Career Day is coming!!! If you are available to provide an amazing experience for a bunch of second graders, please consider volunteering for our career day. It will take place on Friday, March 15th (just take the day off and make it a long weekend!!!) from 9:15ish-10:30ish (see what I'm saying? You'll have the WHOLE rest of the day to go and play!!) A form will be coming home in the next few days with all of the details. If you (or anyone you know or are related to) are able to make it, please send in the sign-up portion of the form to school.
Soooooooooooo many exciting things coming up!! I love this time of year!! (Please remind me of that when I'm up to my neck in stress and deadlines!! Wait, maybe don't, I can't promise that my reaction will sincerely reflect my sparkling personality at any given moment throughout the month of March. LOL!)
Have a good night!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Tuesday, 1/15/13
We came, we saw, we conquered the planetarium. Oh my gosh! What a perfect day to go into the city. The air was cold, but the sky was clear so the lake and skyline were GORGEOUS (seriously, do we live in the greatest city, or what??). In one area of the planetarium where we were explorning there is an entire wall of windows overlooking the lake. It was hard to not just stare out at Navy Pier, the lighthouse and a gigantic ship that was out a-ways in the water.
Our adventure started with time to explore. They have it set up so perfectly. There are tons of little areas all teaching about different facets of space. Many of them are interactive, so the kids were fully engaged. A bit later we all filed into the domed movie theater. That was my favorite part. There was a movie that taught about the earth, moon and stars and made you feel like you were lying down somewhere in the country looking up to the heavens. Once the movie ended we had a bit more time to explore some more of the attractions. There were areas for the kids to try on astronaut gear, strap themselves in as though they were on a space mission and even drive a space vehicle (there was much, much more but those were some of the highlights). The kids had such a blast. Before we knew it, it was lunchtime. We were able to sit and refuel which I know the chaperons and I appreciated even more than the kids. We each only had 3 or 4 kids to look after, but that is never as easy as it sounds. We wrapped up the day with some last exploration on a different floor, headed outside for some pictures and then it was time to re-board the bus.
I had promised the kids that anyone who was quiet and rested their eyes on the bus ride home would not have any homework tonight. I was a bit worried at first, there was a lot of chatter when we first left, but after a bit of time those wheels on the bus did their thing and lulled my little angels to peace and quiet. No homework for anyone tonight!!! Woo Hoo!!
It was a great day, and there's no way it would have been without our patient and amazing chaperons! Mr. C, Mrs. D, Mrs. N, Mrs. S, Mrs. W----THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you had a great time too!
I foolishly thought I'd make it to my workout tonight, but unless I get a second-wind...I think my workout has already commenced and concluded for the day.
I hope you hear great things about our trip!!
Our adventure started with time to explore. They have it set up so perfectly. There are tons of little areas all teaching about different facets of space. Many of them are interactive, so the kids were fully engaged. A bit later we all filed into the domed movie theater. That was my favorite part. There was a movie that taught about the earth, moon and stars and made you feel like you were lying down somewhere in the country looking up to the heavens. Once the movie ended we had a bit more time to explore some more of the attractions. There were areas for the kids to try on astronaut gear, strap themselves in as though they were on a space mission and even drive a space vehicle (there was much, much more but those were some of the highlights). The kids had such a blast. Before we knew it, it was lunchtime. We were able to sit and refuel which I know the chaperons and I appreciated even more than the kids. We each only had 3 or 4 kids to look after, but that is never as easy as it sounds. We wrapped up the day with some last exploration on a different floor, headed outside for some pictures and then it was time to re-board the bus.
I had promised the kids that anyone who was quiet and rested their eyes on the bus ride home would not have any homework tonight. I was a bit worried at first, there was a lot of chatter when we first left, but after a bit of time those wheels on the bus did their thing and lulled my little angels to peace and quiet. No homework for anyone tonight!!! Woo Hoo!!
It was a great day, and there's no way it would have been without our patient and amazing chaperons! Mr. C, Mrs. D, Mrs. N, Mrs. S, Mrs. W----THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you had a great time too!
