Sweet Statue of Liberty

I was in a bit of a quandry as to what to do with my Kinders today. My older kids did very well with their quizzes and character bucks, but the little ones, my. So I realized we had a great book on the Statue of Liberty, with a National Park Ranger giving a 'tour'. It was just their age. We have a model of the statue that sits on a cabinet about 18" tall, so my plan started to come together. I found two shiny new copper pennies and one that had oxidized a bit. The book said the copper was about the thickness of two pennies, so that worked perfectly! I read a bit in the book and when we got to the copper used I passed around the pennies, then the oxidized one to show why the statue looks green. Then I had a yardstick to measure out how long her hand is (16 feet) and had a student stand every three feet so they could see that. Had two more kids lay foot to foot to show how long her fingers are (about 8 feet). I used the yardstick to measure her eyes over my eyes (2.5 feet) and her nose was like my nose but all the way to the floor. Then I had printed a picture of the statue and they all got to color the statue. I had done a very colorful picture with the folds all different colors and told the kids they could do a lot of different colors too that could show what a great diverse country we were. All different kinds of people, ideas and likes. Some did a bunch of different colors, others did the green. It was fun. Came in early Friday and got computers up,  did my ideas for the kinders. Off to LLI for our end of year party and had a good time with them. Then back to the library and set out crayons and pictures to color, got Liberty off the top of the shelf. I had them, then a fifth grade class and they loved my quizzes (who wouldn't with character bucks involved!), then kinders again. Got in my lunch, then cafeteria duty and straight back into my last class of kinders. A bit of library time then up to Mrs. M's room for the afternoon. They were taking a test, so I just monitored with the volunteer that was there. Then we did another test and down to the computer lab for math. Mrs. M and the volunteer took kids out into the library to work on unfinished papers and cursive writing. School done for the day and I shelved books, looked for books for next week's fun reads, closed up and off to home! My granddaughter's first ballet recital tomorrow!

Appointment

Today I came in early and got ready for the day. Shelved books, checked in the books that came in yesterday afternoon. Got computers up for the day. Went to LLI for my last class of the year. Had a great time with all three of my kiddos! Computer or listening center time, then read to self (I got to check out a few books myself as I sat with the kids) and then our last lesson on adding 's' to the end of words. (or is it wordes? silly kids!) Then back to the library and since we had a concert today, my first class came in early so they could get in my lesson with the National Monuments and Parks and 10 Essentials before they had to go. That was fun. Then I waited for my next class and then my DLC class came in. Since I was using my lunch for my appointment, I worked in the library shelving for the most part. Got all the fiction put away and worked on the Everybody books. I had them out for the DLC kids to look at, so I hadn't put any of them away, but they were all done by the end of the day. Then off to cafeteria duty and one of the kiddos was having issues, so I tried to guide him to make some choices. He didn't think he had any, but I gave him a few examples and told him it was like a game, he had to find some on his own! Back to the library and I looked up the books for next week and started to think about inventory. I might start with the E Books (our big oversized books) to just get a feel for it before I hit the Everybody books. Mrs. S said she did non-fiction last year, so doing the Everybody's will be great. I'll be sure to have that in notes for next year that it'll be fictions turn. Up to Mrs. M's room and I helped her sub with the kids while she read and then while they did math. Back to the library for my last class of the day. Talked with Mr. B about Field Day and we had decided I would run the library for a 'cool' down place and he still wanted me to do that. Then I headed off to my appointment. Back in time to finish up the day and still made it out on time! 

Flash Mob

Yes, Bush is doing a Flash Mob for the last assembly of the year. We're dancing to "Happy". Should be fun and we had a practice today for it. Came in and got computers going, then off to LLI. I only had one of my kids today! So he and I worked together. Finally one came in, his mom was bringing him over the bridge and had gotten stuck by an accident. At least he made it in! Then to the library for my four classes in a row. I think it went well. I did a book on the Grand Canyon and the Powell expedition for the fifth graders and for the younger group I did a book on the poem for the Statue of Liberty. Then I asked them questions on National Monuments (what states have them) and National Parks (names and/or states).  I also brought in my hiking pack with my 10 Essentials and they had to guess what they might be. Anytime I bring out the Character Bucks, they respond to that well! I think they enjoyed it and it filled the time since we're done checking out for the year. Then my lunch, cafeteria duty and the kids were done for the day. I checked in a ton of books, put them on carts and started to organize them to put away tomorrow. I had to take two hours off to accompany my mom to an appointment, so I was glad I got to do that for her. She had been very anxious about it. 

