Finished Kinder Research

Here are some examples of what the kiddos did. I think they're super cute.

And of course none of the ones you see here are in this packet (didn't pay attention and by chance the examples were ones I didn't have the right to share the files) ... but here you go.

G is for ...

GOOGLE. It's both the bane of my existence as well as the awesomest. All depends on how it's used. (But PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE reconsider the iGoogle thing. Cause I'm going to be lost without it!)







Funny stuff.



TRICKS!



Older blog post on possible substitutes for iGoogle. None of them compare yet. :(




This is interesting. Using Google Docs to make digital "kits" for projects. I like the idea. Most of our kids don't know how to use Google Docs, though. Been a SLOW rollout and not many teachers even feel comfortable with it yet.

Dan Gutman. My Weird School. Our students love these books. Interesting. He has a My Weird Writing Tips. Perhaps I will investigate.




Haven't found him yet. :/

What Are You Reading Monday? & BB Swap

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now… who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

Our Kid Lit to YA version is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.
GREAT IDEA! Check out all of the What Are You Reading? participants for title ideas.



Well. Last week all I finished was The Twelve. And I didn't even like it nearly as much as The Passage. That was a kind of a bummer. Note to Self: Discover series after they are already written. Then you don't have to wait forever in between installments and you won't forget everything.


Coming Up
The picture book from the swap! Cause it's adorable! Am I supposed to say what it is yet? Not sure. So mum's the word for a little longer.
Open This Little Book (PB)
The Mask of Destiny (MG)
The Madness Underneath (YA)
Pulse (YA)
And, of course, plenty of Dr. Seuss!



I am TERRIBLE and I forgot to get my book/bookmark in the mail on time. And the one FROM my person came today (AND IT'S SO CUTE!). Note to self: follow this and be more organized. Luckily (or does it mean it's ridiculous and I really had NO excuse?) I already have the book and bookmark to send. Just have to get it wrapped up and to the post office!



I am kind of bummed today. Funny how a week can change things, right? Teachers weren't excited about Camp Write a Lot. Something I was going to try again (cause lots of schools in our district do it--they have camp song parodies with writing themes and we read mentor texts and send them back to their "cabins" to write. And of course I'd already ordered a bag an pencil and bookmark and started making their writing journals) to get the 4th grade psyched up for their big test. Haven't done it for several years cause the first time I tried it I got NO help. Zip, zero, zilch. Only two of five teachers responded. And our reading/writing facilitator "had concerns." Admin was actually OK with it. Come on. I AM TEACHER OF THE YEAR, DANG IT! And the kids would have had fun. :(

Bookish Un-Boring List Update #1

Here's an update. Figure I'll do it every couple of months. I'm actually moving forward on these. Tech Goals are sort of at a standstill. But that's neither here nor there for this post. ;)


1. Go to a comic book store and buy a Star Wars comic.
Dine in January. And in fact ... well, I missed the debut of February's issue. But the store ordered some more and I will pick it up next week. So this might become a regular thing?

2. To go along with R2D2's Guide to Folding and Doodling I made this. I'm a bit early but oh well. I may recut the shapes either with sharper scissors (EGADS cutting duct tape!) or get some vinyl and use my Silhouette Cameo. For now I like him as he is.

3. Read The Twelve.
Then ... run/walk 500 miles using the Zombies Run app. Over the course of the ENTIRE YEAR.
And ... finished the book yesterday. Sadly, didn't love it as much as The Passage. Anyway, appendicitis threw a wrench into the run/walking and I am WAY behind. First for real HAD to take a break. Then I was lazy and let myself. Tomorrow is another day, right? ACCOUNTABILITY.

4. Read Penguin and Pinecone.
Then make a video (either a booktalk or just something about penguins!) using the puppet I got at SeaWorld last spring. My puppet is more lifelike than the cute book illustrations but I don't think that matters. DO things like make videos. Don't just think about it!
Nope. Haven't even started on that one.

5. Straight up stealing straight the visit new indie bookstores goal. Right now I know of exactly ONE. Does this have something to do with watching You've Got Mail last week?

6. At some point this year I will be moving into a new place. It will have a little closet under the stairs. Don't freak out that it won't be perfect ... just paint it something like THIS. I am going to be the coolest aunt ever with a reading nook. ;)


Anyone seen other pictures of Potter Nooks that they love?


