Monster Mania! Freebie!

I came so close to having Monsters as my theme this year. When I got a comment from Greg at Smedley's Smorgasboard I started to question my decision. (Thank you, Greg for your comment. We could be twins. I have another twin out there and we don't have the same mother, either!)  I'm not switching. I'm staying with owls. I once considered a job change to a different school and a wonderful person gave me this advice: "Make your choice. Love your choice." I'm pretty good now at sticking with the choices I make without saying, "I should have." This friend went on to say, "Never run away...Only run to." I stuck it out one more year at the school I was at and loved every moment of it. I then got a job offer back home in Michigan the next year and it was a definite run to situation for me! I love where I am. I love what I'm doing.

Owls will rule come fall, but we will have time for monsters, of course. I have a class that is comprised of mostly boys, so how could I NOT have some monsters show up? Have you ever read Mo Willems book Leonardo the Terrible Monster? 

It is one of my favorites! I love what a terrible monster Leonardo is. What makes a good monster, anyway? Do you have any students who ever act like "terrible monsters"? I didn't think so! If you did you might want to click on this link to get a FREE Monster Game and FREE Monster I have. Who has? game!!

Greg, I know you don't have any monsters for students, but you might enjoy some of these activities anyway!!

I've got to go to bed or I'll be a monster tomorrow!

The ABCs of First Grade...Freebie!

Tonight is the first night we'll sleep in our new house. I have such mixed feelings. I loved my old house and I have so many memories of time spent with family and friends there. We put so much love into fixing it up to be just right for us and now we start all over again.
As I write this I think that's probably how my new students feel. They were cozy in kindergarten! Life was good there. We all have to move out of our comfort zone sometimes. It's time for me to move on. It's time for new memories. It's time for new life lessons.


I loved Chrissy's idea at Read Write Sing. She made a great freebie for kindergarten parents. I love her ABCs of Kindergarten. It got me thinking about what I could do for my first grade families to help them make the change from kindergarten to first grade. I'll be sending this along with my supply list and words to our morning song along with the next summer challenge. I hope this will help my students move into their new school home!

PS...It took me forever to write this post! I kept being interrupted by people wanting to know where stuff was. Oh the joys of moving. It was a long HOT night. I miss my AC, but we all survived and the house is starting to feel like home!

Here is the video I promised you of my Morning Song.

I actually learned it from this gorgeous girl when she

was in first grade!

Conscious Discipline : Composure

I should have known it was Friday the 13th!  I stayed up way too late working on my post for Chapter Nine of In Pictures and In Words last night. "I'll sleep in", I thought. First the crows woke me up. Just as I was drifting back to sleep the Garbage Guys came though with their monster trucks. I'm starting to get my float back on when someone reminds me to take my daughter to her babysitting job.  I go to make coffee and NO FILTERS!  I was really feeling like a monster at this point. Just before I posted my thoughts on Chapter 9, I find out it's been postponed until next week. Now I'm growling like a monster because I look forward to this event all week.

Self-control....Self control ...I'm studying Conscious Discipline right now. "Self control must be your first priority as a teacher"  I'm supposed to do something when I feel stressed ...STAR!
S Smile
T Take a deep breath
A And
R Relax
Wow! It's working.  I'm starting this day over the brain smart way and I'm going to implement stress reduction activities.
Chapter 1 is all about "Composure". Though I can't implement this in my classroom YET, I can in my home. I've been practicing these ideas at home and it's making a difference in how I relate to my own children. They are maybe getting a little tired of me saying, "No one can make you angry without your permission.

They are not as innocent as they look. Sometimes
they are monsters!

I'm so glad I got this book. There is only one draw back. I want to read the whole thing right away and start using all the powers. Conscious Discipline is a program that is reflective and in order to change I can only practice one skill at a time. I like the advice for using this book and I think it's good advice for life, "Be patient with yourself and enjoy the process. You cannot have an unhappy ending to a happy journey! It reminds me to not give up on myself and others...God isn't finished with me yet!


 Wait! I like monsters! They're cute and funny. Maybe I can turn this day around after all. And I did!  I made mini-posters for each of the Key Phrases used in Conscious Discipline. I'll be ready when I get to each power! If you are feeling like a monster, you can click on the picture and download a set for yourself, too!

Knock-Knock...Freebie

Whoooose there?
Owl
Owl Who?
Owl cowboy, Owl Posing , Owl Jumping and an Owl Freebie!

My son is recovering from shin splints...ouch! This morning I was thinking wouldn't it be cute to have an owl with a mustache. I like owls...I think you knew that! I like mustaches...Did you know that?  They just tickle me! Back to my son...He is going to study animation in college and has a talent for graphic arts. So I said to him, "Can you make me an owl with a mustache?" What did he do? He made three owls with mustaches!! What a kid!! He makes me proud. If you'd like your own copy click on the picture! My students will get a copy in their owl themed  home to school communicator to remind them to be a wise owl and practice skip counting every day.

 Would you like to see more of my son's work? He's posted some wonderful videos on youtube and he's working on some more great ideas. Here is my favorite video. If you go let him know his mama sent you!

By the way, my son does not have a mustache! 

Speaking of owls...I just saw the cutest owl collection. I pinned it and hope to win it! go see these for yourself...You'll be glad you did.

Words of Wisdom!

I'm late to the party, but I like writing to a prompt and I liked this prompt! You can link-up, too, or go see other wonderful words of wisdom. Even a veteran teacher will enjoy the gems of wisdom given by fellow warriors!  The host of this party is Deb at 

Even better is talking to the wisest person I know!  I hope you know Him, too! I place each student in His hands every day. Some of my firsties have seen more life in their six years than I'll ever see in mine.

