Let's Get Acquainted Linky with Flying Into First Grade!

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THIS IS A LINKY PARTY TO GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OTHER TEACHER BLOGGERS AND OF COURSE IT IS JUST FOR FUN! 

Linky Questions

1.  What made you decide to become a teacher?

I can't remember not wanting to be a teacher to be honest.  I remember as a little girl I would line up all of my stuffed animals and write on my green chalkboard.  Yep, I am ancient, I didn't have computers, iPads or Activeboards.  We had chalkboards and that is all we had except for old school typewriters.  

2. What has been your most rewarding experience as a teacher?

When I started teaching Special Needs Preschool, I found this to be so rewarding.  I saw children walk, talk and feed themselves for the first time.  The age group for SNP is between three and five years old.  There was a little girl named Maggie in my class that was hearing impaired.  She had never been taught to communicate so she was quite a challenge.  I taught her sign language and she learned to communicate for the first time and I remember it so clearly.  The very first sign she learned was "bubbles" and her eyes got very big and she kept signing bubbles over and over again.  After that she would pull me in the floor and grab my sign book and sign "teach me" over and over.  She is now attending Gallaudet and I told her Mom she would go there when she was only 3 years old.  I am friends with her on facebook now and it is so awesome to see life come so alive for her over 20 years later.       

3. If you were not a teacher, what would you be?

If I were not a teacher I would love to be a Graphics Designer but all I can draw are stick people and they don't sell very well!

Five For Friday with Doodle Bugs Teaching!

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Well, we are down to TEN DAYS and I can't wait for school to be out and summer to be here!  I know that some of you have to go longer and I feel for you.  This was a CRAZY week at school with doing Field Day and the weather was actually yucky.  This was actually the first Field Day that I can remember ever having to wear a jacket because it was cold and rainy.  

Field Day at Midway

Yep, this is my dissected Otterbox case for my iPhone.  The charger cover came off and I had to take pics of it so that they would send me a new one.  It is on the way and I can't wait to get it and replace this old one. 

Otterbox Case Replaced

Anna made the cutest Pirate Packet and we took full advantage of the moment.  I ran to Dollar Tree and grabbed the Pirate Hat, Pirate Eye Patch and the Pirate Hook for my kiddos.  I put a picture of an old pirate ship onto my Whiteboard and took pics of all the kids for fun to end the week.

A Mean Pirate

This week was really busy and crazy and the most exciting thing happened.  My little guy (my grandson) had his picture taken with his cap and gown on.  Doesn't he look so handsome?  I love him more then anything in the world and I am so proud of him for being such a super kindergartener!  

Grandson's K Graduation!

So, this is my newest desktop decoration and I love it and my kids walk by and know if it is correct the minute they look at it.  If I come in that morning and forget to change it they hand me the marker to take care of it!  LOL  I think they want out of school more then teachers do?

Okay, I have a bonus for the FIVE FOR FRIDAY folks that is guaranteed to make you laugh and watch it again.  ENJOY!

Okay, time for the weekend and getting some much needed rest and hoping for no excitement for two days!  Have a great weekend everybody!!!

Science Sunday! Get Ready for Some Landform FUN and a SALE on TpT!

To make the volcano just use paper mache.  I use a blender with water and newspaper to make the mixture.  Have them make the landform by hand and let it dry on a surface (I use the small white tubs from Walmart).  Then we paint our volcano with tempera paint and let it dry.  

You can also use clay to make your volcano landform but the paper mache is more fun for the kids and cheaper too.  For the little small container that needs to go in the middle I go to the dollar tree and grab some really small plastic cups or go to any place that still uses film canisters for 35mm film.  You will also need red and yellow food coloring to make the red lava.  The last two items you need are vinegar and liquid dish washing soap.  

The most important part of doing this inside the classroom is to be prepared to clean up someone's overflowing volcano and have plenty of paper towels on hand!  I do this with groups of five children in each group and try to have enough plastic tubs for the volcanos to dry in so that when all the ingredients erupt it stays within the tub.  I also do one group's volcano at a time so that the fun last longer and the attention is given to the group that created the volcano. 

     

Here we go!  Lets get ready for some volcano fun!

1. Put the small cup or film canister into the top of the volcano
2. Add two spoonfuls of baking soda into the container
3. Add about a spoonful of dish soap into the container
4. Add about five drops of red and five drops of yellow food coloring into the container
5. Add about an ounce of vinegar into the container and watch what the volcano erupt!  It erupts really quick so be ready!

Inquiring minds will want to know:

What if you have more vinegar then baking soda, does it make it better?

What is you have more baking soda then vinegar, does it make it better?

