I've spent the last two days at a writing workshop looking at the Common Core. Each grade level built a skeleton framework and we'll spend the next couple of years gathering materials.
I wanted to see if any of you are diving into this and if there were any websites you found useful.
It would be nice to see how others are implementing this, lesson plan ideas, writing samples, and assessment checklists/rubrics.
Let me know if you've found anything that's really helped you and might help me!!
Now, I plan on resting my brain for a bit!
June 15, 2012
June 13, 2012
Last Day Blues and Dancing
Oh, what a sad day! It was our last day as a first grade class. I've been so fortunate to have such an amazing group of kids. They all deserve a break!
We spent some time together this morning, I handed out their Summer Survival Kits, and then we had an assembly. It tugged at my heart seeing some of my boys (who act macho) getting teary eyed knowing the school year was over!
Here's a link to a FUNNY video our assistant principal put together. He went around interviewing kiddos on what they planned on reading over the summer. Little did they know (until they watched the video today)....there was some dancing in the background. This reminds me of The Ellen Show's Dance Dare.
I LOVE that my school finds ways to have a bit of fun. I'm even dancing here! I'm with my ed tech holding up OTES. Haha.
Whatcha Reading?
We spent some time together this morning, I handed out their Summer Survival Kits, and then we had an assembly. It tugged at my heart seeing some of my boys (who act macho) getting teary eyed knowing the school year was over!
Here's a link to a FUNNY video our assistant principal put together. He went around interviewing kiddos on what they planned on reading over the summer. Little did they know (until they watched the video today)....there was some dancing in the background. This reminds me of The Ellen Show's Dance Dare.
I LOVE that my school finds ways to have a bit of fun. I'm even dancing here! I'm with my ed tech holding up OTES. Haha.
Whatcha Reading?
June 11, 2012
Last Group Photos
Here are a couple of our last group photos together!! Can you spot the teacher?
This has been such a FANTASTIC group of kiddos and they have worked so well together (makes my job a lot easier). It's going to be hard to let them go. Some have even requested I move on to second grade...then third...then...haha.
1 1/2 days left of school!
June 10, 2012
Ed Tech and Volunteer Gift
Here's what I'm giving my ed tech and parent volunteer that came in on a weekly basis. I found these monogramed cups at Kohls this weekend. Of course I had to also add chocolate and Dunkin' Donuts gift cards!
I'm also including a can of Lysol spray as a joke for my parent volunteer. She sent in a LARGE can and gave me the GREAT idea of spraying down all the toys and pencils. Why had I NEVER thought of this?
I'm also including a can of Lysol spray as a joke for my parent volunteer. She sent in a LARGE can and gave me the GREAT idea of spraying down all the toys and pencils. Why had I NEVER thought of this?
I have had the BEST ed tech and volunteers this year!
June 5, 2012
Summer Survival Kits
UPDATE: So...I thought I was done with these until I walked into the Dollar Tree Store (just about an hour ago) and found some CUTE Hawaiian cups. Of course I bought them with some Kool-Aid packs. Now I'm undoing ALL of the bags to add them in!
I just finished up my Summer Survival Kits for my kiddos. If one of them had a pound of chocolate, I just might have eaten it all!
Inside I included a pencil, eraser, stickers, Swedish Fish (O-fish-ally a Second Grader), Hershey Kisses (hugs and kisses), and a certificate for a free item from The Lyon's Store for next year (we'll see how many can hang onto this. I only had 2 from my last year's class come see me).
Oh, and course I added a band-aid. When my brothers and I were little and we complained about small cuts, scratches, or bruises my dad would always tell us he could operate. He'd say he'd cut right above our cut so it wouldn't hurt anymore. Haha, I still can't believe we weren't traumatized as kids. Every year it always becomes a joke with my class because I use this same line. I survived...right?
I'll be handing these out on the last day of school!
Off to finish up report cards.
I just finished up my Summer Survival Kits for my kiddos. If one of them had a pound of chocolate, I just might have eaten it all!
Inside I included a pencil, eraser, stickers, Swedish Fish (O-fish-ally a Second Grader), Hershey Kisses (hugs and kisses), and a certificate for a free item from The Lyon's Store for next year (we'll see how many can hang onto this. I only had 2 from my last year's class come see me).
Oh, and course I added a band-aid. When my brothers and I were little and we complained about small cuts, scratches, or bruises my dad would always tell us he could operate. He'd say he'd cut right above our cut so it wouldn't hurt anymore. Haha, I still can't believe we weren't traumatized as kids. Every year it always becomes a joke with my class because I use this same line. I survived...right?
I'll be handing these out on the last day of school!
Off to finish up report cards.
June 4, 2012
Grouchy Ladybugs
Ladybugs! My FAVORITE little insects and my kiddos know this. The kids listened to Ladybugs by Gail Gibbons and wrote facts.
We also brainstormed times they've felt grouchy. Then they wrote. I took their pictures and MANY could make that unhappy "I don't wanna" face. Now I'm sure you've seen some of these faces at home. They had me laughing out loud! Here are some examples.
Today, (I can admit) I felt a bit grouchy. My kiddos were really testing me today but we CAN and WILL survive the last 6 1/2 days!
We also did some work with The Grouchy Ladybug. After reading, we brainstormed other words for grouchy.
