Middle & High School Blog Party

When Kristen from Secondary Solutions told me about the middle & high school blog party, I was all in. When I first started blogging, I was feeling a bit left out. There are SO many adorable blogs for K-3 teachers but what about the middle school teachers?? It's bad enough that we have to deal with the hormonal changes but now we can't get any love in blogland? I couldn't deal. I was having a Veruca Salt moment. I did neglect my blog for a long time and I blame that entirely on grad school, but I can also say that part of it was due to the fact that I was having a serious identity crisis. I wanted to teach first grade, too! {Ok, it wasn't that serious, but still!} I LOVE fifth grade and all the perks... less boogers, more independence, but show me the blogs!! While there are wayyy more upper elementary/middle school blogs around now than there were even 6 months ago, I love finding more. I'm linking up with Secondary Solutions and you should too. And if you stop by from the party, please leave a comment or become a follower so that I can check out your blog. We need to stick together.

I also can't get enough of the linky parties this week and since this is my third in four days, I decided to partipate in Jodi from Clutter-Free Classroom's "How I spent my winter vacation" party on my personal blog, since I didn't spend it doing school stuff. If the parties keep coming, I'm going to need some more time off.

2012 Resolutions

Another linky party?? Nuh-uh! Today I'm linking up with A Teacher's Treasure for the 2012 Resolutions linky party!

Here are the rules:

1. Copy and paste the image below to your post & link it to the party.
2. Make sure you include both personal and professional goals.
3. No more than 3-5 goals for each.

In the past, resolutions have never been my thing. I hardly ever make them and when I do,  I don't keep them. Isn't that how it's supposed to go, though? Anyhow, I'm just not a fan. First off, the time to make a serious goal and stick to it should not be after a week of being a total sloth relaxing during break. It should also not be when there are layers of clothes to cover up in, when it's pitch black when I leave for work and come home making me not want to do anything except be on the couch with my laptop/Nook, or when there are marathons of Teen Mom, Real Housewives, or Jersey Shore on.

However, this year, Mrs. Zrihen will be keeping me accountable and finding a way to check in on me monthly. That makes me a little nervous so I'm going to try to be serious.

Here are my resolutions:

Personal:

• Continue to work with my small group from church to read and better understand the bible so that I can be a better Christian.
• Finalize the last of my wedding planning and take a deep breath. It will all get done and the end result is that I will be promoted to Mrs. P in April :)
• GET HEALTHY! I don't just want to lose weight. I want to eat better and move more. I want to try Zumba and figure out some other ways to work out without wanting to poke my eye out. (While this is a totally popular resolution, I've never made it before)
• Focus on making my blog(s) better. Both have been neglected and considering how much I learn from my blog friends, I need to keep up with this thing!

Professional

• Start math groups. I used to do small groups during math but it is SO hard with only one teacher for four groups. My kids' abilities are so spread out this year that I have to level their work in some way. I need something that isn't going to make me crazy so please send any and all math group ideas this way!!
• Complete 4-5 more graduate courses by the end of 2012. I neeeeeeeeeeeeeed to finish my Master's ASAP!
• Work smarter, not harder! I have to focus on my wedding, my soon-to-be husband, and my personal life by spending less time working on "school stuff". Sometimes, whatever isn't done at the end of the day will just have to wait until tomorrow.
• Be more positive at work. Let's just say that, with the exception of the kids, the environment I work in is not the most desirable. I need to find a way to brush it off and focus on me and what I do with the kiddos.

Happy (almost) 2012!

11 in 11

I'm linking up with A Teeny Tiny Teacher for the 11 in 11 linky party, because I can't get enough of sitting on my couch and blog-stalking. In my defense, I have been getting a lot of wedding planning done this week... and some of it I actually got dressed for. It has been WAY too long since I've given this 'lil blog the attention it deserves and this is WAY too fun!

 11. Favorite movie

It would have to be The Help. It seems to be the thing to turn books into movies and usually the directors really mess them up. I think The Help was done fabulously. It had me laughing and crying and wanting to read the book all over again!

10. Favorite TV Series

This would have to be The Biggest Loser. We had to DVR every episode this past season and probably the upcoming season because that's when our small group meets, but we can't get it started fast enough on Wednesdays to catch up. It's not the same without Jillian but I have the biggest crush on Dolvett, so it's okay. If only I was that motivated to get up off my butt!

