Five for Friday - September 25

Hello and Happy Friday!

First of all, I want to share a cute book with you. It's called Dog vs. Cat. The author is Chris Gall. This book was a hit with my kiddos today. Our guest reader, a parent, read the book, and my kiddos were giggling all over themselves. Dog and Cat have to learn to compromise in order to live together. I think you'll like it. Give it a look!

Last night, as I was about to shut down my computer for the night, I caught a glimpse of Amy Lemon's blog post about reviewing addition and subtraction strategies. Her Doubles Dude's picture was so cute that I had to take a closer look. 

And... this morning, we made them! The photo, below, is one that I snapped as the kiddos were putting them on our table to dry. It looks like a pile of arms and legs with some D's thrown in, but I promise they are cute! It's basically an uppercase D with eyes, arms, and legs with the doubles facts written on them. They're hanging on our clothesline now, but I didn't think to take a better picture. I'll do it Monday. 

Our duck and chicken eggs are still chugging along in the incubator. We should have ducklings next weekend. Cross your fingers! Our chicks should hatch a few days after the ducklings. We're going to be one excited bunch of kiddos (myself included) if we have success with hatching. 

I have a new Facebook page! Be sure to like it, because I have three new or updated products almost finished. You don't want to miss a freebie! 

Finally, I want to share some thoughts about nurturing children. 

I don't remember where I was when I heard a comment about nurturing children, but it stuck in the back of my mind. We are six weeks into the school year. The majority of children have a pretty good grasp of the classroom routines. Wouldn't you agree?

I had two experiences, this week, when students didn't know something, and had the courage to admit it to their classmates and me. That 'nurturing children' idea, that had been floating around in the back of my mind, rose to the top at the right moment, because I had to do some full-on nurturing.

I use the word courage to describe my students' choices, because I think children know that, "I don't know," is probably the worst answer a child can give in class. Not knowing something is scandalous. It is embarrassing and disappoints the teacher. 

It wasn't a coincidence that the idea of nurturing it stuck in my head. It was put there to be used when I needed it and when my children needed it. I have been teaching for more than twenty years, and I have had many opportunities to nurture children, but these two instances resonate with me. Why? I think it's because I've been charged with some students who really need to be nurtured. I also believe that I needed what they gave me. They gave me a reason to express extra kindness and patience, to take on a more human face with them, to be seen as a person who cares and who also happens to be their teacher. Whatever the reason, these two sweet kiddos needed a little extra love from their teacher and their teacher got a little extra love in return.

So, if you're ever feeling like I feel at times -- that I must push, push, push to cover material and make every second count -- just pause, take a breath, exhale, and think about my experience. Nurture your children. Not because you don't already do it, but because doing it is vital in a healthy classroom. I'm thinking of this piece of advice as paying it forward. I hope you see it that way, too.

Comparing Numbers with GO Math

Hi--

I love teaching math. Love it! I think it's because I enjoy helping children pull apart problems and think through solving them. That's what I had to do as a math student in high school and college. I had to know the why's and how's of solving a problem. 

So, when my district adopted GO Math!, I thought my days of teaching creatively were over. You see, our district leader loves fidelity. Fidelity is great in relationships. I might have a little bit of a problem with fidelity in following a prescribed set of lessons. Shhh... 

Mind you, I am a rule follower. Aren't most of us in the teaching profession? We're rule followers, pleasers, and nurturers. However, there comes a time when we (teachers) have to gently push back with respectful questions about policies in relation to what is best for our students. After all, who knows the students best? Yes! We do. Have I pushed back? No way! I want to keep my job. 

However, what I have learned is to work around certain prescribed lesson outlines to find a happier medium between faithfulness to a textbook, and commitment to my students to give them what they need. Today's lesson was so much fun! I didn't feel tethered to a book that sets out a 'do together' activity, some guided practice, and then independent work. Pages, pages, pages. I am not a pages kind of teacher.

Before I describe our fun activity, I need to give a shout-out to the GO Math! series. It is really well done. There are more resources than a teacher could ever use! There is a website with many tools and gadgety things. It is rigorous (another of our district leader's favorite words)! The GO Math! website takes a while to learn where everything is, but I'm getting there. One of the things I do like are the short videos called Math on the Spot. There are two kooky puppets that interact with humans to demonstrate how to solve problems. The kids really like these! And, they're quite good. 

So, back to the lesson... 

