I've been in the mood to tell you about my very first day of school.
Yes, it was a very long time ago, but if you recall, memories are connected to emotions, and I had some very strong emotions that day.
My mother was a teacher, my dad was the Phys Ed director in my town, and my older sister went to school. I had to stay home with the babysitter while everyone else in my family went to school. Needless to say, I wanted to go to school just like everyone else in my world.
I kept asking when I could go to school. My mother showed me on the calendar how many days had to go by before I could finally go. I counted, and counted, and finally, the day came.
School was canceled because of Hurricane Donna.
"But you promised." I was inconsolable. I remember my mother bringing me out to the front porch, trying to convince me that they wouldn't let children go to school when the weather was that bad.
I must have gone to school the next day, but I really don't remember!
It was the intense emotion that I remember to this day. Yet another lesson on the brain and emotions. And another hurricane story.
Here are a couple of videos about Hurricane Donna, if you're interested!
Hurricane Donna Newsreel:
This is pretty old but interesting! Apparently, Hurricane Donna caused a lot of damage because it hit so many different places and kept going! The newsreel does end rather abruptly, but technology has improved a lot since then!
Track of Hurricane Donna:
This shows why Hurricane Donna caused so much damage: it hit Puerto Rico and several islands, the Keys and up the coast of Florida, then the entire coast of the US through New England (where I lived.) Luckily, Hurricanes don't always follow that path!
Click HERE for more information about Hurricane Donna. (This one contains a slide show if you find "please click here" near the bottom of the text. Very interesting stuff if you're fascinated by the weather, as I am!
Want more about Hurricanes to share with your students?
Check out this informational text, which offers 3 different reading levels, text questions, sketching activities, and related brain breaks.
Do you remember your first day of school?
