Today is a true day of organized chaos.
School is doing Santa's Workshop where the kids are working on gifts for their parents -- jewelry, frames, scarves, etc.
This has created a very open ended day of fun for me and for the class -- with a wealth of silly things being said.
After making lots of gifts for her friends and family, one student came by:O: I had to wrap the gifts for my family so they don't know what I got them.
Me: Well that's very nice of you to make things for them
O: Yeah, but they ran out of scarves so I had to improvise..
Me: Sometimes that happens...
O: (walking away)... I hate improvising
J: Miss Brown, what do we do with the gifts we made?
Me: You can put them on your desk or in your locker...
J: What if it's for your teacher? Do you give it to them now or wait until everyone gets back?
Me: umm, I guess that's you're decision..
J: Ok! Here ya go -- Merry Christmas, Miss Brown!
As I opened a card from one student -- I was given a gift card.
Me: Oh, thank you for the gift card!
Student: How much is it for?!
Me:... that's kind of rude...
A group of boys has decided to play Twister in the corner while we wait for the rest to finish making gifts --
M: "I need to take my scarf off -- I'm about to get worked up!"
Also, my amazing kids covered my desk in gifts today -- they're the best.
As one shouted as I opened them: "We must really love you to buy you so much stuff!"
True True -- Happy Holidays.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
27 gifts of Christmas
Tis the season to begin receiving gifts from the young moldable minds that I interact with each day. I love them to pieces...and have really been enjoying the pleasant... surprises that are left on my desk. Sometimes prompted with a "Ms. Brown I got this for you... " or "My Grandma says I should give this to you.."
No matter the reason -- I find it all too funny not to share.
Here are the 3 I've received thus far.
No matter the reason -- I find it all too funny not to share.
Here are the 3 I've received thus far.
 |
| One point for the funny gifts. |
 |
| This one may have been accompanied by a proposal... I'm not sure. |
 |
| Chocolate covered bacon -- they all know I HATE bacon. Hilarious.. >: ( |
They controlled the food network?
This week has been a whirlwind with Social Studies -- moving from explorers to discussing the Three Worlds and moving right along to the introduction of slavery by our good ol' pal Columbus. In studying the 3 worlds we dove right into learning about West African Empires -- Ghana, Mali and Songhay. Quite a fascinating little trip into history talking about salt for gold trade networks and taxation. I must say, I'm mostly posting this to boast the sweet map I drew of Africa so we could study together. As the unit progressed we added to it -- summarizing our information to make the map a study tool tracking the rise and fall of each empire as well as the region in which they grew to power. Pretty impressive I think.. :)(I suppose I should say things were going well until I graded my assessments. The majority did well -- but one student made me laugh out loud with her response. When asked to "List two reasons that led to rise and growth of the empires." She wrote, "They controlled the food network." I'm sorry I was unaware that Bobby Flay had anything to do with West Africa, but far be it from me to say he wasn't there in 1100. ) :)
In other news -- the long division hurricane has hit 5th grade and it's going surprisingly well. Estimation is still an area that needs improvement and with the Common Core Standards -- estimation and rounding are ALWAYS important in the lessons. We have introduced a multitude of strategies for solving division that allow the students options in solving -- however I notice they all like the standard algorithm. Cut and dry and easy to remember -- especially when you have a nifty little mnemonic device to remind you.
Let's see -- to scatter this update a bit more - I, along with my aide, have been trying to help the students better understand and remember the different parts of speech. As a class I've noticed that they often confuse them -- especially "The Big 3" -- which I feel shouldn't be happening. Verbs, Nouns and Adjectives are VERY different and definitely have different jobs in a sentence. In an effort to create a reference point for the kids to check into when they need assistance, we've been working on this anchor chart!It's been a great time to just quote School House Rock songs when defining different parts of speech. They don't know that I'm being unoriginal -- they just think I'm clever. Oh the trickery. :)
And for your weekly dose of humor:
Student: "Ms. Brown I want to be a chiropractor when I grow up"
Me: "Well that sounds like a good choice!"
Student: "...and a substitute teacher because I like being in the classroom!"
Me: "You don't just want to be a regular teacher instead?"
Student: "No, because I have to be a chiropractor -- I'm going to take over Dr. Moss's office -- I started going there this year and I will take over after I go to school. I'm going to go to school -- but I can't remember how to say it."
Me: "College? Medical School?"
Student: "No... how do you say, I-O-W-A?"
Me: "Iowa..."
Student: "Yeah... I'm going there for 4 years."
Always a good time.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Stellar Solar System Study
Who would've thought that here I'd be teaching the unit I wrote for student teaching last spring? Well, if you asked me -- I did. 5th grade is my love and my "sweet spot." However, having it become an actual reality is another coin. I have a unit, that I wrote and I'm proud of -- that I get to teach AGAIN! I am finally understanding what it might be like to be a 2nd year teacher -- having taught something before and knowing what works/doesn't -- what the bugs are and how I can avoid issues. I still have the same excitement because this is an entirely NEW group of kids who haven't heard my stories, jokes, and songs.
We did our intro work (or the blah blah blah section as I call it ;) ) and introduced the planet line up today. I'm glad that My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Nachos is still a useful tool. Memorizing the order of the planets has never sounded so delicious -- and asking "Why isn't Pluto a planet?" is a question on everyone's mind. -- They refuse to let go of it until I personally address each of their inquiries. I set up some hype for the day we study eclipses -- needless to say, I'm excited when they start each day asking, 'Do we get to watch the eclipse today?!"
Oh the joys of teaching young minds.
Here is the video we watched today -- if you teach Science of any kind, I recommend his videos!
Rockets Away...
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Let's Go to Europe
We have been working hard here in 5th grade -- studying the causes and consequences of European Exploration. In an effort to switch up our day to day -- I created a web quest for the class to go on, in groups, to research different explorers. I split the class into groups of 4, each group was in charg of a different explorer -- from Vespucci to Cortes, and each student was given an important job. Our jobs were as follows:
Mapper (draw a map of the route taken)Historian (write a biography of the explorer and create a timeline of their life)
Press Reporter (create a newspaper of the important events and discoveries of your voyage)
Personal Secretary (Write a daily log of the events happening on the ship -- write letters back to sponsors who are paying for your voyage.
