That Time of Year...

2.5 snow days...need to start thinking about MAPS...state assessment...and I'm on the district's team to implement a new teacher evaluation framework mandated by the state...

AND how many days until summer?

Of my followers and blog stalkers...who is evaluated using the Marzano  design?  My district has decided on that format for data collection...it should fit nicely into our state's new framework.

So until life leaves me more time to be creative...and less stressed-out over what standards I need to teach...I doubt I'll have one creative or useful bone in my body.

HELLO SUMMER!

Biography Book Project

My 4th grade class has monthly book projects.  One of my favorites is when we study biographies.  Students must read a biography, make a timeline, a poem about the famous person, and give a speech as that person...thus the picture.  Did you guess my guests were Pocahontas, Jim Thorpe, and Helen Keller.

A Busy Week...a busy beginning

MIA...that's me.  The beginning of the semester found me moving to a new building.  AND when you've been teaching for 25+ years...AND you're a hoarder...that's a job that no one should be responsible for.

OK...the move is done.  I'm still very unorganized and I'd like to have 2-3 days to reorganize my room, but that will probably wait until this summer.

BUSY WEEK...not only will we be reading My Brother Martin this week, we're celebrating 100th day on Wednesday.  Over break (since I couldn't get into the school since it wasn't quite done) I had a chance to rethink my weekly teaching to cover all our reading state standards...we don't have common core (yet).

Monday:  prediction, vocabulary,  and connection
Tuesday: read and/or listen to story...vocabulary review
Wednesday:  summarize
Thursday: reading strategy suggested in basal
Friday:  story map/and test

OH YEA!  did I mention that this week we'll be completing our writing assessment...wish my class luck.

Happy...

Happy 2013 

Resolutions...

1. read for pleasure (not school) at least 3 nights a week
2. travel overseas this summer
3. wear pink every day
4. and of course the resolution I make every January...drop a dress size! (ha HA)

Smartboard vs Promethean

HELP!!

I have a(n) (old) Smartboard...but found flipcharts (these are charts that go along with my reading series...Scott Foresman 2008) that work with Promethean board. Unfortunately, the flipcharts don't work with my Smarboard.

Anyone have any idea how to convert to notebook (the program my Smartboard reads)?

I hope everyone is enjoying their break.  I have one week left, but am already thinking about what I plan on doing when returning.

• snowpeople glyphs
• biography project
• new rules and procedures for new building
• RACK   Random Acts of Classroom Kindness
• surviving!!

Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas

I'm singing for JOY... Snow Day here...and we had a canned food drive, made our goal, so no school until January 7.  We will be in our new building on January 7, but it appears after moving some 'stuff' to the new room, that I will be getting less floor space. I've always had enough room, (my old building was build in the 30's), but guess I need to blog stalk and see how other rooms are arranged. 

Merry Christmas

Sandy Hook