Persuade Me!

Hey yall!

 

I hope everyone is back into the swing of things...or getting there at least!

 

Today was a first for me...I had a runner!

 

Let me explain.

 

One of my littles has an extreme a slight truth problem. So when she got in trouble again today for not being honest with me, I had had enough. I sent her next door to another teacher's room so I could get some space she could think about her actions. Well, apparently, she wasn't having that.

 

So instead of walking 15 feet to the classroom next door, she took off running. Down the hall and straight out the front door! Thankfully, I was quick enough to send someone after her. Turns out, when she ran out the front door, she had a trail of educators behind her, including the principal!

 

They finally caught up to her, but she had already made it almost halfway home! Now, she does live just a block or two over, but still! I was so thankful they caught her, though!

 

Has that ever happened to anyone else???

 

So this week we are starting our unit on persuasive writing. We started by reading "I Wanna Iguana" by Karen Kaufman Orloff.

 



 

If you're not familiar with this story, its about a little boy named Alex that really wants his friend's iguana when he moves away. Alex writes letters to his mom trying to persuade her to let him have the iguana. Alex's mom in turn writes letters to him telling him why he can't have the iguana.

 

I'll let you guess what happens in the end :)

 

Well, Alex definitely made some good arguments! After reading the book, I asked my students to make a list of the different reasons Alex gave his mom to persuade her to let him have the iguana. Then my students had to choose 1 reason and illustrate it.

 

They turned out so stinking cute!!!

 

"I will buy his food with my allowance."



"I will keep his cage clean."

 

"Iguanas are very small and quiet."

 

 

"Iguanas are very cute!"

I told my littles that the first grade teachers were discussing where to take our next field trip. I asked the students where they would like to go and why. I told them that they had to persuade me on where to take our field trip.

 

The kiddos each had to write me a persuasive letter telling me where we should take our next field trip and why.

 

More cuteness!!!

 

"Dear Mrs. Lemacks, Can we go to Chucky Chese? They have a Jurassic Park game.
You can eat pizza and you can get a gift."

 

"Dear Mrs. Lemacks, Can we go to the fair? Because it has roller coasters, cotton candy, and swings."

 

"Dear Mrs. Lemacks, I think we should go to a basketball game because I want to see super stars.
I like to see people dunk."

 

"Dear Mrs. Lemacks, I want to go to Japan because there's Japanese food. There's rooms. And you can sing songs."

I'm pretty sure the sweet girl in that last letter was talking about a Japanese restuarant that has karaoke! Notice the building that just says "Japan" on it...ha!

 

And do you see me in the picture? With my mouth open wide saying "Class, class!" and they are all saying "Yes, yes!" Haha!

 

Love that whole brain teaching!

 

My littles are off to a great start...I know we are totally gonna rock this unit!

 

Happy *almost* humpday, friends!

 

When is 2nd grade???

Hey yall!

 

So I did it....I went back to work today. There was a moment this morning when my alarm went off at 5:45 that I thought hmmm....another day off... then I thought...better not!
 

Yes, please!!!

 

So off to work I went, and guess what? It wasn't half bad! In fact, it was quite the enjoyable day! I think the kiddos were just as exhausted as I was, so most everyone was pretty well behaved. In all honesty, I was actually quite happy to go back and get into the routine again, but I was worried they might be a little off the wall. I guess I should give them more credit :)

 

Today we talked all about the New Year. Only 1 of my 20 littles knew anything about NYE, so they just soaked it all up. We reviewed the months of the year, and most of us agreed that January was the beginning of a new year. However, there was one little sweetie that just couldn't understand why he was still in first grade if it was a new year.

 

Our conversation went like this:

 

Me: So since its now January, that means that it is a brand new year...2013!

Student: But wait....how come we're still in first grade?

Me: Well, you will be in first grade until the end of the school year, which is in May. The school year is different from a regular year.

Student: So when is 2nd grade???