We spent a week researching, drawing, and drafting the pieces of our presentations. At the end of the week, the groups had to present to the rest of the class what they'd found. It was so cool to see what they had done and what they'd found out. To have them be the experts is a lot more fun than having me spout information or just read it out of a book. The kids were awesome -- especially applying their knowledge when we played Jeopardy to review AND when they took their unit test today! :)
I beamed with pride when one of my students approached me today and said, "Ms. Brown -- I knew that number 3 was Amerigo Vespucci -- because he was my explorer."
I love these kids.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Projects and Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Well the past two weeks have gone by in a whirlwind -- with 1/2 days and 12 hour days, I am amazed that (a) I'm still standing and (b) it's almost THANKSGIVING!
Two weeks ago - the middle school hosted a Social Studies Parent Night to showcase the cool things we've been doing! My class showed off their leaf burst paintings and myths we'd written while studying Native American settlements. The leaf project was super fun -- we got to go on a little scavenger hunt for the perfect leaf -- right outside my class (Have I mentioned I LOVE having a door to the outside in my room?) -- then we painted and pasteled and watercolored our little hearts out. The end result was really cool, and the kids had a blast doing it!
After this, we studied myths written by a variety of Native American Groups. The kids were split into groups, reading different myths, and had to report
What the myth was about
What they didn't understand that they were trying to explain
How they explained it
As odd as it was for them to wrap their minds around the fact that these tribes wrote stories to explain things like fire, sharks, and rainbows -- they really enjoyed the fantastical elements of the myths.
After our group studies -- we tried our hand at writing our own myths explaining the seasons. I trickiest part was to have them erase their knowledge of "The earth goes around the sun ...that's why we have seasons." After many mini-conferences with them -- the end result was AWESOME! So much creativity -- so many different reasons, gods, and animals that could've brought us our seasons. When we put them on display -- the parents were just as impressed as I was! My class is awesome and I love when I get to showcase that to everyone. :) SOCIAL STUDIES NIGHT = SUCCESS!
And now, for the main attraction and what should've been the LONG part of this post: Parent Teacher Conferences. Wednesday and Thursday were the two days, that every teacher either dreads or anticipates. I can attest that any "dread" only stems from the preparation that is necessary for the conference and not the conference itself. We spent a few weeks compiling work, getting folders together, setting goals, and making sure the kids were ready to conference with their parents. That's right... the kids do the conferencing. My school participates in Student-led conferences -- every student selects the work they want to showcase, they're given a checklist and they sit down and talk to their parents about how their doing in school. My job, is to monitor, add some minor details and presto! We have a conference!
It was 2 very long days...but I have now been swayed to the support team for student led conferences. Having my students explain to their parents their triumphs and turmoils in school is a lot cooler for both me and them than having me explain how they're doing. The students were so well practiced introducing me to their parents,
Student: "Miss Brown... uhh this is um, Bradley.."
Parent: "Bradley?! Since when do you call me Bradley?"
Me : "That would be my fault -- I told them I couldn't call you Mom/Dad -- so they needed to introduce you by first name." :)
After introductions they chose a table, and began by going through their grade goal sheet -- setting new goals, with their parents, for the next marking period. On each table are 4 cups: red, yellow, green, and blue -- representing the 4 core subjects. If the parent has a question for the teacher -- they place the corresponding cup on top of the stack and then we come over and answer their questions. My experience was a little different since I was meeting many of these parents for the first time -- so I sat down and chatted with most of them. It was fun and really great to meet them and talk to them about the great things their son/daughter has been doing and all of the exciting stuff we are about to do!
Conferences have been conquered -- and I'm only 2 1/2 days away from Thanksgiving break -- Hooray!
Two weeks ago - the middle school hosted a Social Studies Parent Night to showcase the cool things we've been doing! My class showed off their leaf burst paintings and myths we'd written while studying Native American settlements. The leaf project was super fun -- we got to go on a little scavenger hunt for the perfect leaf -- right outside my class (Have I mentioned I LOVE having a door to the outside in my room?) -- then we painted and pasteled and watercolored our little hearts out. The end result was really cool, and the kids had a blast doing it!
After this, we studied myths written by a variety of Native American Groups. The kids were split into groups, reading different myths, and had to report
What the myth was about
What they didn't understand that they were trying to explain
How they explained it
As odd as it was for them to wrap their minds around the fact that these tribes wrote stories to explain things like fire, sharks, and rainbows -- they really enjoyed the fantastical elements of the myths.
After our group studies -- we tried our hand at writing our own myths explaining the seasons. I trickiest part was to have them erase their knowledge of "The earth goes around the sun ...that's why we have seasons." After many mini-conferences with them -- the end result was AWESOME! So much creativity -- so many different reasons, gods, and animals that could've brought us our seasons. When we put them on display -- the parents were just as impressed as I was! My class is awesome and I love when I get to showcase that to everyone. :) SOCIAL STUDIES NIGHT = SUCCESS!
And now, for the main attraction and what should've been the LONG part of this post: Parent Teacher Conferences. Wednesday and Thursday were the two days, that every teacher either dreads or anticipates. I can attest that any "dread" only stems from the preparation that is necessary for the conference and not the conference itself. We spent a few weeks compiling work, getting folders together, setting goals, and making sure the kids were ready to conference with their parents. That's right... the kids do the conferencing. My school participates in Student-led conferences -- every student selects the work they want to showcase, they're given a checklist and they sit down and talk to their parents about how their doing in school. My job, is to monitor, add some minor details and presto! We have a conference!
It was 2 very long days...but I have now been swayed to the support team for student led conferences. Having my students explain to their parents their triumphs and turmoils in school is a lot cooler for both me and them than having me explain how they're doing. The students were so well practiced introducing me to their parents,
Student: "Miss Brown... uhh this is um, Bradley.."
Parent: "Bradley?! Since when do you call me Bradley?"
Me : "That would be my fault -- I told them I couldn't call you Mom/Dad -- so they needed to introduce you by first name." :)
After introductions they chose a table, and began by going through their grade goal sheet -- setting new goals, with their parents, for the next marking period. On each table are 4 cups: red, yellow, green, and blue -- representing the 4 core subjects. If the parent has a question for the teacher -- they place the corresponding cup on top of the stack and then we come over and answer their questions. My experience was a little different since I was meeting many of these parents for the first time -- so I sat down and chatted with most of them. It was fun and really great to meet them and talk to them about the great things their son/daughter has been doing and all of the exciting stuff we are about to do!
