,
Fireflies come out at night
In the summer sky!

The Little Caterpillars

Ten little caterpillars crawled up on the vine.
One slipped off, and then there were ______.

Nine little caterpillars sat upon the gate.
One hid behind the latch, and then there were ______.

Eight little caterpillars are on their way to heaven.
One went to find a leaf, and then there were ______.

Seven little caterpillars tried to find some sticks.
One went behind a bush, and then there were______.

Six little caterpillars crawled down the drive.
One skittled far away, and then there were ______.

Five little caterpillars were creeping as before.
One slipped inside a crack, and then there were______.

Four little caterpillars climbed up a tree.
One hid behind some bark, and then there were ______.

Three little caterpillars found leaves that were new.
One crawled far away and then there were______.

Two little caterpillars were snoozing in the sun.
One woke and ran away, and then there was______.

The Bugs on the Go
(Tune: "The Wheels on the Bus")

The small honeybees go buzz-buzz-buzz,
Buzz-buzz-buzz,buzz-buzz-buzz.
The small honeybees go buzz-buzz-buzz,
All day long.

The crickets in the grass go hop-hop-hop,
Hop-hop-hop, hop-hop-hop.
The crickets in the grass go hop-hop-hop,
All day long.

The slow caterpillars go munch-munch-munch,
Munch-munch-munch, munch-munch-munch.
The slow caterpillars go munch-munch-munch,
All day long.

The big black spiders go creep-creep-creep,
Creep-creep-creep, creep-creep-creep,
The big black spiders go creep-creep-creep,
All day long.

Do you like to Buzz?
(Tune: Do Your Ears Hang Low)

Do you like to buzz.
Are you covered all in fuzz?
Do you call a hive a home
In the garden where you roam?
Do you know how to make honey,
Are your stripes a little funny?
Do you like to buzz?

The Fuzzy Caterpillar
(Tune:Itsy Bitsy Spider)

The fuzzy caterpillar
curled up on a leaf,
Spun her little cocoon
and then fell fast asleep.
While she was sleeping,
she dreamed that she could fly
And later when she woke up
She was a butterfly!

BEE SONG
(Sung to: She'll Be comin' Round the Mountain)

They'll be flying 'round the flowers in the yard. Buzz buzz. (flap hands)
They'll be flying 'round the flowers in the yard. Buzz buzz.
They'll be flying 'round the flowers; they'll be flying 'round the flowers;
They'll be flying 'round they flowers in the yard.

More verses:

They'll be slurping up the nectar when they come. Gulp! Gulp! (pretend to swallow)
They'll be scooping up the pollen with their legs. Fun! Fun! (Stomp twice)
They'll be feeding all the babies in the hive. Eat! Eat! (pretend to rock baby)
They'll be cooling down the hive with their wings. Flap! Flap! (flap arms)
They'll be making lots of honey that we'll eat. Yum! Yum! (rub tummy)

KATHY STEMKE:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Friday, July 23, 2010

Summer Songs and Poems


INSECTS!!
(Sung to: She'll Be comin' Round the Mountain)

They'll be flying 'round the flowers in the yard. Buzz buzz. (flap hands)
They'll be flying 'round the flowers in the yard. Buzz buzz.
They'll be flying 'round the flowers; they'll be flying 'round the flowers;
They'll be flying 'round they flowers in the yard.

More verses:
They'll be slurping up the nectar when they come. Gulp! Gulp! (pretend to swallow)
They'll be scooping up the pollen with their legs. Fun! Fun! (Stomp twice)
They'll be feeding all the babies in the hive. Eat! Eat! (pretend to rock baby)
They'll be cooling down the hive with their wings. Flap! Flap! (flap arms)
They'll be making lots of honey that we'll eat. Yum! Yum! (rub tummy)

When the Bugs Come Out in Spring
Tune: When the Saints Come Marching In

Oh when the bugs come out in spring
Oh when the bugs come out in spring
I want to be outside marching

When the bugs come out in spring
I'll see some crawl; I'll see some fly
I'll count how many go marching by
I'll watch and see how many I know
Of the bugs that come out in spring


I'm A Little Turtle
(sung to the tune of "I'm A Little Teapot")

I'm a little turtle with a shell,
I have four legs, a head, and a tail,
When I get so scared I want to hide,
I pull my head and legs inside!

