First Day - What we did

Hub-bub and I just got back from a whirlwind trip to take College Girl the rest of her stuff. She's sharing a university owned apartment with four other girls - and I think liking it very much. Mainly because they have a kitchen. Last year in the dorm, she was on the 10 meals in a week plan, and one week she texted me and said she had actually used all the meals in her plan. Ummm, thank you girly for using that which we have already paid for. 

Anyway, we got to see her a bit - OK, take her out for meals - between her shifts at her new job as a desk person at a dorm.

Anyway, anyway, I just realized, that after all my indecision - see here - about what to do on the first day of school, I never reported back on that.

I did go ahead and do my iPad version of Grover reading "There's a Monster at the End of the Book." It was perfect. Each student got to touch something on the iPad to make it do something - turn the page, untie ropes, bust down a wall - and they were relaxed and giggling during it. It just worked. 

And then, I gave them each a piece of paper, and had them make their own monster. I got my scrap box out, but I'm not sure that many used it. 

Well, I guess some did. This was a great activity, because it gave them some time to work and chat. And it gave me some time to go around the room and visit with each student - and go back around and visit again. And, most importantly of all, it was pretty stress-less for me! That's a win in my book. 

{Oh, by the way, I have more than 14 students - not everybody got done on the first day. Just so you're not all jealous or something :)}

And the nicest thing - I got a note from a boy's mom - she was telling me some things she was concerned about, but then she said that her son couldn't stop talking about our day, so she thought things would be OK. Yes! Yes! I think so, too!!

First Day Planning

Yesterday, a teacher friend texted me something important:

Yikes!

Also, yesterday, my 2nd grade team got together. These three people are going to help this be a Great Year! I just know it! 

Somehow, I've become the teacher who's been around the longest - wow, how'd that happen? And my male co-teacher, who's been here two or three years. And a sweet gal who's moving up from 1st. And a newbie gal, who seems to be on top of things. 

So we met and got acquainted a bit and shared some ideas - and suddenly two hours had passed. How does that happen! 

But this all adds up to - - - I need to start doing some serious thinking about the first of the year. 

So yesterday afternoon, I got out some of my PD books I meant to read - - - and decided to watch Netflix with my daughter.

So this morning, I decided I'm super serious. And that's when the panic set in. 

Let me tell you that my whole goal in life for the first day of school is to have 1 - that's all, just one - activity that lets my kids go home and tell the grown up at their house this is going to be a great year. Or this was so much fun. Or I'm going to like 2nd grade. Or some variation on those. 

I have struggled mightily with this.

And as I was looking at Pinterest, and TpT, and just flat out googling - ack! Heart Palpitations. 

Why is this so hard? 

I tell myself - I'm smart. I'm creative. I can do this! {But still....}

I've done Sunny Days' necklace idea - with various tweaks and wasn't sure I wanted to do that again. {But after looking at it again, maybe I do.}

My co-teacher had an idea to read "Where the Wild Things Are" and have groups cooperatively make monsters. But I have to say, I LOVE "Where the Wild Things Are" but I'm not sure it's the tone I want to set on the first day of school. 

So, just brainstorming here with you all - I have "There's a Monster at the End of the Book" with Grover from Sesame Street on my iPad. I thought I could do that {it's narrated and animated} and maybe let them make monsters. And then a little brainstorm came to me, I could get my scrap box out, because it really seems like kids love using scraps from my scrap box. 

OK, so I'm seriously asking for help.

Please don't let me be like Calvin! What great activity do you do on the first day of school?

Back to School Planning {sort of}

 

Ack - I'm just a little bit addicted to these books - I'm now on the 3rd one {plus I was having trouble finding number 2, so I read some of her stand alone novels}. And I have the sweetest Hub-bub. Our local library didn't have the 2nd one, so he went to our local bookstore, and they had it in the used paperback section for like $3. {And obviously, he bought it for me, and made me very happy - I think that goes without saying, but you never know!}

I had sort of said to myself - No School Work until July 15. I've been doing a lot of blog stalking and picking up freebies and that certainly blurs the line a bit. 

First of all - I need to take care of this - I have all these things in a folder called "To Print." Yikes, there's a bunch! 

 Then, I have these on a folder called "Things for This School Year" that I need to print out or do something with, so I remember to actually do them this year {because sometimes that has been an itty-bitty problem for me.}

And I want to review some things from this book - particularly things I'm going to be teaching at the first of the year.

 And I want to think about things in this book - what do I want to implement, try, see if it will work for me.

And I placed an order with these guys and got an email today that it's been shipped -

 

{although, really, doesn't it seem like it takes ForEver for stuff to get to your house from them? I order from Zappos shoes, and they like me so much it comes the next day. That could have something to do with the quantity I order from them, but whatever.} Anyway, thanks to Tammy at Forever in First, I had quite a wishlist that I narrowed down to 3 books for me and 1 book for my class.

 

And finally, today - or maybe that should be - Today, I finally got started on this. 

Have I mentioned that I hate first days? {And last days, too, but I don't have to worry about that for a bit :)}

I also want something fun, engaging, easy {for me and for them!} and that makes the time go by Fast! If you have a great suggestion that fits that criteria, please leave a comment :)

Happy Thursday all! My hub-bub and daughter are having daddy-daughter time in Denver this weekend - that might mean I really will get a good start on lessons. 

So leave a comment - if you have a terrific first day activity {see above} or if you want to tell me what you're doing this weekend.