Conferences have been conquered -- and I'm only 2 1/2 days away from Thanksgiving break -- Hooray!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The Election Connection.
In 5th grade we:
- learned about the voting process
- took a look into what it means to be a part of a democracy
- explored the process of the electoral college
- learned more about our states...like their names. :)
- participated in our very own voting process -- with booths and all
- Happy to report that Obama won out in 5th grade ---but the overall school consensus gave us a tie!
One of my students hit a button with me when he got angry and said, "I'm mad that Obama won because he is going to keep letting all of the lazy people take my money and make me pay taxes to let them be lazy." I pushed back on that one -- realizing he was just echoing the thoughts of his parents -- but I asked him,
"Do you have a full time job?"
He replied, "Well, no..but my dad does."
"So these taxes that help all of these 'lazy people' aren't coming out of a paycheck you have..."
"Well, no...but it's basically the same because my dad does...and I get his money."
"But, sir, you don't have a job and therefore this doesn't directly affect you -- so what you're saying is -- you're dad is upset -- so you are?"
We had such lively discussions about what they liked and disliked.
During our Social Studies block - I had them watch most of Obama's acceptance speech. We talked about how both candidates give a speech to their supporters after the results are announced. I said, "Whether you like him or not -- Obama is an amazing public speaker -- watch and listen to this for the way he presents his opinions and what he's saying to the public"
Afterwards I had them tell me something that they liked that he did in his speech. Even those that can't find a nice thing to say about him -- were able to point out something he did well in his speech. :)
What a great opportunity for teaching and learning! I love when life gives you such amazing tools for making learning so fun!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Spooky Celebrations
Halloween has come and gone -- and I have to say I'm glad to say farewell for another year. I've never been a person who LOVED Halloween -- it never seemed like a real holiday and I never really got into celebrating much for it. However, I know I'm in the minority here and especially for kids -- it's a big deal.
I learned that Halloween is a big deal for 5th graders at my school. This big deal of a holiday means that the day is packed with activities for the kids and way too many sweets! The day began like every other -- although I adorned some black cat ears to complete my WAY too creative costume. (I'm sure I'll get more creative over time). After 1st hour the kids returned in full costume ready for the annual costume contest. We paraded over to the Activity Center and they were separated into categories - Scary, Funny, Sports/Historical, and the like.
They presented their costumes to our tough panel of judges -- Mr. Cook, Mrs. Clore, and Ms. Reed. They had the impossible job of deciding the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place for each category and the winners were given baskets of Halloween goodies (glow sticks, pencils, slime, etc). After this excitement we segmented into class groups and began the rotations. Each 5th grade teacher set up in a classroom/computer lab/AC and planned an activity to do with each group. My group was in the AC, so we played musical chairs and Halloween games in the gym. The kids loved just running around and being out of class -- so we had a blast! We took a brief break for lunch and then went right back into rotations. At the end of the day we went back to our homerooms and had our individual "parties." We watched Monsters Inc and passed out treats.
I have to say, for only giving my class a 1 day notice of the "party" --- they definitely all pulled through on bringing in treats. I was astounded when my counter began to fill with treats of all varieties. I felt sick to my stomach just looking at their places after everything was passed out. So much sugar -- at least it was at the end of the day and it only comes once a year, right?
For the kiddos it was truly a Happy Halloween - I was drained of energy by the time I got home -- it was definitely an early bedtime for me! :)
I learned that Halloween is a big deal for 5th graders at my school. This big deal of a holiday means that the day is packed with activities for the kids and way too many sweets! The day began like every other -- although I adorned some black cat ears to complete my WAY too creative costume. (I'm sure I'll get more creative over time). After 1st hour the kids returned in full costume ready for the annual costume contest. We paraded over to the Activity Center and they were separated into categories - Scary, Funny, Sports/Historical, and the like.
They presented their costumes to our tough panel of judges -- Mr. Cook, Mrs. Clore, and Ms. Reed. They had the impossible job of deciding the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place for each category and the winners were given baskets of Halloween goodies (glow sticks, pencils, slime, etc). After this excitement we segmented into class groups and began the rotations. Each 5th grade teacher set up in a classroom/computer lab/AC and planned an activity to do with each group. My group was in the AC, so we played musical chairs and Halloween games in the gym. The kids loved just running around and being out of class -- so we had a blast! We took a brief break for lunch and then went right back into rotations. At the end of the day we went back to our homerooms and had our individual "parties." We watched Monsters Inc and passed out treats.
I have to say, for only giving my class a 1 day notice of the "party" --- they definitely all pulled through on bringing in treats. I was astounded when my counter began to fill with treats of all varieties. I felt sick to my stomach just looking at their places after everything was passed out. So much sugar -- at least it was at the end of the day and it only comes once a year, right?
For the kiddos it was truly a Happy Halloween - I was drained of energy by the time I got home -- it was definitely an early bedtime for me! :)
My first field trip!
On the 25th, my lovely bunch of 5th grade friends got to take a trip to the nature center near our school. Along with 2 other 5th grade classes, we all hopped on a bus and went exploring nature with the help of our trusty naturalist -- whose name I cannot recall.
With all of the excitement -- our bus was a little rowdy. The kids were singing and chatting and making enough noise for 2 full classes -- but I didn't mind it. I feel -- happy singing kids are better than angry quiet ones.
When we arrived at the center we were given a group presentation about the layers of the forest we would be studying. A few of my students were part of the simulation -- showing the canopy, understory, and ground level.
They especially loved her demo of creating soil... especially when they got to smell it. ICK!
After this, we split into lovely little groups of 10 and I set off on a trek through the forest with a bunch of my kids. We tested the best kind of seedlings for our weather pattern, searched out tree types and plants -- and even started a caterpillar scavenger hunt. Our count reached 5...and then shot back one, when one of mine squished it under his foot right as another said, "Watch out for that caterpill... Oh, too late." Poor guy... just trying to make it across the boardwalk.
An overall highlight was when we went through the swampy area and the guide asked us why we thought it smelled so bad... to which I replied (under my breath)... "This is where everything goes to die... it's basically the cemetery of the forest." The boys in the back loved that -- they looked at me and snickered. Then I took it further and told two boys (and one parent) "This is where I take all of the students who just WON'T stop talking." This really got them going -- which was hilarious for me to watch as they told everyone the story on the bus ride back.