A New Itsy-Bitsy Spider

The itsty-bitsy spider
Crawled up on Jordan’s head.
He crawled all around, then used it for a bed.
He crawled down his back
and jumped down to the floor.
Then the itsy-bitsy spider
Crawled underneath the door.


DO SPIDERS STICK TO THEIR OWN WEBS?

The spider weaves a sticky web
To capture bugs to eat.
What keeps the spider's sticky web
From sticking to her feet?
Spider webs are very tricky
Because not all the strands are sticky.
Unlike the passing hapless fly,
The spider knows which strands are dry.
But if she accidentally stands
Upon one of the sticky strands
She still will not get stuck, you see-
Her oily body slides off free.

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Monday, July 19, 2010

50 Fun Field Trip Ideas for Homeschoolers


If you're homeschooling your children, you know that letting them get out of the house and pursue learning opportunities in the larger world is an important part of their learning process. After all, all the things that they learn don't mean much unless they can apply them to the real world. If you're looking for some great ways to help your kids learn on a field trip, here's a list of ideas that can help enrich their knowledge about a wide range of subjects.
For links go to http://www.onlinecollege.org/2010/07/18/50-fun-field-trip-ideas-for-homeschoolers/

History and Government

Check out these ideas for ways to learn about the history and government of our nation.

1.Spend the day at a historical site significant to your lessons. There are thousands of historical sites in the United States and it's likely that there are at least one or two close to where you live. Spend the day exploring one to bring the history in your lessons to life.

2.Walk through your state or city capitol. This is a valuable chance to learn about government and the history of your state or city.

3.Take a walk through a notable cemetery. It might seem morbid but touring the cemetery will give you an excuse to talk about the well-known people who are buried there and the history behind them.

4.Learn more about ancient history by visiting an archaeological site. In America, there are a wide range of archaeological sites to visit, most related to Native American culture, that can let your kids get a window to the past as see how archaeologists work.

5.Find out more about presidents, thinkers and important people at historic birthplace museums. Do you live near the birthplace of a famous person? Take your kids along and spend the day learning about the impact this person made on the world.

6.Ask to show your students around a local fire or police station. This way, they can learn more about these municipal workers and how they respond to emergencies.

7.Walk in the footsteps of the past on a historic trail. Travel the same roads as people did hundreds of years ago with an education bike or hike on a historical trail.

8.Learn how mail works at the post office. Let your students write letters and visit the post office to mail them to gain a better understanding of how our US mail system works.

9.See the past in action by visiting a historical reenactment. A Civil War reenactment or a trip to a historical town like Williamsburg can help bring American history to life for your students.

10.Learn about Native American culture at a historical site or museum. These sites will help you to teach your kids more about the people who have called America home for thousands of years.

Science and Nature

These ideas will have you enjoying the wonders of the natural world.

11.Plan a visit to a science center or museum. You'll be able to engage in all kinds of interactive learning experiences and hopefully get your students excited about science.

12.Get a laboratory tour. Are your little learners intrigued by how scientists work? Take a tour of a laboratory to see how tests are performed and how real science works.

13.Get a greater understanding of the night sky through a show at a planetarium. There are usually a wide range of fun programs you can take students to that will help them understand the constellations and the solar system.

14.Take an afternoon to study animals and their habitats at the zoo. Taking a trip to the zoo can be a great way to not only learn about animals but the environments they call home as well.

15.See what natural wonders a natural history museum holds. From dinosaur bones to artifacts from people living long ago, these museums offer a chance for your learners to discover the history of our planet and our people.

16.Study the names and appearance of trees at an arboretum. Give your kids a course in botany by visiting an arboretum, studying the trees and learning about plant biology.

17.Get a chance to see the wonders of the world's oceans at an aquarium. Aquariums offer young learners a chance to get up close and personal with all kinds of sea creatures. If you don't have an aquarium near you, consider a local shop that sells tropical fish as an alternative to study fish and corals.

18.Go for a hike in a nearby park or woods. It'll give you a chance to learn about local plants and animals as well as more general science topics.

19.Learn how plants grow at a greenhouse. Taking a trip to a commercial greenhouse is a great way to learn about the life cycle of plants.

20.Camp out in the woods (or your backyard) for a night. You'll get to experience nature firsthand, learn how hard it might have been for early settlers and spend some time looking at the night sky.

