Five for Friday...the longest shortest week!

This was the longest shortest week!  

I am finding it difficult to come up with five notable happenings to blog about for Doodle Bugs Teaching Five For Friday linky but I will give it a go:)  

Read at your own risk...notable?  not so much.

Although...I can't resist!  

It is wonderful reading what everyone else has been up to and 

reading comments from you guys! (a little New Yorker accent there). 

1.  Natural Disasters Projects:  My students began working on a "Natural Disaster" project at the end of last week and were assigned writing the rough draft for the essay on Tuesday night for homework.  They are working in pairs on this project and the room has been a buzz of excitement!  They have to write a 5 paragraph essay (intro., 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion) and have a visual aid.  

Many students went home over the weekend and worked hard on their project.  I can't wait to see the presentations next week and I am so proud that they have worked with their partners so well.  It is a great way to also get some much needed practice reading informational text since the Common Core emphasizes a 50/50 split for fiction and nonfiction reading.  I know they have been introduced to a lot of new vocabulary while working on the project.  

I tried importing the directions and rubric I made for the project, but of course it didn't turn out the right way.  If you would like a copy of these, write a comment with your email and I will send them to you.  If there is a lot of interest, I may upload this on TPT.  This has been revamped with 10 pages total for the project and is uploaded on TP here! 

Check back next week and I will blog about some of the presentations with pictures of the final products:)

2.  MOST Unexpected Snow Day on Wednesday!  

There was no school on Monday (President's Day), back to school on Tuesday and then a phone call at 5:45 am Wednesday morning.  

The forecast called for 2-4" overnight (which is nothing!). 

Well, the weatherman had it wrong again....

My district got over a foot overnight and with the 50 mph winds at just the right time, it was that magical combination!  Wahoo!!

3.  Stayed home sick Thursday!  I told you it was the longest shortest week ever, right?  

My husband and I both started to feel sick on the snow day (he had to work though!).  I laid down during the kids' naps (loved spending extra time with them:).

I did not get up the entire nap time!  Body aches, feverish, dizziness, and no appetite.

Well, I was bound and determined to get back to work on Thursday.

I just had a snow day, right?

Got up at 5:20...took my shower, and I was exhausted!

My temperature was 101.5 and there was no way I could make it...

4.  Several students were quite naughty for the sub!

with a pile of papers waiting from being out one day sick...

some naughtiness to attend to...

summaries on a nonfiction piece written that didn't even make sense by my top writers...

today was quite exhausting!

I mean some of those summaries were like they did not even read the story and there were run-ons, incomplete sentences, and some incoherent writing!  I am telling myself that it is because there was a sub but I am not so sure...starting to panic a little.  Our state test is mid-April but we have a 2 week spring break before it....FOUR weeks of school left until spring break...yikes!

5.  Added to Danielson APPR binder organizers:  With the little bit of down time I had resting Wednesday and Thursday, I was [slightly] productive.  I updated the APPR binder organizers that follow the Danielson rubric for teacher evaluations on TPT.  Included now are checklists for each domain and examples of four artifacts that can be used.  

I am actually looking forward to a five day {slightly normal} week next week!  I think the five day weeks are easier somehow.  Anyone with me on that?  

Have a great weekend:)