We were blessed with a gorgeous day and great attitudes from the kids about trekking through nature. Aside from the two who were certain they were dying of thirst from the one hour we spent outside -- dramatic, much?--- everyone had a GREAT time!
:)
Always interesting.
With all of the excitement -- our bus was a little rowdy. The kids were singing and chatting and making enough noise for 2 full classes -- but I didn't mind it. I feel -- happy singing kids are better than angry quiet ones.
 |
| Taking in some fresh air. |
 |
| Lil' fuzzy guy! |
We were blessed with a gorgeous day and great attitudes from the kids about trekking through nature. Aside from the two who were certain they were dying of thirst from the one hour we spent outside -- dramatic, much?--- everyone had a GREAT time!
 |
| Testing out seedlings. Which will travel furthest? |
:)
Always interesting.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Predators & Prey
Now that things are returning to normal after my whirlwind of a weekend -- I have some fun things to share.
I decided to switch up the bulletin boards and include some things that I thought were important, like these comprehension sentence stems.
This saves me from making a bunch of different anchor charts -- and condenses them in a truly aesthetically pleasing way. If you're interested in the signs/seeing them up closer -- I found them here. I am in love with her blog and have definitely found some AWESOME ideas! :)
We've been working hard on developing good ideas and stories for personal narratives -- which I love, because I love to tell stories and the kids are SO good at it. I also found these posters on the YoungTeacherLove blog and love how they condense my anchor chart down!
Today we worked on practicing different types of leads and I am, as always, amazed by what they write down. I have been working right along with them, writing about my most recent car accident as my narrative. I created example leads, after reading mentor texts examples. Mine were as follows:
Dialogue:
"Have a safe drive home, " shouted Ms. Chamberlain as I walked to the parking lot.
Action/Onomatopoeia Lead:
Swish-screeech, Swish-screeeech went my wind shield wipers as they cleared the rain from the glass.
Surprise/Setting/Jump Ahead Lead:
Spinning your car off the road is nothing like you see in the movies; no stunt doubles, nobody around to yell 'CUT' when it's over -- in real life, it's just scary.
They had the easiest time with the dialogue leads -- really understanding the purpose. One of my boys wrote,
" "I'll be back soon, son," said my mom as she walked out the door."
I told him that gave me chills because I feel like something bad is going to happen.
The setting/surprise/jump ahead lead is always the trickiest -- but I had one boy write,
"Crossing people isn't the game, it's playing your best that really matters most."
I truly love teaching writing -- Lucy Calkins was so right, It's not desk work, it's life work. :)
This week's reading skill is determining Author's Purpose and as always, I love to tell them it's all about PIE. Many of my students got SO excited that we were going to eat PIE! ... sorry to disappoint -- but I love the posters.
I've created a nice little wall of THINGS READERS AND WRITERS DO -- which has become so useful.
Lastly, in science we have had to say our farewells to Geoffrey. Our time spent learning about the human body is over and we are moving on to Evolution, Fossils, and Adaptation. Evolution is not nearly as exciting as the human body...but I needed to do something that would get them to connect to it. I thought about playing a tag like game with predators and prey -- but that seemed a little wild for the introductory - I knew that it would be difficult for them to make the connection (and even more difficult to get them back inside..). So instead we set up a simulation, in our very own forest. Each student was given 2 M & Ms that told them what colored bug they were.
(Here are the M & Ms sorted by color).
I chose 3 predators who got to hunt our bugs. The predators drew an M & M out of the green cup and got to then eat every bug that was that color. However, my crafty little bugs had options -- some were blessed with a peanut butter M & M -- and by paying this to the predator they were able to escape death. If they used this option -- they had to explain how their bug stayed safe -- some said they hid, some said they camouflaged themselves, one girl even said she sacrificed another bug to escape. When the predators collected their prey -- the remaining colored bugs were able to reproduce and continue their species -- and then the process started over.
At the end we counted up how many of each color were left and discussed what happened. It was SO fun! They loved being able to make a choice and were able to explain what they did. As an exit ticket -- they had to explain in their own words what Evolution and Natural Selection were -- using the simulation as an example.
Science for the win.
Tomorrow we head off to the nature center on my very first field trip. Should be phenomenal -- I can't wait! 75 degrees with a light wind -- sounds like June -- not October. :)
Stay golden
This saves me from making a bunch of different anchor charts -- and condenses them in a truly aesthetically pleasing way. If you're interested in the signs/seeing them up closer -- I found them here. I am in love with her blog and have definitely found some AWESOME ideas! :)
We've been working hard on developing good ideas and stories for personal narratives -- which I love, because I love to tell stories and the kids are SO good at it. I also found these posters on the YoungTeacherLove blog and love how they condense my anchor chart down!
Dialogue:
"Have a safe drive home, " shouted Ms. Chamberlain as I walked to the parking lot.
Action/Onomatopoeia Lead:
Swish-screeech, Swish-screeeech went my wind shield wipers as they cleared the rain from the glass.
Surprise/Setting/Jump Ahead Lead:
Spinning your car off the road is nothing like you see in the movies; no stunt doubles, nobody around to yell 'CUT' when it's over -- in real life, it's just scary.
They had the easiest time with the dialogue leads -- really understanding the purpose. One of my boys wrote,
" "I'll be back soon, son," said my mom as she walked out the door."
I told him that gave me chills because I feel like something bad is going to happen.
The setting/surprise/jump ahead lead is always the trickiest -- but I had one boy write,
"Crossing people isn't the game, it's playing your best that really matters most."
I truly love teaching writing -- Lucy Calkins was so right, It's not desk work, it's life work. :)
This week's reading skill is determining Author's Purpose and as always, I love to tell them it's all about PIE. Many of my students got SO excited that we were going to eat PIE! ... sorry to disappoint -- but I love the posters.
Lastly, in science we have had to say our farewells to Geoffrey. Our time spent learning about the human body is over and we are moving on to Evolution, Fossils, and Adaptation. Evolution is not nearly as exciting as the human body...but I needed to do something that would get them to connect to it. I thought about playing a tag like game with predators and prey -- but that seemed a little wild for the introductory - I knew that it would be difficult for them to make the connection (and even more difficult to get them back inside..). So instead we set up a simulation, in our very own forest. Each student was given 2 M & Ms that told them what colored bug they were.
