Some Super Seuss Silly Fun!

Well, I couldn't think of a synonym for fun that started with s...

Guess I'll leave the alliteration to Dr. Seuss!

We had dress-up days all week to celebrate Read Across America week. One of my coworkers found a fun app to frame our Seuss photos. Check this one out:

On Friday, we had our big celebration! 

We divided our K-2 students into 5 groups and rotated them through fun learning activities. I did my favorite...

 

Any excuse to eat Goldfish crackers...

I found this animated read aloud of the book on youtube. 

Much more interesting than me reading! 

Then we completed our graphs and answered questions about them.

Last night was our last basketball game. :(

 We had hoped to be playing tonight in the sub-state championships, but it didn't work that way. I'll miss these girls! 

With no seniors and a record of 17-5, I'm excited to see what we can do next year though!

The disappointment of the season ending made me go digging up old pictures. I've been coaching these girls since my daughter was a 1st grader (she's a freshman now)! 

Here she is:

She is still that intense about the game! :-)

Have a great weekend!

 

P.S. My son's team is not done yet, playing tonight for the sub-state championship!

Five for…Well, You Understand!

Good morning! What a week this has been! 

I'm linking up with Doodlebugs to show you some of the highlights. 

We celebrated Read Across America Week with dress-up days. Each day was something different and comfortable (my favorite part). On Wacky Wednesday, we were all "Things."

I'm the large one--in the middle. They stuck me in the middle and crowded around, all turned to the side and looking skinny. Obviously, they are more skilled at taking pictures than me! Ha! I didn't even think about it until I saw it plastered on Facebook (thanks, Debbie!) so I figured I'd share it on here too. Might as well, right?

By the way, I was Thing 23 with a trivia question. 

What famous basketball player wore this number? 

So for fun…you can play too. First three to respond correctly WITH an e-mail can pick a freebie from our store. Leave me a comment below. :-)

On Friday, we wrapped up our celebration week by dividing up our 48 (yes, 48) K-2 students among three teachers and two fabulous paras. Each of us did an activity centered around a Seuss book and then we rotated kids every 25 minutes.

Last year, I was ambitious and made Oobleck…fun and messy!

This year I wanted something a little simpler and I found this graph online at Oopsey Daisy for One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. The graphing activity was great, but I was bored with the book after reading it to the third group and my tongue was thoroughly twisted! In the last two groups, I let the students take turns reading and that was fun for me…hearing those future second graders reading. :-)

My class has started exploring MobyMax!
This note is from my little gifted student. She is always leaving me notes on papers. Moby has been great for her because she is really being challenged! Equivalent fractions--yikes!
Stay tuned…giveaway coming soon. :-)

If you have an iPad, you must check out this app! It will put whatever is on your computer on your iPad so you can use it remotely. PERFECT for me since my projector is at the front of the room and my computer is at the back of the room.

I have this brilliant little mind in my class who told me about it. He is amazing with technology. I mean, really. The possibilities for him are exciting…I hope he remembers me when he becomes a millionaire. I'll be able to say I was his second grade teacher! :-) He got me all set up at recess yesterday and I am so excited to use this app more!

The highlights of the week would not be complete without a basketball picture. This is of my daughter, Harley, (left) and niece (right) last summer. They have been "separated" this season with Harley in middle school and my niece in high school. 
We spent Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings at sub-state basketball this week. We were lucky enough to host it at our school so that was fun. I love watching the girls team because I coached most of them back when they were little and we cheered on my son's team (even though he is out with that knee injury). Both teams made it to the semi-finals and fought hard against the #1 teams in the tournament, but weren't able to pull out the wins.

After the girls lost, my niece said she was sad to have the season end, but excited that her next game would be with Harley on her team again. Harley feels the same way. I love that they are so close and share a passion for the game. 

 Well, that sums up my week! 

Next week is a short one for me...I'll be out Wednesday and Thursday for my son's knee surgery. Friday officially starts our Spring Break. :-)

Wisdom for Wednesday - Don't cry...

Hello there! Happy Wednesday!

 

With my last day of school approaching so quickly (Friday), I found an old familiar quote that I need to keep in mind.

 

Take a look:

 

 

 

I am one of those teachers that cries on the last day of school...and I mean really cries. There was one year I could not even speak as I hugged the last kiddos out the door because I completely lost it.

 

Now don't get me wrong.

 

I am always ready for the end of the year, but I am also sad because of how much I will miss my kiddos.

 

Even though I will see them around school the next year, I know that my relationship with those little kiddos will forever change.

 

I mean, let's face it, right now I am the best teacher ever in their eyes and next year that will be their 3rd grade teacher. I wouldn't want it any other way...of course I want them to love their new teacher.

 

But...I will miss them.

 

This year I will try to remember this quote and find joy in the year I have spent with these kiddos instead of focusing on how much I will miss them. I'll let you know if it works! ;-)

 

Thanks for joining me for:

Have a great rest of the week!

 

Thing 1 and Thing 2

We have been on Spring Break this week and I have to say that I have accomplished some things that I wanted to get done.  I did some spring cleaning in the house and realized that I shouldn't be waiting for Spring Break to do my spring cleaning!  UCK.....it's amazing how much dust can collect under things like your bed.  :-(  Anyways, it took forever, but it sure felt good when I got it done. 

