It's the Best Day Evah!

Don't you just LOVE it when you hear the kids telling each other that and it's because of something you did?  We really got into our writing today.  We have been using this graphic to help us organize our thoughts before we write. I got this from someone last spring, but I do not have a CLUE from whom.  If you know, please tell me so I can give them credit for it. 

During my initial lesson, I showed them a picture of a boring hamburger from McDonald's and then a giant double Whopper. We discussed how the two are different and which we'd rather eat.   Haha! We talked about how the buns help keep the "stuff" in the burger and how it just wouldn't be a burger without them.  I transitioned that into talking about topic sentences and concluding sentences. Those are the "buns".  The details in the writing are all the "stuff" on the burger.  We have practiced a bit but today we created some schema about "stuff" in a burger.

I brought in White Castle burgers and every topping I could think to bring.  I warmed up the burgers and then let them have at the toppings.  Cheeses, pickles, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, mayo, mustard, ketchup, hot sauce!  They went crazy!  So now during writing time when I tell them they need more details, I can reference back to this burger mayhem.  It was so fun.  I took pics with my phone but they aren't that great. So use your imagination lol!

We have been reviewing time to the half hour this week as well.  I put laminated clocks up all around the room.  They have to go read the room every day for practice.  I created a recording sheet and put it in page protectors so they can practice this over and over and over until they get it (without wasting paper).  I change the times every afternoon.   It's super simple.  Here is the sheet if you'd like it.  Get it here

Okay, almost time for Dancing with the Stars!  Please love, hug, and appreciate your loved ones.  I had to go to another funeral yesterday.  My second this month.  :-(  Enjoy every second!
Have a wonderful Wednesday!

I'm a big kid now (with class pets)!

Evening, friends!

Gosh, the first day back after a break is tough!  It's amazing how quickly I forget that I can't go the bathroom any old time I want to.  My classroom is honestly and truly a football field away from the restroom.  The new teacher across the hall measured it, haha! So several times today I found myself doing the peepee dance myself, lol.  TMI I know, but y'all understand!  If you have a restroom in your room, be thankful!!  And am I the only one who needed a nap by 11am?

Anyhoo, my sweeties came in so wonderfully this morning showing off new clothes, missing teeth, and full of stories.  And hugs!  My bucket was overflowing by 8:15!  They immediately noticed the stack of new writing journals on my table and began begging for them.  This group really loves to write.

These aren't any old writing journals.  These are the I'm a Big Kid Now and Almost a Second Grader journals.  Haha, really just regular Mead composition books with wide ruled paper.  But it's REAL PAPER, people...not the paper with the chicken doesn't cross the road lines.  Paper like GROWN-UPS use!  Haha, we can sell it, can't we?

I let them free write, but since I model wrote about what I did over break all of them did too.  It.was.awesome.  Best writing all year!  I had to give 3 Class Dojo points to the class, it was that awesome.  They wrote and helped each other with lovely thoughtful words.  I took pictures but left the camera on the table of course.

They are also excited that we now have class pets...sort of.  As we grilled out for Easter yesterday, I noticed something moving on top of my pool cover.  Tadpoles!!  I was so excited until I realized how gross it is that frogs are developing on top of my pool, lmao!  We managed to catch 4 of them--2 big ones and 2 itty bitty ones.  They really are super cute.  My boys wanted to know if they could hold them.  Um....no...  Hopefully they won't kick the bucket like the fish always do.  I took pics of them too but that stinking camera didn't jump into my cart like it was supposed to do.  :-)

Thanks so much for the kind words about my rough start to spring break.  It got better.  My home office no longer looks like a paper bomb went off.  My flowerbeds are sans weeds and I can actually allow people to get inside my car now lol.  And I read 2 books! For pleasure, not for school!

Okay, time for DWTS and my last Reese egg until 2013.  I'm going to savor every last morsel.
Happy night and Tuesday!