Well?  What do you think?  My froggy bloggy got a fantastic makeover and I am soooo in love with it!  I have looked at it no fewer than a billion times today.  It's so new and fresh and fun!

Courtney, over at Blogs Fit for a Queen did an AH-MAZING job!  This young lady is really destined for great things.  She listened to everything I had to say (and I said a lot!), put up with all my anal changes (can you say, OCD?) and created a blog I love to look at!  If you are in the market for a new design, or are thinking of starting a blog, she is a great person to go to - and her prices are incredibly reasonable!  I noticed she's really starting to make a name for herself - her wait list is pretty long right now, but it is so worth the wait!

I thought I would link up today with Martha from Primary Paradise and her "Tried and True Thursday"

My technology posts have been some of my most popular posts - but "popular" is a relative term when you don't have a gazillion followers... I love using technology in my classroom - really incorporating it into learning, not just as a center activity.  I am happy to say that I now have TWO ipads (oh joy!) which doubles the fun!  Take a peek back at my Ipad in the Classroom post and see if you find some ways to use that one tablet in your room.  Then head on over to the linky party to find more great ideas.

And just for fun, stop by Queen Courtney's site and see what she can do for you!

I'm going to try to get some TpT work done today.  I'm trying to put myself on a work schedule so I can get everything done this summer that I want to accomplish.  We'll see how I do!

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Elementary Stories

Hello summer!  We were FINALLY done with school on Tuesday this week (last day for kids - teachers came back Wednesday).. I just may have done a little happy dance when we waved to the kids as the buses pulled away... sigh... another year over...

But, that means another summer begins!  I love to spend time in the summer reading.  My Kindle is full of books I've been wanting to read and I am so ready to turn those pages!  Interesting though, when I read professional books about teaching... I always need to have the actual book.  I just cannot read about teaching and engaging and educating without a book in my hand.

I'm blogging over at Who's Who and Who's New today, with a sample of some great blog book clubs that I've come across for summer.  Looking for a way to improve your math instruction?  I've got you covered.  Want to learn more about close reading?  There's one for that, too.  Looking for ways to increase engagement and just plain teaching fun?  I have just what you need. 

And if you're STILL in school... or go year round... or teach summer school.. or live on the other side of the world :-)..... I also have something for you.  My Summertime Fix-It freebie is a fun way for kiddos to practice grammar, spelling, editing.. you name it.. all with a summer theme.  Click on the image below to download.

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Elementary Stories

It's time for Five for Friday!

I'm linking up with Doodlebugs Teaching to share a peek inside my classroom this week.

 

 

 

 We have been so excited to watch our seeds sprout and begin to grow.  My kiddos were amazed to see that you could indeed "grow" a seed without soil!  Each day we observed, measured and recorded our observations in our science journals.  We also kept an ongoing list of questions that came up.  My little scientists loved reading to find out the answers to all the questions they had.  (I sent them home this week before they started to grow mold... blech.)

 

 

This turned out to be one of the best projects we've done together as a class.  I have been working soooo hard this year to build a sense of community and kindness in my classroom and this group has had a tough time with that.  I gave them two pages with a box for every person in class.  Their job was to come up with 4 or 5 words for each classmate - things they liked to do, character traits, etc.  They all worked so hard thinking of just the right words for their friends.  Today we drew self-portraits and I revealed each person's words.  The smiles on their faces when they heard "their" words was priceless.  Most were grinning from ear to ear!  After sharing our words, we glued the words to or portraits and put them out for everyone who came in the classroom to see.  Easy - simple- but very high impact.

 

That led into our "Ray of Sunshine" certificates.  We had our positive behavior awards this afternoon.  Four students in each grade level receive a certificate for doing an outstanding job this year showing one of our Husky expectations - respect, responsibility, honesty and safety.  I got to thinking last night as I was typing the words for their portraits.... although we've had a rough road as a class with positive encouragement this year, a few of my kiddos really rocked that area - never a negative comment from them about anything - or anyone - ever this year.  So I decided they needed to be recognized as well.  The little pom-pom guy comes from our "jar of sunshine."  Each time I hear someone make a positive comment, I added a "ray of sunshine"  The ones we added were just plain yellow pom-poms, so I cutesified these a little.  Instant hit! 

I just could not resist taking a picture of this.  We had indoor recess earlier this week and this sweetie created his own "computer" to research crocodiles.  I love how creative kids can be! My kiddos prefer to draw and play checkers during recess rather than build with legos and blocks... go figure.

 

Ok, completely not school related... I am obsessed with Jamberry nails now.  I've read how wonderful these were supposed to be so I decided to try them - and I am HOOKED.  I have to tell you, they are so easy to put on.  Hit them with the blow dryer, smooth them out with a cuticle thingie and file them off (I actually have been clipping the with nail clippers and they've been fine).  I have the green lotus on my toes now and I'm going to change to the floral pattern next.  Definitely worth a try!

 

Be sure to visit Doodlebugs and see what else has been going on this week.  Only 7 more days for us - one is a field trip, one is field day and 2 are early dismissals... the end is in sight!

 



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Elementary Stories