Five for Friday

Yea!!! It's the weekend!  I swear, the weeks seem to keep getting longer and longer recently!  I have to admit... I am pretty jealous of the 3-day weekend that I hear so many people are enjoying right now... Kind of makes my "regular old 2-day weekend" seem a bit less exciting... but I'm trying not to do that whole "grass is greener thing"... a weekend is a weekend, so I am going to enjoy it! So, I am starting off by linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for another five for Friday (on Saturday) post.  Here we go!

I'm sure you noticed that Valentine's Day was on a TUESDAY this year... Just like Halloween was on a MONDAY. (We really need to speak to someone about this- This can never, ever happen again!)

ANYWAY, even with plans for a very calm craft and valentines saved for the very end of the day (with just a lone cookie and juice box...) it was MADNESS.  Complete and utter madness.  I think my  little sweeties lost their minds.  I have THAT group this year.  They are sweet.  Individually, they are very endearing children... but together... they are... A LOT... just A  LOT.  But they were happy.  Hopefully they made a memory.  (My husband and I often have to remind each other that "Making memories isn't easy!" - This is the family motto that makes us smile when we are carrying multiple children through a 100 degree parking lot at the end of a crazy-long day somewhere "magical" ;) )

Speaking of magic, this is the valentine-gram that one of my twins sent to his brother at school on Tuesday.

The valentine-grams are purchased the week before Valentine's Day.  The note and a treat are sent to anyone in the school.  So, this was delivered to his classroom by a PTA volunteer.  His teacher stopped passing them out long enough to text me this photo.  I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe.

I find it both hilarious and kind of horrifying.  What has happened to my sweet, precious little boys?? On one hand, it is so sweet that he is still sending his brother a "Be Mine" card on Valentine's Day- but seriously- "even though you are a butt"?!?!  When did that happen?  Last year's card ended with "You are my BFF" and the year before ended with "I love you".  Bittersweet.

(*Although, I really should not complain at all... because they both also sent ME a valentine-gram telling me that they love me.  They are still sweet... just not to each other...)

Speaking of my boys, a big part of this week has been devoted to helping them with their "Monument Projects".  This Tuesday night they are giving speeches and presenting their "living monument" creations.  They are very, very, very excited.  I am too.  Their speeches are fabulous and it is really going to be a great night.

However, they didn't really get a "project mom"... you know, the kind of mom who always has spray paint and knows how to do things like paper mache...  I'm not that kind of mom.  I'm the kind of mom who gets very "deer in the headlights-y" when the word project is mentioned... I mean, I can Pinterest with the best of 'em... but the actual follow-through... not really my thing.  

So, you can imagine my feelings about these particular monuments.  Danny is presenting Luxor Temple.  This is a screenshot of the photo he is using as a guide to construct his monument (that he has to be a part of... and give a speech as a part of). 

Sure, easy peasy.

And Matt is presenting on Easter Island and the Moais.  Here is his photo.

 

So... yea...

I'll let you know how it goes....

On a sunny note, my new intern started this week.  She is WONDERFUL.  I really, really, really, really like having her in my room.  She is so excited and energetic.  She has great ideas and is "a natural".  The kids love her... and she loves them.  (She even loves the ones that are a little harder to love, and that makes ME love her too!)  

She has been doing lots of fun, hands on things with the kids.  This is a soil experiment that she did with them this week.  It's funny, because when I looked back at the photo, this photo looks very calm... but they were SO excited.  I don't really know how I caught a calm look on anyone's face... Soil has never been so exciting!

So, just in case you were impressed a few weeks ago when I mentioned how ahead of the game I was with my Black History Month unit... have no fear.  I haven't even mentioned Presidents Day yet.  (Ya can't win 'em all, right?)  I am going to roll with it and begin some Presidents Day activities when the students return on Tuesday.  (After the long day of training that I have on Monday- when I will NOT be relaxing at home... just for the record.)

I have a couple of Presidents Day resources that I really enjoy using with the kids, so they will all be pulled out on Tuesday.  One of my favorites is this set of "Fun Facts" posters.  I made them 2 years ago and I think I love them as much as the students do!

I find the facts FASCINATING!  Do you know which president was a college cheerleader?  Or who had a pet raccoon in the White House?  So many fun things to talk to the kids about!

Of course, it isn't all "Wrestling Hall of Fame" trivia.  I also teach them the more important things... but, I have to say, I really do love the silly stuff!  

However, if you are looking for something more serious, I do have a Presidents Day close reading resource... AND this Abe Lincoln differentiated close reading resource is a great, ready-to-go FREEBIE!

I saw this yesterday and laughed so hard... then I kind of wanted to cry... #5 is I am very, very, very tired.  I need to start sleeping better.  For real... so, please don't dream about me ;)

I hope you have an awesome weekend filled with naps!