Currently and a Freebie(s)!

I am pretty excited to join up with over 200 other bloggers and Farley to let you know what is happening CURRENTLY! This is my first time linking up,  though I have enjoyed reading many of the  other "Currently" posts from previous months. Some of my favorite blogs have been found hanging out with the "Currently" gang.

It's no secret that I love owls. One of my students asks me every day why I love owls so much. Of course I tell them because they seem so wise and they remind me that Only With the Lords Strength can I do all things! Phil. 4:13. 

 Owls are everywhere in my room this year and even out in the halls. When we walk through the halls we follow the ways of the OWL and you can too! Click on the picture to download a free copy!

Three times a week I get to go read with 7th and 8th graders. Our first book is one of my favorites. How can you not love a book that says, “What a pity every child couldn't learn to read under a willow tree...”  I try to incorporate the daily 5 each day...Word Work, Read to Self, Read to a Partner and Listen to Reading are going well. They have another teacher for English who handles the writing, though we do quite a bit of writing, too! 

Finally, I Have a game for you. I love to share! I hope you enjoy this letter sound I Have Who Has Game! Click on the link to get a copy for your classroom. Click on the pic(k) to get yours!

First Week Freebie!

I now have four days under my belt. I love starting the week before Labor Day because of the nice long weekend that follows that first week. I need this weekend to rest and tweak some of my best laid plans. The first day I missed the owlets that branched out to 2nd, but by Thursday night I closed my eyes and saw the eyes of my sweet new students. This group of owlets is going to be a rewarding group to teach. When I had them share a page they read during I Can Read by Myself time, I was thrilled that so many of them read a page fluently from their chosen books.

I love watching the personality of a class emerge. This group doesn't like to sing a whole lot, but they love to do the motions. When it comes to tail shaking they are the best! We sing a song about the things God has made and they all choose something that has a tail to shake! "Oh who can make a fox, dog, wolf, coyote, cat...." I love to sing about the opossum and watch them all fall down on the floor and pretend to be dead. They are laugh out loud funny people. I get to spend more time with them than their parents during the day and I feel so humbled and honored to be able to do that.

Each Friday I like to introduce a new game to play with a partner. After we've played the game I send it home in Friday Folder so the parents can play, too! This weeks game was a big hit. These kids love cats and were really worried about which partner would get to keep the cat from the game. They cheered with joy when they saw me pull out a copy for each of them. Wanna play? Click on the picture to grab a copy for yourself and your class if you'd like!

Fairy Doors and Pete's School Shoes!

I wasn't going to post tonight, but I got so excited about fairy doors that now I can't sleep! My BBF from Chickadee Jubilee shared one with me and then I had to go check out more!

Is that not the most precious thing you have seen? This next one happens to be my favorite because it is inside and I love the window on the books.



You can read more about this door and other UFOs (Urban Fairy Operations) by clicking on the picture above.

Even though my class is composed of mostly fine young men this year, I have to have a fairy door. I am blessed to be married to the most creative, kind, loving, giving, cranky bear of a man. He has agreed to make a fairy door for my classroom. I can hardly wait to see what he comes up with. I've got all kinds of whimsical ideas flying through my brain right now...Thanks Laurie!

As long as I'm here, I've got to let you know that my new class is totally funny. My owlets are an amazing group of creative high fivers. Not too many huggers in this group! I'm going to enjoy their laughter and enthusiasm all year long. I really can't wait for procedure to be taught and the learning to really take off!

Today I was lucky enough to be able to tell them about owl pellets. A room full of boys and owl pellets...They loved it! I'm going to need to get some to dissect before the year is over. Having owls as my theme, how could I not do the owl pellet dissection activity?

For the first day we read
 
These students wanted me to read it again and again. Did I? Goodness no! Of course I did! I'll probably read it again tomorrow. I can't get enough Pete! Here are some Pete inspired shoes...

Many of the boys made "cool fire shoes"! They had elaborate plans for how they
would turn on and shoot fire!

Click on the picture if you would like a copy to use!

The adrenaline from the fairy doors has run down. I can't keep my eyes open any more. Thanks for visiting.

I Pledge to My Students!

I'm feeling a little bit reflective tonight. Tomorrow is the big day. It is the day I've been waiting for since June! It is the first day of school for a brand new batch of first graders. I feel awed by the responsibility of teaching these precious children. My first teaching job was first grade and the principal let me know that she never hired first year teachers for the position of first grade because it was such a vital year. She hired me anyway! That year was special in so many ways and it was definitely a year of firsts for me.

I'm thinking further back than my first teaching job, though. I'm trying to remember my first grade experience. I think it was so awful that I've blocked a lot of it out. My family moved from Missouri to Michigan half way through September. My teacher at my new school was only there a few short weeks before she took the rest of the year off on a maternity leave. My substitute was unmemorable, but recess was a time for bullies to pick on "the new girl."  I wasn't crazy about my new school and things didn't get better.

