Sunday, January 1, 2012

De-Nile ...more than a river in Egypt

After spending several days this past week worrying about the clipart police visiting me, I packed my bags and made a trip to the Land of Denial.

This is a place where there are no meetings, lesson plans, or children who don't listen. There are pajamas, chick flicks, lots of yummy food, endless time to blog stalk, sleeping whenever you want to and did I already mention pajamas??? Yes, tomorrow that dreaded invention will make a noise telling me to come back from the Land of Denial. It will continue to make annoying noises despite me snoozing and burrowing further down in my cozy bed. As much as I love my kiddos, I could really enjoy just one more day! I think *someone* forgot the memo stating that if the banks and post offices are closed so should schools!

I am thinking EVERYONE will be sleepy tomorrow and we will have to all adjust our bladders to using the bathroom at only certain times during the day.

Here is a little *freebie* I just made to help my kiddos celebrate all they have learned this year. This is really my favorite part of 1st grade. After Christmas has always been the time it seems to "click" for most of my kiddos. This is the time for many butterflies to emerge from their cocoons.

The kiddos are going to read books that are in their browsing boxes. They are going to record all of the words they know. You can give your kiddos a limit or have them hunt for certain words. I am probably going to make a craft to go with this but my brain is still in the Land of Denial! I am sure I will get a brain pop soon. It is probably just going to be their faces and a party hat. I'll post pictures tomorrow if they turn out cute.


We are also going to start our Question of the Day. I have done this off and on throughout the year but now we are going to *try* and do it on a daily basis. So, I thought I would have a Question of the Day on my blog too. =)

So, my question of the days is:
What is one thing you are excited about this new year and what is one thing you are ready to change?

I have loved discovering many, many new blogs this holiday and reading all of the sweet and encouraging heart notes you have left for me. Thank you for blessing my life in ways you may never know. Each one of you inspires me to be a better teacher.

24 heart notes:

Owls and Lessons, Etc. said...

Like your idea of the question of the day! I'm excited to just get back into the classroom (I think! haha!) and I'm looking to do more of a themed group of lessons which is what I learned to do in college. I'm starting with penguins in January and will link it to reading and math. Too bad I can't in SS and Science, but will get more in depth the more I get into it. Any suggestions I'll be more than happy to take! Enjoy your first day back!

Haley
followingoptimism.blogspot.com

Chrissy said...

Thanks for sharing the cute writing paper. My students will love doing that! I hope your first day back is too hard to adjust to. I have only had a week off so far, so I still have time. but I'm excited to get back and do some winter projects with my class- read The Mitten, make snowflakes, etc. This is a fun time. Take care,
 Chrissy

First Grade Found Me

Unknown said...

Thank you for my sweet comment you made earlier!! You made me smile super big!!
(I know that river you are talking about pretty well...I have spent some time there myself! lol) This year, I plan to try to find balance..more patience...stay organized...the list could go on and on...hahaha!
Jennifer
First Grade Blue SKies

Tanya V. said...

Hey Heather,

I just did a post about a "question of the day." Great minds think alike. :)

This year, I really want to dive into the blogging world. I'm new this new trend and I feel like I'm just getting my wet feet. :)

Tanya
A Class Act

Jamie (2nd Grade Stuff) said...

Such a cute freebie! Thanks! I am coming out of the stalking world and into the world of actually blogging. Please follow my blog - I am SUCH a newbie! :)

Jamie at 2nd Grade Stuff

Angela said...

Thank you! I plan to use this with my 1st/2nd grade class this week! :)

Kim said...

Happy New Year, Heather!

I hope that tomorrow goes smoothly and that transitioning from pajamas to school clothes will not be too difficult...
Love your blog!

Kim
Finding JOY in 6th Grade

Chrissy said...

Heather, oooh, I hate the alarm clock! The only way I can actually get out of bed is to set the coffee to brew at 5am and to have a book ready on my nightstand. I snuggle back in bed until 5:50 and then I am ready to start the day :-). I *almost* planned a pajama day for the first day back...then, my good sense returned with memories of last year's pj day. My kinders will need all the structure I can provide on our first day together in 2012!

I am looking forward to incorporating more writing workshop activities into our schedule. Regarding change, I'm hoping to tweak the flow of my weekly art class duty. The first-graders join the kindergartners for 45 minutes each week. My room is not set up for 20+ students to paint, mold, etc., and I need to scale back in a way that remains true to the heart of art.

Happy New Year! ReadWriteSing

Amber @ Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher said...