Me: You will go to 2nd grade next school year...which starts in August.

Student: Yep...you lost me.

 

Ha! I couldn't help but chuckle at that one.

 

Once we all agreed that it was a new year, we started talking about some of the traditions that typically take place around New Years. We talked about what might happen in 2013 and made some predictions.

A twister and a flood? Umm...no thank you! Talk about doom and gloom!

Parties and summer...yes and yes!

 

 

Ummm...she must think her mama is going to be one busy lady! A new brother and a new sister? Whew!
BTW I tried to rotate this picture a hundred times....grrr!

 

We also talked about goals and resolutions, and how to work hard to reach them. I asked each student to think of a goal that they will work towards this year, and then we made these cute little Pinterest-inspired craftivities to go along with it.

"My new year goal is to win a medal for a race."

"My new year goal is to finally win a basketball game."

"My new year goal is to do my homework every night"

 

 

We also completed a telling time activity and an ABC order activity from Cara's awesome new year pack from last year.

 

And guess what people? Then it was time to go! Talk about a quick day :)

 

Now I just have to plan something for tomorrow....crap. At least its Friday!

Currently in Denial

Hey yall!

 

I've got some serious Sunday night blues....except it's Wednesday, so I guess I've got the Wednesday night blues.

 

Either way, I'm completely in denial about going back to work tomorrow...

 

I've known all week this day was coming, but I am in no way, shape, or form ready for it to be here. So long winter vacation...it's been real.

 

Let's just get on with the Currently, before I burst into tears over here...

 





 

I love, love, love watching {and listening!} to my pups playing together. They make the strangest noises, and I swear Dude sounds just like a cat. But he keeps Abby young with his rambuctious self :) Here are my two sweeties in their Christmas jammies.

 

 

 

 

Do I really need to explain why I love my Kindle Fire so much????

 

I didn't think so...

 

But I may need to explain Mitzy to ya....

 

This is Mitzy.

 



Mitzy is a Mint robot floor cleaner, and my new best friend :) The hubs surprised me with this for Christmas! I had been wanting one for soooo long, but just knew that it was too much to spend for Christmas. But that hubs of mine was super sneaky, and spent his Christmas bonus on my new maid! This little gal sweeps and mops my floors for me...and she does it without hardly making a peep! Seeing as she is currently getting her robot beauty rest right now, aka charging, my floors are looking a little rough.

 

Wanting....oh no, I'm back to the blues again. I was getting all happy just thinking of my Mitzy, but now I've got to think about heading back to work again :( Waa.

 

Remember how I made a New Years resolution to stop procrastinating so much???

 

Well, I haven't written any lesson plans yet for tomorrow or Friday...yikes! I think this takes me back to that whole denial thing...

 

And it also takes me to my one little word for 2013....PLAN!!!!!

 

I will plan my lessons ahead of time {well ahead of time, not the day or 2 before!}.

I will plan my meals so I'm not stuck and starving.

I will plan how to budget our spending better.

I will plan the days I go to the gym {spin class, here I come!}.

 

Hopefully, that will help me with the procrastinating thing as well.

 

So since I didn't have anything planned for my littles tomorrow yet, I went ahead and made a couple of New Year sheets for us to complete tomorrow. Click on the picture below to get your copy :)

 

 

Anyone else heading back to work tomorrow???

 



Bring it on 2013!

Hey yall! Happy Sunday!

 

I think that technically this is my second post for today, since I posted last night after midnight. But I slept a good 8 hours, had a big ol' lunch with the family, did some laundry, and played with my new Kindle Fire HD in between posts soo.....

 

Today I am linking up with Jen over at The Teacher's Cauldron.

 



 

Every New Year I feel like I make the same resolution {one you all can relate to, I'm sure}. I swear that I am going to start living a healthier lifestyle, go to to gym on a consistent basis, and eat healthier. But, usually around mid February or maybe even beginning of March, I start to slack off in that department.