Sparse

It was so cute on Sunday. I was in church and this kid comes up to me and says "you're the librarian at Bush, right?" I nodded and he grinned. Got all the books down off of the shelf tops today and the library looks so sparse! I love having books out, but Friday is the last day to turn stuff in so I can start inventory. Came in and turned on computers from being off three days. Went into LLI and it's our last week for kids so we did stations today. They got about 15 minutes at each station and they really enjoyed the change. Back to the library for a moment - well, my half hour that seems to go by in a moment! Checked in books, and then up to Mrs. M's room. Worked on more spelling sorts and then listened to kids read. Back down for my lunch, then off to cafeteria duty. Back to the library, checked in more books and worked on my poster for the window - All Books Due Friday. I had most of the letters from a bulletin board before, so that helped. Up to Mrs. M's room and helped out with art, snack, geometry. Mrs. M had to leave so Mr. M came in and we finished up math and started a worksheet on matter. Back to the library after school and finished up the poster and hung it in the window. Dusted off all the top shelves. Yuck, they were pretty dusty! Shelved off the cart. 

Three Days

So ready for Memorial Day weekend! Came in just a tad early today since it's Friday. Got computers up and running and pulled off all the manila blinders Mr. M had on them. Wanted to read 'Red Light, Green Light' by Margaret Wise Brown to our Kinders, so I cut out a big red circle and then a green one for them to hold up whenever I read those words in the book. Down to LLI and did reading records on all three of my kids. Did the dump day for everyone. Back to the library and started to look at the books for next week. Did my Kinders and a few of the fifth graders. Had my lunch, then off to the cafeteria. Back for my last Kinder class, then a half an hour and back up to Mrs. M's room. She was just ready to bring the kids downstairs to the computer lab, but Mrs. B was in there for a few more minutes, so we took the kids outside to play just a bit. Then we went in. I helped a few kids that had some writing to do and we monitored the ones on the math games. Then back up to the room to get ready to leave. Back to the library for the last bit and I took the time to take all the special headphones with mics that we use for ELPA and OAKS and got them all boxed up. Time to head home! See you Tuesday!

A Thursday

Pretty normal day. Excited that it's the last day of OAKS testing! Came in and got the computers all set up. I knew they'd be busy getting the last few kids doing their 2nd test. Off to LLI and another set of 2 books to take home. We did a lot of work on 'ed' endings and the different sounds. Had the kids pick out the sound, and then we picked words out of the books from last night that had 'ed' endings and checked those ending sounds out too. Back to the library. Shelved some and got ready for my classes this morning. Had some kids come in that were gone last Friday and would be gone this Friday as well (zoo and choir trip). So I said they could come in and just check out while I was working in the library. Started again to put away the books. I'll probably leave the Everybody books up for the younger kids, but the fiction and non-fiction will all get shelved. Got most of the fiction done today. Had my three morning classes and then my lunch. Down to the cafeteria, then back for some more library time, then up to Mrs. M's for half an hour, then down to the library for Ms. H's class. Back up to Mrs. M's room for math in the afternoon. Back into the library for the last part of the day.

Lend me an Ear

My ear has been stuffed up all day. The good part is that the cafeteria is not near as noisy when you can't hear it! Came in and got computers up and ready. Then to LLI and my group and our two books for the day. Back to the library and I had some wonderful help today. She sorted books and put them away and also worked with me with the groups a few times. Handed out the Tumblebooks bookmarks today. Read Curious George, The Wall, Island of the Blue Dolphins and one of the Magic TreeHouse books. Then my lunch, cafeteria duty, then the kids were gone for the day so I got all the rest of the non-fiction and fiction shelved. Covered the last few books from my order. Did some book repair. 

