2008 Olympics

Kathi Mitchell's Olympic Site has some great links for kids!

Writing & Technology

My de.icio.us bookmark tags have been changing in direct correlation to my INO 599: Independent Study - Writing and Technology. Interesting how writing has become a LARGE part of my thinking lately. Compared to the links on my school web page where writing workshop only has ONE link!

Science is still obviously a big part of my teaching. but I was surprised that math is such a major part. Although, it is relatively easy to find sites that drill math skills. I also use several of these sites for review and practice with my students.

Happy Fourth of July!

Day in a Sentence

Here is my entry for this week.

Graduate school projects consume my time!

Now you know why I haven't been blogging. :-)

This challenge comes from Kevin's Meandering Mind .

Day/Week in a Sentence

This week brings randomness due to no established summer schedule.

Remember: This challenge comes from Kevin's Meandering Mind .

Summer Goals

It's Summer Break time here in the midwest!

I have some goals in mind but find that I do better if I actually make lists. So here it goes...

1. Finish graduate school! (1 project left and 2 committee meetings)

2. Read professionally: Comprehension Connections by Tanny McGregor (Check out a recommendation here. )and the daily 5 by Gail Boushey & Joan Moser.

3. Start walking again (at least 4 days a week). I ran into a definite time crunch at the end of school and now I am having a terrible time starting again!

4. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Think healthy. :-)

5. Sand whiteboards for classroom. Dad and I cut the huge shower board from Menard's last fall. My old boards are showing a lot of wear.

Hopefully, actually writing them will help me stick to them.

Theme Thoughts

I needed a place to gather my thoughts & sites for next year's theme. Yes, it does seem early to be thinking about this, but I generally need to let the thoughts simmer for a while before they grow into real "do-able" ideas. So here is my spot to collect ideas...



Melissa thought about a sunglasses type theme last year with
• Our Future Looks So Bright, That We Have To Wear Shades
Here are some pictures and some other word thoughts.

•"Sun"sational Second Graders
• Our future is bright!
• So smart - we shine!
• School is for the Cool!
• Brilliant
• reflection

I've Got a Hunch
This is a Bright Bunch!
See Bulletin Board



More web sites with beginning of school stuff:
• Back to School
• Bulletin Boards
• Shades of Summer - Art Lesson
• Fall Bulletin Boards (Look 3 from bottom of page for sunglasses theme)
• Theme Ideas (Look at #5: Cool Cats)

Possible cubby hangers?
• sun w/ sunglasses

Words: Wonderful Words

I used my recipe poem to create a Wordle cloud. Fun! 
It might be an interesting way to practice spelling, word wall or vocabulary words.


(Click on the picture for a larger view.)

I try to read Donovan's Word Jar to get kids excited about words, but it has been difficult lately to squeeze in this chapter book even though it is short.  In the process of purging some educational magazines I found Max's Words as a suggested book.  A picture book may be exactly what I need.  I previewed Max's Words by Kate Bank at Amazon and that led to  The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter.  I have ordered them from the library for a better look before actual purchase.  

Day in a Sentence

This week's day in a sentence challenge is to try creating a comic. Kevin suggested using Make Beliefs Comix. It was quite easy to use. I'm not sure that I am a very good at writing for cartoons, though. Here is my attempt.

6 Words - Day/Week in a Sentence

Here is my 6 word week in a sentence:

A whirlwind of activities encompasses me!

It's been an extremely busy and non-routine week for me (...and it's only Wednesday). I hope it becomes calmer soon, but I don't really expect it. ;-)




If you want to learn more about Day/Week in a Sentence see Kevin's Meandering Mind blog for more details!

Color Poem - #8

It's hard to believe that this is my 8th poem. I am surprisingly happy to have written a poem every day. Thanks for allowing me to participate in this poetry challenge, as I am sure that it has helped me to grow as a writing teacher! (It has also required me to practice blogging again.)

Pink

Pink is the color of a newborn's soft, snuggly blanket.
Pink is a piece of juicy watermelon dripping on toes in the heat of summer.
Pink is the sugary sweet growing bubble blown until it pops covering a nose.
Pink is the color that rises across cheeks in a moment of embarrassment.
Pink are the aromatic roses in a wedding bouquet.
Pink is the brightly colored sweater that earns the wearer compliments.
Pink is the polish covering the long smooth fingernails.
Pink is the color of the warm flannel nightgown.
Pink is the color of memories.