I foolishly thought I'd make it to my workout tonight, but unless I get a second-wind...I think my workout has already commenced and concluded for the day.
I hope you hear great things about our trip!!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Monday, 1/14/13
It's a coooooooollllllllllddddddd Monday around here!! I took full advantage of the nice weather on Saturday and got all of my outdoor decorations down. I guess the holidays are officially over. I love having things back to "normal," but I'll miss the twinkly lights. Oh well, I guess that's just part of what makes the holiday season so special, right?
Tomorrow is our big field trip to the planetarium. I sure hope the kids like it. I think it's a pretty cool place, but as we've established, I'm a complete dork. If I'm doing my job correctly, I've been imparting some of my dorkiness on my kids....at least that's what I tell myself. I guess we'll see tomorrow. ;)
I have to keep this brief tonight because I need to go and make the groups, nametags, put together my bag, etc. Hey----the kids better love this field trip with all of the work that goes into it!! LOL! Joking! It's all worth it!
Have a good night. Stay warm!
P.S. On an academic note-----the kids took home their reading assessments from last week. Please take a minute or two to review them with your child. If he/sher mastered the concepts, then there may be a test-taking lesson or two in there. If there are any areas in which your child struggled with a concept, please review it as well. Thank you for your continuous support at home!!
Tomorrow is our big field trip to the planetarium. I sure hope the kids like it. I think it's a pretty cool place, but as we've established, I'm a complete dork. If I'm doing my job correctly, I've been imparting some of my dorkiness on my kids....at least that's what I tell myself. I guess we'll see tomorrow. ;)
I have to keep this brief tonight because I need to go and make the groups, nametags, put together my bag, etc. Hey----the kids better love this field trip with all of the work that goes into it!! LOL! Joking! It's all worth it!
Have a good night. Stay warm!
P.S. On an academic note-----the kids took home their reading assessments from last week. Please take a minute or two to review them with your child. If he/sher mastered the concepts, then there may be a test-taking lesson or two in there. If there are any areas in which your child struggled with a concept, please review it as well. Thank you for your continuous support at home!!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Friday, 1/11/13
After a week of completing reading assessments, the kids had an opportunity to display out their creative juices in class today. I gave them each a drawing of a dove to watercolor paint while instrumental music played in the background. It was positively dreamy.
Other than it being dreamy, there was a purpose behind the project. Next week we will be learning about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and so I will be asking the kids to think about their dream for our country. The dream will be written on their doves and hung in our hallway. The parents will also be receiving a dove on which they will be asked to write their dream for our country, and those will be hung with the children's in the hallway. In addition to painting the dove, the children also painted a label which we will be putting on empty cans and distributing around town for our annual Pennies for Patients project. We've participated in this program for as long as I can remember. In a nutshell, the cans are distributed to local (and willing) businesses and it is our hope that people will see them and toss some coins (or paper money!!) in. Then in library class, the students will learn the in's and out's of a coin counting machine and then use it to update the school about how much money has been collected. Once the program is done (it runs through February...pennies...Abraham Lincoln...his birthday is in February...you get me, right?) the funds are sent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It's a great program and a fun way to teach the kids that there are people out there whom we are able to support and help, despite having never met them. Sounds like the perfect way to end a long week to me!!!