Rest assured, I also still LOVE Real Housewives of NJ and Teen Mom 1 & 2. Oh! And Sister Wives and All-American Muslim - seriously.. LOVE those shows! Is this too much TV?? Do I have a problem?? Don't answer that.

 9. Favorite restaurant

It's a tie.. I LOVE Bisuteki, a Japanese hibachi place. SO. GOOD. I also LOVE Mexico Lindo. They have a mariachi band on Wednesday nights and the food is authentic and delicious.

{Our birthday dinner a couple of years back}

8. Favorite new thing you tried

I started going to a new church this year and it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was basically given the choice as a child to make my own decisions regarding my religion and I have finally found what feels like home. Through this church, I have taken two courses about Christianity, as well as our pre-marriage course. We have also met some incredible friends here and have really enjoyed exploring our faith with friends who have similar morals. We have also decided to get married here in April and it is my favorite thing about our wedding.

7. Favorite gift you received

I feel so spoiled because all of my favorite things have been gifts but this is one of my newest favorites.  :)

My cousin/MOH (above in the sombrero) got it for me for my birthday to use on my wedding day (which is four months from today! ahhh!) and I just couldn't stop looking at it!

6. Favorite thing you pinned

Now if I went through this, I would be here for another two days. It's bad enough that I am not being productive what-so-ever today or yesterday so I'm just going to include my link and you can decide!   Follow me!

5. Favorite blog post

My blog is not super new but it has been super neglected. I had so many great things drafted but I'm not sure you want to read about Halloween activities in January. I'm going to go with my most popular post... Grab 'yo bags! I'm also sooo nosy & loved seeing what was in everyone's bags!

4. Favorite accomplishments

Earning 4.0's in my two grad classes this semester. Maintaining two classes while teaching at an extended day school and planning a wedding is enough to kill someone. It was almost me so if I saw anything lower than a 4.0 when I checked my grades, I was going to lose my mind!

3. Favorite picture

Another tie.. my BFF's from college at KW's wedding.. Fab4 is still going strong!

My crazy, sweet, hilarious niece!

I am borderline papparazzi with this girl and we were out to eat when she said, "Hey, Auntie! Take a picture of this!" and then proceeded to make the following face.

Oh, I could go on for days!

2. Favorite memory

Mr. P and I bought our first house last year and I have really loved making memories together in our new home. We have lived here for about a year and a half now and I love everything from the home improvement projects, decorating for holidays, and hosting parties, to having dinner together and talking about our day. I love coming home and I am looking forward to many more years together in our house!

1. Goal for 2012

Stay tuned for my next post when I link up with Mrs. Zrihen at A Teacher's Treasure for her 2012 Resolutions linky party!

Liebster Award

As my blog grows, I continue to get more and more excited as the amount of followers gets larger and more importantly, when I hear how my teaching has helped others. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw that Heather at Loose Shoelaces awarded me with the Liebster Award! It's my first blog award and I am not only excited to receive it but also to share some of my favorite blogs with all of you. You have also got to check out Heather's blog.




It is funny and adorable and best of all, she also teaches fifth grade! "Big kid" blogs are hard to come by and I am glad I found hers!

The goal of the award is to spotlight up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers. The rules are:

1. copy and paste the award on your blog
2. thank the giver and link back to them
3. reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
4. hope that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers

You have got to go check out these blogs:

1. Cardigans and Curriculum - Casey is fabulous fifth grade teacher (love it!) with great, practical ideas for older kiddos that could easily be modified for younger kids. I love checking out her anchor charts! I'm also pretty sure that we could be friends in real life.

2. My Life as a Fifth Grade Teacher - Lindsay is another fab fifth grade teacher! She does some pretty great stuff with her kiddos including trash picking and dressing up to improve her students' reading and writing. It would be so much fun to teach with Lindsay.




3. Life is Better Messy Anyway! - I love reading Jordan's blog for many reasons, but I really love that it combines two of my favorite things.. cooking and teaching. Jordan teaches fifth grade (say it ain't so!) and I love seeing the great things she does with her kiddos like this outer space activity. Anything that involves toilet paper AND cookies is a total win/win for fifth graders; I can't wait to try it with my kids.

