5 for Friday!!

I'm linking up with Doodlebugs teaching for her weekly link up! Some school and some about me! Enjoy!

                                1.

My poor baby! He was playing jack and Jill at playtime at school and rolled into an ant bed. A trip to the ER happened that night, but all was ok!

                                2.

My kiddos doing STEM. Thanks to smartchick, we really enjoyed making reed boats and testing then with weights to see how much it can hold.

                               3.

My kids making paper mâché ! We are making globes while practicing our continents. So much fun and so many things to learn while doing this.

                               4.

Keeping it real! Faith! I've got to meditate on these promises. Some days can be so stressful!

                                  5.

Great listening music! Check it out. Catchy, upbeat tunes that leave me feeling good! 

RHS STEM trip to Atlanta, GA

Out of my comfort zone!!!!!

About 2 weeks ago I had the privilege of chaperoning 100+ high schoolers to Atlanta, GA. What started out as a favor to my husband turned into a blessing for me. See, I taught some of this kids when they were in elementary school and I still work with many of their families at my school. Knowing about opportunities that are available now for students was really eye opening for me.

 I was very apprehensive about taking so many high schoolers out over night in downtown ATL (gasp!) but they were very sweet and respectful. The purpose of our trip was to visit the Dream Cars exhibit at the high museum and tour the campus of GA Tech with their graduate student mentors. Here are some pictures of the high lights.

Note:check out the link at the bottom

Eating at The Varsity

Photo creds@mikea

Entrance to the High Museum

Photo creds@mikea

At 3D printer at Georgia Tech

Students using their 5 senses to create their dream car. I loved this and really want my Kaleidoscope students to do this!!!

The view from the Ga Tech hotel conference and convention center.  My rookie was the high school drafting teacher. She's awesome!

Another view from the High Museum.  The entrance to the Dream Cars exhibit.

My meal at the varsity. I've lived in GA almost 13 years, and this is the first time I've been to the varsity!

My favorite car from the exhibit. I loved how the museum set up the tour. Everyone had iPod touches and headphones. You could click on pictures, videos, adjust the sound, etc at each exhibit. I could hear and take my time!

Another cool exhibit. I'm not a "car girl" but this was a really interesting exhibit.

This was a fabulous weekend. As a teacher I was sharpened by the experience. Seeing all these things made me really want to open up the world to my kiddos even more. This was such a good experience for students and I may add one that doesn't come around very often. In my opinion, it is huge that high schoolers are working with GA Tech grad students on a weekly/biweekly based via Skype on their STEM project. It was amazing hearing what some high school students want to create. These students are our future!wow!

One of my favorites-The fountain at GA Tech

Here is a link to an article that one of the mentors from GA Tech wrote about our high schoolers visiting campus.

Importance of mentorship programs for rural youth | Technique

http://nique.net/opinions/2014/09/12/importance-of-mentorship-programs-for-rural-youth/

Currently September!!!!

I am so thankful that Farley has these fabulous link-ups!  True confession, I had forgotten how to log into my blog!!  I know, really?  I'm back though and am going to have to make the commitment to blog more because I love it!  I love it's outlet!  So I have been in school for 2 and 1/2 weeks and am loving it.  It's a different kind of year for me, but I am being challenged and growing in different ways, so I look at that as a positive.  Now, it's time for sleep, but I plan to be on here again this week!

End of summer! (Almost)

Here I am at the almost last day of summer. As I look back on the last TEN weeks of down time, I am so thankful. I've had a busy summer, a happy summer, a I didn't get to do all I wanted to summer, but none the less summer is almost over. My big 3 for teacher talk Tuesday~

1. I was greatful to attend a workshop on a new teacher evaluation system.  So glad I had the opportunity to go. (Getting to go with one of my besties didn't hurt either!) I had a great time with her and was informed and inspired to be the best teacher I can!

2. Working in my room non-stop! Wow! So much to do! I am moving from 5th grade to gifted and talented. Whoop! Whoop! Lots of re-group on in my room and purge!! Here is a picture of my room before and my helpers being sweet while I work. (Hopefully I will post the reveal soon).

3. I have spent some time tonight leaving some love (feedback) on TPT and making some new purchases ~love! Gotta plan on making this year great! Here is a picture below:

I will have to keep you updated on how I use these in the future!

Have you all started back to school? What cool things do you have planned? How are you spending your last summer days?

Five for Friday -Sweet Summertime ;)

I'm linking up today with Doodle Bugs five for Friday! I'm doing this from my phone, so let's hope all goes well.

#1. I have been pet sitter extraordinaire this summer;) a fellow teacher asked me to take care of their cats and dog while they've been gone. Things went great and my boys and I made a few cuddly friends. 

#2. My big boy-who is 6-just finished his first week at summer camp. It was sleep away camp! Of course his dad was with him as his dad was an advisor on the trip.

3. I started reading "Making Differentation a Habit". I've rely enjoyed it so far. Seems like an easy read (I just read it in sections) and some valuable resources to go with it. 

 

#4. Me time! A much needed pedicure;) Patriotic colors!!!

#5. Thankful for America's birthday! So very thankful for all the men, women, and their families who have sacrificed so much! 

July Currently

I'm linking up with Farley's Currently from her blog Oh Boy 4th Grade!  I'm so excited~I have redone my blog with the help of The Cutest Blog on the Block and I love it!  AND  this is my first link up!  Whoop Whoop!!!  I would love to have my students do this once we start back to school.  And away we go...

A yellow wall,many thanks, and what I'm working on...

My mom always said, "Rome wasn't built in a day." I'm making myself blog tonight because if I don't, I won't ever get better at it. I would like to say poof and have this well established and complete blog, but I keep plucking away at it. I would love to start linking up with these fact astir bloggers, but I do not feel as if I'm quite ready yet. However, some things I have accomplished/working toward:

1. Planning out my curriculum. I will be serving gifted grades 1-5 two-three days a week this year, so I want to get the most ban for my planning. My goals are to motivate, propell, engage, and challenge them. 

2. Making my organizer/ plan book from a modern teacher. It's fantastic if you haven't choose none yet, I recommend it.

3. Make some seating crates! I have purchased most of the materials, but...still need to get the wood for them;) 

Last, I want to enjoy each day and remember that there is a season for everything under heaven. My big went to sleep away camp this week, with the hubs being an advisor I feel good about it (he's only six). My little and I have done next to nothing today-he's 3. Tomorrow we have big plans with the dentist and a camel!!!

I'm going to sign off with a victory- my newly painted new classroom wall! It only took 4 tries to get it right!

It's my beautiful yellow!

AND a big thank you to so many great bloggers and IGers out there who are awesome! I'm a teacher who is learning as I go on this blogging journey! It's great being inspired!

The Re-beginning of my blogging adventure!

Well, about 2 years ago, I was really industrious in starting this blog.  Then apparently I became really busy.  As I begin a new chapter in my teaching career, I remembered the blog.   Here I am.  My vision for having a blog, sharing ideas, communicating, collaborating, etc is great, but I have to start somewhere.  It's interesting how scary it can be to begin something so different.  I mean that in more ways that one.  This new chapter in my career, deciding to blog about all of the great things going on in my school...It is an adventure!  I am excited as tomorrow is Made it Monday and will be my first chance to link up.  That should be exciting!