So today was the day...our very first field trip. I've been on a lot of field trips in my years as an educator. Some a success, some definitely not successful, this one was a mix of both.
As soon as the kids got to school they wanted to know "how many minutes?" I can't even remember how many times I answered that question! Around 9 my volunteers showed up. We had my mom (thank you!), a grandma and an intern for my class.
First things first, buddy them up. Not so easy. It's a very fragile balance trying to place responsible kids with semi-responsible kids. Kids that like each other, that can help each other, etc. We finally got into pairs and then to the bus...
Walking through the front office with 20 excited kids was fun. Thank you Lorraine for not having my head. The bus ride was actually really smooth. They are much quieter then teens. When I would look back to check on them, the bus looked empty because their heads don't come up over the seats, too cute!
The actual presentation at the ballpark left a lot to be desired. It's not so easy to keep a very large group of 1-3rd graders satisfied. The thought process was good, but the actual follow through left a lot to be desired. The best part of the presentation was the animals that the Phoenix Zoo brought out.
After the very L-O-N-G hour presentation at the ballpark we hit a park near school for lunch and playtime. I think that it may have been the hottest day we've had since school started, but the kids didn't seem to mind too much. There were 4 long picnic tables, perfect for our four classes and a fabulous play structure.
Christy, Jill, Jenn and I took pictures in our fantastic shirts (Thank you, Christy!) and then took a whole group picture of the 1/2's.
When we got back to school, the kids were able to tell me all about the presentation and exactly what they had learned. So that just went to show me that even though they may seem distracted and squirmy, they get it. Thank goodness!
With only one bloody nose (grandma was on hand though!) and no kids lost, I'm calling our first field trip a success!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Presidents, Pictures, Teeth and Eggs
PRESIDENTS
We watched the speech today. My class and my neighbors class watched it this morning. We were supposed to watch it yesterday with the rest of the world, but due to our schedule and the fact that the White House didn't post the link right away, we couldn't. The first thing that the kids did, was clap! How cute is that? They were really restless during the whole thing. Jill and I were thinking that maybe they were too young to sit and listen, but turns out they weren't. When we asked them what President Obama had told them to do, they were able to tell us! YEAH! They really aren't hard of hearing. When we asked them to set goals, "A" told me that his goal was to sweep today! Straight from the mouths of babes :)
PICTURES
So last year, picture day was like pulling teeth. Trying to get the 5th/6th graders to stand still wasn't the problem, getting them to smile and not be "too cool" was! This year, I almost peed my pants from laughing so hard! Our picture time was set for 10:39, but I knew it would take longer then that to get them all the way to the cafe. So at 10:25 we started to get lined up (by height).
I had skipped on recess (more on that later) and illustrated our pages for our book. Harmless, right? WRONG! "J" proceeded to be covered in marker as we noticed just before his individual picture. So my intern, Meghan, took him to the restroom for him to clean up. After a few minutes he walked out of the restroom, soaking wet with bits of wet toilet paper stuck to his hands and face. So she had to take him to the copy room, get paper towels, help clean him up and TRY to dry his hair. Can you say retake?
Meanwhile, we are standing (very patiently) for our turn and watching Mrs. M's K/1 class trying to get their group photo taken. Every time the photographer said "say ice cream" one little boy would jump up and down, with a huge smile on his face and scream it! The photographer would say, "lets try it again and this time just say the word but stand still. Ready, say, candy." The entire class would say "CANDY" with the one little guy jumping up and down. After 10, very hysterical takes, it was our turn.
On our way into the cafe for pictures I asked the kids to show me their best smiles. "L" showed me his smile which was just a grin with no teeth showing. Danielle then asked him "L, where's your teeth?" To which he turned around and pointed to his teeth! When it was his turn to take his picture, we I told the photographer "don't ask him where his teeth are."
"G" had a rough time with this glasses today. Every picture that they took, he had a reflection from his glasses. We (photographer, myself and volunteers) tried relentlessly to get him to move his chin..."move your down" and he bent his knees and moved his whole body. "Tilt your head and look at me" and he stretched his eyes to keep them looking forward. After trying everything we could think of, we took of the glasses. We'll see what happens!
Finally, after 45 minutes, we made it back to our room. It was finally time for recess. "I" told me, "Mommy says I can't play because this is a new dress." I was pretty sure that the dress rule was for before pictures and I told her "as long as your not rolling in the sand I think you'll be OK!" Off she went!
We survived picture day!
