LOL!

    My favorite April Fool's joke to play at school came from the Second Grade Teachers Club.  In the morning I announce that later in the day we'll be having a flood drill.  (The kids don't even ask questions at this point).  When it is time for the "drill" I tell the kids that we need to treat it seriously like all other drills.  They may not talk.  When I give the signal, they have to take off their socks and shoes, and climb onto their chair. Then I announce April Fools.  It's a hoot! 
     And of course there is always the Brownie joke.  Each kid will receive their own brown "e" cut from paper.   Nothing like humor that second graders appreciate.

Yee-haw!

A couple of weeks ago I was able to organize a baby shower for my friend through church. I had the best time getting it altogether.  I went with a cowboy theme.

My Center pieces were siiiiimple.  A mason jar, pinto beans, candle, and raffia.  Easy-peasy!

I used this table for one of the games.  My game prizes were the cookie-in-a-jar.  I used this recipe from bakerella.  They turned out really cute.  I wish I had took a close up.

My banner...made with my cricut...and advice from Carly    :)

I sweet-talked my mom into making the cake.  See the cow spots and rope...I was all over that!

A lantern in the middle of the food table.  Along with catus sticks (pretzels in white chocolated tinted green).  The lantern and bananda pails came from Hobby Lobby. 

Backdrop for the devotational and gift opening.

Another view of the cake, along with trail mix, and wagon wheels.

Vegetable Pizza.  Yummy, but no creative cowboy name.

Cheese dip

Cow Chips

For one game, three people drew a picture of baby on a wanted posted.  The mom to be judged the best picture. 

For a second game, everyone had two minutes to write down a boys name for each letter of the alphabet.  Since the parents aren't telling the name yet this worked out well.
Heres a copy of that game.




Also here's a copy of my food labels.  My formatting on word was a little off but I just went with it.  :)

Myself with the Mommy to be

A Little Space Ditty

     To sing it...is to know it.  We love songs in my class.  They make learning more fun and concrete.  All my kids can tell you the stages in water cycle which they memorized primary from a song.  And the great thing about singing in the classroom is that the kids think you are great.  :)  When I sang the water cycle song the first time, one of my kids promoted me to "Hollywood".  That's big stuff.   

    I've started a Space Unit for Science this week.  Somewhere I've came across this space song that I placed in my space file to be forgotten and ignored.  I decided to change that this year.  I made it into a 5"X7" class book.  But also made a class sheet to copy for my kids.  Not only will they be learning about the planets but also practicing reading fluency. 

You can click on the two images below to get the song.

                   

Moon Bag

    Our reading story this week at school is about the moon.  One of the state standards that I need to cover has to do with observing the moon nightly.  I knew when I saw this idea from the 1st grade parade  it would be perfect for my kids. 
   Each night a different kid will take home the moon bag.  I made two bags so two different kids will take home the bags each night and return them in the morning.  Each bag will have a moon log notebook (to record what the moon looks like that night), white crayons (for drawing the moon on black construction paper), and these two moon books:

to read with their parents. 

    Go and get Carroll's downloads for your moon log.  They're great!

     I knew I couldn't sew the moon on my bags as good as Carroll so I bought Iron on Transfers instead.  Here is my file that I used for my transfers.  Be sure to print it as a mirror image. 

 

Ten things I've learned from teaching

I'm joining a linky party @

Ten Things I've learned from teaching

 1. The best days you have at work are the days that you give it your all. You’ll be exhausted. And feel like you’ve single handily performed a three circus ring act…but your kids WILL respond.



2. There’ll be some days you don’t have it in you to give it your all.


3. If you know you are right, and looking out for the best interest of the child….Stand your ground. Against co-workers, parents, counselors, etc. Do whatever it takes.


4. It’s okay to laugh when you should really be wearing your stern teacher face. The kids will love you more for being weak.   : )


5. Know your limitations. Don’t feel guilty for leaving at 3:30 some days. The best teachers in the building aren’t always the ones who “live” there.


6. No matter how much your kids drive you up the wall and how often you complain, it’s not okay for others to talk down about your group!


7. Kids don’t learn from doing worksheet after worksheet after worksheet. Sure it’s a great way to assess and certain skills need repetitious practice, but so many skills aren’t mastered with pencil and paper.


