Science Class

Things have been crazy!! I love what I'm doing -- I could teach all day. Just PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GRADE ANOTHER PAPER!!! I'm finally caught up (though I'm apparently working very hard to keep myself at school until 7 every night! -- my real goal is to leave by 5 or 5:30 -- it's 5:37 as I'm typing this and I still have papers to grade!!)

Report cards went out today. My first round of report cards ever -- so everyone is happy, right?? Hopefully we'll use this as a time to iron out any kinks -- that's all I have to say about that.

On to Science class -- We've been learning about invertebrates and desert animals. Today we finished up the section on Desert animals and we were reviewing for a quiz. I asked where desert animals go to escape from the hot sun.

Answer #1 -- They dig a tunnel so they can go underground.

Me -- Exactly -- it's cooler underground. Where else might they live?

Answer #2 -- They live inside a cactus -- oh, and they can invite their friends over and use the juice from the cactus and go swimming in the hot tub!

I laughed so hard at that! At least I know he understands!

For some clarification

Thank you, mom, for your undying support of me. I appreciate you sticking up for my speling abilities. (and yes, Karen, that one was on purpose, too!!)

As a pictoral example of my spelling abilities and to confirm my mother's defense of me, I submit the following . . . um . . . picture.



















Today was interesting. I got to "see myself" very clearly through the eyes of a student. Today was her birthday. The last time there was a birthday, the birthday boy wanted to take his extra cupcakes around to the other teachers. So, of course, today's birthday girl wanted to do the same. I told her she could choose ONE person to go with her. To which she directed to the students, "I'm waiting for it to be quiet!" When they didn't quiet down, she went to the front of the room, sat in a chair and stared at them. I noticed this and just had to laugh, because I have done this MANY times before I read a story to them after recess. She just sat there and said, "I'll take whoever is the quietest." My teacher's aide was there with me helping me get some papers together and I just had to laugh. It's so funny what they pick up on. Now, does she know what the Science lesson today covered? . . .

a picture is worth . . .

OK, OK, so I finally remembered my camera! Here are the promised pictures. The first two are of my bulletin board I did for the hallway. I got the scarecrow's outfit from Goodwill and made the head out of some burlap from my sister (thanks, Karen!) The button eyes came from my teacher's aid and the mouth is . . . a cut pony-tail holder.

































This one is one my students did to help me decorate it for fall.

I asked one student who finished early to cut out some letters for me to make the word "October" I think he did a GREAT job!

Another student brought me this rose -- it was just so perfectly bloomed I had to take a picture of it!

So on to the monumental events. I made my first "real" dinner! On Monday, I had fried pork chops, potatos, and gravy. I also had some crescent rolls that I baked in my toaster oven. (and yes I turned the poewr on:-)

Here's a picture of it cooking!













And here's the finished product. No, I did not eat at the table -- I ate in the living room -- a nasty habit, I know, but who cares? It's just me -- if there's a mess, I know who made it!!

I know, I know

I haven't been the most faithful blogger in existance. What, did you expect me to post every day like I did the first week?? :-) I would like to, believe me!! But as it is, that has been impossible. I had mid-quarter grades due the first week, papers I was behind on as a result of that, and then Heritage Festival weekend last weekend, with more papers I'm behind on.

But enough complaining . . . for now!

I also changed the bulletin board in the hallway (I share it with the 2nd grade teacher and it's my month to decorate it) It looks really cute -- I'd show you a picture, but I left my camera at my apartment and I don't have internet there. I made a scarecrow and used some letters and a tree from one of my classes in college and it turned out to be pretty cute! I also had them trace some leaves and write what they like about fall on them. Some of them had some pretty interesting things on them, but I'll save that for when I actually have a picture.

One of my girls said something absolutely hilarious yesterday. We were walking to the classroom before school started. She somehow was on the topic of eternity and being in Heaven after Jesus returns. She said "the Christians will be in Heaven with Jesus. Um . . . yeah! And satan will be locked away in his own portal of death!" It was all I could do to not just start busting out laughing right there. I had just never heard it worded quite that way! Puts a new perspective on it, doesn't it!?

Anyway, I found out that I may be losing another student to financial needs. She seems upset about it, and apparently this has happened before, but they didn't pull her out. We'll see what happens. On the other side of the coin, the second grade teacher just started a new student on Tuesday! I can't imagine! I just hope they don't try to fill her empty spot with a new student for me! I guess if they do, I'll just roll with it like I always do.

Well, I should go -- I have lesson plans to do still and a mountain of papers to grade. I'm grading journals today -- I'll try to update on that as soon as I can.

One more funny story: For a recent language test, they were asked to write a declarative sentence of at least 5 words. One student wrote: When I get to Heaven, I'm going to ride on golden dirt bikes. This counted, but also earned him a smiley-face! :-)