What is a chemical reaction? (older kids of course)

Does the shape and size of my volcano make the "lava" go in a different direction?

Please don't forget that it is Teacher Appreciation Week!  Teachers Pay Teachers will be having a sale this week.  The sale is on May 7th and 8th so come on over and empty out your "wishlist"!!!  

 

Currently with "Oh Boy 4th Grade"

Go Link Up!

I look forward to coming home each day from school and just being at home.  It is nice to be home and have total silence and not hear 24 first graders saying my name every 30 seconds.  I love them all dearly but I love silence after I get home too. 

How many more days do you have before you are out of school.  I have a picture on my desk at school that is counting down the days for me.  I usually don't even bother counting them down but this year is special.  

I am looking so forward to working on my TpT "DO" list for the summer and getting some products redone that I created when I first began.  I need to write an apology note to those who purchased my first products.  Do you ever feel that way too?

I have not scheduled a vacation to anywhere in specific but it sure would be nice to go somewhere just to bask in nothingness for a long weekend or a week!

Science Sunday! Yep, Kids Love Experiments and They Love GROSS and EWWWW"!!!

Blobs in a Bottle!

Things You Will Need:

A clean/dry 1 liter soda bottle

3/4 Cup of Water

Vegetable Oil

Alka Seltzer (fizzing tablets)

Food Coloring (Any color, I use red)

Measuring Cup or a Funnel

What To Do Next:

Step One: Pour the water into the bottle.

Step Two: Use a measuring cup or a funnel to slowly pour in the vegetable oil until it is almost full.  You may have to wait a while for the water and oil to separate.

Step Three: Add ten drops of food coloring into the bottle.  The food coloring will drop down through the oil and then mix with the water at the bottom.

Step Four: Break the seltzer tablets in half and drop them into the bottle.  Watch it sink to the bottom and watch the blobs begin!

Step Five: To keep the fun going just add more seltzer pieces into the bottle.

When I do this experiment with the kids I always have a bottle of oil and water that has already sat for a while and separated.  

Inquiring Minds Will Want to Know:

1. Does the size of the bottle have anything to do with how many blobs are made?

2. Does it still work and make blobs if the cap is put on the bottle?

3. Does the size of the seltzer tablet matter in how many blobs it makes?

4. Does it make a difference if you put in more then one color of food coloring?

If you visit my TpT store I am offering a FREEBIE for the scientists in your class.  We want them to write down their scientific observations and do what scientists do and think like scientists.

Click above for your FREEBIE!

Come back each "Science Sunday" to get another interesting and fun science experiment for your class!

Five for Friday {Linky Party... April 26th}

Click Above to go to Doodle Bugs Blog

{1} Wow, a four day week and I have a THREE day weekend!  WOO HOOOO!!!

After this weekend our school system only has 21 more days of school left!

I don't have a single thing planned for my summer break and that is the best part.  I shop at my Dollar Tree often and I found some really cute totes that are 8" x 8" for my leveled readers from Reading A-Z.  They are going to be my leveled reading homework totes for next year and my summer project.  OOPS! I guess I am going to be doing something this summer?  These are 2 for $1 and aren't the colors great?  Now I just need to figure out where and how I am going to store all of these cuties.  

{2} Now for decorating these colorful wonders!  I have just the thing and it came from the Dollar Tree. How about glitter glue?  Yep, Glitter Glue will make these bags scream "I want to go into your bookbag and be your homework"!

{3} I was doing my regular teacher blog stalking and what did I find?  I found this adorable FREEBIE from Lindsey at "The Teacher Wife" blog.  Isn't this the cutest idea for the end of school?  Thank you Lindsey and I have it put together in a Dollar Tree frame with glass and just write on it with a "wipe off" marker.  Here is the one I made using a 5 x 7 frame and she makes them in three sizes!

{4} It is finally warm enough here in GA to have the windows and doors open for my fur-babies to go in and out.  Here is a pic of my Princess Penelope basking in the sun.  She is half in the door and half out of the door and I think this is the best position for any dog.  My dogs are always sitting at the door and saying "Let me in so I can go back out again"!  LOL    

Penelope, my Sweetheart!

{5} Last, but not least, is the colorful swatters I found at the Dollar Tree and I am going to use these with a great product I found on TpT by Daina Roberts called "You Better Splat That"  ha ha ha ha, love the name!

Click the Pic for the Product

Thank you Doodle Bugs for the "Five for Friday" fun!!!

May Freebies Linky Party!

Click the Above Image to go to the Linky Party

I am linking up with Sally over at Elementary Matters Blog with her "May Freebies Linky Party"!  She has some great freebies listed on her blog so go and get a few and link up with us.