Power Outages at the End of the Year

Our Future's so Bright


I love sunglasses. Really, who doesn't?

I'm shocked that after our last graded assessments, some students have just stopped coming to school. It's sad. There are 2 more days of school left and I only have 17, of my 25 students. I hate it. We are celebrating what we have learned, laughing about what they have already forgot I taught, sharing favorite things from each subject and complimenting each other's successes. I am doing my best to get them to enjoy learning and school. Not to mention we are having a crash course in how to write in cursive.  Many students have just stop coming without saying goodbye to me or their peers. In some cases, they haven't even taken their personal supplies or interactive student notebooks. In fact, I have a handful of students that have missed over 30 days of school this year.

They didn't like the handwriting worksheets, because "It's too hard!", not because they are boring (which I think they are). But, they really want to know how to write their names in cursive, so they press on.

Happymaking acrostic posters.

In revision, someone missed the overuse of 'fun'.

You can say that again! In America, there is also, probably, too much packaged food in kids lunches. But Kitkats, jumbo store-bought chocolate muffins (gross-I don't like packaged baked goods), potato chips and (AND not or) Nerd-like candy is an everyday occurrence with at least 30% of my students. For the record, I do have a couple healthy eaters, too

We have a jokester.

Yes- Nn-oi-zee. 

I think we ate outside only 3 times because, "I'm sorry, but your teacher will melt." 

Surprising find- 10 minutes of the Kratt Brothers show is a strong motivator for just about anything. 

Fun spiral, math, multiplication game.

Quiz, Quiz, Trade is another activity we love.

Happymaking flowers.

Producers and Consumers

A few weeks back, we had our grade 3 Business Fair. It was great. It complimented out Social Studie's business unit. Each student could spend up to 20 real bucks to get supplies to create a product. They made a business plan, a mission statement, a marketing poster, yada, yada. Then on the day of the Fair, they sold their products for the price they set and they got 10 fake bucks to buy other's products. They counted their revenue, subtracted their expenses and if they met their goal, reveled in their fake profit. The goal was to make a profit.

Teacher's also got 10 fake dollars to purchase products. One student made boxes with the teacher's and administrator's staff pics and created these. Lol.

A lip balm producer making a sale with fake money.

Soccer bookmarks.

A bottle with beads. The poster reads, "I like stuff that glow and glow beans glow in the light and I think you like stuff that glows." This friendly student loved his product and made quite a few sales.

Homemade soap.

Power-outage

Just in case you are in the mood for a worksheet, because "I'm in the mood for a worksheet", said nobody(ever), here:

Name_________________                   Date __________

Read the following clues below and determine what they all have in common. 

-One of the wealthiest countries in the world

-The hottest gulf country (and the coldest, in winter).

-One of the world's largest producers of oil

-Recipient of multiple power outages over the last few weeks.

Fill in the blank with your answer.  _______________________________

(If you choose Kuwait, you are right. If you were correct, give yourself a pat on the back.)

Unknown Effects 

Effects of a power shortage, that you may not think about:

1. Some exhausted educators may have just rode 30 minutes in the oven broken-AC-bus in 120 degree weather. They may not have fully recovered and thus the loss of AC and puzzle building light may push them over the edge.

2. Some, over the edge, teachers may have packed away their flashlight, candles and battery operated fans (I brought one with me after I became psychologically attached to it during my Haitian summer) for an upcoming move.

3. No electricity means no elevators. Someone could get stuck in one of those (fortunately I have never had this experience but it does happen in our teaching community) or have to walk up multiple flights of stairs to get to their apartments. Did I really choose to move to the 11th floor next year?

Well, they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I am more thankful for air conditioning now and, for the time being, I'm not taking it for granted.