Top Classroom Moments

Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing. THey come to the door of a memory unannounced  stray dogs that amble in, sniff around a bit and simply never leave. Our lives are measured by these."- Susan B. Anthony

Below are some of my very favorite memories from this year and being in the classroom with my kids.... Enjoy

1. Paper Airplanes art activity. Decorating paper airplanes and flying them at my back, as I stood up against the wall is definitely a highlight. Like Red butt. If you played that game when you were a kid or wall ball as others have called it then you know what I mean. On a count down of 3 my kids flew their planes right at my back. (knowing they were not very good at making them, I knew they would not make it).

2. Fitness lesson..... watching my kids as they attempt to zumba and try yoga poses when we are learning about fitness Hilarious.

3. Asking the class to spell the number six. One of the kids raised his hand and confidently spelled "S---E-----X" I was writing on the board as well because I want them to see what is not correct and I about died laughing. (Yes i am still twelve years old apparently).

4. Vincent Van Gogh art lesson. Having the kids recreate Starry Starry Night.

5. Playing our team phonics game. Pictionary that requires them to sound out the word, spell it correclty in order for their team to get points. So much fun with second graders.... they shout out the funniest of things.

6. Seventh Grade reading buddies. Every few weeks we go to the Seventh grade for my kids to sit and practice reading with their assigned reading buddy. It is so cool to watch my kids all nervous around the big kids and the older kids sitting with them.

7. Heads up Seven Up. Kids love this game. They behave so well and play as a class. I have been able to play with my class without having to supervise. (if you do not know this game then well next time you see grade school kids in the states I am sure they can teach you).

8. Super Hero Sentences Hats. Creating and coloring sentence super heros Command, Exclamation, Question and Telling Sentences.

Karla, Andrea, Lizzy, Madeline and Sergio

9. Playing the Sentence game. I draw one Naming Part out of the Naming Part Bucket and One Action Part out of the action Part bucket. We combine the two and create a sentence. For example "Miss Kristina" "Swimming"= Miss Kristina likes to go swimming. A bit cheesy but my kids really enjoy it.

10. When trying to create a list describing the difference between Tornados and Hurricanes the boys could not find the words in english to describe a Tornado. They could not come up with a word to describe how a Tornado takes everything into itself. One of the boys explained, "you know miss when you take my toy car from my desk and my coloring book, and the notes" I laughed, "You mean the tornado sucks up things?" "YES YES, SUCKS, YES MISS  SUCKS". (not sure that is the exact word they were trying to think of).

11. Anytime my kids break out singing gangnam style song, in the middle of class. Yes they do this often.

Caleb

12. After killing a bug on Caleb's desk (one of the most rotten boys in class). I walked over to pick it up off his desk. Just as I reached down to pick it up, he pushed my back and screamed.  I jumped and screamed myself. He just giggled and giggled because he knew that he got me good. (I was surprised)

13. Basketball hooping. Ever since we installed the basketball hoop in our classroom, the kids shoot with paper and often times attempt to dunk. (I ask they only do it when the trash can is under the basket).

14. The boys do this dance, they moon walk and they all get up in front of the classroom and I just stand and watch. What on earth? Where did they learn this stuff?

15. Howdy telling me that it was cold and asking to have the door shut to our classroom. After I told him no, and to keep the door open, he proceeds to tell me, but "Miss your sick, we should shut the door". Sweet sweet kids.

Roberto and Me

16. Showing them basketball highlight videos on youtube. I was explaining about Louisville Basketball and wanted them to see my team in action. So I showed them one of Chane's dunks. They loved it.

17. Genesis running up to me the morning after Louisville won the National Championship. "Miss they won!" "Yes they did!". She watched with her dad at home, she saw my team win.

Genesis and Me on Photobooth

18. Playing musical chairs. We did not have music so my kids told me to clap my hands and they would know when to grab a chair based on when I stopped clapping. It was a day of fun and games and watching them play, giggle and laugh is something I will not forget.

Musical Chairs

19. Watching the Indy 500 with a bunch of the boys while we waited for the bell to ring, on my computer. One of my notoriously bad boys loves cars so I knew he would like the videos. All of sudden eight second grade boys climbed all around me to point and argue over which one was which car. Arguing over the colors and who was in the lead.... it was a beautiful moment.

20. When we sing "Whos the King of the Jungle" an old vacation bible school song. We stand our chairs, sing and do motions. Nothing like acting like a monkey....

Lizzy and Genesis

21. Of course the Louisville Cheer. Watching my kids proudly scream and shout "C_A_R_D_S" with their L's up. Nothing makes this girl prouder. Not to mention it being on TV in Louisville.

22. Playing futbol with the 3rd graders at recess. I had a great header and all of them cheered outloud. Proud teacher moment.

23. Waving to Mr. Matt as he walks by outside the classroom. They all jump on their chairs and on the count of three we say, "Hi Mr. MATT!!"

Sergio taking role call, one of my rewards for good behavior.

24. Watching Magic School bus, watching them as they are amazed that how infection is fought, the bacteria killed by white blood cells, the whole thing. It was great.

25. Helen Keller lesson. To this day I still catch some of the kids taking their fingers and running them across the back of our book pretending that they are braille. Below is a picture of Henry and his name written in Braille.

His name in Braille

26. Howdy telling me that the polar bears in our science book are having sex because the baby polar bear was on the back of the Dad polar bear. I about died laughing and then decided to avoid the conversation all together... (Kept repeated over and over again.. they are too young for this) (By the way the polar bears were just walking, and that is how they often carry their young)

27. Building a ramp with books so Caleb and I could ramp his little cars across the classroom. Never seen a kid so excited to do something.