It was on comparing three-digit numbers. I began with a review of place values from ones to hundreds. We pulled out the base ten blocks and built numbers. Then, I introduced a little gadget called a comparison strip (a TA in the room suggest this name, since I really didn't have a name for it). I modeled how to use it, and the kiddos were off to work in groups of three or four. I gave them one three-digit number, and they used our base ten block grab bags to pull out a handful of blocks and build a number to compare to the one I gave them. I overheard one TA say, "These things are great!" They are great! Check out the pictures. 

What is this wonderful, engaging tool, you ask? It's a laminated section of sentence strip. There are two black pieces that are also laminated. Brads hold the black pieces in place, so that they can pivot to make the <, >, or = symbols. The children use dry erase markers to record the numbers on them. 

Who knew that they would be such a hit with this year's group. I made them last year, but my students weren't all that excited about them. This year, they're the cat's pajamas!

I cannot take credit for this terrific idea. I searched Pinterest and found this link to Mrs. T's First Grade Class blog. Hers look a little different from mine, but it's the same principle. I don't know if she originated it, but I'm giving her credit. 

You might be wondering if I went back to the GO Math! lesson. I did! Once the children had several opportunities to compare different three-digit numbers, we went back to the book to do just the two pages that were good for formative assessment. I'm sure you won't be surprised to know that the children did an excellent job on the written work after having lots of opportunities to compare with base ten blocks!

Butterflies, Living Flag and Egg Update

Thanks to Doodle Bugs Teaching for hosting this linky!

 Hi!

Another week of learning fun is in the books, and it was jam-packed! It started off normally enough, but ended with a bit of a patriotic bang!

Imagine our surprise when we (my teammates and I) returned to school on Monday to have butterflies! We weren't expecting them for several more days. Clearly, these beautiful Painted Ladies were ready to make their appearance to the world. When the kiddos arrived, they were thrilled! We had planned to release them when we returned from our field trip, next week, but Mother Nature decided these fluttering beauties were going to get their own special day. We released them on Wednesday a few minutes before recess began, and the kiddos had fun chasing them with orange slices the remainder of recess! 

No butterfly release is complete without a butterfly life cycle headband!

For Constitution Day, I had an idea to do something different this year. Over the summer, I did some research and found a link to a story about a school that made a living flag. Yes! I loved the idea. I shared my idea with my teammates who also loved it. I passed it along to administration who also loved it! So, on Thursday morning, dressed in our red, white, or blue shirts, our 700+ students lined up in the bus parking lot to create our great United States flag! We recited the Pledge of Allegiance and the Preamble to the Constitution. I had goosebumps! One of our fearless, and I do mean fearless, PE teachers hopped into a cherry picker bucket and was lifted high into the air to snap a picture. 

Photo Credit: Nancy Monroe

Of course, no Constitution Day is ever complete without a reading of We the Kids by David Catrow, along with the drafting and signing of it by the entire class. Here's our final product. We signed with a turkey feather and used an ink well created by local potter, Roy Overcast.

As mentioned in my last post, we are incubating duck eggs. This week, we candled the duck eggs. The children are so excited. They keep asking me who is going to get the "chicks" when they hatch. On Monday, I added a dozen chicken eggs to the incubator. The interesting bit of trivia, related to the eggs we put in the incubator, is that they came from the original chicks we hatched! We'll candle them tomorrow to find the fertile ones and to remove the infertile ones. Here's a picture of one of the ducks being candled.
Can you see the blood vessels that indicate a duckling is growing inside?

Speaking of growth and development, I created a resource all about the basics of cells to use at the beginning of our living things unit. It features cell parts, cells to label, and 4 one-page informational passages about cells. Check it out!

Click Here to See Introduction to Cells

Oh, I have saved the best for last! It has nothing to do with school, but for all of you Ed Sheeran fans, you'll appreciate this! My nieces and I went to see him in concert last Sunday. He is AWESOME! If I were a few decades younger, I'd have his posters all over my bedroom wall. THAT statement should give you an idea of how old I am. I don't think young girls have any posters on their walls these days, but I could be wrong. Seriously, if you're a fan, and he visits your area, make plans to see him. He does not disappoint! 

Spotlight Saturday - Incubating Eggs!

It's one of my favorite times of the year! Egg hatchin' time! This is my third year of incubating duck and chicken eggs with my second graders, and I am just as excited and nervous as the first time. This fun project complements our science unit for this marking period -- life cycles, habitats, and animal adaptations and interdependence. It provides opportunities for children to record observations, read and research the needs of ducklings and chicks, track their development over time, and learn about the care of animals. As I said, it's one of my favorite times of the year! 

