Ode to Barb and a Poetry Slam

My friend Barb designs blogs.  She is amazing a creative and makes html code stuff look like a piece of cake.  Look what she did to my blog-

Now you can click and return to the top or click and pin the pictures!

If your blog needs a makeover or an update, be sure to go visit her @ Ruby Slippers Blog Design

My friend Barb also has a monthly poetry slam @ Grade ONEderful.  My class loves poetry.  Part of our Circle of Friends includes a poem everyday.  One we use at the beginning of the year, is so great for school materials.

Do you have any poetry to share for September?

Happy Friday,

Five for the Day After Friday

I hate being late anywhere....but I can not get a Five for Friday accomplished on a Friday! 

 1.  We finished our first read aloud, Stuart's Cape.  Stuart is starting 3rd grade at a new school and is convinced he needs his cape for adventures.  One of his adventures ends him up with a plethora of toast.  He invites the whole neighborhood to share his leftover toast.  So we had a Toast Party and invited another 3rd grade class after so many kids brought bread!  We had all kinds of toppings...butter, cinnamon/sugar, peanut butter, bananas, fudge topping, marshmallow fluff! 

 2.  I finally got my classroom door completed.  Kept forgetting to send first day of school pictures to be printed.  Now we see smiling faces everytime we come in the door.

3.  We began Math Workshop.  I will have to blog more about this later, but my class is loving how much the structure imitates Reader's Workshop Daily 5.

Math to Self-reading math concept books or our "number it" sheet.

Math Writing-math problem solver in journals or a page from Read It! Draw It! Solve It!

Math with Partner-card games (right now it is a version of multiplication or addition war.

4.  This week we worked on an art project all about lines and shapes.  The original idea came from here.  I am loving how they turned out!  We traced shape stencils with pencils.  Then we outlined with sharpie and used markers to add the color.

5.   Our new read aloud, The Great Gilly Hopkins, is full of new vocabulary.  I am loving the conversations it is sparking! We have talked about what "taking the Lord's name in vain" means, why we don't use the word retard, and the respectful name for little people.  Isn't literature fantastic?!

Happy Saturday,

Thursday Made it and Some Art

Onto Monday #4! A few weeks ago Farley blogged about this awesome interactive door.  It is adorable and you should go check it out.  I was at a second hand store looking for a super hero costume with my brother and found a box of adding machine paper...and thought I could make a mini-version of Farley's interactive door. 

We are using Sharon Taberski's list of predictable patterns for our spelling work this year.  So each week, I put up the pattern we are working on. 

When students read a word using that pattern, they add it to the paper.  At the end of the week, we move it to the window and save it for future use.  

Super easy and useful!  Thanks Farley!

Happy Thursday (or Monday #4)

Liquids, Solids, and Gasses

We have started a States of Matter Unit.  This week we did a "poster walk".  I put the words, solid, liquid, gas, and matter on different papers and students wrote what they knew about those words on the poster.

Then we did some overviewing of liquids, solids, and gasses.  After we finished, we went through magazines looking for liquids, solids, and gasses and sorted them onto our page.

Happy Tuesday,

Daily Five for Friday

I have successfully made it through my first week back.  The verdict is still out on my feelings about 3rd grade...
Daily Five is a whole lot smoother when the two previous grades use it for their Reader's Workshop structure.  So I am linking up with Doodlebugs Teaching and sharing some random pics from our Reader's Workshop time.  Most of our discussions centered around Read to Self and making smart choices about where we read.

Go link up and share some random.

Happy Friday,

P.S.  My Donors Choose project for Hokki Stools exploded this week!  On Tuesday it still needed over $300.00.  Today $95.00 left to go!  Thinking good thoughts that it will get fully funded soon. Check it out....Wiggle and Learn

Have You Heard The Legend of Ninja, Cowboy, Bear

One of my favorite back to school books is called, The Legend of Ninja, Cowboy, Bear.  It is about a ninja, a cowboy, and a bear who argue about who is best.  So they each perform challenges and then realize they are all unique as they are.

source

At the end you get the instructions for playing Ninja, Cowboy, Bear....like Rock, Paper, Scissors!  A great brain break and way to do some movement.  Here is what it looks like--

Start back to back...

 Walk away 1...2...3...

Turn and show what you are!

The first time, I like to get outside and play it.  However it is an easy game for in classroom and we add it to our morning meeting game choice list.

Happy Wednesday,