Aug 2, 2014

That Time Again...

...for CURRENTLY!
Not only is it already AUGUST but I've already been back in school two weeks!!!
So this is what I am doing... CURRENTLY...
Listening:  to Titanic...for the hundredth time...I love this movie!
Loving:  It's the weekend!
Thinking:  Summer came and went too fast!!!
Wanting:  I get to see my grandgirl next weekend!  Yay!  I miss her so much!!!
Needing:  I need to finish up my lesson plans for our first full week of school for students.
{I have to say that I love planbook.com!!!}
My 1st day was July 21.
Students' first day was July 29.
So what are you currently doing?  I can't wait to find out!
Be sure to check over at Farley's to see what everyone else is doing!

New School Year Blessings,
Rebecca

Jul 21, 2014

Boxes. Boxes. EVERYWHERE!

So, at the end of the year, I found out that I would be moving to fourth grade for the 2014-2015 school year.  Since I had just had my car accident...I had to have others help me move to my new room...
Today, we began inservice...and I walked into....
THIS!
And THIS!
And THIS!!!
Now...REWIND...
I was so ahead of the game for this year....planning a CiRcUs theme for my second graders...
made purchases, printed posters, banners, nameplates...etc.  
THEN I found out about the move to fourth grade....
SO... 
I racked my brain all summer on my new fourth grade theme...
thinking Circus might be a bit immature for them...but I couldn't make up my mind...
But tonight...I think I have it...
DRUMROLL PLEASE............
My new class theme will be Hollywood/Movies...  I've already started finding a ton of stuff!  We have all day Wednesday and Thursday in our classrooms...NO meetings...Yay!  I can't wait to get started on my new fourth grade classroom!
Well...what theme are YOU using this year???
Back To School Blessings,
Rebecca

Jul 8, 2014

I'm Back....

From where you ask...
From a car accident...to losing our beloved furbaby, Maggie Bleu...I've been out of sorts for a bit.  There have been good times though, and I cherish them more than ever!
Now I'm back...and SO happy to announce that I will be teaching 4th grade this coming year...and only teaching Reading/L.A. and Social Studies...JUST MY FAVS!!!!
So...I'll be stalking more fourth grade blogs but will not forget all of my other blog reads, as you all have such wonderful, creative ideas!
I have two weeks left of summer vacation...Yeah, you read that right...2 weeks left!  Inservice begins on July 21 and students come back July 29.  I'm excited about my new 4th grade team...will miss my 2nd grade team terribly...and look forward to what the new school year holds.
I'll be back to blogging regularly soon...I've truly missed it!
Enjoy the rest of your summer!!!
I'd love to hear when you go back to school!
Many Blessings,
Rebecca

Mar 2, 2014

March Currently

Here we are...in the third month of 2014 already...and time for another Currently!  Since this is my second post for the day {ooops}...I'll get right to mine...
Listening:  Impractical Jokers...I know it isn't a secret how I feel about these guys!  The reruns are as funny as the first time they air...love them!
Loving:  My Spray Tan...the first one I have ever gotten.  I wanted to try it out before our spring vacay just to see what it would look like.  I'm very pleased!  I can't wait for my next one...because it will mean it is vacation time!!!
Thinking:  Evaluation this week...yup...gotta love having these again even after teaching 17 years!  NOT!  lol
Wanting:  Spring Break to HURRY UP!  Only TWO more WEEKS!!!
Needing:  Spark!!!  I haven't drank any today, and I'm needing a caffeine fix!  lol
??????:  We get to make up our own answers...here's mine...Cinderella, Splash Mountain, Family...Can you guess what they have to do with???  Leave me your guess in a comment!
Thanks again, Farley for hosting this for us!
I'm off to do some blog visits!

Chatterbox Blessings,
Rebecca

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

We've all grown up with the wonderfully, whimsical characters of Dr. Seuss.  What smiles and laughter he has given to children, of all ages, over the years...and his books just keeping giving...and will continue to give!
Thank you Theodor ~Seuss~ Geisel
...and...
Happy 110th Birthday!
We are celebrating Dr. Seuss and Read Across America this week.  I've got my hat ready!  I'll post pictures of each day's events!  I can't wait!

Chatterbox Blessings,
Rebecca

Feb 16, 2014

❤ Feel The Love ❤

Hope you all had a Happy Valentine's Day!
My kiddos had the best time creating and celebrating the ❤❤❤!
Our story this week was The Valentine Bears.
I created a cute packet for this sweet story by Eve Bunting.
Our Valentine week was cut short with TWO snow days...which no one seemed to mind!  :)
But we did have to spend a lot of time on Valentine's Day doing some necessary crafting that we missed out on those two days.  
Thankfully, we had already taken all the pictures for our parent/grandparent valentine!
So all we had left was to assemble them!
They turned out SO cute!!!
AND...
FILLED WITH...
LOTS OF...
❤♡❤LOVE❤♡❤
We also made Valentine mail bags for our valentines...
We used hearts to create...
the CUTEST designs for them!

