I think I'm ready...

My room is ready.  I've got lesson plans, first day instructions, and rosters full of incoming 6th graders.  My "first day of school outfit" has been picked out (I think!).  Part of my day today was spent making my own interactive notebook so that I would have one to show my students later in the week.  Lunches have been made.  I think I'm ready.  Or am I?  It seems that the more planning I do, the more "unexpected" things come up!

Tomorrow I get to meet my new kids and I'm so excited.  My son is a 6th grader at my school this year and I have many of his friends in my classes this year.  I also have siblings of some awesome former students.  How nice it is going into tomorrow already knowing some names (does anyone else get nervous about pronouncing kids' names correctly on the first day of school?).  It's going to be a great year!

I've done a lot of revamping in my classroom this year and can't wait to see how the kids react to my new "stuff" and see how it all gets used.

Go Bobcats!

All those little last minute things

I spent the better part of my week working in my classroom.  My OCD always kicks in a little and I have to get the room done before I really have to be back at work so that all of those little last minute unexpected things that seem to creep up don't do me in.  One of the projects on my to-do list was a "10 Commandments of Math" poster that I had seen on Pinterest.  I honestly couldn't decide exactly how I wanted to do my poster.  I thought about using chart paper, but decided I didn't want to look at my own handwriting hanging on my wall.  I pulled out a large piece of foam board that was left over from a presentation at my husband's office and thought about somehow using it (I even bought some cute ribbon to help decorate and make it look cute).  Then I thought about making individual laminated "cards" and putting them across the front of the room above the chalkboard (yes, I have an actual chalkboard in my room!).  Alas, I just couldn't figure out what I wanted to do...only that I really wanted it in my room.

And then I spent some time on Pinterest, and I started noticing all of the subway art.  And that got me thinking, could I do that?  After only a little research, I was on my way to making my own subway art, and boy did I have fun!  Thanks to pickmonkey this project took off and within about 30 minutes of starting, I had a poster which had been uploaded to Staples for printing.  

Confession:  I even paid to get it laminated at Staples so that it could go directly on the wall at school instead of waiting for someone at school to laminate it for me (we aren't allowed to do our own laminating :( ).

My BIG problem now is deciding what I want turn into subway art next!