Five for Friday : Worm Freebie

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching to share five random things about my week. It's what all the cool teachers do on Friday. You can find new blogs to follow or old friends to check on by going to Doodle Bugs and seeing all the amazing teachers that have linked up. Of course everyone is curious what teachers do all summer long, so the summer is the best time to check out what is happening. Just click on the graphic image and check out some other teachers too.

I have done several things this week that I said I would never do...


The first thing that I was never going to do was buy an Erin Condren planner. Planning is not my favorite part of teaching. I am a type B teacher. I'm hoping THIS planner will make me better at planning. It's so pretty and user friendly. In the past I've used the student planners supplied to us. I'm thinking if I am diligent this will help me keep all my important information together. I think I can do it 'cause I've made my bed every single day this summer.

Want your own? Click HERE to check out these planners(and you don't have to be a teacher to find a planner to fit your life style!) 

The other thing I was never going to do was download the Periscope app. I would have missed out on so much awesomeness. My children have started broadcasting, Hill Song Live has amazing broadcasts, and Brooke Brown from Teaching Outside the Box did an fantastic job presenting information about the Responsive Classroom. You don't have to show your face! You can just send hearts by clicking on the screen and respond by texting your questions or responses. Please leave me your name to follow on Periscope if you are already on. Maybe one day we'll both be brave enough to broadcast something!

I had my first of four playdates for my future students this week. It is a fun informal way to get to know them in a group setting. I keep our time together short and sweet. We play a game, have a snack, read a book and complete a craft together. The time flies by and leaves me looking forward to spending my days with these great people. This week's theme was worms so we went on a worm hunt and we hit the jackpot!

Using chopsticks to find gummy worms hidden in the rice sensory bin is lots of fun.

Want a freebie? Click here for a little...and I do mean little...book and worm printable. I hope this inspires your bookworms! If you have trouble getting it leave me your e-mail and I'll send it to you. I put 10 gummy worms in a sandwich size baggie, folded it in half and then stapled the worm label to the top of the bag.

Something great is coming...

There is still time to get the book. It will blow your mind. It is a treasure trove of practical information that you will be able to use starting on Day one!

The baby deer are back and helping to keep my weeds under control. They are just adorable. I've learned what I can and can't plant. The explosion in the deer population has led me to some beautiful new plants that deer are somewhat resistant to eat! I love seeing them in the yard and like to pretend they are my gardeners eating just the tops of my bushes to keep them well groomed!

Thanks for stopping by and making it to the end!

Currently August! + a Freebie!

I'm linking up with Farley for Currently August...On TIME!! Did you know that if you like Oh' Boy 4th Grade on Facebook you get a head start? It is so easy to get the download from her, too! Oh boy, thank you, Farley!!

Tomorrow is the day my daughter's life takes a new turn. May I take a proud Mama moment? After graduating with honors and two majors Mars (the girl not the planet!) was accepted into the doctoral program at Washington U in St. Louis. In five years she'll have her PhD. in Chemistry. She has always been a science nut and gave herself the nickname Mars at the tender age of three. Her dream would probably be able to travel into space or even back to Ireland. She loves to travel! I'm listening to the sewing machine because she is making a quilt based on the Periodic Table. Her is what it looks like so far...

Yes...She is a nerd!

I had a playdate this week so my class could check out our new space. It was so much fun to just play with my old/new students. I'm looping with my first grade class this year. We had a wormed themed hour and a half that went way too fast! After reading this (Freebie Alert) book three times one of my students said, "This is great! Who writes this stuff?" It MADE MY DAY!!

If you want the whole packet of wormy activities or you want to contribute to my desk buying fund you can go buy the whole packet at TPT! The graphics on this project were done especially for me by my new friend Poppydreamz. I LOVE what she did! We're working on another project together right now, too which I'm even more excited about!

I finally got to learn how to play Ga-Ga Ball!

I know this looks messy. We colored worms and then painted over them with "dirt" because worms need dirt!

The shells are really a game board designed by one of my students!
We used dice and Lego guys to move to the finish line.

Look at these desks! They wobble. They tip. They are old. They don't stay up. I'm trying to think of some creative ways to get new ones...Any ideas?

I'm off to help the packer! Have a great month!

A Chickadee and a Worm Freebie!

This chickadee is busy building his nest.

Each year I travel with my sisters to try and see as many birds in one location as possible.  We wish we could do a big year together, but because of other responsibilities we just can't do it...Maybe someday! If you don't know what a "Big Year" is I highly recommend the book "The Big Year" by  Mark Obmascik. I returned yesterday from our "Big Weekend" exhausted and sore from hiking and straining my neck to see more birds.  I won't bore you with too many bird pictures, but I will share this picture these pictures that made me think of my friend Laurie at Chickadee Jubilee.

How can you not love these cheerful little guys?

I do have over 200 pictures of my trip and I will be sharing them at my blog devoted to mostly birds.  If you love birds you can check out my other pictures in the coming weeks! I'd Rather Be Birding is the blog where I let my bird geekiness out!  I promised I wouldn't mention any more bird activities this year.  So I won't tell you about the Chickadee and Hawk game we played during our break.  I won't mention how it is a lot like Duck Duck Goose.  I wish I could tell you how "It" is a chickadee and says chicka-dee-dee-dee and on the last dee the person they touch turns into a hawk and tries to catch them. You'll have to wait until next year to find out that the chickadee is safe if it makes it all the way around the circle and sits down in hawk's place.  I bet you can hardly wait until next year to find out how to play this game that teaches kids about predator and prey in the bird world...sigh!

Looking through a compost pile for earthworms.

Isn't it cute?

Do you know how hard it is to measure worms?  I'll be glad to use
ones that aren't quite so squirmy and made out of yarn!

Today we started learning all about worms.  I promise a couple of posts about this.  Here are a couple of pictures to whet your appetite for more wormy ideas...

Finally here is a Fact or Fiction activity that I'll use with my students tomorrow.  We'll be reading Diary of a Worm.  Today we read a non-fiction book called Wonderful Worms. Tomorrow we'll be writing poetry...our first draft and deciding whether statements are fact or fiction...Here's a link for you if you'd like a freebie for studying worms!  

Worms Worm WORMS! Freebie!

Enjoy these wonderful last days of school.  Love the students that are precious in His sight.  I pray they are precious in your sight, too!

Jenny