Currently July

"Awake my soul and with the sun

Thy daily course of duty run

Shake off dull sloth and joyful rise

To pay they morning sacrifice."

That is the hymn I can hear my grammy singing. When I was younger she would sing this to me when I would visit her to wake me up in the morning. It  was always a joy to rise at her house where there was homemade bread, and games to be played. My grammy was pretty amazing and lived to be 109. She moved into a nursing home at 106 because she didn't want her family to worry about her living on her own. She lived a life of service to God and others and that made her a joy to be around. 

I couldn't really think of a tip, trick or hint when I started, but as I visit with you I'm thinking that my hint might be: "For a happy life... serve others." I'm participating in a book study of  Awakened by Angela Watson. It is a wonderful book and the devotional guide that goes with it is a wonderful guide to have too. Anyway, I'm learning that by changing my mindset I can transform my teaching to become more joyful and productive. Check out Angela's blog HERE.

Last night I had to wait my turn to get into the bathroom. Only one of our toilets is working currently! As I waited for what seemed to be ten people I checked my facebook one more time. I was so excited to find out that I'd won one of Christy Chen's Fuzzy Wuzzy designs, that I almost didn't make it ... You can check out her creations to by clicking HERE. Please tell her Jenny sent you if you like her page!!

I'm on such a coffee kick right now. I love it hot in the morning and iced in the afternoon. I just found this at Meijer on special this week. I'm stocking up on some of this before the week is over. Go to Facebook and like their page and you can get a coupon for your own carton. Caramel Macchiato is my very favorite.

I did start a new project for school, but I really want to start a new sewing project for home. I finished a quilting project this weekend that I'd put on hold for far too long. Now that it is done I need to start another one. I wish I could share this quilted wall hanging with you, but I can share this FREEBIE that I'm making for students who could benefit from a little extra sight word practice. Three pages done, only 27 more to go! 

Have you done your Currently for the month of July, yet? It is lots of fun I'd love to know what you are doing currently...

Bees, Buttons and Bribery...I Mean Persuasion!

Today my firsties had another word search.  This time they had to search for bees scattered around the room.  Once found they  used giant fly swatters I found at a dollar store to bop the bees.  One student calls out the word to bop while two others race to be the first to bop.  After five words, they trade places.

Ready to bop a bee!

Bee Bopper graphics by Digital Bake Shop!  My favorite!

I found dig!

I have wasted two evenings trying to make a grab button!  I think they're a nice touch on a blog and I used a Digital Bakeshop design to create one that I love.

Wouldn't this look
nice sitting a little to the
right?!

Every time I think I have it, it shows up five times bigger or with letters all over outside the place the code is supposed to rest.  In the meantime laundry has piled up, birds have gone unfed and I have a headache.  I'm not giving up, but I'm taking a vacation from trying!

Today we worked on persuasive writing again.  I wasn't very pleased with our last attempt.  When the kids work is not what I hope or think it should be, I suspect that something went awry with my teaching.  I haven't done much writing for them in the area of persuasion, so I wrote an example of what I had hoped from them on convincing the Little Red Hen's friends to help her next time she would be planting, cutting, threshing, and baking bread.  I thought I was very convincing.  If I was Red's  friend I would help!

I used some of our music time to continue with our persuasive talk. Since they had just come in from recess, I asked them what it was like outside today.  They told me how nice it was. I said I’d like to go out, but I’d have to be persuaded.  Someone said they’d bring me $100.00 tomorrow if we went outside. Someone else promised me chocolate!  They had a hard time knowing the difference between bribing and persuasion.    

The listening to birds was what persuaded me!
I am expecting some chocolate tomorrow...

I love the woods next to our school.  Wouldn't you love to set up  a  guided nature trail here someday?

The kids got so excited watching this chickadee. They held sticks up in the
air hoping the pair working on their next would land on them!

He was building a nest inside this dead tree branch.

These girls decided to build a hawk's nest.  I love letting them experience playing in the woods.

I would really like to persuade someone to help me with buttons and blogging!  I can’t get my post to format today the way I want it.  Good grief!  Technology is not my friend this week, but I’m glad you are!  Thanks for stopping by. 

Jenny 

5 STAR LINK-UP

Sixteen Hours!

This chick is really excited about Spring Break!
I love KPM Doodles!

Sixteen. More. Hours!  I think I can...I think I can...I think I can!  Sixteen more hours until Spring Break.  I could use a break.  I was feeling a little grouchy today and apologized to one of my students about being not so cheerful.  He said he hadn't noticed; bless his heart!  I was trying to cover my lack of patience, and it must have worked.  Writing their own Psalms, three children included me as something they praised God for.  When I explained to the class that I was looking forward to having a bit of a vacation. One little girl looked shocked and said, "But Mrs. Reck won't you miss us?"  I assured her I would, but that I was looking forward to sleeping in, staying up late playing board games with my children and reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King,  not to mention all the birding and shopping I'll be able to squeeze in.  Yes!  I am looking forward to Spring Break.  I admit I'll miss my Firsties and probably spend more than a few hours blog hopping and checking on Pintrest for new and exciting ways to catch their attention and make learning fun over the break!

Eggs loaded and ready to be hidden!

Family, do you remember how much I loved hunting for Easter Eggs?  I still do!!

A up and coming young reader!

Today we did have fun.  I got this great idea from  First Upon a Time.  Before class I made tiny sentence strips.  Each strip had two sentences on it.  One of the sentences stated something they had and the next asked who had something else. ( "I have tent.  Who has went?")  The sentences were placed inside plastic eggs so that the sentence showed.  Inside the egg I had also placed a foil wrapped chocolate egg.  I hid the eggs around the room, making sure that there was one egg for each student.  When they had found an egg, they waited on the Carpet Corner until  everyone was there.  I numbered only one strip with the number one so that we knew where to start.  It took a bit of practice, but when the class was able to read the entire group of sentences under one minute, we followed the directions of the last egg that read,  "I have an egg.  You have an egg.  Now open it and find the surprise."  They asked to do it again, so, after re-stuffing the egg with the candy and sentence strip, I hid them while they waited on the carpet with their eyes "closed"!  I noticed several closed eyes following me around the room!  It is a great game to build attention span, sight vocabulary and even fluency!  It could be played with numbers, too!  "I have 345.  Who has 278?"

I have Spring Break.  Who has already had their Spring Break?  (Sorry!)

Thanks for stopping by. Owl love reading your comments!