HOPE

There is so much that I am grateful for, I love my 3 boys with all my heart and my husband is the most wonderful guy in the world. I love my job, usually it doesn't feel like one.  I feel like such a lucky person and then I start thinking about Newtown and my heart breaks again for those families, the teachers, the first responders, the townspeople, how did they get through Christmas?  How will those poor teachers feel on Wednesday when they go back to a new school? I try to stay off facebook, it's just too sad...being 2 towns away hit way too close to home....But then, on Christmas Eve I read that police from surrounding areas volunteered to work for all the cops in Newtown, I thought that was the most wonderful thing that anyone could do, that was the best news (to me at least) that I had heard in days. There really is so much good in the world, I have to just keep remembering that.  So.... here's to 2013, may it bring much peace to us all...

Martin Luther King

I know I'm a little behind, but I wanted to share this, this is what we did for MLK day.  I read a couple of stories to the kids(see below), we talked about what Martin Luther King wanted for all people and then did a little writing activity, followed by this cute craft.  The handprints are supposed to make a heart as well when turned upside down.  I saw this egg activity last year on someone elses blog, but I can't remember who :(  Anyway, I wrote it in my plans to remember for this year, because I LOVED IT.  So when I was writing up this years, I did it!  What a great lesson to teach.....even though the eggs are differenent colors, when we break them open they are the same......just like people and we need to be kind to each other no matter what we look like.  The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever!

   

Catching up little by little......

Whenever I introduce a new book, we make this chart...I have no  no idea what it is called, I guess you could say it's part of a Go Chart.  After we read the book we come back to the chart and check off the best predictions.  Then we hi-lite the "popcorn words"- the words we need to know by the end of kindergarten.  I love this part too, the kids sit there silently raising their hands waiting to be called up by a friend.  They are so proud of themselves for finding one of our words.  After I love to do some sort of craft and writing activity.

 Got this idea to make the cute little mummies and the writing from Cara at the First Grade Parade....I love them, they are adorable and the kids LOVED making them too.

These were my October and September bulletin boards.  My sister Katie made the squirrel for me 18 years ago, when I first started teaching and she has held up, thank goodness, I have one more that I lent to my grade partner, both are so cute ~love them.    

I wrote about these portraits last year, I'm doing them again, it's one of my favorite keepsakes that the kids will take home at the end of the year.  Each month they create their portraits and write their names....by the end of the year my hope is for everyone to write first and last name beautifully, keeping my fingers crossed on that.  But I love how you can see the progression and how much they have grown month by month.This is all I have for now.  Five more days till it's back to reality.....hope you enjoy the last few days of 2011.

Merry Christmas!!

Welcome to my new blog, just dedicated to teaching.  I am so thankful to Jenn at Finally in First who designed this for me.  This started way back in August and I'm finally now catching up.  Two reasons for being M.I.A- the start of a full time teaching position and football season!! Yay and yay!!! I love blogging and I love facebook, but honestly I haven't been on the computer as much as before.  It's been a whirlwind couple of months and unbelievably busy, but my New Years Resolution is to start blogging again. Where do I begin??? Here's some pics of our December and November fun!!!

Searching for clues to find the Gingerbread boy!!!

The kids wanted to play this over and over again, they loved it!  So did I, wish there was more time in the day.

Gingerbread Writing



Both classes had the cutest desserts!



YUM!

Adorable and delicious!!

Turkey Writing

Again.....cute desserts



Love this!!




Creating our turkey pins



ta-da!

My Danny at his feast

I have so much more to add, but that will have to wait for another day, hope you all had a Merry Christmas!!  Here's to 2012!!!

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