Math Awareness Month with Our Miss Roberts

Today wraps up "Math Awareness Month" .  The month of April seemed to bring out the teacher in Barbie Millicent Roberts!

  

Teacher Barbie (1995) with two students and desks, a chalkboard, and more.  There was controversy not just due to the length of her dress but primarily for her not wearing underwear beneath the skirt.  Since I have not opened the box, I don't know if this is the set that came after the recall. 

What a dream class with only two students!

Fast forward 11 years and Barbie the Teacher received an extreme makeover to become The Teacher Silkstone Barbie! Do I see an image of a Silkstone version of "Our Miss Brooks"  portrayed by Eve Arden on television from 1952-1956?

Amazon.com's Description:

"The Teacher Barbie doll, designed by Robert Best, celebrates the working woman. The ensemble includes tasteful houndstooth skirt, white blouse, and black vest. A red bow tie, black hose and mary janes, and cerebral round glasses complete the ensemble. No more than 5,300 units produced worldwide."  I thought it was interesting to note the adjective used to describe Miss Roberts' houndstooth skirt and the one to describe her round glasses.   Yes, this teacher is what I call a "conservative brainiac"!

I also appreciate the sleek illustrations of Mr. Best's designs of working class Barbies.  Obviously, they are not realistic of what typical working class ladies look like.  I am not certain what Mattel's intentions are in the development of this series of dolls.  This is my interpretation: Mr. Best's designs seem to pay tribute to women in occupations traditionally seen as "unglamourous" by having them perceived to be just as glamourous as fashion models but this time walking on the runway of the working class. 

As a diversion, here's some food and math for thought, or how about some mathematical facts about America's favorite cookie the OREO in comparison to some mathematical facts about one of our favorite dolls?

 

Barbie and OREOS merge together to create some fashion fun! Just from looking at the mock OREOS, the miniature cups, and Barbie's purse, I am now craving a glass of milk and a handful of these cookies. Yummmmm...

Now that we have a more serious appetite for learning, but this time without the cremed filling...

Is Miss Roberts teaching a class on behavioral etiquette and another in mathematics?  Could any two subjects go well together?   Here she is displaying a mock composition book entitled  "A Polite Lady"  and a mock miniature chalkboard, both made out a piece of "economical' cardboard. 

I wish I could erase "2 + 4= 6" and the flower, and replace them with "graph 2x + 4y = 6"  and a coordinate grid and even better something more challenging, to show that Barbie can teach higher level math...

and still be "A Polite Lady"!

The Princess Bride

On April 29 2011, the most talked about wedding will take place at Westminster Abbey.  Barbie invites you to a royal tribute!

Princess-to-be Kate and Prince William of Wales

Barbie as Princess of England, from 2003.

Teresa as "Princess Barbie", 2000

 Kate has become an immediate fashion icon, especially with her famous blue "engagement dress" by designer Issa.  A style now coveted by fashion fanatics or trend followers. 

One of the many knock-offs the Issa "London" wrap-style dress. Even the model has Kate's hairstyle and physique. Dress by Chadwicks.com for $69.99. 

The princess-to-be arriving at a wedding in a Libelula coat, January 2011.

"What is Kate wearing?" as stalked by fashion paparazzi.  . 

This is one modern day and much highly profiled, if not THE highly profiled "Cinderella" story

A new royal chapter awaits for England's new royal couple, without a carriage turning to a pumpkin, or having to worry about who fits into a glass slipper or a fishnet sack dress worn at a charity fashion show.

A fairy tale come true!

Congratulations to Princess-to-be Kate and Prince William on your wedding day!

Happy Easter from Wendy, Angelina, Barbie, and Ken

I recently received two sets of dolls, the "Wendy Loves Angelina Ballerina" by Madame Alexander and "She Said Yes" with Barbie and Ken.  My daughter adores the "Wendy Loves Angelina Ballerina" set because she dances ballet and also likes the adorable "Angelina Ballerina" books.  I purchased these from Amazon and the box that they were shipped in arrived crushed at one end like an accordion, which resulted in their respective boxes being dented.  Amazon.com needs to work on proper shipping techniques using larger boxes with protective inserts such as bubble wrap and styrofoam cushioning for support, and marking "Fragile: Handle with Care" somewhere on the shipping box. I was able to receive a replacement for the "Wendy Loves Angelina Ballerina" doll within 2 days.   The dolls pictured below are the originals one that I received.  So I have to ship these cuties back to Amazon. 

The dent on the box is more visible in person.

Here's the "She Said Yes!" Barbie and Ken.  Barbie looks lovely in a striped swimsuit, a modern-day version of the 1959 original.  Ken does look handsome, but his hair seems a bit odd. The picture does not show clearly the "crushed" characteristic due to the poor shipping and handling. The Amazon.com representative said that I could not receive a replacement for whatever reason due to being sold from a different vendor (although they both arrived in the same box), and so offered a refund instead.  But I decided not ship this pair back to Amazon, and opted to keep it instead.  I'll let my daughter open this box and play with the dolls.  I'll just buy another pair for display.

Have a beautiful Easter with many blessings!

Earth, Water, Sky

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of "Earth Day" and especially to appreciate and preserve the beauty of our world, here are "The Spirit of the Elements" Barbies that came out a decade ago.  The beauty and artistry of these dolls are mesmerizing.

"A beautiful Native American woman walks in the sacred land that has sustained her people for centuries.  A generous bounty, the  rich soil quietly shares the hidden mysteries:  the fresh green forests, endless brown plains, the rocky mesas.  Here close to the good earth and below the vast blue sky,  she delights in her journey of life.  Reverent of the eternal earth, joyful in the harmony of nature, she lives with the awesome power and mystery of the everlasting land.  This ancient soil reveals the harmony of nature and reflects a world rich in traditions:  The Spirit of the Earth."

Spirit of the Earth Barbie from 2001

"The Spirit of the Water" Barbie from 2002:

The Spirit of the Sky Barbie from 2002:

Barbie's best friend also stopped by for a visit to honor Mother Earth.

"Fairy Midge" in her green glory.  I purchased this customized doll from ebay years ago.

"Fairy Midge" and a her beary special friend. 

Peace, Love, Harmony to You...

30th Space Shuttle Anniversary

April 12, 1981 signifies the trailblazing or what I call "orbit-blazing"  launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia from the Kennedy Space Center,

Space Shuttle 30th Anniversary article

Wendy and Barbie our NASA astronauts are ready for their next space mission.

"United States of America" Madame Alexander doll from 1999 with the "Wendy" face.

Space Camp Barbie from 1998

Barbie is training for the next mission with her paperwork,

space food,

hair necessities: space cap, hairbrush

duffel bag, and interesting enough: graph paper complete with grid lines! I wish all of my students showed their math assignments on graph paper.

It seems that this Astra Barbie has the "SuperStar" head and face mold.

Astronaut Barbie (1965) reproduction on a keychain, made in 2009.

Here's one step for woman-kind!

"Moon" walking