Saturday, August 25, 2012

Teacher Week: Freebie Friday & First Week Peek

I did it!!!! I survived the first week of school, cross country practice, football games & three doctors appointments. I haven’t been this tired in a very long time! Regardless of how bad my feet ache, this week was one of my best first weeks yet! I think I am going to love this third grade thing! 

We began our first day rockin’ the shades! The kiddos couldn’t get enough of them and actually continued to wear them throughout the week!

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Click below to grab the Freebie!

My Future is Bright

While they were looking too cool for school, we had to take a few first day pictures!

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Then, since my kiddos already knew one another so well, {we have been together for three years now} I really wanted to do something super fun and unique on the first day of school for our classroom introductions! Cue the mad libs! First of all, this was a great review of the basic parts of speech…AND…they were stinkin’ hilarious! So basically, the kids created a list of random words, and then filled the words into a beginning of the year story in the matching blanks.

Click on the pictures below to snag a copy!

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(Do not let your kiddos read the story while filling in the blanks…they will go change crazy and want to change everything!) :)

Along with our student mad libs, I had the kiddos write "I Am” poems which we displayed with  our first day of third grade pictures! They turned out super cute! (Click on the picture to download the freebie!)

I am Poem

After the first day craziness, we spent the next few days getting into all things champions using my Going for the Gold pack! Of course, I had to pull out the American Flags!

Olympic

One of their favorite activities for the week was our Snack Mix of Champions! Are you surprised? Kids + food = one happy classroom! ;) This mix set the tone for the school year, and the kids have already been referring back to this activity when discussing expectations for the year!

First Week Peek II

Freebie Below!

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While eating our snack mix, the kiddos spent some time thinking about all of the things they would like to accomplish in third grade! And…we may have even watched some videos of Michael Phelps at the Olympics! ;) Here is how our goal setting books turned out!

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And since the first week is not just suppose to be *ALL* fun and games, I even managed to squeeze in a few instructional routine practices!

We began each day learning our new morning song…. (Click on the picture to download)

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…and we began our Mission Possible Math Review! You can read more about this freebie HERE!

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Well…4 days down…176 to go! Here’s to a great year! Happy Weekend! <3

And…it’s not too late to link up with Blog Hoppin’ for Teacher Week! So, head on over and show us your FREEBIES! 

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I'm so Excited

I dont know about you lot but its only a week to go and I am starting to feel the bug of excitement about the game. I hope you fellas are up for a good and enjoyable game? I know I am.

Anyway I got the confirmation through this morning and morning and we are in our normal place, near Paul Hick's and Mutton Chops, Reiver Castings and Gripping Beast. I have included a map to us those who have not been before where we are, we are the highlight one, the green one.

Doors open at 10.00 for the public and I will be getting there for a 8 start, to set up the table.


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Twitterville Talk #63

Twitter is a collection of people conversing in 140 characters.  It doesn't seem like that's enough to be able to say what you really mean or feel.  No better example of the power of this social network was displayed than on Tuesday, August 21, 2012, when first one, then another, then another tweet appeared about the death of Ivan, the silverback gorilla living in Zoo Atlanta.  Ivan whose life inspired Katherine Applegate's book, The One and Only Ivan, was being remembered and mourned by many, many people.  I became so moved I wrote a blog post that evening.  The teacher librarian who recommended the book to me, to many, sent this message out over Twitter today.

John Schumacher blogs at Watch. Connect. Read.  Be sure to go to his website today.  He talks about his newest Newbery read but







It's always nice to be able to look over a list of outstanding books chosen by "people in the know" comparing it with what you've read or finding a title you know you should read.  Here is the NCTW Orbis Pictus Award Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Past Winners 2000-2010.

Thank to Literacyhead for this tweet.




Although many of these examples are geared toward the business world, they could be applied to personal or educational ideas for the use of Pinterest.  28 Creative Pinboard Ideas From Real Brand on Pinterest

Thanks to Teresa Rolfe Kravtin who can be found blogging at A Rep Reading.




This, 30 Indispensable Writing Tips From Famous Authors, is an interesting compilation of author portraits with their thoughts on the writing process as an overlay.

Thanks to Lyne Kelly Hoenig, author of Chained, for this tweet.






When I discovered the website, Wonderopolis, I was amazed at the resources available, the opportunities for reflection and discussion.  Educator, Barbara Phillips, has listed some of the daily posts at her site listing them in categories, Wonders to Use Throughout the Year.

Thanks to Barbara Phillips for this list and this tweet.







Musings from an author about goals, Some things I've learned about running and writing.

Thanks to Jo Knowles, author of See You at Harry's, for this post and tweet.






Prezi, a cloud-based presentation web 2.0 app, has added some features, 5 Big Prezi Updates You Should Know About.

The 20 most-watched TED Talks to date

Thanks to Joyce Valenza, teacher librarian and blogger at NeverEndingSearch, for these tweets.




Mo Willems is not talking but we can look and figure out what's coming.  The Kennedy Center doesn't want me to talk about his yet, so I won't.

Thanks to Mo Willems Pigeon for this pictorial tweet.






Publishers Weekly ShelfTalker posted an article, In Praise of Titans, citing the loss of many authors and illustrators this year.

Thanks to Walden Pond Press for this tweet.








September 15, 2012 is International Dot Day.  Read this blog post, Connect The Dots, for a unique approach to this celebration.

Thanks to Peter H. Reynolds, author of The Dot, Ish and Sky Color for these tweets.







The Society of Illustrators has chosen the award winners for Original Art: The Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration.

Thanks to Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast for this tweet.







These are some of my favorite quotes of the week.  The final quote Xena insisted I include.  It's more of a statement accompanied by a picture.  Maybe she's glad it's not her this time.











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