Then we PARTIED
...the afternoon away!
Then...Mrs. Wrinn went home to her Valentine to celebrate her 27th wedding anniversary!
Hope you enjoyed some time with your sweet students and you special valentine!
♥♡♥Blessings♥♡♥
Rebecca

Feb 12, 2014

❆ ❈ ❆ Got Snow? ❉ ❈ ❆


Or better yet... Got a Snow Day?
WE DID!  In fact...we got TWO!!!
That is very rare for us to get out for snow...and two days in a row??!!
WOW!!!

Actually...today we were suppose to get up to four inches...and we got NOTHING!!!  But school had already been cancelled....in the afternoon, it started to snow...HUGE flakes but it was too warm to stick.  Then it rained after that.  This evening...the snow finally started again and began to stick!  Yippee!  And we got the call that we were cancelled tomorrow!  Yippee!

The only thing is...we were going to finish our Valentine Photo project so they would be ready on Valentine's Day.  We'll be a little pressed for time on Friday...with our party...but we can let something else go in the morning to get them done.  They are too cute not to finish!

So....now on to the present things at hand...
♬ ❇♪❆♫  "Do you want to build a snowman?"   ♬❉♪❄♫

Stay warm and safe!
Snowy, Winter Blessings,
Rebecca

Jan 25, 2014

100th Day, Chromebooks, and AdvoCare...OH MY!

My 2nd Graders are 100 Days Smarter!!!
We had the best time with our 100th Day!

We made 100th Day Headbands

Did some things in 100 seconds

Made a gumball machine with 100 gumballs

And did some fun out-of-your-seat activities in 100 seconds.
Then another day, was chromebook training.  We are so excited to get our chromebooks, and have lots of activities coming up to use them with! 
And Mrs. Wrinn finished the AdvoCare 10 day cleanse this week...and started on days 11-24...with 6 lbs. lost, no more hot flashes, and tons of energy!
Despite the cold...and snow...with NO snow day even...it's been a GREAT WEEK!
How has your week been?

Chatterbox Blessings,
Rebecca

Jan 19, 2014

GOOD GOLLY GUM BALLS! It's the 100th Day!

Isn't it exciting when that 100th Day gets here!??!

One of my all time favorite books to read for the 100th Day is Lester Laminack's Jake's 100th Day of School.  If you don't have this book, then you need to get it for your collection!  Lester's words are always thoughtful in his stories, showing the care and compassion of others.  This book is always included in my 100th Day classroom celebration!
BUY THE BOOK HERE!


I just finished a new pack, "Let's Celebrate 100 Days" just in time for my classroom celebration coming up this week.  This pack comes with a cute "100 gumballs" craft!  When is your 100th day?  Head over to my TpT store if you are in need of some new ideas for your 100th Day.  You can check it out here.

100th Blessings,
Rebecca

Jan 15, 2014

Making Our Own Braille

Today, my kiddos made their own Braille...they were super excited about this!  They worked so hard and careful to punch out all of the dots so they could start using it.  It was a huge success with everyone!  If you missed my last post about Helen Keller...then be sure to scroll down to yesterday's post to see what we have learned and been doing in correlation with our story, Helen Keller.

BTW...this activity is simple to make!  Just print the Braille out and give everyone a copy.  
They will turn their paper over to the back and punch each dot through with the tip of their pencil {make sure pencils are sharp and stress to them not to punch hard!}  
Voile'...Braille!


Chatterbox Blessings,
Rebecca

Jan 14, 2014

Living In Darkness...Focus on Helen Keller

Helen Keller...
What do you think of when you hear that name?
Some might think of words like blind, deaf, mute...
and that would be true.

However, what I think of is...
STRENGTH * COURAGE * DETERMINED * AMAZING

I have taught about Helen Keller for quite a long time, and it seems that each time, I learn something new...something amazing.  This lady was really something!

Watch this rare footage of Helen and her teacher, Anne Sullivan.
Warning:  It will probably bring tears to your eyes!

And though she never saw...she never heard...she did finally learn to speak.
Watch this!


Simply AMAZING, huh!??!

This week, our story from our Journey's reading series is Helen Keller.
My second graders have really enjoyed learning about this remarkable woman....so many questions...It's been awesome.
Here is an activity that we did today.
It is from my Helen Keller pack that you can find in my TpT store.

My students really got creative with their ways of communication...since they couldn't "hear", "speak", or "see".  

We have been learning Braille and Sign Language, as well.  My kiddos can sign several words and are working on finger-spelling their names.  We have located a lot of Braille in our school and in our community, that we never noticed before.

And so...I leave you with this quote from Helen Keller herself...
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched -- they must be felt with the heart."

Many Blessings,

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