My BIG news!

So no...I'm not pregnant (I didn't really think the "hint" I left on my last post all the way through...a little duckling). But no one really guess as to what my news was, I guess that's what I get for being away from blog world for so long.

Anyway....the news is that my family is moving to the west coast...more specifically, Oregon! Now do you get the DUCK hint?!?!...need a little more help?

Why Oregon you ask? Well my husband's parents live in Northern California (where we visited last summer, and yes at that time we were making a decision to move there). We wanted to move to the area to be closer to his family. The area his parents live in didn't offer much in the job market, so we went about 30 minutes north and really liked the Medford (more Ashland) area of Oregon. Almost a year later, to the month my husband secured a job in that area.

He is already living there, along with ALL our stuff. My daughter and I are still in GA until the end of the school year and then will make the trip to join him.

Maybe now this will also shed some light on to my lack of blogging. It's been a long, rough, and difficult process. I would say that my husband has made approximately five trips (if not more) to Oregon in the past 8 months to interview, test, interview again, move some of our stuff, then move the remainder of our stuff out there. We fortunately sold our house and moved in with family, again very thankful, but very different. I had to pack up all my "side business" items (buckets) and store those.

Finally, on this final move that my husband made I had to pack up my classroom! Yep...if I wanted ANY of my teaching items out on the west coast they had to be packed up and go with the hubby (my daughter and I are flying). I also was pretty limited to what I could take, due to room. It was pretty difficult but I narrowed it down to about 6 tubs, and 10 boxes. I was going to take a picture of it, but (not kidding) I had already packed the good camera. My classroom doesn't look much different right now because NONE of the furniture that I bought nor most of the decor made the move. :(  But I made peace with that and really look forward to setting up a new classroom. On the bright side my teacher friends have already started tagging the items they want in my end of the year classroom garage sale!

Yes I do plan on teaching out in Oregon, just not so sure how that is going to go. I have been very busy sending out applications, filling out online applications, and applying for my Oregon certification (that has been a massive headache right there!). I am pretty lucky that Oregon should take all of my GA credentials, but I am going to have to take a Civil Rights exam (eek, must start studying for that one). The hard part was the money YIKES, and the fingerprinting. The other hard part is being in GA while most schools in Oregon are interviewing. I've already gotten two emails explaining that they interviewed local people first and have filled their positions. I did get a tentative Skype interview, but she also said that they would interview locals first then schedule the Skype interview.

Therefore if anyone knows anyone or openings in the Medford area, help a teacher out! :) I'm not against finding a job outside of teaching, but after 10yrs...it's pretty much my passion. I am open to possibly doing something related to education, maybe even technology in education.

As a follower of my blog...you get yet ANOTHER classroom reveal (job pending of course)!!!!

Thank you for sticking with me and being so understanding as my family has been and will be going through this adjustment and huge step!

SUPER Field Day

This year the theme for our field day (because every great field day has a theme, right?!?!) was SUPERHEROES!

Each class had to choose a superhero to "be" or represent them. So during the awesomeness that is state testing, I was racking my brain trying to think of what superhero my class would be. I do the usual Pinterest search, then resorted to a Google image search...I know...what was I thinking?!?!

Awhile ago my class was the Falkenators for a fun run theme, it was great at the time, but it just didn't seem to fit this year. When I was about to give up and just let the kids pick a random superhero it came to me....

DRUM ROLL.....

YEP we went Old School! (Side note conversation overheard...Specials teacher: "Awesome, you guys went old school, that great!"...few moments later...Student: "Old school? That's a good thing right?!?!")

Once I thought of it, I couldn't believe I didn't think of it earlier! It was perfect! We had a really great discussion about what being an underdog was and the meaning this particular name/superhero had for our class. I brought up the fact that we were the Underdogs of the 5th grade: we were the smallest class in number, and probably the shortest in total height. But not only that we were probably considered the underdogs because of the "make-up" of our class. At this point all my students were aware of the fact that I was the transition teacher (both 4th and 5th grade), but now at this point in the year....we talked about how we exceeded every one's expectations because we were ALL 5th graders now! We then went into a great conversation about how my expectations of our class have always been high and have never changed, however some other people may have looked at our class and said "oh that's expected of them" "they are transition" etc. Therefore in the white portion of our banner every student wrote one thing they were proud of themselves for accomplishing this year. They were so proud!

After deciding the superhero and choosing a banner, we got to work...

