Film Projectors and Family Fireplaces...

For the past few weeks, I've been teaching a group of second graders about Caldecott Medal winners. For those of you out of the loop on Children's Lit, a Caldecott Medal is awarded to books with amazing illustrations. One of my favorite books ever is Robert McCloskey's Make Way For Ducklings. (I think we must have held the record for checking out that book from the Eline Branch of the Louisville Library! Mom read it to me and my brother so often...)
Yesterday, I found an old VHS video in the school library, a documentary on Robert McCloskey. Originally on film, it had obviously been rerecorded on video. The screen still showed the black spotted interference I remember when I used to watch reel to reel films at school in second grade. I had to smile as what was once on film, was being projected onto an Active Board (an interactive chalk board many schools are fortunate to have.)
The kids found it amusing, if not foreign. One scene showed Robert's family, sitting around a fireplace, playing musical instruments after dinner, before bedtime on the farm. In a world of computer video games and television, my second graders were confused. I asked if they ever played music after dinner with their family. They thought I was telling a joke, and laughed.
After school, we invited some neighbors over to play. I lit the fireplace to warm up the house. The Bug and The Pea settled down with their friends. I headed to my bedroom to change in to comfy clothes. When I emerged, I saw a group of girls lying on their tummies in a circle. Playing "Old Maid" with ginormous playing cards. Giggling up a storm, cozy by the fire. No television, no computers, no hand-held video games. Laughter and the crackling of flames.
I headed to the kitchen to slice up some apples and grab a bowl of caramel for dipping. When I returned the giggling girls had grabbed an assortment of musical instruments. And when I say assortment...I'm talking plastic recorder from a grandmother's basement, empty Pringles can for a drum, cardboard eukelele with rubber band strings from VBS, and our out of tune piano. The Pea was holding our hymnal and the kids were making a joyful noise unto the Lord.
Just doesn't get better than that...