Prepared

So we found out today that our school is going to be visited by the interim superintendent so I had to quick put out some books on display since I had started to put everything away to get ready for inventory. Hate it when I write a great post and loose it because I'm too far away from our internet :(  Came in and got computers up and onto OAKS. Then off to LLI. Had a great time with the kids getting them to come to our little board and write out words with consonant clusters. They did a great job. Back to the library and more work on my May authors for tomorrow's classes. Then up to Mrs. M's. Mrs. F brought in breakfast burritos that were huge. I ate about an eighth of one. Then Mrs. M gave me the math lesson for today, peg boards, rubber bands and work on triangles. So I did that, then she found the folder for my reading group, but since I only had one of the original five kids, I ended up just going around to kids and listening to them read. Back down for lunch, and a teacher came in looking for frog books, so I gave her a pile and told her to write down the barcodes of the books she took, then cafeteria duty. The tables were all long since there's a concert tonight and the risers curve into the lunch room. We made it work. Then back to the library and I did some shelving and putting out books and picked up The Greedy Triangle to read to the kids before I work on the triangle math with them. Mrs. M seemed to appreciate I did that. She took her set of kids off to the lab for their OAKS testing and I read the book and then we did the peg boards and rubber band triangle work. I told all the kids "You shoot a rubber band off across the room, we all turn in our rubber bands and peg boards!!" I guess they thought I meant it because not one rubber band flew! When Mrs. M came back with the kids she started a movie for them and let me go down to the library. I got it pretty well straightened up, got more books put away for tomorrow. Just hope my voice holds out tomorrow!

No Duct Tape

Came in today and got started with my May authors. Got one done and then the printer wouldn't work. At least I got the ones done for the little kids that come in today. Went to LLI for Monday meeting. Back to the library for an hour. Got my books ready for this week and did a bit of reading to be ready. Then up to Mrs. M's room and she showed me the math lesson she wants me to do this afternoon when she takes a group into the lab for OAKS testing. Then when the kids came up, I sat with some of them and listened to reading. Then down for my lunch, cafeteria duty, then my class came in. They loved reading Curious George! Then I had another half and hour in the library and back up to Mrs. M's. I had about 11 kids to do a math lesson. Lines, segments, rays and angles. At least Mrs. M came back and no one had duct taped me to the ceiling. I guess I will be doing this all week for her. Then back down to the library. The color printer was working, so I did some more authors, then got the serial numbers off of some iPods from a teacher for inventory and redid the U:drive to make sure that was in there. Printed off stickers to put on bookmarks tonight at home. Need to do a poster for last due date, but don't know if that'll happen. So much to do, so little library time.

Mr. Wuffles Touch

Today I got in early since I had to bring my son to his work and it didn't make sense to go all the way back home, turn around and come back, so I just went in. I wasn't too early, but got off at 4! Went to enjoy a beautiful walk twice around Bush Pasture Park, just a few blocks from the school. Got things ready for the day, computers up, books checked in and ready. Off to LLI for my group. Then back to the library and my two morning kindergarten classes. I handed out the hat, face, shirt, pants and boots to kids and when I needed them had them bring them up to me. They liked that, and we also did a lot of reciting the state names which they liked as well. Most of our 5th graders were off on the zoo field trip, but I did still have some fourth graders in and some of the kids who were in class yesterday, but didn't get to go to the zoo for my quiz round. Then my lunch, off to cafeteria duty. I had to leave at the start of the second lunch, my throat hurt so bad, I coughed all the way through the first lunch, so I went in my back room and gargled with salt water. I almost decided to leave after my last kinder class, but luckily the vending machine had life savers, so I had something to suck on. My favorite part of the day. One of the kids in my last class of the day was so hyper. When I was done with my talk, I told the kids they could color their own Oregon state or look at a book. This kid was "I don't like books. I don't like libraries. I don't want library time." Sitting by him was Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner. So I suggested we just look at it together. He sat down and soon was so into the story. He wanted to interpret what the aliens said. He told me about his own cat. He loved the drawings the aliens did to see how they could get by Mr. Wuffles. He loved it. When I asked him if he wanted to take it home, he said no. That was the only sad part. I think Mr. Wuffles really touched him and that made me happy. Then a bit more time in the library, up to Mrs. M's room for the rest of the afternoon and we had math centers with the activities I had worked on last week and that was fun. Some of my kids did some awesome work. Back to the library, logged out computers, closed blinds, turned in my inventory to the U:drive. Worked on my May authors - what ab amazing story of H.A. & Margret Rey! Can't wait to tell that one to the kids next week!

