Five for Friday: Elfcapades and I Love New Mexico

Even though Doodlebugs is taking a Five for Friday break, here's my elf-tastic week:

 Our classroom elf (Rosie) is up to shenanigans, as usual. She's quite naughty but doesn't like it when the kids are. This week, she went around the school after hours and took a bunch of Elfie Selfies!

She also played with the iPad:

She was sick and tired of messy student desks so she gave awards to the kids with clean desks and then took some snacks to eat:

One of our students wrote a note to Rosie:

 In math, we're elf crazy too! We're doing my Addition Elves as practice in math stations this week. It features 12 double digit addition task cards with QR codes so students can check their answers. It's only $2!

 In social studies we're studying our state and making game boards to demonstrate our knowledge. Students need to write at least 20 questions about New Mexico, design a game board with a NM theme, write directions and make player pieces. Here are two of my fast finishers that have already started designing their game boards:

We are known as the Land of Enchantment

The roadrunner is our state bird.

Students are loving it and even their parents are telling me that they're learning information from their kids that they didn't even know. Many states have an official state tree or bird, but did you know that we have a state cookie? How about a state dinosaur? We even have a state question....seriously. The first person to comment below with our state question AND can explain it will win a copy of my Addition Elves task cards! Don't forget your email! 

 Last weekend, I met with some great NM bloggers and we had a blast sharing ideas and resources. Before we knew it, several hours had slipped by. Let's just say we are up to something...stay tuned.

We did an art project to go along with one of my favorite New Mexico holiday picture books written by NM native Rudolfo Anaya and illustrated by NM native Edward Gonzales. It is called the Farolitos of Christmas.

If you've ever been to New Mexico during Christmas, you'll see these simple lanterns all over the place. Most of the farolitos or luminarias are electric these days, but the traditional ones are made with a brown paper sack, sand and a votive candle. They take hours to prepare, but nothing can replicate that golden glow.

We made a construction paper scene from the book. Here are two examples of what the students made (I love that they are so different):

I hope you all have a great weekend! Now, for a relaxing weekend of shopping, wrapping, and cleaning (NOT!)...