The Circle

Last week, one of the things that we focused on in Math was the Circle. I decided to make it fun for the kids and introduce it and teach it in a way I don't normally do.

Enter:

We started off reading this one to get an idea of how important and unique the circle is. (As well as introducing some of the vocabulary terms in a fun way :)

After reading, we did a few SMART Board lessons (love the SMART Exchange site!!), and started a notebook entry. (which we didn't finish)

The next day, we did a little more with the circle, starting off with:

Again, a cute way to talk about the circle and its properties.

We then finished our Notebook entry:

The kids loved this different type Math lesson...starting off with stories to introduce the topic.


After we finished with the circle, I had them take a test...but I let them use their notebooks to help. Most of the kids did...but a few didn't-which frustrates me when they don't use their resources (and they got a note on their test...to let their parents know).

So far, my vacation is going well-although we are supposed to get more snow tomorrow...sigh.


Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Hall Pass

I'm linking with Reagan for her Hall Pass Linky...just the thing to start off my vacation!


P-Product: Well, I don't have a TPT shop, but I love the products that all y'all create-saves me a bunch of time! I have to say the Jennifer Findley is my favorite...she has some of the BEST Upper Grade centers (something sometimes hard to find!)

A-Area: My favorite classroom area is my library! Whether it be the library that the kids access (which has been rearranged  and neatened since this picture), or my mentor text/teaching library

S-Signal: I love my magic wand (what I call it-they're actually called music wands). You just hit them against any surface and they make a chime.  Different shapes make different sounds. I got mine at a local teacher store (which is now closed :(

My kids know to stop and freeze whenever they hear it. (Click on the picture to get more information)



I also count backwards...and they know that they need to be quiet by when I get to one-otherwise dire things happen! ;) (I was told that I'm a little scary...a good thing sometimes!)

S-Sanity: I love my lunch in the lunch room. I have anywhere from 25 minutes to 45 minutes (depending on the recess duty schedule) to have lunch. I eat in the teacher's room (without my team-they eat earlier/in their rooms), and I live for that little break from the kids.

If it's been a really bad day...I may sneak in some Kindle reading time (shhhh!) to relax!




Today we got to wear jeans...which I loved! This is much more my style, a pair a jeans, cute heels or flats and a simple top. Funny thing...none of my kids said a word (although they all said they noticed when I mentioned it!)

Sweater & Jeans: JCPenny
Green Top: Marshalls
White Tank (not visible in picture): Target
Boots: Endless


They say we are getting more snow this weekend 'yippee skippee' (sarcasm), but the amount we are getting vary from person to person. I've heard anywhere from 3-6 to 6-10 to even over a foot...I'm leaning on wanting the 3-6 range (if we HAVE to get snow).

Not the best start to vacation, in my opinion....Stay warm!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

A Week of Outfits

I never intended to not blog for a week...but this has been an 'interesting' month at work, with things piling up one on top of another...Let's just say that the Snow Day was good timing, as is vacation next week.

Onto a week of outfits!

Friday was a professional day, so I got to wear jeans! I'll also get to wear jeans every Friday...if I pay $2. The teachers are paying to wear jeans to collect money to send to a Sandy Hook victims fund...a good cause! I'm really excited about it (the jeans wearing!)

Top and Pants: JCPenny
Shoes: Target

We spent the day going over our MAP data for a presentation about our progress after vacation (K-2 presented this week). The kids look good...they have (for the most part) made progress.

We also had a pot-luck lunch, and it was nice to sit and eat with others that I don't normally eat/see during the day.  I think we need more inter-grade mingling! :)

Monday, unfortunately, was not a holiday for us (although it was for a lot of districts in my state, even though we have vacation next week...just not for me.)

Friday and Monday I wore my new sweaters that I got on clearance from JCP- definitely a good deal!

Top & Pants: JCPenny
Shoes: DSW

I love the colors on this one...as did a few people at work! It's also warm, which is a must in the cold New England winters.







Tuesday

Sweater: Kohls
Tank: Old Navy
Pants: JCPenny
Shoes: Payless








Wednesday

Top & Pants: Kohls
Shoes: Burlington Coat Factory


Today we had district walk-throughs, and for once, they came in at a perfect time. I was doing Calendar on the SMART Board, which happens to be CC aligned, and reviews a variety of skills. The kids were good as usual, and we talked our way through some complicated problems.