(Here are the M & Ms sorted by color).
At the end we counted up how many of each color were left and discussed what happened. It was SO fun! They loved being able to make a choice and were able to explain what they did. As an exit ticket -- they had to explain in their own words what Evolution and Natural Selection were -- using the simulation as an example.
Science for the win.
Tomorrow we head off to the nature center on my very first field trip. Should be phenomenal -- I can't wait! 75 degrees with a light wind -- sounds like June -- not October. :)
Stay golden
Friday, October 19, 2012
Things coming full circle (literally)
So, this week has been something else. We ended MEAP, finally! We said goodbye in a proper way, by relaxing and doing mindless things for the end of our day on Wednesday. I'm so proud of most of my class -- they really focused and tried their best on the test and I could tell they were wiped at the end -- so I rewarded them with a movie afternoon -- their choice with snacks.
The week was looking up, Thursday flew by and I stayed after to help the counselor sort and organize all of her MEAP materials so that she didn't have to work alone. We stayed at school until about 6:15 and I hopped in my car, exhausted, to make the trek home. On my way home, this happened:
Yeah, I spun off the highway, crashing my car through a fence off the road. It was insane, spinning in multiple circles, then finally coming to a stop...safely, on a dirt road off the highway. I came away uninjured, but couldn't say the same for my car. I paid $120 today to make it "drive-able" and the estimate to fix it is around $2500... quite the blow on my very first payday. wah wah.
However, I woke up to a shiny Friday morning, which meant the end of the week and my first payday! As usual, the day FLEW by and after telling my students that I was in a car accident and cannot make it to their pageants and bowling matches this weekend...they were devastated...but understanding, when I told them I would do my best to make it to the band concert on Monday. :)
I realized that I couldn't be mad about my car, after over-hearing this exchange between two students. One was helping the other complete his Social Studies homework:
Student 1: "Alright, I'll give you a hint, it is outside and it rhymes with hockey..."
Student 2: "Hockey..Hockey... ROCKY! Rocky Mountains!"
Student 1: "Right!"
Student 1: "Alright, I'll give you a hint about this one too.. when you go for a job, you have to fill this out..."
Student 2: "Paperwork...?"
Student 1: "No, you turn in an ap..."
Student 2: "Application! The Application Mountains?"
Student 1: "Uhh... no, it's a hint -- not the answer."
I love them.
In other news... this also happened last night:
Way to go Tigers! Sweeping the Yankees to bring the World Series to Detroit! Sadly, I was spinning my car off the road when they actually did it...but I hear it was exciting!
Lastly, when I got home today from picking up my battered and bruised car. I set all my school stuff down, refusing to look at it until tomorrow and checked the mail. On my porch was a glorious blessing -- a care package from my mother and one from Ideeli/my sister.
With a World Series shot for my favorite team, in my home state, and a care package full of goodies on my porch -- I can't be upset. I have a functioning car for the weekend and I don't have to waste money on a rental, my limbs are all still attached to my body and I walked away from a pretty gnarly accident with only a few cuts on my hands. I'm sitting mighty pretty right about now and I can only be happy and thankful for the things that are going my way.
Here's to a great weekend.
Cheers.
The week was looking up, Thursday flew by and I stayed after to help the counselor sort and organize all of her MEAP materials so that she didn't have to work alone. We stayed at school until about 6:15 and I hopped in my car, exhausted, to make the trek home. On my way home, this happened:
However, I woke up to a shiny Friday morning, which meant the end of the week and my first payday! As usual, the day FLEW by and after telling my students that I was in a car accident and cannot make it to their pageants and bowling matches this weekend...they were devastated...but understanding, when I told them I would do my best to make it to the band concert on Monday. :)
I realized that I couldn't be mad about my car, after over-hearing this exchange between two students. One was helping the other complete his Social Studies homework:
Student 1: "Alright, I'll give you a hint, it is outside and it rhymes with hockey..."
Student 2: "Hockey..Hockey... ROCKY! Rocky Mountains!"
Student 1: "Right!"
Student 1: "Alright, I'll give you a hint about this one too.. when you go for a job, you have to fill this out..."
Student 2: "Paperwork...?"
Student 1: "No, you turn in an ap..."
Student 2: "Application! The Application Mountains?"
Student 1: "Uhh... no, it's a hint -- not the answer."
I love them.
In other news... this also happened last night:
Lastly, when I got home today from picking up my battered and bruised car. I set all my school stuff down, refusing to look at it until tomorrow and checked the mail. On my porch was a glorious blessing -- a care package from my mother and one from Ideeli/my sister.
Here's to a great weekend.
Cheers.
Monday, October 15, 2012
My favorite part of my room.
However, I'm now finding out that sticking things to concrete walls...is not an easy task. Many of these fell down today...so I guess StickyTack is NOT the adhesive that will work...but I want these to stay up.
Any suggestions?
One boy asked, "Why did you have to make it girly in here?" I guess, I'll have to add some manly touches as well... zombies, or Halo posters...
Friday, October 12, 2012
Testing Week -- Round 1
Another week down and I'm finding my groove.
This week was the first week of MEAP testing for my class. Testing week(s) are always rough on the kids, because they hate it --- and I can feel for them, I remember taking these tests in school. A new thing for me this year was the lack of snacks for 5th grade. I remember getting snacks after MEAP in 5th grade, but since we are part of the middle school...we are too mature for snacks. Poor kids.
In the midst of testing, the kids were troopers as I worked my hardest to keep the rest of the day active and engaging to offset the silence of the testing times. We added a new friend to our class this week - his name is Geoffrey.
He's a human anatomy model, with removable organs/bones. I am head over heels in love with him and he has taken our science study up like 100 levels! We have been learning about the systems of the human body and now, Geoffrey offers us a hands on approach to learning the pieces of these systems. Today our discussion on the brain/nervous system was awesome because I was able to take out Geoffrey's brain and pass it around, so everyone could see a cerebellum up close. :) SO SO COOL.
Sadly, I do have 2 students who are TERRIFIED of Geoffrey and they refuse to look at him. It's slightly adorable to watch them stare in a completely different direction as I talk about Geoffrey -- and they are so polite when they say, "Ms. Brown, can we get that out of here...it's kind of scaring me a lot."
