Currently October

Heading to school this morning, it was dark and foggy! My daughter was all decked out in her Halloween t-shirt, candy corn glow in the dark necklace and batty socks!

A perfect start to October 1st!

A perfect end to Oct 1st with a Currently post!

I'm loving my new position as Instructional Technology Specialist. It has definitely been a learning curve with the "technical" aspect of the job, but the collaboration with the other ITS ... the best.

Thinking: I can't wait to meet all the Teachers of the Year from each of the state's 20 educational service centers this Thursday! Thursday, I head to Austin for a dinner reception and Friday is the awards ceremony.

Wanting: An arc binding system! I was in a professional development session and looked over at a teacher's binder...super cute cover and funky binding! I had to inquire. She flipped through her binder and explained the arc system. She said that she had purchased the binder machine from Staples. Then, she laminates and selects the papers she wants to arc bind.
Love it! My next fun project.

Needing: To get back on the treadmill.

Treat: Have you seen . . .

Get your class or a group of students to collaboratively 

write a book. 

Free!

Head over to Farley's blog to join the Currently craze!

Five for Friday

I can't decide if this was a long week or short week. I guess if I'm debating...it must have been long.
All I know...it's time for 5 for Friday!

Do you remember this game? This is how I felt today. I would take care of one issue and then up popped another, took care of that one and then up popped another...and so on...
I actually kinda like this game...as long as I don't play it every day!

Had to try the blueberry Dunkin' Donuts coffee! It didn't fail me!

Saw these in our art teacher's class today! Who knew?!!!

I'm not sure how I'm going to use these yet...

Just finished making these. Going to post these down our main hallway for the teachers. I created a responding template that allows teachers to add their own questions related to the pictures.

What do you notice? What can you infer from the picture? List 5 adjectives. Describe the setting.

Tonight, my daughter cooked the tortillas for our yummy fajitas!

Happy Friday!

Five for Friday

Now that I'm not in a classroom, I'm finding it hard to find my Five for Friday pics.

Maybe, I need to look at my new position through a new lens (pun intended hee-hee) for pictures during my week.

Pic #1: This week, I was completely surprised by my principal and a very nice gentleman from Blue Bell ice cream! The Blue Bell company recognized me for being our regional Texas Teacher of the Year.

All of our students were treated to an ice cream sandwich and I took home 4 GALLONS of my favorite ice cream! Then, I was told 2 local news stations were waiting for me outside to do a live interview plus a taped interview! It did NOT help that it was humid as all get out! Bring on the sweat! Nerves and atmospheric pressure! Let's just say...I would not have been a good spokes person for my deodorant company at that moment!

Super cute activity by one of our second grade teachers! 

Ok, I really like the precious clip holding the student work!

My daughter's Halloween costume came in today. 

Several of her friends are going as the whole Sesame Street, a bit more hip lookin' crew!

Had to purchase Cotillion gloves for my daughter. All the 5th grade girls AND boys are starting Cotillion on Monday! Whole new world!

Have you seen this guy?!!!! I know....soooooo "Only a mama could love" little guy!
He is the Blobfish ... voted the ugliest animal alive! This is a writing prompt waiting to happen! Tech integration somehow. I will figure it out!

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/blobfish-ugliest-animal-alive-humans-vote-8C11138120

Happy Friday!

Constitution Day...Week...All Year!

Constitution Day

Here in Texas...
Texas law (Tex. Education Code §29.907 & §Tex. Admin. Code 74.33) requires Texas public schools to acknowledge Celebrate Freedom week (week of September 17th) and conduct appropriate instruction concerning the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the abolitionist movement and women’s suffrage.

So, my fellow Instructional Technology Specialist and I put together some resources for this patriotic day!

Love this book!
Usually, this is the first book I read to my class. We discuss the meaning behind the constitution and create our class norms.

Who doesn't love School House Rock?!!!

Plus, we created a fun activity.

Constitution Day QR Code scavenger hunt down our main hallway for all to explore!

Just 5 little questions to find out your hidden identity!

http://constitutioncenter.org/foundersquiz/

What are your results? Post in comments!

Challenge another class to a 25 question quiz about the Constitution!

Easy to set up!

http://www.constitutionchallenge.com

Happy Constitution Day!

The Dot and colAR App

Had a super fun time in a 2nd grade class today.
Did you hear about International Dot Day?
Ok, really it was on September 15th, but we are making it Dot Week!

The teacher started of by reading the dot by Peter Reynolds. Then, each student created their own personal dot using the dot sheet pdf.

As students finished, they used the colAR app to watch their dot turn 3 dimensional! You should have heard the giggling, ohs and ahs, and surprise as their dot came to life! The directions for using the app are on the link above.

Read-Write-Think has a great interactive theme poem. You can select the circle and write a poem! So fun!

The dot on the left turned into many dots.

The dot on the right, the boy has his hand under the camera. He's trying to hold the dot!

Integrate some writing with ReadWrite Think!

Happy Dot Day!

Five for Friday

Life is finally settling back into a regular routine...mainly...

Five for Friday!

I commandeered a section of the bulletin board in our teacher workroom. I actually thought when I left the classroom...that would be my last bulletin board. The empty space was calling my name! What better bulletin board to put up, but one that promotes technology integration?! I featured 3 mentor texts and a great website to go with each book. My goal is to change it out every 2 weeks.

My first after school tech session...I shared various QR task cards that I have used in my classroom the past few years. I shared organization ideas and how to create a quick QR code for a website. I also found ways that teachers are integrating QR codes in their classroom. Plus...snacks! Yum!

 Oh, boy! Today I ventured over to our tech lab for a Chromebook set up party! Several of the instructional tech specialists were going to get started setting up the Chromebooks so we could get them out to the teachers. Unfortunately, we ran into a bit of road block. We lacked certain privileges to finish the set up process. Next week...we will finish!

I was so excited to get this in the mail! My sister-in-law is a published author! It is a touching story about raising a son with high-functioning autism. She has THE best beginning to her story! I'll be blogging about it a bit more at a later date.
If you just can't wait for me to blog about it....click on the picture to take you to the publishing company. I'm so proud of Staci for sharing her journey.

So...here is where I will read the published book. ( I read it pre-published...provided a bit of feedback.)
I have wanted an outdoor couch for F-O-R-E-V-E-R! Finally, I got it! Mosquitos go away! Cool weather...come on!

Happy Friday everyone!

My Life in Numbers (Integrating Math & LA)

My daughter had fun with...My Life in Numbers project...not with her math teacher, but her language arts teacher! My daughter's Language Arts teacher took it to a new level to integrate the language arts portion...write a complete sentence to go with each picture! Love it!
Way to go with integration! This is what Emma created! Sooo many tech skills creating this!