That alarm clock is not my friend either! I have one more day though, we go back Tuesday!

Your Freebie is a cute idea. I think I'll adjust it and do something like that for my third graders. I love the way they are after Winter Break, they seem so much more mature!

Good luck tomorrow!

Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher

Unknown said...

I am right there with you in De-Nile! We can spend tomorrow silently supporting each other! I promise to smile all day, (and silently wish I was at home playing with my kids and their new toys!) :)
I am excited about learning how to use new computer programs and I am ready to clear out the clutter! Happy New Year! :)
Cheryl
Crayons and Curls

Olwyn Hughes said...

I need to start my Question of the Day too. I used it last year as a sign in on the smart board each day.

I am looking forward to getting back into my routine. I am hoping to change my attitude about Daily 5 which has not been going like it usually does.

Oh, and I do get one more day to sleep in. Here we all go back on Tuesday. Yippee!

Lisa at Fourth and Ten said...

What a cute freebie! :)
I am most excited professionally about the potential go maybe, maybe go back to the school I spent the first four years of my career at next year.:) There are retirements!
Personally, I am most excited about financial goals that will be putting us in position to buy a house.
I want to change my homework routine. I just did what the other teachers on my team did this year and hate it. Hate it. But my team is hesitant to change, so I might just have to ride it out.

I have to go back tomorrow too. Sad, sad, sad. I'm so disappointed I am going to miss my Buckeyes playing tomorrow.

Michelle Rist said...

I have one more day left but I am going to pretend I still have 5. Denial is beautiful this time of year.

I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Check it out when you have time!

http://inspiredbykindergarten.blogspot.com

Runde's Room said...

Thanks for the cute writing paper! Good luck tomorrow ... that first hour is always the hardest ... and then the coffee kicks in (well, for me at least).

Jen
Runde's Room

Kimberly said...

Happy New Year, Heather! I am looking forward to one more week of vacation. I think our calendar committee got mixed up and somehow we ended up with a 17 day break. Seriously? Not gonna complain, but I am a little freaked out about some of my struggling kids being out of school that long. When I return I'm going to try to figure out how to love math work stations like everyone else. :)
Kimberly
Funky First Grade Fun

Jennifer K. said...

I am going to cheat because my brain is tired and can't think of anything to be excited about except Spring Break so I will just answer the 2nd part of the question and say that I am going to change my reading instruction - I don't have it all down yet, but I think it will develop into something wonderful for my kiddos!

Thank you for all the wonderful posts and freebies you shared in 2011, can't wait to read more in 2012!

Jennifer @ Herding Kats In Kindergarten

Mrs. Nunley said...

I love your question of the day idea: both in the classroom and on your blog! I am most excited about trying the Daily Five. I read The Sisters books over break and was really inspired. So I am going to do the first lesson today.

Good luck today!
-Megan

http://firstgrademagic.blogspot.com

Sheri said...

Great job Heather:) Love the cute freebie:)

Have fun today...
Sheri
1stgraderocks.blogspot.com

Shawna said...

Hi Heather,
Just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for The Versatile Blogger award as one of my newly discovered blogs. Take a look:

http://thepicturebookteachersedition.blogspot.com/p/awards.html

Thanks,
Shawna

Kelley Cirrito said...

I love the question of the day! The one thing I am excited about this year is all the change that is happening in our school. We have gotten a new principal and he is doing some great things for our building. One thing I would like to change is to slow down. I feel like I go through life like a marathon and sometimes forget to enjoy the moments! I need to "smell the fresh air" as my mother says! :)

Holly said...

You just made MY day brighter with your little note on my blog. Thank you so much. I adopted the idea of OLW {One Little Word}. I really chose my word so carefully and decided on "Strength". It can mean so much. One thing I'm personally ready to change is my relationship with God. It seems that so many other things take top dog...before my faith. So, I am working on finding "Strength" to rearrange my priorities. One thing I'm really looking forward to is finding "Strength" to eat better and exercise more. I go through spurts with that and really want to find balance and maintain. And I'm REALLY looking foward to blogging..I've only been at it for a few months and can't wait to continue...

WOW, you didn't expect that novel of a comment did you? HA!!!!

Holly
Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade

Jena Snowden said...

I love the little poem you came up with on this freebie! Your fur babies are precious!

Jena
1st Grade with Miss Snowden

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your generosity! You always have the neatest things to share.

kamagra said...

I like the concept of your page so cute and girly thing. Wish to had it.