What Would You Do With This?

So the other day I found this thing.  It was so cool.  I've never come across anything like it. I'm not sure how to describe it.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it but I do know I will find a use for it in my classroom!

This thing needs to be seen to be pondered. 

Voila:

                                                   

What on Earth do you think this is?  

But more importantly, how could this thingamabob be used in your classroom Leave your guesses and uses in the comments below and I'll fill you in on Monday.

My 4-year-old son has adopted it as his toy for the week that we're here in Bemidji, Minnesota on vacation.  It's been a key, a sword, a remote control and a pirate's treasure X.  And he's broken it once. . .but I fixed it!

Saturday Apps #14

Apps make the world go round....well not quite, but they do make our mobile devices go.  I stumble upon apps, I find apps on Pinterest and Facebook and seek out apps on AppsGoneFree. 

Today I'd like to feature 

You Doodle

I recently worked on a project and was in need of some kind of paint and photoshop app.  So I surfed online and chose this one from a list of the 10 best.  I downloaded the free version and quickly played around with it to figure out how it works.  I soon discovered there were a few features that were only available by upgrading to the pro version.  Since most of my project was saved with this app, I didn't want to start over with another app so I shelled out $4.99 and upgraded.  I'm glad I did!  I absolutely love playing around with this program.  

My favorite things about this app are: the variety of backgrounds, the insert ability (photos and clipart) and the smudge tool!

The only thing I dislike and hope they add is a way to move around clipart, text, etc. after you've added it.  Currently you have to save it and once it's saved, it can't be changed.

Here are 3 slides I made recently as part of a contest to win a class set of laptops:

I can envision using this app in my classroom on our iPads and hopefully touch screen laptops I entered the contest for.  I used to do digital projects with students in our computer lab (using KidPix) but there's just not time anymore to "go down to the computer lab". . .the technology has to be IN the classroom and integrated into small learning groups.

I found this meme while surfing too, this kid is a classic so you might have seen him touting many things!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Pocket Monsters

Did you know that the word 'Pokémon' means pocket monsters?

I remember waaaaaay back in the late 90's that these animated creatures took the world by storm.  That was the start of my teaching career and a little boy named John, in my very first class, taught himself to read in English (because I taught at a French immersion school and there was no English in our 2nd grade classroom) by studying the Pokémon poster that was hanging on a wall in his bedroom.  Then the craze faded. . . .and was back with a vengeance in the summer of 2016 with the Pokémon Go app.  This reignited the dormant passion to 'collect' all these different little creatures. It ignited my curiosity as to "what in the heck are Pokémon anyway?!"

The story behind the creation is really neat!  Creator Satoshi Hajiri was fascinated with bugs when he was a kid and turned that passion into "Pokémon".  

My students walked into the 2016-2017 school year all abuzz about Pokémon and I scrounged around for some books to satisfy their passion and curiosity.  To meet that need, I also started creating partner and trio plays based on the characters, game and app to motivate students for "Read With Someone" time during our small reading groups.

I spent a lot of time researching various Pokémon characters and how to play the game.  I added a comprehension component to each play that is part of an overall reading mission for all the plays in this set.

It took me longer than anticipated to complete this new set of partner and trio plays due to the research (which was actually really fun) and switching grade levels this past year AND renewing my National Boards.  But it's done and I'm so excited to share it!

If you do download this pack and use the plays in your classroom, I would LOVE kid suggestions for which Pokémon should be part of Series #2!

School's Out and I'm Baaaaaaaaaaack!

I am officially freeeeeeeeeeee for the summer!

I am feeling giddy that tomorrow I don't have to go to work and can do whatever I want, when I want!  I'll most likely spend it working in my gardens and yard, running to Home Depot and maybe even taking a nap. . .

This year I switched grade levels (up to 2nd), renewed my National Boards in Literacy and had the largest class ever in my 17 years 

(and 90% of my boys were 'squirrels at a rave').

The last few weeks were CrAzY, with everything winding down, putting on a triathlon for kids in our city, creating and distributing our school's yearbook and being DJ for our annual end-of-the-year DJ party. . .all while my husband was in Japan. . .thank goodness my mother-in-law flew up to help me out!

But I LOVE all the FUN things I'm involved with at my school!  Time to have fun in the classroom and at school continues to dwindle and I've had enough so I'm bringing the FUN back in any big or little way I can.

Speaking of fun, have you read the book "The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt?  HILARIOUS and clever!  I read it a few weeks back and as I was reading it I said out loud "This story would make a great Readers' Theater play." and everyone cheered.  So I whipped up a script and we performed it for parents in the music room with microphones and a black, velvet curtain...so awesome!

Click on the image below to get it for FREE and use it with your class, your RTI group, your summer school class, etc.

If you are not yet done with your school year, my thoughts go out to you:

Word Nerd

In a classroom that never sleeps...

A new superhero emerges from the shadows...

To save the grammar day.

Word Nerd takes the duty of educating and informing YOUR students about the most pressing grammar concepts of day very seriously.  But he does have a sense of humor and a very catchy theme song!

So run, walk, jog or sashay over to this website to download the first episode of Word Nerd for FREE.

Nerd Out.

Breathe New Life Into Wooden Blocks

We've all played with wooden blocks as small children.

But the motivation and excitement about playing with wooden blocks fades once students enter first grade and beyond.  But simple wooden blocks can be fantastic engineering tools!  

STEM, STEM, STEM.  STEM this, STEM that, STEM is the buzz.  I have embraced STEM and love it but it's the E that excites me the most.  E is for Engineering....building.  Building means play and creativity and perseverance and imagination and reflection.  So combine wooden blocks and Engineering and you get

click to take a peek

I just added this to my small math groups and my students love it!  

The motto of the activity is: Build it tall, build it wide, but don't go outside

(the perimeter).  Students fill the gray space up and then build upwards to see what kind of structure they create.

I admit, I sat and played with this one evening last weekend while watching a show on Hulu and it was fun and relaxing!

Let's Do the Time Warp Again...

Three months. . .

That's how long it's been since I last blogged and switched grade levels.  I'm now at the end of our first quarter and can't believe how FAST time flew!  I just did my report cards and parent-teacher conferences are this week.

So let's rewind a bit:

Friday May 27th, 2016 = Hello summer and sure, I'll teach a 1/2 combo come fall. I'll spend the summer brainstorming and prepping a bit :-)

Wednesday August 17th, 2016 = A new school year and I'm excited to do the 1/2 combo and my class list looks AMAZING!

Thursday August 18th, 2016 = Um what....no more 1/2 combo?!  Someone needs to move up to 2nd grade?!....fine, I'll step up to the plate....my class list looks NOT amazing; 26 students is THE BIGGEST class I've had in all my 18 years :-(

Mid-September = crying breakdown, unfortunately in front of my 3rd grade daughter in my classroom after school. I feel SOOOO much school stress this year :-(

Beginning of October = crying breakdown, unfortunately in front of my grade-level colleagues. I feel SOOOO much school stress this year :-(

Today = It is what it is...what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger...I'm liking the curriculum...thank goodness for the sweet, awesome kiddos (small bunch) that I have!

The entire time that this was all unfolding I would do or plan or make something that I told myself, "You should do a blog post about that!" but I just could not make the time and kept feeling guiltier and guiltier.  I also haven't run consistently since before school started and that makes me feel guiltier and guiltier as well.

Okay, I'm done spilling my guts. 

I'm going to make some time for blogging, creating/sharing teaching resources and running.

I have nothing new to share right now....that is publishable anyway.  But take a peek at this freebie compilation of Readers' Theater scripts that I posted about back in June.