The Longest Blog Post Ever... Stuff, Pics, Freebie, Giveaways, and a Gerbil!

Ok.  It was a Monday.  Did anyone else have a friend who was hysterical for 40-minutes today and also refused to do work?  And also refused to move from laying in a ball on the floor?  And also wouldn't speak?  Luckily, my friend perked up by the end of the day... but it made for a long morning!

On to the longest blog post ever.  Probably not, but in my mind, it's pretty long right now.

Up first... stuff.

Last week we did a solids & liquids writing assignment.  Students were to write to a poor snowman/girl/lady/boy/kid/etc... who was melting and explain to them what was happening using our matter vocabulary and changing states of matter.

They turned out SUPER cute and so full of learning!  I was impressed!

Here's a picture of one of my kiddo's good work:

And, if you click the image below, you can get a copy of the "liquid" and "solid" words and the "title" one of my girlies colored to put with our display.  The snowman pictures came from Today in First Grade's blog.  I just used two of the pictures and blew them up.  We colored on them and then pained my cool blue dye over them; it resists the crayon and just looks super cool!

 

Next... pics.

Last Thursday and Friday we had work days in the afternoon and, on Thursday, I recruited some child laborers who were here due to parents on staff.  One of my first grade teacher friends bribed encouraged them to help me by buying them a candy bar!  :)  They worked their tails off and helped me change the set-up of my room...

To this:

So, the "meeting area" moved from the back of the room to the front.  The main reason for the move is the Active Slate that I'm using.  I've always been a teach-from-the-rug kind of teacher, but having that slate makes the need for a meeting place closer to the board so important!  I'm loving the arrangement!

Freebie:  See "stuff" above.

Next on the list... giveaways!  Who doesn't love those?!

I'm currently involved in two.  One for all of my themed Valentine cards AND a cute tumbler from Ann-Marie at K&K Designs.  If you've not yet entered, it's a MUST check out!  You can click that text to head over there.  I'll be choosing a winner on Wednesday.

The second ends TOMORROW and is for my Groundhog's Day mini-activity pack and one created by my friend Sandy.  You have to enter that one at Ms. Fiorini's blog... click the graphic for more info.  There are only 18 entries right now so you still have a super chance to win!  All you have to do is "follow" us on Teacher's Notebook and our blogs.  Easy peasy lemon squeazy!  This file is still on sale at my shop (along with everything else!) until midnight!

And last... a new gerbil.  I tried a class pet for the first time this year and LOVED it!  We got a gerbil and named her Lily.  Sadly, she did not return to school after Christmas break.  And we've missed her ever since!  Well, one of my classroom families got us a new gerbil last week.  I used my powers of teacher persuasion to help her get the name "Gerbie"!  :)  The other choices to vote on were Sugar, Missy, and Sally... and Gerbie won by one vote!

Here she is!  She was being shy this morning, so it's not great.  I'll keep working on her!

Also... she might secretly be a he.  So... yeah.

Tomorrow my hubby and I have tickets to "Rock of Ages"... and I can't wait!  I got the tickets for Christmas, so tomorrow Christmas is officially over for me.  Ya'll know I'm a nut for musicals and this one sounds like a great one!  All 80s and hair band-ish... YES!