But, so as not to be a complete Debbie Downer (and since I already said I don't know the solution, but can only work with what I get), I'll give an example of how this last "excuse" has worked in my favor this week. Thankfully, one of the words my vocabulary-poor students haven't yet learned is "anus." For those of you who are still reading after that statement, thank you. :) Of course, I'm sure many of you are wondering how I know they don't know that word... well, to you, I ask, "What is the 7th planet from the sun?" (Hint: Mneumonic - My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Noodles.)
Maybe it was just my family's strange obsession with potty humor or spending a lot of time with my older brother and his friends and their potty humor, but somewhere along the way "Uranus" was no longer just a planet. (I really hope that I'm not ruining this planet for anyone and that other people are well aware that the name of this planet sounds like "Your Anus"....) So, yes, that's where we are. I'm in front of class trying to contain my laughter every time a student mentions this planet. It wouldn't be so hard if they didn't always use it in such opportune sentences:
"Ms. Wacek, I'm reading a book about Greek Mythology and I found Uranus."
"In the order of planets, where is Uranus?"
"Is Uranus bigger or smaller than Saturn?" (For anyone who's actually wondering, it's smaller... in both senses of the term!) :)
All that to say, it's clear that my students do not know the word "anus" because this Solar System unit would not have gone NEARLY as smoothly if that word were prohibited or we had uproars of laughter every time it was said.
To close, I'd like to share with you a
