lukeskyfoos

[lukeskyfoos]

The last two books I've finished! These have both been comfort reads. I am going to work my way through Percy Jackson with @sidecarstories, with an eye toward recommending it and talking about it with students in the future. I have a soft spot for books written for middle school students - and I think I had the soft spot even before I taught in a middle school myself. It's a time in life where looking at heroics and introspection feels very real and personal for some reason. . I obviously have less to say about Percy Jackson than I did about Dune, but it's necessarily a less meaty book. It's all good fun with the Greek gods set in the modern era, and I enjoyed it a lot. . Anyone else have a special love for middle school books? What are some of your favorites? I loved @patrickcarman and Elizabeth Kay, and I still have copies of some of their books kicking around in my classroom. https://www.instagram.com/p/CLfoB8nnj8V/?igshid=1pmjz6dppzao8

[lukeskyfoos]

Those of you who have followed me for a while know I'm a sci-fi geek. Those of you who know me personally know not to mention Lord of the Rings around me, because I will nerd out for half an hour without giving you space to speak two words together. This is an American LOTR, so get ready to hear way too much about that: . I'm here to tell you that I've finally read Dune, and it is phenomenal. It is a lesser-known sci-fi classic for those who aren't into sci-fi and it is a much-beloved superstory for those who are. It inspired many more famous works like Star Wars and others. . For some context on my newfound love for this book: I do not enjoy the majority of literature written in the United States. I find our canonical authors (the white male ones, especially) to be dry, uninspired, and full of hot gaseous nothings. This bears some of the traits I do not like, but it brings them to place they belong. American lit has a weird heightened tone (so does most lit from the last century, but, woof, were we ever proud of our vocabularies and college degrees here). In Dune, the tone fits with the scene. Much American Literature has an in-your-face moral teaching, but Dune flips the theme and uses it to emphasize the interconnectedness of moral teaching. . To get back to the point about it being an American LOTR, here is a novel that shows its readers developed cultures at war with one another, microplots that all come to head in macroplots, languages and religions specialized to racial groups, and, above all, it is a mirror to its time. . LOTR is a thinly veiled admonishment to its culture: industrialization is evil, nature is beautiful. War is a terrible tragedy that should only be taken up to fight unimaginable evil, and even then, be prepared to accept a grim toll. LOTR was written by a WWI veteran, a language professor, a man who knew loss and friendship and the dangers of his society. I've read most of Tolkien's work and a good bit of biographical material there. . Oh no!!!! I ran out of space here. Apparently, the rest of this will be in the comments. (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLazOL-l1kh/?igshid=1evrhm7hjvfmm

[lukeskyfoos]

Wow. This book is gorgeous. No wonder it’s a classic and every High School has it on their reading list. About 50 pages from the ending, I said, “I don’t get why people think Boo Radley is so important; he’d have to do something really big to be at the center of this story." . Now, I get it! (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJCvU-Hlaq6/?igshid=5ycl25fob2um

[lukeskyfoos]

We just finished a research paper unit, so it's onto Mockingbird for me and my 9th grade students! I haven't read this one before, so I'm very excited to go through it just ahead of my class! They start on background and contextual information tomorrow. . What should I be looking forward to in this one? (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIUdldqFlbn/?igshid=1tog47hectvdm

[lukeskyfoos]

Is anyone else a weirdly big Jerry Seinfeld fan? Like, I never watched his classic sitcom straight through (I saw tons of re-runs), but I have been following the current Jerry Seinfeld and his comedy specials/books for a few years. . Why do I like this guy, you ask? I'm still not sure. But I'm listening to this book. https://www.instagram.com/p/CH_v3yQlgTr/?igshid=1wih73x5rl0x1

[lukeskyfoos]

8 years of marriage today. I love you, @bonniestoltzfoos. (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH7281ClOK5/?igshid=we58sx56xu3b

[lukeskyfoos]

LOOK AT THIS AMAZING GIFT FROM A VERY NICE STUDENT (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHhG5y2lcD7/?igshid=2yj23h6cc97r

