The 100th Day of School

This upcoming week is a big one. We have two celebration days in a row. On Wednesday, it is a certain teacher's birthday. Her students are planning a surprise for her. They are adorable students. I cannot wait to see what they have planned.
The day after my a certain teacher's birthday, it is the 100th day of school. I am definitely excited for it. I take any excuse to make school that much more fun. One thing I am sad about is that my team is doing math rotations this week. It is the first time we are rotating in anything and it just happens to be on the 100th day of school. I had some math activities that I definitely wanted to do with them. Maybe we'll just do double math. (True story: This past week, I gave my students the option to rearrange the schedule for a day to fit in two math lessons and all except 5 voted to do that.) Here is a rundown of what we are going to do.

1-100 search (math activity)
I received an epiphany for this idea when I saw this cute Hunting for Kisses idea from this website.

Once I thought about how this activity wouldn't do very much for my 4th graders, I changed it up a bit. I still will put kisses throughout the room, but they will search for the kisses with a partner. When they find one, they mark it off on the chart and then draw two arrays for the number and list all the factor pairs.

Make 100 pinwheels. I am a mega fan of pinwheels. So cute and springish. (If we need anything, it is a little spring. It was -20 a couple weeks ago when I arrived at school. Disgusting.)

If each of my students made 3, we would just about have 100.

I definitely am going to be making a sign similar to this one.

In fact, I want to get started on that one right away. Her website is full of adorable pennants and I am definitely a fan of the adorable pennant.

Last but not least, have a 100-year-old photo shoot. Remember a few years ago when mustaches on a stick were all the rage? (Okay, they are still all the rage.) Well...picture this: Your choice of a white mustache, beard, hair, and thick glasses. Choose what you like and adorn yourself as a 100-year-old for a photo shoot with your friends. I have hinted to it already and my little 4th graders were really hyped up.

There you go. A few of my 100 day ideas. (Can't Thursday come any sooner?)

A birthday cake and Valentines Day decor

Every second sunday of each month, my family gets together and celebrates whoever's birthday is in that month. Last week, we were able to celebrate one of my nephews birthday as well as my own. This called for a birthday cake.
My favorite cake recipe is ATK's flourless chocolate cake layer of their triple mousse chocolate cake. It is divine. Because it was my birthday, and one always wants the best for one's self, I went ahead and made it.

It is an intense cake. A dozen eggs. Flourless chocolaty goodness. I made the three layers of cake and Mr. Wolfgang helped with the two layers of mousse we stuck in the middle. This is the third or fourth time we've made this cake. It tastes much better if you can made it a day in advance. This time, along with the chocolate ganache, I adorned the side with a layer of toasted, slivered almonds.

Even though we had well over 16 people at this dinner, we still only finished off just over 1/2 of the cake. This baby is rich.

Yesterday I made a red ruffled topiary to help with Valentines Day decor.

I was beginning to make a second one, but I broke my sewing machine needle. I haven't done that in years. Seriously. I don't think I broke one in high school or even junior high. I couldn't find my spares so I have to do with just one adorable topiary for the present.

Even though I used 1 1/2" satin ribbon for the ruffles, they still showed some of the white foam ball under. I just took some short needles to pin down some of the white. I'm tempted to change those out in place of needles that have white spherical heads.

We also moved this lovely sign that I made about a year ago. I love it even more than when I made it. (And my husband does not even mind that I have a Beatles quote up in our place!)

We stuck it up just above our television. (We also possibly may not have taken down all of our Christmas decorations. At least the tree is down finally.)

 I also still have my adorable ruffled wreath up. With its white and red coloring, it fits in perfectly for Valentines Day decor.

The student who was there...

