Monsters from Miss Kindergarten and Vowels from Christina

Hump da hump da hump hump hump! Yea, I made it to and over the hump day! Weeeee!!!!

This week has been a bit crazy, but oh so eye opening. We have college students from a nearby college who are working in our classroom from now until Thanksgiving. They are here 4 days a week until 1:30. They are to observe us, but also get some hands on experience so that when they start student teaching in the spring, they will be even more ready. Because of an overload, I have 2 of these students in my classroom. They are wonderful and eager young ladies.

You do remember when you were so eager don't you? I do. . . and on many days I too am still eager.  I guess that's why I'm still here teaching instead of sitting by the side of a pool sipping on margaritas!

With their extra hands I've been able to get more accomplished and feel like I'm back on track a bit better. Why even yesterday and today we did a "fun project!" I know. . it really was FUN! I hope my admins aren't reading this. . . nah,  just kidding! They get it! They understand our world.

I used the idea Monster Madness idea from Miss Kindergarten.    It is the coolest little activity. You can pick it up by clicking on the link above. She made if for kinders, but my 2nd graders loved it too. 

I did make one change and I hope she doesn't mind. She was so sweet to give it to me. Because my second graders are capable of doing more I asked them to make their eyes different from the original model. I taught them how to make 3 part eyes. First you pick a color, fold it in half, cut a shape of any kind so that it will fit on the monster. When you take them apart you'll have two pieces that are the same size and the same shape Then they take a different color, fold it in half, cut it a different shape and size.

 And finally do this a 3rd time, making the piece even smaller. 

Glue all these parts together and Wa-la! you have 3-part eyes. (or even 4 part!)

I know that this class had a ball doing this. So I thank you so much Miss Kindergarten!

On 4 of our days we have RTI that we call Reading Shuffle. The group that I have are first graders. I get to do phonics help with them every day! I love this because this is where I get to use many of the games and activities that I get from my blogging friends. 

In the pictures below we are using the short and long vowel cards that Christina Bainbridge made. 

They are one of my favorites of her stuff.

 I added masks to protect them from any  internet boogers!

You can pick up a set from her here. I have these kids read the cards, listen to the sound they hear and decide if it's a long O sound or a short O sound. They are getting better and better at it. She even made each set have a word in there that has both sounds. One of the kiddos decided right away when he heard it that it must go in the middle because it had both sounds. That idea came from him. . . not me! 

I'm pretty excited for the weekend to come. My husband has a ticket to go to the World Series in Detroit on Sunday. He is going with one of his aunts. I'm going to go along with him  and visit another aunt.

 I wouldn't want her to be lonesome, so we'll go shopping and have dinner together. . . That sounds much more fun than going to the Tiger game to me! Plus, since the game starts so late, we wouldn't get back home until 3 in the morning.  We decided to take Monday off and sleep in instead! 

Another important factor is that his brother and wife are going to fly up from Florida for the games on Sunday AND Monday. We'll be able to spend the day with them on Monday. They are both administrators in their schools so it was much easier for them to take the day off than it is for me. Well, it was easy for me to take the day off, it just won't be easy for me to make lesson plans so the kids don't attack the teacher! 

One more time, I'm asking for someone to guess my age. . .I have a couple people who have guessed, I'm not tell the answer until the day of my birthday. But the lucky winner or winners will be able to choose anything from my TPT store to have for free! So leave your guess and stay tuned!

Patty