Other than it being dreamy, there was a purpose behind the project. Next week we will be learning about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and so I will be asking the kids to think about their dream for our country. The dream will be written on their doves and hung in our hallway. The parents will also be receiving a dove on which they will be asked to write their dream for our country, and those will be hung with the children's in the hallway. In addition to painting the dove, the children also painted a label which we will be putting on empty cans and distributing around town for our annual Pennies for Patients project. We've participated in this program for as long as I can remember. In a nutshell, the cans are distributed to local (and willing) businesses and it is our hope that people will see them and toss some coins (or paper money!!) in. Then in library class, the students will learn the in's and out's of a coin counting machine and then use it to update the school about how much money has been collected. Once the program is done (it runs through February...pennies...Abraham Lincoln...his birthday is in February...you get me, right?) the funds are sent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It's a great program and a fun way to teach the kids that there are people out there whom we are able to support and help, despite having never met them. Sounds like the perfect way to end a long week to me!!!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Wednesday, 1/9/13
Oh my goodness this day has been a whirlwind!!!! The building is closing early, so again I don't have much time but I have to tell you a cute story. Before winter break we began our social studies book which teaches history. We didn't have time to get through it thoroughly, but I'd given the kids some sticky notes and had them read independently, meanwhile putting a sticky note on anything they found interesting. This week we've been discussing what the kids sticky noted (I may have just made up that word, but you get what I'm saying. ;) ). There is a small section in the book about the Underground Railroad, so that was where today's discussion led. This is not the first time I've taught this part of our country's history and it won't be the last, but there is always something amazing about how the kids react. They are HORRIFIED by slavery and the mistreatment of people based on the color of one's skin (today's conversation moved into talk of Rosa Parks as well--at the kids' instruction, not mine, believe it or not!). To watch their brains process what they are learning and hearing-- their reaction most always brings some tears to my eyes. I always hope that something about how they feel during this lesson in second grade about people who are different from themselves will somehow stick with them, despite what society may do to them as they grow up. While it is an ugly part of our history to be talking about in second-grade terms, it always gives me hope that our future generations will continue to improve the way humans treat one another, and if nothing else, I simply hope and pray that the kids I teach help me keep my rose-colored glasses fimly in place and that I never lose the hope that future generations will know better and therefore do better by each other. <3
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Tuesday, 1/8/13
I'm short on time today, but I had to show you our new class pet:
He came back from Aruba with one of the kids. =) He's decided that the Smartboard feels like home to him. I put in a close-up so you could get a good view. Don't you love it?? Never a dull moment around here, huh? I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He came back from Aruba with one of the kids. =) He's decided that the Smartboard feels like home to him. I put in a close-up so you could get a good view. Don't you love it?? Never a dull moment around here, huh? I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Monday, 1/7/13
Hi everyone and Happy New Year!!!
I hope you all had a relaxing and wonderful break. I was able to spend a lot of time with my family, and I never ever take that for granted. I was in Ohio when they had a blizzard. Usually I'm complaining because there's a white Christmas here in Illinois and I'm in no-snow Ohio, but this year was quite the reverse. I guess I got what I wanted, despite the storm coming a day late and arriving on the 26th. ;)
As much a I hated hearing my alarm clock go off this morning, I was sooo ready and excited to see the kids!! Typically this day is one of my very favorites of the year. We're all excited to see each other and the kids are nice and mellow from break. In addition to all of that, this year we had a new student start in our room today. We were excited to meet him and welcome him to our little family. I hope he felt at home and adjusts to life in our crazy little world.
I'm sure that, like me, you've heard about the "worst flu in years." (I swear they say that every single year!) Anyhow, this morning on the news they said that Illinois is getting hit particulary hard. Our classroom had a lot of illness before break, so I'm hoping that we all have our antibodies awakened and working especially hard and this flu will pass us right by. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and knock on some wood!
Have a great night and happy 2013!!!
I hope you all had a relaxing and wonderful break. I was able to spend a lot of time with my family, and I never ever take that for granted. I was in Ohio when they had a blizzard. Usually I'm complaining because there's a white Christmas here in Illinois and I'm in no-snow Ohio, but this year was quite the reverse. I guess I got what I wanted, despite the storm coming a day late and arriving on the 26th. ;)
As much a I hated hearing my alarm clock go off this morning, I was sooo ready and excited to see the kids!! Typically this day is one of my very favorites of the year. We're all excited to see each other and the kids are nice and mellow from break. In addition to all of that, this year we had a new student start in our room today. We were excited to meet him and welcome him to our little family. I hope he felt at home and adjusts to life in our crazy little world.
I'm sure that, like me, you've heard about the "worst flu in years." (I swear they say that every single year!) Anyhow, this morning on the news they said that Illinois is getting hit particulary hard. Our classroom had a lot of illness before break, so I'm hoping that we all have our antibodies awakened and working especially hard and this flu will pass us right by. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and knock on some wood!
Have a great night and happy 2013!!!
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