Five For Friday- Two Weeks in a Row???

Last week and this week? I may be on a roll, but it's too soon to tell. I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs for Five For Friday.

 Signs of spring are everywhere! Trees are blooming, the weather is warming up, and the grass is getting green again. Also, the kids are restless. We have two more weeks until spring break! Just keep swimming...
I have a lovely little patio outside the back door of my classroom and I can't help but smile when I walk by these beauties.

This is also the time of year when kids really start to enjoy reading. They are allowed to find a comfy place to read and choose their own books. Often they are reading more complex texts such as chapter books and science texts. I love to see the variety of books they are choosing to read independently. 

I have a little guy in my class that is just so wiggly and unable to focus. I have tried various methods to get him to complete tasks in a timely manner. He has a bungie cord tied around the legs of his chair, lightly weighted lap pillows, and other sensory tools. He also is VERY smart. He is capable of doing the work, but just can't focus long enough to finish it. One thing he is pretty motivated by is computer time. He also has some trouble with social skills so I combined those two things as a reward. If he completes 10 tasks, he gets 15 minutes of free time on the computer with a buddy. He also can't stand to have things on his desk, so I hung this chart on the wall across from where he sits so he can see it. He is pretty motivated this week. Let's hope it lasts longer than the other strategies I've tried. Here's a picture of my latest attempt (sorry for the poor quality):

I'm trying my hand at close reading lately and it is pretty difficult sometimes. I found this awesome freebie packet Close Reading Passage Freebie for Spring by 24/7 Teacher.

It is an awesome pack if you are interested in trying it with your class. Let me tell you, we're struggling to do this deep thinking. I don't know if it's the warm weather or what! Here's a picture of a student working on the questions and flipping back to the text to make sure she is citing evidence!

My students are just so cute! One of them wrote a note to each student in the class inviting the students to a class meeting (at recess!) to discuss my birthday! It is just too precious! I tried really hard not to notice. I found a note while they were at art to take a picture of: 

Well, that was my week! Have a great weekend everyone!