Is it Friday yet?

Things I learned this week (and it's only Thursday):

• Being a perfectionist is not good for my health, at least it seems that way.  Our third annual Mrs. Yager's class, "World Feast" was Tuesday night.  My job, after video taping the kids in front of my makeshift green and blue screens during the week, was to put them all together into one video.  Did it not go as smoothly as I liked last weekend?  Yes.  Did I put in more hours than I'd like to admit?  Yes.  But, in the end was it worth it? Absolutely.  The whole FEAST was amazing.  The food, the costumes, the trifolds displaying their research, the energy in the library. Fourth grade "alumni" returning. What a culmination of a month's worth of work.  BRAVO! Lesson learned (one that I will never learn, really): Do not leave things to the last minute.  This time it really did not take just a minute to do.

 

• Jason Chin likes to exercise his IMAGINATION.  We had a great Skype today with Caldecott and Sibert honor winning illustrator/author of Grand Canyon.  It was optional for 4th graders to join us during their lunch (more than a third of the grade showed up) along with Mrs. Roe's second graders and a few fifth graders.  Boy is he talented and so sweet and calm.  "Nonfiction captures my imagination," he said.  He also shared that when he sketches while he is doing research (i.e., at the Grand Canyon), it is an attention strategy that helps him hold on to his memories.  When you sketch you are spending so much time looking that it will stick in your memory.  Wow.

• I'm not as opposed to reading an ebook as I used to think I was.  Lately I've been falling asleep with my iPad on my lap. Not the best thing since when it falls off the bed at 2:43 am, I am suddenly woken up with the crash.  But, I am a night owl and always go to bed after my husband.  That said, reading an ebook (Thank you Netgalley) allows me to sneak into bed without turning on a light and disturbing him. So far, I've only been the one stirred when the iPad slips down the covers. 
• Sleeping at school is so much fun!  The PTO sponsored a ReadOver/SleepOver Friday night.  Nearly 90 second and third graders came for a Jigsaw Jones event with special guest, James Preller.  Yes, the energy was high for an author visit but the kids still loved it.  Shhh...a couple of them even said it was better than the gym part.  Really?!  Jimmy was a good sport.  Look at him leaping at 9pm!

• Make sure others proofread your work (and I'm not talking about just grammar).  I sent home an invitation to a REBOUND party I'm throwing next month.  I wrote, "Bring a basketball or 1988 treat."  What would you think that meant?  At least one boy has already said, "I'm bringing my basketball!"  Oops! I meant basketball TREAT.  Maybe I need to move the party into the gym.

• I'm super stoked about TXLA18. The workshops. The book creators. The books. The Texas sun. Old friends. New friends. However, what conclusion did I come to this week?  I'm going to need to take off AFTER the conference.  While everyone else will be refreshed and tan, I am going to be 200% professionally refreshed but it will come with a huge serving of exhaustion.  Don't get me wrong--this North North Texan cannot wait to step into Bluebonnet country.
• Melissa Stewart rocks.  There I was at our first grade morning program today that was all about robots and one of the kids shared her book. The second grade teacher turns to me and says, "Oooh, Melissa Stewart!"  That's because last year she taught 4th grade and we did our Sibert Smackdown together.  Then, I share Melissa's newest book about seeds with a third grade teacher and she loves it. "This is a great book to use in our science unit.  Wow! Seeds travel!" she exclaimed. Even her hydroponic Herbie liked the book!

• Your "look" is everything, right? Well, goodbye blue glasses; hello cat eyed clear ones. Now I'm ready to rock and roll!  Speaking of rocking and rolling...We're getting ready to plan for Matthew Cordell's visit and HIS new book ROCK-N-ROLL SOUL by Susan Verde.  That's next week...

Now...maybe I can get a few pages in before my bedroom floor does....

All in a day's work...

From sunrise to sunset and beyond, this was a full day if I ever had one.

World Feast

Mrs. Yager's third graders have been working for weeks in preparation for our World Feast on Tuesday night.  They have researched and taken notes on a country using Culturegrams, Britannica, World Book and print books.  This week I am interviewing them as an 8 year old from that country in the library and in the classroom they are designing displays with information and pictures.  At home they are working with their parents in finding a food to share from their country.  I love this project!

Gala Kickoff

In less than two months, Caldecott medalist Matthew Cordell, will be walking through our Castleton Elementary hallways. What?!  I still can't believe it's happening!  It is very unlike me to do the same project two years in a row but we are.  It's our #PictureAPoem Gala collaboration between fifth grade ELA, art and library.  Today we kicked it off by talking about how illustrators and authors don't usually get together to discuss the book and how our students will be illustrating someone else's poem for our gala in May.  I collected poems without names on them. Tomorrow they will "shop" for a poem that speaks to them written by a student from a different class.  It will be glued into their sketchbook and the rest of the work will be completed in art. Mark your calendars--May 9 will be here before you know it! I can only hope we don't have to worry about the threat of snow then.

Pi Day

I love this day, 3.14...probably because it's an excuse to throw a party in the library, a place of many numbers.  And boy did we party.  Between PI cookies, pie, cookies and more, it was quite the dessert feast.  We did watch the Brainpop video on "Pi" and started a 3.14 scavenger hunt.  One thing I learned today:  I want to visit Garden City, Georgia.  They are home to the PI zip code.

Book Exchanges

Sadly, I don't have a library assistant and haven't for many years.  But I more than manage with my three grandmother volunteers.  Until one of them goes on vacation or calls in sick.  That's what happened today.  Fortunately, teachers are flexible and classes came in when I was able to help them. I do love book exchange.  I love when kids find books by people we love.

Note: Both of these books are illustrated by Matt Cordell!

The Wild Robot Escapes

My third grade book WILD ROBOT group is chomping at the bit to begin a part II book group with the sequel.  Arletta and I preordered the book so we are READY!  Of course, I already have three books going on right now and adding a fourth might send me a little over the edge...

ReadOver/SleepOver Prep

Second and third graders were invited to sleep over at school Friday night.  FUN!  I got involved in this PTO event a few years ago and now invite an author or illustrator to be a part of it. No, they don't (and neither do I) have to sleep over.  This year we are doing a Jigsaw Jones mystery themed evening starring our own local author, James Preller.  Dewey Duty and Reading Ambassadors began working on welcome signs for Jimmy this morning.  

Here's Mrs. Charsky checking out a Jigsaw Jones book to read aloud to her class.

NYLA Conference Call

Wait? What?  This was a fun sight to see.  I promise I was listening, just multitasking.  I carried my phone around with me in the library as I picked up to get ready to go and listened in on our Continuing Education Committee meeting call.  Don't worry! It was on mute when the custodian asked me if there was any pie left.

Music in Our Schools

This is a national month celebration, right?  Anyway, our whole community comes out for an evening of performances by students from the elementary school, middle school and high school.  We had second graders singing, middle schoolers rockin' out and high schoolers jammin'.  It really was awesome.  Yes, I had two performers in it but I did say more than once, you'll see me there in 2025 when I don't anymore.  But that's getting just a little ahead of myself...

When the day was happening, I didn't think I would ever get horizontal tonight.  But finally I see the light (or the dark if you want to be literal).  All in all, a great day with so much going on. This isn't even all of it!  Looking forward to see what tomorrow brings...