21.Delve into the depths with a trip to a cave. Caves are a natural formation that can not only teach kids about water and earth cycles but are a great way to appreciate the natural beauty of the world.

22.Study your local biome with an environmental tour. If you're studying biomes why not go outside and find evidence of what your local biome is?

23.Study the skies at an observatory. If there is a nearby observatory at a research institution or college, use a tour as a way to learn more about how scientists study the skies.

24.Go bird watching to see the birds that call your area home. Learn more about the types, habits and calls of the birds in your neighborhood.

25.Explore the natural world in a national or state park. National and state parks are full of educational experiences that range from the scientific to the historical.

Culture

Take in some culture by taking your kids on one of these field trips.

26.Study a play performed in a theater. If you've been reading Shakespeare, take the time to go see it performed live for a better understanding of what drama is.

27.Learn more about famous artists at an museum. Learn about the artists who shaped culture and history through their works at a local art museum.

28.Plan a trip to a local religious facility. Study a religion or belief system outside of your own by visiting a church, mosque, synagogue or Hindu temple.

29.See artists in action at an art studio. If you're teaching budding young artists, consider taking them to an art studio to see how real artists make and prepare their works.

30.Take in a local festival. There are local festivals of all varieties but these will give you a chance to celebrate products and people important to your local community.

31.Listen up at a local concert or orchestral performance. Seeing an orchestra or band live can help inspire your kids to pick up an instrument and play, or can provide the foundation for lessons on music.

32.Teach your students about photography with their own photo shoots. Let your kids take photographs on their own photoshoot to help them learn about the power and pleasure of documenting the world around them. Add some text to the photos and have your students create their own newspaper about their travels.

33.Visit a make-your-own pottery studio. Get your hands dirty and learn more about pottery making, and it's history, by making your own.

34.Learn more about famous authors by visiting their cities or places they wrote about. Study up on famous writers, their works and their time period by visiting an artist's home or the settings for their books.

35.Make arts and crafts at a local store or studio. Help your kids embrace their artistic side with classes at a local studio or craft store where they can learn everything from sewing to painting.

Industry

Learn more about where the products and services we use every day originate through these great excursions.

36.Find a local factory and take a tour. From chocolate to cars, touring a factory is a great education in where things come from.

37.Learn more about transportation at a railway station or take a train ride of your own. You can learn about the importance of the railroad through a tour of a station or take to the rails yourself to experience rail travel firsthand. Ask your students to compare it to other forms of travel.

38.Plan a trip to a farm to learn where food comes from. Your kids might know food comes from somewhere but they might not be aware of how much work it takes to get it to the supermarket. A trip to a farm will help them learn about farming, environmental issues and eating right.

39.Take in the sights at an aviation museum. Flight changed how we interact with the world. Learn more about the history of it at a local museum or airport.

40.Spend an afternoon at a fish hatchery, learning about the life cycle and production of fish. Your students will get a chance to see biology first-hand and learn where their food comes from.

41.Go to a bakery to see how breads, pastries and other baked goods are made. Baking bread can be a lesson in chemistry, and watching it made on a large scale can be an educational and delicious trip.

42.See just how items are really recycled at a recycling collection plant. Help encourage your kids to recycle by showing them just what happens to those materials at a recycling plant.

43.Pick fruits and vegetables at a local orchard or farm. Your kids will get to enjoy a day working, but also understand how farming works and learn about plant reproduction.

44.Visit a ghost town. Ghost towns are more common than you think so look around your area for one to see to teach your students about industry and the economy.

45.Find out about where power comes from at a local power plant. We often take for granted that we have power when we need it, so show your kids just where it comes from with a power plant tour– a great lesson for chemistry and science studies as well.

Community

Explore your own community for learning experiences with these ideas.

46.Study distinctive homes in your community. It's a great way to learn more about architecture and the history of your community.

47.Plan out a tour on foot or on bike of your city. You'll be able to hit the major landmarks that define the past and present of your city.

48.Learn respect for all creatures with a trip to a local animal shelter. By learning about animals, your students will be more inclined to treat them with respect and work to protect them.

49.Get valuable business lessons from a local entrepreneur. Want your kids to learn more about business? Get a local entrepreneur or business to show your kids the ropes.