In the Jungle...

Well, at least I got through all my readings today with a bit of voice left. All the fifth graders left today for a night at the Oregon Zoo! How fun for them! I wonder if any of the ones left behind will be at the library tomorrow for the one class I have of fifth graders? Came in and did my LLI class, then back to the library and got ready for my classes. They all went very well with one class of quizzes and the other two for man in the map! Then my lunch and I just had to go outside and enjoy the air for a moment before the rain settles back in tomorrow. Down for cafeteria duty, then back to the library to prepare for my last class. Up to Mrs. M's room to work on more word sorts, then back down to the library for my last class of the day and man in the map. Mrs. M's class came down and was in the library computer lab so it was easy to just walk over and help her. She had several students that needed to finish up work so we did that while the others played math games online. Then out the door after school to our last elementary assistant meeting for the year over in West Salem. Got some ideas on how to keep the kids occupied after they can no longer check out books, and came up with a few myself. Got out about 5:30ish, now off to my mom's.

Map Work

Urgh, of course I went in. How would anybody know what I've been doing even though I have lesson plans? T'would be sad to leave a sub to figure out what I'm doing this week. Did the Man in the Map for my little kids and gave them a map of Oregon to color for themselves. The older kids got the quiz show. If they got something right, they got a character buck! They were all in for that! I was really sad though, my first class for the day had 28 kids who didn't bother to get their bookmarks and check out a book. I told Mr. M and their teacher. Just for them to know. Then my lunch, back to the cafeteria. Got that done and my side door duty. Finished up the AV Inventory and sent it into the LMSS office. Later in the afternoon Ms. F came to me and said my kiddoes all passed a big level! I need to challenge them more! So, I will do that next week and the week following, then we're going to do a station thing for our last week. Got a lot of shelving done and the shelves actually look nice for the moment! All I had left to shelve was the non-fiction that came in today. Urgh, home, a bit of Downton from season one, garlic potatoes, gargling with salt water. 

NyQuil & Bed

I think I picked up my hubby's sore throat from a couple of weeks ago :(  Got through the day, luckily I didn't have any classes in the library today - wait, no I didn't mean that!!! Felt a bit light headed and my throat just hurts. No coughing though, that's good. Got computers up this morning and headed off to LLI. Had a good time with my kiddoes, we really have a good time together.  Back to the library for half an hour, then up to Mrs. M's room. Finished up the math activity sheets and had the kids in the computer lab for Read-A-Long. Then my lunch, then out to the cafeteria. Back to the library for another half an hour then up to Mrs. M's room for the last two hours of school time. I worked on the vocab sorts for her. Still a lot to go. Back to the library and worked on shelving. My shelves are still a mess, I feel so bad :(

Kwandry

I nearly blew my fun assignment for Mrs. M today. She asked me to do a poster for our RIF program & I could have sworn she said 'Kwan's' then I got to thinking about it and thought, oh, it's the Kiwanis' that does this! Thank goodness! Came in and started computers, did a data sort on my current inventory list to match against the old one using just the SKSD barcodes & it worked like a charm. Just a few more things to straighten out and it'll be done. Got some help in the library today with a sub. He did a lot of amazing shelving for me. Went to LLI for our Monday meeting, back to the library. Then up to Mrs. M's room to work on math activities then some reading by the kids. Lunchtime, then cafeteria duty. Back to the library for my one Monday class. We have an old pull down map roll, so since this week is America week I used it for showing the kids while I read to them from The Man in the Map. Not too bad, but we didn't get all the way through it. Did some shelving then backn up to Mrs. M's for the afternoon & my kwandry :) did a bit more on inventory before I left for the afternoon.

