In May, I packed up 5 boxes at school to take home for the summer. I have worked it down to about 2 boxes of completed projects for my classroom. My kids are all gone now (2 in college, 1 in grad school and 1 married...) so I obviously have a little extra time on my hands. And regardless of what my children may say about this post, I do have a life. A very good life, in fact. It's just that I've decided to have a theme this year in my first grade classroom: Bumblebees. My inspiration fabric, to quote HGTV, came from JoAnn Fabric. It has bumblebees and a blue not found in nature. I took a scrap to Lowe's and they were able to exactly match the blue. Who knew you could replicate that color so perfectly? So, I can paint the book cases and tables to match the curtains. And tablecloths. And bulletin boards. I have become That Teacher.
Now, it would help if I could actually get into my classroom to work. Apparently, the deck was removed from my portable so the keyhole is about 8 feet above the ground. My sister and I took a ladder up to school to begin painting. It was the Lucy and Ethel show getting in the door. (And did I mention that you only have 30 seconds once the door is unlocked to disarm the alarm?) We managed to get in without security sirens going off and began painting. Moments later a transformer for the portable blew. Sparks and everything. The room was now darkened because of the cage screens over the window that keep thieves out. Thieves with 8 foot ladders, apparently. We kept painting. (I'm sure we will discover what a superior job we did when we return after the lights are fixed...) We left and took our ladder with us. I have since heard that a water main broke under the portable and the deck cannot be replaced until the ground is dry. Oh: and the portable is sinking on one end and will have to be leveled. But I digress...
So, you may be asking, What are those animals doing at the top of this blog?
Besides appearing to go so well with electric blue paint and bumblebee fabric?
Well, the wedding bears, Q and U, represent the marriage of ...well, Q and U...because those letters always go together. The beach bear is for a unit I do the last week of school called "Camp Roly Poly". We study isopods, or as they are called in central Texas: roly polys. Or pillbugs. (Which are a part of the crustacian family family like shrimp and lobster. The students don't care so much about that fact: they do like following the Roly Polys with crayons on butcher paper and charting their paths.) There is also a new dalmation for Fire Safety week, a bumblebee mascot (to match the aforementioned curtains and tablecloths...), a turtle for my unit on Franklin. And my new favorite: Zero the Hero who will fly in our class every time we come to a multiple of 10 on the way to that hallowed date: the 100th Day of School.
I have former students who are now student teachers, so I'd like to include a list of some of the best websites I regularly troll for new ideas in my classroom.
These are also great for Moms of preK-2nd graders, too. I hope you find something you can use at your house.
I have a lot I'd like to use in my classroom.
If I can get in.
Before school begins.
Without an 8 foot ladder.
Enjoy.
http://www.sewwhat4ucorp.com/teacherresources2004.htm (Look under "Teacher Resources" on the left)
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2 comments:
Hey! I noticed you said you taught first grade (from a comment on Big Mama) so I wanted to check you out. I teach first grade too. I am anxious to read more about your adventures. I want to check out these websites as well.
Happy Sunday!
As you know, I'm just a tech-head. But do you want to know what I think sets good writers apart from the rest of us? Being able to take the mundane, ordinary and making it fun to read about. That's you Mrs. O!
Unfortunately, you are developing a following of at least 1. The pressure to publish will only increase. Success is like that ... but they don't tell you ahead of time.
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