Before Spring Break, we did a writing on Dr. Seuss Thing 1 and Thing 2. We read The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss and discussed what it would be like to have Thing 1 and Thing 2 at your house.  Then the kids wrote what they would do with them if they showed up at their house.  When they finished they drew Thing 1 and Thing 2.  I found this cute and easy drawing at Kindergarten Hugs.  Here are a few of them:

Congratulations to Louise for winning $75 to WiseDecor! You should be receiving an e-mail from them shortly. :-)

 

I hope all of you have had a great week!

Dr. Seuss Week and Countdown Until Spring Break!!!

First, let me tell you about a new blog I found (well, new to me) which led me to a new (to me) app - Frame Magic. I have been having a blast playing with it.

 

The blog is FlapJack Educational Resources. Lots of great techy information on there, including a new video series on how to make your photos look awesome...hence my new obsession with Frame Magic. Check out my first creation:

 

 

Last week, we celebrated Dr. Seuss week (remember I was "in charge" of our activities).

 

Monday was a SNOW DAY! Hip! Hip! Hooray! I enjoyed the day resting up for the rest of the week. Ha!

 

Tuesday was Crazy Socks Day. This was the best I could do...

 

Wednesday was Wacky, of course. The teachers and staff all dressed up as "Things." I loved the blue hair one of the para's found for all of us. :-)

 

Thursday was Pajama Day. You can never have too many pajama days, right?

 

Friday was Wear a T-Shirt with a Message Day, but I forgot to take a picture of myself. Nothing exciting though...just showing some school pride. I do have to show you a shirt I really, really want. It fits my coaching personality perfectly (and no, I wouldn't have worn it to school):

 

 

Anyway, Friday was also our Seuss rotations. We split our K-2 into five groups and rotated them through. Each teacher chose a book and had an activity to go along with it. I chose Bartholomew and the Oobleck and used this summary. Then we played in the oobleck...the picture above is me playing in it the night before. It was my first experience with oobleck, and I must confess I played with it for a good 30 minutes. :-)

 

Now the countdown is on! We have four days of school this week and staff development on Friday; however, I'm leaving right after school Wednesday and heading to the Big 12 basketball tournament. Rock Chalk! Go Hawks!

 

 

 



Enjoy your week - whether you're already on Spring Break or counting down the days!

 

Crystal

 

Lice Advice and Dr. Seuss Activities

Well, let's talk the important stuff first...a little lice advice.

 

For the last two weeks, I have feared that I might catch those little critters (as it has been passed around my kiddos). I mean...I have been having people check my head almost daily. My husband insists he doesn't know what he is looking for, but "look you must" I say! I have a hair appointment scheduled for today so I was really nervous about walking in and being embarrassed as she says a nice version of "Get out!"

 

I finally saw a hair dresser friend last night and asked her to check me to be sure. She said I was probably fine because I blow dry my hair daily. As she checked me (and thankfully found nothing), she said she tells everyone--teachers especially--to blow dry their hair daily this time of year. Even if you don't wash your hair, blow dry it anyway. The heat will kill them.

 

Maybe you already knew that (I knew heat killed them, but didn't realize the blow dryer was such an effective weapon)...but hey, if I can spare someone the scalp tingling anxiousness I have experienced the last two weeks...then I will!

 

Moving on...because my head is starting to itch (again).

I am in charge of our Dr. Seuss celebration this year. We're dressing up all next week and finishing with some fun rotations on Friday. We have 64 kids K-2 and will divide them up to visit 5 stations. I *think* I'm going to use the book Bartholomew and the Oobleck for my station on Friday. Dare I try to make oobleck with those excited little kiddos???

 

Check out this video of some kids making dancing oobleck - kind of creepy (the oobleck, I mean, not the kids - HA!):

 

 

 

Here's what we  came up with for dress-up days (a combination of a few ideas I found on the internet):

Monday – Red, White, and Blue Day (featured book: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish) – Wear red, white, and blue!

Tuesday – Crazy Sock Day (featured book: Fox in Socks) – Wear your craziest socks!

Wednesday – Wacky Wednesday (featured book: Wacky Wednesday) – Wear mismatched and inside-out clothes!

Thursday – Pajama Day (featured book: I am Not Going to Get Up Today) – Wear your pajamas!

Friday – Read a T-Shirt Day (featured book: I Can Read with My Eyes Shut) – Wear a t-shirt with a message!

 

Hope you're having a great week!

 

 

P.S. I'm lucky enough to get a classroom budget and the order deadline is approaching. Any "must-haves" I should be considering?

Wisdom for Wednesday from Seussville

As Dr. Seuss Day approaches, I thought I'd share a little wisdom from Seussville today (plus I did promise you school related in my next post). :-)

 

 

This happens to be a bulletin board from Lyndsey at A Year of Many Firsts. I love the quote and the bulletin board idea.

 

Right now, I'm feeling the time crunch with my kiddos...only a few more months to influence them and share my love for reading with them.

 

Where has this school year gone?

 

Has it gone by so quickly because it was my first year at a new school?

Or my first year in a new grade level?

 

I'm not sure why I feel like the end is approaching way too fast, but I do know I have more to do! I still have some little readers that I want to see improve their skills and find a passion for reading so they can find this Dr. Seuss quote to be true.

 

 

P.S. Did you know there really is a Seussville website?