Everyone Else Is Doing It

In case you haven't heard...instagram is exploding with teachers.  I already had an instagram...and used it randomly.  Anyway...now it is attached to the bloggy world and I am going to need Barb to add an instagram icon to match my pinterest and e-mail ones.

So link up on Tuesday...and if you want to follow me on instagram....click the picture below.

Thought I would share my current favorite instagram image--I am getting a puppy!  Right after school gets out (perfect timing)  Her name is Reese...if you have seen 42 or have any knowledge of Dodger/baseball history, you will fully understand where her name came from.  Precious!

This week begins screen free week...so I will not be living in the land of electronic screens.  How many books will I get through not watching so much tv?  I may cheat a tiny tiny bit...not sure if I have the self-control to wait a whole week for a new New Girl episode!

Don't forget to link up with What the Teacher Wants and do a bit less screen time.
See you all in a week!
Happy Sunday,

Book Character Museum

A few years ago, my class created a Book Character Museum.  I thought I would bring it back with my Reading Round-Up class.  (Reading Round-up is our 30 minute intervention time.  We divide the whole 2/3 grade into ability groups to provide interventions or extensions.  I have the extension group during this time.)

First we picked a book or a book character, if we already had one we loved.  Then we read up on that character.  Either getting to know a new one or getting reaquainted with one we already met.  We had to make a list of what we would need to be to imitate that character and then work on what we would say.  We talked about Wax Museums and how life like the wax sculptures are.

We made invitations and invited all the other classrooms...so they could sign up and come in shifts, of course.  Our room was VERY full.  Some of our character statues overflowed into the hallway.  We sat next to our book and a play button (bottle cap with a sharpie drawn arrow "play" sign.)  Visitors would come to a statue, press play, and listen to facts about each of the characters.

there are people EVERYWHERE!!!

This week we put it all together-
Judy Moody and a Mike Lupica character

 A Warriors cat and Bad Kitty

 A student from Wayside School, Fred and George Weasley

 More Mike Lupica (that jersey was originally a t-shirt!)

 Beezus and Ramona

 Someone on Emily Rodda's, Deltora Quest and Song Lee...one of Horrible Harry's friends

Auggie from Wonder.  If you have not read this book...do it!

 I have no knowledge of this character...but the book looks pretty funny!

 Plastic, from Toys Go Out...one of my FAVORITE read alouds.  (Plastic is a round rubber ball:-)

 A Fairy from the wonderful world of Daisy Meadows and a Puppy from Puppy Magic

McKenna, a newer American Girl book series.  She is gymnast and this girl was SO excited to wear her gymnastic outfit to school!

So much fun and a great way to celebrate and share books.
Happy Tuesday,

New York...New York

I have always wanted to got to a summer institute at The Teacher's College, so on a whim, I applied thinking I didn't do a great job, but I could try again next year.  Well today I got an e-mail and I am going to the Summer Reading Institute at The Teacher's College.

SO excited!  I have never been to New York.  To my New York bloggy buddies and anyone elso whose got New York info., what should a do/see while I am there.  The 4th of July is a non-class day so I am free to roam the city!  Seeing Newsies is the only must do on my list!

Happy Wednesday!

Monday Sayings...

Saturday Sayings are one of the best parts of my week.  If you haven't heard of them, you must go check out Forever in First.  I am never with it enough to get ready for Saturday, but in honor of my favorite team, my two favorite players, and the fact that it's Jackie Robinson day....I am dubbing today a "saying" day.  (42, the movie, was pretty great...btw.)

Every year, I read Teammates to my class....usually more than one time.  One of my goals for my class each year is that would know that our class is a team and stand up for each other, just like Peewee did for Jackie.  Sometimes, I tell them to ask themselves, "What would Peewee do?"  when they are responding to others.

Side Note...my lovely city of Portland has no professional baseball...it is the one and only negative comment I have about Oregon.  So all you friends out there...I am very jealous that you could be in the stands with all the 42's.  Thursday, I get to travel to Seattle to see a Mariner/Tiger game....four hour drive just to see the sport I love:-)

Happy Monday,

400 Follower Craziness

Journaling has always been something I enjoy but don't do often enough.  This blog has become a kind of online journal of my class.  Sometimes on a day to basis or a week by week basis.  I have "met" some amazing teachers and am looking forward to an Oregon Blogger Meetup.  Those teachers out there share and show the wonderful learning communities they have created.  This little online journal...has over 400 people following it!  How did that happen?  To celebrate, we need a giveaway, of course!

This giveaway is sponsored by ManMade in OR.  One of my co-teachers husband is behind this cleverness.  For their Etsy shop, click here.  To like their Facebook page, click here.  Fill out the Rafflecopter info. and you could be the new owner of a work of art.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Happy Monday and good luck!

P.S.  My crafty friend, who hosted my last giveaway has become quite known...you can find her scarves sold in The Library of Congress.  And she just did one for Jodi Picoult with her own book text.  She is SO talented...check her out.

Giveway graphics by The (talented) 3am Teacher-

Wednesday Morning

I used to do morning work....and then I read the book Whisperer.  No more morning work, come in, unpack, make a lunch choice, then read.

Sometimes, there are pleasant distractions...

and sometimes the book we are reading is so good, we just want to be left alone.  Thank you Jennifer A. Nielsen for The False Prince.

Happy Wednesday,

It's Happening

Put it on your calendar....an Oregon meetup is coming soon!

And now back to the regularly procrastinated about report cards....

Happy Tuesday,

Polygons beat Fractions!

Welcome to the world of geometry...I like this world FAR better than fractions!  Yesterday we went on a polygon hunt.  Kiddos did  a great job of looking for shapes throughout the school and then drew them into the "polygon/not a polygon" column.  Today we talked about how parts of the shape name tell us the number of sides the shape has, so we can name it. 

Then I gave each group a polygon.  Then they had to draw one, cut it out, and add it to their page.

Will they remember tomorrow.....

Happy Wednesday,





And for my Dodger friends...in honor of that amazing home opener...