Weekly Wrap Up

It is with happiness that I can announce....state testing is OVER!  Thank goodness!  My 4th graders were tested in each subject and by Friday, we were all just ready for it to be over!  Now, let's hope for great results!  Does anyone else walk around the entire time thinking of all the things you could/should be doing in your classroom?

Between PASS testing, cleaning out one drawer/cabinet per day, regular demands at school and at home, and masters classwork, I just haven't had time to blog anything this week.  Although between PASS testing and PASS review, it hasn't been too exciting!  BUT, I still have a few things to share for Five for Friday, which is coming to you on a Saturday!

One - With testing, my partner teacher and I created little sayings and attached a piece of candy to them.  We thought they were cute!

Two - I did manage by swing by our book room and snag a few books I thought I would use next year. Number the Stars is a guarantee.  I stocked up on lots of units from Teachers Pay Teachers this week for this text.

Another one that was really good was The Sign of the Beaver.  Although it probably fits better with 4th grade standards, we will still use it as a read aloud.  I found it very interesting and read it all in one day!

I am a Star is a book I read this morning, but probably will not use when I teach 5th grade next year.  I enjoyed reading it, but I think it may be a little much for 5th grade when it comes to details about concentration camps.  Although I read it in no time from start to finish, it did make my stomach crawl just reading about the horrible conditions Jews went through. 

Four - After testing each day, we worked on Mother's Day projects!  We took each child's picture holding a sign that said, "I love you to pieces!" We purchased frames at the Dollar Tree with money we had raised from our class play.  Students decorated puzzle pieces and glued onto the frame.  They were cute!  As much as I love doing projects like this, it's always so hard on those students whose mothers aren't in their life.  This year I had several not make one for a mother, but for someone else.  And if you've been reading my blog, you'll remember that one of my students lost his mother a few weeks ago.  He still wanted to make one, but his card broke my heart in a million pieces.  

Five - I sent out my last book order this week and saw that Island of the Blue Dolphins is on sale for $1!  I had been thinking of using it next year as a novel study, but could only find 6 copies in our book room.  I am seriously considering purchasing a class set since they are on sale!

How many weeks/days do you have left?  We have 15 full days and 3 half days....but who's counting, right?!