Friday, November 18

I'm getting sick

I told my parents individually that I wasn't feeling well and here are their responses:
Mom: You are burning the candle at both ends
I had her explain what that even means.
Dad: You're a hypochondriac

I have a very large feather down coat.  It goes down to my mid-calf region. 
I came downstairs this morning and my dad, noticing this oversized covering, began to tell me how warm it'll be today.  Something about the cloud cover and blah blah blah.  He would have to set me on fire to convince me to remove it.  I have had it on all day.  And I'm inside.  It's like wearing a quilt.

Thursday, November 17

Mr. Mysterious

As I read with my reading groups at the back table, I don't want to be interrupted by the rest of the students.  So I have them write their name in one of these columns if they have a comment (C) question (?) or an emergency (911.)  I get to them when I have a break between meeting with groups.
















Mr. Mysterious had a question today.
This has happened a few times and I still don't know who Mr. Mysterious is.
I can't wait to hear what his question is.


Tuesday, November 15

Wax Museum

Today is the day 5th graders dress up as a famous American.  They stand out in the hall all afternoon and for an hour in the evening.  When their home-made button is pushed, they come to life and tell you, in first person, about their famous American. 

I loved listening to each individual student and their memorized speech.  They always take it way too far (and usually it's the parents that are more intense about it...but that makes it a bigger deal which makes it way cooler.)

One kid brought in a Taboo buzzer.  He put it in his desk, went to the restroom, came back, and it wasn't in his desk anymore.  I asked around, no one fessed.  I had a kid come up to me, privately, saying he thought he heard a buzzing.  "It could have been a bee though, or someone's phone vibrating or something..."  Very helpful, thank you.
So after tears, mom coming down to the school, and a visit from the principal giving my class a talk about stealing, we found it.  In his desk. 

As an aside, I'd like to say I am sensitive.  But I strive to be as reasonable as possible, especially when my kids cry.  I try to make whatever they are crying about not a big deal so they stop crying. 

So that kicked off today's theme: It was all about the buttons.  It took an hour to make the coolest button, complete with springing paper affixed between two shapes and a message that says "push me."  You had the constant "buzz" from the taboo buzzer, the 1st and 2nd graders running up and down the rows of fifth graders, pushing their buttons, and of course the tattle tellers: "Colton says 'you suck' whenever someone pushes his button!"