Week 1 was FABULOUS!

I really cannot believe a week ago I was up late waiting for the 1st day of school. Where does the time go? Where am I now? Trying to catch up the blog and putting those last minute details for this week's lessons. First thing first here is our 1st class picture!

They are a great looking bunch aren't they?!? So let's get a sneak peek into the week. Each year I start their personal journals on day 1 and we write EVERYDAY! I love reading and listening to them. We have lost teeth, lost family members, had brothers/sisters born, contests won, riding our bike without training wheels, and even attendance at the FSU games documented. GO NOLES! This one is extra special, CJ's mom got her first teaching job and CJ wrote about how each person in the house was "iksidid" for mom now how stinkin' cute is that?! We are very excited for you Mrs. Asbill and those 1st graders are lucky to have you.
We read bunches this week and wrote in our reading response journals. We used our face partners to read our writing to and it was too cute to hear them tell each other, "Thank you for sharing."

We learned about scientist tools this week and I think the exploration part can be summed up by this one picture...yes we got to wear the goggles.

I handed out the ActivExpressions and YIPPEE there was excitement that could be felt 6 doors down each hallway. We could share answers and text in number combinations. You should check out our class Instagram and Twitter feed to get the latest updates. Check out our friend texting his number sentence.

Who doesn't love a good book? Well reading Pete the Cat makes for an extra special time singing and joining in the fun because ..."It's all good."

and then before you know it it is time to leave and go home.

This is absolutely the BEST way to spend your days. These new chickens are ready each day for anything and they do so with a smile on their face. It is going to be a fabulous year so check back often and see us along for the journey. What do I have ready for them next week?

Oh my goodness school starts tomorrow...

I cannot believe another summer has passed by. My daughter Kaile will be a 7th grader and Carson will be a 5th grader. Where has the time gone? Thursday was such an exciting day I got to meet a new batch of firsties! I have 18 on the roll and 17 showed up to take a look around, munch on doughnuts, and get ready for first grade! I am so excited for these kids and the adventures we will take this year. I cannot wait to chronicle it here on the blog so the world can see them in action. I gave them some Night Before School confetti to sprinkle on their nightstand and here is a sneak peek into the room they will walk into tomorrow morning. YIPPEE for my I just love first grade! I am emailing this to all my families right after I post and if 5 children tell me "First grade is the best!" there will be a super surprise at 8 am. Wonder how many will say it? Let's see if I can get the 5 first right?

We are on the Teaching Channel website!

Really where does the time go?  I might be sad how time flies by.  I promise I will catch up on the blog in the next weeks with the bazillion fun things we did to end the year BUT there is something even more important...

We were invited to be part of a series of videos to showcase the progression of mathematical reasoning from Kindergarten to high school. YES our firsties!  The lesson showcases our daily math routine and a situational story concerning leprechaun traps-our March family project.  THEY (I do mean the kids) were AMAZING!! Wait the video hit the Teaching Channel website today.  Here it is...
I am so proud of these kids! I am honored to be a part of this AFT and Teaching Channel endeavor.  I tell my firsties when we have visitors we are changing math for their students.  "Just think if we have 20 teachers and they have 20 students we have changed math for 400 kids."  How many kids are we changing math for this coming year? WOW...Just watch out these kids are going to change the world.  Remember my like chickens...I just love you!  I am so proud of you and can't wait to see you walking the halls to 2nd grade knowing you are mathematicians.  Thank you for letting me be part of your life and oh thank your parents too.

Happy Mother's Day 2013

Wednesday was our annual Muffins for Mom and it was fabulous!  There were muffins, doughnuts, and cinnamon rolls.  The kids are always so excited to give their Mother's Day presents and show their beautiful paintings they did in art.  It is quite a magical time.  This year a fellow teammate thought it would be great for her class to read Robert Munsch's Love You Forever.  Well after I saw the first line videotaped I knew I had to copy her idea and make it my own.  So I recorded the kids reading it and then found pictures of them and their mom from my thousands of pictures this year-YES I know I have a problem taking pictures but they are the cutest little firsties you ever did see!  I picture in pictured or side by sided the video with the picture and the Oscar goes to...me!:)  Just kidding it was so very cute.  Here is a little slideshow of some of the moms.  Enjoy.

decorating our door...

Every year our Media Center sponsors the Character parade where everyone in the whole school is invited to dress up as their favorite characters.  Every class then parades carrying books and excitement along the way.  A favorite is the door decorating contest.  Here is our door "Don't bug us we're reading!"  along with our creative bugs holding books.  Our reading buddies from upstairs helped us research some insects last week.  We made an ebook with our information and pictures that we created on Doodle Buddy.  Our ebook was creative enough to put us at the top but it sure was fun being creative and showing our door off.  Check it out!  Can't wait to send the epub book to the families so they can read all about the different insects.

Doodle4Goggle Meryl oh my!

Doodle4Google was at our school!  Can you believe it?!?  Doodle4Google is an annual contest and this year's theme is best day ever...  Well after 130,000 entries there is 1 state of Florida winner!  AND she is at our school...AND she is in my son Carson's class!  YIPPEE-Meryl Lui is a talented 4th grader and WOW I sure hope her doodle is chosen over all 130,000!!

This is her doodle enlarged. As Junie B. would say WOWIE WOW WOW!  We are on the campaign across the state to get your vote!  Make sure you take each device in your home-phone, iPad touch, iPad, computer, Kindle and then forward to everyone you know...Let's show those Google people we want Meryl's doodle4Google to win.  What does she win?  Well a $30,000 college scholarship and $50,000 to our school for technology?!?  WOWWIE WOW WOW x2 right!  Vote and don't delay until May 10th.

http://www.google.com/doodle4google/vote.html#d=d2-2

shorter-less characters for twitter: http://tinyurl.com/cqdb7py

It's all about the attitude...

I know it has been a while and we have had so many things happen! I will take time each day to highlight a few things and hopefully get us back on track. 

 My friend Chad Keller is the Assistant Basketball Coach over at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. They have a fantastic academic program and sports adds to the overall well rounded student. Coach Keller brought along Assistant Coach Blake and Daniel to talk to the kids about hard work, attitude, and making good decisions. I loved his talk about attitude. He said you wake up each day and you have the choice to make sure you have a good attitude or not. With a good attitude you make good choices, you learn, and you can influence the world all with waking up and putting forth a good attitude. I just love these guys!  Thank you so much for coming out and talking to the kids.  A highlight was the slam dunk at the end.