4. Finding JOY in 6th Grade - Can I just say how much I love Kim?! She is a frequent visitor to my blog and always has something lovely and encouraging to say. Kim teaches sixth grade and has loads of activities that are perfect for the upper elementary grades. I always love reading Kim's blog & I'm sure you will, too!

5. Fast Times of a Middle School Math Teacher - Liz is a middle school math teacher and I just discovered her blog. Not only do I love finding upper elementary blogs but I love finding math & science middle school blogs because they are the minority in blogland. Liz just posted a great mind mapping activity that I can't wait to try and I am totally stealing her group names idea.

It was hard to pick just five but many others already have over 200 followers. Check these girls out; you won't be sorry!

Currently December

I'm linking up with Farley for Currently December! This is my first Currently link-up and I swear, right when I think I have run out of ways to procrastinate... I find some more! Love it!

Anyhoo, it's off to bed for this gal! I've got 5 more days of school to get through before break. Yup, that's 1-2-3-4-5. If you don't hear from me in the next week, it means I've jingled myself all the way into a straight jacket! Ahhhhh!! :)

Secret Snowflake & American Heroes

We have been busy, busy, busy and I am ready to collapse! I wish we could say that we've been busy making holiday crafts as visions of sugarplums dance in our heads, but that hasn't been the case. My school is pretty laid back about the holidays and my students celebrate many different holidays around this time.  While most celebrate Christmas, I have a pretty good mix of students that are no longer enchanted by the magic of St. Nick squeezing his way through their chimneys. Some are just "too cool", some are secret believers or are unsure about the whole thing, but then others are all "riiiggghhhht. Santa's coming." Instead we have been busy learning about strategies to multiply large numbers and wrapping up our electricity unit. Since apparently corporal punishment for teachers is allowed we are in school for one more week, I have some crafty goodness lined up for next week - naturally, all lined up with the standards :) For you poor souls that will be spreading holiday cheer through a teaching manual (like me) and need some fun ideas for activities for older kids... here's what we'll be up to...

               

"The Secret Snowflake"- my students are SOOOOOOO excited about this! We randomly picked names, just like a Secret Santa or what have you, and we are working on homemade gifts for the selected "snowflake". I work in a low-income school where many of the students don't have too much to give, so I emphasized that the gift should not be store-bought and should be unique, just as each snowflake is unique. They were hooked! I can't wait to see the final products on Friday. That's right... Friday. (We're here until 3:30, incase you were wondering.) Here is the letter that I sent home if you're interested.

Prime & Composite Peppermints - We are following suit with Cara and Patti and making some peppermint candies to display our math facts. Although, I decided to put a twist :) on it and we will be factoring prime and composite numbers.

Gingerbread Houses - We somehow found ourselves in a door decorating contest with another fifth grade class and a sixth grade class. We are turning our door into a gingerbread house and we literally just started it today because the competition began to really heat up in our hallway. I am also debating decorating gingerbread houses two days before break. We have a 9:00 prep period that day, which means that from 10-3:30 (with the exception of 30 minute lunch) the kids are with me all day. I don't teach writing so I am trying to come up with something to tie the houses in with math. 

Coordinate Grid Stockings - As we begin our graphing unit, we plot coordinates on a grid and it will turn out to be a Christmas stocking. We color & decorate them and hang them up when we're done.

We don't have too many cute activities in fifth grade but the kids are excited because there will be glitter involved and that almost never happens. I hope to have lots of pictures to share next week :)

Oh & we have been collecting items for soldiers in Afghanistan and our first package is going out in the mail today! The letters that the kids have been writing are precious!

I teach...

I am still baffled at the amount of time that has passed since my last post. I feel like the world is moving around me at lightning speed while I sit at my kitchen table buried in piles of papers as the soft glow of Halloween lights falls on my shoulders.

No joke. I put my Halloween decorations away when I took out my Christmas decorations. Don't worry, we didn't host Thanksgiving. :)

Anyways, I just wanted to pop in and say hello! I miss you all!