The last day before the break, I received a note from the lovely secretaries that I was losing a student. E had moved twice during the school year and had to walk over a mile to and from school each day. His mother, understandably, was sick of the walks. I sadly signed the papers. He left that day without a goodbye and I thought I would never see him again. The day after the break came and went. I cleaned out his desk and threw everything away. I moved on. When the following day arrived, I received word that I would receive a new student. I took the old student's desk and prepped it for a new student. As I chatted with a coworker, explaining all the arrivals and departures I have had recently, I happened to throw out, "Well, E moved so the new student will bring me back up to 32." As I said that, we walked into the office to see my student, E, sitting there. Awkward. "Uh....E! What are you doing here?" How do you explain to a nine-year-old that you tossed all their belongings and gave their desk away? Apparently his mother did not realize that they were supposed to move back in December. Okay. I can deal with this student in my class for one random day. The day came and went. He left. I hugged him goodbye and wished him well. He was back the next day. I was so confused. I finally got the vice principal to call his mother to tell her I do not run a day care for students that randomly want to show up. That darling boy approached me as the school day ended to inquire about homework due the next day. Lovely boy.

Musings of a 4th Grade Teacher

Time is flying! Is it really December? How did that happen?

Life is good. Life is wonderful.

I get my first new student tomorrow. I am excited. It brings my count back up to 33 where it was for most of the year. After Christmas break it will be back down to 32 students. I like having 32 students. 8 tables with 4 kids each. No odd one out.

They are a great group of kids. I gave an honesty quiz the other day. You know. The type of quiz where they hand it in, you grade it (but you don't mark anything and you don't tell them it's been graded), and then you hand it back for them to grade. They all passed. Except perhaps one.

My one bully girl is now friends with the girl she used to bully.

My students have worked with lots of sand and glitter without getting any of it on the floor, chairs, or even desks.

I have successfully managed to get most my little boys to tell me who they have a crush on. I had no particular reason to do that; I just wanted to know. They all told me, no questions asked, when I inquired.

My 4th graders are the very best class at every assembly. They do not talk to each other and sit on their pockets the entirety of the presentation.

I have been wearing my shortest pair of heels (3") to school on a regular basis in hopes that my feet will get used to them and I can start to wear some of my favorite pairs that are quite a bit taller than that.

We have half an hour for music twice a week and they love it. I start by playing 5 minutes of a classical music piece with the name and composer on the board. I quickly give a short overview of the composer and where he (no she's yet) is from. Then some of them get to say what they were thinking of during the music. I played an excerpt from Jupiter by Holst the other day. Many of my lovely students thought about aliens on another planet. I think their favorite so far was the Hungarian Rhapsody by Lizst. We are starting on the recorder. Those lessons are really to help me with patience.

I love teaching. People keep asking me if it was different than I thought or if I am starting to go crazy. It just feels to natural. I am definitely going to be bummed when it is summer vacation and I will not see my sweet students.

Synonym Roll Template

One of my favorite language arts lesson to do in teaching students about synonyms. Using the idea of a "synonym roll," every year my students are extremely engaged by the lesson.

Want a terrific synonym lesson complete with the outlines for the cinnamon rolls themselves? Here is my lesson plan typed up along with 36 words with synonym examples, 3 different sizes of rolls, and a synonym brainstorming page for students.
Synonym Roll Lesson Plan
You can also head over to my TPT store and download the outlines.

This one's for you Grandma

My darling grandmother, who was a schoolmarm herself at a school that still stands in Orem, mentioned that she enjoyed reading my blog, but that I had not posted lately. I apologize. I have been meaning to take pictures of fun activities that we have done lately and how my classroom looks, but I keep forgetting.
So. Here is a quick post about what has been making me smile as of late.
In my lovely class, we do class meetings. During these meetings, we have a discussion on any problems the students would like to discuss. (We have only done problems twice. I do not know if they are just little angels or they do not quite know what the concept is.) The problems they have discussed pertained to the noise level. They want the whole class to be quiet for periods of time during the day. (Art projects, free time, science time, etc.) Another part of our class meetings is dedicated to compliments. I have compliment slips that my students can fill out, directed to another student, to be read during our class meeting. This past class meeting was the first time any student had written one to me. When it rains, it pours. Not only did I receive my first compliment paper, I received my first 4 compliments.
I would like to give Mrs. Jaeger a compliment by saying: she is a very nice teacher. She helps pepol under stand thigs and is awesome! Signed L.
I would like to give Mrs. Jager a compliment by saying: she is funny. She is nice all the time. She is the best teacher I have had so far, and she teaches really good so I can learn. Signed B.
I would like to give Mrs. Jeager a compliment by saying: she is the best teacher in the world. And she always helps me with what I have trouble with. Not only me. Everyone in my class. She is the best teacher in the world! Signed K.
I would like to give Mrs. Jeager a compliment by saying: She's the best teacher out of the whole school maybe even out of the whole world she's always willing to help she's never getting her temper out of control she loves everyone and some times I think she's an angel with a little halo and she's very very butiful your number one! Signed love M.

