HELPERS, FROGS, FREE PRINTABLES, OH MY!

I am so excited because this coming school year I can have helpers! Well, I did have "helpers" in my 6th grade classes but it was a limited role in that I only had one person do everything and used "little jobs" as rewards or motivators for my students to look forward to. Who'd a thought that sweeping my nasty old floor would be a reward? It must have been the candy that was earned behind all that sweeping....LOL!

Anyway, as I looked around Pinterest this past month I noticed a few good resources about helpers and figured I had to decide what I will do. Since I will have 3 classes [exactly what I will have I still don't know, to be honest] I decided that the best way to tackle it is to have one boy and one girl from each class as helpers of the week. I like the application process I pinned somewhere in Pinterest Land and will certainly use that....kinda like a "get-to-know-you" activity in the first few days of school. Which students won't want to do that? Imagine reading these some time into the school year and possibly even opening up the application process again using it as an editing activity? Hmmm....need to write that down.

Anyway, I was, at one point [haven't yet ruled it out], considering going with the black, green, and gray chevron with frog accents theme as seen on the awesome Inspired In Style blog. I made these cute helper posters to hang somewhere in my room if I just-so-happen to go with the frog theme:

I plan to hang a cute black or green or gray ribbon from each and either use color-coded [by class] clothes pins with names on them or coordinating name plates color-coded [by class as well] to display who earned the coveted roles for each week. Cute, huh? :)

Well, that's all I have for now! Go on and check it out, download it for free if you like .... just click on the pictures! After all, it is SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!

P.S. The frog clip art comes from www.mycutegraphics.com! :)

FREEBIE! A Binder Design for a Teaching Diva....

You know, after reading my posts from a long time ago, I said I was not going to jump on the "pay-me" bandwagon...we are teachers right? We need to share right? So go ahead and read on....

Well...since I am moving schools and grade levels I decided to jump on board with all the rage...Diva Designer Classroom Accessories. I love what I have been seeing online and figured I can make one for myself. I'm loving the black, white, and all that chevron I keep seeing everywhere. So I made one. Here are just a few snap shots:

There are many more pages/designs in this download that are ready to be customized by you. If you are interested, I have them on my TPT site. This is free...yep FREE! :) 

Go ahead and get you one Diva...after all it is SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!

CH- CH- CH- CHANGES....

ARE FABULOUS! 

June has left me in a bit of a peculiar-feeling state. I am changing schools this year [my choice and a good one I might add] and, YES, subjects too...well sort of like adding on! I will be teaching 3rd/4th grade [as of right now] Science AND Social Studies. I am soooo ok with the Science part, of course! It's the Social Studies that will have me learning along side with my kiddoes. But I'm game for it. Of course my room will be totally different. GONE is my HUGE, AWESOME room with my HUGE, AWESOMELY-SPECTACULAR Promethean board only to be replaced with a smaller, earlier model. I can definitely live with that though. :) Yea, I'm flexible like that [patting myself on the shoulder].

Content-wise, I know that a LOT of what I used  previously [Science-wise] with my 6th graders will sooo have to be watered down. A LOT. But, with holding my expectations still sky high, I'm certain my little boo-boos will be able to hold their own and learn and grow as the CCSS and other governing guidelines expect. 

I am in the process of deciding if I will use ISNs [the new Science text is an interactive workbook, so I need to decide if its worth the time] as well as HOW I want to approach the Social Studies aspect. And to be honest, my room! Oh my, what will I do with my room!

So while I get my thoughts together, I will leave you with this SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED quote: "Never let your past dictate your future." - Zig Ziglar

Hello World...It's Me, The Science Diva!

Well, well, well! Yes, I know. I haven't posted or shared ANYTHING in what seems like FOREVER! I understand that. But, like the rest of you, my time this past school year has been spent going through CHANGE. Between new administration [BOY did I MISS my former principal this year!], COMPASS/SLTs [the new method of evaluating teachers in Louisiana], having a student teacher [whom I loved soooooo  much!], and, well, overall EXHAUSTION....you see where this is leading. NO extra time. 

Well, thank God for summer...at least the 2 months I will have to gain back my sanity, change schools AND grade levels [my choice...heck I figured if this year has been about change I may as well go all out!], become a part of the Leadership Academy for my district, go to Disney again, and catch up on the many tv series and movies I have either missed or plan to watch . Yep...it will be a very BUSY 2 months! But, I do plan to update you on how my centers unfolded, how the ISN worked out, how Mr. Parr added a special rhythm to my lessons, how I had to say a heartfelt goodbye to my state-of-the-art Promethean board, and the many new things that are certain to bring that special BLING to next school year! 

Check back soon because I promise it will all be SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!

Morning Attendance

Hi y'all! I have lots of comments & emails to respond to so I'll  say hello, ...."Hello!" .... leave you with a little something, and get to it.

I teach 5 classes. However, my homeroom kiddoes are my babies so I tend to play it up with them a lot. How can I not? They are with me for almost 2 hours everyday so I like to make them feel a little more special than my other classes [even though I love them all the same :)].

Since I have a Promethean board and they love to play with, every morning I have an attendance flip chart that has something for them to drag, click, or make disappear to let me know they are here. I have used/adapted a few from prometheanplanet.com and I've made a few of my own. I've been promising them a Halloween one and here it is.

