Library

Something that I am excited about this year is our library time. In the past we used this time to use the computers in the library and just quickly picked out new books. This year our school bought each cluster a chromebook cart and now we can do our technology time in the classroom and have a separate library time. I started off by introducing the kids to the library and showed a video I found on youtube. It was about Skippy jon Jones visiting a school library and talked about how to care for books. The kids thought it was hilarious and it was educational at the same time. I then taught the kids about using a book stick to find a book and we had a little time to explore the library. I am excited to have this time to do more book talks. Next week I want to show a Don't Let the Pigeon Touch the Books video and read the Pigeon books by Mo Willems. Now to just find time to plan all of these things out! I definitely have a lot of favorite authors I would like to share!

Teacher Tipster

I will admit it, I am a little bit obsessed with Teacher Tipster (teachertipster.com.) I strive to be as exciting and enthusiastic about teaching as he is! This week I incorporated two of his lessons into my classroom. The first one was the bubble lesson on self control. I feel like this is a big topic this year in my class because I have very many active boys and sitting on the carpet as we explain rules and procedures is tough for them! In the bubble lesson you talk about how much you like popping bubbles and then you blow bubbles and the kids get crazy and out of control. Then you dare them to not touch the bubbles. ( I ended up betting them a Hershey kiss and I still had one or two or tried to pop the bubbles!) You then make the connection to self control and how just like the bubbles when you really want to pop them but you don't, that's self control. I thought it was great because it gave them a reference point. I know a lot of times we use generic phrases but don't always tell the kids what that means. I say things like use self control or make good choices but they don't always understand what specifically we want them to do. 

The other lesson I used this week from Teacher Tipster was the Sleeping Baby. I took a baby doll out of the play center and carried it around with me. I used it during writing class and said that during writing is the baby's nap time. I said we have to work very quietly because the baby is sleeping. Then as I work with students if they start to get loud I say SHHHHH! the baby is sleeping or Don't wake the baby. It was very effective for most of the class. I did have one little boy who is not a fan of the baby but I felt like writing time as now been established as quiet time!