Pumpkin Book Reports on PhotoPeach

The summer has only just begun, yet my planning for the upcoming year is already under way.    I received the keys to my classroom today and the blank slate is ready for inspiration.  I am in a week long training session this week and it really has my mind thinking of the wonderful things I want for my students.  I often try to put myself in the kids’ shoes and I ask,

“What types of things would you like to see in your classroom?”

What is onomatopoeia? Simply put, it is a word that represents a sound. Scratch off the card below to check out the onomatopoeias we came up with. Can you think of another one? Leave us a message with your best example of onomatopoeia used in a sentence!

Yesterday was a sad day in 3-04. Our friend, the word “said”, moved on to the next world. The students were really sad to see “said” go. The students will no longer be able to use “said” in their writing. We will pay our respects to our friend “said” by using synonyms in his honor. Check out the wordle we created in “said”s honor!

Do you know a synonym for said? Leave us a comment and remember it must be a complete sentence. Thanks for helping us build our vocabulary.

Riverwood is a brand new school with state of the art equipment.  I created a slide show that starts with my empty room and shows the transformation to a comfortable place that my students will be able to learn and grow. 

Leave a comment!  What do you think about our room?

I signed up for an Animoto for Education account recently and just got approved!  The best part about this new account is that it is free for educators and their students.  This new account will allow my students to create videos to show what they have learned.  As I mentioned before, I have submitted a DonorsChoose project for digital cameras.  My students will be able to take pictures and then use them to explain what they have learned in video format.  This will change the face of my Science, Social Studies, and even Math teaching.  The possibilites are endless. 

Since I was just approved for this account, I had to try it out.  These are pictures that I took while in our Nation’s capital and nearby Baltimore.  Let me know what you think!

I recently submitted a project to a great website called DonorsChoose.org. This non-profit organization is a great resource for all teachers. Teachers can create an acccount and then search an online catalog of classroom materials. Once you have choosen your materials you simply create a project description and submit the project for approval. Family, friends, businesses, and community members can then view the projects and donate to your cause. Once your project is funded, you receive the materials and simply complete a thank-you package for your donors.
I am so excited about the opportunities this project will open for my new students at Riverwood! “The World Around Us” is my DonorsChoose project, which asks for 4 digital cameras for our classroom this year. The students will be able to use these cameras on a daily basis to capture memories and the world around us. Learning is everywhere and these cameras will allow my students to learn the use of technology and then use the pictures to connect our daily learning through critical thinking and writing. Check out my project and if you feel inspired, donate to the cause!

I looked up yesterday and realized that the summer is almost over and the work must begin. My first task would be to decide on a theme for the classroom. While searching the Net, I found many great sites that have pictures to go along with the descriptions. One of the best was Real Classroom Ideas. I decided that I am going with a camping theme! My mind has been running with ideas but I welcome yours too! I plan to use this theme all year and really play up it, from my decor to my daily routines and procedures. I think I may even create a way to give badges to students for different accomplishments throughout the year. Give me your thoughts and ideas!