You can click on it to take you to my TPT store....only $1! I did get the graphics from letteringdelights.com. All my students have to do is drag the ticket into the haunted tent [with a few different sounds attached]. The little ghost at the top moves back and forth....kinda cute. All you have to do is ungroup each ticket to change the name then regroup.

I know you and your kids will love it...after all it is SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!

Finally....Some Class Pics!

I have to say that this year's classroom is DEFINITELY my FAVORITE of all the classrooms I've had! Look below and I think the pictures will tell you why! Enjoy!

View from our "Entrance"... the Scientifically Specific [vocab] Sci Lab is directly across on those 2 doors, next to my Activboard, and my "desk"...

A fuller view from the door... my W.O.W. [Writing, Only Writing] Sci Lab is in the left hand corner...see Dr. Picklefickle over there? :)

Moving left as you walk in...my I can/homework/agenda board then the "What's Poppin'?" Sci Lab, on the door my is the Junior Scientist light bulbs [minus a couple light bulbs at the time of this pic], and my Sci Lab rotation posters cart to the far right...

Now, looking to the left from the door you can see into the OTHER SIDE! :) In the middle on the left side of Dr. Picklefickle is the SNN [Science News Now] Sci Lab, next to that in front of the windows with the shelf and cart is my Sci Lab [Instant Replay]... in the corner is the display for test points, and to the far left where the curtains are is The Lab Sci Lab...

When walking into the other side from near the Sci Lab poster cart [not from the door shown...that's our "Exit" door!] you will see this file cabinet, good work display, our D8A Quest Sci Lab, reminder board, and big comfy chair in the bottom right corner....

And that seems to be all the pics I have for now that do not have students in them! I promise to post more because this room is DEFINITELY SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!

I've been busy! :)

This past week I went to school everyday at around 8am. Worked, worked, worked, & worked yet it still seems I haven't done a thing! Thanks to my student teacher [whom I ABSOLUTELY ADORE] we did get a LOT done. THANKS APRIL! :)

One of the things we accomplished is the curtain that cover my new, massive book shelf system. Here, take a look:

I think it looks very SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!!! :))) I haven't put anything else on the shelves yet...those items will be placed once the rest of the room is complete.

This week I HAVE TO get the rest of it all DONE! School starts for me on the 6th...mettings and all, then the kids on the 8th. So I will try to post many more pics in the coming days!

Check back often! Happy decorating!

WINDOWS...

This time around I have 2 sets of windows to cover...I mean decorate! I love using plastic table skirts that have the sticky tape... 1 fits perfectly across the length of one set of windows. I have used the lime green skirts for the past 5 years...I love the glow it casts across the room! This is what I'm talking about:

Well this year I plan to add a little science fun to it! I will hang a yellow pennant banner like this one:

and use these letters to spell out the science words observe, predict, explore, present, & infer [if you click the picture you can download this]:

Each letter will be placed on one pennant and they will be draped, by word, across the green windows. This will blend so well with the the other yellow "Caution" tape accent decor I will be using.

Now, just to get in there and hang this. Will def post pictures when it's done since it is soooo SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!

My BIG Room....Phase 1: The Initial Walk-In

Ok....I am starting a series of posts showcasing my PROGRESS as far as getting my room ready is concerned....FUN STUFF!


Phase 1: The Initial Walk-In


When I walked into my GREAT BIG ROOM I was all giddy like the feelings of both Christmas morning and driving a brand new car off the lot all in one! Boy, am I a kid at heart!!! I felt like Julie Andrews on the hill in Austria twirling around singing, "The room will come alive, with pretty fabric and paper"... LOL!

Well, here is view 1 of my GREAT BIG ROOM {looking into last year's side}....

And here is view 2: {Looking into my NEW side}

Can't you see why I was all giddy and twirling and singing?!?!?! I can just picture all of my Sci Labs and students with all this room learning and growing!!!

If you recall from an earlier post {found below somewhere}, I created a floor plan of exactly how I am setting it up. I CAN NOT WAIT! I am still looking for a few more pieces to fit my plan, but this DIVA always finds what she needs!

Ok....be on the lookout for phase 2....The Hauling-In ....it's sure to be SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!

Junior Scientist...

For the past few years I had a "Scientist of the Week" that would really be my glorified helper. But after reading about the traveling scientist used in lower grades, I decided to mature it a little bit for use in my 6th grade class.  Thus was born my Junior Scientist.

I do teach 5 different classes throughout the day so I'll have 5 different Junior Scientists. The title will be held by those randomly-chosen students for the duration of the testing topic....which is roughly 6 days. They will each receive a bag that includes goggles, gloves, a pen, a lab notebook, science experiment books [no more than 2], and a suggested experiment....materials and all. The bag, lab book, and pen that I created and purchased for each are from my favorite site Vistaprint ....they look like this:

They will take these home and on day 6, which is dubbed "Test Review Day", the Junior Scientists will return the bags and contents. They will also have no more than 10 minutes to present their experiment to their class. This in turn will result in an extra grade. I am hoping that this small, quick experiment will encourage family time at home. My fingers are crossed!

Inside the log book cover will be these guidelines:

And this is my version of the letter kzoteacher shared on my favorite teacher site.... it will go home with the Junior Scientists when chosen:

Thank you back2learn, 1956BD, and others from my favorite teacher site for mentioning this and directing me to sites discussing this! This new addition to my classroom is definitely SCIENCE DIVA CERTIFIED!