5 Senses - 7th Poem

This 5 Sense Poem has a different format than the one that I have used with my students.

Here is my draft.





Excitement is orange!
It sounds like lightning striking.
It feels like school starting.
It tastes like circus popcorn
Eaten under a 3 ring circus tent!






Here is a shared 5 Sense Poem that my students and I wrote earlier this year.

First Day of School
Old friends from first grade
Teachers greeting new students
Cooks making the first meal to share
Tasting hot dogs at lunch
Glad to be learning again
First Day of School

Week in a Sentence

After writing all those poems for A One Week Poetry Challenge, here is my week in a sentence.

A week of poems
Recipes, couplets, senryus
Whirling in my mind

Thanks to all the kind comments and inspiration from everyone at Two Writing Teachers Blog! Thanks also to you Kevin for hosting Day in a Sentence. I appreciate the opportunities to inspire my writing.

I Remember... Sixth Poem

We have been working on personal narratives at school. This week we read Ghost's Hour, Spook's Hour by Eve Bunting. Then we brainstormed, planned and wrote about a time when we were scared. I love how Ms. Bunting uses sound words and great descriptive writing. My model was about the tornadoes experienced in our community a couple of years ago.


I Remember Poem

I remember the sky turning dark even though it was late afternoon.
I remember the sound of the powerful blowing wind.
I remember the brightly colored weather maps on t.v.
And then only black as all the power ceased.
I remember the screaming of the warning sirens.
I remember collecting the couch cushions and crawling into the space under the stairs.
I remember listening to the crashing, the banging and the howling
I remember the terrifying waiting
Even praying that it would all be over soon.
I remember the silence after the storm, the destruction and the fear.
I want to forget, but in the spring, I always remember.

Fifth Poem - Senryu

The challenge to write 8 poems in 8 days continues. See the Two Writing Teachers blog for more details! Here are my Senryu attempts. This was a new one for me. I had never heard of them.





Standardized testing
Colored bubbles on a page
Change lives forever







And one more!

A moment in life
Flowing across the blue lines
Telling a story




Images provided by school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart

Fourth Poem - Couplet

The poetry challenge for today is a rhyming couplet. I have really enjoyed reading other posts with pictures, so here is my attempt to add a picture to my poem.





Beautiful flowers in a vase.
Secret admirer - mystery case!

Third Poem - Acrostic

I loved today's example poem, Did I Miss Anything?, by Tom Wayman. I can definitely relate to it!

I am borrowing a short acrostic poem from my writing journal for today.

Snuggle in
Lights off
Eyes close
Even breathing
Peaceful slumber

Second Poem

The second poem challenge was to write an "I used to be... But now I am..." poem. I had some trouble brainstorming one of these, so my poem turned into a different comparison poem of winter and spring. Here is a draft.

In Winter, In Spring

In winter, I shovel snow.
In spring, my umbrella keeps me dry.

In winter, flakes dance in the wind
In spring, the sky begins to cry.

In winter, I wear mittens.
In spring, my hands are free.

In winter, I build snowmen.
In spring, the flowers I see.

In winter, all is quiet.
In spring, the birds begin to sing.

In winter, I am freezing cold.
In spring, I feel the warmth of the sun

In winter, the poem began.
In spring, the poem is done.

Recipe Poem

This week Stacey from Two Writing Teachers  has proposed an 8 day poetry challenge in honor of Poetry Month. Today's suggested poem is a "recipe poem". I began by brainstorming "recipe words" while I used a machine of torture at the Fitness Center this morning. I came home and drafted one poem. I wrote another shorter poem in the Blood Bank waiting room before spending the next few hours in a series of bizarre events as my body protested losing its pint of blood. I am feeling better now, so here is my short poem which I prefer at this point in time.

Recipe for A Successful Classroom

Mix a variety of kids
With 1 great teacher.
Add a plethora of books,
A sprinkling of paper,
A dash of manipulatives,
And a handful of pencils.
Bring to a boil with inspired instruction.
Fold in a dash of technology.
Simmer for about 9 months.
Yields approximately 1 year of engaged learning.

Happy Poem Writing!

Another Ed/Tech Video