Fall??

Okay, who took Fall away from southern California?  I was enjoying the cooler nights and much cooler days.  I love wearing jeans and a sweater with boots.  Well, actually I dislike shoes, but I do like my ugg boots in the winter.  Last week was heaven, this week - are you kidding me - we are back up in the 90s.  Tomorrow, it is suppose to be 99.  So the best part of this weather, the air in my classroom died yesterday.  Yup - no air.  But, the good news is that I finished my District Math Assessment yesterday - in a room that had air conditioning.  So it is all finished and scored.  My kids did pretty good.  Super proud of them.  So I wonder what we will get done today, with no air, in another empty classroom - because it is really difficult to pack up all of your kids and move to a classroom that has air.  But, I am being flexible by moving. 

People, I don't know about you - but some days I am tired of being flexible.  How about you?  So I will keep repeating 9 more days, 9 more days......

Assessments

My Language Arts District Assessments are finished, woo hoo.  Part of the test is whole group, the other half is individual.  The District gives us two weeks to administer and score it. Let me tell you - it takes a long time to individually test 29 kids.  Then all their scores need to be entered into the computer.  I, usually, have the test completed the first week.  Not this year, I didn't get it finished until the last two days.  Then, as a cruel joke - grades were due the same day the district assessment was due.  Come on people, are you serious????  So, I was at school until 6:00 last Thursday - inputting all my grades.

This week, is the District Math Assessment.  Yup, one week to test 29 students in a group setting with 46 or so math problems.  So, they need to be tested and scored by Friday at 3:00.  But, wait - we will throw in the district wide Disaster Drill on Thursday, followed by a Staff Meeting.  On Friday, we have parent conferences starting at 12:30.  This means, I really have 3 days to give my babes their very, successful District Math Assessment.

But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  On October 26 at 12:20 I will start my one month break as a reward for doing all of the above items.  Hubby is coming home for the month - so no flying for me. Luckily, this year I don't have to pack up my entire room  and move to another one.  I feel sorry for my partner, she does - it isn't much fun.

Thank you

I need to thank some very special people for sending me some goodies this last month.  It was very sweet of them.

My room mom, that helps every Friday, brought me this box of yummy.  Oh my gosh they were wonderful.  I did share with a couple of teachers.  We give it a thumbs up. 



To spoil me even more she brought me my favorite ice cream.  I found these the last time I was in Hawaii and they sell them in California at the asian markets.  I highly recommend getting a box of these, or two.  The flavors are mango, strawberry, melon (honeydew) and banana.  The first three are my favorites.  They are sorta like a creamsicle, but so much better.  You can really taste the fruit.  My grand kids have been eating them when they come over.  There is a candy version, but I can't find them.  Apparently, they can't keep them on the shelf long enough in Hawaii.



I received this common core Math assessment from Sarah at Wishful Teaching.  She asked me to review it and I love it.  This one is the end of Kinder assessment, so I gave it to my beginning first graders.  A lot, of my babes knew the answer, but the didn't know how to get there.  You really need to check it out.  She has assessments for Kinder, First and Second.  I am definitely doing the end of first grade assessment before I move my babes on.



I received this from Corinna at Surfin through Second.  My kids love it.  It is numbers to 10 in Hawaiian.  My kids love Hawaii, even though most of them have never been there.  It must be all the Hawaiian goodies in the classroom, so this was perfect.  Two of my little ones take hula - so they especially loved these number cards.  They already know their numbers to eight so know they can learn a couple more.  I believe, there are 3 different style cards.  It is wonderful.



I won this from Michelle at Run! Miss Nelsons got the Camera.  It is the cutest lunch bag.  The bottom has a zipper container that holds a food container - perfect size for a salad.  Underneath the handle there is a zipper area that you can put a fork, water bottle, dressing and a snack.  I think I need a couple more of these.  Probably should check where she got them.  I, always, forget my bag at school, ugghh.

Well, that is enough for today.  I am off to chaperon the 6th grades at the UCLA/Utah game.  I love UCLA.  Have a great day.

Book Bags

I finished sewing my kiddos - book bags and I love them.  It took awhile to make 29 bags, but it was worth it.  The classroom library is staying neater.  I don't have to worry about them breaking, like plastic containers.  They are about 11x13 inches with two 16 inch finished handles.  They hold 5 books perfectly.  The kids store them on the bottom shelf of the gray crates, too easy.

The kids were really excited about them.  My room mom tried to sneak one home with her.  We have 6th grade reading buddies on Friday.  Half of the kids go to 6th grade and half stay with me - so they will just grab their bags and go.  Easy peasy.

Did everyone's weekend streak by or was it just mine????

Week 3 - Monet

Our PTA pays for our "Art Smarts" program and I love it.  This program provides an assembly to tell the kids about the life of the artist and show some of his/her work.  Then an art teacher comes to our classroom once for 45 minutes during a two week period.  It is extra special for me, because my art teacher is always a former student's parent.  I had her son when I started teaching and we have remained friends.  Don't you just love those kind of parents.   My kids love it and I love it.  This time I was smart enough to take pictures of the kiddos creating their works of art.  Kinder and First created "Poppies"

The other thing that I love about this program - not every grade does the same project.  Second grade does a different art project than Sixth Grade.  It is wonderful.  When I grow up I want to work for Patrice the owner of "Art Smarts".

Yellow

Ok, these are from the 2nd week of school, I am getting closer (not really).  I bought "Color Fun" from TpT (sorry I don't remember who the author is) and I love it.  It has a book suggestion and a couple of activities for each color.  Unfortunately, with  the extra students this year and not being use to having all those extra kiddos - I only got two colors finished.  Yup, red and yellow.  So now I can throw all the rest of the crayons out of the crayon box - just kidding.  I have a creative bunch of little ones this year.  Love, love their illustrations.  I wish I had more time to do the creative part of teaching - I miss it.

The book was "My Yellow Shirt" or something like that, giggle.  Aren't they cute?

This little one draws the best trains, it is his passion.

Maybe,  I can finish the rest of the pages in February - maybe I should do the orange page because it is pumpkin month, hmmm.

Week 1

haha, it is actually week 9 - but I just got my computer back and needed to update my blog.  I have a very sweet class this year, there are just so many of them.  I am having  a hard time getting everything done in a day.  Thankfully, I have some really great moms that come in and help me. 

*I am not sure where I got the projects exactly, but will look them up at school.  I just need to update before it is December, giggle.

Ok, my desk hasn't looked this good since the first week of school.  It is a disaster at the moment.

The file thingy, on the corner of my desk, to keep me organized.

Four milk crates, zip tied together that hold their daily binders, poetry journals and their new book bags (I just finished).  I love these crates.  I bought 16 of them and it was worth every penny.

Our "No, David" pictures.  Some of them are a little more interesting than others.  I love this clothesline that I have hanging in my classroom.  It really showcases their work nicely.  The problem is - this project hung down a little too far and I kept hitting them, since I am so tall. 

Our writing wall - The First Day of First Grade.  I have taken these off and put them in binders for a class book.  At the end of the year, I will give each student their individual papers.

Chicka, Chicka wall.  I always do this the first day of school.  It really shows me cutting skills, coloring, following directions and if they know their name.  I will post more tomorrow