Did I tell you about the curse? Now it is the verse.

The "curse" yes, the Math Curse by Jon Scieszka. I found it recommended somewhere recently so we checked out at the library. It was such a LOL hit with the three of us and ended with a line about the Science Verse that of course we had to check that out too.
We read it yesterday and all LOL'd about it. The kids wanted me to share their favorites with you. J's favorite was

Dino-sore

Once in first gradeI was napping
When I heard a scary yapping,
Frightful word-worse than a slapping
Worse that twenty T-rex roars.

Said our teacher, heartless creature,
"My class, you know, always explores
Ten full weeks of ... DINOSAURS."

Pterodactyl, Stegosaurus,
On and on the same old chorus,
Elementary stuff to bore us.
"No more," we beg. She ignores.

"Yes." She smiles. "They were reptiles."
then locks the windows, bolts the doors.
"Don't you just love... DINOSAURS?"

Every year the scene repeated.
Third grade, fourth grade, we were greeted
With that torture just completed.
Yes, we've heard of carnivores.

Still the teachers changed no features,
Still sopke those words that gave brain sores:
"This year's topic... DINOSAURS."

It's still a mystery, scientists say,
Why the dinosaur went away.
But I know why they couldn't stay
(And it wasn't meteors).

It was creatures - yes, those teachers -
Who did the work of fifty wars
And bored to death... DINOSAURS.

And the fine print at the back of the book "Kind of spooky how "Dino-Sore" reminds you of "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) isn't it?"

Jules' favorite was

Food Chain
I've been working in the food chain,
All the livelong day.
in the middle of the food chain,
I've got no time to play.

Can't you see the green plants growing
That's energy, okay?
Consumer eats up the producer,
Predator eats prey.

Who's for lunch today?
Who's for lunch today?
Don't you just wonder, who's for lunch today?
Predator or prey.
Predator or prey.
Eat or be eaten, that's the only way.

Did you sing it? To the tune of I've been working on the railroad? I did. :)
The best part is that the book came with a cd so we can continue to enjoy the story while on the road.

Lastly, we checked out One Small Square Woods and One Small Square Backyard. The Backyard version was mentioned in a blog (I really am going to have to figure out how to keep track of where I glean these ideas) and I thought it might be something Julia would totally dig. :giggle: I asked each kid to glean the book (Woods for J, Backyard for Jules) and I actually think J may have gotten more out of it. Or rather, he gave immediate feedback where as usually he files things away. Jules on the other hand filed the info away vs immediate feedback (her normal MO)

I continue to be amazed at the diversity of their interests.