Pilgrim Day

We have been studying about the first Thanksgiving during the month of November. My kiddos were really interested in learning more about them. We spent the day before break learning all we could about Pilgrims.  I used the Pilgrim Day pack from Mrs. Wheeler and it was packed with all kinds of goodies!

We made butter and tasted it! The consensus was that they liked it!

I also had stations set up for hunting and gathering, games, and toys. 

I am so lucky at my school to have a set of Chromebooks and I also have iPads in my classroom. I incorporated these into my Pilgrim Day. My students spent time doing a webquest on Scholastic learning all about the Pilgrims. They then used the iPads to record what they learned about Pilgrims. The app Chatterpics was so easy for them to use! 

How cute is this little Pilgrim!?!?!

Sun, Moon and Stars

This year I feel like I am constantly in a whirlwind!  This year started with a bang and we haven't stopped yet.  Our first STEM unit was all about Day and Night.  In first grade they are expected to understand the differences between day and night.

These pics are a few of our star exploration. They really enjoyed learning about stars.   We ended our unit by creating a board in Discovery Education to showcase what they had learned about the Sun, Moon, and Stars.

Happy Mother's Day!

I am so blessed to be called Mommy by two sweet girls! Being mommy to Raegan and Kenley has truly been my most difficult, yet rewarding job. They keep me smiling and bring me joy daily. I couldn't imagine life without them! I hope all the mothers, mothers to be, and those patiently waiting on God to fill their arms with a baby have a amazing day!

My awesome husband made me fancy breakfast in bed!!! I may be a little spoiled!!!

Love my man!!! He knows how sentimental I am! He researched making these for weeks!!!

New charms for my Pandora bracelet! 

This week we also celebrated our moms in first grade. A big shout out to Christy and Tammy at Fluttering Through First Grade for creating this adorable Spa Mom! My kiddos did a great job creating them! We then had a treat for the moms of cookies and tea or lemonade. The cookies weren't just chips ahoy (those are delicious!) we served the special Peperidge Farms cookies!! It was a blast and the moms felt super special! God truly blessed me by sending me my dream job this year!

"Her children rise up and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28

Five for Friday

I am happy to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for her Five for Friday post!

1.) This arrived for me in my school mailbox!  In my first years of teaching I was nicknamed "Super Teacher" for being the annoying teacher who made others look bad by being fantabulous  for always going over and above with my students in my classroom.  One of my team mates sent this to me and it made my week!!!!  Thanks Shannon for sending this sweet note and shirt over.

2.)  We went to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC this week.  My Firsties LOVED it!!  We have been studying how animals communicate, so it was awesome to see STEM in action!  Spring has sprung and the animals got the message loud and clear!!    When we walked up on these tortoises one of my innocent sweeties said, "Mrs. Haywood, that big turtle is on top of the the small one!"  My response: LET'S MOVE ON! 

3) April means its time for the annual Egg Hunt!  The girls seem to really understand the concept this year.  It was tricky when they threw in, they could only find 8 eggs.  Telling a 3 year old they can't pick up every egg they see is VERY difficult!!!!

4) The Kindergartners and First Graders are putting on a mini Broadway Musical of A Year with Frog and Toad.  It.Is.Adorable.  We were asked to choose the lucky kiddos who would play Frog and Toad, and hot dog, they are both from my room!!  Watch out Hollywood, these guys are coming for you!

The Birds, Bees and Pond Creatures

 5) My Firstie Friend, Faith, is having an awesome giveaway over at her blog 1st Grade Fantabulous.  She is offering a DVD bundle from The Learning Station.  Head over there and enter to win!  http://1stgradefantabulous.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-learning-station-giveaway.html

That's my week in a nutshell!  One more till Spring Break!  I think I can, I think I can!  Head over and link up!

Super Bowl Sale

I love when it's Super Bowl Sunday! Food, funny commercials, family and friends getting together. Oh and there's football....which I can take or leave haha! To celebrate all the fun I'm going to have tonight, I'm throwing a quick sale! Head over to my TPT to get some new stuff at a discount!

Five for Friday (or Saturday!)

I actually blogged....GASP!!!!!  This hasn't happened since October, and I feel horrible.  I am having a FAB-U-LOUS year in First Grade, but it takes all my spare time to make sure I am doing it right!  Let me tell you, there is NO pressure like teaching kids to read! Ok, ok, I know that every grade has their pressures, but I have a new found respect for primary teachers.  I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for her Five for Friday linky party.

Here are my five things that have happened to me this week:

1. Crazy Weather!  Here in the south, we are NOT prepared for winter weather. We don't usually get much, but what we do get shuts down everything!  In a 5 day week, I taught 1 full day!!!  We dismissed early on Tuesday, were out Wednesday and Thursday and had a delay on Friday.  I will admit I loved being home with my sweeties playing in our minimal amount of snow.  They still had fun, and let's face it, down here we don't know that having the grass stick up through the snow isn't normal!

2. The circus is in town!  My girls love the movie Dumbo and when I told them we were going to the circus, they immediately asked if Dumbo was going to be there.  We saw clowns, tigers and of course elephants.  The girls were so excited to see "Dumbo", but they did ask where the baby was!

3. We have been working on our nonfiction How To pieces in writing.  I had the opportunity to have my amazing Instructional Technology Facilitator, Sandy, come into my class for 2 days this week (the only 2 we were actually in school!)  We used Little Bird Tales to publish their writing.  It was so fun!  The kids took pics of their drawings using my iPad, then we uploaded them, and Sandy had the kids type in their writing.  Their favorite part was using the microphone to read their tale.  If you haven't used Little Bird Tales I highly recommend it. And the best part is, its FREE!!!! Click on the picture below to see the tale.

4. I have a Student Teacher this semester!  I have never had one before, and it is so exciting!  She has been adding on different subjects each week since coming back from Christmas break, and next week she takes over FULL TIME!!!  It is so weird to be in my classroom, but not be teaching.  She is doing great, but I thought this comic pretty much summed up Student Teaching!

5. I am spending my Saturday at an Emmaus team meeting.  Emmaus is a Christian movement where men and women commit to spending 72 hours with God and other believers.  It is a great time to remove yourself from the distractions of this world, and focus on all that God has given us.  I attended my original walk in 2005, and have been blessed to be chosen to work on several teams since then.  My faith is a huge part of my life and I am excited to spend time with God today, remembering the multitude of blessings He has given me.

Make sure you head over to Doodle Bugs Teaching and link up!!