Test Ready

This week I collaborated with our school librarian to help our kids with last minute test prep.

First we read "Testing Miss Malarkey" with our older students. I loved trying to explain to them what a ditto was.

We also read "Hooray for Diffendoofer Day" with our younger students.

Next we had some fun practicing some "brain breaks" we created for all the teachers.
This was a great TPT purchase I encourage all teachers to buy:

Check out the entire project here: http://third-grades-a-charm.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html

To end I got to put my yoga certification to use by putting the students through a guided relaxation exercises and basic stretches. We even had some fall asleep!

Introducing Flat Stouie!

As you may have guessed I am an animal lover, so when Nashville PITTIE asked me to create a project that would help reach students across the world and combine my love for dogs I jumped on it.

This year for reading in schools day, we had Stouie, a READing Paws therapy dog and NashvillePITTIE Ambassador dog, visit school. The students loved reading with him.

So we decided to create a "Flat Stouie" inspired by Flat Stanley. Students get a flat version of our pup Stouie that they can take with them on trips, introduce to their own furry friends, etc. They can also mail their Flat Stouie around the world. When someone receives him they will take a picture with him and then write back to the student sharing their adventures. This encourages to the student's to learn more about where they live, etc.
 I am so thrilled about this project. Here's how I am rolling it out:

Flat Stouie created by J.H. 4th grader

*All students in 4th grade will get a Flat Stouie packet to have this summer. The packet includes the Flat Stouie, letters, and a fun state fact sheet, and more to fill out. I picked 4th grade because it was one of my 4th grade students that designed the official "Summer Flat Stouie."

*I will give the parents that attend my last two parent workshops on encouraging summer reading and writing a free packet.

* The students that mail their Stouie, blog about it, write about it, etc. will get to attend a special party in August with the real Stouie. How will students show me they completed the project? Well they can:

 *write/upload a picture to his Facebook page:  

www.facebook.com/FlatStouie

  *Instagram a picture #FlatStouie

  *Upload a picture to Twitter with the hashtag #FlatStouie

  *e-mail so we can blog about it

    stouie@nashvillepittie.org

http://pinterest.com/pin/11047961555729411/

This project is great for encouraging reading, writing, critical thinking, math, geography, and more! I really want my students to research famous celebrities, politicians, and other owners of pits. Wouldn't it be amazing for someone like Kevin Bacon to have a picture of his pit with our flat pit. That's my dream. In fact I created a board of everyone I want to meet Flat Stouie: http://pinterest.com/nashvillepittie/famous-pitties/

If you are interested in having Stouie visit your school just email: stouie@nashvillepittie.org and if you want to start your own project at school you can buy the entire 20 page packet on my Teachers Pay Teachers page here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Flat-Stouie-Packet-variation-on-Flat-Stanley

**Half of the proceeds will go to NashvillePITTIE and help us fund Stouie's trips to your school.

This summer we will be working on a book to go with the project so stay tuned. 

For those of you haven't heard of Flat Stanley read more here: http://pinterest.com/pin/272045633713867431/. Also when I looked him up on Pinterest the pins were endless.

B.I.O.N.I.C.

Believe It Or Not I Care

One of my favorite things about the ASCA School Counselor monthly magazine is the National School Counselor of the Year issue. Why? I steal all the ideas that make them an award winning counselor like this one.......

Currently- I am getting to know you.

One of my favorite parts about Beg Borrow Steal is her "currently" idea.

From Beg Borrow Steal

I love this cute, quick activity for so many reasons. First, it's like a live journal. It would be so much fun to keep all of these in a journal to just flip through. Second, it's an idea just made for counselors to steal and use. Here's how I have used it: