Five for...Sunday?? and 2014 Calendar Freebie!

Is it too late to join in on the fun??

One more week before Thanksgiving break (we get the whole week off). I can't wait? (Ugh, report cards, haha.)

The kids have been assigned their first big second grade project of the year...the whale report! Each kid was signed up for a specific whale (dolphins and porpoises included) and spent the week gathering info in the classroom. They had a study guide to fill out during their research. They also got to used different medias for their research including books, magazines, fact sheets, a whale DVD and of course...the internet! I was able to borrow some Chromebooks from the computer lab to use in the classroom. They got a lot of information!

 

Science this week was investigating rollers. The students made a cardboard ramp with clothespins and used these cool plastic discs and green straws to create rollers. Those of you using FOSS kits in second grade, do any of you know what those plastic discs are called? My kids absolutely LOVE them and keep asking me what they are called so they can ask their parents to buy it for home. Unfortunately, the kit guide only calls them plastic discs and a search on the internet has also failed to provide an answer...

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and being thankful, I thought it would be an awesome idea to continuing building community in our classroom by having the kids write thankful notes to each other. We talked about how we are all friends in the classroom and should spend some time appreciating each other from time to time. They started off with working on two notes. Starting this week, those notes will be appearing in the children's mailboxes. I am also leaving more blank notes out for kids to keep filling out and put in mailboxes whenever they have free time during the week. I mentioned to the kids how this might be a good opportunity to appreciate the classmates they don't typically spend time with to show them that they are still thankful for them. Hopefully every kid will get a note in the end. Of course, everyone will get one from me. :)

Had dinner with a colleague/friend TWICE this week. Ha. That's more than usual. xP

Wednesday's meal - Thai

Friday's meal - burritos!

Friend's dog whining outside as we stop by Peet's for something warm to drink!

Finally, the holidays are coming up! You know what that means for teachers, right? Figuring out what to have the kids make for their parents for a holiday gift! I have always made a calendar of some sort and something else. Still searching pinterest for that something else but I have an idea! Will update you on that idea once it's been set in motion. But for now, I have updated my calendar template to the 2014 year dates! Click on the image below to access it on TpT.

This is how we made the calendar last year:

This year, I'm thinking of printing the months on white cardstock instead (or glue on construction paper) and have the kids draw a picture for each month. Given the time constraints, we will have to see!