I am enjoying just having discussions with the kids and sharing with them the things that I think are awesome --- like the brain. We talked about tumors, brain surgery, concussions, and how all of these things can affect the brain. They love it, I love it -- everyone is ecstatic.
In case you weren't aware. October is National Anti-Bullying month. We have been really emphasizing the importance of creating a positive climate in the classroom and today we watched a video during our Advisory time. It's amazing how smart these kids are and how well they can verbalize their suggestions and they had really great ideas. One boy suggested that to stop bullying you, "just don't bully." So profound. Here is the video we watched -- if you haven't seen it, check it out and pass it on! Bullying is a serious problem in our society and the aftermath of it is tragic.
Life is good. The weeks are flying by and I've never been happier. :)
I went to a student's soccer game this week -- such a great perk of being a teacher. Go Comets!
We have also started Book It's READ YOUR HEART OUT, and the kids have book goals that they've set to meet for the month. :)
This week was the first week of MEAP testing for my class. Testing week(s) are always rough on the kids, because they hate it --- and I can feel for them, I remember taking these tests in school. A new thing for me this year was the lack of snacks for 5th grade. I remember getting snacks after MEAP in 5th grade, but since we are part of the middle school...we are too mature for snacks. Poor kids.
In the midst of testing, the kids were troopers as I worked my hardest to keep the rest of the day active and engaging to offset the silence of the testing times. We added a new friend to our class this week - his name is Geoffrey.
He's a human anatomy model, with removable organs/bones. I am head over heels in love with him and he has taken our science study up like 100 levels! We have been learning about the systems of the human body and now, Geoffrey offers us a hands on approach to learning the pieces of these systems. Today our discussion on the brain/nervous system was awesome because I was able to take out Geoffrey's brain and pass it around, so everyone could see a cerebellum up close. :) SO SO COOL.
Sadly, I do have 2 students who are TERRIFIED of Geoffrey and they refuse to look at him. It's slightly adorable to watch them stare in a completely different direction as I talk about Geoffrey -- and they are so polite when they say, "Ms. Brown, can we get that out of here...it's kind of scaring me a lot."
I am enjoying just having discussions with the kids and sharing with them the things that I think are awesome --- like the brain. We talked about tumors, brain surgery, concussions, and how all of these things can affect the brain. They love it, I love it -- everyone is ecstatic.
In case you weren't aware. October is National Anti-Bullying month. We have been really emphasizing the importance of creating a positive climate in the classroom and today we watched a video during our Advisory time. It's amazing how smart these kids are and how well they can verbalize their suggestions and they had really great ideas. One boy suggested that to stop bullying you, "just don't bully." So profound. Here is the video we watched -- if you haven't seen it, check it out and pass it on! Bullying is a serious problem in our society and the aftermath of it is tragic.
Life is good. The weeks are flying by and I've never been happier. :)
I went to a student's soccer game this week -- such a great perk of being a teacher. Go Comets!
Friday, October 5, 2012
1 week down!
Woah, it's Friday? Where did the week go?
One thing I know for sure: I MADE IT! I survived my first week as a REAL teacher, and I am so in love with all of it.
This week has been nothing short of madness and I have been rushing around keeping up my careful balancing act, trying not to let any of my new responsibilities slip. In an effort to reflect and review my very first week of being a grown up... I'll give a brief recap here.
On Monday I arrived to work in a great state of unknown. I had seen my classroom for a total of 3 hours the previous day...had spent the night prior planning "First Day" activities and unpacking. A 7th grade teacher in my building had an open room in her house and is letting me crash until I find my own place, such a stress relief. Meeting my kids was awesome, they drifted in at 8:10 to grab pencils/folders/etc on their way to their first hour extra curriculars. (I have conference period as my 1st hour...which has been a saving grace for prep this week)! Many of them stopped in front of me and asked, "Are you the new teacher?" "What's your name?" as I greeted them with a smile and a "Good Morning!" They scurried off to their classes and I got everything ready for my first day...and the first day of their 5th week! (I did get asked 2 different times, by staff members, if I was the new sub...) We spent the day getting to know each other, determining our class goals for the year and reviewing what they'd already learned. At the end of day one, a student stopped me on her way out of school to say, "Ms. Brown you're really nice and very pretty." DAY MADE.
Tuesday & Wednesday continued with hurried bliss. My class was patient and energetic as I navigated the line between how I teach and how they've been taught. The hardest part is picking up where they left off, since that wasn't clearly determined. It's a big guessing game, combined with what the other 5th grade teachers tell me about curriculum maps and common assessments. It all makes my head swim a bit, just the daily....or hourly dose of new information. 'Things you should know,' 'did i tell yous,' and 'have you figured out...' have become phrases that are always followed with a list of things that are extremely relevant...but just add another spinning plate to my current circus act. I have been discovering a new grading system, parent contact, missing students, accommodations, and MEAP testing all within my first week. It's exciting...and terrifying at the same time. I did introduce and implement my new behavior chart --which has done wonders for the class. I can tell I have 2-3 who strive for outstanding every day... which is adorable to watch them. I have 2 others who make me feel bad by how nice they are..I feel like they are hotel staff trying to wait on me. They are always first to finish their work and come up and politely ask, "Ms. Brown, is there anything I can do for you right now?" HILARIOUS.
Thursday - The overall low in my week. I woke up with a raging sinus headache and feeling like my brain had been replaced with a few bricks. (Not the ideal way to start a day that is full of teaching). I grabbed my green tea and made my way to school -- but the entire day was a blur. Oddly enough, being in front of the class --- I didn't even remember that I didn't feel well. It was the moments when I was sitting (at lunch, during conference, after school) that I felt terrible. I am a lucky lady with a great class that is overall well behaved, albeit a little loud sometimes :). I did finally make my way to the 5th grade teachers lunch...I felt bad that I haven't been over there all week, but lunch was a vital time to make sure I had everything in order for my LONG afternoon. :) I love the 5th grade team, they are all so funny and really seem to be great at what they do. They are in a different building so I don't see them often, and they switch for subjects, but I get my kids all the time. :) I left work at 5, and was asleep by 8... ugh, sickness.
