Sandy Hook, Secret Santa, & Scoot

I'm sure all of you are feeling the same way I am tonight....full of sorrow for the lives lost this morning at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut. I didn't hear about it until just after I sent all my kiddos off after school. Heart wrenching.....:( I am so sad for the families of the children and the staff members, but also for the school "family".....as they lost 26 members of their family today. I can't imagine how life goes on after such a tragedy. Each person affected by this senseless act is in my thoughts and prayers. May God provide the peace and comfort they need.

Anyway, I had a really good day up until that point....

Secret Santa started today and I got the sweetest...no pun intended...gift! A gingerbread house kit! I can't wait to make it...:) I love Secret Santa....it is so fun picking out special little gifts for someone and also to get special little gifts every day for 5 days! My kiddos were so excited when Mr. Johnny (one of our custodians) delivered the package to me. They couldn't wait for me to open it! Isn't it adorable..:) I will post pics when I finish it!

I also had this sweet surprise in my mailbox today! One of our school board members always gives ever employee (admin, teachers, aides, lunchroom staff, custodians, and bus drivers) in the district a small gift....this was a nice metal tin full of yummy chocolates! 

 I know why it's called a sampled now! As you can see, I sampled several pieces! LOL!

After work, I had to run to Wal Mart and pick up some quick foods for my hubby and son to have over the weekend while I'm gone to Tallahassee to visit my daughter Miranda! While I was there, I spotted a pack of these.....

I have been looking for some so I can make some of these.....

Aren't they just adorable? I saw them on Pinterest! I'm hoping to find some things to put in them this weekend at one of my favorite stores.....

And....to finish up this post, my kids got to play SCOOT today. Mine really love it and it gets them up and moving! You can find the document and directions to play here. You can use it in so many ways...today we used it to review physical science vocabulary. I typed up the definitions and placed one on each desk and the kids had to write the words for each definition in the boxes. Sometimes I type up questions....either multiple choice or true/false and they write the answer in the box. Have you ever done this with your class? If so, please share how you use it...:) 

Well, I better head to bed....it's 11:30 and I need to be up around 6 in the morning! 

Count your blessings tonight and please remember Sandy Hook students and workers in your thoughts and prayers! 

Be Blessed,

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Catching Up!

WoW! It's been a while since I last posted! Life has been pretty hectic around here lately! I will share a few random pictures of what has been going on...:) 

First are a few homecoming pictures. My sweet son was nominated for Homecoming King....he  didn't win, but it was nice to see him all dressed up and looking so handsome! Here are a couple pics from the homecoming festivities! The pix where he is all dressed up are from the Bear Growl, the others are from the parade the next day and the game. This was his last game and it was a pretty emotional night....:( We won the game, but he is such a football lover and he is so sad that his career has ended. Honestly, I am too! Not much I like better than Friday Night Lights watching my son play football! 

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My Dakota and some of his best friends....this picture was taken before the tears started flowing!

Next up, we've been having lots of fun in science class lately! Physical science has lots of fun experiments and things the kiddos can do. We have made density towers, learned about matter and mass, had fun with sinking and floating, learned what dissolves and what does not, and many other things. They are loving it! they can't wait to see what fun I have planned for them each day! It is a lot of work setting up for some of these experiments and demonstrations though and even more time cleaning up after we're done! It's worth it though....hands-on learning is key in science! 

Last up is a picture of a great deal I got while out thrift shopping Saturday morning! I love, love, love treasure hunting at yard sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops and haven't had much time to do it since school started. My sweet hubby humored me though and we spent Saturday morning out and about! I found several great deals.....like a beautiful Waverly tablecloth for $1 and 4 Better Homes & Gardens place mats for $1! I also found a gorgeous apothecary jar for $1 and this beautiful Coldwater Creek handbag for $3.49! It is like brand new! I love a good deal!

And lastly, I am sharing a project I am in the middle of...:) My dear sister picked this beauty up for me for a mere $1! She said it screamed Vicky and she knew I would have to have it! I am turning it into a mirror and will post a picture when I finish it! What do you think so far? 

Before

After...so far!

Well, I hope everyone has a great week! I have a busy one with Powder Puff practice...oh the joys of being a class sponsor! Seriously though, I am loving it! I have been sick since Saturday evening though and am not sure if I will be making it in to work tomorrow or not! I am so looking forward to next week though! We get a whole week off for Thanksgiving! Woo! Hoo! 

That's something to be extremely thankful for!!!

Be Blessed, 

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I'm Beginning to Think a LOT about Christmas....