50.See where your water comes from at a water treatment facility. Do your kids wonder where the water they drink comes from? A tour of a treatment plant can show them how it gets to the tap and what a valuable resource water can be.


Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Saturday, July 17, 2010

BACKWARDS DAY ACTIVITIES!


Backwards Day Lesson Plan

If you're looking for a fun idea for April Fool's Day, or to use as a reward for students who have worked hard on a project or state tests why not consider planning a Backwards Day?

Invite students and teachers to wear their clothes backwards or inside out.

Backward Jokes:
· What vehicle is spelled the same backwards and forward? Racecar
· What has four legs and goes "oom-oom" answer: A cow walking backwards
· Forwards it is heavy, backwards it is not. What is it? Answer: A ton.

Poem: "Backward Town"

The folks who live in backward town
Are inside out and upside down.
They wear their hats inside their heads
And go to sleep beneath their beds.
They only eat the apple peeling
And take their walks across the ceiling.

Simon Says Backwards. Do the opposite of what "It" says when It says "Simon Says."

Give each student a "Hello, My Name Is…" nametag. Have them write their name backwards on the nametag.

Take a trip back in time in a time machine. Study dinosaurs.

If you can arrange it, watch a short cartoon backwards.

Plan relay races in which students race backwards.

Read a book backwards. This will be especially funny to students if you read a book with which they are familiar. A Dr. Seuss book, or "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" should work well.

Have a contest: Who can recite the alphabet backwards fastest?

Read Shel Silverstein's poem "Backward Bill" and Backwards Day by Joan Holub.

Backward Watercolor: Have child apply water to paper with paintbrush, covering the entire paper. Then have child draw and color on the wet paper with markers and the colors will run and mix to create a great looking watercolor picture!

Backward Sandwich: Take a piece of bread and roll meat and cheese around it to make an inside out sandwich.

Turn a lot of things in the classroom "backward" from the way they usually are. (You might make changes as obvious as turning your desk around to changes as subtle as turning the letter R backwards on a bulletin board headline.) Challenge students, or pairs of students, to a scavenger hunt in which they find as many backward things as they can. Award a prize to the person(s) who finds the most backward things.

Allow students to sit backwards in their chairs, or teach from the back of the classroom instead of the front.

Read Silly Sally by Audrey Wood. The text is “Silly (name) came to school. ________ backwards was really cool.” Brainstorm silly things that could be done backwards and make a backwards book. Take a photo of the child’s back and put that on the cover that says “Guess Who?” You turn the page and there is a photo of the child facing forward that says “It’s (name).

Jump rope backwards.

Students might eat dessert before they eat their lunches.

Backwards movement exploration; walk backward, skate backard, row backward, circle arms backward, kick backward, jump backward, hop backward, crawl backward, fly backward, dance backward.

Do an Opposites Crossword Puzzle or one of these other opposites activities from BogglesWorld.com.

Tape drawing paper underneath the tables in your classroom or cafeteria. Have students lay on the floor and draw on the paper.

Challenge older students to find in the dictionary as many palindrome words as they can. A palindrome word is a word that is spelled the same frontward and backward. For example: pop, toot, deed, refer…

Have students send a Backwards Day e-card to their parents.

Get a masters in education to better teach children.


Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Thursday, July 15, 2010

LETTER MONSTERS EAT LETTER SOUNDS!


The "letter monsters" are actually made from tissue boxes though you could cut openings in shoe boxes and use them the same way.

*Paint the boxes and use clip art to make the faces.

*The holes make the mouths of the monsters.

*Collect junky little kids toys, such as plastic dinosaurs and those from Kid's meals to get a collection of things starting with different letters.

*Students pick a toy and feed it to the monster and says that sound.

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Friday, July 9, 2010

Creating a Home Library for your Children


www.ReadingRockets.org/books/aboutkids

Article adapted from "Helping Your Child Become a Reader." U.S. Department of Education. 2005.

Starting a home library for your child shows him/her how important books are. Having books of his/hers’ own in a special place boosts the chance that your child will want to read even more. Here are some ideas for creating your own home library.

Finding books

1. Become a treasure hunter! Browse book store sales, garage sales, flea markets, used book stores, and sales at your local library.

2. Organize a children's book swap with friends, community groups, or your school.

3.Encourage family and friends to give books as gifts for birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations.