Friday! My first Friday. It was just enjoyable, knowing I had made it through the first week. It's so satisfying to feel successful at the end of the week, knowing how hard you've worked for that weekend. My class was completely set up...an being taught by another teacher at the beginning of the year. With this situation came ALL of her books. My class has a back wall that is nothing but shelves...and these shelves are FULL of books. If you know anything about me, you know this is complete heaven. Just books on books, so many options --- soooo awesome! However, with the power comes great responsibility...and not much space for my very own books. So, the previous teacher, as well as about 4 others came and took what they wanted off the shelves... I sadly had to say goodbye to some books I wanted...which is fine...because I still have way more than I need. After this purging of the shelves, I decided that the hodge podge mash-up of books wasn't my style. My students learned the importance of alphabetizing today...helping me sort books by author, using their tables. I wish I'd documented it, because it was insane. They were all quickly walking with stacks of books saying, 'I have a G, where are the G's' and 'Ms. Brown, I need more books.' After this process...the day was over for the kids -- they left and I stayed. I spent an hour and half putting books back and realizing some of my students need some alphabetical help :) or just got confused in the shuffle. Two co-workers kids walked into my room after school with this reaction, "WOAH, is this the library?!" "Man, you have a LOT of books....who are you anyway?" :)
I can say, one of the best things about coming into the school year at week 5, to a teacher who is now the counselor (one door down) is having a fully set up classroom. Now, it's not exactly how I would do it...but the greatest part is that it allows me to focus on curriculum and make slow changes to the room to fit my style. I don't have to panic that the walls are bare, and the bookshelves are empty...because they aren't. I have a classroom that looks like a real classroom and is FULL of supplies, books, and the tools necessary to teach my class. My focus now is curriculum and creating great lessons and the creative stuff comes at a slower pace -- which is sooooo nice!
Overall, my first week was awesome and flew by so quickly that I'm excited for the next one -- when my grip is just a bit tighter. MEAP starts next week, so the kids will be diligently working, while I twiddle my thumbs watching them... :)
Here's to my first weekend as a salary earning, public school employee. :)
One thing I know for sure: I MADE IT! I survived my first week as a REAL teacher, and I am so in love with all of it.
This week has been nothing short of madness and I have been rushing around keeping up my careful balancing act, trying not to let any of my new responsibilities slip. In an effort to reflect and review my very first week of being a grown up... I'll give a brief recap here.
On Monday I arrived to work in a great state of unknown. I had seen my classroom for a total of 3 hours the previous day...had spent the night prior planning "First Day" activities and unpacking. A 7th grade teacher in my building had an open room in her house and is letting me crash until I find my own place, such a stress relief. Meeting my kids was awesome, they drifted in at 8:10 to grab pencils/folders/etc on their way to their first hour extra curriculars. (I have conference period as my 1st hour...which has been a saving grace for prep this week)! Many of them stopped in front of me and asked, "Are you the new teacher?" "What's your name?" as I greeted them with a smile and a "Good Morning!" They scurried off to their classes and I got everything ready for my first day...and the first day of their 5th week! (I did get asked 2 different times, by staff members, if I was the new sub...) We spent the day getting to know each other, determining our class goals for the year and reviewing what they'd already learned. At the end of day one, a student stopped me on her way out of school to say, "Ms. Brown you're really nice and very pretty." DAY MADE.
Tuesday & Wednesday continued with hurried bliss. My class was patient and energetic as I navigated the line between how I teach and how they've been taught. The hardest part is picking up where they left off, since that wasn't clearly determined. It's a big guessing game, combined with what the other 5th grade teachers tell me about curriculum maps and common assessments. It all makes my head swim a bit, just the daily....or hourly dose of new information. 'Things you should know,' 'did i tell yous,' and 'have you figured out...' have become phrases that are always followed with a list of things that are extremely relevant...but just add another spinning plate to my current circus act. I have been discovering a new grading system, parent contact, missing students, accommodations, and MEAP testing all within my first week. It's exciting...and terrifying at the same time. I did introduce and implement my new behavior chart --which has done wonders for the class. I can tell I have 2-3 who strive for outstanding every day... which is adorable to watch them. I have 2 others who make me feel bad by how nice they are..I feel like they are hotel staff trying to wait on me. They are always first to finish their work and come up and politely ask, "Ms. Brown, is there anything I can do for you right now?" HILARIOUS.
Thursday - The overall low in my week. I woke up with a raging sinus headache and feeling like my brain had been replaced with a few bricks. (Not the ideal way to start a day that is full of teaching). I grabbed my green tea and made my way to school -- but the entire day was a blur. Oddly enough, being in front of the class --- I didn't even remember that I didn't feel well. It was the moments when I was sitting (at lunch, during conference, after school) that I felt terrible. I am a lucky lady with a great class that is overall well behaved, albeit a little loud sometimes :). I did finally make my way to the 5th grade teachers lunch...I felt bad that I haven't been over there all week, but lunch was a vital time to make sure I had everything in order for my LONG afternoon. :) I love the 5th grade team, they are all so funny and really seem to be great at what they do. They are in a different building so I don't see them often, and they switch for subjects, but I get my kids all the time. :) I left work at 5, and was asleep by 8... ugh, sickness.
Friday! My first Friday. It was just enjoyable, knowing I had made it through the first week. It's so satisfying to feel successful at the end of the week, knowing how hard you've worked for that weekend. My class was completely set up...an being taught by another teacher at the beginning of the year. With this situation came ALL of her books. My class has a back wall that is nothing but shelves...and these shelves are FULL of books. If you know anything about me, you know this is complete heaven. Just books on books, so many options --- soooo awesome! However, with the power comes great responsibility...and not much space for my very own books. So, the previous teacher, as well as about 4 others came and took what they wanted off the shelves... I sadly had to say goodbye to some books I wanted...which is fine...because I still have way more than I need. After this purging of the shelves, I decided that the hodge podge mash-up of books wasn't my style. My students learned the importance of alphabetizing today...helping me sort books by author, using their tables. I wish I'd documented it, because it was insane. They were all quickly walking with stacks of books saying, 'I have a G, where are the G's' and 'Ms. Brown, I need more books.' After this process...the day was over for the kids -- they left and I stayed. I spent an hour and half putting books back and realizing some of my students need some alphabetical help :) or just got confused in the shuffle. Two co-workers kids walked into my room after school with this reaction, "WOAH, is this the library?!" "Man, you have a LOT of books....who are you anyway?" :)
I can say, one of the best things about coming into the school year at week 5, to a teacher who is now the counselor (one door down) is having a fully set up classroom. Now, it's not exactly how I would do it...but the greatest part is that it allows me to focus on curriculum and make slow changes to the room to fit my style. I don't have to panic that the walls are bare, and the bookshelves are empty...because they aren't. I have a classroom that looks like a real classroom and is FULL of supplies, books, and the tools necessary to teach my class. My focus now is curriculum and creating great lessons and the creative stuff comes at a slower pace -- which is sooooo nice!