We then decided on our "costumes"...red t-shirts of course, but I couldn't just leave it at that. We actually put U's on our shirts...just like Underdog! Some of the students brought in shirts early and I (with permission of course) cut U's out of iron on paper that you can purchase, print your design on, then iron on. I simply didn't print anything, cut the U's, then ironed them on. For those students that didn't want or didn't have permission for a perm. U, I found sticky felt! It worked and they looked great! I was so thrilled that I had 100% participate.

Then I still felt as though something was missing. And it came to me....CAPES! What good a superhero without his/her cape?!?

This is us headed out to the field! And if you are looking for a cheap cape...head over to Hobby Lobby (I mean I NEVER go there!) and check out their bandanna selection! They make great capes, just safety pin them on and go!

And if you are looking for a few other superhero themes here are a few great banners!

Stay tuned for my news!!! I know, two posts in a week..what!?!? 

Here is a hint:

What...I have a blog??!?!?

I promise I did not forget about you all...promise!

Once again life has taken over, and of course my classroom schedule became hectic as well.

We did sell our house (yea!) and are temporally moved (squished) in with my mother and sister. I'll update you all more on what our future plans are, but you will have to wait like everyone else for that :) My hubby and I celebrated 10 years together (while packing and moving), not our ideal 10 year anniversary...we had thought of doing something grand when we talked about it a few years ago...but we had no idea then that we would be packing and moving. So those plans were put on the back burner, maybe next year.

My family did get together for our annual Eggextravaganza. I somehow managed to upgrade the girls' Easter buckets (after digging through boxes to find my cutting machine). I love how they turned out!

Feel free to add captions to this one!

I must admit I am a bit of a chevron freak...along with polka-dots!

I did somehow manage to make it to Spring Break...it was rough that last week. I had to give my transition students the 4th grade CAR (content area retest), manage behaviors (SPRING FEVER hit my room hard, 2 in school...reflection room attendants, and two suspensions...my AP kept giving me chocolate, not such a good sign).

We have also been booking it through our Social Studies content. Teaching Civil War to present day is a TON of material! I love my co-workers and how well we work together when planning. We have been integrating  Social Studies into our Reading lessons like crazy! If you haven't already done so, head over to ReadWorks.org  it's free and a lot of their passages are Science/Social Studies common core...and it's FREE!!!!

Once I finally got my daughter over croup (again) Spring Break came as did the pollen! Which knocked me on my bottom. Ever wonder how much your child touches your car? Well head to the south and park your car outside overnight, and tada...POLLEN ART! This picture does not do it justice.

We did manage to do a few things around town...it's a little different when you don't have your own house and are staying with someone else.

 Someone went to the dentist! I did too, but I have to take Valium just to get a cleaning; therefore, my picture is not as cute :) 

She got her hair cut and done! 

And we hung out at the park

Overall not too bad of a break, but nothing real exciting...and it's almost over. 

We head into the home stretch when we get back...one week of test prep, finish curriculum madness then state testing begins! I don't have any amazing plans or packets...just not enough time! I will say that another great tool I have been using is LearnZillion.com...and they just came out with an app for your ipad or iphone. It's common core aligned as well. 

After testing the true madness begins! Maybe I'll have some fun things planned to keep them busy....no promises though :) 

March Madness

Well boxes are being packed and my inner OCD is FREAKING out! Living in a house that you are packing, well there is just no keeping it neat and clean. On top of that March Madness has begun....I panicked a little when I wrote this on Friday!

Does your March look like this???

On another note Friday was favorite book character day. I went as the Paper Bag Princess. If you haven't read that book it's a MUST. Also here are some of my great co-workers and their costumes!

And finally...my daughter also had favorite character dress up on Friday, she went as a sassy Pinkalicious

Here it is!

Items to Gather:  

• empty 7-Up/Sprite bottles
• holiday ribbon
• scissors
• hole punch
• writing/tag printables (click here for them)
• optional: glitter, four leaf clovers, gold coins, Lucky Charms, etc.

How to:
1. Begin by cleaning and emptying the soda bottles (including the labels)

2. Have the students use the printable to write their narrative on how to catch a leprechaun. Their writing should include items they can use in order to catch a leprechaun, these items can be placed inside their bottle. Items can be ones the teacher provides or items the students bring from home, but they must be able to fit inside the bottle.



3. The student will roll up their writing and put it inside the bottle.

4. Use the ribbon and printable tag to decorate the bottle.