Hey people! I only have three days left until my three week vacation.
Yes. That’s right.
We get out this Friday. At 3:00. Well, after the winter party. And after all the sugar that we’re technically not allowed to have so we have to bag it all up (or saran wrap it) and send it home, but in the meantime, all the kids have licked the icing anyway, and eaten the candy, and picked stuff up off the floor, so our no sugar rule is actually a technicality.
But I shall survive. And then I shall be free.
In the meantime, I’m trying to pretend that it’s just a normal week.
Yep.
Also, I’m afraid of the Curriculum Cops. You would be, too.
So today, we worked on contractions.
This is the song I sing for contractions. I don’t know where I got it. It’s to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb. I don’t have it typed. It’s in my head.
I’m the first word, don’t change me
Don’t change me
Don’t change me
I’m the first word, don’t change me
No! Leave me alone!
It’s hard to sing the second part because it has too many words so you have to sing fast and don’t take a breath, or it won’t work.
In the second word
Certain letters are taken out
Taken out
Taken out
Certain letters are taken out
An apostrophe remains!
Please don’t hold me accountable if it doesn’t come out right in your classroom. I do a combination of singing/talking/yelling/theatrics. It’s sort of a gift.
Then I pulled out the FREE contraction puzzles that Heather from Heather’s Heart showcased last year.
Click {HERE} to check them out.
And I’m pretty sure that I already talked about these before, too. So we may be having a re-run post today and I don’t even know it.
Yesterday, I was told that a student teacher in upper grade needed to come down to the jungle a primary classroom for some observation hours . . . and sure enough, I was chosen as a room for her to visit.
So I pulled out these contraction puzzles, and we played a game in which we had to find our partners, and then we played the game three times in a row. IN A ROW.
And I said, “Stop checking to see if your puzzles fit. Start looking AT THE WORDS!” sixteen times in a row or something like that. That’s just a ball park figure.
And the student teacher never came.
Even though it was awesome. And engaging. And the room was buzzing.
I shrugged my shoulders. Oh well. Whatevs.
I passed out the curriculum worksheet on contractions, and sent the kids back to their seats for independent practice, and guess what?
Yep.
In walked the student teacher.
She stayed about ten minutes and left.
I’m trying not to take it personally.
But then one of my girls had two things to say to me on the way to recess.
1. “I’m almost as tall as you!”
(No – she’s not, actually. She has AT LEAST two inches to go.)
2. “I think you’re about the same age as my GRANDMA. Yep. Probably EX-actly.” Then she nodded her head and skipped off to recess.
I’m trying not to take that personally, either.
I mean, it’s not my fault it was CRAZY HAIR DAY and I tried something different, is it??? I mean, is it???
Your blog posts seriously make my day! Just when I need a laugh…your blog appears in my reader. It's magical. Thank you for making being positive so entertaining.
Laurie
Chickadee Jubilee
I am going to start using the term "Curriculum Cops" That is hilarious. I would love to have three weeks. You are a very lucky soul:) Have FUN!!!! And relax!
Emily
Educatingtothecore
You could make the sun shine on the cloudiest of days. I love reading your blog.
Enjoy your break away from the 'curriculum cops'.
You always make me SMILE.
Have a great Christmas.
Rhonda
Classroom Fun
I am sure the girl's grandma is only 25. Really.
I sing that contraction song, too. But the second verse is different. Something like ,,, In the second word, take letters out, take letters out, take letters out. In the second word take letters out, the apostrophe remains.
I have no idea where the song came from. But I thought HM didn't teach contractions for awhile. Hmmm … I better check the scope and sequence before the CCs get me!
Love to you,
Camille
P.S. On Monday when we are all still teaching, please give PJ a hug for all of us!
Your posts crack me up! Thanks for being and interesting blogger. 🙂
Enjoy your time off!
Irene
Learning With Mrs. Leeby
Wow, I can't believe you get out at the end of this week. I still have to work next week until Friday. UGH!! I hear ya on the curriculm cops. We have those at our school too. Enjoy your time off!
