November already?! - Five for Friday

Surely I'm not the only teacher out there thinking this, right?! The memories of setting up my classroom and anxiously awaiting meeting my kiddos for the first time are still fresh, yet here we are...November! Time flies when you're having fun though I suppose!

And today I thought it'd be fun to link up with Doogle Bugs Teaching's Five for Friday linky! It's been a full week since I have last blogged, so there's plenty to share! It's that whole time flying problem again!

1. Best Idea Ever:

Today is actually a district-wide in-service day for elementary teachers! Whoever thought up having a professional development day the Friday after Halloween deserves a prize. I love Halloween as much as the next teacher, but the lack of routine and all the excitement of the day makes me need a nap! 

PS - I will never wear this costume again. Questions like, "Are you a penguin or a fly?" got a little bit old. Haha. I'm a SPIDER! Geez people! ;)

I'm actually presenting to a small group about using Social Media for Professional Development today! This someecard sounds like a joke, but it's actually true! Where would I be without blogging, Pinterest, Facebook, or Teacherspayteachers?! Seriously though, sharing ideas and finding great ideas and products is one of the best benefits of reading teaching blogs. I think I could easily say that I've gained more insight from reading the blogs of my colleagues than all the trainings I've been sent to in my 13 year career combined! Props to all those teachers out there who did this job pre-internet is all I have to say! 

2. New Read-aloud beginning!

We just finished up our reading of Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger, so on Monday we'll be starting a new favorite of mine, Gooseberry Park by Cynthia Rylant. I've read other works by Cynthia Rylant, but had never read this one until it was recommended by a colleague this year. As an avid reader of children's lit, I was kind of surprised I hadn't heard of it. If you're like me, head on over and read the summary here.  I think it'll be the perfect book to read as Fall gets colder and colder. Even better, when I pre-read it I was able to find a ton of opportunities to address my CAFE strategies with the kids! Our next book will be the ever-popular "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" to go along with our Japan Unit. 

3. Baby Trout are on the way!

We'll be raising Brook Trout, which is
Pennsylvania's state fish, and the only native
species of trout in the state! I'm learning already!

Well, eggs really...but still! I've worked really hard to get my trout tank all set up, and the eggs will finally be arriving Tuesday afternoon. I've been learning more about trout care than any one man should know...Who knew that caring for trout was so complicated anyway?! I'm really nervous that something will go wrong and we won't have any survivors! I'll be sure to keep you updated on their progress!

4. Science Mentor Text for Animal Adaptations

I picked up this fun book at my school's recent Book Fair to go along with our Ecosystems Unit. We've talked a lot about biomes, producers, consumers, etc. But we're finally getting to the really fun stuff...adaptations! This book presents a variety of different animal teeth and shows how those animals use their specialized teeth to survive. The illustrations alone would keep the kids engaged, but the information presented is great too! I think it's best to read some selections from the book, and then let the kids explore the rest of the book later. My intern is required to teach three science lessons this semester, and she is teaching them next week. They're all about animal adaptations, and I know the kids are going to love them. 

5. Two Random Non-Teacher Things

I recently invested in one of these Ninja blenders, with the cup that can be blended right into, and I love it. I used to drink a smoothie every morning for breakfast, but fell out of the habit because I just got sick of cleaning the blender every morning and the time it took to make them. Now I throw some stuff into the cup, put it right onto the blender base, hit the button for like two seconds, and then switch out the lid. Rinse the cup when I'm done and it's ready for the next day! I'm usually so busy in the morning that I won't take time to eat breakfast, so having a smoothie in the morning now is like a treat. It's really been brightening my mornings!

Speaking of bright... Please tell me that all of you other teachers out there are also dealing with this newest fad? The fun loom/rainbow loom bracelet thing has gotten out of hand. This kiddo has this many bracelets on both arms. It's all the kids want to do at recess. And I have like 20 tiny rubber bands on my floor every day after school. I keep telling myself it's better than those silly bands from a couple years ago at least. Those the kids had to take on and off all the time, (to see the shapes of course!) and at least these they just leave on!

The real question? Why couldn't I invent this?

Til next time!