Sunday, June 26, 2011

Three Books One Class

Project number five is up and running on Donors Choose
For this project I am asking for three class sets of books
//15 of each book\\
8th grade: Flipped by Windy Van Draanen
7th grade: Mr. Poppers Penguins By Richard and Florence Atwater

6th grade: Diary of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

With these class sets I am going to have each grade level break up into literature circles to read their new novels.

My project is up for double funding through Townsend Press.

If you would like to donate visit
Thank you for your support

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The power of DONORS CHOOSE

Third thank you package went out in early June. Fourth project fully funded yesterday! Total amount for all four projects
$1,177
The resources that Donors Choose has brought into my classroom has made an immense difference in my students reading and writing. I am so grateful for all the wonderful donors that have selflessly contributed to my student's learning!

Teachers I encourage you to make your own project on Donors Choose. Creating a project takes less than two hours and will forever impact your students! Those that are not teachers should visit Donors Choose to help fund a project, you can give as little as $15 dollars!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Popper's Penguins

I finished my first summer read
Mr. Poppers Penguins
By Richard and Florance Atwater

I have been wanting to read this book for years, but for some odd reason just kept on putting it off. Perhaps the movie coming out prompted me to finally read this delightful tale. I am interested in seeing how the movie compares to the book.

The book was written around 1938 and takes place in a small town called Stillwater. Mr. Popper paints and wallpapers houses for a living. He dreams of one day traveling around the world. Unfortunately, Mr. Popper's family is not wealthy and he does not have the luxury of traveling. He does settle for reading travel books since his painting business shuts down over the winter months. After writing a letter to an Arctic explorer, Admiral Drake, Mr. Popper ends up receiving a box from Antarctica. Mr. Popper does not have to travel far to discover one of Antartica's greatest treasures because one was sent to his door! Mr. Popper's family is in for a wild ride with their new found pet, Captain Cook.
I hope to start a literature circle with my 7th or 6th graders at the beginning of the school year.

Grade level eqivalent for Mr. Popper's Penguins
4.9

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Hello Summer

Eat berries outside
read tons of books
spend time at the beach
avoid getting a sunburn

Monday, June 13, 2011

Round Two Complete

Year two is officially complete!
Grades are turned in and everything is put in its place.
The classroom is bare and not eye appealing, but will be spiffied up for next year.
I am so grateful for what I have learned this year. There have been numerous lessons and blessings that I have experienced.
 I cannot wait for what next year holds!


Saturday, June 11, 2011

Love Notes

Love note from a 6th grader
I hate Mrs. Hall and Im not ling
//Translation\\
I hate Ms. Hall and I'm not lying

Story behind love note
I gave my students a part II of their final. Students were required to write a five paragraph essay to a prompt they were given. Everyone managed to compose a wonderful essay without putting up much of a fuss...minus one student!

This beloved student, aka E, decided that writing an essay was not needed. In fact this student had other priorities such as: making a paper airplane, throwing note book paper on the floor, watching other students write and huffing and puffing in disgust.

Unfortunately, this student desperately needed this grade to stay afloat. After observing this students unwillingness to cooperate I informed E that if the essay was not completed within the designated time frame they would be staying with me all day...and Thursday...and Friday and if I did not have a finished essay from E by the end of the school year E's grade would fall to an F.

More huffing, puffing and grumbling occurred.
Lunch Break
Came back and wrote the encouraging love note on the desk
Mr. S came and took the student in the hall to complete the essay
Five minutes before bell rang E came and presented a decent essay with the biggest smile plastered on face.

//SIDENOTE\\
I realize this handwriting looks like it came from a 2nd grader, but it actually came from a 6th grader.

What is in a name



Friday, June 10, 2011

TOMS new VISION

TOMS is no longer a shoe company, but a One for One company. They started out with providing shoes for the shoeless and now they are improving people's vision. Not only are shoes necessary, but sight is a fundamental need. The loss of sight has a dramatic impact on a person's life.

The TOMS team took a trip to Nepal and discovered their new VISION. There are a hundred and sixty five million people that have vision impairment and 1% of the population is blind in Nepal, Cambodia. These vision impairments are 100% preventable and treatable if action in taken.

Here is why sight in the new One for One movement:
This is a solvable crisis
Help break the poverty trap
sight means education and opportunity
Equal rights for women
Immediate impact
We can create a better tomorrow

With TOMS new One for One eye wear they are providing more than just glasses. With partnership through expert eye care organization in Nepal, Cambodia and Tibet services will be provided in three ways
prescription glasses
sight-saving surgery
medical treatment

WITH A SIMPLE PAIR OF EYE GLASSES THE WORLD COMES INTO FOCUS

TOMS Next Chapter

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Motivation banners

First summer project has been discovered!

Do I sew...no, but I do know how to use a hot glue gun!
I am planning on making a couple of these to hang from the ceiling of my classroom with motivational/positive sayings:
Be kind
Write on
Stay Calm
Try Try Again
Believe in yourself

Pictures to follow

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Flibbertigibbet

Flibbertigibbet
A chattering, flighty light headed woman

//Speller sayings\\
Can I have all the information you can give me on my word
Is there anything else you can tell me...ehh the spelling
Are there any other pronunciation of the word
Can I have a different word
What else can I ask here
That's a word

Here are some of the words 
batrachophagous
theopneustic
capilliculture
phyllomancy
spadiceous
withernam
arbustum
mandlen
limacine
espadon
kerystic
pritchel
inficete
gagaku
armilla
nataka
selion


and of course the dreaded sound
ding