Hall Pass!

I'm linking up with my friend Reagan at Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits for her Hall Pass linky!

Product:
I just uploaded this mini-unit that I used a couple of weeks ago when I taught States of Matter!  My kids loved the mini-books, teacher book, and most importantly, the art activity!  I also did the art activity with my son's first grade class, since they are learning about matter, too.  The kids really understood the molecular composition of each state of matter after getting dirty with paint! :)

I also added in some Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) strategies:

Observation Charts - pics from Google Images and vocab cards from Jen Ross' awesome unit on Matter.

Chants - I found these on Pasco School District's GLAD Chant Bank.

T-Chart for Social Skills on Cooperation.  My kids needed a healthy reminder :)

Cognitive Content Dictionary - this strategy ties in nicely with our Marzano Vocab books.  We would predict, read about it, write the final meaning,  then write about the word in our journals.  Multiple exposure to the words and definitions!  Score!

I also used The Bubbly Blonde's massive Matter unit - it has some great experiments that my sub was able to do with my class.  Keep reading to find out why I needed a sub ;)

Area:

My desk area is slowly becoming my favorite.  I have a tiny desk, but a ton of stuff, so I've been trying to find creative organizational solutions!  I bought that toolbox thingy that's all over Pinterest, I just haven't spray painted it or made cutesy labels for it yet.  I also made a desk skirt so I can hide stuff under my desk and no one will ever see it!  I wrote a tutorial for it on Classroom DIY - check it out if you want to make a no-sew skirt, too!

Signal:

I used to say "3-2-1, Hands on your head!" and kids would stop what they were doing and put their hands on their head.  But, after attending a Daily 5 conference and hearing how lovely their chimes sounded, I went straight to Amazon and ordered a set of Woodstock Zenergy Chimes.  I love how they sound, how they are easy to carry around, and just like my pal Hadar, when I'm frustrated and hit them really hard, no one knows ;)  

Sanity:

My sanity is of course my beautiful family,

 My beautiful home in Hawaii,

 And my amazing network of teacher bloggers!  I went to Cincinnati this past weekend to meet up with some of my favs!  Here is the whole group at Rock Bottom Brewery downtown.

Top-down: Megan, Monica, Jessica, Hadar, Katie, Stephanie, Susan, Missy, Michelle, Tessa, Me, and Kelley!

At lunch with the infamous Missy Squirrels!

At dinner with Susan from TGIF!

My bunk-mate Tessa and I - driving from Chicago!

I feel so lucky to have these amazing ladies in my life and so blessed that I got to mean them IRL! 

I can't forget my giveaway winner!  Check your email, Dana!

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