Last August, I was standing in a candy store in Spain looking for an interesting sweet for my students.  It was like standing inside of a sweetened rainbow; everywhere you looked, there were bins full of individual candies.  I didn’t just want anything that tasted great.  I wanted something that looked unusual, maybe even intimidating.  My Spanish friends recommended Pikotas.  Without even trying one, I scooped the entire bin into a bag and readied myself for this fun school assignment.

You can’t tell what a Pikota looks like from the outside.  The wrapper is cherry-red with “P!kotas” written  in white bubble letters on the outside.  Once you open it, it’s as if the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker just gave you a treat.  Pikotas sparkle and glimmer.  The crystallized sugar that coats the small, marble-sized ball isn’t white though; it’s the same dark, cherry-red color as the wrapper. 

When I put the Pikota up to my lips, the sugar coating felt like fine-grade sandpaper.  On my tongue, the candy bumped along it.  I was immediately struck by a sweet, fruity flavor similar to Hawaiian Punch.  During the first few moments the Pikota was in my mouth, I let the candy roll from side to side next to my teeth.  Then it happened—I bit down.  The grainy sugar coating split and cracked, revealing a soft center.  It reminded me of a jellybean, but with a rough, sugary coating.  My mouth was rewarded for its impatience.  That bite led to a burst of cherry flavor that exploded on my tongue.  It was like a firework that has a second blast of color.  Unfortunately, when it was over and the candy was  gone, I longed for another Pikota  to pop into my mouth.  Good thing I bought the store out of its Pikotas!

The Pikotas proved to be the perfect candy for my Unusual Foods assignment.  You can only get them in Spain—making them unusual.  Once you get past the rough exterior, you realize these intensely sweet cherry treats are truly tasterific.

Every day my language arts class works to improve their revision and editing skills by correcting poorly constructed sentences.  We call these Daily Oral Language sentences a clever name: DOL!  To be successful, we read each sentence several times looking for a different problem each time.  First we check for spelling mistakes, then for incorrect capitalization, punctuation problems, and finally grammar and usage errors.  We always do it in this order.  But, it can be difficult to remember each step.

 I want to make it easier to remember the order. Can you come up with a phrase to help our memory remember the steps?  This memory aid is called a mnemonic device.  Here are the rules:  1– submit a comment with your suggestion.  After we have a few, we’ll judge these as a class.  All entries will receive a prize, but a big prize will go to the winner.

Think hard.  Take a risk.  Have fun!

-Mrs. B

County Limerick, Ireland is one of the most picturesque  places I have ever visited. Celebrating 10-years of marriage, my husband and I saved Adare Manor for our last night in Ireland.  It was green with a knot garden adorning its view and a river dividing the once grand home and the professional golf course.  It was truly a pampered stay.  Remembering County Limerick makes me proud to share my Irish experience and heritage with my class on this day, St. Patrick’s Day. 

While not descriptive and picture-painting, limerick poems hold their own special, lyrical magic.  Here are some of today’s creations.  In the spirit of true Gaelic craic (sounds like crack– Irish word that means to converse), share your own in the comments section below.

Period 3

There once was a frog from China.

All the while he hoped to eat at a diner.

So he drove to the cove

Where he burned himself on a stove,

That crispy frog from China.

Period 4

I once met a monkey from Kentucky.

Everyday she was unlucky.

But whenever she would dance,

She would magically appear in France.

That unlucky, little monkey from Kentucky.

Period 6

There once was a penguin from New Zea-land

All the while he hoped to play tuba in a band.

He practiced all day

To stay awake he drank latte.

That hyper-piper penguin from New Zea-land!

Period 7

I once met a chihuahua from Alaska

Everyday he dreamt of Nebraska.

But whenever he slept,

The truth made him sad and he wept.

That weepy chihuahua from Alaska.

Period 8

There once was a nerd from Wal-mart

All the while he hoped to be smart.

So he went to college

And gotted more “nowledge.”

That “no”-it-all nerd from Wal-Mart.

Which class limerick do you like the best?