Dahlia

Mrs. M came into the library this morning and gave me a beautiful dahlia. That was so sweet of her! Came in a bit early and had trouble with the library door. It would read my badge, then wouldn't open. I guess it's happened before, but it was very annoying! Did that all day. I ended up putting a door stop in to stop the door from shutting all the way for the rest of the day. Got to talking with a teacher and had to rush into LLI this morning. Listened to one of my students, they did their vocab words for the day and got nearly all of them so they could throw them away at the end of the lesson. Back to the library and got ready for my kinders. Pulled up the elephant cam. They really enjoyed that. My older class came in for a quick check out then down to the gym for an assembly. A four of them stayed with me for reading, then another group of kinders & then lunch. Cafeteria duty and then my last class of the week, a bit of time to clean up, then up to Mrs. M's room. The class was out on a field trip but due back any minute, so I went up to her room and worked on a project. They came in and we went down into the computer room for sumdog or starfall math work. They went home and I went back to the library. Shut down computers for the weekend, worked on straightening up shelves. The old Library Media Assistant was in for the field trip, so I asked what had she done for inventory last year and she said she had done the non-fiction, so I will probably do the Everybody books for this year. Taking my dahlia home! I stopped by Salem Public Library to pick up season one of Downton Abbey, and a couple of my kids were just leaving, I waved and quipped "Where else would you expect to see me??" they smiled as they walked out.

EleCam

Today I read to all my classes Tarra and Bella. I looked up their website and saw they had 'EleCams' for people to watch the elephants, so I dedicated a library computer to the live feed from the cams. It was so cool! I think the kids really enjoyed seeing the elephants we had just talked about! Really a nice treat for them and me too! Had my LLI group and I focused on one of the kids with his reading, I don't really see any improvement. Not sure what's going on, but we'll discuss it all on Monday. Then back to the library and some shelving and organizing. Had my three classes and they all loved the EleCam. One time was an elephant in a pond, another one just standing by the road swaying with her trunk. Another one had two elephants by one of the barns. Very cool! Then my lunch and out to the cafeteria. I thought it was funny that I'm reading The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo at the moment! Since I was doing stuff on elephants. Then into the library for half an hour, then up to Mrs. M's room. We are very sad that the kid Mrs. L works with is moving and she won't be here anymore :(  Went and looked up a movie for Mrs. M, then back down to the library for my last class of the day. Then back up to Mrs. M's and I worked on the word sorts. Back down to the library and we had a staff meeting for the rest of the afternoon so I didn't get any library work done this afternoon. It's a real mess, like a herd of elephants have been in there. 

Colored Inventory

Came in today and stopped in the break room to drop off my bread for the teacher thank you lunch today. Then got computers up, then off to LLI. Had a nice group with them, and raced back to the library for my four classes in a row. Read Tarra and Bella to all of them. It was nice to see them interested. Then my lunch, then the cafeteria duty, then back to the library and my brief stint in the hall while the kids were dismissed for early release Wednesday. Then I just got down into the inventory. Got it all done, all rooms set, all items I couldn't find identified as missing, did several 'sorts' to make sure I had everything where it made sense to me. I also 'filled in' the cells with different colors for each room so I could tell them apart. I'll clear it all after I'm done, but it'll help me while I check the rooms. It's looking pretty good. A couple of times I lost some information, so I went back on the U:drive and pulled up the inventory from last year, copied it, and pasted onto a new excel sheet, cleared off the columns I didn't need, because really I just wanted the old room number, what the item was (computer, monitor, etc.) and the barcode information so I could check off from the old list onto the new list. Was very happy with all that. Got into checking them against each other before I had to leave for the day. Glad that it's almost over for the year!

Free Breakfast

I am becoming obsessed with getting this AV inventory done. It's just something I did all day today whenever I had library time. Getting through it, but still not feeling like I have it down. Came in and got computers up for OAKS, then headed to LLI and was told to go to the staff breakfast for at least ten minutes to talk, relax and have a bite provided for us by the teaching staff. There was really a nice layout there, and nicely done. I got to talk and have a drink and a bite and it made my morning. I don't often get to confab with my fellow coworkers, so it was very nice. When I got back to LLI, the 'Fun Ms. F" was reading to all the LLI kids so all her helpers could enjoy the breakfast. Then we worked on our new book, and worked on words that started with "th-" and had a lot of fun with that. Back to the library, and worked on inventory. Then up to Mrs. M's room for the rest of the morning and I worked on more of the vocabulary sort cards. Back to the library for lunch, and since the kids were in the computer lab with the doors open, I decided to eat in the lunchroom for a change. Then off to the cafeteria for duty there. Back to the library and more inventory work, then up to Mrs. M's for the whole afternoon. Did a bit more work on the word sorts, then Mrs. L and I took our group downstairs for their math work for the afternoon. I had to walk two of our more challenging kiddos back up to Mrs. M, and then Mrs. L did a great job getting them ready to do the work, but they didn't get borrowing. We needed to take 68 - 29 = ?? but the kids just couldn't get it. So she called them all back and we did it as a class. Then back up to class and getting ready for going home. Back down to the library after the kids left and more inventory work. I'm hoping to be done tomorrow!