We have 13 assorted breed duck eggs in the incubator right now. It takes about 35 days for ducklings to hatch, although, it depends on the breed. We have Pekin, Black Swede, Cayuga, and  They've been in for 8 days. My brother, who has the original chickens that we hatched in the first round, is sending me chicken eggs. These eggs will go in the incubator on Monday. 

If you look closely, you'll see letters on each egg. The letters represent the breed of the duckling-to-be. 

These eggs require a constant temperature of 99.5 degrees, Fahrenheit and a humidity level of 55%. 

Yesterday, we candled the duck eggs. Candling is the process of shining a light on the egg to see if there is an air pocket (critical for the duckling to breathe from until it pecks a hole in the shell come hatching time), and blood vessels. With the lights turned off, and the children seated on the carpet, I began candling. The "candle" is a special, low-wattage light that is shaped so it fits snugly to the end of the egg. 

It was so exciting for the children, but equally so for me, because it's often difficult to introduce a concept that children in this affluent neighborhood haven't already experienced. They may live in an area that has a rich history of farming, and our school may sit on land that was once farmland, but the children don't have exposure to the intricacies of egg development and hatching. Their ooohhs and aahhhs were so much fun to hear!

As I shone the light on each egg, we would see the blood vessels and air pockets in them. There were a couple that I penciled a question mark on, because we couldn't see anything except an opaque blob. We will invite our neighboring second grade classes to come see the candling process on Monday or Tuesday, and if there are no signs of blood vessels, we'll discard those eggs. No blood vessels means the egg is infertile. 

In celebration of egg-hatchin' time, I am discounting my Great Chirping Chicken! Expanded Notation & Comparing Numbers to 1000 until Tuesday, September 15. Go grab your copy!

Great Chirping Chickens! Great Chirping Chicken! Expanded Notation & Comparing Numbers to 1000

Hashtag: Real Talk

Hi--

This morning, I made a promise to myself for this school year. It's a simple one. I am going to find JOY first. No more pushing and prodding myself to do this, do that, don't forget this. And, do you know what? It feels so good to release that pressure. I opened my Jesus Calling book of daily devotionals. August 4th had the greatest impression on me. Deep calls unto deep. The best response is a heart overflowing with gratitude. 

Gratitude. 

Our professional development days began last Monday. We had meetings and more meetings. It was necessary information that we need to be successful. Still, in the back of my mind, I was thinking, "I have to get my room ready." Then, it dawned on me. I recently posted advice for new teachers. One piece of advice was, "No one is going to know what you didn't get done in your room." 

Thursday was a work day for us. No meetings. My room was a wreck. I had been cleaning out old things that I never use. There were storage boxes and stacks of stuff everywhere. (Side note: When I moved into this room, in a brand new school, I had 70 boxes of things. SEVENTY! My principal said, "Leave some room for the children, Susan." That was great advice that took me six years to follow.)

I worked like a mad woman to get my room ready. It wasn't perfect. I could see all the things I meant to do, but didn't have time to do. The children arrived. Their parents arrived. A few grandparents arrived. My room had as many adults as children! It was wonderful and nerve wracking! On my 23rd first day of school, I was as nervous as my first. One mother said, "I love your room." I explained that it was bare because we would add children's work as they created it. She said, "No, I like it." She saw beauty where I saw imperfection. Those comments were just what I needed to hear. Everything was okay.

That was then. Before my reawakening. 

Gratitude:

I have a great job that I was called to do. 
I am entrusted with the care of beautiful, curious, precious children every day. 
I have loving, patient coworkers.
I choose to find JOY in every part of every day.

So, my room isn't perfect. I'm not perfect. Yet, I'm grateful that I get to live each day trying to be better than the day before.

Keep your eyes on Me as you practice walking in this garment of salvation. --August 9

Five for Friday -7.31.15

5:00 PM -- Today, I finally mustered the courage, energy, and determination to go to my room. I may have mentioned that our school was the site for a special needs camp this summer, and I volunteered my room. The camp ended on July 17, and the maintenance workers needed about a week to get the floors stripped and waxed. We've had the go-ahead since early in the week, but I kept putting it off. 

I know that once I go there, a change comes over me.It's similar to a metamorphosis. The sluggish, beach-on-the-mind person I have been begins to morph into a person with energy and intention. It feels good to be transitioning into school mode.

Here's what I faced when I went into my room:

I love the bright and shiny floors! The room is like a blank canvas. One thing that I love to do is arrange my room differently every year. It's fun to find a new way to arrange desks, rugs, and other resources. Today, I sat down and looked around at all of my big pieces: rug, two over-sized chairs and an ottoman, and my rocking chair. I am going with a middle-of-the-room design this year. If you go back and ask my second class in this school, they might say, "Hey, this is how our room was arranged!" So, it's not entirely different, but last year's students will come by to say hello. They'll stand in the door and say wistfully, "It looks so different..." 