My other favorite quote of last week: "This is the best day of my life!"
Backstory.
As a class they decided they wanted a pajama/dance/treat day. This involved wearing pajamas, and then having a dance slash treat party for twenty minutes during the day. (It was a good prep for me to prepare for what Halloween was like.) In the middle of the dance party when my lovely fourth graders were literally stuffing their faces with treats, one of my shyer little girls ran up to tell me it was the best day of her life.

A Woman So Heartless

This evening, I was enjoying actually being able to breathe. (School by 6:45, faculty meeting that runs 25 minutes late, activity days for 90 minutes, finally home.) I set myself up on the couch with an episode of Top Gear on the television and a small pile of papers to grade on my left.
Bliss.
I was beginning to get a tad bit hungry. (One of my students asked me the other day if I ever eat lunch...I may not be eating as much as I should be right now.) After texting Wolfie for a few minutes, I decided to join him for a romantic dinner consisting of a salad in the setting of the mall. I grabbed my teacher bag and slipped on my favorite pair of ballet flats as I headed for the door. Suddenly my phone announced that an unknown caller wanted my attention. Normally I do not answer unknown numbers, but today I risked it.
I heard a muffled voice and giggles on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Mrs. Jaeger?"
"Yep!"
.......slight pause.......
"And who is this?"
"This is E."
"Hi! How are you? What's up?"
"I was just calling to tell you that I broke my collarbone."

Oh. Dear.

~Flashback~

I was enjoying my 40 minutes specialties break. My aide and I were chatting about my students and life as I mentally prepared for what my students would be like as they came back from P.E. As I heard the bell that signifies the end of lower grade recess and the end of 4th grade specialties, I put down my snacks and went to retrieve my little ones.
They walked, bounced, and shuffled down the hall to my classroom as I observed the damage done by chasing each other around in a game of steal the flag. Most of the class had passed when I noticed one of my girls comforting another as she sobbed.
"E, what's wrong?"
As my darling little E with the help of her classmate relayed to me the story of how she accidentally fell or was tripped or something, she valiantly tried to stop crying while grasping her shoulder.
"So your shoulder really hurts? I am so sorry. Do you want to go down to the office with C to get some ice?"
A sad nod followed and I watched the two go down to the office.
At this point, I was not sure if my little girl was they type to milk her injuries and get the most out of her sorrow. She arrived back in my classroom with a bag of ice and more tears. Her head was bowed as I gave instructions for the next assignment. Sobs escaped occasionally she avoided eye contact with everyone except myself.
She approached me as the class began to work on their project.
"Mrs. Jaeger? Can I call my mom and leave?"
"Oh, E, there are only 20 minutes left until lunch. Can you wait until then and see if you feel any better?"
"I don't think I can."
What to do, what to do. I was dubious. From the few weeks I had gotten to know her, I thought she might milk it a bit. I was torn.
"Okay. If you think you cannot wait, you can head down to the office."
Off she went and the rest of the day went on.

Then I received my phone call.
After talking to me about it for ten minutes, I learned that she had fractured her collarbone, a chiropractor was the one that diagnosed her, she had a homemade sling from an apron on her way to the doctor, they couldn't find the particular sling that the doctor suggested, she was a crazy sleeper, her mother was going to let E sleep in tomorrow, one of her friends calls her sister, and that she loves talking.
We decided that the class would have to hear her story tomorrow and that we would also make her a get well soon card.