I decided that this weekend instead of using Facebook for my mental break between papers, I am blogging. :) I'm sure I will need lots of breaks since my professor is somewhat loco and is STILL assigning work even though she already sent out the final exam and our 8-10 page research paper is due two days later. Pray that I finish it all this weekend!! I want my life & blog back!!!

A friend sent me this today (thank heavens for Pinterest!) and it couldn't be more motivating!

Happy {almost} Friday!!

I'm alive!

Oh, blogging world, how I have missed thee.

I am alive!!

I don't know about anyone else, but going from total freedom over the summer to school lockdown in the fall, is a killer for me. It also doesn't help that I am taking two onling grad classes and planning a wedding. I underestimated how much time was involved with being a student again and online is not my thing when it comes to classes. I can spend hours on Facebook, Blogger, Pinterest (oh.my.word), and going through my Google Reader, but this online coursework is for the birds. It is SO time consuming.

I also need to know.. how long is everyone's prep period at school?? I teach at an extended school day so I am teaching from 7:45-3:30 and my prep ends up being about 20 minutes each day. Ridiculous, right?!? Ok, so the block is really an hour but we have a mandatory "team meeting" everyday for half of it, which would be wonderful if we actually used it for common planning, rather than for meetings and complaining. By the time I drop the kiddos off to their exploratory class, check my mailbox, and (if I'm lucky) run to the bathroom, I'm left with about 10-20 minutes. I have 50 students. That's 50 tests, 50 homework assignments, 50 notebooks to check, depending on the day. Of the 50 students, 15 are ELL, 5 are on IEP's, 3 on 504's, and we have 3 are in the middle of testing to check for a learning disability. I'm lucky if I get through 5 papers or check my email in this time. Is this normal?? I end up bringing all of this work home and fifth grade work takes a LONG time to grade. I am just lucky that I have been teaching the same curriculum for 5 years and our curriculums are super scripted, so planning doesn't take me all that long.

I wish I thought to take a picture, but last Sunday my living room was a perfect snapshot of my life. Grad school books on the end table with a stack of pens and highlighters on top, school bag on the couch with uncorrected tests pulled out, laptop open on the couch, printer in the middle of the living room, and wedding Save the Dates in stacks according to what they needed (stamp, label, etc). My dining room table still had the decorations from the Halloween party that we hosted the previous weekend. If you can imagine anything else in that chaos, I had professional development the day before and yes, it was on a Saturday.

Anyone have any tips, advice, words of encouragement?? ..because if I'm being honest, I'm a bit burnt out and it's only November. I will say that my class is absolutely darling and they are a wonderful break from the chaos. Today my plan is to not leave my dining room table until I am completely caught up in these classes. And yes, I have finally cleaned up the party debris. :) I've just left a few key decorations out for Halloween, which I know is over but due the serious snowstorm we had last weekend, trick or treating was post-poned until Sunday, so we are still celebrating in these parts.

I have SO missed reading all of your blogs and connecting with you! Please know that every night before I go to bed, I read a post or two on my Nook. You are my de-stressing outlet and source of inspiration. I was also SO excited to see my new followers! Welcome! I promise, I'm not usually this much of a rambler.. or this delinquent in my postings.

A Peek in My Planbook: Frayer Model Vocabulary

I'm linking up with Jodi at Clutter-Free Classroom for "A Peek in My Planbook" linky party. This is something that I introduced last week during my Math/ELA enrichment block and I will continue introducing new vocabulary strategies over the next few weeks.

Our math curriculum, Think Math!, has a ton of vocabulary but not so much reading. While I think the math is easier to understand when it's not buried under tons of written explanation, I find that the vocabulary is not supported very well on its own. I really don't like having the kids copy the words and definition in their notebooks but when there are 20+ vocab words each chapter, it's hard to figure out what else to do.  I decided to make math vocabulary a focus this year, starting with my word wall (which has since been updated with a snazzy new border).

Although, three weeks into activating the word wall, I am already looking for more ways to make it more interactive. Stay tuned for what I am working on :)

As part of my new vocabulary focus, I have been using our enrichment block to introduce some of the vocabulary strategies/concepts from a recent workshop I took, such as semantic feature analysis, semantic mapping, scaling, and the frayer model.

The kids were already using something similar to the frayer model in English Language Arts and after discovering how much they are loving it, I've decided to use it in Science, as well.  Here's how our vocabulary lesson went down.