If I want real true wisdom I think about O.W.L.S. I like to hang them around my room to remind me everywhere I look that God is with me every step of the way. Philippians 4:13 happens to be my favorite verse because it's helped me through some tough times. Feel free to grab your own OWLS and put them around your room, house, purse, to remind you of a strength greater than your own!

Marvelous Mentor Award and Summer Challenge 2 Freebie

I wish I could say I was feeling better. This cold is going to drag on for a while. I guess I'll just have to go to the beach and try to bake it out of me. Book, sunscreen and a beach chair packed and ready to go! You'd be amazed how fast time slips away down at the beach. I just don't feel well enough to pack and lug boxes across the street today!

I have felt speechless for several days. This is highly unusual for me, but someone named Dana recently bestowed upon me a great honor. Dana honored me with a new award. Her friend at Cherie designed this award just for her. Here it is:

Is this not a wonderful idea? I tried to mentor Dana and after three tries my idea for her finally worked!  That was back when we both had 80 followers and were planning a give away together. I wish I could give the award back to her because I have a feeling she could help me a bit...okay more than a bit. She could probably help me a whole bite!
The rules for passing on the award are simple:
1. Thank the person for giving it to you.
2. Give it to people who helped you learn the blogging ropes.
( Dana, I hope it's okay that I changed person to people...I've got a couple people to mention!)
1)THANK YOU, DANA!





Thank you for helping me learn so much, Renonda! You are the best blogging buddy anyone could ask for. Your friendship means the world to me! My family thinks that you are my imaginary friend, but I know you are real. I wish you could have been here for the 4th of July. I managed to find some zombies that would have loved chasing you!!
  

Laurie, I have enjoyed getting to know you! I know that if I needed help you would be happy to give it! You are one of my besties! Someday I'll come visit you and you can mentor me when I get my tattoo of Philippians 4:13!

Finally, I have to pass this award on to Deedee. She has close to 3000 followers and she took the time to help me out when I needed some help! I love her blog and you probably already follower her! Just in case here she is...

Are you still there?  I hope so! I have one more thing to share. My summer challenge has been so much fun. I have been getting e-mails from my students all summer. Check out this child's response to my summer challenge... 
Now I've had to come up with a Summer Challenge number 2! I'm sharing it with you in case you'd like to use it, too! I've had a parent ask me to send it to her older child as well. Someone asked if I really go to their homes. Yes I do! I love seeing where my students live and how they interact with their families. They love having their teacher come over and visit. I don't stay long and I bring them a notebook with a custom designed sticker with their name on it and a fun pencil. I'll take some pictures to share with you when I start my rounds! First they have to pass challenge number 2!

Click on the picture...I hope it takes you to my TPT account....Help mentors!!

The best place to grab this is by going to my TPT store. It seemed to make the transfer the most easily and with the best results.  If you don't have a TPT account you can get a pretty close rendition here:  Google Docs Summer Challenge Number 2

In Pictures and In Words Precision and Detail

I have a special gift from my daughter. A summer cold. I don't feel good. Sore throat. Stuffy nose. This should only happen during the school year, so I can take a day off. Pity party over time to move on...

I can't begin to tell you how much I'm enjoying this study.  Thank you Deedee for being the host for the first two weeks.  It has been a pleasure getting to know you. I've often wondered if people with 1000s of followers still get excited about a new follower, or notice beginners. If you are a person of character, like Deedee, you do. I wish she taught next door to me!

This weeks study made me look at picture books more closely. I could see how authors and illustrators worked together to bring precision and detail into their pictures and words. I chose three books to try and find various techniques highlighted in this chapter.

Do you have these in your collection? Ferdinand by Monro Leaf  illustrated by Robert Lawson
Olivia by Ian Falconer One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies illustrated by Jane Chapman

I'm going to use pictures from the book that I found to show the different techniques from this chapter.  The most important idea I took from chapter 8 is that small illustrations or details leave big and lasting impressions.

Ferdinand just sat on a bee!  Did he like it?  What do you think? Poor Ferdinand. The
"recruiters think he's going to be a prized bull for the bull fights!  I'll use this for technique number 13...Crafting details of expression and gesture.

Olivia shares a special bond with her mom in the arts. Here they
enjoy a Jackson Pollock  I think this reveals character with background but also
an element of surprise. I love Jackson Pollock and so does my son. He got quite excited when I read this
book to him because he recognized the inside joke, if you will.

I love the  rich background of these illustrations, but also the details from nature. Come a little closer...

This crab is even smaller than the tiny turtle!

You can really understand why Ferdinand would enjoy sitting under
a Cork Tree smelling flowers on this very hot day in July! These details from nature are
some of my favorite illustrating techniques. I love the shadow! Look at those corks growing
from the tree. What a hoot!

Ian does a wonderful job showing us just how busy Olivia is.
Olivia reminds me so much of my little Ella. Ella spent one summer dancing
with nothing but a tutu on and was caught in the cupboard applying some
of my bright red lipstick...I'd never have noticed that!

Do you think Olivia sings quietly?  Me either! Again, Ian is able
to give the illusion of sound with a simple illustration.

Here is Olivia's mom once again sharing a special snuggle with her favorite little girl
as she also shares her passion for the arts. Who is Callas you ask? Only one of the most
renowned opera singers of the 20th century!  What a wonderful surprise if you are an
opera lover!  I just love the way Ian ends the book with Olivia's mom showing love. Look
closely at the facial expressions on their faces and the way they snuggle together around the
book. What a great way to end any book, day and post!

As promised, I have finished this handy guide for you to be able to keep track of the books you have or will use to show each technique. I appreciate any editing...REALLY! I'm happy when someone actually reads what I wrote or shared.

Thank you Growing Kinders for hosting this week!  I can't wait to link up!!