7. A wall of bookcases in new place! A WALL. Only ... I want to paint the back of the shelves an accent color. Not sure what color the walls will be yet, or I'd start obsessing over that.
Well, they just finished clearing. Foundation will start next week. Gonna be a while on this one, too.

8. I feel like I should do something Oz-ish. I can't decide about the new movie adaptation preview. But hey. I need to think of something because the kids will be excited about the book! Any ideas?
This seems like an awful lot of work and only tangentially Oz related. Like is it even, really? Just found it on an Oz pinterest board.
NEED IDEAS! Or should I stick with this cloud one?


9. Also a kind of stolen idea ... book art. Only I am going to try Knuffle Bunny style with some photos I take (part of a goal ... photography!) and illustrations that I will get my nieces and nephews to make. ;) Had a student have to come show me that Trixie was reading a P&E book today. And a new Sunday School student that was SO IMPRESSED I knew about Mo Willems. So ... Knuffle Bunny style book art.
Haven't even started this one yet. But maybe during a visit with two of my nieces?

10. I WISH I could say "Visit Prince Edward Island." But I do not think that one will happen this year. So we'll say when I get into my new kitchen? Host some sort of get together and try making this.
Considering I burned one of my mother's new pans yesterday I may want to rethink this goal ... :/

Finally Friday Pins Feb. 22

Yay! It's the weekend. Four days with the kids (and one day of "PD") are always so crazy!
Of course next week is early release/parent-teacher conferences. That's crazy, too.



How awesome is this?



EVENTUALLY this will be useful at school. When we have more than the one.




Must find a book to read with PreK and make these! Simple but ADORABLE!

Kinder Community Helpers Research

DOUBLE POST IN ONE DAY WARNING! #bloggernono

Super simple but hey it WORKED! I cannot always say that about my attempts with kinder. But I can't take credit. Two colleagues came up with the idea. I just put my spin on it.

Last week we read this book and

watched this video.

We talked about all the different tools we'd seen in the book and video. 

Then we filled out these note pages.

The font is Kimberly Geswein. The firefighters are from Digital Bake Shop. The book is from Scrappin Doodles and the computer is from Ashley Hughes.

This week? We read the first few pages of this book. Could have skipped it but it was a fun intro and the kids liked it.

Then the kiddos worked with a partner. Their job was to find 5 different tools in the pictures of the books they were looking at. Know what I discovered? One: our "job" books need updating! The TV reporter book showed the reporter carrying around a giant tape cassette recorder. The doctor and astronaut computers were HUMONGOUS. Two: Kinders don't always work so well in partners. But Three? Three: They are so cute. They come up with some of the funniest ideas and reasons for each tool. Most of 'em were spot on, too.

Stick around. You might get more of our notepages next week. And maybe a shot or two of the kiddos in action. If Ms. O gets her act together and remembers to take some.

F is for ...

Fishing Line. Use it to hang things from the ceiling. With no walls that is actually pretty handy. #whenIdontmisplaceit

John Flanagan and the Ranger's Apprentice series. AWESOME! Especially for kiddos that aren't ready to tackle, say, the Lord of the Rings yet. Fourth and fifth grade readers, read aloud to third grade or up.



THE FORCE. Not really library or book or tech related but hey. Made it work, I did.
Signs for the library. There are more besides this one. Is this one rude? IT MADE ME LAUGH. Anyway. Click on the pin to take you to the right post. Actually by now have learned how to link pics but already had the draft of this post written. ;)

Source: msoreadsbooks.com via Angie on Pinterest

Color bookmarks. The boys fight over these. And, luckily, a few of the girls!

Source: msoreadsbooks.com via Angie on Pinterest

B&W bookmarks. They are really fuzzy here. They aren't when you print/copy them.

Source: msoreadsbooks.com via Angie on Pinterest

So as not to be annoying I will just text link to the two three things I have in my TPT store (is that excessive to have that many SW things?). A set of posters, another set of posters, and a new reading promotion. Pin those if you like. And OH! One more freebie. The sort of Lego-SW inspired bookmarks. I just picked up another set from a different artist the other day. So ... you might see more. #imalittlebitofafangirl