August 4th is the day I meet my new students! The postcards went out on Wednesday, so everyone will probably know that I'm their teacher by tomorrow. I had a little bit of fun before I left school this evening. I made these for my windows in case some of my new friends happened to be driving by school. They looked straight when I was putting them up in the windows!

August 3 is when I am officially back in school. We'll have three days of meetings to plan, learn about new policies, and meet our new staff members. Teachers will have an administrative day on Thursday; that day is ours to work in our rooms. And, on Friday... our new friends will begin school!

I have two days of weekend to relax or work in my room. Guess which I'll be doing? I'm going to get some organization taken care of tomorrow, and then I'll rest on Sunday. That sounds like a doable goal. After all, the work will always be there, there will always be something else that needs to be fixed, made or redone, and in the end, I know I can't do it all. So, I do what I can, and prioritize the rest.

Do you ever wonder if your students are happy to have you? Or are they disappointed? I would never want to know if they were disappointed that they got me. On Day 1 of school, I always pause and tell my class, "Out of all of the second graders that I could have had, I got YOU. Someone picked YOU for me, and I am so happy that you're here."

I know that I am the ONE person who can make or break second grade for this group of children. I plan to make it a year that they'll never forget!

Some of My Favorite Periscopers

Wow. Ohmigosh!

I haven't been enamoured with an app like this in a long time. (Would you laugh if I said it might have been Angry Birds?) Anyway...

Have you experienced Periscope? 

A few weeks ago, I kept seeing teachers talking about Periscope on Instagram. I have learned that Periscope is a live streaming video app that Twitter recently acquired.  At first, I rolled my eyes, because I thought, 'oh, it's just another thing that is being hyped but turns out to be a disappointment.' I was wrong. For the past week or two (or three), I have been watching teachers all over the country share ideas and, to use phrase of theirs, "hash-tag, real talk." #realtalk 

One caution/tip: The videos are presented live, but are archived for 24-hours after the initial broadcast. Luckily, many of my favorites have begun saving their broadcasts to post on their blogs. So, if you're really into a person's broadcasts, you might want to check often to see if they have a new one.

Now that I have confessed my obsession great find, here is a list of a few my favorite discoveries:

For Inspiration and Motivation - Rachel Lynette (@rachellynette)

I find Rachel Lynette to be a breath of fresh air! She has a lovely way of giving information and suggestions, always bringing the focus back to students' needs. If you don't check out anyone else, please look for her videos. I think you will leave feeling uplifted. 

For Fun Chats and Advice for Teacher Author-Bloggers - Sheila Jane (@sheilajteaching)

Where to begin? Sheila Jane is wacky! From gobbling hearts that viewers give as feedback, to hiccuping during broadcasts, she still manages to inform. She gives advice about branding and marketing for teacher author-bloggers. She has her own website for teachers, and its theme is teacher happiness and wellness.  She does a great job of engaging the viewers because she is bubbly and authentic. 

Bow Tie Guy & Wife (@bowtieguywife)

This fourth grade teacher is hilarious! Teachers need to laugh, right? Not only is he funny, he is passionate about literacy integration in science and social studies especially for upper grade boys. You won't regret giving him a look. He is on-point with his strategies and book selections for encouraging students to read. His enthusiasm is infectious. It's also cute how his wife manages the camera and fields questions during broadcasts. They make a great team!

A Couple of Tips about Periscope

1. The more people you follow (just like Twitter; you can merge the two accounts), the more little whistle sounds you'll get when they begin a new broadcast. You'll also get the whistle sound when people you follow invite you to watch another person's broadcast. This is so cute and fun in the beginning. I would grab my phone to look to see what was happening. After a few days of this, I turned off notifications in the app. It can be annoying.

2. There are other great presentations, some of whom I will feature later.  I do find that some of the broadcasts tend to run on, and on, and on...zzzzz . Some people are loud and tend to get screechy when they get excited. I cannot take much of the screechy. 

Some people will shamelessly ask for hearts for feedback. Apparently, the hearts are a big deal in some circles. Some broadcasters will surprise you with a freebie, and make a great presentation even better! You'll see another side of people you may follow on Instagram or other social media sites. As you would with any social media site, trust your instincts, and you'll be fine.

One last note -- In settings, you might want to turn off the location part of the app. It is very specific, and can drill down to your street! 

Thanks for visiting!  Who are some of your favorite Periscopers? Leave a comment!