In second grade the teacher let me know I was too dumb to teach cursive writing to. In third grade I was ridiculed because I didn't know how to write in cursive. I don't know if I told my parents, because I didn't want them to think I was dumb. Early on, I labeled myself as "dumb". When I finally arrived in high school I had a teacher say, "You aren't like the others." She was referring to my older brother and sisters who excelled in all things academic. I learned to excel in all things social. To this day I love a party.

Why did I become a teacher? I NEVER want a child to go through what I went through in school. I want every child in my care to know how special, creative, talented and precious they are. God has used my past to shape my future. I love what I do. It isn't about the three months of vacation. It is about loving the children as Jesus did.  So, I'm ready to say, ""Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14.

Will you take this pledge with me? Will you promise only good for the children in your care?

Click the picture for your own copy.    

Teacher Week: Friday Freebie!

I'm cutting it close, but this is going to make it in time to still call it Friday! Click on the picture to get a School Tool Bingo Game! I'm using this the first day and each time I name an item it will coordinate with an activity to get to know our room and put away supplies...EEEK I can't wait!

 Tomorrow is a sad day for me...One daughter back to college for her last year before she goes to graduate school. I'm glad I still have two at home to keep me laughing and singing. I hope your weekend is spent doing something you love with someone you love!

Thursday Therapy

I know it is Friday. A month ago I may not have been able to tell you what day of the week it was. School starts Monday and, even though I'm ready for it, I do have the jitters! Even after MANY first days I still get them. What I need is therapy...Thursday therapy! That's why I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' again today. So grab a couch, lay down and get yourself some therapy!


My first choice in therapeutic activities is to get outside and look for birds. I know I've talked about birds before, but just to make it clear to you, I'm birdbrained. Since the tender age of 6 months, I've been told, that my favorite book was an old bird field guide of my mom's. Today my collection of birding guides and books is pretty sweet! I have a collection of binoculars that I use to take friends and strangers out birding with me. I've pushed my bird agenda on every student I've ever had contact with and they know they can get me off task by asking a question about birds! I try to get to Canada in the spring for migration sensation and a little therapeutic time with my sisters.

Evidence of a Pileated Woodpecker! Notice the large rectangular holes!

One of my favorite woodpeckers...The red headed. He is becoming quite rare dut to loss of habitat. 

There are very few pictures of me without binoculars in my hands! Here I am in the wilds of Arkansas tracking down an owl! We saw him briefly. I was supposed to be back resting in the hotel after spending some time in the emergency room...long story....but I was not going to let a little illness keep me away from what I came to see...

I came to see this gorgeous bird. I was rewarded many times and it didn't even have to work hard to see him!

Isn't she cute? She and her friends fight over sitting rights all day long. I wish they could just get along and share the feeder!

Thanks for the session! I owe you big time for hanging in to the very end of this post! I'll be back tomorrow for Freebie Friday. Yes, I know tomorrow is Saturday. Oh no! I've got the jitters again. I'm heading outside with my binoculars and camera!!

A Catbird...LOVE!

I have to include an owl picture!

Where I Work Wednesday!

These owls will be used on the clip chart when students get to school in the morning. The tree trunks will keep student's pencils close to their working area.

My morning started at 6:00 this morning. I have gotten to spend the day with some fun and amazing people including my faculty, students and their families! This morning we had our staff CPR training with other area Lutheran teachers. After that training we had an interesting lecture about cyber-bullying. I had so much fun watching people fall asleep. I was a little concerned about one lady with knitting needles...I was sure she was going to impale herself on one of those as her head kept getting lower and lower! Then I finally figured out where I knew "that lady" from. She had been a dorm mate of mine 29  a couple of years ago. It was so much fun to become reacquainted and learn we've been living in the same area for years. I couldn't wait to get back to my classroom to put the finishing touches on everything for our open house tonight!

It's Wednesday and that means I get to share where I teach! You can too, and then link up with Blog Hoppin'

This is where I teach...

I love this place! I rearranged the whole room this year and threw away a lot of clutter. My room is quite small, and cozy. I love my space. I got rid of the desks and put chairs in instead. Now I have a storage unit from Ikea for my students cubbies.  I have a small book shelf to put in the corner instead of the crate and I think I'll put my lamp on top of that. There are a couple of missing items that I am waiting for the mail carrier to deliver. 

I adore these little owls made with a Stampin' Up  punch.

Clip chart ready for action!

Number Wall!

I LOVE teaching students  Touch Math. Each of my numbers have the touch points made with owls! Click here  to go to the TouchMath website. I use Touch all the time!

My classroom rules  capitalize on positive behavior. The owl on the bottom makes a hooting sound when I notice behavior to hoot about!

I LOVED seeing my students tonight and feel so excited about starting school on Monday. I'll leave you with the poem I'm sending in the mail tomorrow to each student...