TEETH
We had lots of firsts today..."A" lost not 1, but 2 teeth today! He was very nervous about them falling out, and on the way to lunch he asked me how he was going to chew, but he was excited!
EGGS
My parakeet, that I've had for 7 years, laid an egg today! My kiddo's had been asking me why Juliet looked so fat and I just kept telling them that she was fat and ate too much. Well today, she laid an egg. At least I think it was that one. Honestly, I can't tell the 2 apart, but during Workshop today, 2 little girls started screaming at me, "an egg, an egg, Juliet laid an egg!" I told them to get back to work and didn't think anything of it. But after they insisted that I come and look I was very surprised to see that they actually did lay an egg! I don't know if it will hatch, but the kids are excited to say the least. I'll keep you posted!
So that's what's happening in my world. In fact that is just one day! I love my kids, they make life interesting and certainly entertaining.
Until next time...
We watched the speech today. My class and my neighbors class watched it this morning. We were supposed to watch it yesterday with the rest of the world, but due to our schedule and the fact that the White House didn't post the link right away, we couldn't. The first thing that the kids did, was clap! How cute is that? They were really restless during the whole thing. Jill and I were thinking that maybe they were too young to sit and listen, but turns out they weren't. When we asked them what President Obama had told them to do, they were able to tell us! YEAH! They really aren't hard of hearing. When we asked them to set goals, "A" told me that his goal was to sweep today! Straight from the mouths of babes :)
PICTURES
So last year, picture day was like pulling teeth. Trying to get the 5th/6th graders to stand still wasn't the problem, getting them to smile and not be "too cool" was! This year, I almost peed my pants from laughing so hard! Our picture time was set for 10:39, but I knew it would take longer then that to get them all the way to the cafe. So at 10:25 we started to get lined up (by height).
I had skipped on recess (more on that later) and illustrated our pages for our book. Harmless, right? WRONG! "J" proceeded to be covered in marker as we noticed just before his individual picture. So my intern, Meghan, took him to the restroom for him to clean up. After a few minutes he walked out of the restroom, soaking wet with bits of wet toilet paper stuck to his hands and face. So she had to take him to the copy room, get paper towels, help clean him up and TRY to dry his hair. Can you say retake?
Meanwhile, we are standing (very patiently) for our turn and watching Mrs. M's K/1 class trying to get their group photo taken. Every time the photographer said "say ice cream" one little boy would jump up and down, with a huge smile on his face and scream it! The photographer would say, "lets try it again and this time just say the word but stand still. Ready, say, candy." The entire class would say "CANDY" with the one little guy jumping up and down. After 10, very hysterical takes, it was our turn.
On our way into the cafe for pictures I asked the kids to show me their best smiles. "L" showed me his smile which was just a grin with no teeth showing. Danielle then asked him "L, where's your teeth?" To which he turned around and pointed to his teeth! When it was his turn to take his picture, we I told the photographer "don't ask him where his teeth are."
"G" had a rough time with this glasses today. Every picture that they took, he had a reflection from his glasses. We (photographer, myself and volunteers) tried relentlessly to get him to move his chin..."move your down" and he bent his knees and moved his whole body. "Tilt your head and look at me" and he stretched his eyes to keep them looking forward. After trying everything we could think of, we took of the glasses. We'll see what happens!
Finally, after 45 minutes, we made it back to our room. It was finally time for recess. "I" told me, "Mommy says I can't play because this is a new dress." I was pretty sure that the dress rule was for before pictures and I told her "as long as your not rolling in the sand I think you'll be OK!" Off she went!
We survived picture day!
TEETH
We had lots of firsts today..."A" lost not 1, but 2 teeth today! He was very nervous about them falling out, and on the way to lunch he asked me how he was going to chew, but he was excited!
EGGS
My parakeet, that I've had for 7 years, laid an egg today! My kiddo's had been asking me why Juliet looked so fat and I just kept telling them that she was fat and ate too much. Well today, she laid an egg. At least I think it was that one. Honestly, I can't tell the 2 apart, but during Workshop today, 2 little girls started screaming at me, "an egg, an egg, Juliet laid an egg!" I told them to get back to work and didn't think anything of it. But after they insisted that I come and look I was very surprised to see that they actually did lay an egg! I don't know if it will hatch, but the kids are excited to say the least. I'll keep you posted!
So that's what's happening in my world. In fact that is just one day! I love my kids, they make life interesting and certainly entertaining.
Until next time...
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