No matter how tedious, I always start the chapter by providing the list of words and having the students create a 3-column chart that contains the word, definition, and a picture/example of the word.  This way the students learn the definition and have a foundation of the words they are working with.  Before the lesson, I always discuss the words that are new the lesson, and I highlight the words in our daily objective on the board and in their binders.

During the lesson, whenever possible, I use a different color marker to show off a vocabulary word, as it is presented, and encourage the kids to do the same, which also fosters good note taking skills. 

This time, after the students became acclimated with the words, which was about 3/4 of the way through the chapter, I split the class into six groups of four and they each came up with a list of the six most challenging words in the chapter. Most kids were choosing the same words and once all of the words were written down, we voted on the top six. Then, each group was responsible for creating a frayer model, together, for their word.  This happened over a couple of days during our 30 minute enrichment block. First, they created their model. Then, they edited with their group. Finally, we edited as a class with their models displayed on the document viewer {love, love, love my Elmo!}.

This is what some of their drafts looked like.

When I tell you that they seriously loved this activity, I'm not kidding. During the next enrichment block when I told them to get out their frayer models, some of the kids actually cheered. I think this is just a more fun way for them to understand the language and they love working in groups. Any excuse to be able to talk and work! :)

Here are their final products..

I'm also loving how they are now an active part of the room.

This week we're working on the Chapter 2 challenge words. I also introduced a vocabulary preview chart that the kids are really enjoying. As part of our Magnetism review, we will also be making semantic maps of our science vocabulary. Come back next week to see how it all turned out! Rich vocabulary is everywhere in grade 5!

Where I'm From

This project is one of my all time favorites. I love writing "Where I'm From" poems in the first month or two of school because it is a great way to learn more about your students but also to challenge them in their writing. This project was inspired by Jen at A Teacher's Life but is originally based on the poem "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon. This is her poem.

I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening,
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush
the Dutch elm
whose long-gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.

I'm from fudge and eyeglasses,
          from Imogene and Alafair.
I'm from the know-it-alls
          and the pass-it-ons,
from Perk up! and Pipe down!
I'm from He restoreth my soul
          with a cottonball lamb
          and ten verses I can say myself.

I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch,
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
          to the auger,
the eye my father shut to keep his sight.

Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures,
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from those moments--
snapped before I budded --
leaf-fall from the family tree

First, I share the audio of the poem by George Ella Lyon that is on her website, as I display the written version with the document viewer. After the kids hear it and read it, I ask them questions about the poem, such as.. What is it about? Who are the people, places, and things, mentioned in the poem?  What is the theme of the poem? Can you make a self-to-text connection? We also discuss the language used and how it enhances the poem.

Then, I share poems that previous students wrote. This brings the poem back to their level since the original is a bit too much for most of my students. The poems lead to rich conversation about poetry, language, writing about personal experiences, and how those personal experiences shape who we are and what we write. Many of my students have such wonderful stories to tell, some heart-breaking and some that make your heart just burst with love. It is through this poem that I really learn the most about my students.

Next, the students brainstorm all of the most important people, places, and things to them in one of two formats. They can either create a list with sublists or they can make a web, using words and pictures. 

Then, I provide students with this template. I'm not where the original came from because I've found the same template floating around the web for a few years now. I go over the template with them, explaining the parts they have trouble understanding and providing examples.  The students then work on filling out the template, using their brainstorms to guide them.

Then, the students move their writing to a piece of paper, adding any additional details that support their writing and they self-edit using a thesaurus.

Finally, the students complete a final draft. We usually type our final drafts, but this year, my computers are still not working. Oh, well! Another opportunity for them to practice their handwriting.

This student is one of my rockstars. This type of writing comes naturally, as you can see from the last line in her poem, "I am from creativity". I encourage them to think of one word that sums up their poem or defines them as a person. I see wonderful endings... I am from love, hope, faith, their country or city of origin, fashion, friendship, an emotion, their favorite subject, and the list goes on.  Here is another example.

If you want to experience great writing, deep poetry, and rich discussion with your students, try this activity. While this activity is geared towards middle and high school students, it can certainly be modified for younger students. I can't wait to hang these up!

