March Currently

Can you believe that it is already March?  Where has this year gone?  I have linked up with the March Currently at Oh Boy It's Farley.  I'm very excited because I am actually on time for it and not 2 weeks late like normal.  LOL!  Although, I think this is the only thing I am current on as of right now.  I need to get busy on some other things!  

Listening-to the birds chirping outside.  We have been having weather in the 70's here and today was a bit cooler.  It was still nice because it was 55 degrees outside!

Loving-I'm a warm weather person, therefore I am loving this 70 degree weather we have been having recently.

Thinking-I don't know where this year has gone and I find it hard to believe that we will be having parent-teacher conferences next week.

Wanting-I have been testing and grading for the grade card.  Now I really want to get them all entered into the computer.

Needing-We have a work day on Friday so we can get things ready for our conferences and get all the grade cards done.  I wish I had more done at this point, but I am really glad that I will have Friday to get all of it done.

Polling Site-Many years ago, our school was a polling site, but it is not longer one.  I agree that the school shouldn't be a polling place.  

Have a great day!

Educational Chaos

This week was one of those weeks where we had to throw schedules and plans out the window... 

I call it educational chaos.

It started on Tuesday when our K-2 students traveled to the other building for a huge pep rally. It was the day of our last home basketball game and the staff had something special planned for the kids.

 It was great!

P.S. The crazy guy on the black team is our superintendent. His wife, in the red tutu, headed up the red team. :-)

The video even made the news--super exciting for our little district!

Then on Wednesday, we got to head back to the other school for  Body Venture! Have you heard of it?

It may be old news to some of you, but I got to experience it for the first time this week and it was so cool! My students loved it!

To summarize, you start your experience in the cafeteria and become a "food." Then you travel through the body learning all about nutrition and health along the way. 

We got back to our school in time for a little bit of math. What better way to review and practice perimeter than to use the Body Venture booklets we received?

 

Then on Friday afternoon, PTO held their Walk-a-Thon. This is their main fundraising event throughout the year. Kids collect donations and then we walk--although it is much more fun than that! They have obstacles set up, music and dancing along the way, and of course a yummy treat at the end.

What can I say? There was a lot of jumping!

So while we didn't get to everything I had on my lesson plans for the week, we did have fun AND learned along the way!

Educational chaos in a nutshell.

Have a blessed day!

Wisdom for Wednesday - A Hard Word

Late again…

I hope Kristi doesn't fire me! ;-)

All I can say is there is only a few more weeks of basketball, and I should be able to get my act together! My usual morning time at home has been rushed so I can get to school early and try to get work done.

Anyway, I'm glad you're here!

I don't know about you, but sometimes it is a 'hard word' that comes from my devotional time or the take-away from the sermon is a 'hard word.' 

But I know I need it...

The Lord never promised following Him would be easy. It takes diligence and a humble heart to be able to recognize and acknowledge areas of our life that need work in order to please Him. It is hard, but that is the only way to enjoy the sweet fellowship with Him.

It might be a 'hard word,' but it is for our good!

Place Value Grab and Salute!! Fun Math Games!!

We have been playing a couple of games that the kids have really loved in math.  The first one, I call place value grab.  The students get with a partner and put flats, longs and cubes in the middle.  One of them closes his/her eyes and has 3 seconds to grab from the pile.  When the time is up, they have to count how much they have.  If they are right, they get to keep them, if they are incorrect, they have to put the pieces back in the pile.  Whoever has the most at the end wins the game. 

 (Sorry, I didn't get a picture of this one)

The other game is called Salute and it comes from the Everyday Math Program.  This game helps students practice adding and finding missing addends.  Students get into groups of 3.  One person begins as the Dealer.  The Dealer gives one card to each of the other 2 players.  Without looking at their cards, the Players hold them on their foreheads with the number facing out.  The Dealer looks at both cards and says the sum of the 2 numbers.  Each player looks at the other Player's card.  They use the number they see and the sum said by the Dealer to figure out what the number on their card must be.  They say that number out loud.

The kids have been begging me to play these games every day!  

Have a great day!

Five for...A Beautiful Saturday Morning!

Hey there! I'm linking up with Doodlebugs to share some random things about my week.

1

I gave up my day off on Monday to go to an Anita Archer workshop and it was soooooooooo worth it! If you have not heard of her, clink the link to go her website on explicit instruction. There is a wealth of great information--including video clips.

 I love this! 

I have struggled with how to teach writing ever since I became a teacher. I know some people have said just let them write, don't "squash" their creativity, etc. 

I have tried that approach, and what I have found is that those that are good at it, are good at it. And those that struggle, struggle. 

It was nice to hear that providing some guidance is acceptable and actually a good thing.

2

We've been working on adverbs that last couple of weeks, so it was time to pull out these fun task cards to review.

 I'd share a link, but I can't remember where I got them and don't have the file here at home to look it up. If they are yours, feel free to let me know!

3

We did a two day art project inspired by Kandinsky (thanks to this blog post). They painted their backgrounds and then added the tree pieces the next day (forgot to take a picture of our finished work). Make sure you follow me on Instagram. I'll share some there next week.

4

 

This is my daughter's failed attempt to capture my vehicle reaching 111,111 miles while I was driving. What can I say? My kids have a thing about numbers... You may remember my son was disappointed to miss the 100,000 mile mark and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity...LOL! ;-)

 

5

 

 Spring fever is officially here! 

After a week of temperatures in the 70s here, I have been looking for opportunities to get outside for extra recess!

Enjoy your weekend!

 

Wisdom for Wednesday-Hand off the Steering Wheel

If you are anything like me, then this is very hard to do.  It sounds easy and I know in my heart that God can take control and take care of me better than I can.  But if I know that then why is it that I find myself trying to control things going on in my life?  If you have read some of my past blogs, you know that I am a worrier and I like to have control.  Therefore, I find myself trying to control situations in my life and I often worry about them as well.  Recently, I have been working a lot on letting go and realizing that if I allow God to take control, he will take me on a path that is much better than what I could even imagine.  Allowing him to take me on the right path would be so much easier and less stressful than me sitting around worrying about which path I think I should or shouldn't  take in my life.

Thanks for joining in on another week of:

Have a great day!

A Day Off!

I have to apologize because this blog isn't anything about education today.  We have today off and I have to admit that I am having a lazy day!  I haven't done a lot so far (just a little bit of laundry).  I'm not the only one as you can see:

My babies are being lazy like me.  They have been in bed all morning so far!  I'm wondering if they will venture out this afternoon????  

It is nice to have a day to do nothing.  I plan to head outside and just sit and soak up some sun this afternoon!  Check out our forecast for the week!  (Is it really February?)

On my phone, the forecast for Thursday shows 79 degrees.....we will see what temperature it hits.  I will take either one (74 or 79).  I love warm weather and I'm ready for it be here for good!  

I hope if you are off today, you are relaxing and enjoying your day off!