Say it isn't so....Back to School is Here

My Monday Morning reflection is the realization that summer is coming to an end and I plan to wake up early to enjoy and appreciate every last moment.  The sun breaking through the morning haze as birds chirp their daily greeting are memories I want to hold on to for the cold days of winter ahead.

 Some profess to be so excited to be going back to school, but I am not a fan.  Going back to school means so much more than going back to work, it means summer is ending. I don't want to think about the cold season ahead so I avoid the back to school ads with their amazing deals on notebooks and crayons.  I don't want summer to end.

 I don't mind the fall, it is colorful and the weather is pleasant. However, after the glory of a colorful fall winter comes creeping around the corner.  Winter...lovely at Christmas but then it just needs to go away.  Subzero temperatures and eyeballs up to snow is not my idea of a fun time.
I love summer and the endless possibilities of the outdoors that it brings.  I practically live outside in the summer but when winter comes I am only outside for the seconds it takes to run to my car.  I have lived in this tundra like winter climate always however winter seems to get more difficult with each passing year.  I just want to be able to start my day with breakfast on my deck and end it grilling my dinner.  Winter robs me of that opportunity, so when the ads bombard me with "back to school" sales I am sad as I am awakened to the end to summer.  I guess that best strategy is to focus on the new school year and all the exciting new challeges it will bring.
As I come to terms with the reality of summer winding down I have started working on some of the back to school activities I plan to use with my students.  While reading Back to School, Splat by Rob Scotton to my 8 year old I began to think of activities to align it to Common Core Standards and yet make it engaging and fun for students.  The result is Back to School Literacy and Math with Splat the Cat.  Splat is so much fun and I hope by incorporating Splat into math and literacy more students will be motivated by his curious spirit to explore math and literacy.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Literacy-and-Math-with-Splat-the-Cat-2017256

Enjoy your Monday Morning as we wind through the last lazy days of summer.

Monday Morning and I am taking time to...

Taking time to smell the roses...

No roses but I have a beautiful hibiscus!  Yes, summer school is over and I finally have some time to enjoy a little bit of summer before school resumes.

This Monday is the first Monday that I didn't have to get up at 5:45am for work.  Howevcr from a summer of being conditioned to wake up at that time I was up by 6:00am despite my best intentions to sleep late.
I had the luxury of being able to eat a leisurely breakfast on my deck while listening to bird songs and enjoying the garden scencery surrounding me.  This is how a Monday morning should start!  No rushing and mentally going through my checklist of all I had to do as I fly out the front door.  I am still making a "to do list" in my mind but at a relaxed pace. I have time to revise it and think deeply about goals. It is really more powerful to have the oportunity to mindfully plan while surrounded by nature.

One of my plans is to work on more items for my TPT store.  Actually I don't consider that work.  It is a creative outlet for my art and writing skills and the process is fun and rewarding.  The next two days Teachers Pay Teachers is having a store wide "Back to School Sale". If you use the code:  BTS15 you can receive a 28% discount on any purchase.  I know I don't want to think about back to school already, especially on my first day of vacation this summer.  However, in a couple of weeks it will be a reality and being prepared does make the transition smoother.
There really are some excellent products designed by teachers for teachers.  If you have time check it out: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mondaymorning
Time to put the lap top away and go back to my first leisurely Monday morning in months.  Hope you find some time in your day to enjoy your Monday!

Back to School - Math Fluency Strips

I have closed my eyes to the  ads and turned the channel at the mention of it however, I am starting to come out of denial.  It is beginning to look like "BACK TO SCHOOL" time.  To help ease the pain of that adjustment I have my " Math Vocabulary Fluency Strips for Triangles and Angles" available for FREE download in my TPT store right now.  I have found these fluency strips to be a vital tool to differentiate my instruction for the variety of learners in my classroom.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Fluency-Strips-for-Triangles-and-Angles-Vocabulary-1765089

 

They are great in math centers too.  There are 2 downloadable versions, one with a fill in the blank and one with the answers.

Hope you find them useful for your classroom!   

Savor the last few days of summer break!

Where Did All the Butterflies Go?

Early this summer I had Monarch butterflies dining on the nectar of the sweet smelling flowers in the  group of milkweed plants in my garden.  The butterflys are gone now as the last days of summer blend into the approaching autumn chill.  The milkweed's flowers have transformed into pods that will soon burst open with the whispy seeds.
This is a good time to hold on to our memories of summer and so I am revisiting one of my summer blog posts and my inspiration for this Life Cycle of the Butterfly activity. 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Life-Cycle-of-a-Butterfly-1984219

Butterflies have been gracefully circling the milkweed plants in my garden for days now and providing inspiration for my newest TPT product; The Life Cycle of a Butterfly.

I have included many hands-on activities such as this engaging art project with pasta to reinforce the stages in the development of the butterfly.

 

 

Numerous reading activities, including a nonfiction close read.

 

 

Math printables

 

I spite of my neighbor's unhappy glances at my butterfly garden because it includes a few milkweed plants I have allowed the milkweed to remain.  Some may view them as weeds but they exist in my garden for the sole propose of attracting monarch butterflies.  In addition to the monarchs I have also observed humming birds drinking nectar from the milkweed's fragrant flowers, another reason to allow this plant to take residence in my garden.

 

The cycle of nature is my Everyday Motivation. Taking time to appreciate the wonders of nature unfolding in my garden gives me the patience, peace and focus I need to meet and balance all the demands of my job and family this week.

Summer School in the City-Watch Out for Lions!

Early in the week the news was warnings of a new car jacking scheme in the city.  Someone would bump your car from behind and when you got out of your car to assess the accident they  would jump in and drive off with your car.  Thus, I have been mindful  as I drive around the city providing support for summer school programs at various schools.

Today I have a different danger that the media is warning residents about. 

This morning I will be in the neighborhood where the lion was sighted and I have to admit I feel a bit nervous. When I first heard about this lion  sighting I thought it had to be some kind of joke, however when I saw the video someone had taken of the lion prowling in a backyard it gave it credibility.

So I am off to the city, watching out for car jackers, stray bullets and a lion! 

 

Here's a little Friday Smile from Monday Morning.  I provide support for the summer school program for 7 schools in our district.  As part of the support I provide I frequently help teachers by administering pre-tests for science content being taught in the summer program.  The K5 and 1st grade testing is time consuming because the tests are read to the student and then their response is written down.  The 1st graders are going to being studying the earth and the effects of pollution on our environment.  I really had to chuckle at the response one of the children gave to the question"Why must we protect the earth?"  See the response below.

 

I thought the answer "because God loves clean" was cute and it made me smile.  Have a great weekend!

Off to work on Monday Morning

It's Monday Morning and although it's summer contrary to the public opinion that teachers are just  laying around in the sun sipping ice tea all summer, I am working.  I am working 3 jobs this summer.  I do summer school program support in the morning, academic coordinator for our CLC in the afternoon and free lance writing anywhere I can fit it in.  I really would much rather be sipping ice tea in the sun but I have bills to pay, hence the summer jobs.  Actually I enjoy what I do and it is a nice change of pace from the routine of the school year.  I provide support to 7 different schools and travel from one end of the city to the other to cover my schools.  I relish being able to drive around and enjoy the views of summer in the city as I travel.
However, there is a comfortable lounge chair in a cozy spot on my deck surrounded by flowers calling my name every morning. I have to walk by and head to my car and drive out to the city. I always pause for I moment as I walk by just to enjoy the image but then I move on.

It is not so bad, summer school and CLC end in August so I will have all of August to finally sit back and relax.  I can't wait!