8. Great fonts are not optional. I transferred all mine to my new laptop yesterday….1250. Yikes, I didn’t even realize it was that bad!


9. Show the office staff some love. Let’s just say I’m too scared of our secretary not to keep her on my side. (I would tell her that also…) It also helps to be in good with the book keeper and janitor…just saying!


10. While student teaching I had a list of things that I would never do and never say to a kid….I’ve done them all now….several times.

Thirty Before Thirty List Update

It's been over 4 months since I wrote my orginial 30 before 30 list.  I figure it's time to update my peeps with my progress (which isn't as much as I'd like).....So without further ado here's my orginial post with edits in red.


I am a list kind of girl. It's how I get anything done at school. I start every work day by making a new list of things to get done that day. Occasionally if I do something that's not on my list, I go back and write it in just to have the joy of marking it off. My daily list keeps me on track and busy. And at the end of the day I feel like I've really accomplished something.



I have less than three years before I hit the big THREE-OH. Yikes! I've seen on several blogs lists of thirty things to accomplish before that person turns thirty. Sounds right up my alley....here we go:


1. Decorate every room in my house--Living room and kitchen have a few things done in them.
2. Dye my hair--very soon

3. Become more disciplined in my devotional life--I can honestly mark this off.  I've always read my bible and prayed but things are different now.  I'm wake up in the mornings thinking about it.  And excited about what I'm reading.   Plus I'm venturing out into some studies...

4. Find and keep a family doctor

5. Learn to use my camera on manual--I've been practicing.  Took some pictures of my friend's family recently.  Just haven't mastered it yet!

6. Volunteer for some worthy organization

7. Stop drinking soft drinks--I'm a water girl now.

8. Lose 30 pounds--half way there...I will probably be changing this to more once I get to 30.

9. Get in the best shape of my life--are there really people who like exercise????
10. Organize my recipes in one place--not so much


11. Take an amazing Vacation--not yet.

12. Have a baby/or adopt :)--sorry mom!

13. Organize my birthday list and start sending cards--list is organized but I haven't sent the first card yet.

14. Can and freeze vegetable from our garden

15. Go Hunting with Michael

16. Take a road trip


17. Organize my hard drive

18. Order a custom painting for our house

19. Write a children's book--Am I really wanting to do this one?

20. Submit a picture to I heart faces

21. Clean out my car trunk--This was on my spring break list...but the great lung infestation/sinus blowout has slowed me down!

22. Make Little Girl Hair bows

23. Buy and Learn to use photo shop--I did get a new laptop....

24. Photograph a Waterfall--tried this when I was out of school for snow...Michael drove me to Frozen Head but the park was closed :(

25. Have a girls night out with friends--any takers?--haven't had any takers yet.  :(

26. Join a book club

27. Visit Biltmore--Remember this...I tried.hopefully later this spring

28. really get dedicated with couponing --This takes so much time...But I'm not giving up yet.

29. Set a budget and live on it

30. re-design my blog


Well that's it.  About 30 months left and 28 adventures.  I better get busy!

How did I teach before Blogs?

Last week in our reading series our phonic skill was words with silent letters.  So I totally snatched this idea from I{Heart} Teaching and whipped out the ole cricut!  Only my gnomes didn't turn out quite as gnomey as hers...my kids still loved it and totally got it. 

My board looks totally grimy...yuck!

Spring Break Day Three

Today has consisted of a little of this

And a lot of these!

And I feel like at any minute my head might do this:

And don't think about making the sinister remark that at least I'm not having to work while feeling under the weather...Seriously?  I would much prefer to work while sick and vacation while well!

Here's to happier posting tomorrow!

 

Spring Break

   Long time, no blog!  Things have been very busy in the Jones household!  The last two weeks were filled with birthday parties, baby showers, and a ton of other busy things.  Thankfully this week is Spring Break!   And when I go back to school there will only be eight weeks left! 
    Michael has took the week off with me.  Yesterday consisted of sleepin in, yard mowing, cleaning windows, cleaning blinds, and fishing.  Hopefully the rest of the week will be relaxing but productive too!   Along with a little bit of energy left over for some catch up blogging!