[lukeskyfoos]

A DAY'S WORTH OF FALLEN LEAVES November 3, 2020 With a thousand soft shakes Wind woos the leaves from the trees They'd wanted to fall, but hadn't For fear of change For the joy of a cool, dim autumn While falling, the leaves laugh "Seeds are falling, too!" they say. The seeds smile back "We will weather this winter together! and in Spring you will help us grow strong - we'll grow strong together." The leaves chime in, jostling closer, "Stronger for having fallen." The seeds agree, falling into a long sleep, "Stronger for having fallen." (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHJ1sxIFhR1/?igshid=ppmaiyky6rkb

[lukeskyfoos]

I launched a unit on Horror Literature today. It's probably my least favorite genre, but I LOVED these lessons. Even if I prefer to, ya know, enjoy my life and experience happier things in my leisure time, I can still acknowledge how important it is that horror stories help us explore our fears. Maybe even more importantly, good horror stories can help us explore WHY we fear what we do. Pictured above are some of my favorite parts of today's lesson (it was an interactive Nearpod, as educators probably recognize), and I'm planning to share some anonymous answers from my students in my stories- and ask for yours! (at New OxfordMiddle School) https://www.instagram.com/p/CF3aTl6ld__/?igshid=121z08derlm5n

[lukeskyfoos]

Hey peeps. Some life updates are in my stories today. See you when I'm consistently reading and writing things that don't fit into lesson plans! https://www.instagram.com/p/CFEEqIUFG08/?igshid=fsufhziwnx5u

[lukeskyfoos]

The super dope way I'm walking around my house today. Superior face included. (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CD_d-19F55D/?igshid=3g90bg51k3gx

[lukeskyfoos]

I've been binging on Michelle Obama's "Becoming" this weekend and today and it is SO good. Biographies don't always hold my attention, but this one is difficult to put down for me. #MichelleObamaForPresident (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDKP8kQFW82/?igshid=18zbzjh18e22

#michelleobamaforpresident

[lukeskyfoos]

My kids are playing so nicely and I get to reeeaaaaadddddd! (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CC1O1P8lkV7/?igshid=15vt0yksul8pz

[lukeskyfoos]

Day 4 of sharing my books by BIPOC. In order to keep the spotlight toward Black readers and writers, I'm sharing reviews of this book in my stories from Black reviewers. Go follow one of them! ⠀ ⠀ #GoodBooksBetterAuthors⠀ #TheWorldDoesntRequireYou #RionAmilcarScott #DiverseReads #shortstories #shortfiction #collection #bookstagram #bookish (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCJBRsBFkZ3/?igshid=16cg6nmr7f5ay

#goodbooksbetterauthors #theworlddoesntrequireyou #rionamilcarscott #diversereads #shortstories #shortfiction #collection #bookstagram #bookish

[lukeskyfoos]

Day 2 of sharing my books by BIPOC. In order to keep the spotlight toward Black readers and writers, I'm sharing reviews of this book in my stories from Black reviewers. Go follow one of them! ⠀ ⠀ #GoodBooksBetterAuthors⠀ #Americanah #ChimamandaNgoziAdichie #DiverseReads #DiversifyBookstagram #Bookstagram (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCD2iQKFVoM/?igshid=quek7v5v2zux

#goodbooksbetterauthors #americanah #chimamandangoziadichie #diversereads #diversifybookstagram #bookstagram

[lukeskyfoos]

Got rid of the previous post because it had my face on it, which didn't really fit what's needed today. If you're registered Republican in PA - there's a primary today. Please vote for better representation than we've have the last 3 years. https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8COk-FHRA/?igshid=ear33d8zs03z

[lukeskyfoos]

Hey Republicans in my area - it's primary day and we live in a swing state. I recommend telling your party that we (registered Republicans, Christians, white people and any other category I fall into) don't want to be represented the way we have been for the last four years. Do it with your vote. (at New Oxford, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA75Z-hlqDm/?igshid=56bhm04ue46b