All About Me T-Shirt

How on earth is September already over??? I feel like I haven't even had a chance to catch my breath and now I have to change my calendar?! Good thing I love October. Crisp air, apple picking, pumpkin spice lattes, tall boots, chunky sweaters, Halloween, shall I continue?

Anyways, I wanted to share an activity that I did with my kiddos in the first week of school. I have a hard time finding 'back to school' activities that are cool enough for my middle schoolers. After some blog stalking therapy, I found a project that the kids loved.

Lindsay from My Life as a Fifth Grade Teacher  had a great project on her blog that was just right for my kiddos. It's perfect for those first few days that are super busy but also have too much lag time in between teaching procedures, but you could also do this for a book report or student of the week.

I created a tshirt template by drawing one, or twenty-five, on poster board and gave the kids the template that was not cut out. I figured that they might hack up the tshirt if they weren't careful with the scissors and I am too OCD to let that happen wanted them to look nice when I hung them in the hallway. Each student had to come up with words and pictures that represented them and draw them on their tshirts.  When they were finished, I cut them out and hung them in the hallways, using a clothesline and clothespins. LOVE this!

The only thing I would have done differently, is put up a light blue background, so that it looked like the sky. I already had green up and that's that!

Grab 'yo bags! It's on!

Does anyone else think the Southwest Airlines bag commercials are hysterical?? Mr. P and I love to quote the commercial whenever we can fit it into conversation. A couple of years ago, we swore we saw the guy from the commercial at a local apple orchard. Just recently, when trying to decide where to go apple picking this year, I asked which orchard we were at that year and he said, "the one with the Southwest guy." We've officially lost it. Anyways, onto the real reason you're here...

I'm linking up with Babbling Abby at The Inspired Apple for the Inside My Bag Linky Party. Like Abby, and most teachers, I cycle through bags like nobody's business.

My first year, I had a big ole' tote bag from the teacher's union. That thing got the boot because it really took a beating. Who gives a white bag to a teacher???

The next year, I made this gem.

This is Anna and yes, I made it. Not literally, but I designed it through Anna William; a small designer out of Newburyport, Ma, that lets you customize your own bag. I picked out the fabrics at a bag party and then decided where I wanted them to go and here she is.

I loved this bag for many reasons. It's adorable, has lots of pockets inside, and zips closed, to name a few, but it was too big. I carried home way more than I needed to on a regular basis. I retired the bag for school use but I still use it for weekend getaways.

Then I switched it up to this one...

This is a Harcourt School freebie from our math curriculum. I had the genius idea that if I used a clear bag, I would be more self conscious about shoving junk too many unneeded items in there. Hah! Too bad you can't see that behind that unopened calendar (another freebie) I have a water bottle, winter gloves, receipts, paystubs, pens, and a few highlighters, among other things. This bag is still sitting in my closet. I may need to grab the winter gloves, soon!

This year, I couldn't pass up this $15 tote from Walmart.

She matches my classroom decor and is just the right size to bring home work, but not too much at a time. What a shame. Although, she is pretty narrow, so this is what I carried around this week. Hello, bag lady!

Here's what's inside this pretty little thing.

My bible day planner, notepad for list making :), post-its, classroom keys & flashdrive, notebook for grad school, clipboard with gradebook sheets that I need to enter online, manila folder with MCAS scores, and a packet of homework that I still need to finish correcting.

 Oh, and last week, the germies got me. Notice how the DayQuil is ripped open? I literally tore through the box to get some relief. Echinacea is my secret weapon. The tea is lovely and I take my Echinacea with Vitamin C in the morning, afternoon, and before bed, and I swear it cuts my sick time in half. Hand sanitizer is a must since my classroom does not have a sink!! I know, crazy, right?! My immune system is getting better each year but I still get sick in September and once during the winter.

I may or may not have all of my paystubs since school started, shoved in there.

What's in your bag?? Go to Abby's Inside my School Bag Linky Party to play along!



Great Read-Alouds

I have a confession. I am addicted to book shopping. The rush of adrenaline that I get when I walk into Barnes and Noble is indescribable. Oh, the smell of a new book! It's pure heaven! With that said, I made it in and out of Barnes and Noble today in record time.. 2 hours. Hah! I have a baby shower to go to and the girls hosting requested that instead of a card, we each bring a book and sign that instead. I love this idea!

