Happy Heart Day

I have no aversion to Valentine's Day....but in the classroom it is just nuts!  We had a Valentine Book Swap and it was super fun! Enjoy the photo dump!

We started the day decorating our bags.  Nothing fancy, just brown paper bags.

Love this....my boy readers.  They have priorities and skip the decorating:-)

 Book Swap Pile

 Book Swap BINGO-We put friends names in each box.  I pulled popsicle sticks and students highlighted the name.  When someone got a BINGO they ran to the pile and chose a book.  Next BINGO, books go back to the pile.  Repeat.  Repeat. Repeat.

 BINGO!

 Showing off our new reads.

My students got bubbles!  

 Passing out Valentine Cards

 Checking out our loot!

 At the end of the day, I cut out a big red heart.  Then I attach all the cards to the big heart.  Students love coming in and finding theirs.

Survived!  To see who else survived Valentine's Day and how they did it, go check out Simpson's Superstars!

Tomorrow I am taking a professional day to see Sharon Taberski.  SO excited...her book On Solid Ground was one of the first in my path to teach real reading and not basal reading!
Happy Thursday,

Field Trip and a Book Swap

I am quite certain the day could not have been any busier!  And we were in our fancy clothes all day.....I LoVE it when kids are extra adorable!

In a suit!

We started with a book swap.  I played music and students marched around till the music stopped.  Then we repeated that a few times.  After about 5 turns, we kept the book at the desk we stopped on.  We gathered on the carpet and opened books, shared what the inscription was, and showed our new treasures.

Opening books...fancy hairstyle for Chickadee on the right.

Then we ate a snack and loaded onto the bus.

Matching clutch for her dress.

Fancy Dress...with the peace sign:-)

Our destination was the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, in downtown Portland.  It is one of the most beautiful building, and is the home for the Oregon Symphony.  We were going to see Ten Grands for Kids, a free concert.  Ten Grand Pianos are all arranged on stage and played by kids from ages 5-18.  They are amazing.  They played some solos, and duets, and all 10 at one time!  So cool and something some kiddos would never otherwise experience. 

Waiting for the show to start....I may have gotten yelled at for taking this picture:-)

Happy Tuesday,