Friday, May 31, 2013

Five For Friday!

Happy Friday Friends!

Linking up with DoodleBugs Teaching and Teaching Maddeness for their Friday Linky Parties.

fiveforfriday                                                       

#1 The countdown has begun! I wanted to do something fun to celebrate the end of school. I really liked the idea of hanging balloons and popping them, but my ceiling is WAY high and I am afraid of heights. So I made this paper chain instead.

This is a picture from last week. We are only down to 5 days! ( Plus 1 in service day for teachers!)
 
Each day before we leave we take off a chain and read what it says. We have done things like wear a hat to school and bring a book from home to read to a partner. Today they got to sit anywhere that they wanted to in the room.
 
They are really having a blast with it. Makes me wish I had done it in years past as well.  It has really helped with behavior too because we only get to do what it says on the link IF they have more tallies on the smile side of our scoreboard. So far so good. :)

#2 Next year we are switching from using Accelerated Math to TenMarks as a math enrichment activity. So we tested it out this week since they do have a component of it that you can use FOR FREE! You can check their site out HERE.

We were working on multiplication and division concepts.

Students can get help while working by watching a short video that explains how to solve a similar problem or get hints that will help them solve it.
 
 
When they are done I can check out how well they did, how many they got right/ wrong, if they watched any video prompts or needed hints. They will also be able to do this at home! It is pretty cool and I am excited to use it next year. 


#3 This is actually a picture from last week but since I didn't link up then I wanted to share it. These poor kids this year have had HORRIBLE weather to contend with. We had our Christmas Party rescheduled for two months due to snow days, we almost had an ice day for our last field trip, and then our fun movie day was cancelled because we had an Ice Day...IN APRIL!
 
So it should have come as NO surprise that it rained all day when we scheduled a trip for the zoo. And because of bussing and schedules there was no way to reschedule it. So it was now or never. We went and the kids had a great time...and of course it stopped raining after we got back on the bus to go home. 

 
 
This is all 75 of us huddled under a band shell in the zoo's park while we ate our lunch.
 
#4. Last Friday was my birthday. I aged backwards.  It was a modern day miracle. :) Ever since then, Peanut has been making me " birthday cakes" in her sandbox and singing me happy birthday. Love it, love her. I will REALLY miss my "Teaching Kids" but I am also SO ready to enjoy my summer time with her!


#5.  Stop by Hoots 'n Hollers blog. They are having a giveaway that yours truly is a part of. :) 

 
 
 
So that's my five. I'll be stopping by tomorrow to link up with June's Currently. ( What?! June already! Crazy!)
 


4 comments:

  1. Just found you on the Five for Friday link up. Cute blog!

    The REAL Teachers of Orange County

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  2. I had seen some countdown ideas, but didn't try it this year. I like the idea of linking it to behavior. Do you use the previous days'? Have a great weekend sara

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  3. I like that idea as well! Great post...thanks for sharing! I will have to look into that book! I am having a “Tour My Blog” linky party...stop by and link up! It is a great way for bloggers and their viewers to learn about your blog! I would love for you to join me!

    Brigid
    Bits of First Grade

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  4. Love the paper chain countdown idea! Simple and so effective.

    Our little ones made cupcakes in the sandpit and delivered them to the office ladies who put them on the table in their kitchen (waiting for an inconspicuous time to dump them back in the playground)... and one of the high school teachers ATE ONE! Haha! He thought they were cinnamon. :)

    Lauren
    Love, Laughter and Learning in Prep!

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Thanks for leaving a comment. You have o"fish" ally made my day. :)