ஐRikki
The Hive
I did have a walk through today during reading time… had the kids trying to concentrate on a study guide when they would have rather be jumping off the walls.
I had a student tell me the other day that I looked pregnant. Then she told me that it wasn't nice to call people fat. I was like oh but pregnant is ok?
I usually sing the second verse like this
I'm the second word
I lose letters
I lose letters
I lose letters
I'm the second word
I lose letters
I get
an apostrophe!
I love that we are doing contractions at the same time! I JUST blogged about my contractions art! But I forgot to put the song in my post! I'm going to go back and add it in.
I cracked up about the little girl saying you were the same age as her grandma. I like it when they say I'm the same age as their moms (20's & 30's) because I actually am a grandma. haha. I sing the contraction song too. On the second verse we sing- Certain letters are taken out, taken out, taken out. Certain letters are taken out. a shorter word you'll see. 3rd verse. Apostrophe will take their place, take their place, take their place. Apostrophe will take their place- a shorter word you'll see. The kids love to sing any of these little songs. We do one for the hard & soft C & G too. I have a book of them I bought about a million years ago.
I am jealous!! I have 8 days to go. Enjoy your early break. Hope you think about all of us while you're hanging out in your sweats watching Christmas movies 🙂
Your blog posts always make me laugh and smile and I really needed that this morning after a rough day yesterday. Thanks for the making my day!
Amanda
Mrs. Pauley’s Kindergarten
First….I LOVE that song!! It comes from one of my favorite books (at school and I am at home), the book is very old (grandma) and may be out of print. It is filled with songs for all kinds of topics, nouns, verbs, short vowels, long vowels, plurals, possessives, you know all that stuff I used to teach when I was in 2nd grade. Each topic has a song, a list of words, and a couple of worksheets. But the contraction song is my favorite. We used to practice it and then go perform for the other second grades.
The book version is about three verses longer, but I never could remember the last line and had to have the words handy. The next verse starts
Apostrophe will fill that space
Fill that space
Fill that space
Apostrophe will fill that space
One word will remain (remember…I am never sure of the last line)
Lastly…I am jealous!! We have a WHOLE week left before vacation (and we only get two weeks)
I want to link up with 12 in 12 and 12.12.12 would be perfect…but I don't know if I will make it. Thanks for making me smile, thanks for hosting that great linky party. I will get there…I will get there…I will get there. Now off I go to create amazing learning experiences for my kinder kids. Just in case the curriculum cops come by or I get observed (yes I am still waiting for that experience this year) or because that what I like to do. but it's too early to be doing this.
Terri Izatt
tizatt@ecsdnv.net
KinderKapers
PS I left my email just in case anyone wants the name of that book. I will go find where I tucked it away.
We sing the same song. Our 2nd verse goes like this:
When you change the 2nd word, 2nd word, 2nd word
When you change the 2nd word
A Shorter word you'll see.
Then our 3rd verse is:
Certain letters are taken out, taken out, taken out
Certain letters are taken out
One word will remain.
I'm 24 and one of my 9 year old fourth graders called me "GRANNY" today!!! What the dump??
Should I write a song to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb that tells you how ridiculously jealous I am that you have 3 weeks off? Enjoy it!
Polka Dots & Teaching Tots
I love you. This was the best thing I read all day. And I read a lot of stuff. Thank you for the giggles. Today one of my precious little ones told me that my feet stink. Gotta love it!
Heidi
http://inthatroomwithheidiharrell.blogspot.com/
Ha ha, so funny!! I'm sure folks will be saying stuff like that about me too, because I'm just under 5 ft tall! During my practicum, faculty would sometimes say, "Where's your pass?!" if they happened to miss my college ID. 😉
Jessica
The Learning Metamorphosis
heeheehee
Tall as a kindergartener and as old as Grandma…
You are loved!
If I had a student teacher in my upper grade class, I would send her to visit you too!
Sending you wishes for two more days of "survival"…
Kim
Finding JOY in 6th Grade