Wonderful Mrs. Willer

Got in and got computers up onto OAKS site. Opened windows and picked a book, Tarra and Bella, for my class after cafeteria duty. Went to LLI meeting, quick gave a run down of my kids then off to the assembly gyre of students. Nice assembly, focus on citizenship this month. Then we all got 'awards' with candy bars for crazy things. Mine was Extra gum because I give extra. Mrs. M got a Snickers bar because she makes everyone laugh. Then I saw little gingerbread figures all over the school with 'Delightful D...' or 'Super S...' and there wasn't one on my door. Made me sad :(  But later in the day I found mine up above the 'library' notice on the wall and it said "Wonderful Mrs. Willer" awwhhh, so sweet! Down to the library and I'm trying to work on finishing up my AV inventory. Then up to Mrs. M's room for helping out. She had me cutting out math activities for the kids and then I did my reading group on the 'Chocolate Touch'. Back down for my lunch, cafeteria duty, then my one library class for the day. It went pretty well. Then more work on the inventory and up to Mrs. M's room for the afternoon. I worked on more cutting out of math activities and Mrs. L and I took the kids down to work on more math, the four different ways to figure out how to get an answer. Then back to the classroom and got them out the door for the day, back to the library and I went around to a few more rooms for inventory and worked on the database for the rest of the afternoon.

Poetry Done

Finished up poetry week today. Had fun with the kinders and reading Dr. Seuss' Up book. We did hand motions and they enjoyed it I hope. Came in, woke up computers. Checked in books. Talked with a few teachers. Off to LLI and the student I thought was going to leave will be here until the end of the school year! Yeah! Back to the library and got ready for my three classes. My lunch, then cafeteria duty. Still nice out, but the building was a lot cooler and cooler weather on the way. The kids were dismissed to recess early again, yeah! Back to the library to have my last class, then some clean up. Pulled books for next week and kind of went through them to see what would be best for my groups. Then up to Mrs. M's for the rest of the afternoon. She sent me with a group to the upstairs computer lab. I took half for about 25 minutes, then we swapped groups. Down to the library after school to clean up. Off to REI for their grand opening tonight!

91º

That's how hot my car said it was on the drive home today. Wow. The school was hot too. Poor kids testing in the lab, it was really sweltering in there and when I didn't have library classes they had the lab doors open. When I had my last class for the day I opened my windows and propped open the library doors as well as the lab doors hoping it would help. Not sure if it did. Came in and woke up computers, only five didn't log in right away today, so better than yesterday. Off to LLI and one of my kids announced at the very end of the session that he was moving, like today was his last day :(  He was sad, we were sad. I love my small groups because I really get to know the kids, and he is a real sweet kid. Then back to the library to get ready for my groups. Had my three in, almost the whole gamut of the school ages. Took my lunch and even sat up on the window benches for my snack and reading looking out at the beautiful trees. Then cafeteria duty, we let the younger group out early, they were more than ready to get outside, so we let them. Back to the library and I had two helpers. Not sure how much they helped, they were more interested in pushing the cart around to shelve books. Instead of organizing the books and going from A - Z, they would pick a book, move the cart, then shelve the book, then get the next one. Oh well! Then up to Mrs. M's room and I helped with her science lesson on tadpoles to frogs. She had some live ones for the kids to look at under a magnifying lense and they loved it. Back to the library for my last class of the day, then up to Mrs. M's room again and some filing for her. Then time for the kids to go home and I went back to the library to shelve (the right way!).