Sweater: Target
Pants: JCPenny
Shoes: TJ Maxx

We have been doing some interesting things in 4th grade this past week. (Some more fun than others). I'll share after I celebrate the start of vacation (at 3:30 tomorrow!!)

TGIalmostF!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

PS...I'm sorry but I had to put the word verification on. I had almost 30 spam comments this morning when I woke up, and an addition 4 in the 10 minutes since I posted. :(

Valentine Fun

Happy Valentines Day! (and 100th Day...but we didn't really focus on that).

We had some fun this afternoon we our Valentine learning and party.

Somehow, Valentine's Day crept up on me and I wasn't as prepared (read-didn't have white bags to decorate a week before hand). So I was strolling along blogland and found this cute post by Amber about her Valentine Pouch Monsters.

Lightbulb! I asked the kids what they wanted to do, either make Pouch Monsters, or decorate white bags. (I told them it was a very serious question, and they needed to think about it :) We voted....and Monsters!

I made an example to show them (and because it was fun!), and the only guideline I gave them was how to fold the pouch, and that they needed to have their name on the top. They LOVED it...and it didn't cost me a thing!

In the afternoon, we did Conversation Heart Math Activity that I got from Diane at Fifth in the Middle. The kids had a blast! It was just the right level for them, and they worked (for the most part) really well in their groups. I love my class :)

Hope y'all had a wonderful day as well!

Last night we had our 4th (and 2nd) grade concert. The kids did a super job with it, and it took less than an hour. (the best part!)

Yesterday's Outfit

Sweater: Kohls
Shirt: NY & Co
Tank: Old Navy
Pants: JCPenny
Shoes: DSW







Valentine Outfit

Sweater: Maurices
Pants: Kohls
Shoes: Endless/Amazon

In other news, I got my car back!! It only took 2 1/2 weeks (a really long time in my opinion). Makes me happy!



Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Purples & Blues

Some purple and blue things for you...

Thursday:

Oobleck Day! (We're in our 2nd science rotation...new class, same subjects). Little more causal due to the mess- although it went well!

Shirt, Pants: Kohls
Shoes: Target







Monday:

Sweater, Pants: JCPenny

Tank: Target
Shoes: DSW








Today:

 Sweater, Shirt: Kohls

Pants: JCPenny
Boots: Endless



Now for the blues:

They're are two pictures because one is with the flash, one without

I went to Michaels today to pick up some yarn. After my snow debacle on Saturday (when I wound up crawling around in the snow trying to free the car and had to snuggle with all my blankets to get warm...)

I decided to make a blanket for myself! I usually make them for everyone else (usually baby blankets...they're smaller).

The horizontal yarn are the colors of my new blanket (that I'm starting tonight!)

The vertical yarn is being added to my stash for a very special, nice and large, comfortable and soft blanket for me. I've been collecting this yarn for a few years, so hopefully I'll have enough to start soon.

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

After the Storm

Well, it finally stopped snowing (sometime during the nap I was taking!). When I went out to clean and get my car out (which took 45 minutes and the help of a very nice neighbor snowplow boy) the snow came up to my hips! (I'm only 5'2" so it may seem a little more than it is...but still!)

Some visual evidence:

Yep, that's the rental. Had a devil of a time getting it out...the blue monster would have been helpful here...

Peeps, this is the inside of my apartment, the hallway on the outside wall of my apartment leading to the next one (I live in an old house that has been divided into three units)

The snow coming up to the windowsill on the outside wall (note the screen...this is why there is snow inside  the apartment...why it isn't regular glass I don't know...)

So now I am warming up after crawling around in the snow trying to get the car out so the boy could plow. Cuddled up with a blanket, catching up on all the blogs that posted while I was taking my nap.

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Nor'Easter = A to Z of Me!

No School today! Due to the almost 2 feet of snow they are predicting for us in this blizzard/Nor'Easter, school was actually cancelled last night (I love it when that happens because then I can close curtains and doors to sleep late and not have to worry about an alarm :)

Since I had the time, I thought I would link up with

for her A-Z linky party



Here we go!

A: App- Well, I don't on a tablet, an IPad or an Ianything. I have a Kindle, which I LOVE. But I guess my favorite app is the font maker thingy...I love all the fonts y'all create!

