Throwback Thursday

The amazing Cara Carroll is throwing a party and I wanted to join.  You can too, by giving a shout out to a previous blog post. 

Original post occurred May 4, 2012...I loved seeing everyone else's word walls.

What to do with word walls!?  A challenge mission has been issued...should you choose to accept it.  I have done many different word walls, currently on version 5.0.  The current word wall is made up of vocabulary words and words we have used for different units of study.  Students have a personal "no excuse" word dictionary that the keep with their writing resources.  The same "no excuse" words are on big posters as well. 

I am noticing the missing title...

On Monday, we introduce the new words and put them on our target wall.  We define them, draw them, use them in a sentence, and find them in our reading.  If we find it in text we are reading, we put a tiny sticky note on the word.  On Friday, the "artists" (a class job) choose six people to illustrate each word and then we add it to the word wall.  

note the "favorite" illustration...they know me so well!

What do you do with your word wall?  Link up and share all about it...@The Teacher's Cauldron

And we finished, "how to" speeches today.  One of my favorites:  "How to Use an Epi Pen."  I have a chickadee with severe nut allergies...now we can all help in case of an emergency!

We all got to try with the practice epi pen!

Happy Friday,
 

My Teacher Always Says....

If your students quoted you, what would you hear them say.  Tammy has a fun party of teacher phrases going on.  Here are some of mine-ignore the strange oval-non circular shape....not sure what is happening there.

1.  Yep....straight from Uncle Jesse's mouth into my classroom.  I say it all.the.time. instead of "okay".

2.  Keeping our bodies to ourselves seemed tricky this year....don't know how many times we discussed this! 

3.  My most likely response to tattling, or spilled water during art, or a missing pencil, etc.   I picked them up from my cousin...my kids think they are nonsense.  Well, so is whatever issue they are tattling about.  (To be clear...this is not my response to issues that need more of a response.)

4.  Have your kids ever said, "______made me sad/angry/etc?"  This question is my response-
  Others can only make you sad, angry, frustrated if you let them....

5.  Did you know I LOVE reading!?  My kids know this about me and everyday at the end of reading we say, "If you can read, you can do anything."  Only we say it like the movie Dodgeball, "If you can dodge a car...you can dodge a ball."

6.  This one if for either small group or whole group discussions.  After listening to another's answer, we challenge ourselves to think about our friends' thinking.  Do we agree/disagree/have something to add/still confused/less confused.

 What are you repeated phrases....for more or a place to link up go see Tammy!

Happy Tuesday,

Just in Case and a Meet Up

First Monday of summer vacation....fantabulous!  This post has nothing to do with school....but it is summer so that is perfectly fine!
Jennifer over at First Grade Blue Skies is having a party celebrating cases.  I do not have a cool phone case nor do I have an ipad; but I do have a nook....that I love and its case is one of my favorites.  It is from an Etsy shop full of adorable finds!

 

This morning I got to meet bloggy friends in real life.  It was so much fun and on my way out, I ran into my 4th grade teacher, Mr. Prilliman (who we lovingly called Mr. Prillimonster!)  He was my first male teacher and he was awesome! 

Nicole from Teaching With Style Tanja from Journey of a Substitute Teacher, Michelle from Third Grade Al Dente , Laura from Teacher Laura, me, Sarah from Sarah's First Grade Snippets, and Nicole from Teaching's a Hoot joined us.

Happy Monday,

Sorry...ignore this post

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June Currently....1/2 a Month Late

I am SO close to last day!  But here is this month's Currently that was not what I should have been working on.

Listening:  REPEATEDLY to the Newsies Musical soundtrack.  It is amazing...and I hate to say it, but I like it better than the original version....sorry Christian

Loving:  The Tony Awards are always so entertaining!  AND I will be in New York in less than a month to see some of these shows LIVE!

Thinking: My class was incredibly difficult this year....emotionally disturbed is a diagnosis I am just not sure how prepared I was/am to deal with.  That being said, I am so sad to see them go and so glad I am teaching a straight 3rd next year, so I get a mulligan with half of them.

The referral, minor alert, and daily check-in paper file (this is only Sep-Dec)

Wanting:  Mary Poppins to snap her fingers and have my report cards and comments magically done!

Needing:  To get my "to read" stack ready....three more days and I begin the book-a-day challenge.

Vacaying:  Noook-I read so fast that I could fill a suitcase just with books, so my Nook really cuts down on the packing issues.  That is all I got....traveling is not something I do enough to have favs!

And a bonus pic of my soon to be new housemate-

You know the drill....go check out more June happenings with Farley.
Happy Monday,

Storiarts

In need of help....my creative and talented friend prints text onto scarves, pillows, and the like. 

(Jodi Piccoult even had her make one with her own text on it!)  They are so fun and unique....but I can not figure out what text should be on my scarf.  Any thoughts from readers....the older the text the easier/more likely it can be reprinted, but it that weren't an issue what words would you want around your neck? 

Happy Sunday,

8th Annual Chickadee Awards

Today was our Chickadee Awards Banquet.  This is the 8th year I have done these awards. Getting ready for the day is so stressful for me, but the actual ceremony is pretty smooth....and ran by kids!  We make invitations out of nice scrapbook materials and put them in envelopes...with separate response cards...just like a real formal event.  Today, out of 36 students....32 had at least one adult represented!  Yay parents! I should have taken a picture....I think there were at least 90 people in our room!!!!
First we make a list of awards.  I type the list, leave a blank, and put a class list at the bottom.  Then I copy one for each student and they put a friend's name next to each award.  Then I tally them all up and assign each award to a student.

For Chickadee Award Day, I print certificates with each students name and the award. 

Then they get a secret envelope with what award they will be receiving...this goes home and they are to prepare an acceptance speech for the big day.  

So...when the day gets closer, we arrange committees.  (Kids to all the hosting/talking/etc during ceremony...have a I mentioned I avoid talking in large groups whenever possible!!!)
Greeters-Make programs, meet people at door and hand out programs

Introducers-Welcomes everyone to the class and remind to turn off cell phones

Announcers-Pull award certificates out of envelope and announce who is receiving each award

Volunteer Team-Announces and passes out our volunteer gifts

Slideshow Team-Announces slideshow and where to look
Lighting team-Lights on/off, moves projector to proper place, and pulls down screen
Decorating Team-does all the design/decorating for the day (completely kid done:-)

Dismissal Team-lets everyone know we are done...and this year explained the Photo Booth

Dress Rehearsal.....they are SO fabulously dressed....I had a suit, ties, button up shirts, dresses!  SO fancy!

The speeches are so great...some kids walk up, say thank you, and sit back down.  While others prepare and fabulous speech thanking friends or parents.  One student today, quoted Walt Whitman and another recited part of "The Shot Heard Round the World." (Mostly because it is about Giants winning pennant...and I am a huge DODGER fan!)  Sometimes I cry more over some of their words than the stinking slideshow! 

For more end of the year ideas...check out the linky over at Seusstastic!

And now...three.more.days!

Happy Friday