Obviously, it took me for-ev-er to pick out a book because I spent a lot of time browsing for the perfect book. I didn't want a classic because I figured that everyone else would get one of those. I didn't want a "baby"book because, again, everyone else is sure to bring one of those to a baby shower. Plus, I kept thinking, what do you do when you receive multiple copies of the same book and people already signed the book and wrote a message in it?? 

Picture me sitting on the floor in the kids section, devouring picture book after picture book. I read all my faves, Corduroy, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Tar Beach, Stella Luna, No, David!, Dot, Ish, Thank you, Mr. Falker, Pirates Don't Change Diapers, Fancy Nancy, Make Way for Ducklings, Knuffle Bunny, and the list goes on. The couple does not know what they are having, so it was a bit more challenging but here's what I ended up with.

I love, love, love Mo Willems. I discovered his books while I was taking a Children's Lit class as an undergrad. This book is too much fun and preschoolers just eat it up. He also has some more in this series, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late, and The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog are two more great ones. The little pigeon is so dang cute and when you use it as a read aloud, the kids love to shout out, NO!! the whole time. I hope they enjoy it as much as my kiddos did when I was teaching the younger grades. Plus, unless there are other teachers there or parents with preschool age children (which I don't think there are) there's a good chance that no one else picked up this book.

I also couldn't resist this one..

This book is literally just the lyrics from the song, Forever Young, with illustrations of it being performed in New York. The baby's parents are fans of his music and the baby's dad is from New York, so when I saw the adorable illustrations, I knew it had to be a part of this sweet baby's new book collection. Again, I think this is another one that no one else will get. (I have no idea why I was stressing so much about multiple books showing up at this shower!)

I couldn't resist picking up this book for my classroom..



because I love David Shannon, I don't read aloud from pictures books enough to my kiddos now that I only teach math and science, and this book has a great lesson behind it for kids of any age. Jodi from The Clutter Free Classroom did a great project and adorable bulletin board with this book and I hope to do something similar. This will be a great read aloud now that we've started our anti-bullying program, Steps To Respect, because it is all about being yourself and not caring about what other people think about you.

It's amazing that I only walked out of there with 3 books. Although, my heart was aching thinking about how much I miss teaching the little ones. Strangely enough, whenever I picture a change in grade level, I always consider moving up, until I find myself sprawled out on the floor of the kids section of Barnes and Noble!

Karson & Kennedy's Homeroom Contest - I need your help!!!

I've finally unburied myself from the debris of the first few weeks of school, just to bury myself under the covers with some Nyquil. That's right, the first cold of the season came early!

I have been SO totally, completely swamped the past couple of weeks. I have so much to share with you but between getting my new kiddos into a routine, wedding planning & appointments, and being a bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding this past weekend, busy is an understatement. It all caught up to me though because on Sunday, I woke up with a nasty head cold and just can't kick it. Mr. P was sweet enough to bring home Campbell's chicken noodle soup & flowers. He's the best.

Anyways, onto the real reason that I dragged myself out of bed to update my blog...

I entered my classroom in a contest for a local radio station, Mix 104.1, with morning hosts Karson & Kennedy.  They are looking to crown the most spirited homeroom as Karson & Kennedy's Homeroom. Since I already had my classroom makeover this summer, I decided to give it the "spirit" that Karson & Kennedy were looking for and send my pics over to the radio station. Well, lo and behold, I am one of the finalists!!! Now I need your help! Voting begins Wed. 9/21 @ 6am and a winner will be picked on Friday. The classroom with the most votes, wins the grand prize... A trip for two to ARUBA for the teacher!! AND a $500 gift card to Staples!!! Say what?!?! My kids are pumped, my class is decked out, and I haven't EVER been on a real vacation during my school breaks!

Check out the link below and VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!! I would really love you (even more than I already do) if you put a link on your blog and get others to vote, too. Link it to your facebook, get your teacher friends to vote, I need some teacher power behind me! Vote early, vote often, and spread the word!! Thank you! Thank you!

Vote for my class to be Karson & Kennedy's Homeroom!!

Karson & Kennedy’s Homeroom