So. One of my students broke a bone and I did not believe her.
(Reminds me of the time my sister Rebecca was babysitting a crybaby and when he broke his leg--or arm or some other bone, she did not believe his cries and his parents discovered he broke his bone later.)

(Can I just say I am glad she was not in my care when she broke this bone?)

Anything exciting happen to you this week?

Artwork and cutesy paper

So the school year has started and I absolutely love it.
I have the best group of kids and I love every single one of them. I will post pictures of my finished classroom as well as other such stuff later.
My students love to make me stuff. I get, on average, 6 love letters, artwork, or creations of some kind every day. I don't know what to do with it all! One of my girls draws me at least ten pictures a week and last week at recess, she went around to random students to have them write down what they like about me. They have braided yarn, made wands, created fish, butterflies, and drawn just about every imaginable thing.

One of my favorite things I have done so far this year is provide them with "cutesy" paper to work with during free time. I realized halfway through the summer that I was throwing away lots of scraps from making things for my classroom. Many of them were still large enough to use for a small craft but I did not want to spend the time to organize them. I cut them up and now have hundreds of small, medium, and large pieces of scrapbook paper that my students love to use. They love to ask me if they can use the cutesy paper. Lots of them make cards for their mothers or friends and several have made me creations out of it. A great use of something I would have just thrown away. (I called it cutesy paper on the first day of class and the name stuck. They get confused if I call it anything else. It is a little amusing to have ten-year-old boys coming up to me to ask if they can use my cutesy paper.)

Table Numbers

I had been trying to figure out what on earth to do for my table numbers. Because I had been going all out on other classroom decor, I was about to cute little circles with the table number listed on each. Out of desperation for something a little more different, I Googled "table numbers" very well knowing that it would come up with table number ideas for weddings, but hey, that's different. Most of the table numbers that showed up in Google Images were the kind that you set on the tables themselves or they involved fire or water. Surprisingly I skipped past all of those without much thought.

I then found this picture:

It was love at first glance. Then I read that they took bouncy balls and painted them. That was something I certainly did not have time to do. I researched it a bit more and found the perfect solution for me. My husband, bless his little heart, bought me a Silhouette Cameo for Christmas. The best Christmas present ever. I found a balloon shape and made a box shape and quickly found pieces of paper that were the different colors I was using for my tables.
The balloons were easy enough to cut out and assemble. I used 4 different patterns for each balloon to add a bit of a more vintage-y feel. (mixed patterns are vintage, right?)

I cut the boxes out on left over paper I used to make my cabinet numbers. On the assembled boxes, I put the table number out of the 4 patterns I used for the balloon and 4 different fonts.

All that was left to do was assemble them.

And...here they all are. Please forgive the terrible lighting. That is one of the only things that I wish I could change about our current place. (You really can see all the numbers on the boxes.)

What do you think? What are you going to do for table numbers this year?

Book Recommendation Tree

So. A while back I got the idea for a book recommendation tree from Lessons With Laughter. The idea sounded perfect to me! I thought it was such an adorable idea to have students recommend books to other students in this way. It also helps with their summarizing main ideas skills.
And thus my book recommendation tree was born.
The idea is simple enough: take some dead branches, spray paint them, and put them in a pot. The reality of the idea was not much harder. There is an old, dying pie cherry orchard behind my parents' house that provided me with a multitude of dead branches. I just had to pick a couple and I was good to go. The pot I used was purchased for a dollar at a craft store. Some Martha Steward paint added just the right shade of blue that I thought went very well with the gray painted branches. I found the most adorable vintage tags at this website so all I had to do was add text. I put foam in the bottom of the container to have something that would hold my branches and I filled the rest of the container with pebbles purchased from Ikea.
This was the result:

I decided that green 12x12 paper would be perfect for the "leaves" on my tree. I also want to brag and say that I managed to get 36 2x2 circles out of the 12x12 paper with my circle cut. Instead of making the circles reusable, I am just going to have them keep a maximum of two up at all times. I can make the circles for less than a penny each and it does not take long to cut the circles out.

Do you have your students recommend books to other students?