Overall, my first week was awesome and flew by so quickly that I'm excited for the next one -- when my grip is just a bit tighter. MEAP starts next week, so the kids will be diligently working, while I twiddle my thumbs watching them... :)
Here's to my first weekend as a salary earning, public school employee. :)
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The Big Move
So, I did it. In one day, I moved across the state, checked out my class, planned for the first day and made it through. :) I am still in awe of the fact that I am actually teaching my very own class! I have inherited an awesome classroom library -- my back wall is just BOOKSHELVES. If you know me, you know this is a dream come true.
I'm still in the process of decorating, so hopefully once things start falling into place, I'll be able to post pictures and really get the ball rolling.
I have done a few crafts with the kids and will post up some photos of those once things become a little bit less like a tornado. Each day seems to run through my fingers as we move from subject to subject, fit in missed library time and I discover the amazing things my kiddos can do. I'm the definition of a busy bee right now and each night I come home more tired than the last.
Let me be clear: these are NOT complaints. I am head over heels in love with my class, and my school is so awesome. Everyone has been so helpful in making my transition as smooth as it can be -- entering 4 weeks into school!
I received these flowers from my awesome parents on my first day! I'm so spoiled!
I found this sign when I was out picking up last minute things. It seemed to fit my mindset for this year and my situation. So it has become my sort of classroom philosophy, the kids noticed it immediately -- right on top of the bookshelf :)
For a bit of humor:
On the first day, I was trying to get to know my students through their daily journal prompt. They had a list of questions to fill out and at the end of writing I called on them and had them tell me their name and at least one of the answers to a question they'd written. Here is one of the best responses I receieved:
Me: "Alright, what is your favorite food?"
Student: "Ahh, that would definitely be a 6 oz. sirloin."
Me: "Wow, that's specific..."
Student: "I also prefer it medium rare"
I'm still in the process of decorating, so hopefully once things start falling into place, I'll be able to post pictures and really get the ball rolling.
I have done a few crafts with the kids and will post up some photos of those once things become a little bit less like a tornado. Each day seems to run through my fingers as we move from subject to subject, fit in missed library time and I discover the amazing things my kiddos can do. I'm the definition of a busy bee right now and each night I come home more tired than the last.
Let me be clear: these are NOT complaints. I am head over heels in love with my class, and my school is so awesome. Everyone has been so helpful in making my transition as smooth as it can be -- entering 4 weeks into school!
I found this sign when I was out picking up last minute things. It seemed to fit my mindset for this year and my situation. So it has become my sort of classroom philosophy, the kids noticed it immediately -- right on top of the bookshelf :)
For a bit of humor:
On the first day, I was trying to get to know my students through their daily journal prompt. They had a list of questions to fill out and at the end of writing I called on them and had them tell me their name and at least one of the answers to a question they'd written. Here is one of the best responses I receieved:
Me: "Alright, what is your favorite food?"
Student: "Ahh, that would definitely be a 6 oz. sirloin."
Me: "Wow, that's specific..."
Student: "I also prefer it medium rare"
Saturday, September 29, 2012
A New Adventure
Well, well, well - back at another blog. Just sitting here typing out my obligatory "first post" this already feels overwhelming. What I should be doing is packing...and planning...and then packing some more.
Yesterday, life as I knew it changed. I received a phone call informing me that I'd been chosen as the 5th grade teacher -- a job that I'd interviewed for, the day before. I was finishing up my day as a 2nd grade substitute, when everything changed. With that news, I quickly left school -- told my principal the great news (she's also my aunt!) and spread the joy around. They said they'd like me to start on Monday... MONDAY?! -- that's soon.. and I don't live anywhere near there.
I guess that means I'm moving.
So, as far as a first post goes -- here it is:
I'm officially a teacher -- 5th grade (SO COOL).
I'm spending all day today packing up my life so tomorrow I can drive it all across The Great Mitten State and begin preparing for my 1st week as a real teacher.
I have about 1,000 things to get done...and before I admit that I'm "awake" and start tackling my lists... I'm here kicking off this blog. I love to write and I'm hoping...once that craziness of it all subsides (maybe in June ;) ) I'll be able to update this a few times a month?
I love the idea of a teacher blog -- but this may stray from that at times and really just chronicle my life as a first time - 5th grade teacher... or any kind of teacher.
I'm joining the ranks -- and it's about to be the craziest thing I've ever done. I guess flexibility really is what it's all about. Here goes nothing...
-Tina
Yesterday, life as I knew it changed. I received a phone call informing me that I'd been chosen as the 5th grade teacher -- a job that I'd interviewed for, the day before. I was finishing up my day as a 2nd grade substitute, when everything changed. With that news, I quickly left school -- told my principal the great news (she's also my aunt!) and spread the joy around. They said they'd like me to start on Monday... MONDAY?! -- that's soon.. and I don't live anywhere near there.
I guess that means I'm moving.
So, as far as a first post goes -- here it is:
I'm officially a teacher -- 5th grade (SO COOL).
I'm spending all day today packing up my life so tomorrow I can drive it all across The Great Mitten State and begin preparing for my 1st week as a real teacher.
I have about 1,000 things to get done...and before I admit that I'm "awake" and start tackling my lists... I'm here kicking off this blog. I love to write and I'm hoping...once that craziness of it all subsides (maybe in June ;) ) I'll be able to update this a few times a month?
I love the idea of a teacher blog -- but this may stray from that at times and really just chronicle my life as a first time - 5th grade teacher... or any kind of teacher.
I'm joining the ranks -- and it's about to be the craziest thing I've ever done. I guess flexibility really is what it's all about. Here goes nothing...
-Tina
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