Gummy Bears for Measuring

Nonstandard units for measurement are lots of fun (and they can be tasty, too.) Talk about student engagement. They were all busy measuring school supplies with the colorful candy. We translated it into paperclips, links, chips, and unifix cubes on day two. Math is fun.

How did you do that?

Isn't it nice to defy belief sometimes? It's almost magic. Okay, maybe not magic, just science, but science is just as fun. We poked the pencils through the zipper bag 1/2 full of water. It didn't leak. Amazing! Not enough amazement for my students though. "How many pencils can we poke through the bag?" the students asked. We poked half a dozen through without a problem. "What happens if you pull a pencil out?" the students asked. So we did. Then the water spilled out like a "waterfall" according to the children. Fun, fun, Friday fun.

Spring Break goals

It's nice to have TIME to do things that aren't always prioritized during the work week. Sunday, I enjoyed time writing 2 more Willy Worm fairy tales. Monday, I had time to work on a 500 piece puzzle. Tuesday, I enjoyed time with my husband shucking oysters...a new learning experience. You should try to learn something new everyday. We set goals daily even if we aren't thinking about it (it's natural). They may not all be physically or mentally challenging. Sometimes it just a matter of completing a task in a given time period. Monday, I challenged myself physically. The "Oyster Triathlon": carry 1 bushel 100 feet, lift bushel 3 feet in air, shuck 1/3 bushel. Completed challenge...priceless...sense of accomplishment. What challenge will today present?

Junior Ninja Challenge #3

Here's the Junior Ninja challenge for this week. It is not required, but think of it as an opportunity to work with your child one on one to see if they can explain their thinking. The challenge is designed for them to find success, but it is multiple steps. They should solve one part at a time and check off each step as they complete it. They should check their work for accuracy and for completeness. All great mathematicians do.

Shamrock Final Mile

With the help of our friends and the cheers from the crowd, we finished the Shamrock Final Mile. It was cold and it was windy, but we didn't let that stop us from being successful. I am so proud of all my 1st grade friends who got out there and said, "I can do this." and then they did it. And how awesome is it that CREEDS ES won 1st place for most participation at 61% of our students joining the race. Way to Go!

Post 100

This is post #100. It is a personal thank you to those who have supported me through the years and encouraged me to stretch my comfort zone and follow my passion. It is not a rumor...I am leaving my home of the last 15 years...room 104. But I'm not going far, just down the hall. I've been promoted to 3rd grade and I am ecstatic. I have loved my years in 1st grade and I will miss most of what it encompasses, but in my heart I know I'm ready for the change and the challenge. The stars have aligned! and pigs can fly? (well, I saw it on TV.) I heard from a third past parent today that it made her day to know we would get to work together again for the benefit of her child. Mrs. Bergren would say it "filled my bucket". Mrs. Conger would say it was a "blue card". Simply speaking, it put me on cloud nine. So I say again, "THANK YOU!"

Bulletin Board Change

We have traded in our "Word-a-Day" bulletin board. This didn't make the students happy. Now we are looking at related words. Yesterday was...optimum, optimist, and optimism. Then later in the day we added "optimize" because it fit the situation. As for the bulletin board, it is now a "SUCCESS" board for those hitting their targets in Scholastic.com/CoreClicks (reading skills), TenMarks (math skills), and Junior Ninja challenges (math multi-step problems). It is amazing what they can do when they challenge THEMSELVES. I literally saw the lightbulbs go on for 3 students today as they called me back to their desks to tell me "I get IT, now." Look I got 100%. They'll be "Showing Off" for the principal tomorrow. Watch out world...sparks lead to fires. They make me so proud.