B: Book Character- This is a very hard one...I love so many books. I can't choose. It would hurt the others'  feelings. :)

C: Clip Art- Melonheadz, KPM Doddles, 3AM Teacher


D: Dollar Spot Find - Book Luggage bins!

E: Essential To Start Day - waking up! (So  not a morning person...you can't talk to me for the 1st 1/2 hour of the day...and I'm not a coffee drinker)

F: Font- I can't choose. I can't. I have so many on my computer, and I have to type everything up myself because I have such an issue with boring fonts (no joke-the librarian printed out a rubric from RubiStar, and I had to take it home and retype it in a prettier font and add a border because the internet version was just too boring)

G: Game- Not the biggest game person...Apples to Apples is a good one!

H: Holiday-Any holiday that I can sleep in. Although I do like the ones that come with presents. :)

I: Ice Cream- M & M

J: Jewelry Piece- Earrings! I have two holds in each ear, so I have some (fake) diamondy studs in one and dangley awesomeness in the other

K: Kid-ism- Your brain already knows everything. You just don't know that you know it. Learning is just unlocking it (one of my LD friends said that :)

L: Location To Travel - I would love to go back to Ireland and spend more time there

M: Management Technique - using Morning Meeting to build a classroom community and discuss things that are happening in our day

N: Nail Polish- Nicole by OPI @ Target! (I like pink, purples and red...with shimmer/glitter! Shimmer is a must!)

O: Open House Idea-Party sign ups for the year at open house

P: Pinterest Find

Source: msnoblesclass.webs.com via Kaitlyn on Pinterest

Last year I used a clip chart with my kids and it worked really well. I haven't had to use anything yet this year (knock on wood!!), because my kids are really good. So right now, Responsive Classroom is working really well with this set. Last year it didn't. It all depends on the kids.

Q: Quote- "I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient to living" ~Dr. Seuss

R: Read-Aloud - anything SkippyJon Jones

S: School Supply - Mr. Sketch markers and Post-Its! I use the markers to write the morning message and the post-its for notes.

T: TPT/TN Product- oooo, a toughie! I love anything by Jennifer Findley.

U: Un-Official Hobby- Blog Stalking :)

V: Video Brain Break - I haven't done a Video Brain Break...but my kids love to Go Bananas!

W: Way To Spend A Day Off - In my PJ's, curled up on the couch with my blanket, a Kindle romance and watching TV (guess what I'm doing right now! ;)

X: X-tra Special Blogs You ♥

Y: Yummy Dessert- I love apple pie/ apple crisp

Z: Zoo Animal- I'm more of an aquarium person...I like looking at all the fishys. :)

There you go! An alphabet a of me. :) Hope all my fellow blizzard survivors are staying safe, warm and have power!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Triangles & Lines

We continue on our geometry exploration with vocab this time focusing on triangles (Monday), lines (Tuesday) and coordinate grids (today).

We make foldables for Monday and Tuesday, and today we did a couple of SMART Board lessons from SMART Exchange (which is an awesome FREE site that has SMART Board lessons for everything!). The kids love it when we work with the SMART Board (which, really, we do everyday...my calendar is on the SMART Board).

Monday we talked about triangles, and the different names they could have...they hadn't heard/known about some of them, so I'm glad I took the time to sit down and do this with them.

After we did the foldable, they did a worksheet to assess their knowledge.

Tuesday, we talked about lines. I think they were surprised at how much information there was! We did two smaller foldables for this one...to break it up a little :)

They had a double-sided worksheet with vocab on one side and drawing sets of lines on the other. I haven't 'officially' graded these yet, but from glancing at them, they look like they understood the concept (yay!) and did much better than my kids did last year.

Tomorrow we tackle tessellations - we'll see how creative they can be!

Today's Outfit

Sweater, Pants & Jeans: JCPenny
Blue/Navy Shoes: DSW
Black Glittery Shoes: Amazon

I went out to dinner tonight with my teacher friend (for much needed support/venting/discussion), so I took the opportunity to throw on a pair of jeans before I went out.

There are two major snowstorms headed our way, and weather peoples say they will meld into one bigger storm, so we may have a Nor'Easter on our hands! It's looking like a Snow Day on Friday, so I'll make sure that I bring home my 'teacher homework' which is piling up again. Here's Hoping!


Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn