Warning: This a long one but there are freebies!

I thought that when I graduated with my Master's, I would have tons of time to blog, make units for TPT,create blog designs, make crafty things, and read.   HAVE MERCY! That has not been the case!

That is my friend Sam and me holding the blue folders.  We are working on a book blog as I type, so be on the look out!  The other two ladies are other first grade teachers and the best team members/friends that anyone could ask for!  I love them!

Anyway,  here is a little rundown of -some- of the things that have kept me from blogging.

This has been the busiest school year in my 5 years of teaching. During a team meeting, our Curriculum Coach walked in and a fellow teacher (one from the picture above:)) looked at her and said, "If you say, 'It's just on more thing' one more time, I am going to scream!"

Home life has been just as hectic. This summer we started remodeling/adding on to the house and are still not finished.

My poor Nana has been diagnosed with late life anorexia and dementia. She has broken 3 bones in as many months. I try to spend as much time with her as possible but my job in the situation has become taking my Papa to the grocery store on Friday night while someone sits with her. Please keep her in your prayers!  Isn't she precious?!?! :)

Silly Nana at Christmas.  She would kill me if she knew I put this pic on here, but I LOVE it!

I had planned on using Spring Break to catch up on all the fun things I love. Well, I woke up Sunday feeling like POO! I went to the doctor on Monday and found out I have the flu...ON SPRING BREAK! Ugh. SO the first few days were spent sleeping.

So Wednesday was the first day I got to check something off on my to do list.

Months ago, Katie King from Queen on the First Grade Jungle, contacted me about creating a blog design for her. She was so patient, sweet, wonderful, and understanding. She never gave up on me and I cannot thank her enough. Her new blog design is up and cute! Go over there and check out all her wonderful ideas. Make sure to check out her TPT store while you are there too!   Looking at her blog makes me want to fix me up a new one.  :)

I have made a few things to use in my classroom, I just haven't gotten around to sharing them. My school is Pre-K-2. Our sister school is 3-5 and is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) School. To prepare our little ones for what's to come, we do some kind of engineering/ inquiry based lesson at least once a week. I wrote about another engineering lesson {here} if you would like more information about it.

One of my favorite STEM lessons we do is building houses for The Three Little  Click the image below to check out the Freebies I created to go along with that lesson.

This next little freebie is a Contraction Word Work Center.  I saw something like it last year but could not find it anywhere this year, so I just made my own.  If you are the original "sharer" of the Green Egg Contractions please, please let me know and I will make sure you get the credit.  Click the pic to get the file.

Well that's it!  Give yourself a brain kiss if you made it to the end!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!  I am praying this week goes by quickly, because I cannot wait much longer for THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!!!!! One week... WOOOO HOOOO!

Cooperative Learning with a STEM Lesson

      This is an example of a STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) lesson that is done as a part of inquiry based learning at our school.  We try to get one of these projects done for every science unit we cover.  The one that I am posting as an example was a lesson that was done with  the force and motion/push and pull unit.  We follow a simplistic version of the engineering process.

      Throughout this process the students work in cooperative learning groups.  Each member of the group has a special job that he or she does during the engineering process.  To get the labels and descriptions for the cooperative learning group jobs, click this link:  Cooperative Learning Labels.

     In the "Imagine" stage, we go through a PowerPoint explain to the students what the project will require them to do. Click this link to view the PowerPoint Presentation I made for the push and pull unit:  Ramps: Forces and Motion ppt. If you would like the PowerPoint with working animations, just email me!  After the PowerPoint, the students break into their cooperative learning groups and the scribe of the group draws, with input from the group, what the final result will look like.
 
     In the "Plan" stage, again with input from the group, the scribe will  list all the materials that the group will need to complete the project.  The materials manager then brings the list to me at the "store" and get all the materials the group has listed.  By doing this the group must think ahead and decided what will work best for the final project.  They also have to think about everything that is needed to complete the project, like glue or tape to hold the larger materials together or scissors to cut the materials.  In the ramp project specifically the students had to choose what materials would work best for a platform and a ramp.
      The "Design" stage is when the group actually builds the ramp or whatever the project maybe. Then they test it to see if their planning and design was successful.    In this case the ramps were successful if the car was able to be pushed from the platform and roll past at least 5 floor tiles.
                                            Success!

    
                                     
                           Needs Improvement :(

      If the design did not succeed, then the group must rethink and improve upon the original design. 

     As with most everything we do in out class, we always end with a writing.  Each student will write their own story about the project.