Don't ask me why....and I'm certainly not rushing it (although I do LOVE Christmas), but I have been thinking about Christmas a lot today! It started earlier when I was eating dinner at my mom and dad's house. I was talking to her and telling her I wanted to come up with something to give all my students this year. I always bought my firsties something....sometimes a Christmas book from Scholastic, sometimes a small toy. This year though, I have over 60 kiddos! I am trying to think of something inexpensive, simple, & cute that I can make or put together. I found some cute ideas on Pinterest......but none of them are quite what I'm looking for! Any ideas? 

So.....anywho, after a delicious bowl of chili, I came home and found this awesome deal for a free Elf On the Shelf and the book for the first 5,000 teachers who enter! It is from this site.....The North Pole Playground. I rushed right over there and joined up so I could enter! Too cool....I hope I get one...:) Do 5th graders still believe in Santa? It's been a while since I had a 5th grader of my own!

This is a pretty cool site....go check it out, join, and enter to receive your own Elf! 

I was also trying to think of a way to incorporate science with Christmas and I came across some awesome ideas! I will definitely be doing the Christmas Chromatography (see pic below) activity with my kiddos, as well as the Case of the Christmas Cookie! They will love it....and so will I! I'm hoping to think of a small gift that is Christmasy (is that even a real word?)....and scientific! 

Christmas Chromatography!

And....since I am on the topic of Christmas......don't you just love these commercials?

And these movies?

Christmas is going to be here before we know it folks! What are you planning for your kiddos.....or for your families? Please share your ideas...:)

Be Blessed!

Making Moon Craters!

Just wanted to share a fun, and simple activity my kiddos did in class today after their Solar System test. They made moon craters! They had such a fun time with this activity. They used a pan of flour....oops, I mean moon dust, a large marble......meteor, a yard stick, a ruler, and a recording sheet for this simple activity. Oops...I almost forgot, they also used goggles....didn't want to get any flour dust in their eyes. They were so excited to have a chance to wear them! It's the simple things...:) 

Anywho, the purpose of the activity was to see how a crater forms when a random space object crashes into the moon. They dropped the marble from 12 inches for 3 trials, and then from 24 inches for 3 trials. They had to measure each crater in millimeters or centimeters and record their data on the table I created for them. They worked in small groups and did a great job....except for 2 or 3 who thought they needed to play in the flour....LOL! Kids....gotta love 'em! They thought it was cool that craters and even footprints can stay on the moon for millions of years since their is no weather there to wash or blow them away! Here are a couple pictures of the activity. 

Measuring a crater!

This one went deep in the moon dust...:)

Close-up of a crater.

Bombs....or should I say Meteors Away!

Well, that's all I have to share for today! I hope you all are finding time to squeeze some science in your day! I know it's hard to find the time when you are responsible for all subjects, but science is so fun and the kids love it.....so have fun!

Be Blessed...:)

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Oreo Moon Phases, a Moon Viewer, & Discovery Education!

Hello all my blog peeps...:) Hope you all are having a fantabulous year! I know I am! I am absolutely loving 5th grade and teaching only one subject....science! We have been learning all about our Solar System for the past couple weeks and today we got to have some fun....not that we haven't had fun on the other days, but today involved food! 

The kids made Oreo Moon phases. Have you ever done this? Here is a picture....from the Internet, because we were so busy I totally forgot to snap some pics! 

 Since I have three blocks....60 students...I had them work in groups of four and assigned two different phases to each student. I didn't want to spend $50 on Oreos and that's about what it would have been to give them each 8 cookies! Not to mention....they don't need 8 cookies each! Anywho, they each made their two phases and then had to assemble them to show the phases in order.....similar to the picture above. They had a blast doing this and they couldn't wait for me to check their work so they could eat them! 

After they finished this project, we started making one of these....see picture below. Again, this is one from the Internet since I forgot to snap pics while we were working!

It's a moon viewer. They are making one to take home with a moon phase calendar so they can track the phases of the moon for a month from home. They are having fun with this project too!

And before we did any of this, we watched this video on Discovery Education. 

www.discoveryeducation.com

Does your school have access to this site? Oh my goodness.....it is AMAZING! They have so many resources...for every subject and/or topic you can imagine! My students took the Discovery Ed science assessment. It is set up similar to the FCAT science test that Florida students have to take in 5th grade. The data can be viewed in so many different ways and everything is color-coded which is great for visual people like me! I love, love, love Discovery Ed! I am new to it and would love for you to share your favorite parts of it if you are a DE user. Please leave me a comment and share!

Be Blessed!

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