What-I'm-Working-on-Wednesday

Technically, it is still Wednesday... for another three minutes, if I can think and type fast enough.  With Farley's next "Currently" imminent, I knew I had to squeeze in a reasonable facsimile of a post before June1st !  So here is "What-I'm-Working-on-Wednesday".

It's a quick look at a little add-on to our Family Day Project.  More details, a printable, and pics to follow.

Currently...May, and a Pinterest Laugh

    Currently, May!  Linking up with Farley at Oh' Boy,4th Grade!

  

 * before this happens...

                                 {source}

New Blog Finds!

New teaching blogs are popping up daily, and finding great ideas from other teachers is so much fun!   I still have several original go-to blog favorites that I always rely on for inspiration, but I'm always excited to find new blogs, too! Check out these two newer blogs that I have recently discovered, and am currently following:

Diversity Dish
                                                   
Diversity Dish focuses on multiculturalism. I love that this blog will be exploring ways to celebrate diversity and multiculturalism in the classroom.  I am always trying to find new resources and ways to help my students learn to accept and appreciate differences in themselves and others.
                                          

       
                                         





Basket of Books spotlights specific books and thoughtful, relevant ways ways to use them in lesson planning.  Who doesn't have overflowing baskets and bookshelves, with at least a few underused treasures buried within them?

Thursday Thought

"When someone tells you who they are, believe them."
                            Maya Angelou

Trashed and Rehashed {Earth Day Printable Edit}

Do Over.  New and Improved.  After the Test Drive.  Wish I Thought of This Sooner.   I couldn't decide what to title this post.  The most humbling title would have been "Thank You for Being So Kind About NOT Pointing Out My Obvious Errors!"  Lengthy, but so true.  In the end, I settled for "Trashed and Rehashed...". Very Fitting.


When I created the Dear Mother Earth planner and letter template, I thought it was pretty "workable".  What I discovered, after I printed and copied the planners and letter templates for my class, was  that they both needed a little tweaking. There were two slight blaring errors that I had to work around.  {Since it was Mother Earth that we were honoring, I couldn't very well justify trashing all of the freshly copied pages!  We used them anyway, flaws and all.}

Take a look:

Now take a look at the new and {hopefully} improved version:

This revised version is what I came up with after the fact. I realized that the original planner didn't really have a prompt for an adequate closing.  {And besides, when we transferred  the sentences from the planner to the letter template, there were still two lines to fill!}  I also added a few different versions of the letter template.

So, the new closing prompt killed two birds with one stone {not really an appropriate reference on an Earth Day post} was just the right fix . We used the flawed planner this year, and improvised  as we worked.  But next year, we can all use the new planner! 

Earth Day Flip Book {Cara-Inspired}

Cara just posted a pic of an adorable Earth Day cause-and-effect flip book. Check out her original idea here.  I really wanted to make this simple little treasure with my class today.

Since I couldn't find a printable for Cara's Earth Day flip book on her blog or in her TPT shop, I recreated a version based on her idea. I changed the orientation of the page to "Landscape". The front of the flip book is slightly altered. Inside, I included lines for writing; on the back, I added my "Picture-Perfect Planet" graphic.  {Print the two pages back-to-back, before copying for the class.}

My students loved making their Earth Day Flip Books-they were  so cute, fun, and easy! {Thanks for sharing your idea, Cara. } Here are just a few samples of the last of our Earth Day writing work:

Top: Earth Day Flip Books {Original
   idea, Cara; this one, my copy}
Next: My Earth Day Promise,{Mine}
Then: Me on the Map {Mine}
   and  Map Circles Book, {Andi}
Last:  Dear Mother Earth {Original idea, Rachelle; this one, my copy}

{Yeah, that gaping space on the wall is
just waiting for one of my little stragglers
to finish writing the final copy!}

                

          

  

                  Happy Earth Day :)

Earth Day Writing Samples

So, what's in their pockets? Nature poems, of course!  Everyone made an "I ♥ Earth Pocket" and stashed an original poem inside. {Budding poets used thesauruses to add punch to their writing.}   Crayola Construction Paper Crayons deposited vibrant color on the bright blue paper.  Brass brads held it all together.

Here are a few samples of our Earth Day Lunes :

Here are a few samples of our Earth Day Promises :

Names had to be smudged out in PS; next time, I'll take pics before the names go on the front, to save time.

Poetry Printable {Lune}, Earth Day

Our Earth Day Promises are written, revised, and proudly displayed.  The planner really helped focus the children on the content and sequence.  Dear Mother Earth letters are mounted and waiting to be hung.  I ♥ Earth Poem Pockets are in process.  

Activities for Earth Day and "A Poem in My Pocket Day" are right on track, maybe even ahead of schedule!  The children have been busy writing and sharing their published work. They are especially excited about writing their lunes- so excited, that they're asking to write more!

Here's the little planner packet that we used to brainstorm and organize ideas.  First , we read the sample poem "Daffodil", and discussed the elements of a lune. Next, we brainstormed topics in nature, and some related adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.  Then, we wrote first drafts, revised, and edited.  {Some of those proud little poets even published their final copies on the pocket template found  here- all in one day!}

Weekly Planner {Printable}

Sometimes, sticky notes and to-do lists are the only way I can remember to get everything done.  I've been using Rachellle's {What the Teacher Wants!} Weekly Planner for about a year now and it has really been helpful!

At this time of year, my to-do list  is constantly growing. So, I borrowed Rachelle's idea and tweaked it just a little bit, to meet my needs.  Check out Rachelle's version here, and click on the pic below for a copy of mine: