9 Days of Summer

If you checked out my Weebly, you know I've changed my classroom theme to Super Kids.  I have had a Super Kid "star of the week" theme for about seven or eight years, but have had either a frog or monkey theme in my classroom.  I wanted a change and decided to extend my star of the week theme into my classroom.  I've spend much of my summer making things for my new classroom.  I hope to share some of them here.  So, I'll start with what's been around longest...my star of the week program.

I always start my Super Kid program alphabetically, but backwards!  Students with names that start at the beginning of the alphabet *always* get to go first!  So we start at the end of the alphabet.  The Super Kid has the opportunity to take home our Super Kid backpack with our mascot, his journal, and a snack to share with him, along with a Super Kid adventure and dossier to fill out.  Of course, in the past our mascot has been a frog or a monkey, but this year they will have a choice between The Flash, Aquaman, and a Wonder Pet to take home.  The Super Kid is our class leader for the entire week, doing all of the classroom jobs, which eliminates the need for a classroom job chart.  However, she does get to pick a "sidekick" (a friend to help with all of the jobs).   We discuss the importance of choosing a sidekick wisely, someone who is not only a good friend, but who is also responsible, hardworking and trustworthy.  Each day our Super Kid helps us get to know them by sharing their adventure and dossier, photographs, their favorite book and a talent.  At the end of the week we make a book of fan letters we have written to them.  It is a fun week for them, and a great way to get to know each other.  And yes, I am the first Super Kid (just as a demonstration of what to do and what to expect for their special week)!

Click here to get the Super Kid letter I send home to parents.

And here to get my Super Kid Dossier, profile, and adventure.

Check back for more SUPER theme items coming soon!

10 Days of Summer

An homage to 500 Days of Summer, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's awesome dance number, and quirky movies that make you want to buy the soundtrack (those are my favorite kind of movies).

There are only ten days left until school (unofficially) begins.  And I have so much more vacation left in me!  It's been a weird summer and a very difficult year, which is why I have not posted in so long.  A new puppy, a marriage, a trip to Cancun, a wedding ceremony, a ROUGH school year, a LENGTHY bathroom/closet construction, a trip to Florida, another wedding, a trip to Colorado with a lot of family drama, a long overdue trip to Columbus to meet a beautiful young lady and catch up with some of the best friends someone could ever have...but no excuses.

Here are some things I'd like to accomplish in the next ten days...

• Update my blog (good start, huh?)
• Get the house cleaned and organized before starting school
• Work on my Weebly for school and get it published to the school web site (check it out, tmcguffey.weebly.com)
• Finish up my classroom and get ready for my new students
• Take pictures of my updated classroom

It's a lot to do in ten days.  "He believed that this time his expectations would align with reality..."  And we all know what happened to Tom...

Oh yeah, did I mention...I got married...  :)