4. Don't forget quality nonfiction and children's magazines!

Building your library

1. A cardboard box or small wooden packing crate that you can decorate together might make a good bookcase. Or you might clear one of the family bookshelves.

2. Pick a special place for your child's books so that she knows where to look for them – in a cozy corner of your child's bedroom, or close to where the rest of the family gathers and reads if your child is very social.

3. Help your child to arrange his/her books in some order – his/her favorite books, books about animals, or holiday books. Use whatever method will help him/her most easily find the book they are looking for.

4. "This book belongs to..." Bookplates give your child a sense of ownership and can add "newness" to a used book. You can make your own or download and print these colorful designs by children's book illustrators:

http://www.myhomelibrary.org/bookplates.html

5. If you and your child make your own books together, you can add those to your home library, too.

6. Borrow books from your local library. Go to the children's section and spend time with your child reading and selecting books to take home and put in his/hers’ special spot. You might even have a box or space just for library books, so that they don't get mixed up with your child's own books.

When collecting and reading books are a part of family life, you send your child a message that books are important, enjoyable, and full of new things to learn.

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

THE WILD SOCCER BUNCH, KEVIN THE STAR STRIKER



Title: The Wild Soccer Bunch, Kevin the Star Striker
Ages: Middle Grade
Author: Joachim Masannek
Illustrator: Jan Brick
Hardback: 145 pgs
Publisher: Sole Books
Publication Date: 2010, Wild Soccer USA, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-0-9844257-0-9
Reviewed by Kathy Stemke

Kevin, the star striker, grabs your attention immediately with his action packed description of each member of the Wild Bunch. The action continues with down to earth dialogue as we experience their passionate love and devotion to the game of soccer. With the birth of spring, each unique personality must overcome many obstacles just to get to the soccer field.

When they finally manage to get to the field, they find themselves surrounded by Mickey the bulldozer and his gang, the Unbeatables. This older, bigger, and meaner gang has taken over the field.

Kevin explains, “He (Mickey the bulldozer) stomped across the wet field; his every step turned the muddy water into steam. The ground shook. So did his flabby paunch. But underneath all that fat were iron muscles and a black heart.”
Instead of running, the Wild Bunch stands their ground and challenges the Unbeatables to the most important game of their lives. The winner takes back the field.

When they turn to Larry, the alcoholic lemonade guy and ask for help, they are in for a few surprises. The Wild Bunch learns many life lessons about teamwork and perseverance from their new coach. Their struggles and hard work also improve their soccer skills. With some unexpected twists and turns in the story, you’ll wonder until the end if this bunch has the stuff to win.

As a retired teacher, who has taught many reluctant readers, I highly recommend this inspiring book. The fast paced action and gritty dialogue that flows through every chapter will captivate boys everywhere. Readers will find themselves rooting for these average boys who become super heroes by their sheer determination to win.


CREATE A SOCCER SHAPE POEM

Create the words for your poem below! Write whatever words come into your mind for each of the three words below. I'll give some examples.

Soccer (nouns): speed, game, friends, skill, Wild Bunch, ball,

Descriptive words (Adjectives): fun, fast, rugged, zoom,

Rhyming words: breed, fame, trends, kill, tall, call, sun, last, blast, boom,

CREATE YOUR POEM

Use some of the words above to create a shape poem in the soccer ball. Remember your words can flow anywhere in the shape, but make sure readers can follow your poem. You don't need to use all the words. Have fun!



Kathy's websites:

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Sunday, July 4, 2010

HAPPY 4TH OFJULY: POEM



INDEPENDENCE DAY


In the year of 1776

That paper was decreed -

They were tired of oppression

And wanted to be freed .



They wrote a Declaration

So the whole world would see

This was, "the home of the brave

And the land of the free".



They signed that piece of parchment

The leaders of this land

Knowing, divided they would fall

But, together they could stand.



A new world lay before them

Untamed from shore to shore -

They swore they would protect it

If it meant going to war.



Battles have been fought

And many lives have been lost -

So sad something so basic

Has such a high, high cost.



Seems freedom is a luxury

There's some would bind us all -

Like then, together, we can stand

But divided, we will fall.



Two hundred thirty-four years

Have past by since that day

That each of us celebrate

In our own different way.



We should be proud and thankful

Pay our share of the cost -

Not take freedom for granted

For it easily could be lost.



Del "Abe" Jones


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