Saturday, September 19, 2009

The Virtues of YouTube…Again!

Sam and I have had so much fun this morning exploring YouTube and discovering fun new videos! I went on there to look for a video of “Apple and Bananas” which we’ve been singing together for the past few days. We found this wonderful version that makes Sam laugh hysterically!

Then we went on to find lots of wonderful songs and stories. Some of them are video productions of the stories, some are read alouds using narrators and the book illustrations, and some are great animated shorts. Here are just a few that we added to Sammy’s playlist. Click on the images to watch the videos.

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You can also find treasures like this, with the author reading the story:

Too bad YouTube is blocked in our school district. If you take time to preview videos (which you MUST do) you’ll find a wealth of resources just there for the viewing!

Oh, I have to share this story, as it started with “Apples and Bananas.” Scott knows how much I hate phonics rules, considering how unreliable MOST of them are. (C’mon, a rule with more exceptions than absolutes can hardly qualify as a rule.) Anyway, he’s always trying to challenge me, either trying to prove a rule or find an exception and a word. Depending on what side of the fence I'm on. Most of the time he’s teasing me. I think. So here’s the conversation that left me laughing myself into tears this morning. You probably won’t laugh, but it sure got to me.

Sam and I were playing on the bed while Scott was getting dressed and we were singing “Apples and Bananas,” going through each vowel sound. At the end of the song:

Scott: What about y? It’s a vowel.

Me: Only when it sounds like a vowel. Usually at the end of a word when it sounds like i or e. Like in “my.”

Remember, he’s always trying to prove me wrong…find an exception…

Scott: (tiny thinking pause…signaled by the smoke) What about the y in “why?”

Me: What about it? It’s at the end and it sounds like an i.

Scott: (smirking) How do you know it’s not a silent w-h?

And then I just fell off the bed laughing. God, I love that man! And I’m gonna choose to believe that he was trying to be funny.

1 comment:

Jennifer Juniper said...

I remember that song! We had them all over the years, but now the kids are too old to be silly like this. Sad. I still can't read "Love you forever" without feeling like I will cry. It's a great book.