Five For Friday- Let the countdown begin!

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs!

Wind, wind, go away. DON'T come back another day! I'm just plain over it. I've seen more flying tumbleweeds than an old timey western. On Sunday, my daughter's soccer team had to dodge these prickly pests while trying to impress a dozen (brave) college coaches. I was a sitting duck wrapped up like a burrito in my blankets. My wonderful husband decided to use me to shield him from the wind and tumbleweeds. What. A. Guy. 

Our caterpillars arrived and the kids went from "eeewwww gross!" to naming them and not wanting to put them away at the end of the day. Some of the names are quite weird  interesting: Bob, Meep, Mr. Cactus, MJ and Bella Pickle. Thank goodness they'll be beautiful butterflies one day and hopefully get renamed. The highlight was when one group's caterpillar (Mr. Cactus) pooped. It just doesn't get old. Nope. 

You can get this Butterfly Observation Booklet (freebie!) by Susan Jones here

I'm going to purchase my iPads this week and I'm so excited but want to make sure I set everything up correctly. I know a gal who is an Apple Distinguished Educator and unofficial tech goddess in our district, who has so graciously offered to give me some advice. You MUST check out her new blog! I get so many ideas from her. Her blog is called App solutely April. The things her elementary students can do with technology is inspiring. Her school website is full of information and ideas too. Oh, and she's a fellow NM teacher! 

My kids turned in their Flip Flap Book Report Projects today and I'm so impressed! They worked on them for three weeks and I must say that they really put some wonderful effort in. You can purchase this product in my store for 50% off! 

Last, but not least: we only have 14 days of school left! I seriously can't wait but I have so much to do, I can't even imagine getting it all in before it ends. Ever feel that way?

Five for Friday--bursting with excitement!

I'm linking up the Doodle Bugs! 

At an assembly on Monday I was surprised to be awarded a Century Link Technology grant for $4700! 

I was so shocked I couldn't even speak. My little darlings were cheering for me and all I could think of was how happy they'll be when I can get 10 more iPads for my class! 

We're working on fractions this week. Here's a peek at what my student teacher did with them on Monday. Have I mentioned how awesome she is? She was being observed by her UNM supervisor on the first day back from spring break, after a really crazy assembly. Bless her heart!

Activities from the Teacher Wife. Click here to get it!

Tuesday, we used an activity from the fab Amy Lemons. They were so excited to make these pizza fractions! Again, I forgot to take a picture until it was in the hall. Sorry for the icky quality.

Isn't it adorable? It's only $2!! Click here to get it.

It couldn't be all fun and games this week...I had to start DRA testing, which is a reading test we have to do three times a year. Don't get me wrong, I hate testing, but I think this actually gives some good information and is fairly reliable (unlike our district math test, gag). Unfortunately, it is very time consuming and must be administered one on one. At this point in the year, most of the kids have to write their answers instead of orally retelling and answering comprehension questions. I try to make it a little less painful by letting them sit on comfy pillows or the bean bag to work. 

I've been a little concerned about my daughter's bruise. She is a beast of a soccer player and was kicked really hard a few weeks ago. It made a huge, nasty bruise. She got kicked there again the following weekend and again last weekend. She is icing it frequently (even at school) but it is still swollen. She has some games this weekend at which college coaches will be in attendance and wants to be in tip top shape. She says it doesn't hurt. I'm not sure how it can't. Ouch! I would be the biggest baby if this was on my leg.

Left is the first week, right is almost four weeks later. 

We have a big soccer weekend! My daughter is playing several games in front of college coaches and my coed rec team is playing for first place in the (last) division! Woot woot! The winning team gets a t-shirt! We are seriously out there to have fun, but when there is a t-shirt on the line....things are going to get serious on Sunday morning! Wish us both luck (and nice weather this time)! Happy weekend everyone!

I'm having a sale!!

Just a quick note to let you know I'm having a sale in my TPT store! Everything is 20% off through Monday. 

