Friday bits and pieces

In my last post, I wrote about our Leaf Project we were working on. I must really have a thing for leaves this year, because the post before that {and the activity before that} were about leaves. Hmmm, wonder what that's all about? 

Well, I ended up not really liking what happened with our Leaf Project. I knew they would be a little different because the blog where I got the idea from - she's a real art teacher and she used oil pastels. But I knew my daughter and I had done something similar with crayons and black paint - so I was thinking it would work. You be the judge:

 {OK, I'm also unhappy with Dropbox right now, because I can't get it to upload my photos without ALL my phone photos uploading. Don't really want all of those uploaded.} 

Anyway, back to the Leaf Project - blah - I think my paint was too thick and it didn't end up being a wash - added to the fact that I don't think very many of the kids colored dark enough.  

Also, this week we did a little measuring length. I used part of Amy Lemons' I Can Measure Unit. She has an activity with the names of objects and the kids sort them into About an Inch, About a Foot, About a Yard. It is so fun to check where they sorted things and say, "A dad's foot is a yard???"  while I hold up the yardstick. Or, "A baseball bat is about an inch??" The best one was the width of a door - somebody put that at an inch, and when I asked about it, moved it to a foot. We finally got it over to a yard. 

Today we had a half day plan day {and a half day off, but really, I just came home and finished up some lessons, cuz I'm a teacher dork.}. Anyway, I had 2 things I wanted to get done at school today - 1- grade a writing project my kids had worked on last week {especially so I could show the Mamas and the Papas}, and 2 - wipe off some of the dust around my room - because....

Next week is Parent/Teacher Conferences. And I'm happy to report I got my 2 things done - and then got into a great big mess with my books - trying to sort through them. And then thinking, how did this happen? I was just straightening my room!

This year, I've made a real effort to meet all my parents before now. I think I've gotten everyone, but my one guy who goes to the Y right after school and doesn't get picked up by a parent. But come to think of it, I met his grandma, does that count? 

And finally, I got that dreaded email this morning - yup, you know the one. So and So has enrolled at Blank School. He will join Sara's class. {Man, it's hard to change the names to protect the innocent :) } Anyway, all of that to say, I'm getting a new student on Monday. Every time I get a new student in the middle of the year, I want to be loving and kind and excited - but I usually just have to settle for loving and kind. And hope that he can read at grade level and he's kind and gets along with the other kids {I do have the best class this year :)}

And in my final bit of exciting news, it snowed here today - basically all day until about 3 o'clock. Which is very unusual - because this is southwest Kansas and we usually have a nice fall. But the moisture is most welcomed!