 

So, even though I am going to try and do all those things again this year, I won't make that my *official* resolution.

 

My official personal resolution for 2013 is to plan ahead and stop procrastinating. I feel like I am the world's biggest procrastinator, and it often comes back to bite me....BIG time. My wallet even took a hit due to this nasty little habit of mine when I forgot to renew my tags on time. Five weeks and $350 later, I refuse to let that happen again!

 

I always tell myself that I work best under pressure...which may or may not be true. But I'm sure I work just as well with plenty of time to spare, I've just never given that a shot! Between starting my thesis class for grad school and finishing out the school year, I know that procrastinating is not an option.

 

My blogging resolution is simple-share the love! I stalk read tons of blogs daily, but I'm usually reading on my phone {and recently on my new Kindle!} and I can't leave comments. I can also tell a difference in the amount of comments I receive when I don't comment on others posts as much.

 

So be prepared to see my name everywhere :)

 

For now I'm off to pack for our little trip to Charlotte. The hubs and I are going to ring in the new year with our favorite band, who are back from hiatus....yay!

 



See yall next year!!!

Arctic Animals {plus a freebie!}

Hey yall!

 

First of all, I don't think I have ever blogged this late before. What is wrong with me? I have fallen into the worst sleeping habit as of late...stay up til 2, sleep til 10.

 

I know I've got another thing coming once school starts back...which is only 5 days away!

Waaaaaaa!

 

Well, today I was finally productive. After spending the last three two and a half days in my pjs, I decided I would try to actually get some work done. This consisted of me taking down all our Christmas decorations, our tree, and lights from outside.

 

Then I took a break.

 

Then I finished up my newest unit.

This 64 page unit consists of graphic organizers and writing sheets for some favorite arctic animals. Students can choose one or more animals to research and write about. They can choose from:

*penguins

*polar bears

*foxes

*caribou

*seals

*orcas

*walruses

*hares

 

It also contains some other fun activities, including an ABC order sheet, a word search, and a writing prompt.

 

Click here to pick up your copy. It {along with everything else in my TPT store} is 20% until the 1st.

 

 



 Here's a little freebie from my new pack :)

 

Click on the picture to get your freebie.

 

Friday Freebie and a S-A-L-E!

Hey yall!

 

Can you believe its the last Friday of the year???

 

So of course I had to link up with TBA today :)
 

 

I have been working on a little arctic animals unit {fingers crossed I get it finished before Monday}, so here is a fun freebie from that unit.

 

Click on the picture to get your freebie.



 

Also, I wanted to let you guys know about a sale I'm throwing in my TPT shop from 12/29-1/1.

 

Click on the picture below to start shopping!

 

Graphics by Scrappin Doodles. Fonts by Kevin & Amanda and A Cupcake for the Teacher



 

If you will be throwing a sale in your shop, feel free to grab the sale image :)

It's a Holly Bloggy Christmas!

Hey yall! Merry Christmas!

 

I hope you all are spending today with the ones you love. I know I sure am! We're off to Christmas #1 with my family. We'll open presents and have a BIG breakfast there, and then head off to Christmas #2 with my in-laws. Presents and lunch over there, and then it's back to my folks house for dinner. I see a lot of food in my future.... :)

 

Who all partciipated in the Holly Bloggy Christmas Exchange???

 

I got my package the other day, and was sooo excited when I opened it! It was from sweet Beth Ann over at Taming My Flock of Firsties.
 

 



 

Beth Ann sure does know me well! This sweet lady sent me...

1. Owl stickers

2. Owl bookmarks

3. Owl picture holder

4. Owl necklace

5. Christmas scented candles

 

Now do you see why I was excited??? Thanks so much, Beth Ann!

 

This is the package that I sent to my partner, Tamera over at My Heart Belongs in First. She has a love for owls, too! This made shopping a breeze...I just knew if I loved it, then she would! It was fate :)
 

 

 

What did yall get for Christmas???

 

Merry Christmas, friends!