Five for Friday--Spring Break Style

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs for Five for Friday!

I've had a very nice (but kinda busy) spring break. Here are a few highlights:

First off, my hubs and I decided that our patio furniture cushions were getting kinda yucky so we started the search for replacements. We are blessed to live on the golf course right by the pond so we actually see water here in NM. When people come over they are surprised that there is actually water here.

We love hanging out on our covered patio so we felt that buying new cushions would be worth the investment. I'm telling you, we went everywhere! Nothing really struck my fancy until we got to (believe it or not) Walmart. I actually never shop there, but it was right next to Home Depot so my sweet hubby dragged me over there. I'm the kind of girl that can't explain what I want but I know it when I see it. Sadly, we had to go to three different Walmarts to find the cushions I liked and I'm still one short.

 

Last summer I cut 11 inches off my hair and donated it to Locks of Love. I really enjoyed my short hair but decided to try to grow it out again. I just couldn't deal with it anymore so I cut it off again.

 

I was also really looking forward to having a couple of lunch dates with dear friends this week. That is one of the best things about spring break: eating lunch slowly instead of shoveling it in as fast as you can so you can still get to the potty and maybe even make a last minute copy of something before your 29 minutes is up.

 

I did get some work done too! I have been working on some multiplication task cards with QR codes (check them out in my TPT store). It is really nice to actually have the time to work on something when inspiration hits. I also started some cutesy task card sets but haven't figured out what to put on them yet. I bought this awesome product to get me organized by Shroeder Shenanigans in 2nd and it has really helped nail down some of my ideas that are usually swirling in my head.

 

 

 

I've been so busy this week and it was brought to my attention (by my sweet hubby) that I haven't really done anything special with the girls. They are busy teenagers but still want to hang with their mom so I'm going to take them to a movie this evening and finally see Divergent.







I can't believe it is already Friday. Boo hoo! My spring break is almost over but we only have 4.5 weeks left! Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.

Do you have Friday Fun in your classroom?

When I first started teaching I didn't like the idea of Friday Fun. I though it was not educational and a waste of time. Then, I became friends with a veteran teacher and she showed me how important Friday Fun can be. This is a picture of a pattern block design one of my students made during Friday Fun.

My principal gives me a ton of freedom to do what I want in my classroom, but IF she were to ask me to justify having Friday Fun in my classroom I would have no trouble. I use this block as time for students to catch up on work they didn't finish during the week. I can also work with this small group of students because the rest of the class is happily engaged. I have 3 student computers and 3 iPads for students to use and those are always 6 stations. I always have a creative station (art, book making, coloring pages, etc.), a board game station, and a building block station. Believe it or not, the most popular thing to sign up for, at least for the girls, is to be my helpers. These helpers set up the class store and run it independently, put mail in boxes, tidy up, organize papers for me and sharpen pencils. They are my sweet little minions and they love it!

Everyone knows that CCSS is rigorous and with all the testing, we feel the pressure to have these little kids working bell to bell. Normally I do, but for 45 minutes each week the kids that have worked really hard get to have a little down time. The amazing thing about Friday Fun is when they have the time and freedom to just be creative, whether it's designing intricate pattern block designs or creating books and writing stories, or just building a block city with a couple of buddies. They are working on social skills and, more often than not, having a chance to apply what we've been learning in class to a new situation. Last week I overheard conversations about symmetry, 3-D shapes, telling time, and two students who were cowriting a mini book were talking about characters and setting. The kids enjoy Friday Fun so much that they usually work pretty hard during the week to earn it. Talk about motivation!

Do you have Friday Fun in your class and what activities do you set up?

Wordless Wednesday

I'm linking up with Sugar and Spice for my first Wordless Wednesday.

These are designs done by a couple of students during Friday Fun last week. My question is: Do you have Friday Fun/ Self Selection in your class? How do you "justify" it?