I experienced Antarctica and I didn't even have to leave school!

What a week! WOWZERS! Full moon and no heat in my classroom for 3 days… I am all about life experience when learning but hanging out in Antarctica is not my idea of fun! J

Despite these trials…lots of learning and fun transpired! We have  hung out with Mrs. Parrott’s class for many hours the last 3 days. I am thankful for our community of learners that just went with it! We learned tons about Penguins and made a bubble map to help us remember important facts. We learned 5 new vocabulary words this week, learned about the 3 main states of matter, learned CK digraph and how to spell with it AND how to write a rebus story. WE WERE BUSY!

I worked for about 5 hours today on my Winter, Penguin and Antarctica Unit. I wish I knew how some of these teacher gals whip out and post a unit so fast. Practice makes perfect…right? J

I am stoked to have Monday off and I have big plans to have a shopping day with Kelly! My girls are spending the day with my mom at her request! I might be a little excited! Have a good weekend and an excellent Monday!!

I am simply... STOKED!

May I just say I am mighty stoked about this new and BEAUTIFULLY bright blog design. I am lovin’ it bunches! Thank you Alicia over at Dreamlike Magic for this awesome and very “me” design!
Of course, I have to mention that I am SOOO proud of those BAMA BOYS for winning the National Championship! I have only been a TRUE football fan for 3 years and 2 of those Alabama has won the championship. Just call me their good luck charm. :) I own it. (hehehe)
I am hard at work on my penguin/winter/Antarctica unit which will be my first BIG project published on TPT and Teachersnotebook. It is about to wear me slick... I am too picky but if it has my name on it, it will be all that and a little more. :D I hope your week is a rammer jammer kind of awesome! Hang in there ya’ll... there has to be a snow day coming sooner or later!

Kelly's boys and my girls... yep, they are ALL Alabama fans! :0)

Extreme Make Over BLOG EDITION Coming Soon!!!!!!

So... you might be thinking that I JUST changed it but it is just to hold me over for the EXTREME make over coming soon via… 

 

Alicia is designing my set RIGHT NOW and I am sooooo excited!!! I know this will inspire me to write more!  Look for the new look COMING SOON!!!!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Happy New Year! J There is so much to be thankful for in 2012! We are looking forward to our new school and the final design process! Reading and Homework Folder Collaboration will be in full swing starting January 10^th. Mrs. Parrott and I are working on our Penguin and Winter Unit while planning a very exciting 100^th Day of Kindergarten Celebration for later in January. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wish you a blessed New Year! We look forward to sharing it with you! Welcome Back Students… Tomorrow is the beginning of the second half of kindergarten! WOOT!!

~ Kristine

Our world travel unit continues...

We have now "visited" Mexico, Sweden, England, France and Italy. We are presently visiting Australia and then we will be off to our last country...Germany. As we have traveled we have made many things to help us remember our travels. We have read books, made flags for each country, tried many different foods, worked in special books that integrate math, literacy and social studies. We have participated in many special activities.

 

We had ham baguettes when we visited France. Kelly and I ate many of these during our stay in and around Paris.

     

    

We are already planning for our next unit... Winter and Penguins. I made this snowman game to use during small groups and as a literacy center extension.  Click on the link below to check it out!

Snowman Literacy Game

I am so proud to announce that Kelly Parrott is now a Nationally Board Certified Teacher! I don’t think I have ever been prouder of anyone in my life. What a journey it was! J I loved supporting her through the process and having one of the most independent people I know rely on me for encouragement and guidance. I loved seeing the realness of the process by watching Kelly evolve as a teacher. She was already so great and how neat it was to watch a master teacher grow even more. WOW! It was amazing.

The “National Board Process” is so different for each person. Regardless of who you are, it is stressful, demanding and time-consuming. If you truly invest in the process, you will grow beyond your wildest dreams. I will never go back to the PERSON I was before National Board. I say person because it didn’t just change my teaching, it changed me. I am now deeply reflective and constantly analyze my life to make improvements in all areas. It is true, I still fall short in so many areas but I am a constant work in progress. Kelly has grown so much in the areas of reflection and writing. It is awesome to look back at where she was a year ago and then look at her today. She has become refined in so many ways. There were many sacrifices along the way but I would make them all again to witness her success. Through her experience, I grew even more. I am so grateful for that opportunity. Our friendship has changed since National Board... and I can honestly say that I never saw that coming. Today, I can tell you that we are more like family than ever before because of the road we have traveled together. National Board Certification is not for the weak or easily overwhelmed. It is for the committed and the determined. It is for teachers who KNOW they have room to grow and change for the better... who want to further develop as educators and people.

Congratulations Kelly... Welcome to the NBCT family! You are an AMAZING teacher! I am so proud of you!! J

Top of the day to ya lads and ladies! J

Our students have been enjoying all of our adventures around the world and especially our stop in England this past week! We read all about Paddington Bear (and even sent him off for a trip of his own to England with a parent). We enjoyed Paddington’s favorite food... marmalade sandwiches for snack on Thursday.

Marmalade Sandwiches were a HUGE HIT! J

On Friday, we celebrated the English tradition of Afternoon Tea with Our SMART Community. It was amazing! We enjoyed tarts, tea, wassail, cucumber sandwiches, tea biscuits, mini cakes and scones with jam. The children absolutely loved it! Mrs. Parrott and I purchased china tea cups so we can make this an annual event! Our little lads and ladies were all dressed up for the occasion!

 

Kindergarten... where memories are made!

(Mrs. Parrott and I loved it as much as our students! It brought back such happy memories of our trip to England... and Afternoon Tea @ Harrod's!)